Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 427 Gongsun Lan, at the Beginning of Receiving Imperial Favor

night!
The banquet has ended.

The group returned to the accommodations arranged by the Manchus.

Instead of the closed-off dormitories like military camps, these were luxurious mansions with pavilions, terraces, rockeries, and covered walkways. The Qing Dynasty requisitioned more than a dozen of these mansions to host the martial arts tournament.

The Diancang Sect is relatively small in reputation, so they were only assigned a courtyard in a relatively remote corner. Even so, this bedroom is by no means inferior to the No. 1 room in the Yuelai Inn.

As soon as Li Zhaoting returned to his room, Gongsun Lan familiarly stepped forward and helped him take off his outer robe: "A maid came to test me just now, but I sent her away!"

"What did you say?"

"I said, my master is desperate for money. As long as Cao Xiong offers him a lot of money, he'll negotiate anything!"

At this point, Gongsun Lan sighed, "Yiyangzi is an upright person who has never done anything wrong. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for us to make such a fuss about him?"

"Rumors can cause harm because they can be spread. If we cut off a few of the transmission channels, these rumors will not be able to gain momentum."

"Sever the transmission route?"

"Those who most believe these rumors are powerful and wealthy figures like Cao Xiong and Su Penghai. Once we cut off their heads, who will care about these rumors?"

"Master, how good is Cao Xiong's martial arts?"

"Cao Xiong mainly cultivates Buddhist mental techniques, which are very similar to the Great Prajna Zen Kung Fu passed down from the Dajue Temple in Qilian Mountain. His skill level is similar to Sheng Nan's, and he is most skilled in fist and foot kung fu."

"Could someone like him practice Buddhist Zen techniques?"

"The Great Perfection of Wisdom Zen practice can lead to the Asura path, similar to the Samadhi of Desire, which achieves the Divine Foot Sutra by severing desires. It actively draws in inner demons such as wine, women, wealth, and anger, using these demons to temper the mind. While seemingly indulging in a life of pleasure, one's inner self remains as still as a mountain."

I can sense that Cao Xiong's pursuit of women and power is real, and his demonic thoughts are real. He completely abandons Prajna wisdom and Buddhist principles, becoming a complete demon, achieving the path of ruthlessness through desire.

Cold-hearted and selfish.

Those idiots who heard that Cao Xiong was fond of women and tried to use their charms on him were like lambs to the slaughter, their energy and spirit drained by Cao Xiong, becoming nourishment for their inner demons.

Sonic martial arts techniques such as Heavenly Demonic Melody, Heavenly Demonic Illusion, and Nine Netherworld Lament not only failed to trigger Cao Xiong's inner demons, but instead increased his fighting spirit.

Cao Xiong may seem loud, arrogant, and domineering, but he is actually quite cunning. Su Penghai and Ge Ying want to use Cao Xiong to make money, but they will not have a good outcome. They will be lucky to escape with their lives.

Just wait and see!

There's going to be a good show tonight!

Li Zhaoting looked up at the sky through the skylight.

The moonlight was hazy and crimson, with clouds swirling around its edges like a layer of hair.

Mao Yue Liang!
An ominous sign, at the height of Yin, when a hundred ghosts roam the night!

Gongsun Lan leaned closer to Li Zhaoting, thinking to herself that the ghost parade was not a problem. The most important thing was to devour Li Zhaoting before the last two princesses appeared, seize the initiative, and avoid getting up early only to arrive late.

"Is Lan'er so eager to serve you in bed?"

"My lord, I have already lost to you, and the Holy Maiden has also admitted defeat. Why do you keep me hanging on? At the Guandong Martial Arts Conference, heroes from all walks of life have gathered in Jinzhou. Is there no one who can tell the difference between a virgin and a woman?"

For seasoned veterans, lecherous old men, and grandmasters of Buddhism and Taoism, a mere glance is enough to tell whether a woman is a virgin or a married woman; her gait is a very obvious indicator.

Even the Heavenly Mandate Sect could not cover this up.

This is the "curse of knowledge"!
Whether you've learned it or not is a completely different concept!

For example: How is Maodun Chanyu pronounced? What is Lu Xun's surname? What is the next line after "The bright moonlight before my bed"?
It is difficult for a literate person to pretend to be illiterate.

