Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 180 The Invisible Man, A Meeting of Minds

"Master Li, what's going on?"

Yin Susu asked in a sarcastic tone, not because she wanted to mock Li Zhaoting, but because she was very curious. She was asking for the reason and also wanting to hear some gossip.

The Lüshi Chunqiu records:
Women fighting is the most beautiful sight!
Especially when two stunning beauties fight, one in red and one in white, the red one passionate like a red rose and the white one gentle like moonlight, how can one choose?

A red rose is not a mosquito's blood on the wall, but a cinnabar mole on the heart; a white moonlight is not a rice grain stuck to the ground, but a fleeting moment of beauty that can never be forgotten.

Li Zhaoting sat down dejectedly: "I came to Fox Den for beef soup and found Chief Cheng there. I invited him to join me at the table, and that's when the fight started."

Zhang Cuishan whispered a reprimand to Zhang Wuji: "It's wrong to flirt with women. Look at your Uncle Li, he's always flirting with women and has ruined so many houses..."

Li Zhaoting looked embarrassed: "I heard that the Fox Den is owned by the Sky Eagle Cult, and the damaged house..."

"Master Li, you're being too polite. You saved our lives, what does a house matter? I've long disliked this fox den and wanted to smash up the renovations!"

Yin Susu was very generous when it came to spending money.

Even Zhang Cuishan didn't know that his wife was both a demonic witch and an extremely wealthy woman.

In the original storyline, Yin Tianzheng sent Yin Susu's dowry to Wudang, along with two hundred pieces of daily necessities, each of which was a luxury item.

What does a den of iniquity matter?
As long as the person is alive, it can be covered up at any time.

In the past two days, Yin Susu learned of Li Zhaoting's formidable reputation from the disciples of the Sky Eagle Sect. She then exchanged several houses for Li Zhaoting's favor, making a huge profit.

Even if we smash up the dock, it's not a loss.

Money can be earned anytime, but the opportunity to gain favor with Li Zhaoting is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Perhaps upon hearing Yin Susu's voice, Feng Suzhen and Cheng Huaixiu exchanged glances and made their moves simultaneously.

Feng Suzhen, dressed in red and wielding the Zhengfeng Sword, displayed elegant and graceful swordsmanship that blended seamlessly with nature. Within the surging sword energy, a certain rhythm was subtly implied.

When ordinary people use swords, they want to break free from constraints. The more unrestrained and imaginative they are, the more they can unleash the power of their swordsmanship. Who would actively restrict themselves?
Feng Suzhen's sword is not a constraint on herself, but a way to define boundaries. Unfettered imagination is not about wild thoughts, and unrestrainedness is not about recklessness. When drawing and sheathing the sword, one cannot blindly follow routines, nor can one deviate from the norm.

Everything in the world needs to be done in moderation.

Who defined this "degree"?

Nobody said that!

People are different, and swords are different. Forcibly setting a certain standard will only lead to trouble. However, as Feng Suzhen made her moves, she gradually established boundaries and restrictions within the scope of the battle and between the two swords.

The Holy King Sword Technique: Inner Saint, Outer King.

During the Qin Dynasty, Fu Nian, the master of Xiaoshengxianzhuang, created the Confucian sword technique, which established rules for all things.

The rule for Fu Nian's choice is "propriety".

Feng Suzhen chose the rule of "moderation".

There is no distinction between the two, one being superior to the other.

Feng Suzhen is not Fu Nian; she has not experienced the centuries of chaos during the Warring States period and does not understand Fu Nian's thoughts.

Fu Nian is not Feng Suzhen. Her ideas and concepts, proposed a thousand years ago, have obvious limitations of their time. Both sword techniques and ideas must keep pace with the times.

Everything is moving forward; clinging to the past will only lead to destruction. Fu Nian had some creative ideas about the future and inscribed them on bamboo slips.

A thousand years have passed.

The lost teachings of Confucianism have reappeared in the world.

The Holy King Sword Technique is a strong counter to the Compassionate Journey Sword Manual.

