Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 401 Lu Xiaofeng, I've tricked you again this time...

For the first time, Takeo Wada felt fear.

As one of the ten great sword masters of Japan, Takeo Wada's martial arts skills surpassed those of Grandmaster Suigetsu. He had experienced countless battles and survived numerous brushes with death.

Even when facing masters like Miyamoto Musashi, Hattori Hanzo, and Yagyu Ittsuken, Wada Takeo would at most express humility, but would never show the slightest fear.

Death is death, what is there to fear?
Now, facing Li Zhaoting, whose true energy was severely depleted and whose physical strength was mostly exhausted, and the blood-stained, murderous purple and green twin swords, Wada Takeo dared not take the initiative to fight. He couldn't even withstand a single move.

This is not something that can be determined by skill, martial arts, experience, or physical condition. Li Zhaoting's condition was far inferior to that of Wada Takeo, who was well-rested and ready to fight. He had been fighting on multiple fronts continuously, acting as a firefighter who was constantly on the run, and the wear and tear was far greater than imagined.

However, with each slaying of the Japanese pirates, Li Zhaoting accumulated an unparalleled, unstoppable, demon-slaying, and merciless terrifying aura.

This aura was far too fierce and menacing, dozens of times more powerful than the Yagyu clan's God of Slaughter, One-Slash Slash.

All of Wada Takeo's life's work crumbled like paper before this overwhelming aura, unable to muster the strength to face the menacing Li Zhaoting.

Unable to even gather momentum, how could the Japanese swordsmanship, which excels in offense but not defense, possibly withstand the Purple and Green Twin Swords?
Wada Takeo's hands trembled. Although his right hand was already gripping the katana, and he exerted all his strength in his arm, he could not pull the precious sword, which he had become one with, even half an inch away.

It wasn't the sword that was resisting this battle.

Takeo Wada's sword is the cursed sword "Okitetsu," and he loves fighting and blood the most.

Gui Che couldn't wait to duel with Li Zhaoting, either to drink Li Zhaoting's blood or to devour his master.

It was Takeo Wada who resisted the fight.

Takeo Wada's subconscious was resisting the fight.

His rationality, sensibility, dignity, and honor were crushed by his survival instinct. Even if he managed to escape, his future was ruined and his martial arts spirit was completely shattered.

Is there any way to deal with Li Zhaoting?
Of course!
If we can find a top expert to fight Li Zhaoting to the death, allowing Li Zhaoting to vent his anger on the opponent, and fight him before Li Zhaoting can gather his strength again, we can gain a two- or three-point advantage.

If Higa Hanzo were alive, he could have completed this mission. Unfortunately, Higa Hanzo died, along with his twelve subordinate ninjas, all of whom perished at the hands of Peacock Feather.

Yagyu Yujiro was torn to pieces by Li Shengnan's claws.

Fujita was besieged by Lan Fenghuang and Jiang Yuyan.

Who would be willing to sacrifice their life to block this sword?
Even if he can stop them, can Takeo Wada win?
Who would be willing to give up their life for a "possibility"?
Someone can do it!
But the person who could do that was definitely not a Japanese pirate!

Li Zhaoting drew his sword and walked towards Wada Takeo, blood flowing on the ground, leaving two gruesome bloodstains.

The aura, both divine and demonic, locked onto Wada Takeo. Wada Takeo stood there, trembling all over, feeling as if he had been thrown into the deep sea, with every pore and every cell under pressure, as if to be squeezed into a lump of minced meat.

What kind of martial arts is this?
Is Li Zhaoting really human?
Li Zhaoting walked very slowly, but his back was ramrod straight. Every step he took was like a heavy hammer striking Wada Takeo's heart. Wada Takeo's heartbeat and breathing were completely controlled by Li Zhaoting's steps. His skin was squeezed into a dark purple color by the omnipresent aura. Previously, every pore was squeezed, but now it was completely blocked.

True essence, qi and blood, and sword energy wanted to flow out from the meridians and blood vessels, but they were blocked. Every pore felt constipated, and the whole body turned bluish-gray from the suffocation.

Wada Takeo was absolutely certain that when Li Zhaoting walked two zhang in front of him, his heart would be shattered by the impact of his footsteps, and his body would burst open like an inflated pig bladder.

