Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 406 Wei Xiaobao, the Island Lord (16,000 monthly votes requested)

"Every sip and every bite is preordained! I've heard a rumor that Jade Rakshasa was afraid of his wife when he was young."

Li Zhaoting laughed and said, "The Heavenly Emperor and Earthly Empress's Great Yin-Yang Empowerment can make the skin sensitive. Don't forget, Jade Rakshasa has also practiced it. I've also heard a rumor about it."

"What rumors?"

Li Shengnan snuggled closer to Li Zhaoting, using her innate talent for being coquettish to plead sweetly.

Li Zhaoting was extremely pleased with himself and recounted the rumors he had heard from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion: "Do you know what the strongest grappling technique in the world is?"

"Heaven and Earth Annihilation Great Universe Hand!"

"I'm talking about grappling techniques, only grappling! Not including damage. Have you ever heard of a unique technique in the martial arts world called the 'Great Abandoned Child Grappling Technique'?"

"I've heard a little about it! My master said that this martial art is for freaks; normal people can't learn it!"

"Your master's assessment is absolutely correct."

Normal people cannot master the Great Abandoned Pawn Grappling Technique.

The Great Compassionate Abandonment Grappling Technique, also known as the Great Compassionate Abandonment Grappling Technique, requires a physical disability to master. One must either have a disability or be crippled!
The master who created this method was named Bu Xianzhi. After creating this method, he became a eunuch, and his personality changed drastically. He went from being a famous hero in the martial arts world to being 'childless and without descendants'.

The prophet had no son, so he could only pass on this grappling technique to his disciples. Some of his disciples died, some were crippled, and some were disabled; none of them had a normal life.

This unique skill is like a preordained curse; most practitioners of it meet a terrible end, whether they are chivalrous heroes or notorious bandits, they will suffer endless setbacks.

His wife and children were separated from him, he was betrayed by everyone, and he had no descendants.

With such a high price paid, the power of the Great Abandoned Pawn Grappling Hand is unimaginable. This technique can be used standing, leaping in mid-air, sitting, lying down, or even buried. With just a light grab, you can seize a point on the enemy's body, even the earlobe, and control the enemy as if you had captured their vital organs.

The Great Abandoned Child Grappling Technique can not only restrain the enemy's vital organs, but also cure rare and difficult diseases. Some people have even been bewitched after being captured, their minds opened, their nerves flared up, and their temperaments changed!

Such extraordinary skills are truly wondrous!

Li Zhaoting reached out and gently scratched it twice.

Li Shengnan and Lan Fenghuang playfully scolded each other.

Li Shengnan asked, "Could it be that Master's wife is proficient in the Great Abandoned Child Grappling Technique? Hmph! Tsk! So what! I don't believe the Great Abandoned Child Grappling Technique can defeat the Great Qiankun Hand!"

Li Zhaoting said, "What I want to say is that compared to other grappling techniques, the Great Abandoned Child Grappling Technique is like a child seeing a strong man; it's at most an introductory martial art."

"What grappling technique?"

"Of course it's smaller..."

Before the words were even finished, thunder roared in the sky, a gale howled, and dark clouds gathered overhead, signaling an impending rain.

The four had no choice but to get dressed and return to the stone chamber.

Two days later, Li Pangui's mother regained her ability to walk after her leg meridians were unblocked. The group had no more attachment to the island and left on the giant blackwater ship.

The wild animals on the island cheered with joy.

In recent days, male and female demons have frequently seized their dens, driven them out, and unleashed thunderous storms in the dense forest, terrifying the wild beasts and causing them to run away, only to be met with two golden-haired lions.

Li Zhaoting really liked the two golden retrievers, but unfortunately, there was no environment outside where golden retrievers could be kept. Golden retrievers are not hawks, falcons, cats, or dogs, so they couldn't be taken out casually.

Let's stay on this island!
To commemorate this operation, Li Zhaoting named the island and had it engraved on the volcanic rock face.

—A small garden!

Although the island is teeming with ferocious beasts and fraught with danger, it is nothing short of a backyard for the Golden-haired Suan. Two Golden-haired Suan are the absolute kings, while lions and tigers are their prey. If it weren't for the fact that these exotic beasts have a difficult time conceiving and are unlikely to reproduce in their lifetime, the balance would have been broken long ago.

