Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 40 Showing off in public, coughing up blood in private
"Whoosh whoosh!"

Three invisible sword energies ripped through the air, emitting sharp, ear-piercing explosions, followed by a cracking sound as the beams and pillars were severed by the sword energies, and half of the palace collapsed.

Previously inside the main hall, Li Zhaoting did not want to harm the innocent, and Kumārajīva wanted to maintain the demeanor of a high monk, so both of them held back and only used six or seven tenths of their strength in their fight.

Now that the palace has collapsed, the two leaped up, as free as fish in the sea and birds in the sky, releasing their full power without reservation, their sword energy and blade light shining brightly together.

Li Zhaoting's right hand's five fingers formed a white cloud emerging from the mountain peak, his left little finger suddenly appeared, and the remaining four fingers defended.

The sword energy is extremely refined and pure, with thousands of variations, showcasing the wonder of swordsmanship, the beauty of its moves, the brilliance of its transformations, and the profound mystery of martial arts to the fullest extent.

Kumārajīva slashed horizontally and vertically with his right hand, while his left hand formed a half-formed mudra, using mantras and hand seals to enhance his moves. Buddha's light shone behind him, and faint chanting of Buddhist hymns came from the horizon.

Ben and the others were completely stunned.

What did Li Zhaoting eat to grow up?

How can someone so young be so amazing?

Where did he learn the Six Meridians Divine Sword?
Ben asked, "Yu'er, when did Li Zhaoting see the sword manual? Do you know his lineage? This concerns the Duan family's heritage, so we cannot be careless."

Duan Yu carefully explained, "Brother Li doesn't use the Six Meridian Divine Sword. It's a sword-finger technique created by his master based on the name Six Meridian Divine Sword."

"Who is his master?"

"A crazy old man."

"Have you seen it?"

"I've seen it before. In Wanjie Valley, the old man forced me to learn this sword finger technique. I only remember a part of it. I learned this martial art when Brother Li treated my illness."

Why did he teach you martial arts?

According to Brother Li, this senior's greatest hobby was to force people to do things they didn't want to do; the more someone didn't want to learn martial arts, the more he would force them to teach him.

Can you draw his face?

"I can draw part of it."

Is Li Zhaoting from Dali?

His father settled in Dali.

Li Zhaoting's background is completely public, without any concealment, and can be easily investigated.

Despite being sentenced to exile in Lingnan, Li Nanxing was actually the most innocent person. He was punished for his words, not for corruption, bribery, or murder.

When Zhao Zhen ascended the throne, Empress Liu ruled from behind the curtain, and Li Nanxing was not the only minister who was punished for this. As Zhao Zhen grew older, most of them were promoted back!
These are all loyal ministers of the emperor!

Whether someone is guilty depends on the nature of their crime!

If Li Zhaoting wanted to participate in the imperial examination, he would definitely have been given the green light during the identity verification process.

Duan Zhengchun had already investigated these matters; otherwise, how could he have allowed Duan Yu and Li Zhaoting to become friends?

How could the Prince of Zhennan only know how to pick up girls?

"Benefactor Li, your swordsmanship is excellent. If I wish to defeat you, this humble monk will have to use my full strength. Behold my Great Vajra Wheel Seal!"

The finger combination method of Kumārajīva is the same as before: bring the thumbs together, hook the middle fingers back, and wrap them around the index fingers. This is the "Bing" character formula in the Nine Syllable Mantra.

Soldiers: Subdue inner demons and eliminate external evil spirits.

The hand seal was released, and the blade's energy whistled through the air.

Kumārajīva's Flaming Blade can be viewed as either a palm technique or a blade technique. It uses "palm blade" to injure people, and its essence is an invisible blade energy that has no color.

The flashy, flaming greatsword serves two purposes: to display power and absolute confidence, and to guide the enemy's movements. It is often used in martial arts duels and sparring.

At this moment, the two fought with real intensity. Kumārajīva unleashed his most powerful skills, discarding all the flashy and showy tricks.

Li Zhaoting was completely absorbed in the swordsmanship. The invisible sword energy was sometimes ancient and simple, sometimes swift and fast, sometimes with earth-shattering power, and sometimes became elusive.

The swordplay moves sometimes resemble a gentle breeze rustling willows and scattering green leaves, sometimes a thousand-foot-tall bamboo piercing the clouds, sometimes a babbling brook with a gentle breeze and bright moon, and sometimes a deep pool in the forest reflecting a serene light.

Five years of rigorous swordsmanship training, under the pressure of Kumārajīva, merged into a unified whole through sudden enlightenment, making the swordsmanship increasingly gentle and harmonious, like all rivers flowing into the sea.

Kumārajīva used the Immovable King Seal to stabilize his mind, the Great Vajra Wheel Seal to launch a fierce attack, the Inner Lion Seal to restore his true energy, the Outer Binding Seal to observe Li Zhaoting's weaknesses, the Inner Binding Seal to harmonize his chaotic energy, and the Wisdom Fist Seal to forcefully break through the dense rain of swords, but he was always pushed back.

