Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 428 Fellow Daoist, please stay!

You need to pay someone to do something.

Different tasks, different prices.

A small favor has a price, helping someone out of trouble has a price, risking your life has a price, and even losing your life has a price; the greater the danger, the higher the price.

The position of martial arts alliance leader is enough to deal with petty thieves, secret agents of the Imperial City Guard, and remnants of the Wanyan family. If we change our target to Li Zhaoting, this price is far from enough.

Any empty fame, reputation, or promises made afterward are all nonsense. A deposit must be paid in advance, at least half of the amount; otherwise, no one will willingly throw themselves into danger.

Su Penghai, Ge Ying, and Tie Haitang were all proud and ambitious heroes, but they believed that even if the three of them united to fight the enemy, and with their respective trump cards, they would only have a 20-30% chance of winning, and at least 80% of their men would die.

In this situation, Cao Xiong's titles such as "Leader of the Martial Arts Alliance of Northeast China" and "Number One Warrior of the Qing Dynasty" are utter nonsense, worthless, and pure rubbish!
Furthermore, Su Penghai and others are neither brothers born of the same mother nor classmates. They have constant conflicts with each other, so how could they possibly unite and cooperate?

When Li Zhaoting unleashes his "Heavenly Buddha Descends," who will risk their life to block the deadly sword light, giving others a fleeting chance? Who possesses such virtue?
Li Zhaoting didn't make a single move, didn't utter a single word, and didn't even show himself. He simply had Feng Suzhen play the zither to help him, and Cao Xiong's carefully maintained momentum vanished.

At the previous banquet, Cao Xiong took the initiative, using the gatekeeper to welcome and see off guests and arrange seating, demonstrating his strong intelligence capabilities. He then displayed nine precious treasures, employing both coercion and enticement.

Some scheming leaders, who wanted to please both the Wanyan family's gold and silver treasures and the Aisin Gioro clan's salary, were so intimidated that they broke out in a cold sweat.

Fearing that Cao Xiong would launch a surprise attack and make an example of him, sacrificing his head as a warning to others, they finished the banquet in trepidation. They thought the test was over, but unexpectedly, a group of poisonous bats flew in at midnight, followed by a battle with strange beasts.

The fierce battle was not over yet, and the situation had changed dramatically.

—Li Zhaoting revealed his true colors.

Whether through coercion or bribery, Cao Xiong's goal was to make everyone submit, not to kill them all. With Li Zhaoting making his move, survival was only a matter of luck.

A name!
It's just a name!
The momentum of the martial arts tournament plummeted!
Half of the top players had the idea of ​​leaving, either by not showing up at all, or by exchanging a couple of blows to get by, deliberately losing in the preliminary rounds, and then running away immediately after the defeat.

Lured by high-ranking positions and generous salaries, less than one percent of people actually thought of rushing to capture Li Zhaoting. Even Su Penghai, Ge Ying, and Tie Haitang, whom Cao Xiong valued most, each had their own thoughts and were ready to run away at any time.

There are two problems facing Cao Xiong.

1. Crisis doubles, rewards double.

Second, there are no top-tier experts to command respect.

The Manchus certainly had top-notch experts, and even great demons standing at the summit. But such people either cultivated in seclusion in deep mountains and forests, or secluded themselves in blessed lands, or their prices were extremely high. Without absolute loyalty, they would not risk their lives to fight Li Zhaoting to the death.

Even if there were top-notch experts who were loyal and willing to die for the Qing Dynasty, such people would definitely be guarding Emperor Qianlong's side, and Cao Xiong had no right to mobilize them.

Since Emperor Yongzheng was assassinated by Lü Siniang, the Qing Dynasty spent a lot of money to recruit experts and strengthen the protection of the palace. The most elite experts were all in the Qing Dynasty palace.

If these experts are mobilized to deal with Li Zhaoting, Li Zhaoting will definitely hide in the deep mountains and forests and engage in a jungle battle. Li Zhaoting can hold out, but Emperor Qianlong in the palace may not be able to!
The words have been spoken and cannot be taken back.

Cao Xiong clenched his fist and shouted, "I have two trump cards up my sleeve. Li Zhaoting will be no match for me!"

Li Zhaoting squinted his eyes.

Li Zhaoting guessed one of Cao Xiong's trump cards.