……

This was Li Pangui's first time leaving the island since birth. He shouted and yelled at the bow of the boat, more excited than Tarzan.

It was Li Pangui's first time leaving the island and his first time on a boat, but he did not experience seasickness. He is an excellent swimmer, having been diving with his father since childhood and is very skilled at catching seafood.

Li Zhongzi spent decades in the small garden, growing from a young and vigorous man to an old man, eventually exhausting his lifespan and spending decades in prison, all in order to find the secret manual.

Every part of the island was thoroughly explored, every flower, every blade of grass and every tree was clearly visible, leading them to mistakenly believe that Qiao Beiming had hidden the secret manual at the bottom of the sea, and they frequently went diving to retrieve it.

Unfortunately, Li Zhongzi got nothing.

Everything he did was a waste of time.

This is very common in the martial arts world.

For the sake of a treasure, a secret, or an opportunity, some people waste decades, or even several generations, only to end up with nothing. This kind of character is almost always present in any plot involving "treasure".

For example: the three craftsmen of the Tang Poetry Sword Sect!

Compared to these people, Li Zhongzi had a reason to stay. This was an island, and outside was the vast ocean. Unless he risked leaving on a raft, he had no choice but to stay.

Riding a raft requires luck.

Without Zhang Cuishan's luck or Zhang Wuji's protagonist aura, it's best not to try your hand at rafting on the vast ocean, or you'll likely end up as a fish.

This leads some to ask: Did the merchant who sent the message to Qiao Beiming have some kind of protagonist's halo?

Really!
In the original storyline, Qiao Beiming's treasure was a fortuitous opportunity for Meng Shentong, Jin Shiyi, and Li Shengnan, and this opportunity had to be passed on in order to unfold the subsequent plot.

In other words, the businessman not only possesses the protagonist's halo like the male and female leads, but also the villain's halo.

And most importantly, there's the "NPC aura".

Li Zhaoting idly swung his fishing rod, thinking to himself, "Why think about these things? If we're talking about wasting time, even the old monster who's been cultivating in seclusion in the Kunlun Mountains is wasting his time."

You have no chance to shatter the void!
Want to act recklessly? No way!
They crave wealth and glory, and are too arrogant. They pursue the Way of Heaven, which is the highest ideal!
In the end, it's just a bunch of old guys huddling together for warmth in this blessed land. Every now and then, Yi Jifeng's madness flares up, and he goes to beat up these old ghosts.

This is not to despise them, but to describe the bloody reality. Zhang Sanfeng once explained this: Breaking through the void is the world's self-regulation. Without the concept of breaking through the void, the martial arts world would have collapsed completely long ago!
Shattering the void is the aspiration of top experts, giving them a stepping stone to further advancement. Moreover, if the number one person in a certain era commits evil deeds, one can forcibly pull him away by shattering the void!

If there were no "shattered void" in the world, and if those old guys' hopes were completely dashed, what would happen if so many old monsters went mad?

Even Zhang Sanfeng would turn into Zhang Sanfeng (a madman).

Why are there so many crazy old people?

Unable to go up, unable to go down, stuck in the middle!

Wandering the martial world madly, most of them do not harm the martial world and can be considered martial arts heroes. If these people were to turn into madmen, it would be terrifying to think about.

Li Zhaoting cast a line.

The fish in this sea area are really clueless.

Li Zhaoting turned to look at Li Pangui.

Li Pangui used a tree branch to make a fishing rod and caught three large buckets of fish. He was currently having a tug-of-war with a big fish when, with a splash, a fish weighing more than 30 kilograms was thrown up. The tree branch snapped in two with a crack, and Li Pangui excitedly lifted the fish up.

"Fishing is so much fun!"

After saying that, he rushed off to the kitchen.

Food, clothing, shelter, and transportation are basic human needs.

Li Pangui had no need for clothes, accommodation, or transportation because he had never met outsiders and had no desire to compare himself to others. Only food attracted him, as it was a direct sensory experience that could stimulate his taste buds.

