Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 217 Mystery of Fate, Reunion with Li Shengnan
"Master Li, you are truly skilled!"

"This is all thanks to Lu... cough cough! It's all thanks to 'Godmother Wang' at the tea stall in front of our house."

"Wang Gan Niang is quite capable!"

"Seven years ago, on the third day of the sixth lunar month, it snowed heavily. Wang Gan Niang sold a bowl of tea and ended up getting herself arrested! I saw it clearly at the market, and it was truly gratifying."

"Snow in June, is there not some strange injustice at play?"

"Killing others might be a miscarriage of justice, but chopping up this old woman is a blessing from heaven. Three young ladies, these are things you shouldn't hear, so don't pollute your ears."

These vulgar sayings and frivolous tunes, along with the boasting and banter with Chu Liuxiang, a close friend he met at first sight, were barely acceptable to drink with. Su Rongrong, Li Hongxiu, and Song Tian'er were all ethereal figures and couldn't bear to listen to such talk.

Su Rongrong and Song Tian'er especially couldn't stand it.

Li Hongxiu... I've probably heard of her.

Li Hongxiu is knowledgeable and has a good memory. She knows a little bit about all the stories and anecdotes of the martial arts world throughout history. She is no less wise and knowledgeable than a great sage. How could she not understand the common sayings of the streets?
Being able to understand is one thing.

Saying it to someone's face is another matter.

Li Zhaoting evaded the question, steer the conversation back to the case, and discussed where they should investigate.

Chu Liuxiang said, "The Seven Star Gang, the Great Desert, and the Hainan Sword Sect are too far from here. I only hope that the disciples of the Vermilion Sand Gang can provide some clues to get to Jinan."

As he spoke, Chu Liuxiang opened the hidden door.

Behind the hidden door are more than a hundred cabinets.

Each cabinet contains a vest.

Most of the disciples of the Vermilion Gang are from wealthy families, so Chu Liuxiang decided to disguise himself as a tycoon. He had more than a hundred aliases, two of which were actually tycoons, with vastly different behaviors and habits.

One was the big boss of Sitong Money Exchange in Shanxi. He had no bad habits, but he was extremely stingy. He would always take off his boots before walking through water, and he would always try to borrow someone else's umbrella when it rained. He always had a sour smell on him because he hadn't bathed in a long time.

One was Zhang Xiaolin, a ginseng merchant from outside the Great Wall. He became a super-rich man by selling ginseng. He loved luxury and pleasure, and wherever he went, he would visit the most expensive places. He always carried a pair of gold gallbladders and a waist knife inlaid with gemstones. He was always covered in the fragrance of perfume and cosmetics from a life of debauchery.

Chu Liuxiang chose Zhang Xiaolin without hesitation.

It's not that I can't endure hardship.

Chu Liuxiang disguised himself as a beggar, boatman, porter, bricklayer, and night soil collector. He did all kinds of dirty and hard work, and suffering was nothing to him.

He didn't want to be a "stingy tycoon".

Li Zhaoting needs no pretense.

Li Zhaoting would definitely ride Lao Jiu when he went out. No amount of disguise could hide Lao Jiu. Rather than disguising himself and infiltrating the Zhusha Gang, it would be better to take the initiative to visit and inquire.

The Vermilion Gang should give Li Zhaoting face.

Li Zhaoting rubbed his face.

This face is highly respected in the martial arts world.

Ask a few questions; there shouldn't be any problems.

……

"Come here, I have a few questions for you."

Li Zhaoting placed a silver ingot into the broken bowl.

Upon seeing the silver ingot, the barefoot, sunbathing, lice-picking old beggar slowly raised his head, and immediately saw the old wine behind Li Zhaoting, hurriedly covering his mouth.

"Master Li...Master Li!"

"Do you know who I am?"

"I know! I know! Of course I know!"

"What's your name?"

"Li Sheng".

"I have a few questions for you."

"My lord, please just say what you need. If I take your money, the gang leader will curse me to death!"

