A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 55 Contest
Yan Nantian and Xiaoyuer found an inconspicuous spot and sat down quietly.

With some time still remaining before the conference, many people began to talk.

"Amitabha Buddha, Master Yuanyang, it's been a long time. How have you been?" Master Zhichan of Shaolin chanted the Buddha's name.

"Greetings, Master. I am still in good health. You look radiant, Master. Your Buddhist practice must have improved considerably."

"My martial arts skills are hardly worthy of being called elegant, but since you took over the sect, Wudang's prestige has grown stronger and stronger. This is all thanks to you. You seem to be interested in becoming the leader of the martial arts alliance at this martial arts conference," Master Zhichan flattered.

"Master, you flatter me. How can my martial arts compare to those of Alliance Leader Tie?" Master Yuanyang waved his hands repeatedly, but the smile on his face betrayed his true thoughts.

Master Zhichan glanced at the seemingly reserved Yuan Yang Zhenren and sighed inwardly. Since joining Liu Xi, Yuan Yang Zhenren had gained status and position. Who would have thought that an insignificant Wudang elder would rise to become the head of a major sect? It was truly a cruel twist of fate.

"It seems that Master Yuanyang also covets the position of leader of the martial arts alliance. I wonder how Tie Ruyun will deal with it," Zhi Chan thought to himself. No matter who becomes the leader of the martial arts alliance, Shaolin must make plans in advance. Whether to remain aloof or to join the Eastern Depot depends on today.

Just as everyone was talking, someone shouted, "Hero Jiang has arrived!" Everyone turned to look and saw a handsome and dignified middle-aged man walking in. Master Yuanyang and the leaders of various sects all stood up to greet him.

Jiang Biehe arrived at the head of the table, cupped his hands and said, "I am deeply honored that all the sect leaders have traveled a long way to participate in the martial arts conference. Thank you very much." He then bowed slightly.

The leaders of the various sects dared not accept such a grand gesture and returned the greetings one after another.

After a few pleasantries, everyone took their seats. Jiang Biehe glanced around and noticed that the seat at the head of the table was still empty, which put his mind at ease.

"Why hasn't the Iron Alliance Leader arrived yet? The conference is about to start," some people whispered below.

"Perhaps something has delayed things," someone said uncertainly.

"Tie Ruyun is always very punctual and never makes others wait. What happened this time?" Master Rusu of Emei frowned.

Previously, Tie Ruyun personally went to Emei to explain the dangers of the Eastern Depot, which is why Abbess Rusu offered her assistance. However, in several battles with the Eastern Depot, most of Emei's elite disciples were lost, which greatly displeased her. Later, she reduced her assistance and only allowed some ordinary disciples to participate.

"Tie Ruyun is arrogant and self-centered. He knows he is the leader of the martial arts alliance and should preside over the martial arts conference, but he doesn't show up. Instead, he makes Master Jiang work hard for a long time. It's really shameful," said Guo Fang, the leader of the Beggars' Sect, who was very unhappy.

"Could something have really happened to the Iron Alliance Leader?" Qu Yiyou, the leader of Kunlun Sect, was somewhat worried.

"The Eastern Depot must know about the martial arts tournament; I'm afraid they'll target the Iron Alliance Leader."

"Sect Leader Qu is overthinking it. Although the Eastern Depot is powerful, it wouldn't do something like this at this critical juncture. Let's wait a little longer. Perhaps Alliance Leader Tie is on his way," Yuan Yang Zhenren said calmly, lightly flicking his whisk.

"What you say is polite. The Iron Alliance Leader is highly skilled in martial arts, so there shouldn't be any trouble. Let's wait patiently."

Jiang Biehe was quite satisfied to see signs of unrest below. As long as Tie Ruyun did not arrive, he would be the one to preside over the martial arts tournament.

After waiting for another half hour, everyone became impatient. The leaders of the various sects remained relatively calm, but some people from smaller sects spoke recklessly, saying that Tie Ruyun was too arrogant, that she was disrespectful, and that she was not worthy of being the leader of the martial arts alliance. All sorts of words ruined Tie Ruyun's reputation.