Suddenly, a whirlwind emerged from the sea, sucking up seawater and swirling it up layer upon layer, forming two long dragons, a perfect blend of purple and green, a meeting of wind and clouds.

A force that shook heaven and earth, and moved even the gods to tears, erupted with a deafening roar, its immense power blotting out the sun and crashing down on Takeo Wada and the Japanese pirates' warships.

"Ah! I don't believe it! Open it!"

Fueled by his survival instinct, Takeo Wada finally drew his katana, a cloud of blood mist emanating from his body. His meridians and blood vessels were shattered by his own power. With his remaining strength, he unleashed a deadly strike, fusing all his life's power, blood, and sword intent into one.

This strike can split mountains and divide rivers, slay gods and immortals.

This strike was fierce, resolute, and determined to fight to the death.

With this strike, the Heavenly Demon disintegrated, and everything was reduced to ashes.

Li Zhaoting acted as if he hadn't heard.

The blade's aura swept in like a gentle breeze, barely ruffling Li Zhaoting's hair. A barely perceptible smile appeared on Li Zhaoting's face, followed by wild laughter: "Wada Takeo, before me lies the boundary; behind me, no one from the East remains. Remember this with your life!"

The purple and green swords fell simultaneously.

The sword's edge merged with the waterspout, which swept across everything, causing chaos and destruction. Takeo Wada was like an ant on a small boat. His warship was overturned by the waterspout, and its hull was shredded into pieces. The sword intent he had imbued with his life was completely obliterated by the sword's edge.

They had no power to resist whatsoever.

There was only endless, boundless, and unforgettable terror, a terror that one would never forget even in future lives. As the sword's light fell, it cleaved rivers and seas, creating a break in the flow of the sea several dozen feet above the surface.

Everyone was stunned!

Is this something that can be done by human power?
Is this an attack on martial artists, or a confrontation with a god?

"Whoosh!"

Something fell from mid-air.

It was none other than Takeo Wada's head.

Li Zhaoting wants to use these people's heads to build a Zhenhai Temple, so that the Japanese pirates will never dare to come near!

With a single sword strike, Wada Takeo was killed. The Japanese pirates no longer had a commander with a broad perspective. Although the few minor leaders could inflict some casualties, they could not pose a threat.

Having witnessed the terrifying sword energy that could cleave rivers and seas and destroy the heavens and the earth, how many would have the courage to fight? The Japanese pirates were human beings; they also had fear. They fought to the death because there was no way to escape in the naval battle. If Li Zhaoting had shouted that surrendering would spare their lives, at least 50% of the Japanese pirates would have surrendered.

Of course, Li Zhaoting doesn't need it!
To deal with the Japanese pirates, we must use strong measures to deter them.

Only killing can teach these beasts a lesson.

The Shenlong Gang disciples were inspired and thought to themselves that they had fought alongside Li Zhaoting today and witnessed his godlike and demonic swordsmanship. They were sure that they could boast about it and sit at the head table in the future, and that they could boast about it for the rest of their lives!

Those who are out in the game are best at taking advantage of favorable circumstances!

With Li Zhaoting leading the way, everyone went up side by side.

"Charge! Brothers! Slaughter all the Japanese pirates!"

Some people even chanted Li Zhaoting's slogan.

"Before me lies the boundary!"

"After my death, there will be no Japanese left."

Even Lu Xiaofeng, Li Shengnan, Lan Fenghuang and others were infected and shouted slogans. Listening to the dragon-like roar, the bloodthirsty and murderous killing machine Fujita Tsuyoshi felt fear for the first time.

Fujita Tsuyoshi is a very arrogant person.

He looked down on samurai who loved luxury and pleasure, on his parents and clan, and on the Japanese nobles who held high positions but did nothing. He believed that ascetics like himself were the future of Japan, and that once he was fully grown, he would surely be able to wield great power upon returning to Japan.

Fujita Tsuyoshi despises the Han Chinese the most. What kind of Celestial Empire is this? They are just at my mercy to slaughter.
Even though Li Zhaoting was ranked first among the Heavenly Gang and killed the Japanese martial arts master, Mizuki Taisou, Fujita Tsuyoshi still didn't think he was very impressive. "So what if you're good at fighting? What good is it if you're good at fighting alone? You need troops to survive."

