A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 384 The Secret of Divine Skill
Juechan Temple, Hall of Refuge

Zen Master Qu'e sat on a futon, meditating silently. Beside him sat Yan Zangfeng and Qu Nian. Qu Nian looked at Qu'e, who was resting with his eyes closed, with concern. He then looked at Yan Zangfeng and asked softly, "Benefactor Yan, is my senior brother in danger?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Zangfeng looked at the Evil Zen Master, then shook his head and said solemnly, "No, although Master was hit by the Mind-Distracting Palm, it is not a fatal injury. He can recover in a month. The most troublesome thing is that Master's use of the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique has caused his internal energy to be depleted. He must not use this move again in a short period of time, otherwise, his meridians will be severed and he will lose all his martial arts skills."

Upon hearing this, Qu Nian's expression changed immediately. He then sighed inwardly. His senior brother had been cultivating the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique for nearly twenty years, but he had only barely mastered the first form, and there were still huge hidden dangers. Against ordinary experts, there would be no problem, but against a peerless figure like Helian Ba, the shortcomings of his cultivation would be exposed.

"Helian Ba ​​came here today for the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique. Given his martial arts skills, he will surely make a comeback. I'm afraid no one in the temple can stand up to him. Benefactor Yan, you should heed your senior brother's advice and leave Juechan Temple immediately."

"No, Juechan Temple is in dire need of manpower right now. I can't leave at this time. Besides, even if I leave, there's no guarantee that Helian Ba ​​won't set up ambushes at various intersections. Wouldn't that be falling into his trap?"

Upon hearing this, Zen Master Qu Nian's face showed a complicated expression. After chanting a Buddhist prayer, he fell silent. The two remained speechless for a while before Zen Master Qu E opened his eyes and put his hands together in prayer.

"Amitabha."

"Brother!"

"Grandmaster!"

When Qu Nian and Yan Zangfeng saw that Qu E had woken up, they were overjoyed. However, Yan Zangfeng noticed that there was a grayish-white aura lingering between the eyebrows of Zen Master Qu E, and the aura was somewhat weak. It seemed that the master's injuries were not light.

"Senior brother, how are you feeling?"

Qu Nian hurriedly handed the prepared pills to Qu E, who took them and swallowed them, his face turning slightly rosy.

"What a domineering distraction palm! I haven't seen Helian Ba ​​for decades, and his skill has indeed reached its peak. Fortunately, I was prepared and the palm force did not penetrate my heart meridian. I was also able to escape unharmed thanks to the help of Concealed Edge."

"With such severe injuries, you're far from being unharmed. Senior brother, take another pill." Qu Nian took out a golden pill from the porcelain bottle and handed it to Qu E.

Seeing this, Qu E reached out and pushed it away, saying in a deep voice, "Taking more of these Yuanling Pills is useless. One is enough. Using more is just a waste."

This Yuanling Pill is a treasure of Juechan Temple. It is made by collecting wild spiritual herbs and flowers from the mountains and refining them with the blood of rare birds and beasts. It is a great tonic for martial artists, especially effective in replenishing lost vital energy.

However, this substance is extremely rare, and there are only two left in Juechan Temple. Therefore, Qu'e refused to take the last one no matter what.

Knowing that her senior brother was very principled, Qu Nian stopped forcing him and put the elixir back into the porcelain bottle.

"Although Helian Ba ​​is highly skilled in martial arts, he can be delayed for at least half a month by the Wind God's Fury. Cang Feng, during this period, you must master the Wind God's Fury."

Qu E stared intently at Yan Zangfeng, who was taken aback for a moment before replying solemnly, "Master, rest assured, Zangfeng will definitely redouble his efforts in cultivation and strive to master the Wind God's Wrath as soon as possible."

"Good, good," Zen Master Qu'e nodded in satisfaction. Afterwards, he looked at Qu Nian beside him and solemnly instructed him, "Junior brother, now that most of the monks in the temple have left, the defensive power will be much weaker. During this period, I will trouble you to take good care of yourself and not let outsiders disturb Cang Feng's cultivation."

"Junior brother understands." Qu Nian nodded solemnly. Although the temple was weak, he and the other guardian deities could hold them off as long as it wasn't a master like Helian Ba.

"If Senior Brother has no other instructions, Junior Brother will go and make the arrangements now." Qu Nian saw that Senior Brother seemed to have something else to say to Yan Cangfeng, so he immediately stood up, bowed, and turned to leave.

After Qu Nian left, Zen Master Qu E said to Yan Zangfeng, "Zangfeng, close the temple door. This humble monk has something to say to you."

Upon hearing this, Yan Zangfeng immediately stood up and closed the hall door, plunging the hall into darkness. At that moment, the candles inside were lit one by one. As the candlelight flickered, Yan Zangfeng was surprised to find that the gilded Buddha statue in the hall seemed to be covered with a layer of golden robes, and a ball of four-colored light shimmered and flowed on its chest, making it particularly dazzling.

"Master, what is this?"

Yan Zangfeng looked at the four colors of light—blue, red, cyan, and purple—and sensed a familiar aura within them, immediately forming a guess in his mind.