Amidst the rising anger, the hall was filled with noise and on the verge of chaos. Jiang Biehe, seeing that the situation was about to escalate, stood up and said, "Everyone, please calm down." The sound of his internal energy circulating immediately quieted everyone present.

"Since Alliance Leader Tie is unable to attend for the time being, let Master Zhichan of Shaolin preside over the ceremony. He is highly respected and capable of shouldering this responsibility."

Upon hearing this, Master Zhichan immediately stood up, clasped his hands together, and said, "This old monk is a hermit and knows nothing of these things. If you ask me, it would be more appropriate for Master Jiang to preside over this ceremony. Please do not refuse, Master Jiang."

After Master Zhichan finished speaking, everyone below agreed.

“I am not worthy of such an important task. You should choose someone more capable,” Jiang Biehe said, declining repeatedly and refusing to accept the offer.

“Master Jiang, in terms of reputation in the martial arts world, who here doesn’t respect you? You shouldn’t refuse anymore. This martial arts tournament can’t be delayed,” Guo Fang of the Beggar Clan said sincerely.

"What Chief Guo says is quite right. Hero Jiang, please take on the hard work and make this event a success."

…………

“In that case, I, Jiang, will accept. If there is anything I have done poorly, please point it out. Now I hereby announce that the martial arts tournament has officially begun,” Jiang Biehe said, bowing to the leaders of each sect in thanks.

"The main purpose of this martial arts tournament is to select a new martial arts leader. The competition is divided into six rounds. The first round is between the leader of Kunlun Qu and the leader of Sanhe Gang, Jiang. Please come up to the stage."

Jiang Lin, the leader of the Sanhe Gang, was about forty years old, of medium build, with dark skin and a slightly fierce face. He carried a spiked club full of sharp teeth and used his body to propel himself horizontally toward the dueling platform. This display of lightness skill drew loud cheers from the spectators, with the Sanhe Gang disciples cheering the loudest.

Qu Youyi from Kunlun snorted, took out two short swords, and slowly walked towards the dueling platform. Compared to the others, Qu Youyi seemed to lack momentum.

"Sect Leader Qu, I've learned my lesson." As soon as Qu Youyi stood up, Jiang Lin couldn't wait to attack with his weapon, his spiked club slashing at his opponent.

Seeing the opponent's fierce attack, Qu Youyi dared not be careless. Although his martial arts were slightly better than Jiang Lin's, the gap could be made up for in this limited space. One mistake could lead to a humiliating defeat and loss of face.

Holding two swords in hand, Qu Yiyou took the initiative to retreat several meters in the face of the aggressive attack. When Jiang Lin attacked again, Qu Yiyou flipped over to dodge the spiked club. After landing, he quickly slashed at Jiang Lin's waist with his two swords.

Jiang Lin felt a chill run down his spine. He didn't have time to turn around and block. His body leaned forward, and he used his mace as a fulcrum to spin around and attack Qu Yiyou with a leg kick.

Jiang Lin's sudden move surprised Qu Youyi. Although his two strikes could seriously injure the opponent, he would also be severely injured himself. Qu Youyi valued his life above all else and would never make such a deal.

With a swift movement, he drew back his twin swords and slashed at the spiked club. The force of their clash caused both of them to be jolted back, before charging forward again.

The two on stage were fighting fiercely, but Xiaoyuer below the stage was getting a little bored. "Master, the Kunlun Sect Leader's martial arts are not that great. He's not even as good as my godfather and the others."

"Don't talk nonsense. This Kunlun Sect Leader is a top expert among the righteous sects. Don't be fooled by his current defensive stance. I'm certain that after ten moves, the leader of the Sanhe Gang will be defeated without a doubt."

As Yan Nantian's words seemed to come true, after ten moves, Jiang Lin's offensive slowed down, while Qu Youyi's double swords became even more fierce, forcing Jiang Lin to retreat continuously. In the end, the spiked club was controlled by the double swords, and Jiang Lin was kicked off the fighting platform by Qu Youyi.