Li Zhaoting looked at the broken tree branch, then at Li Pangui's fish basket, then at his own fishing rod, and then at the fish fry in the basket. He felt like crying but had no tears left to shed!
I was bullied by Li Pangui!

You bully me, I'll bully your niece!
Li Zhaoting hurried to the cabin.

Sailing at sea is so boring that if you don't find some fun for yourself, you might not be able to resist looking for pirates on the nautical charts and taking turns wiping out pirate families!

When you go out to sea by boat, there is one place you absolutely must visit, especially if you are carrying a lot of gold and silver jewelry. If you don't go to this treasure trove, the trip will be a waste!

This treasure trove is—Tongchi Island!
The master of Tongchi Island is none other than the famous: Chen Jinnan's personal disciple, the leader of the Green Wood Hall of the Heaven and Earth Society, the first-class Duke of Luding of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, bestowed with a yellow riding jacket by the emperor, the head of the imperial kitchen, the head of the imperial guards, the hero who captured Ao Bai, the vanguard who broke the Divine Dragon Sect, the general who pacified the distant lands, the commander of the western expedition against the Russian Kingdom, the sworn brother of Prince Galdan of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, the White Dragon Envoy of the Divine Dragon Sect, the husband of seven beauties, a dragon who roams freely between the martial world and the imperial court, a master of the art of truth and lies, and a master of his own school of destiny... Wei Xiaobao!

There is no need to elaborate on Lord Wei's deeds. He broke with Emperor Kangxi, went to Yangzhou to bring back his mother, and took a boat to Tongchi Island. There, he established his family and business, and after decades of operation, it became the largest money-making den at sea.

The freshest seafood, the most beautiful women, the finest jewelry, and the most luxurious casinos—the island has it all, a hundred times better than Paradise Tower.

Tongchi Island also hosts the largest auction house at sea, where a selection of rare and precious treasures are auctioned off every year. Wei Xiaobao possesses too much wealth, and as he grows older, countless others are eyeing this fortune, so he plans to spend it.

Literally, it means "to spend".

They're always trying to find ways to "spend money" every day.

Yet, he earns a huge amount of gold and silver every day.

Even if Wei Xiaobao were to skip gold leaves on the water, the speed at which he was throwing money away couldn't keep up with the speed at which he was making money. Thinking of this, Wei Xiaobao sighed and said, "Life is really not easy!"
Decades have passed, and not only has "Little Xuanzi" passed away, but even Emperor Yongzheng has passed away. Wei Xiaobao's grandsons and great-grandsons roam the world, and many of them are unfilial.

The most outstanding one was his grandson, Shen Yumen.

Having mastered the Ananda sword, the number one sword technique in Buddhism, and being able to fight Li Shengnan to a draw, Shen Yumen was murdered shortly after gaining fame. Wei Xiaobao understood that Shen Yumen was too arrogant and did not know how to restrain himself, and would eventually die from a conspiracy.

Survival is never easy.

This is Wei Xiaobao's greatest realization in his life.

Wei Xiaobao sat by the sea fishing.

Shuang'er and Long'er stayed by her side.

Time is the coldest weapon in the world. Most of Wei Xiaobao's seven beauties have passed away, with only Shuang'er and Long'er remaining by his side. They have all become old women.

Wei Xiaobao gazed into the distance, and a large ship appeared in the distance, its silhouette blurry. He exclaimed, "This ship is really nice! We'll make a lot of money today!" Shuang'er looked at the bow and smiled, "Husband, there's a handsome young man standing there. Aren't you worried about someone stealing your property? Why not take him as a son-in-law?"

Wei Xiaobao scoffed, "What's the use of being handsome? Can handsomeness put food on the table? What I need is someone reliable and dependable!"

Long'er joked, "We're not short of food at home!"

Wei Xiaobao picked up a telescope and observed Li Zhaoting standing at the bow of the ship: "He is indeed very handsome, with a pair of peach blossom eyes. This kid is even more charming than me!"

Long'er retorted, "Old man! Can you use a different adjective? You're really not a womanizer..."

Wei Xiaobao was hardly a womanizer.
This guy is utterly shameless and despicable!
Having supported each other for decades, the three were inseparable. Despite their advanced age, they still joked and teased each other. Before long, the giant Blackwater ship docked at the pier.