“If I take the money back, the rumors that Li Zhaoting robbed beggars will spread throughout the streets and alleys of Jinan within three days, and I will never be able to turn my life around.”

"Thank you for your generous gift, sir."

"Are there any experts from outside Jinan? These people are mysterious, come and go in a hurry, have serious expressions, most of them use false identities, and have different accents, some with Hainan accents and others with Western Region accents."

"Is the esteemed official here to investigate a case?"

What's the Vermilion Gang up to?

"They said it was done by the Seven Star Gang."

"only these?"

"Of course, that's not all. I saw a few Shaolin monks a few days ago and overheard some of their conversation. It seems they were also there to investigate a major case of rebellion."

"Tell me more about it."

"My lord, you should have heard that this place is never short of bandit strongholds. The world has only been at peace for a dozen or twenty years, and many bandit strongholds still remain."

Some of these mountain strongholds are... cough cough... left behind by certain forces, who are often dissatisfied with the imperial court.

I'm not entirely sure about the specifics.

All I know is that there are two mountain strongholds outside the city. They keep a very low profile and rarely commit crimes. When caravans pass by, they only need to pay a toll and have never robbed anyone.

However, they had an inexhaustible supply of rice.

I did some private investigation and found that a grain store in the city often goes out to deliver goods, and it always passes by these two mountain strongholds. I don't know anything about the others.

My lord, the grain store is just ahead..."

Li Sheng pointed to the intersection to the left.

Li Zhaoting looked down at his hands: "Your main martial arts are fist and foot techniques? You're more skilled in palm techniques?"

"A meager skill, making a laughing stock."

"Keep an eye on this grain store for me. If they start transporting grain out of town, notify me immediately. I'm staying at the largest inn in the city. Spread the word of my arrival so that all the martial arts factions in the city know that Li Zhaoting has arrived!"

"I'll do it right away!"

"Don't rush off, watch carefully."

Li Zhaoting slapped the stone pillar next to him.

"Pfft!" Powder and stone chips scattered from the stone pier, imprinted with a palm print more than an inch thick. Li Zhaoting said, "This palm technique is called the Stone-Shattering Palm. With your current internal strength foundation, you can master it to a minor level if you practice diligently for half a year."

Li Zhaoting recited the mantra twice to make sure Li Sheng had memorized it completely, then turned and headed towards the inn.

Li Sheng rushed to the nearest calligraphy and painting stall, borrowed paper and pen, and wrote down the mental techniques and formulas.

A good memory is worse than a bad pen!

Li Sheng understood this principle.

……

The martial arts world in Jinan is quite complex.

Even the Beggars' Sect couldn't sort out their thoughts.

The martial arts families and sects are deeply intertwined, similar to Jiangling, but even more complicated, because the continuous invasions by foreign tribes have left behind a lot of mess.

The Manchu, Mongol, Western Xia, and Liao dynasties all left spies here. Even the Wanyan clan, which was barely surviving and almost becoming the Murong clan, also left spies here.

The martial arts sects are a mixed bag.

The Heavenly Mandate Sect, the Demonic Sect, the Beggars' Sect, the Money Gang, the Six and a Half Hall, the Azure Dragon Society, the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, and the Power Gang all have established branches. Any restaurant or inn could be a branch of the Azure Dragon Society.

Brothels and casinos, places of extravagance, were seized by various forces, leaving no room for maneuver.

Every den of iniquity is controlled by organized crime.

Every brothel and casino has undercover agents.

Those shrewd and capable secret agents can earn several salaries, especially the top courtesans in brothels, whose value is even higher than Li Shishi's; they are all information brokers.

Which force is the most powerful?

do not know!
Which faction has the most people?
do not know!
Which faction is most fond of causing trouble?

I still don't know!
Among the legitimate forces, the most powerful is the Long family. Originally, the Long family could barely be considered a first-class family, even less powerful than the Murong family of Gusu. Fortunately, the descendants of the old master Long were very strong. The old lady Long gave birth to three sons. The third son, Long Chengbi, is the most famous swordsman in the martial arts world, with superb swordsmanship.