For highly trained and experienced elite agents, the hardest thing is not to pretend to be an elite, because they are already elites; the hardest thing is to pretend to be illiterate!
Subconscious reactions cannot be suppressed.

If someone suddenly speaks a certain language or recites poems from their hometown behind your back, it can be an effective way to test them.

This creates a counter-intuitive situation!

Elite agents are literate, so if someone is confirmed to be illiterate and a fool fit for a museum exhibit, that person is definitely not an agent.

Whether or not one has experienced lovemaking, their appearance and physique are completely different. Even the most skilled enchantress of destiny cannot hide this. There is a counterintuitive truth: the Destiny Sect, which is most adept at using beauty to seduce, has half of its female disciples who are virgins and are strictly forbidden from having contact with men without permission.

Li Zhaoting and Gongsun Lan pretended to be a Daoist couple.

How could a Daoist partner be a virgin?
Doesn't this mean that Li Zhaoting is "incompetent"?
If Li Zhaoting is "impotent," how could he have a beautiful Daoist partner? This logic doesn't make any sense!
Gongsun Lan transformed into a beautiful snake, coiling around Li Zhaoting, her breath sweet as orchids, her face full of allure.

"My lord, I am ready!"

"Use your best martial arts..."

Gongsun Lan's robes slowly fell away, revealing a colorful and dazzling gown with ribbons fluttering in the wind. She was like Diao Chan reincarnated, and the moonlight was overshadowed by her charm.

How could Li Zhaoting possibly resist?
"My lord, my life has been worthwhile!"

"Truly worthy of captivating the Holy Maiden!"

Gongsun Lan lay softly in Li Zhaoting's arms, her face flushed and rosy: "Master, I am yours now, and I am number one among the Four Princesses!"

"I only saw two princesses."

"The other two have also come. We've formed a group of musicians who can play instruments and sing. We've all learned how to win favor. If my sister blames us for bewitching the master and punishes us with family law in the future, the master must save us!"

As the ancients said, "In the warm embrace of the hibiscus-scented tent, the spring night is fleeting, and the sun rises high; from then on, the emperor no longer holds morning court!"

"Master, could you please not mention 'The Song of Everlasting Regret'? Yang Guifei is famous throughout the world for her Rainbow Feather Dress. My skills are best known for Rainbow Feather Dress and Gongsun Sword Dance. If my sister hears these words, even if she is kind enough not to let me die before her horse, she will still exile me to Lingnan!"

"Lingnan doesn't accept just anyone!"

"It seems that the master was once favored by the Empress Dowager..."

"It's all my father's fault! He's such an incompetent father! If it weren't for him dragging me down, I would have been the top scholar in the imperial examination long ago!"

"boast!"

"You dare to question the master of the house when he is speaking? You should be punished according to the family rules!"

Li Zhaoting revealed a wicked smile.

"How...how should we handle this?"

"Master...please spare me..."

Due to the special effects of the Demonic Cult's cultivation technique, the Demonic Cult's Holy Maiden and Princess are slightly more sensitive.

"The cult leader is a traitor! I'm going to betray him!"

"The Chu Dynasty's Yunmeng, where ice and jade dews appear at dawn, laughter echoes within the tent, yet repeated setbacks are hard to bear..."

midnight.

Gongsun Lan was exhausted and fell into a deep sleep.

Li Zhaoting was sleeping soundly with his beloved in his arms when a gust of wind came from outside, followed by a strong wind and a whooshing sound in the air as a flock of bats flew over.

These bats have blood-red eyes, sharp teeth, and emit piercing screams as they roar and charge towards the guest rooms.

No one attending the martial arts tournament was a fool; they all knew there was something fishy going on. They were light sleepers, and upon hearing the bats' calls, they immediately grabbed their weapons to fight.

Gongsun Lan murmured in a daze, "Master, what's happening outside? Has an assassin attacked?"

Li Zhaoting said, "If I'm not mistaken, this is Cao Xiong testing us, second-tier. Don't worry, go to sleep!"

Li Zhaoting lightly kissed Gongsun Lan's forehead, put on his Taoist robe, and was about to go out to deal with the poisonous bats when he heard a shrill bird cry, which sounded like the sound of a traveling doctor shaking a tiger-shaped brace, but much sharper and several times more piercing. A thick cloud drifted in from mid-air.

