Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 269 Assassination, Ambush and Killing of Li Zhaoting

midnight.

The Azure Dragon Mask appeared in the guest room of the Disciplinary Hall.

Kumārajīva slowly opened his eyes: "Which month's leader are you in the Azure Dragon Society? What do you want me to do?"

"I wish to cooperate with the Ming King, and will reward him with the Yi Jin Jing afterward. This is the Yi Jin Jing, which was improved by Li Jing, the great military god of the Tang Dynasty, and can harmonize internal energy."

The Azure Dragon Mask handed over a scroll of secret manuals.

A glint of light flashed in Kumārajīva's eyes: "Fang Zheng died at your hands? Let me guess your identity. I don't seem to need to guess anymore, you're not a member of the Azure Dragon Society!"

"Oh? I'd like to hear the details!"

"You are a member of the Power Gang, or you are a double agent for both the Power Gang and the Green Dragon Society. From the moment you revealed your identity, we are destined to have only one of us survive."

"Your Majesty should understand that if you cooperate with me, you have a chance to live. If you refuse to cooperate, once your internal and hidden injuries have all erupted, even Hua Tuo will be unable to save you."

"Tell me your conditions."

"Assassinate Li Zhaoting."

"Just you?"

"Li Zhaoting encountered a formidable enemy during the day, and he and his wives and concubines were all exhausted. Xiao Feng was the only guard by his side. If Xiao Feng could be distracted, Li Zhaoting could be assassinated."

Are you sure Li Zhaoting is exhausted?

"I've confirmed it several times."

"You want me to lure Xiao Feng away?"

"I want the Imperial Advisor to assassinate Li Zhaoting. Your identity is extremely useful; no one will dare to kill you."

"I am currently unable to take action."

"Two Lesser Rejuvenation Pills and a scroll of the Yi Jin Jing should allow the Imperial Preceptor to recover his fighting strength by dawn."

"Aren't you afraid I'll run away?"

"Not afraid!"

The Azure Dragon Mask took out an ancient, yellowed scroll from his sleeve: "This is the Yi Jin Jing, written by Bodhidharma himself. Only the Yi Jin Jing can completely cure you. Please, National Preceptor, do not make a mistake!"

"make a deal!"

Kumārajīva gritted his teeth and took the medicine bottle.

The Azure Dragon Mask disappeared without a sound.

Kumārajīva opened the Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic) and adjusted his internal energy according to the breathing techniques recorded within.

Kumārajīva's body was filled with multiple different kinds of internal energy, which severely damaged his foundation. To resolve the internal injury, he either had to abandon his martial arts, integrate his internal energy, or use a general's command method to harmonize the internal energy.

Using a certain type of true energy as the general, a powerful different type of true energy as the deputy general, and others as soldiers, as long as one does not severely deplete one's true essence, or forcibly cultivate a certain profound secret technique, one can suppress internal injuries for a short period of time.

A long time is impossible.

Human power has its limits.

Kumārajīva's internal injuries were far more severe than Murong Bo's, much like the Indian tank Arjun, where all the parts were of good quality but were forcibly put together, resulting in a mismatched and incompatible mess.

……

If you were to conduct a survey among assassins, asking them when their success rate in carrying out an assassination is highest, at least 70% of them would choose "dawn."

This is the time when we are most tired, most lethargic, least wary of the outside world, and most physically fatigued.

Especially in autumn and winter.

A warm bed is the strongest sealing formation.

Qiao Sanhuai was an ordinary farmer with not many rooms in his house. Fortunately, everyone was skilled and managed to cut down some trees and build a few sheds.

Li Zhaoting, Feng Suzhen, Lan Fenghuang, and Miss Wang squeezed into one room, Meizhu and Jiang Yuyan slept in another room, and Xiao Feng meditated in the courtyard.

Colors gradually appeared on the horizon, as the sun and moon alternated and yin and yang cycled, tinging the sky with a chaotic hue.

A dozen or so men in black slowly gathered. The leader, with a cold and stern look in his eyes, wore a blue dragon mask and held a long spear. He approached the wooden house within three zhang (approximately 10 meters) but did not reveal any murderous intent.

A gentle breeze swept by, and a hundred birds took flight in fright.

The assassin swung his sword at the wooden house.

