Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 232 The Puzzle of Truth: The Mystery of Li Nanxing's Demotion
"Li Zhaoting, you really are here!"

"Because I know the target is a shark. Without absolute power, any fishing plan is nothing more than offering bait to the shark and throwing your life away!"

"You seem a little surprised."

"I was both surprised and not surprised. I originally thought that the person behind Xue Zhi was Yan Longyuan, the master of the October Hall, but then I realized that Yan Longyuan was not qualified."

"You look down on Yan Longyuan?"

"Whether it's the Jiangling Water Village or the Green Forest Mountain Villages around Jinan Prefecture, they are all subordinates of Yan Longyuan. They only know how to hoard supplies and don't know how to train soldiers."

Yan Longyuan's subordinates were scattered soldiers, untrained idlers, and bandits who plundered everywhere, while Xue Zhi's subordinates were all well-trained soldiers.

This is a completely different concept.

Xue Zhi's martial arts skills are inferior to Yan Longyuan's, but the elite troops trained by Xue Zhi can wipe out all the useless soldiers under Yan Longyuan's command. The two are not comparable.

To be precise, Yan Longyuan was a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person from the martial arts world). He talked about grand ambitions and great undertakings, but he didn't actually know how to rebel. His so-called rebellion plan all came from books.

Besides copying cats and tigers, he knows nothing else.

You are different.

You come from a military background and have been through many battles.

You know what it takes to rebel.

You know how to get people to work for you.

Although you are wearing a mask, I could tell your identity at a glance. From the moment I guessed your identity, I knew why Xue Zhi was so loyal to you.

Enough talk, let's get started!

We have nothing to say.

The younger generation has witnessed the wonder of the fusion of ice and fire.

Li Zhaoting picked up Miss Wang's Overlord Spear.

Not all of the Twelve Azure Dragons are villains, at least not the one in front of us. His name is Chu Xiangyu, a highly decorated general who has dominated the battlefield with his two unique skills, Ice Soul Cold Light Force and Crimson Flame Blazing Fire Technique.

Twenty-five years ago.

The Liao army marched south, causing rivers of blood to flow.

In that battle, the traitor betrayed not only the Dragon Cavalry Imperial Guards, but also Chu Xiangyu's army.

To be precise, the Dragon Cavalry Imperial Guard was a special operations squad under Chu Xiangyu. Chu Xiangyu survived by chance and was placed under house arrest by the court. Later, Chu Xiangyu attempted to assassinate someone in the palace but was captured by Zhuge Zhengwo and imprisoned at the bottom of the imperial prison.

Seven or eight years later, with the help of the Azure Dragon Society, Chu Xiangyu escaped from the Heavenly Prison and became one of the Twelve Azure Dragons.

Xue Zhi was a personal guard of Chu Xiangyu.

The Sunflower Faction is Chu Xiangyu's arsenal.

The reason for the chaotic management was that Chu Xiangyu once again attempted to assassinate the emperor in the palace, but was captured by Zhuge Zhengwo. It wasn't until half a year ago that Chu Xiangyu managed to escape from the imperial prison.

During the years when Chu Xiangyu was imprisoned, the arsenal was handed over to Yan Longyuan for management. Yan Longyuan took the opportunity to transport military equipment and armor to Jiangling and Jinan, focusing only on stockpiling military equipment, neglecting the training of soldiers, and being even less inclined to manage the arsenal.

As long as the Sunflower Sect delivers the weapons and armor on time, Yan Longyuan doesn't care who the sect leader is or what conflicts the four elders may have.

—I only need your weapon. I don't care at all who the Sunflower Sect leader is.

Li Zhaoting could only confirm the first part of his experience; the second part was something he imagined. He could recognize Chu Xiangyu because the two of them both cultivated Yin-Yang True Qi. Li Zhaoting cultivated the Vitality Longevity Technique, while Chu Xiangyu cultivated the Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang.

Xue Zhi is backed by Chu Xiangyu, that's correct!
The Sunflower School is backed by Yan Longyuan, that's correct!

The leader of the Sunflower Sect is Chu Xiangyu, that's correct!

Every experience was real, and Li Zhaoting did not make a misjudgment. The moment he recognized Chu Xiangyu, the cause and effect of the incident suddenly became clear in his mind.

Li Zhaoting's only mistake was that he overestimated Yan Longyuan. No matter how insidious and ruthless Xue Zhi was, or how much he liked conspiracies and tricks, he was a fierce general who had fought his way up from the battlefield. How could he possibly defect to Yan Longyuan?
Even assuming that Xue Zhi was assisting Yan Longyuan under the orders of the Qinglong Society's leader, given Xue Zhi's abilities, it's impossible that Yan Longyuan only had a bunch of useless people under his command.

