Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 386 Against the Current, Nine Appearances of the Divine Dragon Qi Shaoshang

Cangzhou, Huwei Creek, Chilian Peak.

There is a mountain stronghold here called Lianyun Village, which was founded 25 years ago and has nine chieftains.

The two founders, Lao Xueguang and Ruan Mingzheng, were both defeated soldiers during the Song-Liao War. Some members were Chu Xiangyu's personal guards, so they can be regarded as a righteous army.

Lianyun Village originally had only eight village chiefs.

Three years ago, Qi Shaoshang, known as "Nine-Appearance Divine Dragon," challenged the eight chieftains. He defended himself with only his left hand and fought them in various ways, including weapons, fists, hidden weapons, strategy, and knowledge. Qi Shaoshang won every battle and impressed the eight chieftains.

After two days of discussion, the eight chieftains elected Qi Shaoshang as the chieftain of Lianyun Village. Qi Shaoshang worked diligently and, in just three years, expanded Lianyun Village several times over.

The eight mountain strongholds occupy eight dangerous peaks, which are interlocked. They have repeatedly defended against Liao troops raiding their territory and have accomplished several major feats, earning a reputation that rivals that of Taihang Daozhai.

Li Zhaoting and his group traveled north from the capital and arrived in Cangzhou a few days later. Li Nanxing had instructed them that most of the leaders of Lianyun Village were righteous men, and they could try to recruit some of them.

To be precise, these people were not considered to have been recruited into the government.

They were originally soldiers on the frontier, but they had suffered a defeat and fled for their lives. They sought refuge in the deep mountains and forests, and their behavior was more like that of a gang than a highway robbery. They had an excellent reputation in Cangzhou.

As for the chieftain Qi Shaoshang, he is a "Nine-Appearance Divine Dragon" who has been lying dormant in the mountain stronghold accumulating strength. Once he encounters an opportunity to soar to the sky, he will surely ride the wind and transform into a dragon.

This kind of person is not someone that a bandit group can tolerate!

Qi Shaoshang needs a broader stage. He should take charge of major underworld factions like Jinfeng Xiyulou and Liufenbantang, becoming the leader of the underworld.

When Li Zhaoting and his wife visited Lianyun Village, the village could not refuse to see them. Qi Shaoshang led eight village chiefs out to greet them: "Greetings, Master Li and his wife."

Li Zhaoting smiled and said, "I have long heard of the heroic deeds of Lianyun Village in resisting the Liao Kingdom's raids. It is truly an honor for me to meet you today, sir. I am honored to meet you.

Feng Suzhen immediately followed suit and bowed.

The eight village chiefs returned the gifts respectively.

Li Zhaoting reviewed their files and matched the physical descriptions of the eight men with their descriptions.

The second chieftain, "Tiger Roars and Eagle Soars," was Lao Xueguang.

The third chieftain, Ruan Mingzheng, was known as "the strategist of the Three Kingdoms".

Mu Jiuping, the fourth chieftain of the stronghold, known as "Battlefield Wind";

The fifth chieftain, "Thousand Wolf Demon Monk" Guan Zhongyi;

The sixth chieftain, Gou Qingfeng, was described as having "red robes and green hair."

Meng Youwei, the seventh chieftain of the stronghold, known as "Golden Snake Spear";

Eighth Chieftain's "Double-Edged Soul Searcher" Manager Ma;

You Tianlong, the "Overlord Stick" leader of Jiuzhaigou;

Among them, Ruan Mingzheng served as the strategist of the mountain stronghold, guarding the main stronghold with Qi Shaoshang, while the other seven guarded the side strongholds. The eight strongholds watched over and helped each other, forming a Bagua formation.

Some of these chieftains were newcomers, while others were Chu Xiangyu's personal guards. In other words, they were also Li Nanxing's old subordinates. Ruan Mingzheng was Li Nanxing's chief clerk, staring intently at Li Zhaoting.

Qi Shaoshang said, "Hero Li killed Wanyan Jue on the Song-Liao battlefield and made great contributions to the recovery of Yanyun. How can our little fighting compare to yours?"

