A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 383 Scheming in the Dark
Ren Qianxing killed Sima Tian with a single sword strike, leaving the imposter Helian Ba ​​utterly horrified. He hadn't even seen how Ren Qianxing had executed that strike. If that sword had been aimed at him, he would have suffered the same fate as Sima Tian.

Thinking of this, Helian Ba's eyes flashed slightly. With a sway of his figure, several phantoms rushed towards Ren Qianxing. At the same time, he struck out with his palms. The four palm forces merged into a mighty palm wind, stirring up rolling waves of air, and rushed straight towards Ren Qianxing. His real body turned around and ran away.

But before he could run far, a sword light shot out from behind like lightning. In a flash, the palm strike was torn apart. The sword light continued its momentum, aiming straight for Helian Ba's back. Feeling the bone-chilling coldness coming from behind, Helian Ba's expression changed drastically. But he dared not turn around. His figure flickered again, splitting into four phantoms in an attempt to confuse the view. But after a few breaths, the bone-chilling coldness still lingered, and the sharp aura was getting closer and closer.

"What kind of kung fu is this?!"

Helian Ba ​​secretly lamented that although he had only mastered the fourth level of his Shadow Clone Technique, Ren Qianxing should not have been able to discover the flaw so quickly. After thinking it over, he concluded that the problem must lie in that strange sword technique.

Just as Helian Ba ​​had suspected, Ren Qianxing's Light Chasing Sword Technique was specifically trained to break illusion techniques. Against the real Helian Ba, it would be utterly useless, but against someone who hadn't mastered it, it was a sure thing.
The sword light moved even faster, and in the blink of an eye it was already within three feet of Helian Ba. In another two or three breaths it would strike the enemy's back. Ren Qianxing followed closely behind, his spiritual senses extended, scanning the surroundings to check for any unusual movements.

After using his movement techniques a few more times, Helian Ba ​​found that he still couldn't shake off the sword light. His heart sank. He had also consumed a lot of his true energy, and it would be a waste to waste it on the escape route.

"Since that's the case, then let's all perish together!"

Helian Ba's eyes hardened, and he turned around sharply, unleashing a powerful palm strike. The palm strike instantly disintegrated upon contact with the sword light, and a sharp aura seeped into his meridians through his palm. Helian Ba's expression remained unchanged as he sealed the acupoints with his fingers, gathered power in his right hand, and unleashed several more palm strikes, finally dispersing the sword light. However, he also consumed a great deal of his internal energy.

Knowing he had nowhere to retreat, Helian Ba ​​didn't wait for Ren Qianxing to regain his footing. He raised his palm in front of his chest and slashed horizontally. A wind blade slashed towards Ren Qianxing. The latter remained calm and swept his long sword forward. A dazzling sword light suddenly appeared in front of Helian Ba. When Helian Ba ​​saw the sword light, his expression changed drastically. Before he could react, the sword light stretched out, extended half a foot, and slashed horizontally at the waist. With a hiss, half of his upper body was thrown into the air, and blood instantly splattered all over the ground.

With a thud, half of the upper body hit the ground. Ren Qianxing looked at the man's wide-open eyes, sneered, and then struck him a few more times, completely severing his life force. After cleaning up the traces of the battle, he returned to where he came from.

Just as the battle was taking place at Zheyun Mountain, an uninvited guest arrived outside Juechan Temple.

"You've traveled a hundred miles to escape evil, and an old friend has come to visit. Shouldn't you come out and greet him?"

Helian Ba ​​looked at the temple in front of him, and shouted loudly inside. His voice resounded through the sky, making the bronze bell inside the temple hum and be heard throughout the entire temple.

"Senior brother."

Zen Master Qu Nian hurriedly entered the Refuge Hall, only to see Zen Master Qu E looking solemnly outwards.

"It's finally here."

Master Qu'e sighed, clutching his prayer beads tightly. He turned to Qu Nian and instructed, "Cang Feng should still be cultivating in the back mountain. You must immediately take him to the secret chamber to hide. Do not open the door to the secret chamber unless I personally call you, understand?"

"Yes, senior brother."

Zen Master Qu Nian had never seen his senior brother look like this before. Could it be that his senior brother was also unsure of himself against Helian Ba?

"Go."

With a wave of his hand, Master Qu'e turned and left the temple, heading towards the outside. Upon seeing this, Qu Nian quickly ran towards the back mountain. When he arrived at the back mountain, he saw Yan Cangfeng practicing his sword, with rows of green bamboo neatly arranged around him, their cuts smooth and flawless.

"Master Qu Nian, what brings you here?" Yan Zangfeng sheathed his sword, calmed his agitated inner energy, opened his eyes, looked at Master Qu Nian not far away, thought for a moment, and quickly walked over.

“Benefactor Yan, please follow this humble monk.”

