Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 240 Your words were like the sun breaking through the clouds, and I suddenly understood everything!

early morning.

Li Zhaoting was enjoying his morning exercise in the garden, feeling quite pleased with himself.

He showed neither disappointment at Wang Yuyan's escape nor anger at being tricked. Instead, he wore a smile, looking smug, calm, and dashing.

The maids of Mantuo Manor watched from the sidelines, their faces flushed with embarrassment. They thought to themselves that their young mistress was too stubborn. If she agreed to the marriage, wouldn't they be able to become her dowry?
With such a handsome appearance and unparalleled martial arts skills that are renowned throughout the world, ordinary martial arts families would have to offer countless dowries if they wanted to establish a relationship with the Li family!

If it weren't for the fact that the young lady was as beautiful as a fairy and had an exceptional memory, comparable to the direct descendants of the major martial arts sects, the maids would have thought that marrying into the Li family was a great honor for their family.

Kumārajīva hid in the distance and watched.

According to the unwritten rules of the martial arts world, secrets are not to be shared with more than six people.

Stealing martial arts skills is a major taboo in the martial arts world.

If discovered, the consequences range from severed limbs, punctured dantian, and loss of martial arts skills to being killed on the spot.

Given Kumārajīva's reputation in the martial arts world, if he were discovered spying on a junior practicing martial arts in the shadows, even if Li Zhaoting didn't say anything, his reputation would plummet.

Kumārajīva was certainly aware of the dangers involved, but he was obsessed with martial arts, fiercely competitive, and eager to win. Li Zhaoting had mastered unparalleled swordsmanship in just five years, so how could Kumārajīva not be curious? He had long wanted to steal the secret manual.

Unfortunately, Li Zhaoting did not have a sword manual.

The inheritance of the Famous Sword Manor follows certain rules!

Each of the seven sages left behind a set of sword techniques, which, together with the sword techniques of the family's descendants, make up eight sets of sword techniques, forming the Eight Swords Flying Together, which is the direct lineage of the Yi family.

Li Zhaoting was not a member of the Yi family, so his master could only teach him the framework of the Eight Swords Flying Together, passing on his own created sword techniques to Li Zhaoting, planting the seeds for his swordsmanship, and allowing those seeds to take root and sprout in his experiences in the martial world.

Master's self-created swordsmanship does not require a sword manual, and Li Zhaoting's self-created swordsmanship also does not require a sword manual. As for mental cultivation techniques such as the Longevity Manual, if Kumārajīva wants to comprehend the Longevity Manual, Li Zhaoting can give it to him for free.

Li Zhaoting's morning exercises follow a set order.

Based on the Yin-Yang Mind Method of the Longevity Formula, one enters a state of harmony between heaven and man, and dances at will. First, one performs a section of the Eight Pieces of Brocade, then a section of the Bodhidharma Sword Technique, followed by Tai Chi, and finally the rising sun.

The Eight Pieces of Brocade is the most widely circulated exercise, used to improve blood circulation, and it is practiced in various schools of martial arts.

The Rising Sun is like a set of calisthenics, beneficial for physical development. It is the culmination of the efforts of a group of martial arts masters and renowned doctors, and its effects are similar to the Five Animal Frolics.

The Bodhidharma Swordplay and Tai Chi Chuan are neither the Bodhidharma Sword of the three great divine swords of the Liang school nor the Tai Chi Mystic Skill, but rather common materials that have been modified and abridged for foundation building.

After leaving the mountain gates, lay disciples of Shaolin and Wudang opened martial arts schools. Eight out of ten schools taught these two sets of kung fu. You could just go to any school, pay a registration fee of seventy or eighty taels of silver, and have an instructor teach you step by step.

With Kumārajīva's martial arts level, he could naturally perceive the profound truth of Li Zhaoting's unity of inner and outer, body and mind, and heaven and man, and could feel that every flower and tree in Mantuo Manor was dancing according to Li Zhaoting's will.

When Li Zhaoting is happy, the flowers and trees sway; when he is angry, the rain beats down on the banana leaves; when he is depressed, the flowers and trees droop and wil. Even the maids watching nearby are affected, their faces beaming with joy.

