A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 34 Freshmen
Zixiao Palace, Wudang Mountain
“The Ming Cult has won a great victory in this battle. They will likely launch a final offensive against the Tartars soon. We only need to deal with the experts the Tartars have hired. All seven of us will go down the mountain to help. Gu Xu, Wudang will be in your hands,” Song Yuanqiao said to Gu Xu.

"Disciple obeys the order." Gu Xu thought of the news that had been coming in recently: Zhao Min had been defeated and committed suicide, and the Tartars' elite troops had lost seven or eight out of ten, making them no longer a threat. Although Dadu was still heavily guarded, it would probably take more than a day to break through. However, with the support of the Eagle Sect, it was only a matter of time before it fell.

While Yang Xiao still led the Ming Cult, Zhu Yuanzhang and Chang Yuchun had already begun to show their prowess, and their reputations far surpassed those of the Five Elements Banner Envoys. Whether there would be any setbacks in the future was not something Wudang was considering.

"Master Uncle, fellow martial uncles, this time when I went down the mountain, I found that almost all the experts recruited by the Tartars were from unorthodox schools. Their martial arts skills were passable, but the most important thing was their endless stream of underhanded tricks. You must be careful. Here are some antidote pills carefully prepared by Mr. Hu. Take them just in case."

Gu Xu handed the three porcelain bottles to Song Yuanqiao, who carefully put them away.

"This time I plan to take Qing Shu and Wu Ji down the mountain with me. Although they are skilled in martial arts, they have not experienced bloody battles. This time they will train well." Although Wudang has Gu Xu, Song Yuanqiao believes that one tree cannot support the whole mountain. If Qing Shu and Wu Ji can achieve half of Gu Xu's success, Wudang's future development will be more stable.

"Senior brother, a letter from the Sky Eagle Sect!" Zhang Cuishan hurriedly walked in, holding a slip of paper in his hand.

Song Yuanqiao took the note and his expression immediately turned serious.

"Senior brother, what does it say on this?" Yu Lianzhou asked Song Yuanqiao.

"The Eagle Sect was attacked. Li Tianyuan was killed in battle, and Yin Yewang was seriously injured. It is said that they encountered a group of masked masters. Sect Leader Yin sent a letter asking for help." Song Yuanqiao handed the note to Yu Lianzhou. The latter glanced at it and deduced that it must have been the work of the Yuan court.

The Eagle Cult and the Ming Cult had long ago agreed to attack Dadu from both sides, and then decide the victor afterward. Unexpectedly, the Eagle Cult is now suffering this calamity.

Li Tianyuan was Yin Tianzheng's capable assistant and a military expert. With his death, the Tianying Sect could not find a replacement. If this continued, the Tianying Sect's offensive against the enemy would inevitably slow down, which would be very unfavorable to the overall situation.

"We should not delay. Let's go to the Eagle Sect first. Even though Li Tianyuan is dead, as long as we maintain our offensive, the Eagle Sect can still arrive at the agreed time," Song Yuanqiao made the decision, and the other six agreed.

Seeing this, Gu Xu called out to Song Yuanqiao: "Uncle-Master, should we inform Shaolin? After all, the situation is clear now. If Master Kongwen is wise, he will definitely send someone to help Ming Cult."

Song Yuanqiao thought for a moment, nodded, and then wrote a letter, sending someone by fast horse to personally deliver it to Master Kongwen.

After explaining a few things, Song Yuanqiao and his group of sixteen rode down the mountain on horseback towards the Tianying Sect's headquarters.

After watching everyone leave, Gu Xu called Cheng Xu over: "Junior brother, give the order to the patrolling disciples to be more careful. If they find anyone suspicious, they should immediately send a signal."

After Cheng Xu accepted the order, Gu Xu returned to his residence and took out the Sacred Flame Token and the first three levels of the "Great Shift of Heaven and Earth" mental cultivation method. These two items were dispensable to Wudang. After the patriarch looked at them, he told Gu Xu to handle them himself.