Decades ago, a fierce battle broke out at Dajue Temple. The abbot went mad and died. His eldest disciple, Ning Kong, became the abbot. The truth was that Ning Kong betrayed his master in order to obtain the Great Prajna Zen Skill. He cut off the abbot's legs, pierced his collarbone, and imprisoned the old abbot in a dry well thousands of miles away, intending to let him die on his own.

Supported by hatred, the old abbot used his inner energy to absorb snakes, insects, rats, ants, birds, and beasts as food, enduring until now. After decades of eating raw meat and drinking blood, the old abbot's hands turned into sharp claws, and his whole being became a monster.

Cao Xiong was proficient in the Great Prajna Zen Kung Fu. It is likely that he accidentally discovered the imprisoned abbot, used the excuse of helping him take revenge to learn the Great Prajna Zen Kung Fu, and brought the abbot out of the dry well as a trump card in a desperate fight.

I haven't thought of any other trump cards yet!

"Tsk! Boring!"

Li Zhaoting grumbled twice and went back to his room to sleep.

Cao Xiong instructed, "Someone, record everything that happened at the banquet in detail, and give it to me tonight. I'll be waiting for you in the study."

The secret agents of the Sticky Rod Office worked through the night to organize intelligence, while Cao Xiong stayed up all night to analyze these martial arts sects, deciding which ones could be recruited, which ones should be guarded against, which ones could only be used as cheerleaders, and which ones could be used as a warning to others.

……

"Your Highness! Good news! Good news! The Song people will not miss this opportunity. Li Zhaoting and his wife have personally come to Jinzhou. Cao Xiong is doomed this time!"

Peng Lianhu, known as the "Thousand-Handed Butcher," handed an urgent intelligence report to Wanyan Honglie. Even a fallen camel is bigger than a horse. Although the Wanyan clan had declined, they still possessed top-notch martial arts such as Haotian Gangqi and Tiandi Baquan. In addition, they had ginseng, lingzhi, and deer antler passed down from their ancestors, which were very attractive to experts. Wanyan Honglie was extremely generous and loved to spend money!
Wanyan Honglie spends money so quickly that even Jin Chenying and Jin Muxia complained that he was selling off his father's land without a care in the world, and that at this rate, he would become penniless sooner or later.

Wanyan Honglie felt that the Wanyan clan had reached a point of resurgence and must seize the opportunity to restore the Jin dynasty. If they were timid, greedy, and stingy, in a few years, the Wanyan clan would be no better than the Murong clan.

Why not use the treasures, elixirs, and secret manuals left by our ancestors to recruit martial arts masters, instead of waiting until they block the gates of the Imperial Guard and ultimately benefit Emperor Qianlong?

It must be said that in terms of intelligence and courage, Wanyan Honglie far surpasses Jin Chenying, Jin Muxia, Wanyan Jue, and other third-rate individuals who are more trouble than they are worth.

Just as Wu Sidao commented, killing Wanyan Jue would have been extremely costly and not worth it. If Wanyan Jue were allowed to cause trouble, the Wanyan clan would simply perish on its own.

Without Wanyan Jue's restraint, Tan Yuchong, Meng Qingqing, and others changed their surnames and became pure Jianghu people. Wanyan Honglie was able to fully utilize his abilities and strive to turn the Wanyan clan's last gasp into the most brilliant flame.

Wanyan Honglie sighed, "The world is unpredictable! I never imagined that what happened to the Liao Kingdom would be repeated!"

Peng Lianhu sneered: "Your Highness! As the saying goes, one should not concern oneself with affairs outside one's jurisdiction. The current emperor is Qianlong, and it is also Qianlong who needs to deal with troubles. The bigger the mess Li Zhaoting makes, the more beneficial it will be for us."

Wanyan Honglie shook his head: "The Song people have spent twenty years recuperating, biding their time, and preparing for war. Once they gain the upper hand, they will definitely press the northern lands step by step."

Last year, the Liao Dynasty was in turmoil, and the Song people took the opportunity to go north and recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. Zhuge Zhengwo personally guarded the area and tried his best to bring the people of Yan and Yun back to their homeland in the shortest possible time.

From then on, the Song people had a buffer in the north, no longer needing to pay tribute to the Liao Dynasty. By increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, they could save a large amount of wealth each year for people's livelihood and military affairs. The Central Plains were vast and rich in resources, enough to exhaust them.