"You don't use a sword?"

"A gun is more suitable to deal with you."

"Gun is a weapon of the battlefield. Li Zhaoting, everyone says you are the reincarnation of Tai Sui, having killed countless people, but compared to the great generals who have fought on the battlefield, you are insignificant."

"It's not even a fraction of what you have."

"You're using my strengths to criticize my weaknesses, are you looking down on me?"

"You will surely lose this battle if you try to win by surprise."

"Then let me test just how capable Li Nanxing's son is. Want to know your father's story?"

“I can go home and ask my dad.”

"Hahahaha~~ Your dad won't tell you these things. Beat me, and I'll tell you!"

"Please give me some advice, senior."

Li Zhaoting gently put Miss Wang down, letting her watch the battle from the side. He exerted a little force in his arms, and the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill flowed through his muscles, increasing the strength of his arms several times over. He then took a step, twisted his waist, and thrust his spear at Chu Xiangyu.

Chu Xiangyu reached behind him and his bodyguard threw him two weapons: a crystal-clear trident and a halberd that shimmered with the aura of thunder and fire. The two weapons were originally enemies.

The ice halberd, named "Heavenly Dragon Trident," was the weapon of Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian. It was forged by Mo Xinshenni, the founder of the Hengshan School, and later passed down to Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Guang.

The fire halberd, named "Thunderflame Halberd," was the weapon of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan. It possessed the power of thunder and fire. It was later passed down to Li Yuanji and disappeared after the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

Chu Xiangyu was born with exceptional dexterity, cultivated both Yin and Yang energies, and combined with his experience in charging into battle and surviving countless battles, he was able to wield two divine weapons simultaneously.

"Whizzing!"

The two divine weapons were intertwined in a cross shape. The left hand was filled with fierce and explosive heavenly thunder and earthly fire, while the right hand was filled with icy aura that transformed into a long dragon. The two completely opposite forces were combined by Chu Xiangyu with his unparalleled cultivation, and burst out with power far exceeding his own internal strength foundation. The power was overwhelming and the air was filled with rolling air currents. A loud dragon roar rang out in mid-air!

Li Zhaoting was completely immersed in the Overlord Spear, regardless of the raging flames, the cold wind like knives, or the icebergs like wolf fangs. With the spear in hand, he charged forward bravely and was invincible.

Overlord Spear Technique - A Thousand Armies Repel!

"clang!"

The three divine weapons clashed head-on without holding back.

The surging air currents spread in all directions, and waves rose up on the ground within a radius of several dozen feet. The inn that Liu Xiangyun had worked so hard to run was bombarded into a pile of ruins as Li Zhaoting and Chu Xiangyu clashed head-on.

Liu Xiangyun and her companions hid in the secret passage, listening to the earth-shaking sounds above and feeling the violent shaking comparable to an earthquake. They were terrified.

Liu Xiangyun's voice was trembling with tears.

"I was wrong, I was really wrong. I shouldn't have married into this family in the first place. If I hadn't married into this family, my husband wouldn't have died. If my husband hadn't died, I wouldn't have ended up in such a sad place. If I hadn't ended up in such a sad place, I wouldn't be hiding in the tunnel crying and begging for my parents!"

"Shopkeeper, please stop talking. It's just that we're incompetent. We'll fight the enemy to the death!"

"Fight? What are you going to fight with? A man this tall and strong, your brain is dumber than a rock!"

"Shopkeeper, I... this..."

Sha Mantian, the eldest brother, scratched his head sheepishly.

"Old Sha, are you stupid?! You're so dumb!"

"Quickly comfort the shopkeeper with your chest!"

"Give me a kiss! Give me a kiss! Give me a kiss!"

"I'll be your witness at your wedding!"

The surrounding men started to jeer loudly.

Two ferocious beasts were locked in a fierce battle on the ground. The inn was blasted into ruins, and the tunnel was in danger of collapsing at any moment. There was no chance of escaping, and they certainly couldn't win a fight either.

Aside from praying to gods and Buddhas, all I can do is find some amusement.

For example, watching the pretty widowed head manager and the honest shop assistant flirt in danger, and if they survive and eventually get married, would be a wonderful thing.

Li Zhaoting and Chu Xiangyu fought more and more fiercely.

Both of them were experts in the transformation of Yin and Yang.

Li Zhaoting's Longevity True Qi was incredibly resilient. It was suppressed by Chu Xiangyu countless times, but bounced back countless times. Even if only a trace remained, it could still maintain its power for a long time.