The Zen Master Qu'e remained silent and motionless, but the futon beneath him was turned around so that he was facing the Buddha statue. After chanting a Buddhist chant, he reached out and drew in the four-colored light emanating from the Buddha statue's chest, which immediately subsided and transformed into a wooden box, which he then drew into his hand.

"This is the original of the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique, and it is also the handwritten work of the Chess Saint and Sword Ancestor from five hundred years ago. Concealing the Edge, Juechan Temple is no longer safe. This thing must not fall into Helian Ba's hands. This humble monk can only entrust it to you."

Qu E stroked the wooden box, his tone indifferent, but Yan Zangfeng could hear a trace of sorrow and resentment in his voice.

“Master, this item is so valuable, Zangfeng absolutely cannot accept it.”

"Every sip and every bite has its own destiny. Your father lost his life because of the Thousand Spirit Chess Manual, and now this Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique will still be passed on to you. Guan Yutian's Mighty Dragon Palm is the number one palm in the world. There are very few martial arts in the world that can surpass this skill, and this Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique is one of them."

Upon hearing this, Yan Zangfeng's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and then he said in a deep voice, "Guan Yutian killed my father. As his son, I should avenge him."

"That's right. You must know that even if the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique is destroyed, it must never fall into the hands of someone with ulterior motives. Also, when practicing this technique, you must never have a second person by your side, no matter how close they are, unless they are master and disciple."

Master Qu'e handed the wooden box to Yan Zangfeng, who accepted it with both hands and nodded upon hearing the master's instructions.

"Zangfeng knows."

Looking at the wooden box in my hand, I felt that the material was neither wood nor iron. It was quite heavy in my hand and cold to the touch, like a block of ice.

Upon closer inspection, one can see four images of deities outlined in ink on the wooden box. They are almost identical in appearance, the only difference being the divine patterns on their armor. One of the divine patterns is a nine-bend dragon tornado, glowing with a blue light, much brighter than the other three.

"The Wind God's Wrath has already been activated. Once you have fully mastered it, infuse your true energy into this wooden box, and you will obtain the incantation for the next move," Qu E explained from the side. As he spoke, he revealed the key to Yan Zangfeng, who then suddenly understood.

It turns out that, apart from the Sword Ancestor who created this technique, almost all those who practiced the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique in the past five hundred years have stopped at the level of Wind God's Wrath. For this reason, the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique is the least famous among the many martial arts masterpieces, even less so than Dreamlike Limitless and Innate Qi.

"The Sword Ancestor has put a lot of thought into this. The Wind God Mark on this wooden box is the beginning of this skill. Only those who have properly mastered the Wind God's Wrath can open the wooden box. No wonder the master was unable to cultivate to the next level even though he had mastered the Wind God's Wrath."

Yan Zangfeng's doubts were immediately resolved. He glanced at the wooden box again, put it into his sleeve, and said to Zen Master Qu'e, "Master, within half a month, Zangfeng will definitely master the Wind God's Wrath!"

"Alright, go ahead." Zen Master Qu'e nodded with satisfaction. Seeing that he had nothing else to say, Yan Zangfeng turned and left the Guiyi Hall. Just after Yan Zangfeng left, Zen Master Qu'e's expression changed, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"This Distraction Palm technique is subtle and unpredictable. It will take some time to eliminate it. Hopefully, Cang Feng can succeed within half a month. Otherwise, we will have to send him to Sword Forging City."

Late at night, outside Juechan Temple, a dark figure darted out. Under the veil, the eyes looked at the four burly monks guarding the temple with disdain. The figure moved swiftly, like a swallow, and silently flew into the temple. The four monks were completely unaware of it.

After entering the temple, the masked man noticed occasional glimpses of light, obscuring the entire temple. He leaped onto the roof and looked around. The central Buddha hall was completely dark, while a brightly lit area in the southeast corner was brightly lit. After pondering for a while, the masked man silently rushed towards that spot, arriving outside the hall in just a few breaths.

Looking up, he saw the three characters "Guyi Hall" written on the plaque. The masked man's eyes flickered slightly. Just as he was about to reach out to push the door open, his ears twitched, and he dodged to the side. A wooden stick shot out from behind him, hitting the hall pillar with a thud. The stick was incredibly resilient, rebounding and hitting the masked man again. Seeing this, the masked man remained calm. He held his hands in a yin-yang embrace, and with a twist and a turn, he shifted the stick, which carried immense force, away. The stick flew into the sky, and a yellow figure leaped up, grabbed it with both hands, and with a whoosh, brought the stick down. The whistling sound made the masked man's expression change slightly.

"Thousand-Pound Cudgel!"

Just as the masked man was about to repeat his old trick, three more wooden sticks suddenly shot from three directions. Without thinking, the masked man clenched his right fist, leaped into the air, and punched the wooden stick that was coming from mid-air. With a crack, the wooden stick could not withstand the impact of the two huge forces and immediately exploded.

"court death!"

