Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 242 The Monk King? What a boastful tone!

In the world of martial arts, luck is very important, but if you rely on luck for everything, you're not far from death.

If you don't want to gamble like a headless fly, it's best to make more friends, cultivate more informants, and gather more intelligence to avoid being caught off guard.

The heroes of Suzhou all know that Li Zhaoting has recently been traveling around Taihu Lake. His complexion is even darker than Bao Zheng's, and he doesn't want to go to the underworld. It's best not to provoke him.

There are two main reasons why someone has a dark complexion.

First, Murong Fu of Gusu acted as matchmaker, wanting to marry Wang Yuyan, the eldest daughter of Mantuo Manor, to Li Zhaoting. However, Wang Yuyan was unwilling to marry and fled Mantuo Manor overnight.

Secondly, Li Zhaoting was fishing in Taihu Lake. There were fishermen all around him, and Li Zhaoting had prepared more than 60 jin of bait, but he only caught two small fish fry.

It is estimated that the elders of Taihu Dragon Palace offered the children to the Wowo Immortal as a token of their gratitude, but the Wowo Immortal, being kind-hearted, returned them.

Fishing can help develop concentration.

If you don't catch any fish, just consider it fun.

However, I couldn't catch any fish, and one fisherman after another came to my spot to steal my catch. This was too much!
The fishing rod is faulty.

Insufficient swing force.

The fishing line is faulty.

It's not a specialty of Beika Town.

The fishhook is faulty.

It wasn't created by Zhu Ting.

The earthworm is sick.

It wasn't Lu Xiaofeng who dug it up.

The fish is sick.

What's the use of offering up young boys and girls? Offering up two elders from the Dragon Palace will make the Nest-Building Immortal look good!
The angler is definitely not wrong.

With my keen senses of harmony with nature, the growth of all things, and the ability to perceive the slightest movement of wind and grass within a radius of several dozen feet, how could I possibly not be able to catch any fish? It must be due to external factors!

Li Zhaoting dejectedly put down his fishing rod.

……

Duan Yu sighed and drank his wine.

He completely forgot his father's instructions.

His father had repeatedly warned Duan Yu not to come into contact with strange women, but in just two days, he first provoked Hua Yelai, and then Hua Huafeng.

Hua Huafeng appeared out of nowhere.

With bright eyes and white teeth, lively and cute, she disguises herself as a man using her half-baked disguise skills. Duan Yu recognizes Hua Hua Feng as a woman at a glance and doesn't want to provoke her. However, he was framed by Hua Ye Lai last night, which led to waves of pursuit. Hua Hua Feng said she had a way to deal with it, so he had no choice but to obey.

Duan Yu is an honest child.

Especially in terms of "obedience".

Duan Yu has gotten himself into a lot of trouble.

Four senior monks are a problem.

Flower Night is troublesome.

Hua Huafeng is also a problem.

To resolve these troubles, Duan Yu needed to go to Fenglin Temple to find Master Gu, a mysterious person who gave him this advice. Duan Yu believed the mysterious person's words, forgetting the warning not to trust others easily, and also forgetting that Fenglin Temple was a Buddhist temple and could not possibly have Taoist priests there. He was completely fooled.

Things in this world are always quite ingenious.

There is indeed a Taoist priest named Gu next to Fenglin Temple.

It is not Gu Daoren, who is associated with the night rain in Bashan.

He is not a martial arts master who has been practicing in seclusion for many years.

"Gu Daoren" is a small tavern owned by a Taoist priest surnamed Gu who rarely appears in public. His wife runs the counter and sells wine, and the tavern is always packed with customers.

Some sleazy idlers tried to make a fuss with the still charming proprietress. The proprietress was a very special woman, which was normal. If she wasn't an eccentric woman, why would she marry an old Taoist priest?
Once you arrive at the tavern, you must drink.

Duan Yu and Hua Huafeng were drinking together at the tavern.

Drink a bowl of wine, ask a question.

"How did you get into this trouble?"

"Be brave when it comes to justice."