"The material of the Sacred Flame Token is of superior quality. Perhaps it can be melted down and forged into a precious sword. As for the key to this cultivation method, it can be passed on to Qing Shu and Wu Ji in the future."

Gu Xu copied down the text on the Sacred Flame Token, placed it together with the "Great Shift of Heaven and Earth" mental cultivation method, and sent it to the library.

Lieyangyu Tianying Sect Base
Yin Tianzheng looked at Li Tianyuan's corpse with deep sorrow. If it weren't for saving him, his junior brother wouldn't have died at the hands of the enemy. He would settle this score with the Tartars sooner or later.

"Father, we have found out the details of those masked men. The leaders are Geng Qing, the Soul Refiner; Ding Lei, the Blood Drinker; Ni Qian, the Guanyin of the Plain Hands; and Yu Zhan, the Overlord Blade. The others are all lamas. The young man leading the troops is called Zha Yadu, and he is a prince of the Tartars." The pale-faced Prince Yin Ye reported the news one by one.

Upon hearing this, Yin Tianzheng laughed angrily: "Very well, indeed, people die for wealth and birds die for food. These people are usually quiet, but I didn't expect them to secretly defect to the Tartars and give my Sky Eagle Sect such a great gift. I should thank them properly." His words were full of murderous intent, which made Yin Yewang tremble with fear.

"Ye Wang, give the order to let Wang Jia temporarily lead the army, pacify the troops, and we will make our move once Wudang sends someone," Yin Tianzheng instructed Yin Ye Wang, ordering someone to carry Li Tianyuan's body out for cremation.

The Sky Eagle Sect has suffered a setback this time, as its high-level combat strength is insufficient, forcing it to seek help from the Wudang Sect.

As the father and son were talking, a disciple outside reported that the Seven Heroes of Wudang had arrived.

The father and son hurriedly came out of the tent and saw Song Yuanqiao and others arriving with their disciples, including Zhang Cuishan and his family of three.

"Great Hero Song, I pay my respects," Yin Tianzheng said, raising his fist in a salute. Song Yuanqiao returned the salute, and the group entered the tent to speak.

After a long conversation, Song Yuanqiao said, "Eagle King, we are only here for those martial arts practitioners. As for head-on charges, that's not our forte. Please forgive us."

Yin Tianzheng solemnly said, "Hero Song, there's no need for that. Just eliminate those scoundrels of the martial arts world, and leave the rest to me." He knew that Song Yuanqiao didn't want these Wudang disciples to fight head-on, so he immediately agreed. As long as Geng Qing and the others were no longer causing trouble, they could defeat the Tartars according to the arrangements Li Tianyuan had made earlier.

"Thank you, Eagle King. Do you know anything about the martial arts of Geng Qing and the others?" Song Yuanqiao needed to know at least the background and style of his opponents in order to be able to attack effectively. Rushing in recklessly would be suicide.

"Wild King, tell the heroes about those people," Yin Tianzheng said, glancing at Yin Wild King.

"Esteemed heroes, Geng Qing was originally a notorious bandit, his signature move being the Soul Refining Hand, said to be able to cut through gold and jade; Ding Lei wields a crimson longsword, which grows redder with each kill, until today it is entirely black and red; Ni Qian's weapon is a thin, long silver thread, which she loves to use to wrap around throats, and she is skilled in light footwork; Yu Zhan's skill is called the Three-Slash Blade, its power increasing with each strike..."

After listening, Song Yuanqiao and the others remained relatively calm. They knew that even one of them was no match for them. However, this was only the obvious approach. As for the hidden killing moves, they could only deal with them as they went along.

"Eagle King, we will go there at midnight today. When the signal flashes, it will be time to counterattack." Since the other side may have already received the news that we have entered the Sky Eagle Sect, it is best to deal with it as soon as possible. If we wait until they are on guard, it will be difficult to handle.

"Let's do as Master Song says." Since Wudang wanted to resolve the matter quickly, he naturally agreed.