Chu Xiangyu's Ice and Fire True Qi is fierce and domineering, full of the iron-blooded killing intent of the battlefield. The raging fire burns everything, and the ice withers and kills. Its foundation is extremely solid. Every move he makes is a killing move. He doesn't need any wonderful moves. He only needs to show his battlefield killing intent to scare the enemy into unconsciousness.

It's important to understand that in the original story, Chu Xiangyu was able to capture Tie Shou alive within thirty moves—not by killing or defeating him, but by capturing him whole. Tie Shou, the most powerful of the Four Constables, capable of endlessly burning his inner universe, was lifted up by Chu Xiangyu by the neck and offered no resistance whatsoever. When Tie Shou first debuted, he could exchange true energy with Ling Luoshi, who was said to possess three Jiazi's worth of internal energy; he could withstand a massive flood with a ten-thousand-pound copper wall; and he could defeat Qi Shaoshang, the leader of Lianyun Village, using his least favorite swordsmanship. Countless demonic figures had fallen beneath his iron arms.

Compared to Tie Shou, Chu Xiangyu's achievements are incredibly impressive. In his later years, when Tie Shou reminisced about the past and evaluated his lifelong rivals, Chu Xiangyu was undoubtedly the strongest.

The enemies of the Four Great Constables are treacherous, cunning, slippery, and skilled at psychological warfare, but Chu Xiangyu is truly strong and decisive.

Li Zhaoting realized how formidable Chu Xiangyu was.

The internal energy of ice and fire spiraling upwards, the martial arts honed through countless battles, the fierce courage to fight to the death and grow stronger with each battle, the meticulous and natural control, the keen and thorough sense of danger that allows one to leave at the slightest touch, the bloodthirsty aura in every gesture, the seamless coordination between attack and defense—all these unbridled display of the unparalleled cultivation of the "King of Annihilation".

The twelve Azure Dragons vary in strength.

Chu Xiangyu's martial arts skills consistently rank among the top three in the Azure Dragon Society.

The stronger the enemy, the more excited Li Zhaoting became.

The stronger the opponent, the stronger they become; the more they fight, the braver they become.

Pushing his "Diamond Arm" to its limit, he fused all the battles, killings, opportunities, and insights he had accumulated over the past year and a half into one, giving rise to countless powerful moves.

The Drunken Monkey King blasted open the Heavenly Gate with a single blow!
The Overlord Spear blasted towards the top of Chu Xiangyu's head.

Chu Xiangyu combined his two halberds, unleashing a combined attack of ice and fire.

Li Zhaoting suddenly released his left hand, changing his move from a downward slash to a thrust. With a flick of his left hand at his waist, the Purple Rose Soft Sword sprang from its sheath, and with a wave of his hand, he unleashed a sharp sword light.

The Buddha's divine light moves mountains and rivers!

"Zheng!"

The melodious sound of a zither drifted from afar.

The melody remains "Ambush from Ten Sides".

Chu Xiangyu's eyes were bloodshot as he thought of his brothers who had fallen on the battlefield, the devastating battlefield with its mountains of corpses and rivers of blood, the setting sun and the lonely city, and the pent-up grief and depression of the past twenty-five years.

"Roar!"

Chu Xiangyu let out a beast-like roar.

Li Zhaoting's blood and qi were boiling, and blood-red mist was emanating from every pore of his body, while hot white smoke was exhaled from his mouth.

The next second, the two ferocious beasts charged at each other.

They attacked with offense, never retreating an inch.

Spears and halberds clashed, and sword energy surged like a rainbow.

The two were no longer martial artists, no longer human, but two ferocious beasts with sharp teeth and bloodlust, tearing at their enemies and fighting them to the death.

The roaring sound was incessant.

The two ferocious beasts fought from east to west, from the ground to mid-air, from mid-air to the riverbed, and then suddenly burst out of the water, stirring up surging waves with each wave of their hands.

"All three armies retreated in fear, yet he alone fought against the souls of ten thousand men."

"The tripod shattered mountains and rivers, the spear was drawn across the Chu camp in autumn."

Between the two halberds, a stream of icy and fiery energy swirled, condensing into a massive sphere that evolved into a long dragon of ice and fire.

Li Zhaoting felt as if he were surrounded by piercing internal energy from all directions, as if he were on the battlefield of Gaixia, with powerful enemies all around him, surrounded by enemies on all sides, and ambushed from all sides. He felt as if he had the strength to uproot mountains and the spirit to overshadow the world, but the time was not right and his steed would not go.

Chu Xiangyu laughed wildly: "Ambush from all sides! You think the music can trigger my inner demons? Don't forget, you're using the Overlord Spear, and the music is your death knell!"

"The Han army has seized territory, and the songs of Chu echo from all sides!"

"Your Majesty has lost all your energy, how can I, your humble concubine, live?"