"Is it about righteousness or lust?"

"I have absolutely no evil thoughts in my heart."

Duan Yu's tone was very sincere.

He is a very sincere person.

Honest people never lie.

Hua Huafeng asked, "You idiot, leaving home all by yourself, aren't you afraid of being sold by thieves?"

What do I have to sell?

"Your silver, your precious sword, your priceless steed, and you yourself—such a handsome young man—you could sell for at least twenty or thirty thousand taels."

At this point, Hua Huafeng blushed.

Looking at the blush on Hua Hua Feng Jiao's face, Duan Yu felt intoxicated. Then he remembered that the purpose of this trip was to marry the daughter of Zhu Er Tai Ye's family. He couldn't let anything go wrong. He cursed himself for his lack of self-control and for being more impulsive than a brute.

Hua Huafeng said, "Hua Yelai wouldn't have plotted against you for no reason. Have you encountered any mysterious people in the past few days, or have you offended any enemies?"

"The enemies are those four big monks. I only remember one of the mysterious people, and his name is very unusual."

"How special?"

He said his name was Li Zhaoting.

"puff!"

Hua Huafeng spat out a mouthful of wine, spraying it three feet wide, all over Duan Yu's face. She was startled at first, then hurriedly searched for a handkerchief to wipe the wine off Duan Yu.

"You ran into Li Zhaoting?"

"It's probably just a coincidence of names! I remember Li Zhaoting was from Jinling, how did he end up in Suzhou? That young man was quite witty and good at making up stories. He said he came to get married, and his fiancée beat up the matchmaker..."

"Is it possible that the person you met was indeed Li Zhaoting, the real Li Zhaoting! Rumors have just spread throughout the martial arts world that Murong Fu of Gusu is acting as matchmaker, wanting to marry Wang Yuyan of Mantuo Manor to Li Zhaoting..."

Hua Huafeng looked intently at Duan Yu, wanting to see what was so special about this simpleton named Duan Yu.

How did you grow up to be this big?
Haven't you ever encountered a bad person in your life?

Answer whatever question someone asks you!
You don't believe what you should believe, and you blindly believe what you shouldn't believe!
You're really lucky to have survived this long!
Duan Yu: (⊙﹏⊙)
"Did I really meet Li Zhaoting?"

"Handsome and refined, with two stunning beauties by his side. The innocent and charming one is the leader of the Five Poisons Sect of Miao Jiang, and the other is his personal maid. More than thirty martial arts forces in Suzhou know about him."

"Pity!"

"What's a pity?"

"I did not drink a thousand cups with Li Zhaoting."

"Aren't you afraid he'll kill you?" "Why would Li Zhaoting want to kill me?"

"Does Li Zhaoting need a reason to commit murder?"

"Of course it is necessary. I can sense that Li Zhaoting is not one to kill innocent people indiscriminately. He is very tolerant, and those who died by his sword all deserved to die."

"Aren't you afraid at all?"

"I am neither a demonic master nor a treacherous hypocrite. I am upright and honest. Even if someone wants to kill me, there may be a million reasons, but it certainly won't be because I have done something heinous."

If a person has never done anything wrong, he can always stand tall and be a true hero, deserving everyone's respect.

Just like Hong Qigong's resounding words that elevated the prestige of the Mount Hua Sword Tournament several times over: "This old beggar has killed 321 people in his life, each of whom was a villain. After verifying one person, it is necessary to verify the other people separately. The evidence is conclusive and there are no omissions!"

Qiu Qianren was completely dumbfounded.

Whether it's Ouyang Feng, a master of martial arts, or Qiu Qianren, a master of cunning and scheming, what right do they have to claim to be the best in the world in the face of Hong Qigong's bold statement?

If a person commits numerous evils, betrays trust, is disloyal and unfilial, and is unrighteous and inhumane, even if he has unparalleled martial arts skills and can force others to submit, he will only be surrounded by bullies who are afraid of the strong and cowardly, who are greedy for life and afraid of death, who are sycophants and opportunists. He will probably have a sword under his pillow when he sleeps at night and will never have a peaceful life.

