A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 32 Green Bamboo
After the three discussed many details, it was already getting dark. Abbess Miejue had a guest room prepared and a vegetarian meal served. Gu Xu thanked them, bowed to the two, and left with a female disciple.

Watching Gu Xu leave, Abbess Miejue sighed, "Nephew Gu Xu is becoming increasingly unfathomable. It's a pity that such a fine disciple is not a disciple of Emei." Although Abbess Miejue had taken in many disciples, very few could truly inherit her mantle. Ji Xiaofu was one, but she was already married. Jingxuan, Jingxu, and others had limited achievements; they were good at maintaining the status quo but lacked ambition. It would be difficult for them to carry forward the Emei sect in the future, which was not what Abbess Miejue wanted.

If it weren't for the chance encounter with Zhou Zhiruo, who knows who would have ended up in Emei.

"With such a young man in Wudang, the Wudang Sect will surely shine brightly in the future. Moreover, I have heard that Song Qingshu, the only son of Hero Song, and Zhang Wuji, the only son of Hero Zhang, are also rising stars. Wudang is truly blessed by heaven and is truly enviable," Guo Jun thought. If one of these three appeared in his sect, he would probably wake up laughing in his sleep.

Abbess Miejue agreed with this. Although she was always arrogant, she truly admired the Wudang Sect. With such three people in the sect, it would be difficult for it not to prosper.

"However, Master, you don't need to belittle yourself. I heard that your closed-door disciple has already made a name for himself and will surely carry on the legacy of Emei in the future. You have a worthy successor."

Hearing Guo Jun praise Zhou Zhiruo, Abbess Miejue smiled and said, "Zhiruo is indeed exceptionally talented. Among all the disciples I have taken in, she is the only one who is worthy of being taught." In order to lay a solid foundation for Zhou Zhiruo, Abbess Miejue directly had her cultivate the Qi cultivation method of the Nine Yin Manual, and she has already made some progress.

The following day, the once-every-five-years ceremony of Emei officially began. This custom was passed down by the founder Guo Xiang. The specific reason is no longer known. Later, it gradually evolved into a grand event to test the martial arts skills of the disciples. Today, it has become a sword-fighting tournament in the Sichuan martial arts world.

As leaders of the Sichuan martial arts world, a considerable number of sects came this time, including Qingcheng and Wudang, as well as sixteen other sects.

After burning incense and paying homage to the ancestors, Abbess Miejue invited representatives from various sects to take their seats and began the martial arts tournament.

First up were a female disciple from Emei and a young man from the Iron Fist Gang. In Gu Xu's eyes, their martial arts skills were only average; even in the Wudang Sect, they would only be considered below average among outer disciples.

Although the two were evenly matched in skill, the female disciple was clearly slightly superior. Sure enough, the Iron Fist Gang man was no match for his opponent, and his sleeve was slashed by her sword, causing him to be defeated on the spot.

In the following competitions, apart from a few people who were slightly outstanding, the rest were just average.

In the final match, a young woman with an elegant appearance and beautiful face took the stage. Gu Xu recognized her opponent, Tan Fangrui from the Qingcheng Sect.

"Master, this must be your sect's prized disciple," Tan Fangrui said. His martial arts skills were not bad, and after years of hard training, he was incomparable to what he used to be. The woman opposite him was not afraid of him at all, but instead showed a competitive spirit.

Upon hearing this, Abbess Miejue smiled and said, "This is my closed-door disciple, named Zhou Zhiruo." In fact, the purpose of letting Zhou Zhiruo compete this time was to let her make a name for herself so that she could take charge of Emei in the future.

Gu Xu nodded, realizing that she was Zhou Zhiruo, and then looked at the two people in the arena.

Tan Fangrui and Zhou Zhiruo each held a sword salute. The former was unwilling to make the first move. Seeing this, Zhou Zhiruo leveled her sword and swept it horizontally towards her opponent. Tan Fangrui dodged to the side and at the same time thrust his long sword forward, stabbing straight at her arm.

The two exchanged blows, their swords flashing. Tan Fangrui felt that his opponent was difficult to deal with, so he used the Pine Breeze Sword Technique. His sword style suddenly changed, combining the strength of the pine and the speed of the wind. Zhou Zhiruo's sword style was inevitably thwarted, and she was forced to retreat under the fierce sword wind, gradually falling into a disadvantageous position.

