Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 221 Parricide, the Passerby Ancestor's Plea for Help

"Master Li, this jade pendant is..."

"I don't know much about antiques and jade, so I don't know what secrets this jade pendant holds. I only know that the jade pendant should be part of a set, with a complete catalog."

"Master Li, how should we price the jade pendant?"

"Starting bid is one tael of silver. This rare and precious material should be given to the destined person. I invite all heroes to appraise it. If you are fortunate enough to obtain it, it will be a legendary tale in the martial arts world."

Li Zhaoting gestured for everyone to come forward and appreciate the work.

There were quite a few experts participating in the banquet.

Li Zhaoting was busy chatting with Li Shengnan and didn't pay attention to the "big red names" who participated in the banquet. He took out the jade pendant, looked up and observed, and had an urge to draw his sword and kill someone.

Leng Qiuhun, the "Powder-faced Mengchang" of the Vermilion Gang.

Song Gang, nicknamed "Tianqiangxing" of the Tianxing Gang.

Wu Hua, the "wonderful monk" of the Southern Shaolin Temple.

Feng Baoge, a ginseng gatherer from beyond the Great Wall.

Zhang Xiaolin, a ginseng gatherer from beyond the Great Wall.

The notorious bandit, Monk Yun.

The notorious bandit, Monk Yankong.

A江湖 (jianghu) assassin, a captivating young woman in green.

A江湖 assassin, the deadly Da Hong Pao.

Xing Rui, Chief Constable of Jinan Prefecture.

Linghu Chong is not a guardian elder of the Demonic Cult.

Guan Haiming, known as "Mahamudra Vajra".

Zhang Xu'ao, the "Iron Umbrella Scholar".

Li Zhaoting only recognized these people.

There were also a few oddly shaped fellows that Li Zhaoting didn't recognize. Most of them were not good people; they were either hypocritical gentlemen with sanctimonious appearances, or notorious bandits with kind faces but evil hearts. There was even an old man who was just a passerby.

This person has an ordinary appearance, nothing special, and you would forget about him after just one glance.

However, in many famous incidents, cooks, grooms, and servants who look similar appear to be involved, but they do not participate in the incidents or betray information.

They enjoy being bystanders, explaining things to those around them; they are the patriarchs of passersby, the masters of explanation, the kings of comedy, and the bodhisattvas of supporting roles...

They come from the same family.

The Nie family!

The patriarch of the Nie family, nicknamed "Great Master of Explanation," was the most famous mad master in the martial arts world. With his unparalleled cultivation, he founded the "Lower Five Sects" in the Lower Nine Sects.

The Nie family has the best reputation among the five lower sects because they are neither righteous nor evil, but rather historians of the martial world. They are bystanders of the vast martial world, witnesses of earth-shattering battles, and excavators of historical brilliance lost in the torrent of history. Whether they are righteous heroes or demonic giants, they all need historians to record their deeds.

In this respect, the Nie family is superior to the Tianji Pavilion.

Tianji Pavilion operates by opening its doors, and its methods are traceable. The headquarters of Tianji Pavilion is not hard to find.

All members of the Nie family are ordinary people with average builds and appearances. Even with supernatural powers, they would not be able to find the Nie family members if they disappeared into a crowd.

Unless they reveal it themselves.

The only thing that could make the Nie family members willingly reveal their identities must be a heinous and horrific tragedy.

Regardless of whether it's underworld or legitimate society, Confucianism, Buddhism or Taoism, or any conflict of interest, it's entirely due to human nature; the case is too tragic, and someone needs to uphold justice.

Nie Xiaochong, a disciple of the Nie family, discovers a heinous case that has angered both heaven and man. Enraged, he seeks help from chivalrous heroes in the martial arts world, in accordance with the Nie family's ancestral rules.

Nie Xiaochong wanted to ask Long Chengbi for help, but Long Chengbi was not at home. Just then, Li Zhaoting came to Jinan Prefecture to investigate a case. Nie Xiaochong decided to ask Li Zhaoting for help and borrow Li Zhaoting's sword to get rid of these demons and monsters.

The fragment of "Reverse Scale" was provided by Nie Xiaochong.

Divine weapons possess spirits and choose their masters to serve.

