A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 269 Killing the chicken to scare the monkey

In the main hall of Tianshan, Xue Wanshan's powerful cry of "Junior Brother" jolted Shen Henian awake from his daze. The latter, upon regaining his senses, broke out in a cold sweat. Looking at the dragon pearl emitting an eerie purple light in front of his fingertips, Shen Henian was startled and immediately took several steps back. He took a deep breath and looked at the dragon pearl with a mixture of fear and intense desire.

"Senior brother, this Dragon Ball is too strange. We should handle it properly. The news that the Dragon Ball is now in our hands has spread throughout the martial arts world. Our Tianshan Sect is going to be very lively from now on. If you ask me, we should destroy it and get it over with once and for all, so as to avoid causing any more trouble."

Shen Henian flicked his whisk, revealing a look of disgust, but deep in his eyes were other thoughts.

"What Second Senior Brother said makes some sense. Sect Leader, keeping this thing in the Tianshan Sect is a disaster. Although we are not weak, we are still no match for the entire martial arts world, especially Shangguan Yun of Zhongxin Hall. This man has always been ambitious, but he has not made any move this time. He must be thinking about how to deal with us behind our backs."

Li Dengping had also glanced at the Dragon Ball, but she was kind-hearted and righteous. Although she was momentarily misled, she quickly broke free. After glancing at the Dragon Ball, Li Dengping immediately offered her suggestion.

Just after Shen Henian and Li Dengping finished speaking, Fu Tianjiao hurriedly stepped forward, bowed to her master, and said solemnly, "Master, this dragon pearl does not belong to the Tianshan Sect. We are only keeping it in trust and have no right to dispose of it. If an owner comes to claim it in the future, what will happen if our Tianshan Sect cannot produce it? Wouldn't we become a laughing stock, or would people say that the Tianshan Sect is coveting the treasure and deliberately made up an excuse?"

Xue Wanshan nodded upon hearing this. The Dragon Pearl originally belonged to the Chamu tribe, and since its owner was here, they had no right to dispose of it. Tianjiao's words gave everyone present a reasonable excuse. However, Xue Wanshan was somewhat unsure how to deal with Feng Po in the future.

“Tianjiao is right, senior brother. Although this dragon pearl is a treasure of the martial arts world, it is absurd for our Tianshan Sect to entrust its reputation and future to such a pearl. Moreover, this thing is extremely sturdy. Even divine weapons and sharp blades cannot damage it.”

Upon hearing Ni Qingfeng's words, a glint flashed in Shen Henian's eyes. He then drew his sword, and in a flash, the gleaming blade struck the dragon pearl squarely. With a clang, the dragon pearl remained unmoved, while Shen Henian was jolted back several steps by the force of the impact, his arms numb and trembling slightly.

"Junior brother!"

Xue Wanshan's expression changed slightly. He immediately came behind Shen Henian, placed one palm against his back, and released a burst of powerful true energy to help Shen Henian dispel the stagnant energy in his body. With this help, Shen Henian slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

"What a domineering force."

Shen Henian said in a hoarse voice that he had used eight-tenths of his strength in that sword strike, along with the precious sword in his hand that could cut through gold and jade, yet it had failed to achieve its purpose, which really surprised him.

"You must never be so reckless again. Third Junior Sister, you take Second Junior Brother to rest first. Tianjiao and Tianxiang, go back to your rooms to rest as well."

Xue Wanshan gave an order, and Li Dengping led Shen Henian away. Fu Tianjiao and Fu Tianxiang also left after hearing this. Fu Tianjiao glanced at Cha Mulong, who nodded to her.

Once only three people remained in the hall, Xue Wanshan took the dragon pearl in his hand, walked to Chamulong's side, handed the dragon pearl to Chamulong, and said solemnly, "Chief Chamulong, this humble Taoist greets you."

