Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 174 The King of Fighting for His Life, This Man's Swordsmanship Is No Less Than Mine
"boom!"

The cave walls were blasted open, creating a passageway.

Before leaving, Li Shengnan told Yan Tieshan about the mountain's interior. Boss Yan was very generous and hired a group of tomb raiders to dig through the mountain's interior.

These tomb raiders and tomb raiders may not be good at other things, but when it comes to this kind of thing, no one is better at it than them; it's their livelihood.

Observing mountains and tracing veins, using gunpowder to pave the way, employing the principles of mutual generation and restraint, and wielding long hoes and large shovels—what do we care about mechanisms, traps, or anything cast in bronze or iron? They're nothing but clay chickens and earthenware dogs.

"Master Li, Master Lu, Master Hua, how are you? Where is Shangguan Mu?"

Yan Tieshan hurriedly led his men over.

He couldn't help but panic.

Huo Xiu plotted to kill all the former officials of Jinpeng, and Yan Tieshan was on the kill list. As is well known, in most cases, eunuchs are extremely unpopular.

Yan Tieshan once said that he was a ruthless steward who would devour people without spitting out the bones. Among the old officials of Jinpeng, he was arguably the least popular and had the worst reputation.

Given Shangguan Mu's temperament, if he had the chance to take advantage of Yan Tieshan's misfortune, he would definitely tear Yan Tieshan to pieces and throw his body into a ravine to feed the wolves.

Yan Tieshan was not afraid of death, but he had been disabled since he was five years old and wanted to have a complete body so that someone would wear mourning clothes and burn incense for him after his death.

A eunuch who lives to be over seventy years old is probably not afraid of death, but only worried about becoming a wandering ghost.

Li Zhaoting said, "Boss Yan, could you please come and take a look? I'm a little confused as to whether he is Shangguan Mu, the Minister of Revenue, or Shangguan Jin, the Emperor's brother-in-law..."

Yan Tieshan moved with lightning speed, arriving in a single step.

Li Zhaoting sighed with emotion.

Perhaps due to the great influence of certain writers, eunuchs in the martial arts world mostly have two characteristics.

First, there's the Sunflower Manual, which is relatively fast.

Secondly, there's the Heavenly Gang Child, who has relatively high defense.

Yan Tieshan belongs to the former category.

Back then, it was he who carried the little prince on his back, fought his way through thousands of troops, and fled all the way to the Central Plains.

Yan Tieshan looked down to examine Huo Xiu's toes.

Born with six toes.

This characteristic cannot be faked.

He then rolled up Huo Xiu's sleeves.

The Golden Roc nobleman has bird tattoos on his arm.

Royal family members have a special tattoo: the king of birds.

The subjects have specific tattoos; they are the nobles among birds.

The two types of tattoos look similar, but they are actually quite different. The royal tattoos are lifelike, as if being stared at by a phoenix or a roc, while the ministers' tattoos are relatively stiff, have a tool-like quality, and are mainly in the style of eagles and falcons.

The body had two types of tattoos.

Royal tattoos that are over 60 years old.

A tattoo of a subject that is no more than two years old.

“He is…he is Shangguan Jin. No matter how he disguises himself, unless his hands and feet are cut off, his tattoos and toes will not change. I cannot be mistaken.”

Yan Tieshan quickly realized: "The original master of the Green Robe Pavilion was Shangguan Mu. Shangguan Jin killed Shangguan Mu and took his place, becoming the master of the Green Robe Pavilion."

Does Shangguan Jin know martial arts?

Lu Xiaofeng asked casually.

"A minister appointed to oversee a nation in its time of crisis may lack ability, but must possess exceptional martial arts skills. Otherwise, how could he protect the young prince and break through the encirclement? Shangguan Jin's martial arts are very special; this is a tradition of the Golden Roc Kingdom..."

Jinpeng Kingdom has a unique martial arts system.

The minister is a numerical monster.

Imperial relatives and nobles are cunning and unpredictable.

The martial arts skills possessed by the royal family were far from sufficient to deal with wandering knights, but they had absolute power to suppress their subjects.

