A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 54: Martial Arts Meeting
After killing several more people, Tie Ruyun encountered a formidable opponent in a dilapidated temple ten miles away from Huangshan: Wu Yanluo, the eldest disciple of the Five Poison Ancestor.

This person's mastery of poison techniques is quite advanced, making him a formidable opponent. However, he himself is injured, hindering his ability to fully utilize his strength.

The Five Yama Kings came to besiege Tie Ruyun because Liu Xi produced the "Yinluo Flower," which greatly benefited his cultivation of poison techniques, leaving them no choice but to make the trip.

Tie Ruyun was now enveloped by the poisonous gas emanating from the surroundings, and even with her profound internal strength, she could not hold out for long.

"Alliance Leader Tie, I advise you not to struggle. The more you circulate your internal energy, the faster the poison dissipates. You'd better just surrender."

But no sound came from within the poisonous fog.

Upon seeing this, the Five Yama Kings' eyes turned cold. With a push of their palms, a powerful gust of wind swept through, and the poisonous fog in front of them suddenly began to churn violently. A quarter of an hour later, the poisonous fog dissipated, and Tie Ruyun collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Seeing that the opponent had lost the ability to resist, the Five Yama Kings did not let their guard down. With a flick of their sleeves, a streak of cyan light shot towards Tie Ruyun.

Seeing that the green-backed centipede had bitten Tie Ruyun, and the latter still did not react, the Five Yama Kings finally relaxed.

As Wu Yanluo reached out to grab Tie Ruyun, a powerful palm strike struck his chest. Wu Yanluo's face turned red, and he coughed up blood. Before he could think, he struck Tie Ruyun with a Yanluo Palm, and both of them were sent flying backward.

"That Tie Ruyun!" the Five Yama Kings said hatefully. Tie Ruyun, on the other hand, was in an even worse state. He had been fighting one battle after another and was already exhausted. Facing such a master, how could he not be at a disadvantage? It was already quite an achievement that he had managed to fight until now.

"Even if I die, I'll take you with me," Tie Ruyun said, panting heavily, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Wu Yanluo.

"Good, Iron Alliance Leader, you're indeed tough. But now you're adding poison to poison, how long can you hold on?" Wu Yanluo swallowed a pill, barely suppressing his injuries.

Tie Ruyun remained seated, while the Five Yama Kings glared at him fiercely. After a short while, the blue and black aura on Tie Ruyun's face intensified, and finally, his body slumped, and he fainted.

"It's time to inform the Chief Supervisor," the Five Yama Kings said, releasing a carrier pigeon to load Tie Ruyun into the carriage. Then, a stream of corpse-dissolving water erased all traces of the deceased members of the Eastern Depot.

Murong Manor, Qiulan Courtyard
"Disciple, you should go with Zhong'er and the others to watch the martial arts tournament this time. It will broaden your horizons."

Jiang Yuyan has an extremely high talent for martial arts and can easily master any kind of martial art. What she lacks now is experience in the martial arts world. This is a good opportunity for her to see what the real martial arts world is like.

"Yes, Master," Jiang Yuyan replied. These past few days, she had been traveling around with Murong Xian and had seen many things she had never seen before, which made her much more cheerful.

"This sword was specially made for you by your master. Keep it for self-defense. See if it suits your hand," Gu Xu said, handing the longsword to Jiang Yuyan.

"Thank you, Master," Jiang Yuyan said, accepting the sword. She drew it from its sheath. The blade was only two fingers wide and three feet long, but it was crystal clear and had a cool, refreshing feel to it.

Jiang Yuyan immediately took a liking to it and played with it with great affection.

"Try it outside."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuyan hurriedly came to the courtyard and used the Jade Maiden Sword Technique. Gu Xu watched and nodded repeatedly, indicating that she had mastered this sword technique very well.

“Master, this sword is very suitable for your disciple,” Jiang Yuyan said to Gu Xu after sheathing the sword.

"Whatever you need is fine. It's August 26th now, and there are still more than ten days until the martial arts tournament. Pack your things and we'll set off with Zhong'er and the others tomorrow."

"Yes, Master."

After Jiang Yuyan disappeared from sight, Gu Xu strolled out of the manor and into a teahouse called Qingye in the city. He found his way to a private room, where someone was already waiting.

"Greetings, Mr. Xu," said Mr. Hongye, who wore glasses and held a goose feather fan, bowing respectfully. Gu Xu nodded and sat down.

"Has there been any noteworthy news lately?"

"Mr. Xu, this is a selection of news from Hongye Studio. Please take a look," Mr. Hongye said, taking out several sheets of paper and gently placing them on the table with both hands, his attitude extremely respectful.

Since taking over the Hongyezhai from his uncle, Old Hongye, the sentence Old Hongye told him most often was that he must be extremely respectful to Mr. Xu. He should do whatever Mr. Xu asked him to do, and he must do it well. He should never ask about things that he shouldn't ask.