The Jin dynasty couldn't hold out, the Qing dynasty couldn't hold out, and the Mongol Yuan dynasty couldn't hold out either. If we unite with the Liao and Western Xia dynasties to march south, we might have a chance of winning.

In the current situation, let alone uniting, it would be a good thing if we didn't fight each other. We even have to beg the Song people for help and ask them to bleed us dry. If we can't restore the Great Jin within three years, we will be completely finished!
Chief Peng, I am telling you this not to complain or to feign concern, but to ask for your help. If I die in this battle, please take care of Kang'er.

Don't let him bear the surname Wanyan!
Go and seek refuge with Tan Yuchong or Meng Qingqing, or find a dangerous mountain and treacherous waters to establish a bandit stronghold!

When Wanyan Jue was alive, in order to counterbalance his power, the Crown Prince and the Grand Marshal trusted me and gave me a stage to maneuver and influence. Now that Wanyan Jue is dead in Liao, I have become a new thorn in their side.

The Crown Prince, the Prince, the Commander-in-Chief—none of them will let me go. Of all the skilled warriors under my command, only Chief Peng has a human touch and can be entrusted with his family.

You should not have crossed the river, yet you crossed it!
He fell into the river and died—what can be done about him?

Wanyan Honglie looked up to the sky and cried out, the melody mournful.

Peng Lianhu was a bandit from a mountain stronghold, so he couldn't understand Han Dynasty folk songs, let alone know that it was a woman reminiscing about her husband, with tender and sorrowful emotions.

Filled with grief and indignation, Wanyan Honglie single-handedly played two roles: a madman with white hair who bravely charged forward and ultimately drowned himself, and a woman on the shore who, after years of emotion, turned to sorrow. His singing was passionate and full of emotion, devoid of technique, but purely based on feeling.

Even a rough and uncultured man like Peng Lianhu was moved by the emotions in the song and nodded: "Your Highness, I have no way to repay your kindness. I will risk my life to protect the young prince and let him live a wealthy life in the countryside."

Wanyan Honglie took out a brocade box: "This contains my lifelong treasure. I entrust this to you because I trust you. The key is in Kang'er's hands. This is the last layer of security. Please don't blame me, Chief Peng."

"It's only human nature, how could I dare to blame you? Your Highness loves your children dearly, I admire you more than anything!"

Peng Lianhu glanced at the brocade box and found that the lock on it was a seven-link lock. The brocade box was a secret mechanism box made by the Lu Ban Divine Axe Sect, which could only be opened with a key.

If forcibly broken, using a wire to pry open the lock will trigger the internal mechanisms of the secret box, spraying out acid, poison, fire, and other contraptions that will destroy the items inside.

What kind of character do these martial arts retainers under Wanyan Honglie have? If there hadn't been this precaution, Peng Lianhu would have taken the brocade box and run away the very next day.

Loyal?
A favor of recognition?

To repay a debt of gratitude at the cost of one's life?

How much does this quality cost per kilogram?
Wanyan Honglie whispered, "Chief Peng, this matter must not be publicized. Please, please don't tell anyone!"

Peng Lianhu nodded: "Your Highness, rest assured. I am not new to the world of martial arts. I know better than anyone what to say and what not to say."

"In that case, I'll leave it to Chief Peng!"

Wanyan Honglie clasped his hands together and bowed deeply.

Peng Lianhu hurriedly helped Wanyan Honglie up, and the two staged a scene of entrusting his wife and children to someone else before Peng Lianhu left.

Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them. Wanyan Honglie had someone invite Master Lingzhi to repeat the scene from before, and gave him a secret box with a mechanism, followed by Liang Ziweng.

Finally, there are Sha Tongtian and Hou Tonghai.

There is no Ouyang Feng or Ouyang Ke, uncle and nephew!

Wanyan Honglie had a grandmaster under his command, Ouyang Feng, who was obsessed with martial arts. Wanyan Honglie first recruited Ouyang Ke, and then asked Ouyang Ke to act as a go-between.

He offered Ouyang Feng protection for five years in exchange for his unparalleled martial arts skills, including Haotian Gangqi, Tiandi Baquan, and Da Zhou Tian Five Elements Palm Technique, with the promise of payment after five years.