Cha Mulong took the Dragon Pearl and heard the name Xue Wanshan mentioned. Immediately, images flashed through his mind, constantly stimulating his nerves. The latter's face contorted in pain, and he clutched his head, struggling desperately. Seeing this, Ni Qingfeng reached out and tapped him a few times. After a while, Cha Mulong calmed down, stood up straight, and looked blankly at Xue Wanshan and Ni Qingfeng.

"Chief Chamu's memory has been damaged. I can lend you a hand. Junior brother, I'll trouble you to protect me."

Ni Qingfeng nodded upon hearing this, "I will follow the instructions of Senior Brother Sect Leader."

"Chief Chamu, come with me."

Xue Wanshan took the lead and walked towards the back of the hall, with Cha Mulong following closely behind. Ni Qingfeng gave an order to the outside of the hall, telling no one to enter the hall without permission, and then immediately followed.

Upon arriving at a secret chamber in the rear hall, Xue Wanshan and Cha Mulong were already sitting opposite each other on a stone bed. When Ni Qingfeng arrived, Xue Wanshan gave him an order, and the latter sat down cross-legged not far from the two of them, just in case.

"Chief Chamu, I will help you regain your memories later. Please clear your mind and do not let your thoughts wander. Otherwise, the consequences of confusion will be unimaginable."

Cha Mulong nodded upon hearing this. Xue Wanshan smiled upon seeing this and then taught Cha Mulong a calming mantra. After reciting it several times, the latter's aura was no longer as violent and intense as before. Instead, it was like a gentle breeze, soft yet resilient, with a lingering aftereffect.

While Cha Mulong was silently reciting the calming mantra, Xue Wanshan was also constantly regulating his internal energy to adjust himself to the best state. Half an hour later, Xue Wanshan finally began to take action.

Upon seeing his senior brother, the sect leader, begin treatment, Ni Qingfeng instantly relaxed his guard and began to closely monitor the area inside and outside the secret chamber. He was determined to kill anyone who made any unusual movements, regardless of who they were.

In the original storyline, Xue Wanshan was killed by Zhang Yong, the third disciple of the Tianshan Sect who coveted the Dragon Pearl, while treating Cha Mulong, which ultimately led to a catastrophe for the Tianshan Sect.

"Now that Zhang Yong has not seen the Dragon Pearl, and I am here to protect him, our senior brother, the sect leader, will surely be safe and sound. With him in charge, the Tianshan Sect will no longer be torn apart and become a branch of the Zhongxin Hall."

On the stone bed, Xue Wanshan stood solemnly, slowly gathering power in his palms. A surge of powerful true energy continuously poured into Cha Mulong's body. This true energy continuously cleared the blocked meridians in Cha Mulong's body. To regain his memories, the meridians needed to be unblocked so that the blood could flow freely. Otherwise, directly targeting the cranial cavity would be counterproductive.

After using his true energy to reopen dozens of blocked meridians on Cha Mulong's body, Xue Wanshan revealed a satisfied smile. Then, he condensed his true energy into threads and sent them into Cha Mulong's skull cavity, the place of vital essence. If anything went wrong, the consequences would range from mild dementia and stupidity to immediate death.

"I didn't expect the situation inside the cranial cavity to be so serious; it will really take some effort."

Xue Wanshan realized that the problem of the gap between his true qi and the Dao was serious. He immediately added more force and continued to clear the blood stasis in his cranial cavity. After an hour, Xue Wanshan barely managed to clear the blood stasis in his cranial cavity, but his true qi was completely exhausted and he could no longer help him stimulate his memories.

When Ni Qingfeng, who was protecting the sect leader, saw that his senior brother was pale and panting, he was about to step forward to help when suddenly the dragon pearl in Cha Mulong's arms emitted a purple light and slowly floated between the two of them, spreading the purple light and enveloping them.

“The Dragon Ball has a spirit; it seems to know what the Sect Leader is thinking, which saves me some trouble.” Ni Qingfeng sensed that the Dragon Ball meant no harm, so he sat down cross-legged and stared intently at the two of them.

