A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 377 Juechan Temple

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye. During these three years, many major events have occurred in the martial arts world. The first was that the Supreme Alliance wiped out the Sea Shark Palace's forces in the southeastern sea area. The Sea Shark Palace was forced to retreat to Sea Shark Island, relying on its natural defenses to keep the Supreme Alliance at bay. The second was that the news of the Sword Forging City forging the Frost Sword spread throughout the martial arts world. After learning about the sword's miraculous power, various forces, both openly and secretly, rushed to the Sword Forging City.

Just a year ago, the legendary Demon Sword Clan, rumored to be extinct, suddenly appeared in the martial arts world. Upon their arrival, they immediately sought out Sword Casting City. The leader's martial arts were unfathomable; he could even use the legendary Innate Qi. None of the martial arts practitioners were a match for him. In the end, it was only after the Sword Master of Sword Casting City personally intervened that he managed to fight the man named Murong Hua to a draw.

Although Murong Hua left, he said something before he departed that shocked everyone in the martial arts world present.

"The day the Frost Sword is born will be the beginning of a bloodbath in the martial world. At that time, the successor of the Demon Sword will wield this sword to restore order to the martial world."

In the Sword Forging City, at Gu Xu's residence, the Sword Master put down his teacup and said in a deep voice, "Now that the Sea Shark Palace has been defeated by the Supreme Alliance, it has set its sights on my Sword Forging City. Guan Yutian's ambitions are truly not small. On the surface, it is Guan Yutian, but in the dark, it is Murong Hua. It is truly a clever scheme. If the Daoist had not pointed it out, I would probably still be kept in the dark."

Sword Master was also somewhat shocked. He never expected that Guan Yutian was Murong Hua. After all, the martial arts they practiced were completely different, yet he had mastered them to an extremely high level. The reason he was able to hold his own against Murong Hua was that he had mastered the Dragon Riding Slash to the ninth level, and another reason was that Murong Hua had been holding back his strength.

"Guan Yutian can be said to be the most talented successor of the Demon Sword since Ying Shuntian, so it is not surprising that he has such good fortune."

Upon hearing this, Sword Master sighed slightly. She had thought that once she mastered the Dragon Riding Technique, she would be able to compete with Guan Yutian. However, it now seemed that there were always people more capable than her and heavens beyond heavens. But what was comforting was that, with the help of the Taoist priest, Sword Hero had successfully cultivated the Dragon Riding Slash to the seventh level, while Sword Master, at her age, had only managed to cultivate it to the fifth level.

"The innate qi is not invincible. The Seven Absolute Zither of the Dead Heart Sect is the nemesis of this skill. However, one must cultivate it to the state of ruthlessness, otherwise it will be difficult to damage the fundamental nature of the Heavenly Control."

Gu Xu's calm words gave Sword Master an idea. According to the information he had collected over the years, it seemed that Master Sixin and Helian Ba ​​of the Sea Shark Palace had a past relationship. If he could make a move on this, could he bring Sixin Sect to his side? He had heard that Master Sixin's direct disciple, Liu Yiyi, had surpassed her master and had now cultivated the Seven Absolute Zither to the "Absolute Delusion" level.

If the Death Heart Sect can stand on his side, Sword Master is confident that he can help Liu Yiyi reach the "Absolute Severance" realm within a year.

Although the Death Heart Sect is one of the five major sects, it ranks last in terms of both financial resources and members, mainly due to the personal prestige of Abbess Death Heart.

"The City Lord should not interfere too much in the personal grudges of Abbess Sixin. If not handled properly, it may backfire. As long as Sixin Sect does not oppose Sword Forging City, the City Lord should be happy."

Gu Xu has visited the Death Heart Sect only a handful of times in the past three years, at most twice. Once was to witness the power of the Seven Absolutes Zither, and the other was purely for an exchange of zither skills.

"What you say is very true, Daoist. I had some misconceptions."