Gu Xu glanced at it. Although Tan Fangrui had the upper hand at the moment, it was only because Zhou Zhiruo had not yet adapted to the sword moves. Once she figured out the moves, it would probably be time for her to counterattack.

Abbess Miejue's expression remained unchanged, but Guo Jun was rather serious. The fact that Tan Fangrui had been forced to use the Pine Breeze Sword Technique so quickly meant that the situation was somewhat troublesome.

As Zhou Zhiruo finished her set of Pine Breeze Sword Techniques, signs of defeat began to emerge. Tan Fangrui's sword moves flowed seamlessly, swiftly striking out and giving his opponent no chance to catch her breath.

However, Zhou Zhiruo had already figured out the style of the Pine Breeze Sword Technique. She blocked the sword to protect herself, and when Tan Fangrui changed his sword moves, she thrust straight at his vital point. The balanced sword momentum was immediately disrupted, and the sword moves were exposed. Zhou Zhiruo forced her opponent back with three consecutive sword strikes, and then the blade slashed down. At the same time, she used her left palm to strike him with the Four Symbols Palm.

When Tan Fangrui's sword move was broken, he knew something was wrong. He blocked the opponent's sword with his own and struck out with his left palm. The two clashed. Zhou Zhiruo took two steps back and stood still, while Tan Fangrui took three steps back and his face was still a little pale.

Guo Jun sighed from the stands, while Abbess Miejue smiled.

"This Four Symbols Palm technique, Junior Sister Zhou has truly mastered the abbess's teachings, it's truly a cause for celebration," Gu Xu could easily tell that Zhou Zhiruo must have cultivated the Qi-refining methods from the Nine Yin Manual, otherwise her internal energy would never be so pure, and she could have injured Tan Fangrui.

"Zhiruo is quite diligent, and she has not let my efforts in cultivating her go to waste." Abbess Miejue was increasingly pleased with her. After all, Tan Fangrui was no ordinary person and would be the future leader of Qingcheng. She had originally thought that a draw would be good enough, but she did not expect that he could defeat her by a move or two, which was already beyond her expectations.

"Sect Leader Guo, although Brother Tan made a mistake, in my opinion, it was a blessing in disguise," Gu Xu said, glancing at Guo Jun.

"Master Gu Xu, what do you mean by this?" Guo Jun couldn't be indifferent to his disciple's loss to Emei, and he couldn't help but feel puzzled when he heard Gu Xu's words.

"Brother Tan actually takes winning and losing too seriously and is a bit impatient. This defeat can be considered a wake-up call for him. If he can restrain his temper a bit in the future, he will surely achieve great things."

When killing Guan Xiu, the Demon Flute Master, Tan Fangrui revealed his shortcomings. If he doesn't correct his character, he might cause big problems when he takes charge of the Qingcheng Sect in the future.

Guo Jun was also helpless upon hearing this. He knew his disciple was impatient, but how could his personality be changed so easily?

He gave a wry smile and said, "I know what the Taoist priest is saying, but Fang Rui's personality is really... sigh."

"Qingcheng can also be considered a branch of Taoism. Master Guo might as well let Brother Tan read more Taoist scriptures, go into seclusion for a period of time, and calm his mind."

Guo Jun thought this was a good idea, and after returning, he had Tan Fangrui go to the library for seclusion.

“What my junior brother says is very true, Sect Leader Guo. You should not underestimate the Daoist scriptures. Even a few points of wisdom from our predecessors are enough to benefit us younger generations greatly.”

Abbess Miejue was deeply moved, especially after obtaining the Nine Yin Manual and Huang Shang reading Taoist texts, which led him to write such a peerless masterpiece.

As the sun began to set, the martial arts tournament came to a close, and all the outstanding disciples received some kind of reward, more or less.

"Zhiruo, come and greet your senior brother Gu Xu," Abbess Miejue called out to Zhou Zhiruo.

"Zhiruo greets Senior Brother Guxu," Zhou Zhiruo said, looking at the young man before her with some curiosity.

The Wudang prodigy that my master often mentioned was indeed extraordinary.

"Since this is our first meeting, I haven't prepared anything. Please accept this Rejuvenation Pill as a gift. I hope you won't find it offensive, Junior Sister," he said, handing the wax-sealed pill to Abbess Miejue.