The Cihang Sword Manual has no fixed moves. One must keep a firm grip on one point, maintain a clear and pure mind, observe the enemy's weaknesses, and act according to one's will and at will.

Whether it's a meeting of minds or a clear understanding of the sword, it all depends heavily on the user's inner enlightenment. When inspiration strikes, brilliant moves flow endlessly. But if the mind is clouded and the sword is tainted with dust, the sword technique will become utter nonsense.

The Cihang Sword Manual is the unrestrained and imaginative sword technique mentioned earlier. The more unrestrained and imaginative it is, the more powerful its sword technique becomes.

Feng Suzhen set rules for Cheng Huaixiu, forbidding him from letting his thoughts wander freely or making reckless moves. She imposed restrictions here and left instructions there, weaving a net of heaven and earth between the sword energies.

The layers upon layers of sword energy were like silkworm cocoons, shackles, wooden fetters, nets, and inverted golden bells, making it feel as if one were carrying Mount Tai when drawing the sword and Mount Sumeru when sheathing it. One's wrists felt as if they were bound with lead weights, and one's strength and speed were rapidly reduced.

Cheng Huaixiu felt as if he were fighting a swordsmanship underwater. The pressure was omnipresent, all-pervasive, and all-encompassing. His swordsmanship was clear and unwavering, and the water flow revealed the marks of chiseling and carving between his moves.

A thousand years ago, Xiaomeng, the head of the Daoist Tianzong sect, and Fu Nian, the master of Xiaoshengxianzhuang, discussed the Dao with swords. Using the Daoist Tianzong's unique techniques, "Heart Like Still Water" and "Autumn Water of Ten Thousand Rivers," they transformed a babbling brook into a vast blue ocean. Fu Nian thrust out his sword, setting rules for the flow of water. The moment the sword energies collided, the water burst into blooming waves, demonstrating the concept of "seeing the flower and asking the Dao."

The same applies to the sword fight between Feng Suzhen and Cheng Huaixiu.

Feng Suzhen moves with ease, as deep as the sea, yet without any raging storms or towering waves. She uses the Holy King Sword Technique to restrain the sword heart's clarity, but always leaves room for maneuver.

Cheng Huaixiu always manages to find a way out when his sword moves are restricted to the extreme. Each time he "breaks out of the encirclement," his swordsmanship becomes more and more agile, as if he has been reborn.

Similarly, Feng Suzhen could always reassemble the sword net when Cheng Huaixiu suddenly understood, and no matter how Cheng Huaixiu charged left and right, he was ultimately bound by the layers and dense sword net, and could only break through it time and time again.

Success is like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.

Failure means surrender.

The two were originally just acting, but as they fought, they developed a mutual respect. Feng Suzhen used the Holy King Sword Technique, the Sitting Meditation Mind Technique, and the Soaring Wind Technique in rotation, occasionally interspersed with the routines of the Bodhidharma Sword Technique and the Tathagata Divine Light. She brought out the grandeur of Confucian sword techniques, the elegance of Taoist sword techniques, and the compassion of Buddhist sword techniques to the fullest extent.

Cheng Huaixiu's sword mind is clear and pure, untouched by worldly dust. He remains unmoved by wind and rain. In battle, he absorbs Feng Suzhen's sword philosophy, adhering to his original intention while adapting to the situation. Like a small boat in a vast ocean with turbulent waves, he rises and falls with the waves. When the waves are high, his sword energy is strong; when the waves are low, his sword energy is stable.

The swords resonated with each other.

Your sword intent is lofty and far-reaching; my white rainbow pierces the sun.

Your sword intent is profound, while mine is as steadfast as a mountain.

You are as high as the sky and as far as the heavens, while I am as a phoenix soaring through the nine heaven

You, the Crouching Dragon, devise your strategies; I, the one who sees through the mystery, understand.

Not to mention Zhang Cuishan and Yin Susu, even Li Zhaoting couldn't tell whose swordsmanship was superior.