Xiao Feng suddenly opened his eyes, waved his hand and struck out with the move "Dragon in the Field". A dragon's roar rang out and a golden dragon soared into the sky, sending the man in black flying with a single palm strike.

"Whoosh whoosh!"

More than a dozen swords simultaneously pierced the wooden house.

The extremely fierce and malevolent sword energy made it impossible for people to open their eyes.

Xiao Feng crossed his hands, his palm power surging. With a move called "Hidden Dragon, Do Not Use," he blocked all the sword energy. He raised his hand, picked up the Thunderflame Halberd, and swung it to cut off a head. Although there were many black-clad assassins, they were all killed and fell to the ground.

"laugh!"

A sharp wind howled through the night sky.

A long spear pierced Xiao Feng's back.

Xiao Feng reached back and grabbed the spear shaft with his claw, and a golden dragon claw rose out of thin air, which was clearly the "Dragon-Capturing Hand".

Undeterred by his unsuccessful first shot, the assassin leaped towards the cabin and threw two grenades.

Attack the enemy and save them!

Let's see what Xiao Feng's countermeasure is!

"Tsk! Tsk!"

Two sword beams shot out from inside the room, severing the fuses before the thunderbolts exploded, preventing them from destroying the house.

Li Zhaoting charged out with his sword, his swordsmanship ever-changing. The Purple Rose Soft Sword traced arcs, stabbing at the assassins from unbelievable angles. The two assassins clutched their throats in terror, blood constantly flowing from between their fingers.

Even a dead tiger cannot break its spirit!

Even when exhausted, Li Zhaoting remains a top swordsman of his time as long as he has the Ziwei Soft Sword in his hand.

The leader of the assassins was slightly relieved.

If Li Zhaoting didn't make a move, it would be certain that he was fishing for trouble. However, when he did make a move, he was unable to unleash the boundless power of the Tathagata's Divine Light and could only use his superb swordsmanship to defend himself. Clearly, his body had not yet recovered.

Thinking of this, the assassin leader feinted, bypassed Li Zhaoting, and engaged Xiao Feng in battle. Before Li Zhaoting could come to his aid, several more assassins rushed out.

These assassins appeared and disappeared in the night sky, wielding jet-black kunai. Each time they appeared, they would shoot darts and blowguns, clearly indicating that they were Japanese ninjas.

"laugh!"

A flash of light slashed towards the top of Li Zhaoting's head.

Li Zhaoting drew an arc with his sword, using Tai Chi swordsmanship to deflect the blade's light. Then, he thrust his sword straight into the center, a flash of purple light passing by, and the Japanese samurai fell in despair.

"Is this all the Azure Dragon Society is capable of?"

“What a disappointment!”

Li Zhaoting looked at the assassin leader with a cold smile.

"Li Zhaoting, you are doomed!"

The assassin leader shouted, and his backpack suddenly exploded open. Because he was dressed in all black, no one noticed that he was carrying a backpack, let alone that there were more than a dozen grenades hidden inside, which scattered in all directions.

Xiao Feng was furious.

This is Qiao Sanhuai's house, the place where Xiao Feng grew up. How can it be damaged by outsiders!

Xiao Feng grabbed the Thunderclap Bomb with both hands, his movements fluid and powerful, and threw it off the cliff. "Xiao Feng, how many times can you block this?"

The assassin leader raised his hand and fired five more thunderbolts.

The other assassins followed suit, firing dozens of grenades near the wooden house. Xiao Feng, enraged, unleashed a palm strike: "You scoundrel! I will kill you!"

"Then come on! Xiao Feng, if you can't kill me tonight, I'll dig up the Qiao family's ancestral graves!"

The assassin leader turned and ran!
"You bastard, prepare to die!"

Xiao Feng was furious and gave chase.

Li Zhaoting sneered, "Luring the tiger away from the mountain? You actually managed to use such a crude scheme? Who is your leader, and who will be responsible for killing me?"

“Amitabha Buddha, it is indeed this humble monk.”

Kumārajīva appeared from behind the wooden house: "I have a long-standing friendship with Master Li. Please rest assured, I will only kill you and will never harm your family."

"King Ming, you're trying to negotiate with a tiger for its skin. Aren't you afraid of being betrayed after you've served your purpose? What benefits will the Azure Dragon Society offer you?"