Upon closer inspection, it was no dark cloud at all, but a gigantic mutated golden eagle with its wings spread wide, its wingspan exceeding four zhang (approximately 13 meters).

Li Zhaoting had seen quite a few strange beasts.

Lao Jiu, Yueya'er, and Yuanbao are intelligent and spiritual beasts, and are the top students in their respective groups.

The Golden-haired Suan is a bloodline mutation. The bowstring of the Jade Bow is made of dragon tendons, and that deep-sea dragon is also a strange beast with extremely high physical strength.

In Li Zhaoting's memory, there were also a little red bird that was good at catching snakes, a white ape with a human face that had the Nine Yang Divine Skill hidden in its belly, a spirit ape that taught Yue Nu Sword, a divine eagle that Dugu Qiubai had, and a white crane with black jade that Bai Yunfei had.

Such a huge golden eagle is unheard of.

Where did this come from?
Is this a descendant of the volcanic monster bird Barton, or a cub of Bemstar? Do such enormous birds of prey even exist in the world of martial arts? This is practically a monster!

Li Zhaoting had night vision and saw that the golden eagle's colorful feathers were even more vibrant than Gongsun Lan's Rainbow Feather Robe. If some of its feathers were collected and made into a feather robe, it would truly possess a beauty that would shame the moon and flowers.

The golden eagle has a beak like a steel hook, claws like a sickle, and feathers that are harder than metal, making it impervious to swords and spears. It is incredibly strong, and with a flap of its wings, poisonous bats fall like raindrops. After a few flaps in mid-air, half of the poisonous bats are wiped out.

An old Taoist priest with a kind face, white hair and beard, and a youthful appearance gently beckoned. The golden eagle, hearing its master's call, folded its wings and returned to its hut.

Master Omu!

This martial arts tournament in Northeast China features the oldest and most powerful reclusive master, a Taoist grandmaster over a hundred years old, who is proficient in authentic innate qi cultivation techniques.

According to the information found by the Imperial City Bureau, Master Da Mu was nothing special in his youth. He was of average height, weight, strength, and physique, just an ordinary person in the martial arts world. His opportunities and comprehension were both average. Following the normal path of the martial arts world, Master Da Mu would have lived an ordinary life.

Things took a turn for the better when he was twenty-five.

Master Damu accidentally entered a mountain cave and discovered that it was the tomb of the legendary martial arts master "Master Hesha". The tomb contained all of Master Hesha's lifelong learning. However, the tomb was full of traps and mechanisms. Master Damu tried his best and could only enter the side hall, where he obtained three or four volumes of Taoist profound skills.

Master Daimu had great faith in fate and felt that he was not fortunate enough to obtain the He Sha Secret Manual.

With this thought in mind, Master Damu stayed outside the tomb to diligently cultivate his innate Qi Gong. Once he had mastered it, he drew dozens of treasure maps to attract young people to search for the treasure.

Once these exceptionally intelligent and fortunate individuals from prestigious families find the treasures, Master Da Mu will seize them, either by force or by deceiving them with feigned affection, and then quietly retire into seclusion for sixty years.

Master Da Mu had no great ambitions. He spent his days guarding the tomb, practicing martial arts, and living a life of simplicity and tranquility, which unexpectedly aligned with the requirements of those volumes of Taoist martial arts.

He has cultivated diligently until now, and his skill has become extremely profound.

He obtained the golden eagle by chance. On one hand, he kept it to relieve boredom; on the other hand, he felt that the blood of this spiritual bird had the effect of prolonging life and could be used to refine longevity pills; and finally, he could ride the bird to escape when encountering a powerful enemy.

In fact, with the accumulated skills of Master Damu, his martial arts were no weaker than those of Patriarch Hesha. Patriarch Hesha's main martial arts were Buddhist mental techniques, which were incompatible with Master Damu's innate qi cultivation, making it meaningless for him to guard the tomb.

However, after decades of waiting, the secret manual left by Patriarch Hesha became a source of anxiety for Master Damu.

Master Damu's lifelong wish was to find a young man with great fortune, crack the tomb's mechanisms, find the He Sha Secret Manual, and have him read it carefully twice!