Li Zhaoting laughed and said, "Not at all! Within our own capabilities, we do good deeds that benefit the country and the people and help resist foreign enemies. We are no different. There are a few old heroes here who, according to seniority, are my uncles!"

Qi Shaoshang asked in surprise, "Master Li, you are joking. There is no one with the surname Li here, so where would you get uncles or elders?"

"My father, Li Nanxing, served as a military advisor to General Chu on his northern expedition more than 20 years ago. However, he was betrayed by a villain halfway through the expedition, and his entire army was wiped out. My father will find the real culprit sooner or later regarding that frame-up."

"More than twenty years have passed! Now, Commander Yang has led his troops to defeat the Liao Kingdom and recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. Even if there is a great blood feud, what can't be overcome!"

Ruan Mingzheng chuckled and said, "It would be rather impolite to talk to Master Li outside the gate. We have prepared fine wine and delicacies and would like to invite Master Li into the stronghold."

"It's good that you're not afraid of my reputation!"
To be honest, I'm quite satisfied if you see me without closing the gates or unleashing a hail of arrows!

When visiting someone's home, you should not arrive empty-handed.

This is a gift for all the chieftains.

Li Zhaoting gave a wink, and Meizhu led Laojiu over. Laojiu carried nine brocade boxes on his back, nine gifts prepared according to the preferences of the nine chieftains.

What was given to Qi Shaoshang was a sword.

A precious sword named "Shuihan".

Qi Shaoshang was renowned and commanded thousands of troops, yet he lived a simple life, indulging in little luxury. He was proficient in a wide range of martial arts and knew a little about everything. He did not have a particularly suitable weapon and preferred to choose one on the spot.

Use whatever is available.

Lianyun Village is a mountain stronghold, filled with knives, spears, swords, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks; it has no shortage of weapons.

Although there are no divine weapons like the Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber or the Blood River Red Sleeve, and most of the weapons are crudely made, it's not a problem to fight. At worst, you can use your fists and feet.

Of course, if you have a divine weapon, you'd definitely prefer to use it. Besides Leng Xue and A Fei, who likes to fight with metal plates? A Fei also prefers divine weapons.

Lao Xueguang laughed loudly, "I have long heard that Master Li has a divine steed that loves to drink. I am over fifty years old and have seen thousands of troops and horses, but I have never seen such a fine horse. May I take a look? I just want to broaden my horizons."

"of course can!"

Li Zhaoting rubbed the old wine's mane.

Lao Jiu followed Lao Xueguang to the stable. Lao Xueguang prepared strong liquor, feed, and several mares. The old man was quite cunning and wanted to preserve the bloodline of his fine steeds.

Old Jiu trotted into the stable, and with a roar, all the stallions and geldings lowered their heads and began to feast on the feed and liquor. After eating and drinking their fill, they looked at the mare next to them and chose the one with the softest coat.

A horse's kidneys should not be wasted.

Using high-quality horses for breeding will weaken their physical strength, making them unsuitable as warhorses.

Aged liquor has a significant advantage in this regard.

The most prized trait of the Qilin species is its endurance.

While it can't match the speed of a short sprint, it excels at long-distance travel, enduring hardship, and working long hours – these are the hallmarks of aged liquor.

Lao Xueguang stared in disbelief.

A mount is determined by its owner.

The master was a womanizer with countless lovers, and so were his mounts. The only difference was their appearance. Li Zhaoting was as handsome as Pan An, while Lao Jiu was as ugly as a monster.

On second thought, human aesthetics and horse aesthetics are very different. Wild animals value bloodlines. The fine steeds of the Qilin breed are considered ugly in the eyes of humans, but in the eyes of a mare, they are the epitome of Song Yu and Xu Gong.

Lao Xueguang has read a few books.

Even "Master Xu of the North City" knew about it.

His knowledge surpasses that of 80% of martial arts practitioners.

Meanwhile, at the Juyi Hall of Lianyun Village, Li Zhaoting and others were drinking and eating, having a great time. After a few rounds of drinks, Li Zhaoting joked, "Chief Qi, has anyone ever told you that you look a lot like Lu Xiaofeng?"

Qi Shaoshang shook his head helplessly: "Lu Xiaofeng is a free spirit and a romantic wanderer, I can't compare!"