In the next ten years, Dao Kui will inevitably be replaced.

There are three swordsmen who are most likely to become the Sword Master.

Shen Yumen, the only young genius to comprehend the Buddhist Ananda sword technique, was a womanizer and died young.

Ding Peng, a top genius of the Demonic Sect, is the inheritor of the Demonic Blade Technique. He is exceptionally talented and ambitious.

Long Chengbi began practicing swordsmanship at the age of five. At sixteen, he gained the recognition of the peerless master of the Northern Polar Regions, the Old Ancestor of Wind and Snow, and was gifted the Wind and Snow Sword. Since his debut, he has never been defeated.

Long Chengbi caused just as much trouble in the martial arts world as Lu Xiaofeng and Chu Liuxiang. The reason he wasn't known as a troublemaker was because he was good at creating problems, and his ability to create problems was between that of Lu Xiaofeng and the Four Great Constables.

They're handling the same case.

Lu Xiaofeng's investigation may result in the deaths of five people.

The Four Great Constables may kill fifty people while investigating a case.

When Long Chengbi investigates a case, he usually has about twenty-five people, which is just the maximum number. He kills all the evil and heretics, protects the righteous sects, and rarely causes serious casualties.

This allowed Longchengbi to accumulate immense prestige.

Unfortunately, Lung Shing-bi is not home recently.

He was handling a case in Chang'an.

Tang Zhuquan, Wei Kongkong, and Sima Xue were all asked to leave by Long Chengbi to protect the "precious monk".

The hero is always busy with official duties.

As long as you like to meddle in other people's business, there will always be endless troubles to be dealt with in the martial arts world, leaving the heroes exhausted.

Li Zhaoting doesn't have this kind of trouble.

Nobody bothered Li Zhaoting.

Recently, only two people have proactively invited Li Zhaoting to help investigate the case: Zhang Sanfeng and Gongsun Ce. One is the world's number one martial artist, and the other is righteous and fearless of any evil spirits.

Besides the Long family, there was also a Marquis's mansion.

The old Marquis passed away, and the young Marquis inherited the title.

This marquis's surname is... Di!

Li Zhaoting subconsciously wanted to play with something, but his beautiful wife and concubines were not by his side. He sighed and was about to go out for a stroll when a red dress appeared in front of him.

Li Shengnan.

A red dress, a red wine gourd, sitting in a tree.

"Why is it that every time I see you, you're sitting in a tree? Were you a ginseng fruit in your past life?"

"Aren't you a commoner divine physician? If I was a ginseng fruit in my past life, what were you?"

"The Three Altars Sea Gathering God, so I always accidentally provoke the Azure Dragon Society. The Azure Dragon Society has been around in the martial arts world for so many years, and they always suffer great losses at my hands."

"I thought you were a god of law enforcement!"

"The God of Law Enforcement is Li Xunhuan."

"The third-ranked scholar? Tsk tsk tsk~~"

Li Shengnan teased, "No wonder you're such a charming and carefree guy, always surrounded by beauties. Turns out you have the ability to have three heads and eight arms, able to embrace eight beauties at once!"

"What is Shengnan doing in Jinan? Does she have a branch of the Demonic Cult in Jinan? I suggest you tell me the location, so that your branch won't be destroyed when a fight breaks out in a couple of days."

"I'm here to investigate a case."

"What case?"

"The massacre of the entire family left two survivors, one of whom has some connection to the Holy Church elder. The situation here is too complicated; it's making my head spin..."

Do you have anyone you suspect?

"Have!"

"who?"

"Destiny Cult!"

Li Shengnan clenched her fists tightly.

If there is any force in the world more detestable than the Azure Dragon Society, it must be the Heavenly Mandate Sect. The Heavenly Mandate Sect is adept at using honey traps and has reached the pinnacle of this skill.

(End of this chapter)