The world of martial arts, the immortal swordsman in the mortal realm.

Chapter 104, page 119: Battle with Kumārajīva! Exchanging the Lesser Formless Skill! [Seeking monthly votes!]

Kumārajīva was hiding in the "Langhuan Jade Cave" of Mantuo Villa, reading a book.

After being tricked by Azhu and Abi and losing Duan Yu, Kumārajīva first sneaked back to Canhe Village to look for him, but to no avail. Then he met Madam Wang, who came to Canhe Village to look for her daughter. He followed Madam Wang to Mantuo Manor and unexpectedly found the "Langhuan Jade Cave".

There are countless martial arts manuals in the Langhuan Jade Cave.

For Kumārajīva, who was obsessed with martial arts, finding this place was like a mouse falling into a rice jar. He had been hiding in the Langhuan Jade Cave to read and study.

With his martial arts skills, he could come and go freely in Mantuo Manor, and no one could detect him.

Today, as he was engrossed in reading, he suddenly heard faint sounds of fighting and shouting coming from outside.

Out of curiosity, they went out to investigate, only to find a ground littered with corpses, all of whom were old women and maids from the Mantuo Manor who knew martial arts.

Afterwards, Kumārajīva followed the sound and happened to see Huang Rong kill Madam Wang with a single finger.

To his surprise, the young man, who looked no more than twenty years old, actually knew his whereabouts in one breath.

Are all young people these days so capable?

He muttered to himself.

Kumārajīva emerged from his hiding place and bowed respectfully to Lu Chen and Huang Rong with his palms together.
"This humble monk, Kumārajīva, greets the two benefactors."

Kumārajīva was always very polite, referring to himself as "this humble monk" to everyone. Coupled with his outstanding appearance and demeanor, those who did not know him might really think he was a humble and courteous virtuous monk.

Of course, he was indeed a highly accomplished Buddhist monk, but before he lost all his martial arts skills and achieved enlightenment, the title of "great virtue" was already quite distant from him.

"My name is Lu Chen, and this is my wife, Huang Rong."

Lu Chen was also very polite, bowing to Kumārajīva:
"I have met the Great Wheel King."

Lu Chen was not surprised to see Kumārajīva at Mantuo Manor.

Based on the timeline of Da Lun Ming Wang's activities, it is highly likely that he found his way to the Langhuan Jade Cave after losing Duan Yu.

In short, wherever there are a large number of martial arts manuals, you are likely to encounter Kumārajīva.

That's why Lu Chen said that Mantuo Manor might have clues to the Lesser Formless Skill.

It doesn't matter if I guess wrong, I can just look again.

As luck would have it, they actually bumped into it.

"So it was Benefactor Lu and Benefactor Huang."

Kumārajīva made no mention of Lu Chen and Huang Rong's destruction of Mantuo Manor and their attempt to kill Madam Wang. After all, he was just a book thief, not a guest of Mantuo Manor, and had no right to criticize the two.

Furthermore, having spent some time recently reading at Mantuo Manor, he had heard about the actions of Madam Wang and her subordinates. He had long anticipated that, given Mantuo Manor's modus operandi, they would eventually be found and wiped out.

This can be considered a case of "cause and effect, and retribution is inevitable".

After the pleasantries, it was time to get down to business. Kumārajīva asked with a smile:
“Benefactor Lu has revealed my true intentions, but I wonder what your purpose is?”

Lu Chen didn't waste any words and went straight to the point:
"We have heard that the Great Wheel King is fond of collecting martial arts techniques, and we two would like to exchange martial arts techniques with him. What does the Great Wheel King think?"

"Exchange martial arts?"

Kumārajīva paused slightly, then smiled and said:
"You two are indeed skilled in martial arts, but you wish to exchange martial arts techniques with this humble monk..."

Having recently studied so many martial arts manuals in the Langhuan Jade Cave, and possessing multiple Shaolin Seventy-Two Arts, along with his signature Flaming Saber, he no longer regards ordinary martial arts.

"The Great Wheel King need not be in a hurry to refuse."