Li Zhaoting taught him a lesson!
A single man with a single sword can slaughter thousands of soldiers!
Fortunately, it was a land battle. If the two sides had clashed at sea, Li Zhaoting could have destroyed the warships with his sword. Even if the number of Japanese pirates had doubled, they would have been shark food!
Fujita tried to run away.

Faced with the will to survive, his coldness, perseverance, pride, dignity, and honor seemed insignificant; all he wanted was to escape and return to Japan as quickly as possible.

Just as Fujita turned around, intending to run away, he suddenly felt an excruciating pain, followed by a sensation as if his entire body was being torn apart by millions of silkworms, and he began to hallucinate.

When Fujita tried to run away, his protective aura weakened rapidly and was bitten through by the Golden Silkworm Gu. The Golden Silkworm Gu bit him hard, and the poison flowed through his blood vessels to his whole body. Fujita collapsed to the ground, convulsing.

Jiang Yuyan leaped forward and quickly finished off the attacker.

"Crack!"

Fujita Tsuyoshi's head rolled to Lan Fenghuang's feet.

Jia Leshan, Wada Takeo, Kaga Hanzo, Yagyu Masahiro, and Fujita Tsuyoshi all died. Some of the Japanese pirates tried to escape, while others resisted stubbornly.

The Shenlong Gang disciples wouldn't miss the chance to boost their reputation and boast. They clashed head-on with the Japanese pirates, and under the cover of Li Zhaoting and others, the situation became increasingly favorable. This wasn't a direct battle; it was a one-sided massacre.

Lu Xiaofeng laughed and said, "If I had known, I wouldn't have acted so tragically. I thought I was going to die! The thought of being surrounded by a jinx instead of a beautiful and charming woman by my side when I die suddenly makes me not want to die!"

Li Zhaoting wiped the blood from his face: "Who wants to die with you, you bastard Lu? I have beautiful wives and concubines in my arms. Even if I sacrifice myself, I'll leave behind a legacy of chivalry!"

So you prefer Chu Liuxiang!

Lu Xiaofeng made a funny face, looking heartbroken.

"Don't force me to kill you on the battlefield. Instead, spend your free time reading books! Relying solely on your four eyebrows and the 'Lingxi Finger' to pick up girls will eventually backfire on you."

The two skillfully bantered, relieving the pressure of the battlefield.

Li Zhaoting waved his hand and killed three Japanese pirates.

Lu Xiaofeng's soft sword was broken, so he grabbed a weapon from the side. He was proficient in all kinds of martial arts and knew a little about every weapon. He would use whatever he could grab!
Li Shengnan was the same.

Her gloves were powerful weapons, but only suitable for martial arts duels, not for battlefield combat. Li Shengnan snatched a samurai sword and slashed wildly left and right. The Demonic Sect had the strongest swordsmanship in the world. Li Shengnan had watched the Demonic Sect disciples practice swordsmanship in her spare time and learned some of the sword moves.

When Mr. Du led his fleet back, he thought it was a scene of Japanese pirates slaughtering civilians, the defense line crumbling, and Li Zhaoting and Lu Xiaofeng fighting back to back, covered in blood. He even wrote a hymn to commemorate the heroic and chivalrous spirit of Li Zhaoting and Lu Xiaofeng.

Unexpectedly, all the Japanese pirate leaders were killed, and the pirates were routed, running around crying and screaming. Martial arts masters charged in, and the disciples of the Divine Dragon Gang finished them off.

The only thing that fits the fantasy is "tragic".

The beach was littered with the corpses of Japanese pirates.

The entire sea was stained red with blood.

The handsome Li Zhaoting and Lu Xiaofeng, and the stunningly beautiful Li Shengnan and Lan Fenghuang, were all covered in blood from the fierce battle; men and horses were both stained with blood. Sometimes Li Zhaoting and Lu Xiaofeng stood back to back, using exquisite techniques to slay the Japanese pirates and conserve their energy; other times he stood shoulder to shoulder with Li Shengnan, displaying their cunning and eloquent swordplay.

Lan Fenghuang and Jiang Yuyan couldn't get involved.

The two of them were in charge of directing the disciples of the Divine Dragon Gang.

Mr. Du breathed a sigh of relief.

The story of Hero Li and Hero Lu defending a besieged city and fighting to the death against the Japanese pirates is certainly captivating, but it would be even better if these heroes could have survived.