"Nephew, this gift is a bit too much." Although he didn't know the value of the medicine, the fact that Gu Xu carried it with him meant it must be something special.

"Junior Sister is exceptionally talented and will surely achieve great things sooner or later. This is just a small token of my appreciation." Gu Xu had only brought three Rejuvenation Pills with him this time, and he gave the last one to Zhou Zhiruo as a way to establish a good relationship.

Upon hearing this, Abbess Miejue asked Zhou Zhiruo to accept the gift, and the latter quickly thanked her.

After the banquet, Gu Xu meditated and practiced his martial arts in his guest room, a daily routine.

Half an hour later, Gu Xu carefully read through the notes on the table, which contained detailed information about the Green Bamboo Gang and the Five Blades Sect.

Early the next morning, Gu Xu bid farewell to Abbess Miejue, and Guo Jun also came to see him off.

After descending Mount Emei, following the map given by Abbess Miejue, we headed south and arrived at Qingxiao Valley, where the Green Bamboo Gang was located, with the gang's headquarters situated within a bamboo forest in the valley.

The bamboo forest seemed to stretch endlessly, the wind rustling against the face, reflecting the morning mist, like a fairyland, but unfortunately Gu Xu had no interest in appreciating it.

This bamboo forest is full of hidden traps; one wrong move and you'll fall into one.

After walking carefully for a while, Gu Xu noticed that the bamboo forest ahead was becoming sparse and the ground was very clean, which was obviously a trap. Gu Xu casually threw a few stones at the ground, and a series of bamboo arrows flew from all directions. In no time, the ground was covered with bamboo arrows.

Gu Xu wasn't afraid of these things, but it would be good to save some energy. He prepared to step forward, but then stopped and took a step to the right.

Several thick, pointed bamboo poles were nailed to the spot where Gu Xu had originally stood.

As he watched several figures flash by, Gu Xu immediately called out loudly into the bamboo forest, "Chief Zou, is this all the etiquette we should show when guests arrive?"

The voice, delivered through internal force, quickly reached Zou Qing's ears, who was not far away.

"Such profound internal strength!" Zou Qing exclaimed in surprise. When Gu Xuyi stepped into the bamboo forest, Zou Qing had already received news that this person had entered uninvited and was an enemy rather than a friend. Originally, he planned to use traps and mechanisms to stop him, but the two distinguished guests beside him looked down on him.

Although Zou Qing was the leader of a gang, he was still no match for these two. The reason was that these two were experts hired by the Tartars, ostensibly to assist him, but in reality to monitor him.

“Chief Zou, since they’ve already named him, it might not be right not to go. Let’s go and meet this man, and see what he’s made of. What does the Master think?” an old man with a sinister face said to Zou Qing and a lama.

The lama chanted a Buddhist prayer, but Zou Qing was somewhat reluctant. He was no match for the newcomers, and going out like this would put his safety in their hands. However, after thinking it over, Zou Qing reluctantly said, "Since you and the master agree, I will risk my life to accompany you on this journey."

Although Zou Qing said he was going, he still summoned dozens of people, which made the sinister old man sneer.

After waiting in the forest for a while, Gu Xu finally saw Zou Qing appear. Although he did not recognize the two people beside him, the lama's attire made him guess that they must be experts sent by the Yuan court.

"You have trespassed into my Green Bamboo Gang without permission. I don't know why. If you don't give me an explanation, I'm afraid you won't be able to leave this bamboo forest," Zou Qing said, feeling his confidence growing. He stepped forward and questioned Zou Qing.

"Chief Zou, you have quite the airs. I've come here today only to borrow something from your esteemed gang. If you're willing to part with it, I'll take my leave now," Gu Xu said calmly.

"What is it?" Zou Qing asked, puzzled. If it was something unimportant, he could give it away without a problem. The main thing was that he couldn't see through the other party and didn't want to start a fight. He would never take action if he could settle things with money.

"Your head," Gu Xu said, enunciating each word clearly.

"How dare you! Kill him!" Zou Qing shouted angrily to his men.

Upon hearing this, the Green Bamboo Gang members charged forward with their weapons. The number of men, several dozen, was not small. However, Gu Xu did not even glance at them. He swept the bamboo arrows on the ground into the air with his legs like fallen leaves. Then, he unleashed his energy, creating a rain of arrows. The screams of pain were incessant. Those who were lucky suffered some injuries, while those who were unlucky met their end. In an instant, he routed his men.