Duan Yu may not possess unparalleled martial arts skills, but his mentality is invincible. He is upright and honest in his conduct, and acts with integrity and will never back down in the slightest.

You can say he's naive, simple-minded, or even dull-witted, but it's precisely because of Duan Yu and Duan Yu that the martial arts world can be called the world of chivalry.

Martial arts, martial arts, without chivalry, only physical training and the pursuit of fame and fortune, might as well be renamed "Young and Dangerous"!

Duan Yu may seem dull-witted and easily trusting, but when he said these words, patting his chest to show that he had a clear conscience, he exuded a unique charm that made Hua Hua Feng's heart waver.

The tavern not only sold alcohol, but also served as a casino.

Although Gu Daoren of Gusu City did not know the 49-form Returning Wind and Willow Sword Technique, he had a clever mind and could always find a solution no matter what trouble he encountered.

If you want to seek help from Master Gu, you need to let him satisfy his gambling addiction and gamble with him for three rounds.

Duan Feixiong repeatedly warned him not to gamble with strangers, as they were all swindlers.

Duan Yu had no interest in gambling, but in order to get help from Gu Daoren, he had no choice but to play Pai Gow with him.

Hua Huafeng left quietly.

She's jealous.

He was jealous of the landlady.

The proprietress said that Master Gu had a solution.

Duan Yu believed it.

The proprietress said that Gu Daoren was in the casino.

Duan Yu believed it again.

The proprietress asked Duan Yu to play a few rounds with Gu Daoren.

Duan Yu believed the landlady's words once again.

Duan Yu believed everything the landlady said. How could Hua Hua Feng, who had just developed feelings for Duan Yu, not be jealous? No one can stop a jealous woman!

Pigs for the New Year, fish that have come ashore, a jealous girlfriend, and a stubborn, frightened donkey—even with the mighty strength of a tyrant who could move mountains and lift tripods, there's nothing one can do about it.

……

The Beggars' Sect, Dazhi Branch.

After Quan Guanqing was beheaded, the Dazhi branch changed its leader to a man skilled in both literature and martial arts, named Wu Shidun.

Upon learning that Li Zhaoting had come to visit, Wu Shidun warmly received him and recounted all the recent events in Suzhou, especially those related to monks.

"Monk King Iron Water, what arrogance! What abilities does this guy have to dare call himself the King of Ten Thousand Monks?"

Blue Phoenix curled her lip in disdain.

At the pinnacle of martial arts, there is one immortal and two Buddhas.

The esoteric Buddhist monk's spirit was damaged and imprisoned by Zhang Sanfeng, unable to leave the Mongol Yuan dynasty for life. The Shaolin monk, however, is still alive and well. With him around, who dares to call themselves the King of Ten Thousand Monks? Could it be that he is proficient in the Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic)?

Wu Shidun explained, "Tieshui was originally a disciple of the Shaolin Bodhidharma Academy, proficient in the Golden Bell Cover and Iron Shirt techniques. However, unable to bear the Buddhist precepts, he left the monastic life and began to recruit disciples in Suzhou. He accepted all kinds of people, much like the Buddhist sect's practice of opening the door to convenience. His disciples had to shave their heads and have ordination scars, but they were not required to abide by the Buddhist precepts."

Jiang Yuyan scoffed, "To break the precepts and then shave your head to leave a scar is like taking off your pants to fart!"

Li Zhaoting sneered: "Tieshui is trying to sow discord among Buddhists. Just think, what would happen if there were thousands of monks who didn't follow the precepts?"
Once something like this happens, it's bound to happen again.

Warrior monks are inherently vigorous and energetic, and strictly adhering to the precepts is an extremely difficult test. If they see other monks drinking alcohol, eating meat, and being intimate with women, will they be tempted? How many of them can resist?

Self-discipline alone is not enough.