Kumārajīva couldn't understand what could make Li Zhaoting so happy. The ginseng fruit he had just eaten had flown away, so how could Li Zhaoting still be laughing?

Is the rumor that Li Zhaoting is a womanizer false?

Young, handsome, and famous men from prominent families are most easily seduced by women.

Li Zhaoting deliberately spread rumors about his womanizing ways. If anyone believed his lies and used them to frame someone, Li Zhaoting would surely follow the trail and bring them all down!
Li Zhaoting, you have such a deep mind.

Kumārajīva embellished the story and made wild, unfounded assumptions.

It must be said that in matters of women, Kumārajīva's experience was far inferior to that of Master Daoqing of Pudu Temple.

If Master Daoqing were at Mantuo Villa, he would be able to tell at a glance that Jiang Yuyan was a virgin, Lan Fenghuang was already married, and Li Zhaoting was indeed a libertine.

Kumārajīva had no experience in this area.

In the original story, Kumārajīva led Duan Yu into Swallow's Nest. A'Zhu used a disguise technique to trick them, but Duan Yu smelled A'Zhu's fragrance and thus saw through the disguise.

Kumārajīva possessed superb martial arts skills, profound internal strength, and his five senses far surpassed Duan Yu's, yet he remained completely unaware of the fragrance emanating from her body.

Because Kumārajīva had been a monk since childhood and strictly observed the precept against lust, he saw rosy cheeks and green hair as skeletons and fragrant powders as pus and blood and foul odors.

Asking him to identify the virgin's kung fu skills—with furrowed brows, straight back, slender neck, and upright posture—is truly difficult.

Just as Kumārajīva was letting his imagination run wild, Granny Wang, the manager of Mantuo Manor, angrily scolded the little maid: "You little hussy, instead of doing your work, you dare to spy on martial arts practice here, which has angered Master Li. He'll feed you all to the fish!"

The young maidservant trembled with fear and dared not refute.

Jiang Yuyan advised, "It's alright. My young master never hesitates to let outsiders watch when he practices martial arts. I'm just a maid, and he never hides it from me."

Granny Wang wanted to say that Jiang Yuyan was a personal maid and a concubine of Li Zhaoting, different from others, but after carefully examining her, she swallowed her words.

“Miss Jiang, you don’t know this, these little hussies are the most cunning and slippery, greedy, lazy and lustful. If they are not strictly managed, they will turn the world upside down sooner or later.”

"When my young master does his morning exercise, he envelops the entire manor with his own aura, making everyone feel refreshed. The maids and servants of the Li family use this as a wake-up signal."

As for peeping at martial arts practice, my young master has fought fifty or sixty major battles and three or four hundred minor battles since he debuted. There are at least two thousand five hundred spectators. If peeping at martial arts practice could lead to theft of skills, the sword techniques would have been leaked long ago.

If anyone were to spy on my young master practicing martial arts, they would be able to learn unparalleled martial arts skills from him. My young master would not only not punish them, but would also take them as his disciples.

Such geniuses are one in a million.

Even in major sects like Shaolin and Wudang, one can become a direct disciple or even a successor.

Talented people are rare!

Those who break their own pillars will surely see their houses collapse!

Jiang Yuyan's statement only applies to the Li family.

The prevailing principle in the martial arts world is that secrets should not be passed on to more than six people.

No rules, no standards.

For prestigious sects, one or two geniuses are nothing; sect rules and regulations are of paramount importance.

Granny Wang did not refute.

As Li Qingluo's confidante, Wang Pozi had served this madwoman for over a decade. Her greatest advantage was that she would agree to whatever her master said. Although Jiang Yuyan was a maid, she was Li Zhaoting's maid. A seventh-rank official in front of the prime minister was also considered her master.

While talking, Li Zhaoting finished his morning exercise and gently shook his wrists and ankles. This was a "cooling-down exercise" to calm his blood and qi and cultivate good habits.

Kumārajīva walked over with a smile, as if he had just arrived. He smiled and said, "As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm. Young Master Li has become famous at a young age, yet he can still get up early to practice. If the warrior monks of Dalun Temple had even a fraction of Young Master Li's diligence, this humble monk would have laid down his burden long ago."