Upon hearing the result, the Kunlun members cheered loudly, while the Sanhe Gang disciples were dejected. After being helped up by his disciples, Jiang Lin snorted and sat down in his seat without saying a word.

"In the first match, the Kunlun Qu Sect Leader wins. In the second match, Wudang Yuanyang Zhenren will face Beggar Clan Leader Guo," Jiang Biehe announced loudly. Upon hearing this, Yuanyang Zhenren drew his sword and stepped onto the stage. His Taoist robe fluttered lightly, and his demeanor was composed and elegant, which naturally inspired goodwill. In contrast, Beggar Clan Leader Guo Fang was dressed in tattered clothes and looked wretched. If he were alone, he wouldn't look so bad, but comparisons are inevitable.

"Master Yuanyang, we fought five years ago. At that time, we were evenly matched. I wonder how your Wudang Yin-Yang Swordplay is progressing?"

"As for my martial arts skills, Chief Guo has come to verify them. Chief Guo, please enlighten me." Yuan Yang Zhenren would not give up the initiative to others. He immediately used the Two Elements Sword Technique, which was as powerful as a rainbow and its chilling sword energy was aimed directly at Guo Fang.

"How come this old Taoist's martial arts have improved so quickly? The Two Elements Sword Technique is always easy to learn but difficult to master, and this old Taoist is almost at the top of his game."

Secretly alarmed, Guo Fang spun his dog-beating stick, creating a series of afterimages. With a soft sound, the two weapons clashed lightly, and the sword and stick shadows vanished instantly. The tip of the longsword pressed against the head of the stick, and both of them pushed back simultaneously. Yuan Yang Zhenren took two steps back, while Guo Fang took three and a half steps back.

"Chief Guo, shall we continue?" Master Yuanyang smiled at his opponent. Guo Fang was very unwilling. Since he was at a disadvantage in terms of weapons, he would rather have a fight.

"Master, if you accept my Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, I, Guo, am willing to admit defeat."

Guo Fang planted the Dog-Beating Stick into the bricks and stood still, channeling his strength into his palms. With a roar, an invisible palm wind, like the roar of a dragon, swept over. Yuan Yang Zhenren's expression turned solemn. The Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms had always been the Beggar Clan's signature technique. Even if Guo Fang's mastery was not perfect, the sheer force of this technique was still formidable.

The longsword in his hand hummed as he poured in his inner force. Yuan Yang Zhenren pushed his strength to the extreme, advancing instead of retreating. At the moment when the Dragon Subduing Palm was at its most intense, his sword energy poured straight in, dust flew up on the dueling platform, and the wind swept across the field.

The fierce palm wind was like a furnace, and the chilling sword energy was like ice. Under the impact of the strong wind, Yuan Yang Zhenren felt a tightness in his chest, his breathing became rapid, and his face turned pale. Guo Fang on the other side was in even worse shape. Not only was his blood and qi not flowing smoothly due to the force of the clash, but his whole body was also cut with bloody marks by the sword energy. Although his injuries were not serious, he looked really miserable.

After the dust settled, everyone could finally see the situation inside.

"Master Yuanyang is indeed a top candidate for the alliance leader. Even Guo Fang couldn't get the better of him. It seems that the position of alliance leader will be decided between Master Jiang and him."

Master Zhichan, with his prayer beads in hand, spoke to Abbess Rusu beside him.

"What you say is polite, Master," Master Rusu nodded.

"Junior sister, what do you think of Master Yuanyang's martial arts skills?" Murong Zhong asked.

"Senior brother, this Master Yuanyang's martial arts are indeed formidable, but his internal energy seems a bit off. It doesn't seem to be something he cultivated himself; it's as if he ate something."

Jiang Yuyan had studied medicine under Gu Xu for a period of time. Yuan Yang Zhenren's internal energy was like that of someone who had taken a powerful tonic, floating and unstable, and had not yet fully settled. He was naturally invincible against weaker opponents, but he would suffer a great loss if he encountered an equally matched opponent.

"Is that so? Regardless of him, this match was quite interesting. Let's see if any of the next few matches will feature any standout performers."