Lu Chen smiled slightly:
"I have long heard of the Great Wheel King's unparalleled martial arts prowess, his mastery of the Flaming Blade is divine, and he wields the seventy-two Shaolin arts with ease. He once single-handedly withstood the Six Meridians Sword Formation of the Dali Tianlong Temple and escaped unscathed. I greatly admire the King's divine might. Now that we have the opportunity to meet, I wish to learn from the King. I hope the King will be so kind as to grant me your guidance!"

Kumārajīva chuckled to himself.

This young man and woman swept through Mantuo Manor and even exposed his whereabouts in one breath; their skills were indeed impressive, but to challenge him, Kumārajīva…

All I can say is that the young man's courage is commendable.

Kumārajīva shook his head, about to politely decline, when Lu Chen suddenly bent his index finger and flicked it out, sending a burst of finger force flying through the air.

The Finger Flicking Divine Skill!
This finger strike from a distance, while not particularly accurate, is incredibly powerful!
Kumārajīva extended his thumb and pressed forward, unleashing a sharp finger strike that clashed with Lu Chen's finger strike in mid-air with a pop, creating a powerful shockwave that swept across the ground between the two, raising dust in all directions.

The finger technique used by Kumārajīva was the "Three Entries into Hell" of the Shaolin "Maha Finger".

Since he had entered hell three times, it was naturally not just one finger. After blocking Lu Chen's finger force with the first finger, Kumārajīva pressed down twice with his thumb. Two invisible finger forces broke through the air silently and secretly attacked Lu Chen's left and right Jianjing acupoints.

Lu Chen instantly detected the movement of two invisible and silent finger forces. He flicked his index finger twice, and the two finger forces intercepted Kumārajīva's finger forces with two loud thuds.

Kumārajīva raised an eyebrow, finally showing interest:

"Benefactor Lu, your martial arts are superb! Please take another of my 'Great Vajra Fist'!"

As he spoke, he slightly turned his body, raised his left hand horizontally, and clenched his right fist, throwing a punch straight at Lu Chen.

This punch appears to be a straight strike, but the force of the punch comes from below, like a fierce uppercut aimed directly at Lu Chen's chin. Those who lack keen perception and foolishly parry using the same punching style as Kumārajīva would likely be sent flying into the air by the force of the uppercut before they even realize what's happening.

But Lu Chen was not fooled at all. He raised one hand and pressed down, and with a loud bang, a visible ripple of air exploded out, firmly intercepting the force of the punch.

Kumārajīva hadn't used his full strength, but seeing that Lu Chen had actually been able to see through his punch and defend against it, his interest was greatly piqued.

"Benefactor Lu, your martial arts are truly impressive! Please take another 'Prajna Palm' from this humble monk!"

With that, he swiftly moved in front of Lu Chen and lightly struck him with his palm.

This time, it's not a move from afar, but a real test of skill with him.

Lu Chen knew that Kumārajīva's "Prajñā Palm" was extraordinary. The palm strike seemed light and airy, but the palm force was as sharp as a precious sword. It could even cut a piece off the bronze incense burner of Shaolin Temple. Naturally, he dared not be careless and countered with a "Heart-Shattering Palm" to clash with Kumārajīva's "Prajñā Palm".

Bang!
There was a muffled sound.

When their palms collided, Lu Chen and Kumārajīva remained completely still, but their robes billowed up as if blown by a strong wind, and the ground beneath their feet trembled slightly, cracking open.

A hint of surprise finally surfaced in Kumārajīva's eyes:
"I never imagined that you, at such a young age, would possess such palm strength!"

Lu Chen knew perfectly well that his strongest skill was swordsmanship, and his palm techniques were really mediocre. The reason he was able to fight Kumārajīva to a standstill was entirely due to the one-tenth boost in his unarmed combat power from his "beggar's version of the Qilin Arm".

Without this added bonus, his "Heart-Shattering Palm" would be no match for Kumārajīva's "Prajñā Palm," and he would at least be knocked back several steps.

At this moment, Kumārajīva laughed again:
"Since Benefactor Lu's martial arts are so formidable, then this humble monk will no longer hold back!"