Especially Li Zhaoting, if he dies here, Mr. Du will probably spend the rest of his life in prison.

Not long after Mr. Du arrived, Prince Gong Jiu of the Taiping Prince's Palace arrived with his troops, and the Japanese pirates were no longer able to fight back.

The entire army is wiped out; take no prisoners!
This was Li Zhaoting's request.

Mr. Du respects Li Zhaoting's opinion.

Merchants engaged in waterborne businesses, overseas trade, and waterway transportation pooled their money to build a magnificent Zhenhai Temple to commemorate the battle.

The original plan was to sculpt a statue of Li Zhaoting, but Li Zhaoting said that living people should not enjoy incense offerings, as it would diminish their good fortune. Therefore, he had the slogans from before the war engraved on the stone tablet in the ancestral hall.

"Before me lies the boundary!"

"After I am gone, there will be no Japanese left!"

Li Zhaoting stopped paying attention to these matters and had a celebratory banquet with the Shenlong Gang disciples who had participated in the battle. Li Zhaoting was worried about being invited to banquets and being surrounded by people flattering him when he went out, so he handed over all the affairs to Lu Xiaofeng, patted his behind, and left.

"Li Zhaoting, I'm going to kill you! I'm going to empty your wine cellar! I'm going to poison you with eighty catties of croton oil!"

Lu Xiaofeng was filled with impotent rage in the inn.

At last night's celebration banquet, the Shenlong Gang disciples who had fought alongside him took turns toasting him. Lu Xiaofeng felt embarrassed to refuse, so he drank his wine in one gulp and accidentally drank a few more cups than usual.

Upon waking up, I saw a letter.

Li Zhaoting fled overnight.

He left only one letter for Lu Xiaofeng.

The letter was written in a very polite manner.

Their politeness made Lu Xiaofeng feel embarrassed to refuse.

Brother Lu:
I am shy and dislike social niceties, so I will go ahead and should be about 300 miles away now.

Several months ago, I made an appointment with my beloved to go out to sea. I wanted to invite Brother Lu to come along, but unfortunately, he gets seasick, so I had to give up the idea and asked him to stay in Fuzhou for the time being.

I have five things to tell you, my elder brother.

First, the conflict between the Divine Dragon Gang and the Phoenix Tail Gang must have been orchestrated by the Azure Dragon Society. The fish eye left behind by Yun Conglong before his death was likely intended to deceive others.

Wu Weiyang might be replaced by the Azure Dragon Society. The real Wu Weiyang is skilled in the Phoenix Tail Arrow. The elder brother could invite Wu Weiyang to go hunting, compete in archery, and test the authenticity of the pair.

Second, there are several shareholders behind Wulin Dream, not just Shi Tianwang, Jia Leshan, and Japanese pirates. They need money laundering channels. Please investigate thoroughly, brother.

Third, Wu Tieyi, the prefect of Fuzhou, is somewhat sneaky. His behavior is seven or eight parts similar to that of the Green Dragon Society. He is suspected to be the leader of the July branch. He has a group of assassins under his command, possesses a treasure, and plans to cultivate highly poisonous substances.

This person must be thoroughly investigated; we must not be careless.

Fourth, Prince Gong Jiu of the Taiping Prince's family is exceptionally skilled in martial arts. If you encounter trouble, you can consult Gong Jiu for solutions. However, if Gong Jiu harbors ill intentions, elder brother, you must not confront him directly.

Fifth, meddling in other people's business will only get you into trouble. Please be careful, brother. If you encounter any danger, you can show me the jade pendant I gave you. It is said that this item contains the Dao of Heaven and Man that can shatter the void, which should be able to intimidate a lot of people.

My younger brother's voyage will take two or three months. The rise and fall of the martial arts world in the Central Plains depends entirely on your keen insight, elder brother.

May your martial arts prowess flourish and your romantic luck be abundant!
Brother, Li Zhaoting! "

Even with a thousand rages, Lu Xiaofeng could only smile wryly and destroy the letter upon seeing such a reasonable, well-founded, humble, and polite one, and then rub his head as he investigated the case.

Having known each other for so long, this was the first time in his life that Li Zhaoting had referred to himself as his younger brother. If it weren't for the five troublesome matters he left behind, each of which was dangerous, Lu Xiaofeng would have liked to celebrate for three days.