After an unknown amount of time, the purple light slowly subsided, and the dragon pearl returned to Cha Mulong. Upon seeing this, Ni Qingfeng immediately went to check on him and found that Cha Mulong was unharmed, but his senior brother, the sect leader, seemed to have entered a mysterious state. Ni Qingfeng did not dare to disturb him and quietly sat aside, waiting for him to wake up.

The moon hung high in the sky, and candlelight filled the room. Xue Wanshan slowly woke up and saw Cha Mulong sleeping soundly on the stone bed. He felt a little relieved and then turned to look at Ni Qingfeng beside him. Seeing the latter setting out the food, he couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you for your trouble, Junior Brother." Xue Wanshan got up from the bed and said to Ni Qingfeng.

"Senior brother's sudden enlightenment and great increase in cultivation is truly cause for celebration. Senior brother, let's have a meal first."

Looking at his senior brother's calm and unwavering gaze and the Daoist aura surrounding him, Ni Qingfeng knew perfectly well that this senior brother had received an immense blessing and was taking another step closer to the Innate Realm.

"This is a blessing in disguise. The Dragon Ball is truly miraculous. However, it is already an immense opportunity to receive this help. If one harbors any delusions, one will surely be scorched by flames and have one's soul destroyed."

After washing his hands and face, Xue Wanshan sat down at the dining table. Even now, thinking back on it, he still felt a little scared. His cultivation had improved, which was good, but the illusion in the Dragon Ball was also very penetrating. If he hadn't cultivated three-tenths of the true meaning of Taoism and guarded his original heart, he would probably have turned into a pile of ashes by now.

"But Senior Brother has succeeded in the end, so let's not think about anything else. Now that Senior Brother's martial arts have greatly improved, our Tianshan Sect has gained another strength. However, although Chief Chamu's memories have been recovered, we must hold on to the situation. Otherwise, not only will we lose the Dragon Pearl, but the Tianshan Sect will also be overthrown by those with ulterior motives."

Ni Qingfeng picked up a slice of meat and ate it with the rice. Xue Wanshan nodded upon hearing this, took a bite of rice, and said in a deep voice, "Currently, Zhongxintang is busy seizing the assets of Diancang Sect, Qiankun Sect, and Wanjian Sect. They have no time to deal with Tianshan within a month. However, those small sects do not have such concerns. If Zhongxintang stirs up trouble behind the scenes, it will also be a problem."

"Although the Tianshan Sect is renowned in the Western Regions, it carries far less weight in the eyes of those Central Plains martial arts sects than those with long-standing traditions. Their disdain is understandable. However, a major move to intimidate them would allow the Tianshan Sect to achieve two goals at once: temporarily resolving the Dragon Pearl predicament and simultaneously enhancing its reputation." Xue Wanshan put down his chopsticks, looked intently at his junior brother opposite him, and said calmly, "Which sect do you intend to target?"

"Nine Immortals Gate".

"Nine Immortals Sect? Not bad. This sect acts arrogantly and is located in the Western Regions with our sect. It is inevitable that our forces will intersect. It is most appropriate to take action against them."

After pondering for a while, Xue Wanshan agreed with Ni Qingfeng's suggestion. Since the rise of the Tianshan Sect was inevitable, they should first eliminate the forces around them.

“The Nine Immortals Sect has always followed the lead of the Loyal and Trusted Hall. Eliminating it would be like blinding the Loyal and Trusted Hall. I have wanted to kill Song Ruofeng, the ‘Pine Immortal’, for a long time.”

Hearing his junior brother's murderous words, Xue Wanshan didn't say much. Now, two of the Nine Immortals Sect's high-ranking members had already been killed by his junior brother. Apart from Song Ruofeng, who was somewhat formidable, the rest of them would be no match for his junior brother even if they all came together.

"This matter needs careful planning. Even if we have to eliminate the Nine Immortals Sect, we must uphold righteousness. In the martial world, righteousness may be the least valuable thing, but it is the most effective way to win people's hearts. Although the Tianshan Sect has no ambition to compete for supremacy, it cannot lose the hearts of the people and end up being betrayed and abandoned by everyone."