My uncle has never taken the leaders of various factions seriously. Even Liu Xi, the supervisor of the Eastern Depot, is only a cooperative partner and not someone to be respected. So, there must be a reason why this Mr. Xu can make my uncle have such an attitude.

Suppressing his inner thoughts, Mr. Hongye said, "The most eye-catching event in the martial arts world recently is the martial arts conference held in Huangshan. I heard that Jiang Biehe of the Benevolent and Righteous Swordsman intends to compete for the title of Martial Arts Alliance Leader."

Gu Xu flipped through the letter, and upon hearing this news, he became slightly interested, so he asked, "What has Liu Xi been up to lately?"

"Liu Xi bought a lot of scandals and private matters about the leaders of various sects from Hongye Zhai. As instructed by the master, he has already given them all to him. In addition, he has now contacted the Five Poisons Ancestor and prepared some bewitching drugs. I wonder what he is going to do with them."

"Hmm," Gu Xu nodded. It seemed that Liu Xi was preparing to arrest someone.

"Next time Liu Xi goes to Hongye Zhai, remember to give him a push from behind, and this pill will be yours," Gu Xu said, leaving behind a porcelain bottle and taking a few pieces of paper before walking out.

Mr. Hongye bowed respectfully, and when the other person disappeared, he stuffed the porcelain bottle into his bosom and went downstairs to a secret room.

"Uncle, Mr. Xu came today and asked some questions..."

"This was left by Young Master Xu before he left, Uncle, look."

Old Hongye waved his hand, "Since this was left to you by Mr. Xu, you should keep it safe. The things Mr. Xu has are not ordinary."

Mr. Hongye was taken aback, then felt a warmth in his heart. He put the porcelain vase away again. "Uncle, does Mr. Xu have some kind of grudge against Liu Xi?"

“It’s alright to tell you, Mr. Xu is the master of Murong Zhong and Murong Zheng, and Liu Xi is at odds with the Murong family. Aren’t these two rivals? But in my opinion, Liu Xi is no match for Mr. Xu at all,” Old Hongye said slowly after glancing at him.

"This Mr. Xu looks quite ordinary, yet he possesses such abilities."

"Without absolute strength, how could Liu Xi be so wary that he dared not make a move against the Murong family for more than ten years?" Old Hongye said respectfully.

A clanging sound rang out, and Mr. Hongye hurriedly stood up. "Uncle, it's Chixin sending a message."

Hongyezhai divides information into four colors: red, cyan, blue, and white, with importance decreasing in that order. The last time a message was sent in red was five years ago.

"Go and see what happened, and then tell Mr. Xu," Old Hongye instructed.

"Yes," Mr. Hongye hurriedly left the secret room and went to a private room at the back of the teahouse.

When the servants saw Mr. Hongye arrive, they quickly presented him with a red bamboo tube.

Open the bamboo tube, and it says that Tie Ruyun has been taken away by the Five Yama Kings and has been escorted to the Eastern Depot.

Mr. Hongye frowned, thought for a moment, and, following his uncle's instructions, passed the information to Gu Xu before returning to the secret room. "Uncle, Liu Xi has already made a move against Tie Ruyun."

Old Hongye took the note, glanced at it, and scoffed, "Liu Xi really couldn't hold back anymore. It seems that Jiang Biehe's position as the leader of the martial arts alliance is already within his grasp. What a pity, Jiang Biehe probably doesn't know that trouble is about to befall him."

"Have Yan Nantian and Xiaoyuer already headed to Huangshan?"

"Uncle is right. Yan Nantian and his companion departed from Qingshi Town three days ago. According to our people, they are currently staying at Jukelai Hotel."

"Alright, reveal Jiang Biehe's background and let them cause trouble for him. The rest is up to Mr. Xu. By the way, where is Hua Wuque now?"

"Hua Wuque is also heading towards Mount Huang, seemingly to participate in the martial arts tournament as well."

"This is going to be interesting. Liu Xi wants to control the martial arts world through the martial arts tournament. Now someone is causing trouble. Let's see how he handles it. Have our people ready to report back immediately if there is any major news."

"Okay, Uncle."

Murong Manor, Qiulan Courtyard
"This substitution is quite interesting. The vitality of wood can perfectly coordinate the water and fire elements of the Pure Yang Profound Art. The idea of ​​water generating wood and wood generating fire flows endlessly, expanding the Qi Sea and continuously accumulating innate primordial energy. This primordial energy then stimulates the Profound Art, making it inexhaustible. If we can find a metal and earth element martial art and fuse them together, we can complete the Five Elements circulation and achieve the innate Dao foundation."

As his martial arts skills improved, Gu Xu gradually realized that if he wanted to go further, he had to forge his own path. His idea was to use the Pure Yang Profound Skill as a foundation, integrate the power of the five elements, and break through the shackles when his martial arts were perfected.

"Once Yu Yan is capable of handling things on her own, I can retire gracefully." Besides pursuing martial arts, another reason for coming to this world is to change the tragic fate of Jiang Yu Yan and Murong Xian. Now their life trajectories have changed, and as for what will happen in the future, Gu Xu will not concern himself with it. Everyone has their own destiny.