Li Zhaoting leaped off the deck!
"This is the Island of All Eaters!"

"I've long admired your name! Today my wish has come true!"

Li Zhaoting opened his arms and snapped his fingers, and Jiang Yuyan dressed him in a classic pirate outfit.

Li Zhaoting, dressed as Jack Sparrow, entered Tongchi Island with his arms around the slender waists of two stunning beauties and a smug smile on his face. Jiang Yuyan was holding a glass of sugarcane wine, which she had prepared before setting off. Since they were going to go out to sea by boat, they had to prepare a few jars of rum.

Unfortunately, the Eagle Church misunderstood, thinking that Li Zhaoting wanted to drink sweet wine. They brewed wine from sugarcane, making the wine far superior in quality to rum, with a richer flavor, but less wild and less dashing than rum.

A maid brought over a tray: "Honored guest, there is an elixir of immortality in the depths of the sea. May you live forever!"

Li Zhaoting laughed and said, "What's there to celebrate about immortality? I'd trade my life for a kiss!"

A glass of fine wine was placed on the tray.

Li Zhaoting picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

This is the Mountain Classic and Lip Codex compiled by Wei Xiaobao.

The quest for the elixir of immortality is all about making money!

The "immortality drug" was used to dispose of stolen goods!

"Those who want to steal the elixir of immortality are here to fight!"

"Drinking the elixir of immortality" is a plea for help!

Li Zhaoting came here looking for fun.

The first mate took the sailors to the South District for some fun. The South District had a place specifically for sailors, with relatively cheap prices, similar to the economy dishes in a canteen.

The captain found a tour guide for Li Zhaoting. He was quite fond of food and took Li Pangui to the food area. No matter how much they ate, Li Pangui could pay the bill.

Before long, Wei Xiaobao overheard Li Zhaoting's conversation with his maid. Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, "This kid is interesting. He has the style of my younger days! Willing to trade his life for a kiss, he's quite the ladies' man!"

Long'er held a dossier in her hand: "He is the top of the Central Plains Heavenly Gang Ranking. He debuted about four years ago. His debut battle was a martial arts contest to find a husband. He spends at least ten months of the year training in the martial world. He is a hero and a chivalrous man, slaying demons and monsters. There are at least eight hundred or a thousand demons who have fallen under his sword. Apart from his fondness for women, he has no flaws!"

Shuang'er smiled and asked, "What about his family background?"

Long'er flipped through another file: "His father was exiled to Lingnan nine years ago, returned to officialdom three years ago, and became the Vice Minister of War in just three years. It is said that he took advantage of the internal strife in Liao to recover Yanyun, which was Li Nanxing's doing."

Li Zhaoting has several female confidantes.

His first wife was the daughter of the Vice Minister of Revenue.

The second wife was a holy woman from Miao territory and the leader of the Five Poisons Sect.

The third wife is the head of the female bodyguards and the leader of the carefree sect.

At the same time, he has ambiguous relationships with the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect, the Fairy of Jingzhai, and the royal princess. Old man, this guy is really good at picking up girls, even better than you!
Ugh!
Pity!
They even wanted to take him in as their grandson-in-law!

Information transmission at sea is relatively slow, but this is not a problem for Tongchi Island.

With a massive amount of gold and silver poured in, Tongchi Island's intelligence system is no less powerful than that of the Tianji Pavilion. This is Long'er's pastime in her spare time, to prevent her from developing dementia one day.

Wei Xiaobao asked, "Where did he go?"

"An auction!"

"What's he going to an auction for? Is he rich? His father was an official for three years, how much money could he have saved?"

"The accompanying sailors are disciples of the Sky Eagle Sect, so the Sky Eagle Sect should be paying for them. With Li Zhaoting's martial arts skills, there are at least three or four hundred sects that want to curry favor with him."

“If you take money, you have to do things. The leader of the Heavenly Gang is definitely not the type to be manipulated. How about we make a bet? I bet that Li Zhaoting will pay the bill himself!”

Where did he get so much money?

"Perhaps they've struck gold at sea!"

Wei Xiaobao shrugged indifferently.