Song Yuanqiao and the others took their leave, leaving Yin Susu and Zhang Wuji behind.

"Wuji, come here, let your grandfather take a good look at you." Yin Tianzheng could only see his grandson once a year during festivals, and the time was short. Now that he had the chance, of course he wanted to take a good look at him.

"Based on the intelligence provided by Yin Yewang, I deduce that Yu Zhan is not strong enough to sustain his attack, otherwise he wouldn't have used all his strength to strike three times first. You, Fourth Brother, will deal with him. Ding Lei's swordsmanship is exceptional, Sixth Brother, he can be your opponent. Seventh Brother, assist him from the side. Ni Qian has good lightness skills and a strange weapon, so you, Fifth Brother, will deal with her. As for Geng Qing, Second Brother, you will deal with him. Third Brother and I will take care of those lamas. The remaining disciples will use the sword formation as a supplement and provide support at any time," Song Yuanqiao assigned the tasks one by one, and everyone nodded in agreement.

As night falls, past 9 PM...

Song Yuanqiao and his group of seven infiltrated the enemy camp first, hoping to eliminate Zha Yadu along the way.

"Who?" A voice rang out as a dart shot towards the outside of the tent. Geng Qing and the other three moved instantly, while Ni Qian waved her hand, sending a silver thread flying out. Yu Lianzhou, outside the tent, swept his sword sheath, deflecting the dart and the silver thread hook.

Then he used the ladder cloud technique to rush outwards. Geng Qing called out to the three of them and went to chase after them alone. However, the remaining people were lured away by the Seven Heroes of Wudang one after another. Zha Yadu was only protected by four lamas and a group of disciples.

Just then, a fire suddenly broke out outside, causing chaos. A signal flashed in the sky, indicating that the Sky Eagle Cult had attacked. The two sides immediately clashed. Just as Zha Yadu gave his order, two figures landed in front of the military tent.

The four lamas looked at Song Yuanqiao and Yu Daiyan with solemn expressions; these two were clearly not easy to deal with.

Song Yuanqiao thrust his sword straight at Ya Du, but a yellow-faced lama beside him caught the sword with his hands clasped together. The lama wearing a hood struck out with a Tantric hand seal, clashing with Song Yuanqiao's "Iron Palm of Shaking Mountains." The hooded lama staggered backward, and Song Yuanqiao simultaneously flipped his sword, a flash of cold light cutting the yellow-faced lama's wrist, temporarily incapacitating him. After a few short exchanges, both lamas were wounded. Seeing this, Yu Daiyan killed the remaining two with his sword.

The two sides fought each other. Zha Yadu retreated to safety under the protection of soldiers, while Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji led the Wudang disciples to fight against the lamas.

With one of their own men injured, the lama with the hat tore off his robe, channeled his energy into a staff, and clashed it with Song Yuanqiao's longsword. Song Yuanqiao, unwilling to linger, unleashed three consecutive sword strikes, forcing the lama back. At the same time, he used his lightness skill to leap into the air, his sword flashing with light, and before his opponent's horrified eyes, he cleaved him and his staff in two, blood splattering everywhere.

The remaining three lamas were horrified by what they saw. Song Yuanqiao continued his swordplay, his figure flashing, and pierced the heart of the yellow-faced lama with a single sword strike.

Zha Yadu glanced at Song Yuanqiao in fear and hurriedly tried to escape with his personal guards. Song Yuanqiao glanced at him, his eyes flashing, and his long sword flew out of his hand, piercing Zha Yadu's heart. As for the personal guards, he left them to Qing Shu and the others to deal with.

The situation suddenly changed. Yu Daiyan saw his senior brother displaying great power, and his sword became even more fierce, forcing the two lamas to retreat repeatedly and gradually corner them.

The two exchanged a glance, and a strange scene suddenly unfolded. They formed a ladder and pressed down on Yu Daiyan with overwhelming force. At the same time, round stones flew out from their sleeves, whistling through the air. Yu Daiyan was caught off guard and had to parry with his sword, sparks flying.