"Whether it's the benefits of the Azure Dragon Society or the Power Gang, I am seriously injured and have no choice but to fight to the death to survive. Master Li should understand that."

"I see, what a brilliant plan!"

"Master Li, I apologize for my rudeness!"

Kumārajīva swung his sword at Li Zhaoting.

After a night of recuperation, Kumārajīva's internal energy returned to normal, barely giving him the strength to fight. However, the effect of this short-sighted approach was that his ability to recuperate was getting worse and worse, and his internal injuries were getting more and more severe. This battle would be his last.

Li Zhaoting sheathed his Purple Star Soft Sword, formed a Tai Chi circle with both hands, and gently guided the fiery sword energy into the distance. He then formed a sword finger and flew towards Kumārajīva's throat, followed by two sword beams.

One path is supremely Yin, the other supremely Yang.

"What a fine Tai Chi sword technique!"

Kumārajīva had a passion for martial arts since childhood. Even when he was at his wit's end, he would still feel happy when he saw a new martial art, and he would swipe his palms and slash with his twin swords.

Just as Li Zhaoting and Kumārajīva were locked in fierce combat, the black-clad assassins rushed towards the wooden house. A fierce glint flashed in Kumārajīva's eyes, and he slashed at the black-clad assassins with his flaming blade.

"I have said that I will only kill Master Li and not his family. Are you deaf?"

"This is just a minor punishment to warn you. If you dare to disobey my orders again, I will send you to hell!"

"Master Li, please accept my challenge!"

Kumārajīva knew that Li Zhaoting had amazing comprehension and was worried that Li Zhaoting would break through and return to his peak in the face of battle. He simply tested Li Zhaoting with three or five moves and confirmed that Li Zhaoting's power had not recovered. He then used all his strength on the spot, and all kinds of wonderful moves came out one after another.

The figure of Kumārajīva was everywhere, with Dragon Claw Hand to the east, Flower-Picking Finger to the right, Prajna Palm in front, Vajra Fist behind, and Mount Sumeru Palm above. He had all sorts of wonderful moves, and there was nowhere to escape, whether in heaven or on earth.

"clank!"

The sound of a zither drifted from the wooden house.

Kumārajīva discerned that the music did not contain any skill, mistakenly believing that Feng Suzhen knew she could not help and that Li Zhaoting was doomed. He then played a funeral song for Li Zhaoting. Kumārajīva, being learned and talented, recognized the music as "Ambush from Ten Sides".

Li Zhaoting's current predicament is one of being surrounded by wolves and tigers with nowhere to escape. Thinking of this, one can't help but feel fortunate for Li Zhaoting. Before his death, he had a beautiful woman playing music to accompany him in his funeral, which can be considered a beautiful story in the martial arts world.

What you think in your heart, you unconsciously say out loud.

"Master Li is truly fortunate to have such a beautiful woman by his side in his final moments. He must have no regrets in this life."

"I wonder if Your Majesty has any regrets?"

"It used to be there, but it's not anymore!"

"I think you should feel regret."

"What regret?"

"You have practiced the Xiaoyao Sect's Xiaowuxiang Gong, which was used to activate the Shaolin Seventy-Two Arts. However, the Xiaoyao Sect has many unique and wonderful techniques. Have you seen them all, Mingwang? For example, this Tianshan Zhemei Hand can generate countless moves."

The Jade Linglong contains the entire legacy of Xiaoyaozi. Passing it on to Miss Wang is the same as passing it on to Li Zhaoting. When Li Zhaoting is bored, he studies several martial arts techniques.

The martial arts of the Free and Unfettered Sect are too fantastical.

The Six Yang Palms of Tianshan, used to create the Life and Death Talisman.

The all-encompassing Tianshan Plum Blossom Hand.

The White Rainbow Palm Force, whose power can bend at will.

The Northern Darkness Divine Skill, which absorbs the power of others.

The Lesser Formless Skill, a simulation of the most powerful martial arts techniques in the world.

The Lingbo Weibu (a martial arts technique) allows for endless dodging.