Otherwise, what's the point of having a monastic institution?
If Tieshui grows powerful in Suzhou, he can then dismiss his disciples and allow thousands of bald monks with bandit habits to establish their own sects in various prefectures.

What do you think the local temples will think?
What do you think the monks in the temple will think?
Most importantly, what do the people think?
How many people can tell the difference between real and fake?
Most people only see a group of bald men who drink, eat meat, and are lecherous. These bald men use Shaolin Kung Fu and can occasionally recite a few Buddhist scriptures.

Tsk tsk~~
"Does Shaolin not know about these things?"

Li Zhaoting thought to himself, "This kind of long-term planning and this kind of troublemaking style is all too familiar."

A toad lying on the back of your foot is disgusting!
Wu Shidun said, "Some time ago, Shaolin sent three senior monks of the Xuan generation to persuade Tieshui. Later, they fought, and the three senior monks of the Xuan generation were unable to break through Tieshui's Golden Bell Shield. They could only leave in disgrace. Three hundred miles away from Suzhou, they were ambushed and killed by assassins!"

Which three eminent monks of the Xuan generation?

"Xuanjing, Xuangou, Xuansheng! These three eminent monks are not well-known, but their martial arts skills are truly remarkable. To be able to ambush and kill three eminent monks, they must be top-notch assassins."

"Shaolin Temple did not investigate this matter?"

"Of course, we sent people to investigate. Master Tiejian of Shaolin was a constable and was in charge of investigating this matter. According to Master Tiejian's examination, the three monks had swords in their throats. Their throat bones were destroyed by the sword energy, but their skin was not damaged. Only a little bit of crimson was left, which is a common method used by Yidianhong. However, when the three monks were assassinated, Yidianhong was in Jinan Prefecture."

"What I mean is, this is clearly a case of Tieshui hiring someone to commit murder, and Shaolin should deal with Tieshui first."

"Tie Jian and Tie Shui are fellow disciples and know each other best. Tie Jian is based on evidence and Tie Shui is straightforward and would never hire someone to kill."

"Is this matter just going to be left unresolved?"

"How could this matter be left unresolved? Shaolin sent three groups of people in succession: one group persuaded Tieshui, one group helped investigate the case, and the last group was ready to go."

Iron Water's will is unwavering, like a turtle eating a weight, indicating that unless someone breaks his golden bell shield, he will never change his mind, even if the abbot of Shaolin comes to power.

Tie Jian asked his lay disciples to post a bounty on the black market for an assassin, but no assassin accepted the job, and no trace of Yi Dian Hong was found. To this day, no clues have been found.

As for those who were poised to go, they ate and slept at the inn, probably just here for a vacation!

In recent days, a thief named Hua Yelai offended Tieshui and stole several of his treasures. Tieshui vowed to break Hua Yelai's leg. The martial monks that Young Master Duan drove away were all Tieshui's disciples.

There's something else I heard people say: Yanziwu has been acting mysteriously lately, as if they're plotting something.

I originally wanted to find someone to investigate, but now it seems they're busy arranging marriages to curry favor with Young Master Li.

The last thing concerns Li Guanyu.

I heard that Li Guanyu is seriously ill, has become mentally impaired, and is not far from his end…

As expected of the leader of the Great Wisdom Branch, Wu Shidun could readily provide all kinds of intelligence and handled every matter with meticulous care.

After a few years, with the accumulation of merits and experience, he will surely have a place among the four elders of the Beggars' Sect. After Hong Qigong retires, he may become the sect leader.

"Who the hell is this Gu Daoren?"

"He's just an old geezer surnamed Gu. There are many people with the surname Gu in the world, and even more seeking the Dao and refining elixirs."

　Wu Shidun is a character in Liang Yusheng's novels *The Mad Swordsman, the Proud Witch* and *The Legend of the Wind and Cloud*. He is the leader of the Beggars' Sect, possessing both wisdom and courage. He killed Wanyan Liang at the Battle of Caishiji. After succeeding as leader of the Beggars' Sect, he united martial arts heroes to resist the Jin army. He is a loyal and righteous hero.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)