Li Zhaoting laughed and said, "I'm used to it! Back then, my master taught me martial arts, pushing me to my limits day and night, which instilled a habit deep in my bones. I couldn't be lazy even if I wanted to; my body wouldn't allow it. I would automatically wake up at the appointed time."

"Young Master Li's posture is quite strange, somewhat like Tantric yoga. I wonder which school of yoga it belongs to?"

"This is a fitness exercise jointly developed by dozens of famous doctors in Medicine King Valley. You can think of it as the Five Animal Frolics. It can strengthen the body, prevent all diseases, and prolong life."

"Five Animal Frolics?"

"To relieve all kinds of suffering, one must emulate the five spirits."

"Can the Five Animal Frolics harmonize vital energy and blood?"

"Master is joking. The Five Animal Frolics is a health-preserving exercise to strengthen the body, not a martial arts secret. If you want to harmonize different kinds of internal energy, the best method is the Shaolin Yi Jin Jing."

"Does the Yi Jin Jing have this effect?"

"Of course!"

Li Zhaoting's eyes were sincere; there was no lie in them.

The Yi Jin Jing can indeed harmonize different types of internal energy.

Linghu Chong used the Yi Jin Jing to compensate for the flaws in the Star Absorbing Skill and eliminate the danger of backlash from his internal energy.

However, this solution has its limits.

Different kinds of true energy are like seven or eight powerful forces, with conflicts between them and none of them willing to submit to the others. The Yi Jin Jing is like the leader of the martial arts alliance, mediating the conflicts between these forces. When fighting in battle, it is like a general commanding his troops, using the different kinds of true energy as his deputy generals and gradually releasing them.

If the foreign true qi is too strong or too abundant, and if there is another mental technique to counterbalance the Yi Jin true qi, and if the true qi is severely depleted, the harmonizing effect will decrease rapidly. Once a backlash occurs, the Yi Jin true qi will also fall into the category of foreign true qi, and the backlash will be amplified by more than ten times.

Kumārajīva was proficient in the Lesser Formless Skill, the Miscellaneous Āgama Skill, and the Tantric mental techniques. In addition, he possessed the Seventy-Two Shaolin Arts, which made his true energy extremely chaotic. Apart from the Yi Jin Jing and Xi Sui Jing, how could he suppress this strange true energy?
If Kumārajīva were to stumble upon a stroke of luck and acquire martial arts manuals from the Wudang Sect and the Western Regions Demonic Sect, including the Nine Heavens True Scripture, the Heavenly Silkworm Skill, the Heavenly Emperor and Earthly Empress Great Yin-Yang Ode, and the Heaven Collapse and Earth Sink Great Formless Skill, would Kumārajīva dare to practice them?
Even if Kumārajīva were sent to the Temple of the God of War and allowed to study the War God's Manual, he might not dare to open his eyes.

In his current state, he either has to abandon his martial arts or practice the Yi Jin Jing. As Kumārajīva's skill level increases day by day, the Za A Gān Kung Fu has reached its limit.

The two exchanged tacit, unspoken words.

Outsiders might not understand, but the two of them knew perfectly well.

Kumārajīva left dejectedly.

The Yi Jin Jing and Xi Sui Jing are Shaolin's most treasured artifacts. Murong Bo has lived in seclusion in Shaolin for over twenty years and has never even seen the cover of the manual. How could he possibly obtain the Yi Jin Jing manual? Kumārajīva had a twisted mind.

As the saying goes, if a martial art cannot be mastered no matter what, no matter how miraculous the rumors in the martial arts world may make it sound, it is worthless.

The Yi Jin Jing belongs to this category.

To master the authentic Yi Jin Jing, one must abandon any thought of martial arts practice, comprehend the Prajna Buddhist teachings, and understand the Buddhist principles of no self, no person, and no sentient being. The higher one's Buddhist cultivation, the more advanced one's martial arts skills will be.

However, just like the sweeping monk's philosophy, a highly accomplished monk with profound Buddhist teachings has an open mind and has long since disdained methods of killing and harming people.