Li Zhaoting knew the principle of not biting off more than he could chew, so he only learned martial arts. He quickly mastered the Tianshan Six Yang Palm with Yin-Yang True Qi as the foundation, and combined the all-encompassing swordsmanship with the Eight Swords Flying Together as the foundation. He also grasped the essence of the Tianshan Plum Blossom Hand and transformed it into a sword finger technique.

Kumārajīva exhausted all his wisdom, attempting to kill Li Zhaoting within a few moves, then guide his qi back to its origin, seize the original copy of the Yi Jin Jing, and use it to treat his internal and hidden injuries.

Unexpectedly, Li Zhaoting was able to break all of his moves with his sword finger. No matter how many strange moves Kumārajīva made, no matter how powerful his fists and palms were, Li Zhaoting thrust his sword finger forward, and Kumārajīva immediately changed his move.

Every time Kumārajīva launched a charge, he felt as if he was deliberately crashing his vital points into Li Zhaoting's right sword finger. Even more terrifying was his left sword finger, with the sword held horizontally across his chest, as if drawing a silver river in front of him. Even though Kumārajīva possessed the power of holy immortals and Buddhas, he could not cross this insurmountable barrier.

With pure Yang in the left hand and pure Yin in the right, the Yin and Yang energies flow and interact within the body, making the energy increasingly stronger.

Kumārajīva repeatedly cornered Li Zhaoting, using his most powerful moves to exchange lives for lives, leaving Li Zhaoting in a situation where he was surrounded on all sides and had no choice but to die. However, Li Zhaoting managed to break through the deadly traps with unexpected moves.

The music from the ambush site grew increasingly rapid.

Kumārajīva grew increasingly anxious.

Was this an ambush set up by Li Zhaoting, or was it an ambush set up by Li Zhaoting himself?
The slightest emotional disturbance causes the limbs and bones to tremble involuntarily, with fingers, corners of the mouth, and shoulders twitching uncontrollably. Internal energy surges like a tide, clashing and swirling in the meridians and acupoints, threatening to burst out of the body at any moment.

Kumārajīva looked down and saw that his body was normal, but he felt as if his body was being inflated like a balloon, which could burst at any moment. Despite taking three sword blows from Li Zhaoting, blood was gushing from his shoulder, lower abdomen, and left leg, and he was still in unbearable pain.

"Ah~~"

Kumārajīva thrashed about with his hands, in unbearable pain.

Li Zhaoting swiftly sealed the Tanzhong acupoint with a single finger, then threw Kumārajīva into the wooden house. Miss Wang, who had been preparing for this moment, grabbed Kumārajīva's wrists.

Northern Darkness Divine Art, activate!
Absorbing power is not without its drawbacks.

First of all, one cannot absorb power indefinitely; the human body has its limits. Zhu Wushi absorbed the immense power of more than two hundred people, yet he might not be stronger than Shui Mu Yin Ji.

Secondly, even if one can transform all the different kinds of true energy into a certain kind of true essence, one will still be affected, resulting in insufficient purity of skill and leaving hidden dangers to one's own foundation.

Finally, not everyone can absorb it. Absorbing the Frost True Qi can easily freeze you, absorbing the Hundred Poison Yuan Gang will poison your internal organs, and the Wedding Dress Divine Skill cannot absorb it at all. If the enemy's power is stronger, there is even a risk of backflow.

Kumārajīva suffered an internal injury, went into a qi deviation, and his internal energy was in chaos. Miss Wang seized his pulse point, giving his power an outlet, and absorbed it all.

As his power gradually dissipated, the fierce look on Kumārajīva's face vanished, and his breathing became much calmer.

Looking closely outside the wooden house, a golden sword light suddenly rose up and scattered into dozens of sword lights.

The Buddha's divine light shines everywhere!

Li Zhaoting is very fair in his dealings with people and things.

Kumārajīva has a bottom line; we can spare his life.

These assassins had no scruples; they rewarded each of them with a single sword strike, and with a flash of light, heads fell to the ground.

Meanwhile, the leader of the assassins who lured Xiao Feng away was blocked by Shaolin monks. Kong Wen led the monks to surround all the intersections, and all they could see were white wax trees.

"Show your true colors!"

Xiao Feng used the Dragon-Capturing Hand technique to remove the Azure Dragon mask.

Beneath the mask was a familiar face.

The high monk guarding the Sutra Repository: Mu Chan!
(End of this chapter)