The two turned the tide and swept across the battlefield like iron brooms, causing some trouble for the enemy.

Just as the two were feeling triumphant, a soft shout suddenly rang out from the sky. Yu Daiyan and Song Yuanqiao rushed down, and even before they arrived, a pressure made it difficult for them to move. With a palm strike and a sword strike, they easily killed the two.

With the four lamas dead, the remaining men were no threat to Song and Yu. They watched as the Wudang disciples displayed their might, slaughtering the Tartars one by one.

"Father, Uncle-Master, it's all over here," Song Qingshu said, his face smeared with blood.

"Alright, let's retreat. Leave the rest to the Sky Eagle Sect. Let's go," Song Yuanqiao ordered, and the group ran out in an orderly fashion.

Just as Song Yuanqiao was fighting the lama, Yu Lianzhou and his group of five also clashed with Geng Qing and his group of four.

Yu Lianzhou's martial arts were already superior to Geng Qing's, giving him a clear advantage. However, his opponent's skills were truly formidable; rocks and trees were like mud and tofu in his hands. Geng Qing had intended to use his Soul Refining Hand to break Yu Lianzhou's longsword, but unfortunately, his opponent didn't give him that chance at all.

Judging that the time was about right, Yu Lianzhou stopped fighting and began to wield his longsword in a circular motion. Amidst the chaotic sword shadows, a cold light flashed straight at Geng Qing's chest.

Seeing this, Geng Qing was not alarmed but delighted. He used his bare hands to meet the sword's edge. With a crisp crack, the longsword broke. However, the smile on Geng Qing's face quickly disappeared. A three-inch sword light extended from the broken sword and swiftly pierced his heart. Geng Qing's eyes widened, and he fell to the ground dead in disbelief.

Although Ni Qian is a woman, her moves are extremely ruthless. Fighting in the forest is very advantageous to her. Threads of silver silk wrap around the trees, forming a dense net. If you accidentally walk into it, you will die without a trace.

Zhang Cuishan was well aware of the power of these weapons. He wielded the judge's pen and tiger-head hook with all his might, sending streaks of energy towards Ni Qian on the treetop, but she dodged them all.

Ni Qian, perched on a treetop, sent a series of silver threads flying towards Zhang Cuishan, who had nowhere to hide behind her.

Zhang Cuishan had no intention of retreating. After deflecting the silver threads with his brush, he forcefully stabbed the tiger-head hook into a large tree. The force surged through his body, causing the tree to crash down. The surrounding trees followed suit, falling one by one. Ni Qian, perched on a treetop, paled, realizing she had fallen into a trap. These trees must have been tampered with beforehand, otherwise, how could this have happened?

Ni Qian hurriedly leaped, lightly touching the ground with her toes, trying to land safely using the tree. However, Zhang Cuishan wouldn't give her the chance. Waves of energy attacked her, making it impossible for Ni Qian to remain calm. In addition to dodging the attacks, she also had to keep an eye on her landing spot, making it difficult for her to defend herself.

After taking two blows from the pen, Ni Qian let out a muffled groan. Although injured, she landed safely. At the same time, several silver threads flew around, controlled by her internal energy, like a net covering Zhang Cuishan.

Zhang Cuishan neither dodged nor evaded, but simultaneously wielded his weapons with both hands, his energy intertwining to entangle the incoming silver threads onto his blades. With a forceful movement, the silver threads shattered into countless fragments, and the last remaining weapon was destroyed. Ni Qian felt a desire to retreat.

With his momentum waning, Zhang Cuishan seized the opportunity, rushed forward, and thrust his double weapons, inflicting new wounds on Ni Qian. Seeing her opponent growing stronger with each attack, Ni Qian took the chance to pull out a porcelain bottle and throw it at Zhang Cuishan. The bottle shattered in mid-air, scattering a cloud of dust. Zhang Cuishan hurriedly retreated, and upon hearing Ni Qian's footsteps, he threw his judge's pen in one direction. A scream was heard, followed by silence.