"What you say is very true, Senior Brother. Tianshan is already enough to dominate the Western Regions. To think too much about it is to be greedy and like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. Senior Brother, in this month, the disciples must also work hard to improve their martial arts, especially Tianjiao and the others. I will be starting to refine pills soon, and I hope that Senior Brother will open the treasury."

"I've given my approval. I'll inform the elders in advance. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. The Heavenly Heart Pill is notoriously difficult to refine, so don't worry too much about the success or failure. Keep this token safe."

Upon hearing Ni Qingfeng's words, Xue Wanshan sighed inwardly. Although this junior brother was passionate about alchemy, his alchemy skills were mediocre. Apart from some pills with greatly reduced medicinal power, the rest were all piles of waste. Later, this fourth junior brother tried to refine the sect's top-tier pill, the Heavenly Heart Pill, but as expected, he failed again. Not only did he waste a large amount of precious medicinal materials, but he also almost destroyed the alchemy furnace.

Xue Wanshan only agreed to let Ni Qingfeng refine pills this time because of his improved cultivation.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Sect Leader. If you have no further instructions, then I will take my leave."

Having received permission, Ni Qingfeng put away the token, stood up and bowed, then left the secret chamber. Watching his junior brother leave, Xue Wanshan shook his head, then had the bowls and chopsticks cleared away, and returned to the stone bed to wait for Cha Mulong to wake up.

The next day, Ni Qingfeng arrived at the storehouse and took out the sect leader's token. The elder guarding the storehouse immediately let him in. As Ni Qingfeng entered the storehouse, he was immediately greeted by the aroma of medicinal herbs. After searching according to the catalog and collecting all the necessary herbs, Ni Qingfeng did not linger. He thanked the elder guarding the storehouse and then took the items directly to the alchemy valley in the back mountain.

"This Heavenly Heart Pill is considered one of the top-grade pills in this world. One top-grade Heavenly Heart Pill is enough to be equivalent to ten years of hard cultivation. The medicinal materials I have now are not very old. Even if I refine it, it will only increase my cultivation by five years at most."

Ni Qingfeng sorted and arranged the medicinal herbs, carefully checked them, and after confirming that everything was correct, he lit the alchemy furnace. After continuously adding firewood, the temperature of the furnace began to rise. After a while, seeing this, Ni Qingfeng poured in the cold spring water. As soon as the water entered the furnace, it instantly turned into a wisp of white smoke, which tried to rise, but Ni Qingfeng sealed it tightly with the furnace lid. After continuous evaporation, the cold spring water condensed and, under the control of his true qi, turned into drops of pure white water. Under the heat of the fire, it continuously forced out the cold air. After several repetitions, the water droplets gathered together to form a droplet the size of a fist.

Seeing this, Ni Qingfeng immediately put the medicinal herbs around him into the water droplets in order. Each time he put one in, it was melted into the water droplets by his true energy. As the number of medicinal herbs decreased, the pure white water droplets turned into various colors. Half an hour later, the flames in the furnace turned pure blue. At this moment, only the last Ganoderma lucidum was left beside Ni Qingfeng.

After the Ganoderma lucidum was melted into the water droplet, the droplet suddenly began to churn, as if about to burst open. However, under the protection of Ni Qingfeng's true energy, the droplet began to shrink inward, first turning into a ball of lustrous white liquid, and finally into round lumps of pill-like objects.

As soon as Ni Qingfeng saw the pill take shape, he used his true energy to ignite the flames inside the furnace. The temperature of the flames soared, and wisps of fire continuously scorched the pill, burning away all the impurities hidden within. After a moment, Ni Qingfeng looked at the jade-colored pill through the furnace and knew that the time had come. He immediately pressed down with his true energy, and the flames inside the furnace instantly went out.

After waiting for a while, Ni Qingfeng opened the alchemy furnace, looked at the eighteen Heavenly Heart Pills inside, and couldn't help but smile.