In fact, he could indeed celebrate for three days.

This time, the imperial court achieved a great victory over the Japanese pirates, wiping out the three strongest pirate forces along the southeast coast. The heads of the pirate leaders were hung at the city gate and later enshrined in the Zhenhai Temple.

No matter how you look at it, it's a great achievement.

It was inconvenient for the imperial court to bestow rewards.

Mr. Du is the steward of the Imperial City Guard.

The Prince of Taiping was the emperor's uncle, and the uncle and nephew had a falling out.

Those who intercepted the Japanese pirates were江湖人 (jianghu people, people of the martial arts world).

Li Zhaoting fled.

What the Dragon Gang needs is a pass.

The imperial court bestowed its honor upon Lu Xiaofeng.

The celebration banquet mainly invited Lu Xiaofeng, but local merchants also extended invitations day and night. With delicious food, fine wine, and beautiful women, Lu Xiaofeng got tired of eating all the things he liked best.

Just like turning a hobby into a profession, or turning your favorite song into your alarm clock, the fragrant and mellow century-old wine tastes more sour and astringent than aged vinegar.

Not only does Li Zhaoting enjoy local snacks, but Lu Xiaofeng does too. Several wealthy men, knowing Lu Xiaofeng's preferences, prepared a traditional dish for him that he could never find outside of Fujian Road.

—Sea worm jelly!

The taste was alright before I saw the ingredients!
After seeing the ingredients, I vomited for two hours!
In just a few days, Lu Xiaofeng drank himself into a stupor, ate until his stomach refluxed, and ran faster than a rabbit when he saw a stunningly beautiful woman. When he heard someone praise him, he wished he could bury his head in the ground, too ashamed to look up.

"Li Zhaoting, I'm going to kill you!"

"Li Zhaoting, I'm going to kill you!"

"Li Zhaoting, I'm going to kill you!"

Before Lu Xiaofeng passed out from drinking, this was the last thought that echoed in his mind. He then fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up, a clever and lovely maid came and brought him a bowl of meat soup.

"Master Lu, time for your soup!"

"What kind of soup is this?"

Lu Xiaofeng looked at the meat soup listlessly.

The maid smiled and said, "Beef soup, beef soup that I cooked myself. It's fragrant and rich, nourishing yin and yang. Even if you're suffering from a lot of illnesses, drinking this soup can restore your strength."

"Oh~ what's your name?"

Lu Xiaofeng raised his eyebrows.

What is in Master Lu's hand?

"Beef soup!"

"That's right! I'll order beef soup!"

Beef Soup looked at Lu Xiaofeng with a grin.

Lu Xiaofeng took a sip and found that there was no poison in the soup. The taste was indeed fragrant, rich, and mellow.

"Whose maid are you?"

"I am the Ninth Young Master's god-sister."

"Which Ninth Prince?"

Lu Xiaofeng finished the beef soup in one gulp, put the bowl on the table, stretched, and celebrated that his strength, which had been depleted over the past three days, was now fully restored.

"Of course it is me!"

Gong Jiu stood outside the door with a smile on his face: "There are some details about the Japanese pirate invasion that I'm not clear about. I'd like to discuss them with Master Lu. Is Master Lu available now?"

"If I could have another bowl of beef soup, I'd be ready to poop anytime. I'm so damn tired!"

Lu Xiaofeng touched his sleeve, where he found the most powerful hidden weapon given to him by Li Zhaoting... the Peacock Feather.

Li Zhaoting never speaks without reason.

Li Zhaoting said that Gong Jiu's martial arts skills were very high, and told Lu Xiaofeng not to fight him head-on. In other words, Gong Jiu's martial arts skills are better than yours, so remember to find your friends to gang up on him!
Lu Xiaofeng's caution was correct.

Gong Jiu desperately wanted to kill Lu Xiaofeng.

This thought came three days ago, when Gong Jiu arrived at the battlefield and saw Li Zhaoting and Lu Xiaofeng fighting back to back, covered in blood. Their chilling killing intent and unwavering belief deeply stimulated Gong Jiu's nerves.

If it weren't for the crowds and inconvenience, Gong Jiu would have immediately knelt down and asked someone to whip him! Or he might have been unable to resist drawing his sword and stabbing the two men in the heart.

Gong Jiu is not human, he is a madman!

(End of this chapter)