When the smoke dissipated, the grass and trees on the ground turned into black ash, while Ni Qian was separated by a silver net.

The phrase "a worthy opponent" perfectly describes the duel between Ding Lei and Yin Liting, the Swordsmen of Blood Drinking. Their swordsmanship was breathtaking, and a single misstep could result in bloodshed.

Ding Lei has practiced the Blood-Drinking Sword Technique diligently for forty years, and his blood sword has killed countless people, but he has never killed a top swordsman. Now, Yin Liting is the perfect person to fill that gap.

The two clashed with swords, flashes of white and blood appearing intermittently. Mo Shenggu, watching from the sidelines, was extremely anxious. The two were now locked in a fierce battle, and if he rashly joined in, it might restrict Sixth Brother's movements.

Yin Liting unleashed her Soft Swordplay, each move sudden and unexpected, initially leaving Ding Lei bewildered. However, relying on his years of experience, he gradually stabilized the situation.

Swordsmanship is all about skill. If Ding Lei's swordsmanship is unpredictable, then Yin Liting's swordsmanship is unorthodox. Although the former can show his extraordinary skills in the early stages, it is ultimately not the right path. As time goes on, his progress becomes slower and slower. Ding Lei has already embarked on a dead end.

Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have sought refuge with the Yuan court and pursued a breakthrough through external forces.

After several more moves, Ding Lei's eyes were bloodshot; killing Yin Liting had become his obsession.

With a sudden thrust, a quick sweep, and a diagonal slash, the three moves were executed in quick succession. Yin Liting held the long sword like a towering mountain, stretching it horizontally east and west. He swung his arm and turned it around, neutralizing the attack. Between offense and defense, the battle situation gradually became clear.

Seeing this, Mo Shenggu, who was watching the battle, hurriedly drew his sword and rushed forward, slashing straight down, forcing Ding Lei to retreat. Meanwhile, Yin Liting's sword blade was sharp as it pierced towards his opponent.

With their combined efforts, the two forced Ding Lei, whose sword momentum had become chaotic, into a disadvantageous position. The sword circle continued to shrink, and Ding Lei, like a trapped beast roaring in anger, saw his sword momentum surge wildly, almost causing Yin Liting and Mo Shenggu to drop their swords. However, this power could not be sustained for long. As the formation weakened, Ding Lei lost all his advantage and was pierced through the heart by the double swords of Yin Liting and Mo Shenggu.

When Song Yuanqiao and his group arrived at Zhang Songxi's battlefield, the battle had just ended.

After Yu Zhan's three strikes, Zhang Songxi remained unharmed, but his strength began to decline noticeably. Zhang Songxi used the sword-wielding fighting technique, forcing Yu Zhan to unleash a fourth strike, but he still could not reverse the defeat and had his heart meridian shattered by Zhang Songxi's Wudang Cotton Palm.

After questioning everyone, Song Yuanqiao found that there were no casualties, so he rushed back to the Eagle Sect's base before dawn.

After daybreak, Song Yuanqiao received news from Yin Tianzheng that Zha Yadu was dead, the last elite force of the Yuan Dynasty had been wiped out, and now Dadu was on its last legs. The majority of the Tianying Sect had rushed to Dadu to break through the last line of defense.

Song Yuanqiao greeted Yin Tianzheng, saying that the situation was now settled and they should return to the mountain.

Yin Tianzheng repeatedly expressed his gratitude, presented many gifts, and watched the Wudang group depart.

Not long after Song Yuanqiao and the others returned to the mountain, news came that after the Tianying Sect and the Ming Sect conquered Dadu, they had a disagreement over the leadership. After a battle, the Tianying Sect was defeated and retreated to Jiangnan. Yang Xiao did not become the supreme leader, but instead elected Zhu Yuanzhang and became a carefree hermit. After stepping down as the leader, he disappeared without a trace.

Zhu Yuanzhang, with his strong and decisive approach, quickly brought order to all affairs within the Ming Cult and began his path to dominance.

(End of this chapter)