Nie Xiaochong could tell at a glance that among those present, only Li Zhaoting and Zhang Xiaolin were qualified to have Ni Lin acknowledge them as their master, and only Li Zhaoting was capable of wreaking havoc.

Upon seeing the jade pendant that Li Zhaoting took out, Di Qinglin and Ling Yufeng's expressions changed drastically. Both of them had martial arts masters and demonic giants behind them. They had read records in some scattered bamboo slips and knew that this kind of jade pendant, which was carved with mountains and rivers, contained a great secret and was extremely precious. Those demonic giants were willing to pay a million taels to buy it.

Di Qinglin and Ling Yufeng were not short of money; they were simply curious about what kind of jade pendant would be so valued by those old fogies who possessed unparalleled martial arts skills, were arrogant, and regarded all the heroes of the world as ants.

Is it related to the shattered void?

Is it true that "whoever obtains it will obtain the world"?
Di Qinglin didn't know what secrets the jade pendant held, only that if someone was willing to pay one million taels of silver to buy one, they could make at least ten million in profit.

Why did Li Zhaoting take out such a precious jade pendant so casually? What was Li Zhaoting's purpose?
Li Zhaoting had clearly seen this jade pendant before and knew it contained a secret. Why did he take it out? Was it because he had discovered a conspiracy, or did he want to alert the enemy?
Di Qinglin's expression was unpredictable, shifting between light and dark.

Ling Yufeng's face turned pale and then purple.

Li Zhaoting played with the "Reverse Scale" fragment, feeling the sword intent contained within it. Looking at the expressions of Di Qinglin and Ling Yufeng, he felt that this banquet was worthwhile.

“Li Zhaoting, I saw this jade pendant of yours in Master’s study. Master said that the jade pendant contains the secret of shattering the void. Are you just going to give it away like this?”

"If the Demonic Cult Leader, Jade Rakshasa, places his hopes for shattering the void on something ethereal and unreal, that is truly disappointing. Ever since I learned that my master went to the Demonic Cult's headquarters to provoke them, I have been looking forward to the day when I can fight the Demonic Cult Leader and challenge the Demonic Cult's Ten Great Divine Skills."

“My master doesn’t care about this stuff. He said the rumors might not be true, but the jade pendant is. It’s a masterpiece of a master forger.”

"Zhu Ting?"

"It's not Zhu Ting."

"Are there any counterfeiting masters more skilled than Zhu Ting?"

"You don't think I'm interested in such boring things, do you? That's all I know!"

"Shengnan, do you know about the Black Wind Duo?"

"A former disciple of Peach Blossom Island? I've heard of him."

"They are the most famous illiterate people. It is a pity that Huang Yaoshi, the master of Peach Blossom Island, a man of great learning, ruined his lifelong reputation because of his two rebellious disciples. It is truly a sad and lamentable situation."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"The Demonic Sect is a sect, not a gang. The fact that Yu Luosha was able to master the Demonic Sect's martial arts to the point of being limitless and all-encompassing shows that Yu Luosha is very knowledgeable."

"Li! Zhao! Ting!"

Li Shengnan glared fiercely at Li Zhaoting.

You're in trouble!
You're in big trouble!

A murder will indeed occur tonight.

The deceased was named Li Zhaoting.

The murderer's name is Li Shengnan.

Just as the bloodshed was about to occur, Ling Yufeng took the initiative to bid: "This jade pendant is very similar to my master's family heirloom jade pendant. My master's 70th birthday is on the fifth day of next month, and I would like to use this jade pendant to celebrate his birthday. I am very grateful that Master Li is willing to give it to me. Therefore, I will donate 100,000 taels to Zhengqi Tower in the name of Master Li."

Di Qinglin said calmly, "I'll add three ounces."

Ling Yufeng said, "Two hundred thousand taels."

Two hundred thousand and three taels.

"Three hundred thousand taels."

"Three hundred thousand and three taels."

"Four hundred thousand taels, plus this painting!"

Ling Yufeng gritted his teeth and looked at Di Qinglin, taking out the trump card he had prepared to deal with Li Shengnan.

This painting is not by a famous artist; in terms of technique, it is very crude, inferior to Zhao Zhen in many ways, and compared to masters like Tang Bohu, it can only be considered mediocre.