You cannot ask martial arts masters to forcibly break the mechanism, nor can you ask tomb raiders or mountain movers. You must be a blessed and favored person. Master Da Mu believes in fate and thinks that things obtained by force often hide trouble.

Unfortunately, decades have passed, and the Venerable Master Damu has grown old and has not yet lived to see the prodigy he had been hoping for.

The reason I'm participating in this martial arts tournament is to find a few exceptional talents and trick them into going treasure hunting.

The Taoist priest, who was over a hundred years old, was more or less proficient in health preservation techniques and paid great attention to going to bed early and getting up early.

No matter how much scheming Cao Xiong had, Master Damu didn't care at all. He only cared about one thing: Cao Xiong was disturbing his sleep at night, which was very detrimental to his health preservation techniques.

He whistled a few times, summoning a mutated golden eagle. The eagle flapped its wings, blowing all the bats away.

Cao Xiong was furious: "Old man Da Mu! How dare you ruin my big plan! You better live a few more years. After you die, I'll tear you to pieces!"

Given Cao Xiong's personality, he shouldn't be in a state of impotent rage. However, Master Damu is over a hundred years old, has no relatives or friends, and has a golden eagle for transportation, appearing and disappearing like ghosts. If this old monster is offended to death, and Master Damu rides the golden eagle to launch an assassination against the Manchu nobles, how many people can stop him?

Li Zhaoting's mouth watered with envy.

That golden eagle is so handsome!
Unfortunately, Li Zhaoting could sense the aura of aging emanating from the golden eagle, like a centenarian. The man and the eagle had supported each other for decades, and even when Master Damu occasionally used his blood to refine pills, the golden eagle would never abandon him.

I wonder if golden eagles have laid eggs yet? Are there any purebred chicks? Could you send me two?

Li Zhaoting rubbed his chin, secretly making plans.

The poisonous bat was killed by the golden eagle. Just as Li Zhaoting was about to go back to his room to sleep, a crane's cry came from mid-air. A crane taller than a person floated down gracefully. Although it was not as big as the golden eagle, nor did it have the gorgeous feathers, the crane was a spiritual bird, and its spirituality far exceeded that of the golden eagle.

Greed flashed in Master Da Mu's eyes. If he could capture this crane, he could use its blood to refine pills...

Thinking of this, Master Damu whistled!
The golden eagle swooped down on the crane.

The crane originally came in pursuit of the poisonous bats, but halfway there it sensed the presence of the golden eagle. When a spirit bird encounters a bird of prey, there are bound to be several exchanges that humans cannot understand. Without the orders of the Great Wood Master, the golden eagle would also engage in a fierce battle with the white crane.

The golden eagle faces forward, its head tucked into its short neck, its legs slightly bent, its body leaning back, and its feathers standing on end.

The white crane was about five zhang away from the golden eagle. Unlike the golden eagle, which was reserved and on high alert, the white crane had its long tail, which was shaped like an embroidered ribbon, curled up halfway. Its wings were also slightly stretched out, its neck was stretched out, and its sharp beak was open.

Both birds of prey possess their own unique spirits. Both cried out in unison, their four strange eyes gleaming with golden light. They were waiting for an opportunity to strike, and after circling several times, they remained locked in a standoff.

Suddenly, the Great Master Da Mu whistled, and the golden eagle, upon hearing the command, flapped its wings and swooped towards the crane.

The two birds were less than five zhang apart. For a bird of prey like the golden eagle, it was just a light swoop. The crane spread its wings and soared into the sky, its cry echoing through the heavens!

Master Daiki held a pebble and shot it at the crane.

The stone, imbued with a century of accumulated skill, possesses power no less than that of an eight-ox crossbow, moving as fast as lightning and as swift as a shooting star.

Just as the crane was about to be hit by the stone, a faint flute melody came from its back. The sound waves rolled, the stone shattered into powder, and the crane's fighting spirit increased several levels.

Only then did everyone realize that behind the crane was a handsome figure in flowing white robes, with outstanding demeanor. He held a bamboo flute in his hand and gently played the Pu'an Mantra. The dark clouds gradually dispersed, and the blood moon gradually turned into a bright moon.

