Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 402 A Lion Among Dragons, Li Shengnan's Elders

Li Zhaoting sat at the bow of the boat fishing.

Zhu Datianwang's Blackwater Giant Ship was truly luxurious. In order to convert this ship into a seagoing vessel, the Eagle Sect had hundreds of craftsmen repair it for a year and a half, spending seventy to eighty thousand taels of silver.

The Blackwater Giant Ship was originally an inland waterway vessel, and it was somewhat inadequate to face the waves of the open sea. It needed to be reinforced and a large number of craftsmen needed to be recruited.

The Sky Eagle Cult, which operates in the maritime business, is very familiar with these matters. They not only helped with the modifications for free, but also generously provided crew members, cooks, helmsmen, and navigators.

Sailors enjoy going to sea with martial arts masters.

In this era, going to sea is a gamble with one's life. Even a thirty-year veteran sailor can die in a tsunami. Following a martial arts master greatly increases the chances of survival.

There is a "hidden need" here.

Each time the Sky Eagle Cult fleet sets sail, it is equipped with two special martial artists: one proficient in the Frost Palm and the other in the Fiery Palm. They are responsible for distilling water.

By circulating Yin and Yang Qi, the salty seawater can be transformed into drinkable freshwater, which greatly saves space for storing freshwater and significantly increases profits.

There is another point.

Storing fresh water at sea is extremely difficult.

Freshwater is easily contaminated by microorganisms and can spoil.

Why did medieval pirates like to drink rum?
Because pirates used wooden barrels to store fresh water, after ten or fifteen days at sea, the water tasted no different from a stinking ditch.

Rum is a cheap spirit made from sugarcane bagasse. It can be stored for a long time, at least during its time at sea, and will not spoil.

For pirates, rum offered the benefits of antibacterial properties, sugar, alcohol, and fatigue relief, and most importantly, it was very inexpensive, quickly gaining their favor.

This stuff is basically like corn stalk liquor!

The taste is far inferior to that of fine wine, but this stuff is cheap, making it much better value for money than fine wine!

Martial arts masters don't have this kind of trouble.

Martial arts have long been developed for civilian use.

Use distilled water with Yin-Yang True Qi when going out to sea.

In summer, one can use the Ice Palm technique to freeze water into ice.

In winter, people use the "Fiery Palm" to start a fire for warmth.

Some people even use internal energy to cook. Without master-level internal strength, what kind of top-level chef are they?
Because fresh water is so precious, people who go out to sea for long periods of time cannot take a bath and end up smelling terrible. Even the most beautiful woman in the world would become a smelly heroine.

Li Zhaoting can perfectly solve this problem.

Once the Yin-Yang Qi circulates once, it can produce a large basin of fresh water, enough for one person to supply a whole boatload of fresh water.

Martial arts, internal energy, can change your life!

The fleet's destination was the island where Qiao Beiming lived in seclusion.

When Qiao Beiming fought Zhang Danfeng, he knew that Zhang Danfeng was a gentleman and would not damage the enemy's body. So he took a fake death drug in advance, pretended to be seriously injured and died, and asked his disciple Li Kangtian to take his "corpse" out to sea.

Qiao Beiming fled to a deserted island at sea, pondering how to deal with Zhang Danfeng. Even as he grew old and frail, he still couldn't come up with a solution, only managing to come up with three unorthodox tricks.

Qiao Beiming, who was old and frail, was unable to withstand the storms of the sea. Just then, a merchant was shipwrecked and stranded on a deserted island. The merchant had no interest in martial arts, but he agreed to spread the word about the incident.

Qiao Beiming helped him build a raft, and the merchant left the deserted island using Zhang Cuishan's method of drifting.

The scroll that Li Zhaoting obtained at Di Qinglin's residence was actually Qiao Beiming's last will and testament.

This object points directly to Qiao Beiming's tomb.

Some people are asking, if Qiao Beiming can't even withstand storms, how could he build himself a mausoleum?
The tomb was built when Qiao Beiming was healthy. It was originally Qiao Beiming's bedroom. Qiao Beiming had superb martial arts skills and comprehended the Dao of Heaven and Man. He could sense that his lifespan was coming to an end.