The painting depicts a solitary island in the ocean, with a volcano on the island. Thick smoke is spewing from the crater. A person dressed in Tang Dynasty attire stands at the foot of the volcano, holding a large bow, nocking an arrow, aiming at the mountain peak, but not yet releasing it.

The painting itself is worthless.

What's valuable is the inscription on the scroll.

—Qiao Beiming's last words! Qiao Beiming was an unparalleled demon lord who dominated the world 150 years ago. With the three peerless martial arts—the Asura Yin Sha Gong, the Hundred Poisons True Scripture, and the Xuan Gong Key Technique—he comprehended the profound truth of the unity of good and evil, becoming indestructible and invincible.

At his peak, Qiao Beiming's demonic power shrouded half of the martial world. No one dared to directly confront him, and all who stood in his way were defeated and subdued.

It wasn't until the Tianshan Patriarch Zhang Danfeng reappeared in the martial world that he first defeated Qiao Beiming with his peerless divine sword. Then, he allowed Qiao Beiming to recover his true essence and blood, and once he was in full condition, he defeated him in the area where Qiao Beiming was most skilled.

After this battle, Qiao Beiming was utterly despondent and lost all confidence. He faked his death to escape and went overseas to study secret manuals on a remote island, hoping to create a move to defeat Zhang Danfeng's successor. In the end, he passed away on the island.

For over a century, countless people have set sail to search for it.

The family that was searched for the most was the Li family. The Li family's ancestor, Li Kangtian, was a disciple personally taught by Qiao Beiming. Every generation of the Li family had gone out to sea to search for the isolated island where Qiao Beiming lived in seclusion.

Li Shengnan's mother said that Li Shengnan's grandfather and second grandfather were lucky enough to find that island. The second grandfather stayed on the island, while the grandfather went home to find help.

Unfortunately, the sea is merciless, and its waves are towering.

All the Li family disciples who wanted to return to the isolated island were swept away by the tsunami and subsequently suffered the tragedy of their entire family being wiped out. Li Shengnan's entire family was killed, making it impossible for her to go out to sea to search for them.

Books such as Hainan Airlines Notes have long been lost.

until today.

Upon seeing this "treasure map," Li Shengnan's eyes lost all their smiles, and a cold glint appeared on her lips.

No one can control Li Shengnan.

If Li Shengnan needs an item and is determined to obtain it, she may steal or rob it, but she will not compromise herself for that item.

Even feelings.

Even if she falls in love and faces the challenges of love, Li Shengnan will not allow herself to be wronged. She will seize the opportunity to exploit the other person and never compromise for the sake of love.

Is the compromised Li Shengnan still Li Shengnan?

"Victory" is everything to Li Shengnan!
This is her pride and dignity that comes from the very core of her being.

Li Zhaoting grabbed Li Shengnan's wrist to prevent her from drawing her sword and said loudly, "Officer Ling, I really like this painting. The jade pendant is yours!"

Ling Yufeng glanced at Di Qinglin smugly.

A strong killing intent flashed across Di Qinglin's face.

Tonight, someone will definitely die.

The auction proceeded as scheduled.

Di Qinglin displayed five treasures from the Marquis's mansion, then returned to his bedroom under the pretense of being drunk, but actually went to the training room, where his swordsmanship teacher, Ying Wuwu, had been waiting for him for a long time.

Di Qinglin lightly flicked his right hand at his waist, and a sharp soft sword popped out. He had never used a soft sword before, but after Li Zhaoting became famous for his Ziwei Soft Sword, Di Qinglin switched to learning soft swords, hoping to surpass Li Zhaoting with it.

He should grant any request from his disciples, even those who have nothing to offer.

He designed a set of test questions for Di Qinglin.

Seventy-two candles are placed in the training room, and all the candles are lit. Di Qinglin must cut the candles without extinguishing them, while Ying Wuwu is defending him.

To be precise, the requirement for "nothing" is that all candles must be cut without going out or falling over, and the cuts must be at the same height without any error.

Di Qinglin is tested once a month.

To date, it has been tested ten times.

Ten tests, ten failures.

Today was not the day of the test, but Di Qinglin was confident that he would succeed, so he launched the challenge without hesitation, and Ying Wuwu drew his sword to protect the candle.