"Good lad, you've got some skills. Let your Grandpa Qiu have a go at you." The sinister old man was delighted with his prey. He took off into the air and his hands flew out like eagle claws, grabbing at Gu Xu.

Seeing the black energy swirling in the old man's palm, Gu Xu judged that this person's martial arts were definitely not of the orthodox kind. Without dodging or avoiding, he drew his right hand in a circle and struck the old man. The two palms met, and before the old man's sinister smile could be wiped off, he was blasted away by the impact. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and his palm was red and burning with pain, as if he were being burned.

Looking at Gu Xu in fear, the old man angrily asked, "What kind of skill is this?" If his Poison Corpse Palm had not been fully mastered, this move would have surely killed him. Even so, he had suffered considerable injuries.

Gu Xu glanced at him, then suddenly leaped into the air and headed towards Zou Qing. The latter was terrified and fled in panic, shouting, "Master Mago, save me!"

Seeing that Qiu Laogui had failed and hearing Zou Qing's cry for help, the lama hurriedly took off his Vajra Bell and threw it at Gu Xu. Gu Xu didn't even look at it, but directly touched the Vajra Bell with his toe. The cold light was drawn, and a point of starlight pierced Zou Qing's throat. The movement was very swift.

Master Magog, having retrieved the Vajra Bell, looked at his opponent with apprehension. He knew he couldn't withstand the sharp sword light from before, and this person's internal strength was also quite extraordinary; he was truly a formidable foe.

"Your palm contains the aura of decaying corpses. In the current martial arts world, only the Xiangxi School possesses such martial arts. Are you from the Xiangxi School?" Gu Xu had just exchanged blows with Old Ghost Qiu and sensed the poisonous decaying corpse aura in the palm strike, which made him realize the origin of this person.

Old Ghost Qiu's eyes sharpened. He was indeed from the Xiangxi School and held a high position. However, he was expelled from the school for practicing martial arts with living people without permission. Later, by chance, he was recruited by the Yuan court with a large sum of money and was provided with living people to practice martial arts. That's how he came to the Green Bamboo Gang to take charge.

"What Xiangxi School? I don't know anything about it, but you killed Zou Qing, so don't even think about leaving here alive today. Master, let's work together to take this kid down." Old Ghost Qiu refused to believe that the two of them couldn't take him down.

Master Mago chanted a Buddhist prayer. The two exchanged a glance and attacked from both sides. Gu Xu held his sword, which spun in the air and knocked the golden gong away. When Old Ghost Qiu's poisonous palm was about to strike, it seemed to be entangled by a sticky force, unable to advance or retreat. Then, to his disbelief, he was struck heavily by Master Mago's Tantric hand seal, and immediately coughed up blood and flew backward.

Master Mago's all-out attack not only missed Gu Xu, but also severely injured Old Ghost Qiu, causing him to lose his composure.

This time, Gu Xu was determined to use Tai Chi, so he withdrew his sword and used his fists, grabbing and releasing, using the opponent's force against them, which indeed produced a miraculous effect. However, the power of this Tantric hand seal was truly considerable, and it was clear that Old Ghost Qiu was not going to survive.

The two were no match for him, so how could Master Mago possibly succeed? Gu Xu finally found a test subject and thoroughly demonstrated Tai Chi on him, finally killing Master Mago amidst his grief and indignation.

On his deathbed, Master Mago suddenly regretted agreeing to the conditions proposed by the Yuan court. If he had not been greedy for the great benefits of spreading the religion, would he still be the master of Sakya Monastery, revered by thousands? Now, dying here is truly pathetic. And that young man, where did he learn such strange skills from?

After finishing off Old Ghost Chou, sending the two to their deaths, the Green Bamboo Gang members had long since vanished. Gu Xuhuan glanced around, cleaned up all traces of the battle, and left the corpses to the Green Bamboo Gang to deal with. There was also the Five Blades Sect waiting for him to the south.

After leaving the bamboo forest, Gu Xu arrived in the town and found a secret branch of Emei. He asked them to send the message back to Emei, while he himself headed south to the Five Blades Sect.

(End of this chapter)