Realizing that his life was nearing its end, Qiao Beiming entered the deepest part of the palace and sealed off all the mechanisms.

Outsiders must pass the test of the mechanism and find Qiao Beiming's coffin in order to obtain the secret manual.

The ancestors of the Li family sent people to search for them many times.

Li Shengnan's grandfather's generation was lucky enough to find the deserted island. One stayed behind to find the secret manual, while the other returned to report the news. Before the whole family could set sail, the Li family was wiped out by Meng Shentong.

This matter has thus become a murky affair.

Li Shengnan learned some of the information from her mother.

As a direct disciple of Yu Luosha, Li Shengnan was not lacking in martial arts manuals. She practiced several parts of the "Great Compassion Ode of the Intercourse of Heaven and Earth" passed down by the sect leader.

However, this was the obsession of the Li family's ancestors.

As a descendant of the Li family, I must find the secret manual.

Li Shengnan obtained the merchant's nautical notes through various means, and already had the scroll recording the mechanism diagrams. With the addition of the Blackwater Giant Ship, she was determined to find Qiao Beiming's treasure, the Asura Yin Sha Gong, the Hundred Poisons True Scripture, and the profound truth of the unity of good and evil and the indestructible Vajra that Qiao Beiming had comprehended.

Li Zhaoting was fishing at the bow of the boat.

Li Shengnan stayed by Li Zhaoting's side.

Lan Fenghuang and Jiang Yuyan rested in the cabin.

The two had never experienced the waves of the sea before, and some of them felt dizzy and vomited while eating. However, their symptoms were not as severe as Lu Xiaofeng's, and they would get used to it after a few days.

Going to sea is a cycle of excitement, then monotony, and finally torment. At first, the sea seems boundless, expansive, and breathtakingly beautiful. But after a few days at sea, the excitement fades, and the mundane days gradually turn into torment, sometimes even leading to anticipation of pirates.

Li Zhaoting smiled wryly: "How boring! I've heard there are many brothels at sea, I really want to go and see them!"

Li Shengnan retorted, "What 'money pit'? You're just thinking about girls. Lan Fenghuang is unwell, and Jiang Yuyan is weak. You're just getting impatient!"

Li Zhaoting held Li Shengnan in his arms: "With Shengnan by my side, how could I think about these things?"

Li Shengnan gave Li Zhaoting a disapproving look.

The battlefield can get people's blood pumping.

After Li Zhaoting fought fiercely on the battlefield, resulting in a bloodbath and a bitter victory, followed by a joyous feast, things should have been quite exciting for Li Shengnan. She was even more excited than Li Zhaoting.

Unexpectedly, Li Zhaoting managed to hold back.

Li Zhaoting's beautiful wife and concubines were in excellent health, and their ability to resist such things made Li Shengnan wonder if she wasn't attractive enough. She looked down at her chest and then raised her flawless white feet, quickly drawing a conclusion.

— Li Zhaoting is playing hard to get!
— Li Zhaoting is waiting for me to take the initiative. If I can't hold back, won't I be at his mercy for life?
Eight days at sea passed uneventfully, but Li Zhaoting was indeed seething with anger, while Li Shengnan was even more furious. The two tacitly agreed to tease each other every day.

The sailors pretended not to see it.

The Eagle Cult is not a benevolent group; they are always looking around with their eyes raised, making them easy targets for elimination.

More than half a month passed uneventfully. Just when Li Zhaoting was thinking of going out to sea to catch fish, according to the nautical log, he had already reached the target sea area.

As they continued their journey, they came to see an island.

"Found it! We found it!"

Li Zhaoting jumped up and down excitedly, while Li Shengnan's face was full of excitement. The Li family's century-old wish had finally been fulfilled at this moment. The only question was whether the second grandfather who had stayed on the island was still there and whether he had found the treasure.

The sailors maneuvered the giant blackwater ship to shore, and just as they approached the island, they heard a beastly roar.

Li Zhaoting said, "We'll go scout ahead first. You stay on the ship and land on the island when we hear the signal. There are many wild beasts on this island, and there's also a sulfurous smell."