Sword Master was not surprised that Gu Xu could see through his intentions. The situation was now clear: the Supreme Alliance dominated Tiannan and had also absorbed a portion of the Sea Shark Palace's power. The mysterious second-in-command of Azure Eagle Fortress, Bai Yanluo, had also appeared in the Supreme Alliance and was later personally escorted out by Qianxing, the director of the White Tiger Hall. The implications of this were self-evident.

"The Eagle Fortress is merely a place that gathers together for profit, and it will also disperse for profit. The reason it can still exist now is firstly because of the divine rule of the Supreme Alliance, and secondly because the Supreme Alliance needs it to attract attention and cover up its expansion." At this point, Gu Xu paused, looked at the Sword Master with piercing eyes, and said in a deep voice, "The third reason is that Guan Yutian wants to use the Eagle Fortress to eliminate those disobedient sects. In this way, the Supreme Alliance does not need to take action, and the bottom line is maintained in front of the various sects."

After Gu Xu finished explaining his three reasons, the Sword Master nodded repeatedly and exclaimed in admiration.

"The Taoist's words are like a wake-up call, I have learned a lot. But this Liao Rushen is the chief of Eagle Fortress, are we just going to sit idly by and do nothing?"

"Although Liao Rushen has some skills, he is currently preoccupied with his own problems. Huangfu Changhen has already come looking for him, so there is no need to worry about him causing trouble in the short term. Master Sixin has no interest in the conflicts of the martial arts world and only hopes to pass on her unique skills. She can also put that aside. After the battle between Haisha Palace and the Supreme Alliance, it was severely damaged and will not be able to recover for three to five years."

"Helian Ba ​​brought this upon himself. The crushing defeat at Jiuyi City did not sober him up; instead, it seemed to have made him lose his mind. He mobilized troops to attack the Supreme Alliance, but before he even reached their territory, he was attacked by a joint attack from the martial arts sects under the Supreme Alliance. After the battle, although only one-tenth of those martial arts sects survived, the Sea Shark Palace also suffered heavy losses. Not only were all three sharks killed, but even Crescent Moon Island, which was right next door, was lost."

Sword Master's tone was full of disdain. Gu Xu chuckled upon hearing this. The Crescent Island that Sword Master mentioned was not an island, but a group of islands. However, most of the islands were shaped like a crescent moon, so they were all renamed Crescent Island for the sake of convenience.

Crescent Island was originally a barrier for the Sea Shark Palace, but now that barrier has fallen into the hands of the Supreme Alliance, the Supreme Alliance can use Crescent Island as a base to advance layer by layer. Sooner or later, they will push to the vicinity of Sea Shark Island, and at that time, the destruction of the Sea Shark Palace will not be far away.

"The city lord should pay close attention to the matter of the Sea Shark Palace. Given Helian Ba's personality, he will definitely try to get back his lost face."

Upon hearing this, Sword Master immediately nodded. After the two talked for a while, Sword Master took his leave. After Sword Master left, Gu Xu returned to his bedroom and took out a chess manual with yellowed pages from a wooden box next to his pillow. The manual had the four characters "Thousand Spirits Chess Manual" written on it in regular script.

Opening the chess manual, Gu Xu only glanced at it briefly before imprinting the game into his mind. Then, with the help of the jade pendant, he mentally analyzed and changed the moves. Before he knew it, it was getting late. When Gu Xu opened his eyes and silently calculated, he realized that several hours had already passed.

"This Thousand Spirits Chess Manual is indeed infinitely mysterious." With the help of the jade pendant, Gu Xu also thoroughly understood the chess manual, and he also had great admiration for the Sword Ancestor who compiled it.

"The treasure of the Chess of Life and Death requires several key items: the Thousand Spirits Chess Manual, the Wordless Heavenly Book, and the Frost Sword. I currently have the Thousand Spirits Chess Manual, and the Frost Sword is in Sword Forging City. If I can also obtain the Wordless Heavenly Book, Sword Forging City will gain a significant advantage."