Qu Nian didn't offer much explanation. He chanted a Buddhist prayer to Yan Zangfeng and gestured with his hand. Yan Zangfeng was puzzled but didn't ask. He followed Qu Nian for a while and returned to the temple. In the main hall, Qu Nian bowed respectfully to the Buddha statue and turned the incense burner on the altar. With a few clicks, a hidden door on one side of the hall opened, revealing a dark passage.

“Benefactor Yan, please.”

Just as he finished speaking, a burst of arrogant laughter suddenly came from outside. Yan Zangfeng's expression changed slightly. He turned to look outside, took a step, and was about to go out when he saw Zen Master Qu Nian's figure flash by and block his way.

“Amitabha, Benefactor Yan, my senior brother has ordered that your safety must be ensured. Please do not hesitate any longer.”

Qu Nian's persuasion not only failed to stop Yan Zangfeng, but also aroused his rebellious spirit.

“Zen Master, Master Qu E has clearly encountered a formidable foe. How can I, a junior, sit idly by? No, I must go and help the Master.”

Upon seeing this, Qu Nian immediately pointed at Yan Cangfeng, but the latter was prepared. As he dodged to the side, he flicked his right hand, sending a gust of wind straight at Qu Nian, forcing him to take two steps back.

"What a handsome kung fu!"

"Zen Master, please forgive me."

Qu Nian praised him, but then heard a voice beside him and was startled. He only dared to move because a finger force sealed his acupoints on his back. Yan Zangfeng dragged Qu Nian to the secret room. Under Qu Nian's regretful gaze, Yan Zangfeng closed the secret room and headed straight out of the temple.

Outside Juechan Temple, Zen Master Qu'e had already engaged in combat with Helian Ba. Both were top masters of their time, and every move they made exuded immense power. However, Helian Ba ​​had a slight advantage thanks to his twelve layers of clones, which were difficult to distinguish from the real ones. Zen Master Qu'e dared not let any of them get close and could only scatter them one by one. But these clones seemed endless. As soon as one was destroyed, two more would appear. Zen Master Qu'e's internal energy had been greatly depleted by now. On the other hand, Helian Ba ​​remained calm and composed.

"Bai Li Qu E, hand over the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique, and I will allow you to continue your carefree life. Otherwise, my Distraction Palm will send you to the Western Paradise to meet your Buddha!"

Seeing that six more phantoms had been scattered, Helian Ba ​​channeled his true energy, and six more phantoms rushed towards the Evil Zen Master. At this moment, in addition to the real body, there were nine other phantoms surrounding the Evil Zen Master, their distracting palm strikes continuously hitting him. Although they did not hit the Evil Zen Master, they held him tightly, and it would not be long before he exhausted his true energy.

"dream!"

With a cold laugh, Master Qu'e looked at the phantoms attacking again and shouted. Suddenly, the prayer beads in his hand shattered and turned into hidden weapons that whizzed towards the phantoms. The prayer beads were as heavy as a thousand pounds. How could the phantoms withstand them? They were immediately scattered and the phantoms in the field were swept away in an instant.

"What a wonderful act of generosity from the Buddha."

Helian Ba ​​opened his palm, revealing several Buddhist beads lying in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, the beads jingled and were neatly embedded in the ancient tree. Upon seeing this, Zen Master Qu'e's expression hardened slightly. After many years, Helian Ba's martial arts had improved considerably. In contrast, although he had been practicing the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique in recent years, he had only just begun to grasp the basics of the first move, "Wind God's Wrath." Consequently, his core skills had also deteriorated significantly. With this shift in power, the gap between them had widened considerably.

"It seems you have mastered the Distraction Palm technique to perfection. No wonder you dare to challenge Guan Yutian."

"Baili Qu'e, I'll give you one more chance. Hand over the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique, or else, not a single chicken or dog will be spared at Juechan Temple!"

Helian Ba ​​spoke coldly, his gaze turning icy as he looked at the evil Zen Master. Upon hearing this, the latter sighed, clasped his hands together, and uttered a Buddhist chant. Then, his expression changed, his true energy shifted, his robes fluttered, and a divine image appeared behind him. The image was majestic and exuded a high-spirited aura. As the image appeared, the wind and waves surged, and a fierce gale raged around them.

Upon seeing this, Helian Ba's expression changed drastically, and a hint of greed appeared in his eyes.

"The Four Symbols of Heavenly Will!"

Helian Ba ​​shouted loudly, his body transforming into several phantoms, attacking the Evil Zen Master from all directions. Dozens of palm winds were extraordinary, but when they approached the Evil Zen Master by about ten feet, the palm force shattered. Not only did it fail to achieve its purpose, it also increased the force of the wind, and a dull force rushed back to Helian Ba.

"What domineering force!"

Helian Ba's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He stomped his feet and pushed forward with both hands. Two powerful and unpredictable palm forces rushed straight towards the Evil Zen Master. These two palm forces were no ordinary force. They carried the full power of the Wind God's Wrath. Although the Wind God's Wrath was powerful, it could not neutralize it. Instead, it was invaded by the Yin-soft palm force, causing the blood and qi in the Evil Zen Master's body to surge. Just as he was about to spit out a mouthful of blood, the Evil Zen Master forcibly suppressed his injuries.