As he spoke, he unleashed his full power, unleashing a barrage of fists, palms, fingers, and claws, employing various Shaolin techniques: Prajna Palm, Great Bright Fist, Mighty Vajra Palm, Great Wisdom Finger, Detoxifying Finger, Nirvana Claw, Indra Claw... like a whirlwind, he launched a furious attack on Lu Chen.

He would also suddenly kick out with a "shadow-following leg" from time to time, or use his hand as a knife to perform the "Shaolin Burning Wood Knife".

Kumārajīva's palm strikes could cut through bronze cauldrons, so his hand blades were naturally even more formidable. Even without unleashing his Flaming Blade, he could easily decapitate or sever limbs when he struck a person.

Faced with Kumārajīva's fierce offensive, Lu Chen could no longer rely solely on fist and palm techniques. He unleashed the "Sword Shadow Step" with his feet, his figure appearing like a phantom, dodging Kumārajīva's frenzied attacks in the nick of time, while simultaneously using his palm as a sword to fight back.

Kumārajīva was not known for his lightness skills. Faced with Lu Chen's sword shadow steps, which incorporated the essence of Lingbo Weibu, he wasn't completely dizzy, but most of the unpredictable and ever-changing techniques missed their mark, failing to even touch the hem of his clothes. As for the few moves, they were easily intercepted by Lu Chen's palm sword.

However, Lu Chen was unable to break through Kumārajīva's defenses in the short term.

Kumārajīva's martial arts skills were already extremely extensive, and recently he had been studying in the Langhuan Jade Cave, where he received the treasures of Wuyazi and Li Qiushui over the years. The sheer number of martial arts skills he possessed was virtually inexhaustible.

With his skill level, he wouldn't be completely unable to keep up with Lu Chen's lightness skill rhythm, and he would always have a way to deal with Lu Chen's counterattacks.

For a time, Lu Chen relied on his lightness skill and unparalleled swordsmanship, while Kumārajīva relied on his internal strength and vast martial arts skills, and the two fought to a standstill.

Huang Rong retreated to the side and watched the two fight.

Wherever the two passed, their powerful energy caused the ground to crack and dust to rise into the air.

Occasionally, if you accidentally bump into flowers, trees, or even rockeries, the flowers and trees will instantly shatter, and even a corner of the rockery will break off, scattering rubble everywhere.

Upon seeing this, Huang Rong was astonished. She thought to herself that this Great Wheel King was indeed a great master who could suppress the monks of Tianlong Temple with his own strength. In this era, she wondered how many people could rival his divine skills.

Before they knew it, the two had already exchanged a thousand blows.

Kumārajīva was extremely competitive. Seeing that he couldn't defeat a young man who was less than half his age even after a thousand moves, he couldn't help but feel anxious.

He had already tested Lu Chen's skill and found that the young man's skill was still inferior to his own. However, the other party's lightness skill was too superb. His movements were so swift and unpredictable that even he had to exert all his strength to keep up with his pace.

If the fight continued like this, even if the opponent maintained this movement technique, the consumption of energy should be greater than his. In the end, he would most likely be able to outlast him with his internal strength. However, to defeat a young man in this way would make Kumārajīva feel ashamed.

After another hundred moves, Kumārajīva finally couldn't hold back any longer. He rubbed his palms together and unleashed his signature move, "Flame Blade," slashing out more than a dozen blades in one go, trying to seal off Lu Chen's escape route.

Lu Chen was waiting for Kumārajīva to make this move.

As Kumārajīva's sword energy surged across the sky, Lu Chen laughed heartily. His figure, which had been flashing wildly across the field, suddenly stopped and stood still. A "Shangyang Sword Energy" burst forth from his index finger. The sword energy was not released outwards, but instead condensed into a three-foot-long, invisible sword energy at his fingertip. He then used the Six Meridians Divine Sword technique to fight against Kumārajīva's sword energy from a distance.

The qi of swords and blades crisscrossed, and the sound of their collisions was not as resounding and intense as that of real swords and blades, but rather like the surging of wind and thunder, sometimes like a strong wind howling, and sometimes like rolling thunder.

The force of the impact, like shattered fragments of a sword, cut cracks into the ground.