"As you wish! May your wish be fulfilled, Master Li!"

The sailors bowed to Li Zhaoting.

Lan Fenghuang and Jiang Yuyan were familiar with the rough seas and were in much better health. Jiang Yuyan stayed on the ship, but it was always best to be cautious. If any of the sailors were members of the Green Dragon Society and were ordered to exile Li Zhaoting, then they would be doomed!
Li Zhaoting, Li Shengnan, and Lan Fenghuang landed on the island.

Two were responsible for clearing the way, and one was responsible for testing for drugs.

After arranging everything, there was time to observe the island where Qiao Beiming was living in seclusion. This island was not a deserted island; it was lush and verdant, with abundant flowers and trees, and teeming with wild animals.

As far as the eye can see, there are many wildflowers, as bright as clouds, but their fragrance is quite strange, seemingly carrying a hint of blood. Looking up, there is a mountain on the island, its top as red as blood, barren of any vegetation, and the wind carries a slight smell of sulfur. The trees on the island are quite tall, layer upon layer, forming a dark, dense forest.

The roars of beasts often echoed through the dense forest.

It wasn't the roar of a lion, tiger, or bear, but a roar even more ferocious and brutal than that of a lion or tiger.

Sailors would never dare to enter such a deserted island or dense forest. Before Li Zhaoting gave the order, they were worried that he would send them ahead to "clear minefields".

The three jumped off the deck. Li Zhaoting reached out and touched the ground, feeling the tremors. He frowned and ordered in a deep voice, "Don't stray too far from me."

"Li Lang, is this island strange?"

Lan Fenghuang took Li Zhaoting's left arm. Li Zhaoting nodded: "This is a volcanic island. The island's ley lines are filled with molten lava. The volcano in the center of the island is an extinct volcano. Unless it is violently stimulated, it will not erupt, thus sealing the geothermal heat on the ground."

"What's the big deal?"

Li Shengnan casually took Li Zhaoting's right arm, but then realized that Li Zhaoting would need to use his right arm to defend himself in case of danger. Putting the three of them in danger just to spite Lan Fenghuang was inappropriate, so she changed her position and Li Zhaoting put his arm around her waist.

"The structure of this island is very strange. If we consider the surrounding sea area as human tissue, this island is the dantian, where the vital energy of hundreds of miles gathers."

The island is covered with tall plants and fierce wild animals, forming a unique ecological structure that can even breed exotic beasts. The roar just now was most likely from one of the island's exotic beasts.

Phoenix, this unique island, though not comparable to the desert hills, is still a rare and wonderful experience.

Release the Golden Silkworm Gu.

This place is teeming with delicacies from the Golden Silkworm Gu.

Don't miss the opportunity to be nurtured by nature.

Li Zhaoting glanced at the jungle a few times, then led the two women into the island. After walking two or three miles, they suddenly heard a beast's roar, which sounded like thunder but was not thunder. It was as if someone in the sky was beating a big drum, mixed with a loud, piercing scream, majestic and extremely ear-piercing!
Li Zhaoting, with his arms around the two women's slender waists, floated lightly up to a large banyan tree and sat on a branch to observe.

A fierce wind arose, all the beasts fled in terror, and tigers roared and monkeys howled.

A large group of wild beasts were seen fleeing for their lives. At the front was a spotted leopard, followed by lions and tigers, all jostling and trampling each other.

A monster is chasing these beasts.

The monster looks like a lion, but it is much taller and stronger than a lion. Its forelimbs are very long, its whole body is covered with steel needle-like hair, and its belly is covered with scales.

The monster ran incredibly fast and quickly caught up with the last tiger. With a roar, the majestic king of beasts cowered like a mouse before a cat, and the monster swung its claw, slapping the tiger's head open. It then grabbed the tiger's neck and began to tear it apart, quickly ripping its intestines open.

Lan Fenghuang was horrified, and Li Shengnan trembled slightly. They both leaned into Li Zhaoting's arms. Li Zhaoting said softly, "It's alright. It's just a mutated lion. It can't stop my Purple and Green Twin Swords."

"Li Lang, what is a mutated lion? Since this monster is a lion, why does it eat lions?"