White clouds fly!
Han E, one of the four princesses!
He usually prefers to wear white men's clothing when going out.

Master Damu cleared his throat and roared.

In terms of musical skill, Master Damu was far inferior to Bai Yunfei, but his skill was profound. With a century of experience, he roared loudly, attacking Bai Yunfei with the changing notes of his flute. How could Bai Yunfei withstand that?
Knowing he was outmatched, Bai Yunfei was about to leave when Cao Xiong led his men to surround him. The archers nocked their arrows, ready to unleash a volley of arrows at Cao Xiong's command.

Master Da Mu laughed loudly: "Young master, if you come down and sit down with me to discuss the Dao, I will not only guarantee your safety, but also give you a great opportunity."

Bai Yunfei sneered: "How can you be so naive at your age? If I fall even ten feet, Cao Xiong will immediately order his guards to fire arrows and turn me into a hedgehog!"

Cao Xiong shouted sternly, "As the host of this martial arts tournament, I cannot allow anyone hiding their identity to disrupt the event. What is your name? Which sect do you belong to? If you tell me clearly, all will be well. But if you utter even a single false word, I will make sure you die a horrible death!"

"I'm afraid you can't do it!"

The mocking voice came from twenty feet away, but even faster than the sound was the arrow. Wang Shenglan held a jade bow and shot an indestructible arrow with the unparalleled strength of the bow. Wang Shenglan was born with superhuman strength, and the jade bow was a match made in heaven for her.

Li Shengnan needs internal energy to draw the bow, and she will be exhausted after drawing it twice. Wang Shenglan, on the other hand, has enough strength to draw the bow twenty or thirty times, making her a reincarnation of a tyrant.

Cao Xiong's eyes widened in shock. He swung his palm at the arrow, but the arrow's impact was too strong, even stronger than the Eight-Ox Crossbow. His palm strike was instantly shattered, and the arrow's speed was slightly reduced, but it still shot towards his chest and abdomen.

At the critical moment, Cao Xiong shouted loudly, unleashing the full power of his Great Prajna Zen Skill. He clasped his hands together, and a dark, reverse-spiraling Buddhist seal emanated from his body. His surrounding light dimmed, as if he had gathered the light of all things in the world into his palms.

Demonic Sumeru Mountain Palm!
The Mount Sumeru Palm is one of the three great palm techniques of Shaolin. It is the strongest palm technique in the world, with power as if it were Mount Sumeru. Even if there is a distance of three zhang, its power will not be diminished.

The downside is that it requires an extremely high foundation. Without sixty years of profound internal strength, it is extremely difficult to activate the Sumeru Mountain Palm. Each time it is used, one must concentrate one's energy, resulting in great energy loss.

Only when one's skill reaches the level of the Three Crossings, Absolute Abstinence, and Embracing the Five Elders can one make moves at will.

Cao Xiong tempered his heart with demonic power and nurtured demonic power with demonic power, pushing his eagerness for quick success to the limit. His power was as vast as the sea, and his demonic palm suddenly erupted, a palm print taller than a person slamming into the coral gold wolf-tooth arrow. The two collided with a deafening roar.

"boom!"

The powerful force transformed into black waves, rolling and surging in all directions. The palm force overturned an area of ​​five zhang in radius, shattered the courtyard walls, and destroyed most of the luxurious back garden that had been built at great expense!

The power of a palm is so terrifying!
Master Damu originally intended to attack Bai Yunfei, but unexpectedly, the sound of a zither drifted from afar, mournful and plaintive, echoing Bai Yunfei's flute playing, which stirred his inner demons.

Master Da Mu hurriedly withdrew his move and focused his energy.

Bai Yunfei rode a crane away and disappeared into the clouds.

Cao Xiong roared, "Find them! Dig three feet into the ground if you must, find them! The one playing the zither is Feng Suzhen! If Feng Suzhen is here, Li Zhaoting must be here too! Find them both, and I'll tear them to pieces!"

Upon hearing this, everyone shrank back.

Feng Suzhen wasn't very famous, but Li Zhaoting was a renowned leader of the Heavenly Gang and the Jiazi Tai Sui. Wherever he went, death followed, leaving a trail of corpses and blood!
Killing Li Zhaoting? This price isn't enough!
—It costs more!

(End of this chapter)