The strongest Sun Wheel Seal and Treasure Vase Seal consume too much of one's essence, energy, and spirit, and should not be used lightly. Otherwise, even if one defeats Li Zhaoting, one will be exhausted.

Kumārajīva came to seize the sword manual, and he kept talking about sparring, but he was worried that the old monks of Tianlong Temple would gang up on him, randomly strike his pressure points, and tear him apart with their swords.

At this point in the battle, victory or defeat is no longer important.

Kumārajīva was, after all, a great monk of his generation. Even if his greed for martial arts clouded his mind, he was still a virtuous and accomplished monk.

Since we can't take the sword, we might as well enjoy the battle.

Once this thought is in mind, relax your mind.

With the left hand, the Nine Syllable Mantra mudra is repeated in a circular motion; with the right hand, the Flaming Blade moves swiftly and decisively; the mantra is chanted, and the Six Syllable Mantra is captivating, leaving one deeply moved.

For a moment, Tianlong Temple was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the whooshing sounds of sword energy and blade light remaining.

Ben and the others held their breath and focused intently.

Suddenly realizing that Li Zhaoting was about to be defeated, Li Zhaoting unleashed a surprising move, breaking through Kumārajīva's sword energy.

Suddenly realizing that there was nowhere left for Kumārajīva to retreat, he formed hand seals, his boundless fighting spirit surging forth. The stronger Li Zhaoting's swordsmanship became, the stronger the feedback blade energy became.

As the saying goes, those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly.

The old monk watching the fight was no ordinary person, and there was also a seasoned expert like Duan Yanqing. However, even Duan Yanqing could not figure out the moves.

He pondered the two men's moves, and by the time he figured it out, twenty or thirty moves had already passed.

Suddenly, Li Zhaoting's eyes widened, and he drew his right index and middle fingers together to form a sword. He unleashed both swords simultaneously, and the clumsy and ancient sword energy fell from the sky, stirring up a howling wind.

Kumārajīva clasped his hands together, his fingers touching each other, his middle finger wrapped around his index finger, pressing them flat, while his thumb, ring finger, and little finger were raised and joined together.

This is the "Outer Lion Seal," a "fighting" mantra, signifying courage and determination, and the ability to generate fighting spirit even when faced with difficulties.

With a rub of his hands, the invisible blade of light transformed into thunder.

"Boom!"

The energy of the blades and the light of the swords clashed violently.

Sand and gravel flew everywhere, the ground cracked, and the cracks spread in all directions like a spider web. The walls exploded with a roar, and the back garden of Tianlong Temple was reduced to ruins by the force of the explosion.

Kumārajīva and Li Zhaoting stood facing each other.

Behind the two were large fan-shaped marks, with all the flowers, grass and trees flattened, leaving only dust and smoke.

"Your Majesty's skills are truly impressive; I admire you!"

"There are few in the world who can fight this humble monk to a draw. You truly are a young hero. Perhaps in ten years, the title of Sword Master will change hands." "Shall we continue?"

"Today I have witnessed the power of the Six Meridians Divine Sword. I am extremely fortunate. How could I dare to ask for the secrets of the sword manual?"

Having said that, Kumārajīva left very decisively.

The Tibetan guards escorted Kumārajīva as they left Tianlong Temple, beating drums and gongs. Just as they reached the mountainside, Kumārajīva clutched his chest and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Fortunately, Kumārajīva was riding in a sedan chair, and the Tibetan guards regarded him as a god, so they dared not lift the curtain to peek at him.

Kumārajīva sealed two acupoints, took out healing pills from his bosom, swallowed a few, and used his esoteric Buddhist techniques to recover from the damage. His eyebrows and the corners of his eyes twitched slightly.

Both Dalun Temple and Shaolin Temple are Buddhist temples.

Esoteric Buddhism and Zen Buddhism are both Buddhist sects.

However, their philosophies are completely different.

Buddhist martial arts originate from Buddhist teachings, and since Buddhist concepts are completely different, the principles of martial arts are naturally very different as well.

Shaolin martial arts combine Zen and martial arts, emphasize both internal and external cultivation, advocate sudden enlightenment, solidify the foundation, and progress step by step.

During martial arts training, Buddhist teachings should be used to neutralize the malevolent energy within the techniques. Otherwise, over time, this malevolent energy will entangle the practitioner, and even with a strong foundation, it will be difficult to escape going astray and becoming possessed by evil spirits.

If one obtains a secret manual and practices it haphazardly, focusing only on martial arts and neglecting Buddhist teachings, one will inevitably suffer a backlash from the mental cultivation method.

In mild cases, it can cause injuries and illnesses all over the body; in severe cases, it can cause severed meridians.

Tantric martial arts emphasize the states of body, speech, and mind, focusing on visualization and hand mudras. They are very practical, and many of their mental techniques are pursued to extremes, which can lead to a desire for quick success and instant benefits.

Kumārajīva's martial arts foundation was the Tantric Buddhist mental techniques. After obtaining Shaolin's ultimate skills from Murong Bo, he coveted their power and practiced them day and night, accumulating injuries and illnesses.