Li Zhaoting raised his index finger: "No, no, Chief Qi, why be modest? Lu Xiaofeng is a phoenix, soaring freely through the nine heavens. You are a nine-man dragon, a born underworld overlord, destined to become the leader of all dragons."

"You flatter me, Master Li!"

“I never praise others easily, because before the Jiazi Tai Sui, my nickname was ‘Commoner Divine Physician’.”

"I have never met Lu Xiaofeng."

“You and he have completely different temperaments. The difference is not just about the two mustaches. Lu Xiaofeng is too dashing, while you like to carry burdens too much. If Lu Xiaofeng shaved his beard, he could not become the Nine-Appearance Divine Dragon. If you grew two small mustaches, you could not become four eyebrows. Dragons and phoenixes are ultimately different.”

How would Master Li evaluate himself?

"I am a human being! A carefree and happy human being!"

"I thought it was a sword immortal or a sword god!"

"The Immortal Sword? I've practiced a few moves, but I'm not good at using it! I prefer to hold the sword in my hand. I only know one move for flying sword techniques, and it always bounces back."

After finishing a jar of wine, before Qi Shaoshang could speak, Li Zhaoting took the initiative to say, "I know you are curious about the purpose of my visit to Lianyun Village. I don't like beating around the bush. I'm here today to ask you to relocate to Yanyun."

"Is Master Li here to wipe out the mountain stronghold?"

Mu Jiuping instinctively picked up the steel spear.

Li Zhaoting laughed, "I've said it before, many of the people here fought alongside my father; they're my uncles and elders. How could I lay a hand on my elders? However, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun have just been reclaimed, and there are numerous internal conflicts, countless evil spirits, bandits, and horsemen. We need heroes of the martial world to keep order and restore peace to Yanyun as soon as possible." "Master Li, you want to recruit us?"

A glint of light flashed in Ruan Mingzheng's eyes.

As a strategist, he is best suited to negotiate terms.

"If you all wish to become officials or join the army, Mr. Zhuge will certainly be willing to give me face. If you wish to establish a stronghold in Yanyun, I can provide the blueprints."

"Where is this auspicious place?"

"Of course, you can choose the location yourselves. After you've chosen it, I'll go and discuss it with Mr. Zhuge. I know a master who is skilled in civil engineering and construction, and is good at building fortified villages. Have you heard of the Paradise Tower? He designed and built it."

“Master Li, it’s hard to leave one’s homeland. We have been building our family and business in Cangzhou for over twenty years. Although Yanyun is a good place, it would be really hard to leave Cangzhou abruptly.”

"My conditions are valid at any time. Let me know when you've thought it through, and I'll help you make arrangements."

"Why are you being so polite, Master Li?"

"Because my dad lost the fight back then!"

"The defeat back then was not due to any fault of the war."

“A loss is a loss. Instead of making excuses, we should find a way to get revenge. My father failed to detect the villain's scheme in time, which is indeed a dereliction of duty.”

"We'd like to discuss this for a few days."

"Let me know when you've discussed it. I need to go to Yanyun to handle a case, and I don't have much time."

"What case?"

"The massacre of seven families!"

Li Zhaoting didn't say much. The case of the thirteen murderers was of great importance and it was not convenient to tell outsiders. Ruan Mingzheng withdrew with his pipe in his mouth, letting Qi Shaoshang negotiate the terms.

Li Zhaoting's behavior was too straightforward, and Ruan Mingzheng couldn't come up with a solution no matter how hard he tried. He could only let the smarter Qi Shaoshang take action to prevent Li Zhaoting from completely seizing control of the situation and making it impossible for them to turn the tide in just a few words.

Qi Shaoshang said, "Hero Li, I became the leader of Lianyun Village because of the people's recommendation. The brothers of Lianyun Village trusted me, and I cannot let them down."

Li Zhaoting nodded: "That's how it should be!"

Do you know why they nominated me?

"Because your abilities are superior to theirs."

This is a rather peculiar set of rules in the greenwood.

Some people treat their mountain stronghold as a private business, wanting to pass it down from generation to generation. Others, when they encounter someone more capable, will voluntarily give up their position and let the other person become the leader of the stronghold.