In other words, Shangguan Jin's martial arts skills are able to restrain Shangguan Mu, Yan Tieshan, and Dugu Yihe.

Take Li Qingming as an example.

Li Qingming killed Shangguan Jin with three sword strikes.

Shangguan Mu defeated Li Qingming in just two moves.

Shangguan Jin captured Shangguan Mu with a single move.

Yan Tieshan sighed, "Now that things have come to this, the Golden Roc Kingdom has been completely destroyed, and there is nothing to hide. The ultimate technique practiced by the Golden Roc royal family is called 'Dead Wood Zen'."

This is a very special form of Zen practice.

The mind should be as if dead, the eyes should not be used, and one should not be allowed to open one's eyes to see;

The stomach must be empty, no food or drink should be consumed, and one is not allowed to think about it for an extended period of time;
Zen practice has two effects: positive and negative.

When performed correctly, it can impart power and initiation to others.

Using it in reverse can absorb the enemy's power.

Jin Pengchen's martial arts all have fatal flaws and can be countered by the Dry Wood Zen Skill. If I'm not mistaken, when the three heroes fought against Shangguan Jin, Shangguan Jin's core skill was the Boy's Skill.

Shangguan Jin ambushed Shangguan Mu, using the Withered Wood Zen Technique to drain the vital energy that Shangguan Mu had painstakingly cultivated throughout his life.

Poor Shangguan Mujiazi, despite being a perfectly healthy man, lived a life of hardship even more austere than a eunuch, and all his painstakingly accumulated true essence was used to benefit others.

It's fate! It's destiny! Why suffer like this?

Yan Tieshan loathed virginity training.

Because Yan Tieshan was a eunuch, his lifelong wish was to have descendants. Unfortunately, he did not have the ability to do so. Therefore, he resented those who had the ability to continue their family line but chose to become eunuchs for the sake of a martial arts technique.

Of course, this is Yan Tieshan's philosophy.

Eunuchs are often incomplete and have twisted minds.

One cannot expect eunuchs to maintain complete rationality, especially septuagenarian eunuchs, whose desire for offspring is practically written all over their faces.

If someone were to kneel on the ground and beg for their godfather's surname, saying, "I am willing to change my surname to yours, wear mourning clothes for you, carry your banner and hold your urn, burn paper money and incense for you, and when I have children, they will all take your surname," Yan Tieshan would very likely give away his vast fortune on the spot!
Why doesn't anyone do this?

Has no one thought of these things?
Has no one been eyeing Yan Tieshan's assets?
of course not!

The wages of avarice is death.

The underworld is never short of people who value money over their lives.

However, Yan Tieshan had a young, handsome, skilled, and capable steward named Huo Tianqing, who controlled 50% of the Yan family's business. Everyone thought that after Yan Tieshan passed away, his property would be left to Huo Tianqing!
Li Zhaoting said, "Boss Yan, there are still a few doubts in this case. I need to go to Jinpeng Manor. After I solve the case, we can have a good drink together!"

Yan Tieshan laughed heartily upon hearing this: "Chang'an Zhexianlou has Fenjiu aged for over 130 years. I'll go buy thirty jars right now to entertain the three heroes!"

Perhaps seeing his old friend's miserable state reminded Yan Tieshan of the past, and when he spoke, he inevitably picked up his verbal tic and gave a slightly embarrassed chuckle.

"Great hero...please forgive...my..."

At this point, he appeared much older, and his gaze toward the three men held a hint of pleading.

Eunuchs have a terrible reputation! Most heroes of the martial arts world are generous and chivalrous, but hidden within their chivalry is a special hierarchy of contempt. Few people are willing to drink with eunuchs, especially hot-blooded young men who have made a name for themselves with a sword, most of whom are arrogant and aloof.

Li Zhaoting said, "We agreed that I would bring a friend over for a drink, so please don't be stingy, Boss Yan!"

Lu Xiaofeng said, "When it comes to drinking, Lu Xiaofeng is never inferior to anyone. I'm going to drink a few more jars."