"This monster is called the Golden-haired Suanni. The Suanni is one of the nine sons of the dragon. It is the child of a dragon and a lion. The Golden-haired Suanni is a dragon-lion, and it looks like a crescent moon."

"Crescent Moon? Red Hare?"

"Among horses, the dragon breed is called Red Hare; among lions, the dragon breed is called Suanni; the Golden-haired Suanni is a descendant of Suanni, and it likes to eat the internal organs of lions and tigers. Its roar can command all beasts."

After a pause, Li Zhaoting added, "This golden retriever is a pet; there are traces of human activity on the island."

Li Shengnan said, "That's right! The Golden-haired Suan uses the 'Yin-Yang Claw' to hunt tigers. This is one of the most skilled techniques of Master Qiao. This monster was either raised by Master Qiao, raised by an ancestor of the Li family, or someone else got there first and found the martial arts manual."

Lan Fenghuang asked, "Li Lang, what should we do?"

"An old horse knows the way, and so do monsters. I injured the golden-haired lion, and it will definitely seek help from its master. Once it finds its master, it can find the island map."

As he spoke, Li Zhaoting leaped down and landed in front of the golden-haired lion. The lion stared intently at Li Zhaoting, its sharp teeth, stained with blood, emitting a foul stench.

"Roar~~"

With a roar, the golden-haired lion leaped into the air.

"Roar~~"

Li Zhaoting formed the Vajra Wheel Mudra with both hands and used the Lion's Roar to counterattack the Golden-haired Suan. The sound waves solidified into a tangible form, and a phantom of a lion more than two zhang tall materialized behind him. The golden lion was majestic and domineering, and it swatted the Golden-haired Suan away with one paw.

The golden-haired lion is strong and robust, with powerful strength and thick skin, making it no less than a top-notch martial arts master.

In the original storyline, the experts who went to the island to search for treasure were terrified by the Golden-haired Suan. Jin Shiyi was slightly stronger than the Golden-haired Suan due to his superior weaponry, while Li Shengnan was no match for the Golden-haired Suan.

When the two golden-haired lions attacked together, even Meng Shentong had to retreat. If it weren't for the intense yin energy of the Asura Yin Sha Gong, Meng Shentong might have been bitten to death.

From the perspective of mythical beasts, Crescent Moon and Old Wine are of normal quality, while Golden-haired Suan, Divine Eagle, and White-faced Ape are ferocious and auspicious beasts, and are extremely rare.

Golden Retrievers are very intelligent. They observe their owners practicing martial arts and learn martial arts moves. With sharp teeth and claws, they are fierce and violent. They don't need internal energy; they only need to exert all their strength to attack, and they are equivalent to a first-class master. Their physical advantages are too great!

Li Zhaoting unleashed another Lion's Roar, then transformed his true energy into Yin energy, raising his hand to deliver a Frost Palm. The Golden-haired Suan shivered, and just as it was about to retaliate, Li Zhaoting struck again, the chill penetrating deep into its muscles and blood vessels.

A normal person would have been frozen solid by those two blows from Li Zhaoting, but the golden-haired lion was not only unharmed, it was even able to retaliate with its claws, though its speed was slightly reduced.

Li Zhaoting swiftly turned and delivered another palm strike.

"Clap clap clap!"

The golden-haired lion was struck seven or eight times by the icy palms, its fur covered in frost. Fear flashed in its eyes, and it hurriedly ran into the depths of the jungle. Li Zhaoting leaped up a tree, grabbed the two women by the waist, and chased after the golden-haired lion closely.

Occasionally, he would unleash a frost finger strike, which would frighten the golden-haired lion so much that it dared not linger and fled all the way back to the core of the island.

"Who dares to hurt my pet!"

A savage man, around forty or fifty years old, covered in tattered animal skins, with messy hair and rough hands and feet, swung over, clinging to a vine. His speech was incoherent, but Li Zhaoting, through a combination of guesswork and deduction, managed to understand what he meant and, at the same time, guessed his identity.

This man is named Li Pangui. He is the son of Li Shengnan's second grandfather, who was left on the island. When the two brothers found this island, one went home to report the news, while the other stayed on the island to guard the treasure, and they have been guarding it for decades.