After Jiang Biehe announced the results, several more people took to the stage, but they were all much inferior to the previous two. The last match was between Emei's Abbess Rusu and Huashan's leader Qian Buyi.

"Master, you flatter me," Qian Buyi said, sheathing his sword and bowing respectfully.

"Master Qian's martial arts are extraordinary; this humble nun is no match for him." Abbess Rusu felt no regret at losing to Qian Buyi. She had a mountain of matters to attend to at her own sect and couldn't afford to worry about such things. If it weren't for Jiang Biehe's warm invitation, she wouldn't have even considered participating.

"It's getting late today. I've prepared guest rooms for everyone. Please rest for the night, and the conference will continue tomorrow." Jiang Biehe not only assigned rooms to the various factions but also arranged rooms for some independent members.

"Please follow me," the servant in blue gestured, leading Yan Nantian and Xiaoyuer to an exquisite pavilion, where someone was just entering.

“Master, judging from today’s events, Jiang Biehe will definitely not appear until the very end. If he really becomes the leader of the martial arts alliance, he will be difficult to deal with. We must eliminate him before the dust settles.”

"That's right. To defeat someone, you have to work on their mind and body. Once Jiang Biehe's reputation is ruined, things will naturally be much easier, saving us from unnecessary trouble."

“Master, did you notice that the middle-aged man next to Jiang Biehe doesn’t look like a martial arts practitioner, but Jiang Biehe treats him with great respect?” Xiaoyuer observed carefully and discovered that Song Tao had some background.

“Hmm, it’s not someone from the martial arts world who can make Jiang Biehe bow down. Only someone from the imperial court. And right now, the Eastern Depot is the most powerful. It’s possible that it’s someone from Liu Xi’s Eastern Depot.” Although Yan Nantian didn’t take Liu Xi seriously, he was still somewhat wary of the power of the imperial court.

"Have a good meal and get some rest. Tomorrow is the main event."

Sixian Hall

"My lord, did you gain anything from today's martial arts competition?" Jiang Biehe personally poured Song Tao a cup of tea.

"There are a couple of decent people. Guo Fang's Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, though not quite mastered, are still incredibly powerful. He's a pushover. Find a chance to keep him here."

Song Tao came to the conference on Liu Xi's orders to find someone who practices powerful martial arts. Currently, Tie Ruyun, Zhao Qianhe, Li Gao, and Meng Zhongliu are imprisoned in the Tower of Death. If Guo Fang is added, it will make a total of five people.

"Yes, sir. What about Master Yuanyang? If he also wants to become the leader of the martial arts alliance, wouldn't that be too much of a threat?" Jiang Biehe felt that the only threat at present was Master Yuanyang, and he needed to find a way to bring him down as well.

"Don't worry, Master Yuanyang has already planned ahead. He won't be a stumbling block for you. After tomorrow, you will be the new leader of the martial arts alliance," Song Tao said calmly, looking at Jiang Biehe's obsequious manner. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and replied in a low voice.

"Then I can rest assured," Jiang Biehe said with a smile, offering a few more flattering words before leaving. The moment he left, the smile on Jiang Biehe's face vanished.

Yingsongyuan

This is an exquisite courtyard that Jiang Biehe specially cleaned for the Murong family.

“Brother, Master warned us before he came that this martial arts tournament was unusual, and now it seems that's true. The disappearance of the Iron Alliance Leader must be related to the Eastern Depot. Brother, the person next to Jiang Biehe is clearly Song Tao, Liu Xi's subordinate. Although he was disguised, I recognized him at a glance.”

Murong Zheng knew of this person because of his sister, Murong Shu. Murong Shu and Liu Xi were rivals in the inner palace, and the Murong family already knew everything about his subordinates.

"Well, it's not surprising that the Eastern Depot got involved. As for Jiang Biehe, my master has also commented that he is a traitor who sells out his master for personal gain and is a hypocrite. We should be careful with him."

"What about my junior sister?"

"Junior sister is much smarter than us, there's no need to worry."

next room
Jiang Yuyan put down her pen and looked at the paper in front of her, on which a line of words had been crossed out.

(End of this chapter)