The main hall of the Marquis's mansion was filled with guests.

Swords flashed in the training room of the Marquis's residence.

"clang!"

With a resounding thud, the auction gavel fell, announcing the successful conclusion of the auction and the official commencement of the banquet.

"Qiang!"

Di Qinglin sheathed his soft sword.

All seventy-two candles were cut in half, yet they remained perfectly upright, their flames still flickering, and the candlesticks did not sway at all. However, if you picked up a candle, you would find that each one was broken off an inch and a third from the bottom.

The fracture surface is smooth as a mirror and as shiny as new.

Ying Wuwu sighed, "As for swordsmanship, I have nothing to teach you. Your foundation in soft swordsmanship is no less than Li Zhaoting's. You can challenge him."

Ying Wuwu's complexion turned ashen.

Di Qinglin was a disciple he had carefully nurtured. The disciple had surpassed his master, so the master should be happy.

There is nothing there, yet I feel empty and melancholy, like a woman who refuses to admit that her youth has passed, only to discover that her daughter has become someone else's bride.

Di Qinglin has grown up!
He doesn't need elders to shield him from the wind and rain!
Two thoughts flashed through Ying Wuwu's mind, followed by a feeling of terror. After more than ten years of master-disciple relationship, Ying Wuwu understood Di Qinglin's twisted nature better than anyone else.

Di Qinglin does not keep useless people around him.

A person without value is just trash.

Especially for elders who cannot be sheltered from the wind and rain.

Di Qinglin is both proud and insecure. These two emotions seem contradictory, but in fact they complement each other. The more arrogant and conceited a person is, the more easily they become insecure and vulnerable.

Pride is a shell, like a snail's shell or a tortoise's shell, the quills of a porcupine. It is the protective umbrella of a fragile, soft, and easily broken self-esteem. Di Qinglin's pride does not allow anyone to be stronger than him, nor does it allow him to live under his master's protection. Therefore, when his master loses his usefulness, Di Qinglin strikes without hesitation.

He instinctively turned around, realizing there was nothing there.

He saw a faint glint of light, as faint as the first rays of dawn, followed by a tingling sensation in his chest. It didn't hurt, not at all.

Di Qinglin held a knife as thin as a cicada's wing. Being stabbed in the heart by such a knife would not cause him pain or despair, but rather a feeling of warmth and tenderness.

It's like being held in the arms of a beautiful woman.

I will never forget this feeling, even in my next life.

This knife is named "Gentle".

The gentleness of "a gentle knife".

Di Qinglin said softly, "I know what you want to say to me, and I know what you want me to say. You have taught me for more than ten years, and you deserve to be rewarded."

His empty gaze became lost.

He didn't understand what Di Qinglin meant by those words.

Di Qinglin's voice became even softer.

"Father! Rest in peace!"

Upon hearing this, Ying Wuwu suddenly realized what was happening, a smile appeared on his lips, and he lay down on the ground, looking up at the sky.

Ying Wuwu misunderstood Di Qinglin.

Di Qinglin is a clever psychopath. No matter how twisted or bloodthirsty he is, he would not kill Ying Wuwu, a master listed on the Earthly Fiends Ranking, indiscriminately.

The reason for killing Ying Wuwu was a rumor circulating in the martial arts world: it was said that Di Qinglin's mother had feelings for Ying Wuwu before marrying into the Marquis's family.

Di Qinglin felt that he was a "bastard child".

The better Ying Wuwu treated him, the more he gave him whatever he wanted, and the more loyal he was, the more inferior Di Qinglin felt.

Whenever he heard others call him "Young Marquis", Di Qinglin felt unworthy. Over time, Di Qinglin harbored resentment towards Wuwu for more than a decade.

Such things are not uncommon in the Marquis's residence.

Not to mention the Marquis's mansion, it has happened in the imperial palace as well.

Li Qiushui, at the advanced age of over forty, married into the Western Xia and became an imperial concubine. Who dared to say anything?
Di Qinglin believed the rumors circulating in the streets and was tormented by them for more than a decade until he killed Ying Wuwu.

Di Qinglin felt that he had been reborn.

Just like a wolf pack, the young wolf king challenges his father, stepping on his father's head to become the new wolf king of the pack, and proclaiming his authority with blood.

(End of this chapter)