Kumārajīva possessed a solid foundation and profound internal strength, which was not apparent in ordinary times. However, once he fought against a powerful enemy, his true energy was severely depleted, or he suffered serious internal injuries, causing his true energy circulation to become blocked and sluggish, resulting in difficulty breathing.

It's still light.

In the original story, Kumārajīva also practiced the Taoist Lesser Formless Skill, possessing the internal energy cultivation methods of the Chan, Tantric, and Taoist schools. It would be strange if something went wrong!
Kumārajīva took a few deep breaths, used the Acala Mudra to suppress his inner demons, and focused on healing his injuries.

So, where did Bodhidharma go?

Did he manage to steal the Heavenly Wrath Sword?

Kumārajīva was obsessed with martial arts secrets and didn't care about divine weapons. In Kumārajīva's view, practicing martial arts was about strengthening one's essence, energy, and spirit, and relying on external things would lead to a lower level of skill.

Furthermore, the mystical legends surrounding the Heavenly Wrath Sword are even more fantastical than myths. Kumārajīva doesn't believe that a single sword could cause so many casualties. Even if the Heavenly Wrath Sword was Bai Qi's personal sword, what does that prove? Bai Qi conquered battlefields through military strategy, battle formations, and strict discipline, not through a mere vicious sword.

Historical records state that Bai Qi was given a death sentence by imperial decree.

Many long-standing sects have records in their ancient texts stating that Bai Qi was assassinated by their ancestors.

Kumārajīva did not believe any of these things!
Trying to extort money from ancient people is just a way to glorify yourself.

Which sect hasn't done this kind of thing?

Knowing that his injuries would not fully heal in a short time and fearing assassination by the enemy, Kumārajīva dared not leave Dali and sent a letter to the Dali government directly.

Going to Tianlong Temple to ask for the secret manual was a private matter.

The letter from the State Council pertains to the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Kumārajīva held an extremely high position in Tibet, and several princes were his disciples. When Kumārajīva presented a letter to the Tibetan government, representing Tibet on a diplomatic mission to Dali, Duan Zhengming could not possibly refuse to acknowledge it.

Li Zhaoting knew nothing about this.

The matter of sending the princess away will be put on hold for now.

Duan Zhengming has not yet made a decision.

All other rewards were sent to the Li family.

A ginseng plant that is 5,000 years old.

A jade flute carved from warm, sun-facing jade.

The famous zither from the Tang Dynasty, "Nine Heavens Jade Pendant".

The Thirty-Six Swords of Ailao Mountain

Bamboo Shadow Swaying Sword Technique

Sunflower Acupuncture Technique

Purple Mansion Divine Flute

Blood-Transforming Blade

Ginseng is the king of tonics. A thousand-year-old ginseng can bring the dead back to life and heal bones. A five-thousand-year-old ginseng is even more potent than the Three-Rank One-Finger Divine Skill. The highest level, the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Ginseng King, only exists in ancient records.

Using 5,000-year-old ginseng to refine elixirs, one can refine both healing pills and miraculous elixirs to enhance one's cultivation level. Approximately twenty-five elixirs can be refined.

The Nine Heavens Jade Pendant was for Feng Suzhen.

The jade flute was for Li Zhaoting.

Both of them are skilled in musical instruments.

The two sword manuals are of different styles: one is fierce and ruthless, while the other is exquisite and unparalleled. The "Bamboo Shadows" manual, in particular, is said to have originated from the "Goddess Sword of Yue" during the Spring and Autumn Period.

The Sunflower Acupuncture Technique originated from the Sunflower Sect. A disobedient disciple of the Duan family secretly joined the Sunflower Sect and became an elder, holding a high position within the sect.

The Purple Mansion Divine Flute is a set of "flute techniques" whose main methods are acupoint striking and striking, and whose moves are exquisite and unparalleled.

The Blood-Transforming Blade is a poison technique; it doesn't absorb fresh blood, but rather uses poison to corrode the enemy's body into a dried-up corpse. It's clearly a demonic martial art, yet it comes from a great hero.

In fact, the Pure Yang Qi, the Purple Mansion Divine Flute, and the Blood Transformation Blade all originated from the same martial arts master.

This person lived more than a hundred years ago. His father was from the Manchu Qing dynasty, his mother was a Han Chinese from the Central Plains, and his wife was from the Liao dynasty. He was known as the "Sanhe Yishi" (Three Harmonies Hermit).

The hermit of Sanhe was dedicated to maintaining peace on the border. To this end, he took in three disciples: one from the Manchu Eight Banners, one from the Central Plains Han Chinese, and one from the Liao Dynasty. He hoped that his fellow disciples would love each other and work together to uphold the ideal of peace.

Later, it failed!

One person's strength cannot stop ambition.

Only five or six exquisite martial arts techniques have been passed down.

Times change, and the world transforms.

These secret manuals fell into the hands of the Duan family of Dali.

It has to be said that Duan Zhengchun has been having affairs with many people over the years and has brought back quite a few interesting things!

Perhaps these are all his gains!
(End of this chapter)