Ability is not only about martial arts skills, but also includes wisdom. Commanding in battle, managing the stronghold, and controlling the henchmen are all factors to consider. If someone is strong in one aspect, they can hold the position of leader. If they are strong in all aspects, the position of leader is rightfully theirs.

For example, Zhou Tong was no match for Li Zhong, so he voluntarily let Li Zhong become the chief of Peach Blossom Mountain; Deng Fei saved Pei Xuan, and seeing that Pei Xuan was more capable, he also stepped down and gave way to the more capable.

Some people are born to be "big brothers".

Qi Shaoshang is that kind of person.

As long as he joins Lianyun Village, he will become the chieftain sooner or later. He doesn't need any schemes or tricks; he just needs to demonstrate his abilities, and the brothers in the village will make the choice.

Of course, Lao Xueguang and Ruan Mingzheng voluntarily relinquished the leadership of the stronghold to Qi Shaoshang, which is quite reminiscent of the Qin and Han dynasties.

"The rules of the martial world dictate that the strongest prevails. If Master Li can defeat us, we will naturally comply."

"Could you please use a different word? I have no interest in forming sects or gangs, nor do I want to run a mountain stronghold. I sincerely invite all heroes to come to Yanyun."

"Excellent! Master Li is truly magnanimous! Master Li's martial arts are superb and his swordsmanship is divine. If we were to face him head-on, we would have no chance of winning. Madam Li has the talent of a top scholar. If we were to compete in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, we would be far inferior. We would like to offer a few questions for your guidance, Master Li and his wife."

"Sure! Please give me a question!"

The martial arts skills of the leaders of Lianyun Village varied greatly. Although there were only nine people, they could be divided into four or five levels, similar to the Thirteen Heroes of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, where two or three people were in a class.

The nine-person gauntlet is pure nonsense. Qi Shaoshang is a man of honor; three rounds of competition will suffice.

Since the competition was to be a three-round contest, the three with the highest martial arts skills, Qi Shaoshang, Lao Xueguang, and Ruan Mingzheng, would naturally be the ones to make their moves. After discussing among themselves for a while, Ruan Mingzheng made the first move.

"I am old and frail, and my martial arts skills are weak. I dare not compete in martial arts. Here is an incomplete ancient chess manual. If Madam Li can solve the problem within half an hour, I will willingly admit defeat. I wonder if Madam Li would be willing to accept the challenge?"

"Mr. Ruan, please show us the ancient score!"

"Madam Li, please!"

Ruan Mingzheng, that old rascal, is good at playing dirty tricks. When a normal person hears an ancient chess manual, they subconsciously think it is a chess manual left by a Go master. Solving the chess manual in half an hour sounds like a fantasy, but the art of Go has never been interrupted. Each generation is better than the last. Many chess manuals that the ancients could not even dream of solving have long been solved by later generations.

Chess scores are the last thing you should "revere"!

The term "reverence for antiquity" indicates a break in the project's lineage.

With Feng Suzhen's abilities, even if Ruan Mingzheng were to pull out the Zhenlong Chess Game, she could quickly find a solution.

Unexpectedly, the ancient chess manual that Ruan Mingzheng took out was not Go, but Chinese chess. Black only needed one move to checkmate Red. In other words, Red had to make every move to checkmate, not giving Black a chance to make a killing move. Red had to make moves that were both destructive and offensive, gradually eliminating Black's offensive.

Feng Suzhen smiled and said, "Mr. Ruan, the most difficult part of ancient chess manuals is not the large number of pieces in a head-to-head confrontation, but the fact that there are only a few pieces. In your ancient manual, Black has five or six killing moves, and Red is almost in a desperate situation. However, the positions of the chariot and cannon are too good. Have you ever heard of the cannon crushing cinnabar?"

"Cannon crushing cinnabar" is a common attacking method in Chinese chess. The key is the "bottom cannon". By using the chariot and cannon to check the opponent's pieces on the bottom line, all the opponent's pieces on the bottom line are captured, and the general's defense is destroyed.

After a moment's thought, Feng Suzhen said, "General Chenche."