Seeing his opponent lose his weapon, the masked man flashed a cold light from his sleeve, and a soft sword shot out, aiming straight for the opponent's heart. The temple's guardian Vajra wooden staff was destroyed, and seeing the enemy use a weapon, he showed no panic. He uttered a Buddhist chant, and his sleeve filled with wind, rapidly expanding. The long sword that was thrusting into it failed to pierce through, and was instead slid aside by a gentle force.

"The Force-Relief King Kong".

The masked man recognized the Vajra's identity, immediately sheathed his soft sword, and with a flash of dark light in his palm, launched a "Five Poisons Worship" attack on the Vajra.

"Amitabha."

Seeing the sinister and vicious palm technique, Xie Li Jingang was immediately enraged. If the Five Poisons Asura Palm was mastered to such a level, who knows how many lives it would take. Thinking of this, Xie Li Jingang roared and flicked his sleeve. A golden light flashed inside, and a vajra pestle about half an arm's length shot out.

With a bang, the Vajra and the Five Poisons Asura Palm collided head-on. The Vajra was sent flying back, and the masked man also suffered a bad blow. A red mark appeared on his palm, and a burning pain made his face look extremely ugly.

"Demon-slaying pestle".

The masked man snorted coldly. Just then, three more wooden sticks flew towards him from below. With a flick of his sleeve, a gust of wind swept the sticks away. He then moved swiftly and took the opportunity to rush towards the Guiyi Hall.

"Amitabha!"

Before the masked man could even approach the Guiyi Hall, he heard a loud, booming sound that seemed to pour into his ears, startling him slightly. However, he quickly recovered, stopped, and stared coldly at the approaching Zen Master Qu Nian, who was holding a nine-ringed bronze staff. Upon seeing Qu Nian, the four guardian Vajras stood behind him, each holding a Buddhist implement, glaring angrily at him.

"Lion's Roar, not bad cultivation, but that's all. You've been severely injured, how long can you hold out?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the masked man's figure blurred as he attacked Qu Nian. Upon seeing this, Qu Nian swung his nine-ringed staff forward, unleashing a surge of powerful Buddhist energy. The force of the energy swept through the masked man, shattering him instantly.

"The golden cicada escapes from its shell."

Qu Nian's expression remained unchanged. In a flash, he stood directly in front of the Guiyi Hall. His staff swept horizontally, and the force was like a tornado, sweeping up everything around him. A powerful suction force forced the masked man hiding in the shadows out. Just as the masked man revealed himself, four Vajra True Powers simultaneously slammed down. Upon seeing this, the masked man's sleeves flashed with a cold light, flickering erratically. Several sword lights shot out, striking the four Vajra True Powers one after the other.

The sword light first pierced through the Vajra True Power. The masked man flipped his wrist, and the soft sword hummed a few times before thrusting horizontally. The sword's sharp movement caused the Zen Master Qu Nian's expression to change for the first time. He wildly waved his Zen staff, weaving a golden net of light. After a few breaths, the masked man's long sword transformed into a black beam that shot straight into the center of the golden net. With a few hissing sounds, the golden net was torn apart in less than half a moment. The sword light, still powerful, continued to pierce Qu Nian.

With a few clanging sounds of metal clashing, the four vajras simultaneously blocked the sword light. Although the vajras successfully blocked the sword light, their golden light was dimmed by the impact, and after flying back to their hands, they also had several nicks.

"The Three Swords of Soul Stealing, what is your relationship with the Heavenly Mystery Sect?!"

Qu Nian glanced at the masked man's sword technique and recognized it. He had seen some fragments of this martial art in the temple's scripture pavilion. It was said that this sword technique was good at eroding the true energy that the enemy attached to their weapon. No wonder he was so easily defeated when he used the defensive move "Diamond Net" to deal with it.

"The monk is indeed insightful, but it's a pity you're all going to die!"

The masked man spoke coldly, and with a flick of his soft sword, dozens of sword shadows appeared, forming a dome that enveloped the area. Upon seeing this, Qu Nian's face immediately turned horrified, and he exclaimed, "The Thirteen Forms of the Dome!"

The "Thirteen Forms of the Dome" was created by the extraordinary Qixia Zhenren. Once this sword style is used, it can form a net to lock down the opponent and block their way, forcing them to attack head-on. Otherwise, the more they struggle, the deeper they will sink.

As the dense sword energy wove into a net, poised to slay Qu Nian and the four guardian Vajras, a finger strike suddenly shot out from the Guiyi Hall, piercing the sword net precisely and striking the soft sword. With a clang, the soft sword groaned and trembled. The masked man's expression changed instantly. He glared fiercely at the Guiyi Hall and roared, "Qu E, let's see how long you can hold out!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the masked man's figure flickered and disappeared from everyone's sight in the blink of an eye. Qu Nian frowned slightly as he watched the masked man's movements. This person was proficient in such a unique skill. What was his background?

Just as Helian Ba ​​was searching for Baili Qu'e, Lian Chixue had already arrived at Sword Casting City. After being informed, Lian Chixue first met Jian Xiong. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jian Xiong led Lian Chixue to the main hall.

(End of this chapter)