Therefore, the Shaolin monks only used the original Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic) as a signboard, as an "antique" to prove their long-standing tradition, and did not particularly care about it.

The simplified version should be kept with caution!

Firstly, during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Li Jing, the great war god of the Tang Dynasty, discussed Buddhism with Shaolin monks and explored the Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic). He developed a simplified version that was most adept at harmonizing different types of internal energy.

Secondly, it is a product of centuries of inheritance, the culmination of the efforts of generations of master monks. There are about three or four versions, with relatively low difficulty of entry and focusing on a specific aspect of the effect. Some are suitable for healing and injury treatment, while others are suitable for fighting.

Kumārajīva gritted his teeth and decided to explore the Sutra Repository with Murong Bo in search of the Yi Jin Jing and Xi Sui Jing. If Murong Bo refused, Kumārajīva would reveal that Murong Bo had faked his death more than 20 years ago and had been hiding in the Sutra Repository to steal the secret manuals. They would then part ways and perish together.

After seeing Kumārajīva off, Murong Fu arrived.

After a night of adjustment, and with Deng Baichuan's encouragement, Murong Fu regained some of his confidence.

“Brother Li, I meant no harm and only wanted to help make this marriage happen. Unfortunately, my cousin is not considerate enough. I apologize to you and ask that you not take it to heart.”

“We are not from a prestigious family, so we don’t have so many rules, let alone parental consent. Since Miss Wang is unwilling, why should I pester her?”

"Brother Li is very generous; I admire him."

After a few tentative questions, Murong Fu expressed his concerns, saying that since his debut, he had suffered repeated defeats and his reputation in the martial arts world had plummeted. He wondered if Brother Li had any solutions.
A playful glint flashed in Li Zhaoting's eyes: "Young martial artists who want to rise to fame need respected elders or wicked old devils as stepping stones, or even hypocrites who are kind on the outside but evil on the inside."

For senior figures, one can go and challenge them; Li Guanyu of Yongcui Villa in Tiger Hill is a good target.

As for the old devil, we can surround and attack him, but we must be the leader and win. The Power Gang has recently caused trouble, and countless people have risen up to attack. If Brother Murong leads a group of martial arts masters to defeat the Power Gang, his reputation in the martial arts world will rival that of Lu Xiaofeng and Ximen Chuixue.

To deal with a hypocrite, a grand martial arts tournament must be held, in front of countless heroes, to expose his shameful deeds and reveal his true colors, then defeat him in battle and exchange his head for fame.

This is a common tactic used in the underworld.

That's exactly what I did.

Unfortunately, there are too many talented individuals in the martial arts world, and fewer and fewer veteran masters and old villains. Hypocrites are hiding too well, and if you want to find someone to boost your reputation, you have to risk your life.

Reputation isn't something you can just boast about.

There are no shortcuts in the world of gangsters.
The more you try to take shortcuts, the more detours you'll take!

After hearing Li Zhaoting's words, Murong Fu felt as if the clouds had parted and the sun had shone through, and his thoughts suddenly became clear.

Murong Bo's plan was too brainless.

Li Zhaoting saw things most clearly.

If I had known this would happen, I should have encouraged Murong Bo to have a few younger sisters for me, in order to win over Li Zhaoting.

Murong Fu left happily.

Back at Swallow's Nest, Murong Bo had been waiting for a long time.

Upon seeing Murong Fu, Murong Bo's face darkened.

"Fu'er, what happened? Why did Wang Yuyan run away from the wedding? You've made such a mess of something so simple. How do you think you can restore the Great Yan?"

Murong Bo slammed his fist on the table in anger.

Murong Fu's joy turned to disappointment, then to anger, and he retorted loudly, "Father! The beauty trap doesn't depend on the two of us, but on the beauty's wishes. My cousin is unwilling, what can I do? Humph! My cousin has long harbored ulterior motives, and her martial arts are far superior to mine!"

As analyzed earlier, a fool who likes to act on impulse is absolutely incapable of admitting his mistakes, especially if he is a parent who has accomplished nothing and can only find a tiny bit of self-esteem in his child.