Hua Manlou said, "My third brother, fourth brother, and sixth brother are all good drinkers, so I can drink a few more cups too."

Yan Tieshan was full of gratitude: "I'll go and empty the wine cellar of Zhexianlou, so we can drink to our hearts' content!"

The name "谪仙" (Zhexian) in the Zhexian Tower clearly comes from Li Bai. It is said that Li Bai drank wine here and, after getting drunk, picked up his brush and wrote a poem on the wall.

Time flies, and hundreds of years have passed. The poems have long been lost, but the wine has been preserved. Deep in the wine cellar of Zhexianlou, there are five vats of super wines that have been stored since the Tang Dynasty. Only one small jar is sold each year.

This was certainly no problem for Yan Tieshan; there are very few things in the world that money can't solve.

If so, then activate it a few more times.

Buying a vat of the King of Wines is very difficult.

But if you bring two carts full of gold and silver jewelry and buy the Zhexianlou restaurant, everything will be much easier.

Purchasing the King of Wines is purely a consumer expenditure.

Buying a restaurant is a normal acquisition that can generate a continuous stream of profits, while significantly reducing costs.

……

They rode at full speed back to Jinpeng Manor.

The entire manor was deserted.

After a thorough search inside and out, Li Zhaoting only found four bodies, a number that clearly did not match up.

"Liu Yuhen, Dugu Fang, Xiao Qiuyu, and Shangguan Feiyan were all killed instantly by a single sword strike."

The murderer's swordsmanship was unparalleled. He drew his sword in front of the four people, told them to prepare themselves, and then killed them with a graceful and leisurely style.

The only word that comes to mind is 'leisurely'.

Lazy and relaxed, with a hint of mockery, disdain, and amusement at the corners of his mouth, he was just entertaining himself, casually unleashing a deadly move.

What a terrifying swordsman!

This man's swordsmanship is no less than mine!

Li Zhaoting examined the wounds on the throats of the four men, analyzed their positions, the situation, and the direction of their attacks, and analyzed the killer's sword technique, arriving at a terrifying conclusion.

Lu Xiaofeng said, "Li Zhaoting, your swordsmanship is on par with Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng. I don't know how far you are from Lang Fanyun, but I believe you will reach the pinnacle sooner or later. Who is the murderer? There don't seem to be many people whose swordsmanship is on par with yours!"

Li Zhaoting waved his hand: "It's not about swordsmanship, but a combination of swordsmanship, internal strength, and experience. If we fight to the death, the odds of winning are evenly split."

"I don't think anyone can beat you in a life-or-death situation. Your swordsmanship isn't the best in the world, but I haven't seen anyone stronger in a life-or-death situation!"

Lu Xiaofeng's tone was very serious.

Especially after watching the duel between Li Zhaoting and Huo Xiu.

In this battle, Li Zhaoting used tactics, strategy, swordsmanship, courage, and strength to perfectly utilize his advantages and kill the super iron turtle with a single sword strike.

This cannot be achieved simply through martial arts skills.

If Li Zhaoting were a pure warrior, he would probably have been worn down to death by Huo Xiu's tortoise-shell tactics long ago.

Huo Xiu was on high alert, facing three opponents alone. Li Zhaoting first challenged him to a one-on-one duel, which lowered Huo Xiu's guard. Li Zhaoting then challenged him to a five-step kill to fight to the death. Huo Xiu, who was originally quite wary of the Tathagata's Divine Light, completely relaxed and went from taking it seriously to underestimating it. He only thought about strengthening his protective aura, but forgot to leave himself some strength.

When the moon is full, it loses, and when the water is full, it overflows.

The dragon soars in the sky, but its glory eventually fades.

If there is no spare strength and no room for maneuver, once the momentum reaches its peak, it will inevitably decline, plummet, and collapse at the slightest touch.

Huo Xiu is proficient in various Shaolin protective skills, having mastered the Vajra Indestructible Body Skill. He possesses three top-tier healing elixirs and a protective armor, making him the best counter to desperate killing moves like the Five Steps One Kill.