Seeing that Lu Chen had blocked his flaming blade with an invisible, three-foot-long sword of energy, and that the technique was exactly the same as the Six Meridians Divine Sword technique he had seen at Tianlong Temple, Kumārajīva was both surprised and delighted:
"The Six Meridians Divine Sword! It's actually the Six Meridians Divine Sword!"

Lu Chen laughed heartily:
"Indeed, it is the Six Meridians Divine Sword!"

As he spoke, he changed his sword techniques several times, demonstrating the Shaoshang Sword, Zhongchong Sword, and other sword techniques one by one, all of which were exactly the same as those he had seen with Kumārajīva that day.

Upon seeing that he possessed all six sword techniques, Kumārajīva was overjoyed. After a rapid attack with his flaming blade, he abruptly withdrew and retreated, exclaiming with delight:
"Does the benefactor wish to exchange martial arts techniques with me? I wonder if the flaming saber I just used still catches your eye?"

The Flame Blade is indeed quite good.

However, Kumārajīva already possessed the Flaming Blade, yet he still coveted the Six Meridians Divine Sword. While this was undoubtedly due to his obsessive collecting of martial arts techniques, it also demonstrated that the Flaming Blade was considerably inferior to the Six Meridians Divine Sword.

During their brief exchange of blows, Lu Chen had already realized that while the Flame Blade was extremely powerful, its application was far less flexible and unpredictable than the Six Meridians Divine Sword, and its power was not as refined.

Lu Chen condensed a sword of qi at his fingertips, extinguishing Kumārajīva's sword qi without much effort. In terms of the exchange ratio of true qi consumption, he also felt that he had a great advantage. He could probably exchange ten parts of true qi for about fifteen parts of Kumārajīva's true qi.

Of course, this is also due to the enhancement of his sword qi and the three sword bodies on his sword techniques.

An ordinary practitioner of the Six Meridians Divine Sword could probably only exchange twelve parts of Kumārajīva's true qi with ten parts of true qi.

But this is also a remarkable advantage.

In a closely contested battle, having two points less internal energy consumption is enough to turn into a victory after a long and arduous fight.

Lu Chen shook his head and said with a smile:
"Is the Great Wheel King taking advantage of my youth? Exchanging the Flaming Blade for the Six Meridians Divine Sword is far from enough."

"And the Seventy-Two Shaolin Arts..."

Kumārajīva, of course, knew that this was not enough, and readily revealed the Shaolin finger techniques, such as the Flower-Picking Finger and the Leaf-Turning Finger, which he had originally intended to exchange with Tianlong Temple for martial arts.

Unfortunately, Lu Chen and Huang Rong had already obtained the finger techniques from the Sutra Pavilion when they visited Shaolin Temple.

Huang Rong also knew that Shaolin Kung Fu had hidden dangers, but she used it as a reference to improve her own finger skills such as "Orchid Flicking Acupoint Hand" and "Finger Flicking Divine Skill".

Therefore, the condition of the Great Wheel King is certainly not met.

Kumārajīva possessed many unique skills, and immediately listed several other skills that were highly sought after in the martial arts world, but Lu Chen simply shook his head.

Kumārajīva frowned and said:

"You said you wanted to exchange martial arts skills, but now you don't want this or that. Are you just making a fool of me?"

Lu Chen shook his head:
"Not really. It's just that I'm not interested in any of the martial arts that the Great Wheel King has proposed. There is one more martial art that I might be interested in, but the Great Wheel King hasn't mentioned it yet."

Kumārajīva was startled and tentatively asked:
"What does Benefactor Lu mean?"

"Small Wuxiang Gong."

Lu Chen looked at Kumārajīva and slowly said:

"I only want the Lesser Formless Skill."

[The original novel's Kumārajīva and the TVB version are not the same. In the original novel, Kumārajīva never fought Qiao Feng; the only time they almost did, they were stopped by the Sweeper Monk. He did, however, defeat Murong Fu in just ten moves. In the world, only one monk, two ghosts, and three elders could defeat Kumārajīva. Whether Qiao Feng, Xiao Yuanshan, and Murong Bo, who are considered among the Four Great Masters, could defeat him remains to be seen. It's the last week of June, please vote with your monthly tickets!]

(End of this chapter)