Ruan Mingzheng revealed a smug smile. He had obtained the chess manual half a year ago and studied it diligently. He was familiar with the thousands of variations of the game. The "Cannon Grinding Cinnabar" move seemed to be able to resolve the crisis, but in reality, every move was a trap.

The two players quickly placed their pieces, and in just a few moves, Feng Suzhen cleared Ruan Mingzheng's chariot, elephant, and advisor from the bottom line. Just when Ruan Mingzheng felt victory was in his grasp, Feng Suzhen's cannon did not continue to attack. Instead, she used the position of the advisor and the opponent's horse as a support to launch a counterattack.

This sudden change caught Ruan Mingzheng off guard. He was caught off guard and fell behind step by step. Feng Suzhen moved her pieces swiftly and set up the "Iron Bolt".

One wrong move and the whole game is lost!

Looking at the unsolvable situation on the chessboard, Ruan Mingzheng resigned, slightly unwilling to accept defeat, and asked, "Madam Li, from which volume of the chess manual did you come up with this move of counter-attacking and then killing?"

Feng Suzhen smiled and said, "My husband once said that there is a common rule in chess endgames: the more obvious the solution, the more likely it is to hide a trap, and the solution is hidden in the trap."

"A trap with a solution hidden inside? Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

Ruan Mingzheng bowed respectfully and returned to his original position.

Lao Xueguang stepped forward: "Master Li, I am overestimating myself and would like to compare my skills with yours."

"How to compare?"

"I, Lao, will run thirty zhang first. I ask you, Master Li, to catch up with me within thirty counts. Use the hair ornament on my head as a marker. With your martial arts skills, Master Li, you can take the hair ornament in one move without wasting the time it takes to flick your finger."

"Mr. Lao, please!"

"Master Li, I'm running ahead!"

Lao Xueguang sprinted towards the entrance of the mountain stronghold. Just as he had run thirty zhang, Li Zhaoting flashed and stepped into the void, leaping ten zhang in one step. He lightly touched the ground with his toes and then leaped another eight or nine zhang.

Lao Xueguang's nickname was "Tiger Roar, Eagle Flying, Spirit Snake Sword," which referred to his deep internal strength, high lightness skill, and fast swordsmanship. He dared not compete with Li Zhaoting in internal strength and swordsmanship, so he could only use his lightness skill to his advantage, but he did not expect to make a fool of himself.

Li Zhaoting only needed two steps to close the thirty-zhang distance by more than half, and his speed became uniform, with each step measuring nine zhang and eight chi, as if measured with a ruler.

The highest record for a leap in the martial arts world is 15 zhang (approximately 33 meters) for Chu Liuxiang. Masters like Lu Xiaofeng and Sikong Zhaixing can leap a little over 14 zhang (approximately 9 meters). Li Zhaoting's lightness skill is slightly inferior to Lu Xiaofeng's, but he can still leap 12 or 13 zhang (approximately 6.7-7.7 meters).

The Demonic Sect's Heavenly Void and Earthly Vastness Great Void Step can be used for both short-distance sprints and long-distance raids. When raiding long distances, it can move with great strides and a steady speed, like Kuafu chasing the sun. It can condense its energy into a protective aura to reduce wind resistance and make each step steady.

Li Zhaoting's martial arts skills had long since reached the level of effortless mastery, but there was no need for him to go all out against martial artists like Lao Xueguang.

After all, he was my father's old subordinate.

You need to save face for the other party.

Qi Shaoshang was banging a gong behind him to count, but the gong was banging very fast, which was definitely not normal counting. Li Zhaoting pretended not to hear the difference and continued to chase after Lao Xueguang step by step.

When Qi Shaoshang struck the twenty-sixth time, Li Zhaoting reached out to take off his hat. Lao Xueguang circulated his true energy, trying to flick the hat away. But a flash of cold light appeared, and Li Zhaoting grabbed the hair ornament with his left hand and gently pressed it against his head.

Lao Xueguang thought to himself that his life was over, but then he realized that Li Zhaoting was using a gentle force and did not intend to hurt him.

However, this gentle force was continuous, and Lao Xueguang was able to deflect its power using three different body techniques.

What kind of weird trick is this?

(End of this chapter)