The two are in a martial arts resonance where you are in me and I am in you. The sword's edge, sword intent, sword energy, sword moves, and sword light coexist harmoniously, like the yin and yang fish of Tai Chi, with yin and yang transforming and cycling endlessly, and no one can stop.

If one of them sheathes their sword, the momentum the other has built up since the start of the battle will inevitably erupt like a volcanic eruption, easily killing them.

Can isolated yin or isolated yang exist independently?
While the sight of a beautiful woman wielding a sword was indeed captivating, the sword energy was as sharp as spring thunder. The fox's den was reduced to ruins by the two, and the cunning old fox was blasted to the ground by the sword energy.

Most importantly, human strength is finite. The endless cycle of martial arts resonance and the accumulation of fighting spirit will gradually exceed the physical limits of the two people.

Who can stop this process?

Li Zhaoting is acceptable.

Li Zhaoting narrowed his eyes, seeing through the mystery. When Feng Suzhen used the move "Boundless Buddhist Dharma" and Cheng Huaixiu returned the move "Sword Laughing at Xuanyuan", Li Zhaoting flew up and simultaneously flicked his hands, gently pinching with his index and middle fingers.

Telepathic communication.

Minds think alike.

The tacit understanding between Li Zhaoting and Feng Suzhen was beyond question; with a flick of their fingers, they effortlessly caught the sword's edge.

Using the resonance of martial arts to deduce Cheng Huaixiu's sword path, just as the sword light was about to erupt, he used the index and middle fingers of his left hand to pinch the edge of the Color Void Sword, and the sword energy and sword light dissipated.

"call!"

Pure Yang Qi surged forth. All the power that Feng Suzhen and Cheng Huaixiu had accumulated since the start of their battle was unleashed upon Li Zhaoting. Li Zhaoting used his Inner Lion Seal to deflect the force and unleashed the sword energy from the soles of his feet.

Two sword beams pierced the ground, creating two fissures as if the earth were turning over. The fissures extended towards the center, instantly converging into a "Y" shape. The incomparably domineering internal energy penetrated the central axis of the entire fox den, roaring up in the main hall of the fox den, and the sword energy erupted like a volcano!

"boom!"

The fox den was completely reduced to ruins.

Zhang Cuishan, Yin Susu, and others even had to stumble and fall from their horses to barely regain their balance, while nearby sailors and gamblers were thrown about by the impact.

Fortunately, they were well prepared before the battle and had calculated the sword path in advance. At most, some people would only suffer minor scratches, but the old fox was seriously injured and had his leg broken by a falling beam.

Yin Susu: (「▼皿▼)
Zhang Cuishan: (▼へ▼メ)
The couple flanked Li Zhaoting and the other two, one on each side. Even Li Zhaoting, with his thick skin, couldn't help but blush and give an embarrassed laugh.

Cheng Huaixiu gave a slight bow, then turned and ran away.

Feng Suzhen stepped on Li Zhaoting's foot, half embarrassed and half annoyed, and hurried back to the inn.

Li Zhaoting: ┗( T﹏T )┛

Yin Susu looked up and educated Zhang Cuishan.

Zhang Cuishan humbly educated Zhang Wuji.

Zhang Wuji: Who am I? Where am I?
……

night.

The old fox, leaning on his cane and carrying a large bundle, climbed onto a small boat at the dock, preparing to flee overnight. The reason he's been able to survive this long is because of his keen sense of crisis.

The sword fight between Feng Suzhen and Cheng Huaixiu seemed suspicious no matter how you looked at it. If we're talking about jealousy, Feng Suzhen wasn't jealous of Lan Fenghuang or Li Shengnan, but she was jealous of Cheng Huaixiu, who was completely unrelated to her.

Having lived in the den of iniquity for twenty years, the old fox had witnessed countless jealousies and entanglements of love and hate. He could tell that the two were indeed somewhat jealous, but not to the point of drawing their swords. The old fox had a guilty conscience and was naturally worried about being targeted by outsiders.