Gu Xu's eyes flickered slightly. This wordless book was in the hands of the Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust. He wondered if the Immortal of Wine had been rescued by the Carefree Man.

In the main hall of the Supreme Alliance, Guan Yutian was listening to Ren Qianxing's report. When he heard that Sword Casting City was recruiting disciples again, Guan Yutian's heart sank slightly. Ever since he crippled the Sea Shark Palace, the only obstacle in his path to dominating the martial arts world was Sword Casting City.

“Master, the purpose of Sword Forging City is clear: to compete with our Supreme Alliance. Although there has been no conflict between the two sides yet, they will inevitably clash sooner or later. Master, we should start making plans now.”

When Ren Qianxing went to Sword Forging City to retrieve the Bloodstained Sword, he knew that Sword Forging City would be an obstacle. However, his master was focused on the Sea Shark Palace at the time, so Ren Qianxing didn't say much. Perhaps his master also knew of the threat posed by Sword Forging City, but at that time, the Sea Shark Palace was making frequent moves while Sword Forging City remained unmoved. If war broke out on both fronts, the Supreme Alliance would bear immense pressure. "We really need to plan carefully regarding Sword Forging City. Before a plan is finalized, have Eagle Fortress send people to harass Sword Forging City. We don't need to achieve great results, just keep them from having peace. Qianxing, I'll leave this matter to you. Also, after you've dealt with this matter, take some men to Juechan Temple and deliver a letter to the abbot, Master Que."

Guan Yutian handed the sealed envelope on the table to Ren Qianxing, who said yes, took it with both hands, and hid it in his pocket.

"After the letter is delivered, there's no need to stay there. I have another task for you. Go on."

Ren Qianxing bowed respectfully, turned and left the palace. He first contacted the people of Cangying Fortress to relay his master's instructions, then found out the location of Juechan Temple, and led a group of elites from the White Tiger Hall out of the Supreme Alliance.

"This Ren Qianxing is increasingly valued by the Alliance Leader. Isn't Hall Master Sima worried that one day the position of Alliance Leader will fall into his hands?"

Liao Rushen waved his feather fan lightly, looking at Sima Tian, ​​whose face was gloomy. Upon hearing this, the latter glanced at him, loosened his clenched fist, and turned to leave.

"Fortunately, Yan Zangfeng was sent to Juechan Temple in advance. Judging by the time, Yan Zhongyang's body should have been discovered by now. Baili Qu'e, since you want peace and quiet, then I will make sure you don't have peace and quiet. Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique, humph!"

Liao Rushen's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Ever since he was frightened away by Gu Xu's sword, Liao Rushen had been hiding behind the scenes for three whole years, devoted to teaching Yan Zangfeng. Under his guidance, Yan Zangfeng finally mastered the Wuji Heart Sutra in three years. Just after Yan Zangfeng mastered the technique, Liao Rushen inadvertently learned that Baili Qu'e was living in seclusion at Juechan Temple. This person possessed an extremely profound martial art, which was the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique.

This "Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique" is based on the four symbols of wind, fire, thunder, and lightning. It is extremely powerful and its defense and attack are both top-notch. It is even better than the "Dreamlike Limitless" of the Heavenly Mystery Sect. Liao Rushen knew that it was already a pipe dream to seize the "Dreamlike Limitless", so he set his mind on this technique.

Liao Rushen knew that Baili Qu'e had gone into seclusion after Yan Zhongyang's death, and there must be some hidden reason behind it. Yan Zangfeng was Yan Zhongyang's only son, and after a heart-to-heart talk, he would definitely pass on the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique to him. Liao Rushen could also take advantage of Yan Zangfeng's return to learn this skill by taking advantage of his guidance. With this skill in hand, dealing with Huangfu Changhen would be a piece of cake.

"I'll let you live a carefree life for a while longer, but I'll get rid of you sooner or later, you scourge."