"I'll send you two on your way!"

Chu Xiangyu intensified his efforts, causing his murderous aura to surge.

The murderous intent emanating from Li Zhaoting slowly dissipated. He had transformed from a warrior who had spent his life on the battlefield into a hermit in the mountains, seemingly having completely given up resistance and awaiting death.

"On the verge of despair, a phoenix rises from the ashes!"

Li Zhaoting gripped the Overlord Spear in his right hand, stepped forward heavily with his left foot, leaving a footprint more than two inches deep. He leaned back, his whole body resembling a taut bow. Then, he took a step and twisted his waist, his movements as swift as thunder, startling even ghosts and gods.

The Overlord Spear flew out of Li Zhaoting's hand, carrying all of Li Zhaoting's internal energy as it shot towards Chu Xiangyu. Due to its high speed, it stirred up a violent air wave, sweeping up a long sonic boom.

Immediately afterwards, Li Zhaoting formed hand seals, and the Purple Star Soft Sword floated in mid-air, condensing his energy into a weapon and forming a sword in the void. Sword shadows merged into the Purple Star Soft Sword, and Li Zhaoting's face turned pale, but the sword's edge became lifelike.

"Wow!"

Like a phoenix spreading its wings, it rises from the ashes.

A single blade severs the throat; a hundred paces swiftly, a flying sword.

"clang!"

The Thunderflame Halberd locked onto the Overlord Spear, but the Purple Rose Soft Sword struck first, its purple light flashing as it slashed a wound more than a foot long on Chu Xiangyu's arm.

The Thunderflame Halberd slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

Chu Xiangyu seemed to feel no pain. He shot his right Tianlong Trident toward Li Zhaoting's throat. How could a fierce general who had fought his way out of the battlefield not know the technique of javelin throwing?
Li Zhaoting unleashed two desperate attacks, his energy and spirit completely depleted. How could he possibly withstand the flying halberd?

Miss Wang wanted to rush forward to act as a human shield, but the previous fighting was too intense, and the battlefield was separated by the fierce internal energy. This Miss Wang is not the same Miss Wang. Without the peerless lightness skill of the Three Pools Flying Immortal, how could she make it in time?

With his chest and abdomen about to be pierced by the Heavenly Dragon Trident, Li Zhaoting not only did not dodge, but instead revealed a cold smile. As I just said, when you are on the verge of despair, you will be reborn like a phoenix!
What are the moves that represent the "phoenix"?
The index and middle fingers lightly extend out.

The razor-sharp blade that could cut through iron like mud, and the powerful javelin that could not be destroyed, were held between two fingers.

A clear finger!
"The biggest difference between me and the Azure Dragon Society is that I have reliable friends, while the Azure Dragon Society only betrays me!"

Li Zhaoting looked at Chu Xiangyu with a mocking expression.

Feng Suzhen stood in front of Li Zhaoting with her sword.

"Senior, who is now surrounded by enemies on all sides?"

"As expected of Li Nanxing's son and daughter-in-law, you've won this round, but you can't stop me. If you want to know about your father, go find the Dragon Cavalry!"

Before the words were finished, a huge kite appeared in mid-air and dropped a grappling hook and lasso. Chu Xiangyu grabbed the lasso and flew rapidly into the air with the kite. When everyone came to their senses, they could only see a small black dot. How could they capture Chu Xiangyu?

Li Zhaoting looked up and ahead.

Chu Xiangyu ran away.

Xue Zhi didn't have time to escape.

Xue Zhi's trusted subordinates did not have time to escape.

These people are enough!

……

The kite landed on a mountain peak.

The person flying the kite removed their mask, revealing a face that bore a striking resemblance to Li Zhaoting.

He is not Li Nanxing.

He is "Li Si".

Li Si of the Seven Eagles of Chongqing.

"How's the investigation into what happened back then going?"

"The battlefield environment is too complex, and most of the people who knew about it have been silenced. What can I find out? Instead of expecting me to investigate the case, you should expect Li Zhaoting."

“Li Si, although you both share the same surname and look very similar, you are not related. You want Li Zhaoting to help you, do you have the qualifications?”

"I don't have it, but Li Nanxing does!"

"Li Nanxing, Nanxing, sigh..."

Chu Xiangyu spat out a mouthful of blood: "As expected of Li Nanxing's son, he is even more cunning than his father."

Li Si said, "General, I remember that Li Nanxing entered officialdom through the imperial examination and served as your military clerk twenty-five years ago. He was exiled to Lingnan six years ago."

"Sigh... I've been dragged into this after all!"

　Thank you to readers Margaret Alice and Flame Refining Heart for their generous donations.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)