"Flutter," a carrier pigeon landed by the window. Gu Xu reached out and picked it up, and the pigeon landed involuntarily in his hand. He then pulled out a piece of paper and read it.

"The show is about to begin."

Huangshan, Bieyun Mountain Residence

This is one of Jiang Biehe's properties, and Jiang Biehe is listening to Song Tao's instructions at this moment.

"Master Jiang, do you understand what the Grand Eunuch means? I hope you won't let him down."

“I understand. I will remember your kindness and care. Please tell you that I will do my best to complete this matter,” Jiang Biehe said respectfully.

"That's good. Then I'll wait for your good news, Master Jiang."

Jiang Biehe had someone take Song Tao down to rest, while he sat there alone, processing the news Liu Xi had sent him.

"With Tie Ruyun captured, the position of martial arts alliance leader is mine for the taking. No matter what Liu Xi's plans are, I will take it."

Tie Ruyun was unable to attend the martial arts conference on time, and the leaders of the other sects all had some kind of dirt on them. In addition, some small sects were cheering for him. Who else but me could take this position?

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye it was the third day of the ninth month. At this time, various sects had arrived at the foot of Huangshan Mountain, and Jiang Biehe, as the host of this place, naturally took on the task of welcoming them.

"Abbot Zhichan of Shaolin Temple has arrived."

"Master Yuanyang of Wudang Sect has arrived."

"Master Rusu, the head of the Emei Sect, has arrived."

"Kunlun Sect Leader Qu Yiwu has arrived."

…………

The calls of names excited some martial arts practitioners, as these were all renowned figures in the martial arts world, people rarely seen in ordinary times.

"Isn't Shaolin Temple closed? Why is Abbot Zhichan still attending the conference?" a young man asked in confusion.

"This brother is new to the martial arts world, isn't he? Shaolin Temple reopened its gates five years ago, and it was at the personal invitation of Master Jiang. Shaolin couldn't refuse such an invitation," the older man replied.

When the name Jiang Daxia was mentioned, the older man couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. Over the past ten years, if we were to talk about a prominent figure in the martial arts world, it would undoubtedly be Jiang Daxia. He was charitable, benevolent, and righteous, and his reputation rivaled that of Yan Nantian from more than ten years ago.

“No wonder, it’s Master Jiang. If you ask me, Master Jiang should be the leader of the martial arts alliance this time. Tie Ruyun’s handling of things is too unfair,” the young man said.

The older man nodded in agreement. In recent years, Tie Ruyun had been suppressing the Beggars' Clan, causing its power to shrink by more than 30%, which greatly displeased the Beggars' Clan leader, Guo Fang. Moreover, he used the power of the martial arts world to fight against the Eastern Depot, but he suffered a crushing defeat every time, which made all the sects resentful. This time, all the sects gathered at Huangshan, perhaps with the intention of changing the leader of the martial arts alliance.

Just as the two were talking, Yan Nantian and Xiaoyuer, disguised, also arrived at Huangshan.

"Master, we received news from Hongye Zhai that Jiang Qin, who goes by the alias Jiang Biehe, is here. Shall we go find him first?" Looking at the many martial arts figures and hearing their high praise for Jiang Biehe, they knew that if they were to actually attack him, they would incur the wrath of the crowd. Although the two of them were not afraid, this was, after all, a revenge mission, not a killing spree.

"Let's wait and see, find a place to sit down, and wait for the right opportunity before we make our move," Yan Nantian thought to himself, having his own plan.

It is said that each generation has its own dynasty and its own people. Although I am known as the "Number One Hero Under Heaven" and am renowned in the martial arts world, Jiang Biehe is no less formidable. If we really get into a fight, I am not sure if I can gain the upper hand in a verbal exchange. If Jiang Biehe turns the tables on me, I will be left with no way to defend myself.

Just as the two were climbing the mountain, they heard the sound of someone calling their name again.

"The Murong family has arrived."

Little Fish had heard his master mention that the Murong family was the number one family in the martial arts world. Turning around, he saw two men and a woman walking up amidst the awe-inspiring gazes of the crowd.

"As expected of renowned martial arts masters, these three alone are among the most promising young talents in the martial arts world." Yan Nantian had a sharp eye and could tell at a glance the difference in skill between Murong Zhong and the other two. Xiaoyuer was still slightly inferior to them.

Seemingly sensing that someone was watching, Jiang Yuyan turned her head slightly, but did not find her target.

"Junior sister, what's wrong?" Murong Zhong asked.

"It's alright, senior brother, let's go up the mountain." Seeing that she was alright, Murong Zhong didn't ask any more questions and continued walking up the mountain.

"Such keen perception," Yan Nantian couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"master?"

"Ignore the rest, let's go up the mountain."

They were all martial arts practitioners and moved very fast. Before long, they arrived at the mountaintop. A martial arts arena, about ten feet in diameter, had been set up on the mountaintop. Seats were arranged on all four sides of the arena, and each sect had taken their seats and planted their own flags.

(End of this chapter)