Having made up their minds, they took a boat and left overnight.

Before he could reel in the anchor, a large hand pressed down on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw a man in black smiling at him, his eyes full of mockery.

"Old fox, where do you think you're going?"

"Sir, I'm an old bachelor with no money to spare, and I have nothing to offer you!"

"You've got a good package!"

Li Zhaoting waved and opened the bundle.

Besides gold and silver jewelry, there was also a stack of books in the bundle. After flipping through a few pages, it was discovered that these books were nautical logs, which recorded weather changes in detail.

Some dates are marked with a red pen.

What do these markings mean?

"Sir, I...this..."

Have you ever heard of dislocating tendons and bones?

Li Zhaoting grabbed the old fox by the collar and shook it violently twice, as if shaking clothes. The old fox's bones and joints cracked and popped as they were all pulled apart.

Including the chin!

To prevent the old fox from biting his tongue and committing suicide.

"Crack! Crack!"

Li Zhaoting pressed the old fox's acupoints, specifically the "laughing point" and the "numb tendon."

The old fox was in pain and itchy, his whole body convulsing. During the convulsions, his misaligned joints rubbed against each other, and he felt as if tens of thousands of ants were crawling and gnawing all over his body. The numbness and itching went deep into his bones, which was more terrifying than death.

Li Zhaoting waved his hand to release his pressure points, put his jaw back in place, and sneered, "Now can you confess honestly? You make a living on the water. Aren't you afraid of being fed to the fish after you die? Aren't you afraid of drowning?"

Water burial and drowning are completely different concepts.

Water burial is the act of throwing the deceased into the water.

This is common for sailors.

If a sailor died while at sea, his companions would hold a water burial ceremony to prevent his body from rotting and causing disease, and throw his body into the sea.

Drowning is the most feared thing for sailors.

According to myths and legends about water, the King of Hell does not accept drowned ghosts. If they want to be reincarnated, they need to kill someone else to take their place; otherwise, they will forever remain wandering ghosts.

"You...you are Li Zhaoting..."

"Is this important?"

"As expected of Li Zhaoting, I've already fallen into your hands the moment we met. Don't be too smug. Do you know who you've offended? Do you know how many experts stand behind me? Your martial arts are certainly stronger than mine, but those people behind me could kill you ten times over!"

"It seems you really want to drown."

Li Zhaoting grabbed a sack from the cabin, stuffed it with the gold and silver jewelry the old fox had accumulated to increase its weight, then put the sack over his body, preparing to throw it into the sea.

"I...I confess...Give me a quick death, kill me with one sword, I'd rather die a gruesome death!"

What exactly is a shipwreck?

"I first find fat sheep in the dens of iniquity, then calculate the date of departure and have them leave on the day when storms are most likely to occur. After a storm, these ships will capsize, and the cargo in the hold will drift with the ocean currents to nearby islands, so there is no need to plunder them."

"Bullshit! If the ship were carrying spices, gold, or silver, would this thing even float?"

“I will try to persuade them to put a wooden cabinet on the outside and fill the gaps with tea leaves. When we arrive at our destination, we can sell spices, porcelain, tea leaves and the cabinet at the same time, and make ten times more profit.”

How do you predict storms?

"It's all... in the ship's logbook."

Where are the pirates?

"I don't know. I'm just a nobody. How would I know about my master? I only know that these pirates are incredibly skilled in martial arts and are all top-notch experts."

"Hmph! It's just..."

Li Zhaoting whispered three words in the old fox's ear.

The old fox's eyes widened, his heart pounding with fear, like a duck with its mouth gagged, only able to quack as he stared at Li Zhaoting in terror, terrified to death.

Li Zhaoting guessed who was behind the old fox.

There was only one group of pirates who used shipwrecks to plunder.

The "invisible man" who resides on the invisible island.

The Killer is Nameless!
The Invisible Man embodied this concept throughout.

All the killers are "invisible".

They come without a trace, go without a trace, and leave no mark behind.

(End of this chapter)