Murong Bo roared, "You didn't explain it clearly! You should reason with Wang Yuyan and appeal to her emotions. Given Wang Yuyan's feelings for you, as long as you sincerely explain the situation to her, how could she possibly refuse?"
You should tell Wang Yuyan that submitting to Li Zhaoting is a temporary measure to restore the Great Yan Dynasty. After it is done, as the Emperor of Great Yan, you can order Li Zhaoting to commit suicide.

Then, you used Empress Liu as an example, promising her the throne of empress. What insight did Wang Yuyan have? How could Wang Yuyan possibly refuse such a promise?

Have you told her?
You did nothing, yet you resent me!
Fu'er, remember this: if you want to restore the Great Yan Dynasty, you must learn to admit your mistakes and take responsibility.

This is entirely your fault!

Go to the ancestral hall and apologize to our ancestors!

Murong Bo skillfully indulged in his grand ambitions, while also using unreasonable and manipulative tactics to manipulate Murong Fu.

Murong Fu wanted to argue, but couldn't think of a reason. He wanted to ask Murong Bo why he hadn't said so earlier, but Murong Bo would definitely scold him and say that this was a test for him.

This kind of thing never ends.

It all comes down to who's better at twisting the truth and making things difficult.

In this respect, the father has an absolute advantage.

Murong Fu said in a low voice, "Li Zhaoting is not angry with me. I have become friends with him, and he told me three ways to help me gain prestige."

Murong Fu repeated Li Zhaoting's words.

Murong Bo scratched his chin.

Established martial artists like Li Guanyu, Xue Yiren, and Ziyi Hou are so skilled that they show no mercy when they strike. If you're not careful, you could easily be defeated by a senior martial artist.

Especially Xue Yiren.

Xue Yiren was nicknamed "Blood-Clad Man" because he would change into white clothes every time he made a move, and the blood of his enemies would splatter on his clothes, making them a striking blood-stained garment.

Challenging such a master is far too dangerous.

Dealing with the power faction is even more dangerous.

In order to take revenge on the Power Gang, Lu Xiaofeng exposed more than a dozen of Liu Suifeng's plans and revealed more than thirty undercover agents. Liu Suifeng was in a frenzied state of killing anyone he encountered.

If we take action against the Power Clique at this time, perhaps the four great retainers of the Murong clan will become spies for the Power Clique.

The only feasible option is the last one.

Hypocrite...a notorious hypocrite...

Murong Bo had a target in mind.

He knew a hypocrite who was famous throughout the martial arts world, imposing and powerful, kind on the outside but evil on the inside, knew all the secrets this hypocrite hid, and knew his enemies.

He once thought of using this as a threat to save his life at a critical moment, but now, Murong Fu needs his reputation, so he has no choice but to ask his old friend to sacrifice his head!

A bald head appeared in Murong Bo's mind.

Abbot Xuanci of Shaolin Temple.

The number one hypocrite in the martial arts world.

To deal with Xuan Ci, many helpers are needed. Murong Bo wants to ask Kumārajīva for help because Kumārajīva is proficient in the Seventy-Two Arts and wants to use it to crush the Shaolin monks.

Just as Murong Bo was making plans, Kumārajīva sneaked into Swallow's Nest to discuss with him the search for the Sutra Repository.

The two old foxes exchanged a glance.

One was for the purpose of Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic).

One did it for the sake of reputation in the martial arts world.

Murong Bo had been the head of the Azure Dragon Hall for many years, while Kumārajīva was the Great Wheel King of Tibet. Each had their own network of connections, and under their orders, a storm was brewing in the martial arts world.

After giving Li Zhaoting a gentle push from behind and enjoying Li Shengnan's exquisite dance, he took Lan Fenghuang and Jiang Yuyan boating on the lake to admire the beautiful scenery of Taihu Lake.

There is a saying: "Above is heaven, below are Suzhou and Hangzhou."

The last time I came, I was in too much of a hurry.

This time I'm definitely going to have a blast for a few days.

No one can disturb Li Zhaoting's trip.

(End of this chapter)