"The Wind God's Wrath!"

With his power at its peak, the image of the Wind God behind the Evil Zen Master became increasingly clear. A tremendous force was generated, pressing down on Helian Ba. The Distracting Palm was forced to retreat continuously by the Wind God's Wrath. After only a moment, the Distracting Palm could no longer hold on. Helian Ba's expression remained unchanged as he channeled his power, his figure soaring into the air. Enduring the pressure of the Wind God's Wrath, he struck the Evil Zen Master with another palm. This palm came suddenly. The Evil Zen Master had focused all his energy on controlling the Wind God's power. Caught off guard, he was struck in the left chest by the Distracting Palm. He immediately groaned, enduring the blow. His eyes widened, his body leaned forward, and his hands suddenly parted. A hurricane that swept in all directions immediately engulfed Helian Ba, the tearing force almost tearing him to pieces.

"puff"

Helian Ba ​​broke through the whirlwind with a single palm strike, staggering as he fled. His face was pale and bloodless. He glared fiercely at the evil Zen Master, then looked at Yan Zangfeng emerging from the temple. His figure flickered and vanished in the blink of an eye.

"Grandmaster!"

Yan Zangfeng had no intention of pursuing Helian Ba. Seeing the Qu'e Zen Master lying on the ground, he rushed over and checked him. He found that the master's meridians were severely damaged. He immediately placed his palms on the master's back and channeled his true energy into him. After a while, the Qu'e Zen Master slowly opened his eyes.

"Zang Feng, what are you doing here?"

"Master, don't speak yet, you've been hit by Helian Ba's distraction palm."

Yan Zangfeng learned some of the insidious and vicious nature of the Distraction Palm from his uncle, Liao Rushen. A person struck by this palm must not use their true energy for half an hour, otherwise all eight meridians will be severed, and even a great immortal could not save them.

"Thank you."

Upon careful observation, Master Qu'e realized that today's battle was a crushing defeat. If it weren't for the Wind God's Wrath, he would probably have lost his life at Helian Ba's hands. Although he had repelled Helian Ba, the latter's injuries were much lighter than his own, and he would recover in less than half a month. On the other hand, he would not be able to use the Wind God's Wrath again for a short period of time. If Helian Ba ​​were to harass him again, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"No, Zang Feng absolutely cannot stay here. We need to find a safe place as soon as possible. Perhaps Sword Forging City is a good choice."

On the other side, after fleeing Juechan Temple, Helian Ba ​​ran for several miles and stopped in a valley. After looking around and finding no outsiders, he sat cross-legged and meditated silently. After more than half an hour, Helian Ba ​​slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air.

"This Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique is divided into four techniques: wind, fire, thunder, and lightning. The first move, Wind God's Wrath, alone has left me overwhelmed. I wonder what kind of power the following moves will possess."

"Palace Master Helian is indeed very skilled. He managed to escape from the attack of the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique. He is truly a master. I admire him greatly."

Just as Helian Ba ​​was pondering, he suddenly frowned and then heard a voice. Helian Ba ​​got up and turned around to see that it was none other than Liao Rushen, who was always elusive.

"So it's you. Did you come to see me make a fool of myself?" Helian Ba ​​looked at Liao Rushen, who was waving a feather fan, and said in a calm tone.

"I dare not, Palace Master Helian, you flatter me. Liao Rushen came here specifically for you."

Liao Rushen walked over slowly, his expression calm and composed, leaving Helian Ba ​​unable to fathom his thoughts for a moment.

"Oh, then I'm all ears."

"The Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique is a peerless martial arts skill. Falling into Qu E's hands has truly tarnished this skill. I watched from afar just now and found that Qu E's Wind God's Wrath did not even unleash one-tenth of the legendary power. Moreover, after using this move, Qu E cannot use it again for a short period of time. Obviously, he has gone astray and is unable to master the next move. What's the point of keeping such a piece of trash around?"

Liao Rushen's cold and ruthless words actually made Helian Ba ​​quite admire them.

"That's well said, but what does that have to do with me?"

“Divine objects have no owner; the capable will possess them. Since Qu E is not a good master, why not find a suitable master for the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique? Palace Master Helian is the most suitable candidate.”

"Having said so much, what are your plans? If it's possible, I don't mind cooperating with you. If not, you'd better leave as soon as possible to avoid delaying my important matters."

"Palace Master Helian, please calm down and let me explain in detail."

Liao Rushen's confident demeanor made Helian Ba's expression turn serious. After listening to Liao Rushen's plan, Helian Ba ​​gave him a deep look and said meaningfully, "You are indeed not simple. Following Guan Yutian must be for some other purpose. However, I don't care about any of that. As long as we can defeat Guan Yutian, I can accept any price. We will do as you say. I want to see the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique in one month."

"I will definitely not disappoint Palace Master Helian."

(End of this chapter)