Liao Rushen closed his feather fan, turned around and walked towards the Supreme Alliance. He arrived at the Supreme Hall and, after announcing his arrival, entered the hall. He looked at Guan Yutian, who was standing with his back to him, staring at a landscape mural, and bowed respectfully, saying, "Alliance Leader."

Upon hearing this, Guan Yutian turned around and gestured for him to sit down. Liao Rushen immediately sat down and, seeing Guan Yutian's slightly worried expression, tentatively asked, "Is the Alliance Leader troubled by the matter of Sword Forging City?"

“Indeed, Sword Forging City has become a major concern for this Alliance Leader. If it were just Sword Venerable, it would be fine, but there is a Daoist Gu Xu with unfathomable cultivation level sitting there. This person is an enemy, not a friend. If the two sides go to war, the Supreme Alliance’s high-level combat power will not have the advantage.”

This is also why Guan Yutian has hesitated to take action against Sword Forging City. Because of Gu Xu's existence, Guan Yutian has always been restrained in dealing with the issue of Sword Forging City. Back then, he disguised himself as Murong Hua and went to Sword Forging City, intending to intimidate the Sword Venerable. Unexpectedly, the Sword Venerable had quietly mastered the ninth level of the Dragon Riding Slash. If he hadn't secretly reserved some of his strength and used the lives of his clansmen as a shield, that sword strike would have been enough to severely injure him.

"Alliance Leader, there is no need to worry too much. Although Sword Forging City appears powerful on the surface, it is actually quite weak inside. Apart from a Sword Venerable and that Daoist Gu Xu, the rest of the city's fighting force is nothing special. If we can stop these two, the Supreme Alliance can destroy Sword Forging City in an instant."

"Oh, from what you're saying, it seems you've already found a suitable candidate. I wonder which reclusive master you've managed to persuade?"

Guan Yutian stared intently at Liao Rushen. He could never see through this man. Just when you thought you had seen through him, he would suddenly change his face. It always felt like Liao Rushen was living behind a mask, and his true face was always hidden by a layer of mist.

"I am willing to recommend a talented young man to the Alliance Leader. However, he is arrogant and has said that if I want him to serve me, I will have to go there in person and let him test his abilities."

After Liao Rushen finished speaking, Guan Yutian became somewhat interested. He was not a reclusive master, but a promising young talent. If we were to talk about the top masters of the younger generation in the martial arts world today, his disciple Ren Qianxing would be the most respected. This person made such a boast, so he must either have real skills or be trying to gain fame. However, although Liao Rushen acted strangely, he always knew how to conduct himself and would definitely not recommend such good-for-nothings to him.

Thinking of this, Guan Yutian looked at Ru Shen and said in a deep voice, "Since that's the case, then you should arrange a time. This alliance leader is very interested in seeing whether this young talent you mentioned is worth your introduction."

"I will not disappoint you, Alliance Leader. I will be waiting for you at Jinglong Slope in three days."

"it is good."

Seeing that Guan Yutian had given no further instructions, Liao Rushen bowed again and turned to leave the main hall.

Inside Juechan Temple, the monk Qu'e, dressed in a robe and wearing Buddhist beads around his neck, looked at the blue figure practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard with a sorrowful expression, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"What talent! No wonder he's Yan Zhongyang's son. He's managed to master the ordinary Flying Swallow Sword Technique to such a high level."

Sword energy crisscrossed the arena, each strike as swift and agile as a swallow skimming the water. The burning incense burned briefly before suddenly going out, its wisps of smoke rising into the air, forming a swallow that lingered for a long time.

"Zen Master."

Yan Zangfeng flipped over, gracefully sheathing his sword, and looked expectantly at the Zen Master Qu'e. The latter met his gaze, nodded, and said in a deep voice, "You are now qualified to cultivate the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique. Tomorrow, this humble monk will first teach you the move 'Wind God's Wrath'."

(End of this chapter)