After putting the Heavenly Heart Pill into a porcelain bottle, Ni Qingfeng tidied up and turned to leave the alchemy room. On his way back to the main hall of Tianshan, he happened to encounter Fu Tianjiao and the other seven rehearsing a sword formation. Upon seeing this, Ni Qingfeng immediately stopped and watched the seven practice the formation.

"The power of this Tianshan Sword Formation is average, far inferior to the Wudang True Martial Seven Intercept Formation."

After observing for a moment, Ni Qingfeng shook his head. Although the martial arts of Fu Tianjiao and the other seven were different, their qi should be flowing smoothly when the formation was in operation. However, their practice was sluggish and heavy, without any lightness or agility. This was contrary to the fundamental essence of the Tianshan Sword Technique.

"Uncle Master."

Fu Tianjiao sheathed her longsword, looked at her fourth senior uncle not far away, and immediately led her fellow disciples over. After bowing, Ni Qingfeng said to them, "Did you feel anything was wrong when you were practicing the sword formation just now?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Tianjiao seemed to be thinking about something, and replied seriously, "To be honest, when I was using the sword formation, I always felt that my energy was not flowing smoothly and I also felt a tightness in my chest. It was fine for a short time, but just now, after only a short while, the sword in my hand was no longer as nimble as before."

The second disciple, Zhao Kai, also spoke up: "Senior sister is right. The further we go in this sword formation, the more chaotic it becomes. It feels like a mountain is pressing down on us, making it hard to breathe."

The others also pointed out some problems with the sword formation. Ni Qingfeng nodded, and Fu Tianjiao, seeing this, asked in a low voice, "Uncle-Master, is there a problem with this sword formation?"

"The sword formation itself is not the problem. It's just that your energy channels are not connected. The sword formation is meant to be a whole. Since your power cannot be gathered in one place, you will naturally be impacted by the formation's power."

"However, this method is not without a solution. I will tell you after I ask the sect leader and consult the classics."

It's impossible for the seven people to be of one mind in a short time. The only way is to take a shortcut: use pills to temporarily improve their cultivation, then use a common cultivation method to practice the sword formation diligently for the next month to form a fixed pattern. After dealing with this calamity, we can consider other things.

"Thank you, uncle."

Fu Tianjiao and the other six bowed respectfully to Ni Qingfeng. They had practiced the sword formation many times, but had not made much progress. They had asked their master and uncles for help, but the problem remained unresolved. They continued to cultivate in this way until their fourth uncle revealed the solution, which gave them hope.

Ni Qingfeng waved his hand, turned and left, while Fu Tianjiao and the other six continued practicing their sword formation.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Ni Qingfeng saw his second senior brother Shen Henian and third senior sister Li Dengping also in the hall. After the three of them greeted each other, Ni Qingfeng asked, "Second senior brother, you look anxious. Has something happened?"

"Disciples are saying that the Nine Immortals Sect, the Tang Sect, the Golden Camel Ridge, and more than a dozen other sects, large and small, are joining forces to come to Tianshan."

Although Shen Henian was arrogant, he was not so arrogant as to confront so many people, especially troublesome sects like the Tang Clan.

"We'll meet force with force and water with earth. Are we, the Tianshan Sect, afraid of them? What we're afraid of is that they can climb Tianshan Mountain but not be able to come down!"

Ni Qingfeng sneered. He hadn't even dealt with the Nine Immortals Sect yet, and he couldn't hold back anymore. Fine, he didn't even need to make up an excuse.

"Junior brother, although Tang Sen and Tang Yong are dead, there are still several elders in the sect. If we are not careful, we could face a great disaster!"

"Second Senior Brother, the Sect Leader will decide on this matter. Let's wait for him to come out before we discuss it further."

Seeing the expressions on the two people's faces, Li Dengping immediately stepped forward to ease the tension. Just then, Xue Wanshan came out from the back hall. After the four of them greeted each other, before Shen Henian could speak, Xue Wanshan said, "Second Junior Brother, you, Third Junior Sister, and Fourth Junior Brother should immediately go down the mountain and clean up the high-ranking members of the Nine Immortals Sect."

(End of this chapter)