However, under Li Zhaoting's guidance, Huo Xiu lowered his guard, his cautiousness turning into arrogance. When his momentum was at its peak, he seized the opportunity to strike, breaking through Huo Xiu's protective aura with a single sword strike and piercing through his internal organs.

Without wisdom, how could such a precise plan be devised?

Without courage, who would dare to take such a desperate gamble?
Without skill, how could one achieve such precision?

In the short time it took to fight for his life, Li Zhaoting displayed his wisdom, courage, and skills to the fullest, a method of risking his life that opened Lu Xiaofeng's eyes to a whole new level.

In Lu Xiaofeng's opinion, Li Zhaoting's swordsmanship was on par with Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng, but if it came to a life-or-death struggle, Li Zhaoting would definitely win.

This guy is too good at risking his life.

It transforms the fierce and passionate struggle into an aesthetic experience.

The thrill of being on the brink of life and death.

Art that ignites passion.

This guy isn't a born "sword prodigy" at all.
This guy is clearly a born "demon"!
Lu Xiaofeng was secretly relieved that Li Zhaoting was a chivalrous figure in the Central Plains martial arts world, not the Holy Son of the Demonic Sect; otherwise, the Central Plains martial arts world would surely have been ravaged and bloodied by this guy.

Eh?
It seems the land has been plowed and bloodshed has occurred several times already!
Lu Xiaofeng's mind raced, and he asked, "Why do I feel like there's one body missing? Where's Shangguan Xue'er? Knowing the killer's personality, they wouldn't let any survivors go."

Hua Manlou said in a deep voice, "You're wrong. It's not that one body is missing, but two. Shangguan Danfeng's body in the garden is gone!"

Li Zhaoting closed the curtain and pondered for a long time before uttering a conclusion that left everyone stunned: "Shangguan Danfeng is not actually dead; what we saw was a fake death."

"Impossible! She's clearly dead. Even Hua Manlou couldn't sense her heartbeat or pulse!"

Even if Lu Xiaofeng didn't believe in himself, he would believe in Hua Manlou's intuition; it was impossible for him to be wrong.

Li Zhaoting said, "The Flying Phoenix Needle is coated with a poison similar to Crystal Heartbreak Powder, which can make a person's body look like a zombie, but keep their mind clear."

This is an extremely vicious poison.

To let someone, while still conscious, hear their family weeping for them, to place them in a coffin, to bury them in peace, to be torn apart by snakes, insects, and rodents...

All of this could be clearly perceived, but there was nothing that could be done until they suffocated, starved, or were bitten to death by snakes, insects, rats, and ants. Half a month later, the poison dissipated, and the body quickly rotted away, leaving only a rotting skeleton.

No one could find any trace of it.

If you mix Flying Phoenix Needle with Crystal Heartbreak Powder and then seal acupoints with silver needles to put the body into a state of tortoise breathing, the body surface will be as hard as a zombie, and even if you ask the divine doctor of Medicine King Valley to take your pulse, you will not be able to sense any pulse.

Furthermore, when we discovered Shangguan Danfeng, we were in a hurry to verify her identity and analyze her background. We didn't have the mind to pay attention to whether the person buried in the ground for three days was a corpse or had been poisoned.

Shangguan Danfeng is a member of the Azure Dragon Society.

I can roughly guess what happened.

Would you like to hear my guess?

Li Zhaoting had a general idea of ​​what was going on.

There are some problems, and Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou need to fill in the gaps and clarify the matter.

Who killed whom?

Who is impersonating whom?
Who is the real mastermind behind this?
Who is the mastermind behind this?
How many secrets does the Kingdom of Jinpeng hold?

"The story goes back fifty years. The Kingdom of Jinpeng was destroyed by foreign enemies. Four regents protected the young prince and brought him to the Central Plains. The young prince could not bear the hardship of restoring the kingdom, so he and the king's uncle, Shangguan Jin, went into seclusion at the Jinpeng Manor..."

　Thanks to book friends 20230513120205478 and 151028154137524 for their rewards

　　
　
(End of this chapter)