He thought he would die of old age, but then a merchant ship sank and a woman drifted ashore.

Second Grandfather married her and they had a son named Li Pangui. He hoped that the descendants of the Li family would come to the island to pick him up. However, the Li family had been having a series of misfortunes and had not been able to assemble a fleet of ships for decades. When they finally managed to buy a ship, the entire family was wiped out by Meng Shentong.

In the end, the second grandfather died far from home, and Li Pangui lived on the island with his mother. His mother taught him how to speak, behave, and practice martial arts, and he had never seen any outsiders.

Li Pangui grew up on an island. He was simple-minded and had no worldly concerns. He focused on practicing martial arts, fighting wild beasts, and honing his skills. He had already cultivated the Asura Yin Sha Gong to the peak of the seventh level. Unfortunately, the Asura Yin Sha Gong had the risk of going into demonic possession, so he dared not break through to the eighth level.

A breakthrough that leads to qi deviation and certain death is inevitable.

Without breaking through, guarding the treasure is just wasting time.

Li Pangui had only one wish: that another shipwreck would occur in the vicinity, bringing a woman so that he could have offspring and prevent the Li family line from dying out.

Upon seeing the arrival of the strangers, Li Pangui immediately used the identification method her parents had taught her to check her body and confirmed that the other party was one man and three women. Li Pangui was overjoyed.

"Who are you? Are you members of the Li family?"

Li Shengnan stepped forward: "My name is Li Shengnan, the granddaughter of Li Bozi. If I'm not mistaken, you are the son of Li Zhongzi. Is Li Zhongzi still alive?"

"My father died long ago! Are you really a member of the Li family? Why are you so late? Did something happen at home?"

"I'm the only one left in the Li family!"

"Who did it?"

"I killed my enemy with my own hands!"

"Well done! Well done! Follow me!"

Li Pangui had never met outsiders and was even less aware of the intricacies of the outside world. When Li Shengnan said she was a member of the Li family, he had no doubts and invited her to his home.

Li Pangui lived inside a big tree.

When Li Bozi and Li Zhongzi were searching for a secret manual on this island, they accidentally discovered a redwood tree with lush branches and leaves and a trunk that was so thick that it would take ten people to encircle it. They hollowed out part of the trunk to use it as a passage, and dug five or six stone chambers underground through twists and turns.

Li Shengnan took the initiative to open the door.

Only the Li family knew how to activate the mechanism. She didn't know the Cultivation of the Yin Sha Technique, so she could only use this method to verify her identity. Little did she know that Li Pan Gui didn't suspect her.

In some ways, Li Pangui's naivety is comparable to that of Brother Gou. Unfortunately, Li Pangui's parents are quite cunning and often teach him to be sneaky and treacherous. In addition, his frequent battles with wild beasts have instilled in him a fierce aura, making him straightforward and direct, much like a primitive wild beast.

After many twists and turns, the group arrived at the stone chamber.

Li Pangui's mother was recuperating here. She was not a Han Chinese from the Central Plains, but a Persian. She could speak Chinese, but she didn't know much about specialized Chinese vocabulary.

When Li Zhongzi married her, he was already quite old. He was worried that he would be too old to take care of his son, so he taught her martial arts. However, she was only in her twenties or thirties when she started practicing martial arts, and she didn't understand the professional terminology of martial arts. As a result, she accidentally went into a state of demonic possession.

Her situation was somewhat similar to that of Mei Chaofeng.

Paralyzed in both legs and unable to leave her seat, she used a long whip as a weapon. Upon hearing the footsteps of the crowd, the old woman swung her hand and shot out the whip, which Li Zhaoting caught with a flick of his finger.

"What do you mean by this, senior?"

Are you a member of the Li family?

"My surname is Li! My wife is from the Li family!"

As he spoke, he gently kissed Li Shengnan on the cheek.

The old woman retorted angrily, "If you say so, then so be it! Demonstrate the Asura Yin Sha Technique, or I won't believe you!"

Li Shengnan: I freaking don't know how!

(End of this chapter)