For Wei Xiaobao, money and beauty were meaningless. He had more money than he could ever spend, and his accumulated wealth was even greater than Huo Xiu's.

Back then, King Shi boasted that he was the richest man at sea. In reality, most of the treasures he plundered were sent to Tongchi Island, and a small portion was exchanged for various living supplies through his connections on the mainland.

Wei Xiaobao didn't even have to lift a finger; Shi Tianwang would deliver the money to him on his own initiative. Some people tried to rob Tongchi Island, but they all ended up as shark food.

Wei Xiaobao was never a soft-hearted person.

He can throw money around on his own initiative, but you can't steal it.

……

Tongchi Island is divided into eight basic zones.

The South District is the largest, serving sailors.

North Zone 1 is the martial arts arena, the only place on the island where fighting is permitted, allowing pirates to resolve disputes. Each duel is matched with odds set by bookmakers.

North Second District is a warehouse where all the gold and silver of Tongchi Island are stored, and it is guarded by elite soldiers.

The North Third District is an auction area, with small auctions held monthly and large auctions held annually. It also offers appraisal services, and offers triple compensation for any mistakes made.

East Zone 1 is the food area.

East Zone 2 is the accommodation area.

The West Zone 1 was home to brothels and theaters.

The West Second District is home to casinos and teahouses.

There is no dedicated "business area".

All business deals are conducted in brothels and casinos.

The brothel was Wei Xiaobao's origin.

Wei Xiaobao was very sensitive to this.

Li Zhaoting went to see the treasures at sea, hoping to find any lost weapons, antiques, paintings, rare treasures, precious medicinal herbs, or martial arts manuals.

The auction will have these sections divided into special zones.

Some items are displayed directly, with rows of price tags below. The exhibits are on display for seven days, and after seven days, the item is automatically awarded to the highest bidder.

There's an unspoken rule about this.

Those who make a bid must either prepay the full price or remain on Tongchi Island. Once a bid is placed, the bidder is bound to Tongchi Island and will spend money as long as they stay.

Things on Tongchi Island are very expensive.

Expensive items can make Fanlou appear refined and elegant.

The exhibition area is where you're most likely to find something you like.

It is most likely to trigger the "protagonist halo".

In addition, there is a medium-sized exhibition hall where everything is covered up, so outsiders cannot see the covered items. Bidding is allowed, and the highest bidder gets the item on the spot, somewhat like opening a blind box.

With good luck, one can make a fortune.

Those with bad luck may lose everything.

Wei Xiaobao has been spending money like crazy in recent years, and the blind box drop rate is extremely high. There are hundreds of visitors here.

Li Zhaoting looked up and saw a group of people holding up chips and shouting bids. Before long, someone bought a blind box for five thousand taels of silver, inside which was a sword.

The sword gleamed with a cold light; it was a divine weapon, priced at about ten thousand taels of silver in the Central Plains. After accounting for the costs of travel, this person made a small profit and couldn't wait to continue opening blind boxes!

Tongchidao's payment method is "membership card".

After arriving on the island, you can exchange silver notes for chips. Professionals will check the silver notes and exchange them for chips after verification. Alternatively, you can exchange them directly with gold and silver jewelry. You can pay for chips directly when the price is quoted. This method greatly improves efficiency.

Most importantly, the act of taking out silver notes or gold ingots to buy things involves a clear "money-taking" action, which subconsciously makes people feel reluctant to spend, gradually reducing their desire to consume.

However, if it's replaced with chips, this feeling is significantly weakened. As long as the atmosphere is lively enough, and you're stimulated by fine wine and beautiful women, you'll subconsciously spend a fortune, and by the time you realize it, your wallet will be empty.

When it comes to making money, Wei Xiaobao is unparalleled.

Li Zhaoting exchanged some chips and took the three beauties to scavenge for bargains in the exhibition area. Li Shengnan bought an exquisite jade flute, Jiang Yuyan bought a few pearls, and Lan Fenghuang bought a few pieces of fine jewelry. The three of them offered an extremely high price, and the exhibit owner immediately agreed to the deal without having to wait seven days, so as to avoid the sucker going back on their word.

(End of this chapter)