Given the character of Ouyang uncle and nephew, if Wanyan Honglie were to hand over the secret box containing the mechanism, the next second they would likely place the poisonous snakes on Wanyan Honglie's wife, children, and elderly relatives.

Aren't you a parent who loves their child dearly?

Either hand over the key, or I'll torture Wanyan Kang to death with poisonous snakes and wipe out your entire Wanyan clan!
Some people here asked, if Wanyan Kang could be used to threaten Wanyan Honglie, why wasn't it used before?

Because there were no bound manuals in the past, Wanyan Honglie had to dictate them. If he wrote a single wrong word or made a mistake in a meridian, it could lead to qi deviation.

If there are dozens of errors, you can use a series of questions to verify their authenticity. However, if there are only one or two errors in the meridians, no matter how you verify them, it will be difficult to confirm the authenticity of the manual before you reach the peak of your skill.

Most of the secret recipes that are forced out of you are fake.

The secret to entrusting one's children to another must be genuine.

Furthermore, I didn't know Wanyan Honglie's feelings for Wanyan Kang before, and I thought the royal family was heartless and that their sons were just tools to continue the family line, and therefore not very valuable.

By entrusting his wife and children to Wanyan Kang and presenting him with a treasure box, Wanyan Honglie demonstrated his deep affection for Wanyan Kang, essentially handing over his weakness to Ouyang and his nephew.

If Ouyang Feng doesn't accept her, it would be a disservice to his villainous character!
After doing all this, Wanyan Honglie smiled coldly and went to the princess's residence, handing her a brocade pouch.

……

"Master Yiyangzi, please wait!"

A handsome young man in his early twenties blocked Li Zhaoting's path. He was Cao Xiong's close assistant, and his aura felt somewhat familiar.

Li Zhaoting felt like he had seen him somewhere before; his eyebrows, eyes, and demeanor all seemed very familiar.

Li Zhaoting asked, "Could this young man be Lord Cao's page? May I ask your name?"

The young man said softly, "My name is Nangong Ling!"

Nangong Ling?
Li Zhaoting understood.

No wonder I felt like I'd seen this person before.

No wonder when the Beggars' Sect was in turmoil, it always felt like someone was missing; it turns out this guy was hanging around with the Manchus.

Shi Guanyin was truly skilled. She was a queen in the Western Regions' Kucha Kingdom, aspiring to become empress dowager. One of her sons was diligently cultivating his position at the Southern Shaolin Temple in the Central Plains, striving to become its abbot. Another son was in the Manchu Qing Dynasty. This family of three was like a cunning rabbit with three burrows, ensuring that if any of them died, there would be a backup plan!

Looking back, when the Beggars' Sect was in turmoil, the Manchu, Western Xia, and Japanese pirates all attacked at the same time, which was mostly due to the tacit understanding between the brothers Wuhua and Nangong Ling.

Then think about Cao Xiong's hobbies...

The relationship between Shi Guanyin and Cao Xiong...

Cao Xiong: Ms. Shi Guanyin, you don't want your son to be working under my tutelage, sweeping floors and carrying manure all day long, do you?

Li Zhaoting instinctively shivered.

Nangong Lingqi asked, "Daoist Yiyangzi, is my name strange? Why do you have that expression?"

Li Zhaoting skillfully shifted the blame: "Could it be that Brother Nangong is from the Nangong family? Both the Diancang Sect and the Nangong family are located in the southern border region, so they can look out for each other."

Nangong Ling smiled wryly: "Daoist Master is joking. If I were a member of the Nangong family, why would I travel thousands of miles to be a secretive page? I don't have that kind of luck. Let's not talk about this anymore. I have something to discuss with you, Daoist Master."

"Isn't this place a bit inconvenient?"

"This junior is hosting a banquet at Luming Tower!"

"I haven't eaten yet! I'm terrified of being poor! I only eat one meal a day, and I don't dare to eat a single bite more!"

"Taoist Master, please!"

A hint of disdain flashed in Nangong Ling's eyes.

Li Zhaoting's acting is superb, perfectly portraying a middle-aged man driven mad by poverty. How much is the title of "Jianghu hero" worth? Is he capable of supporting his family?
Once such a person turns evil, they will not only plummet into the abyss, but they will also talk about money all the time.

Nangong Ling is best at dealing with this kind of person!
Gold and silver jewelry, fine silks and satins, gourmet food and wine, courtesans—give them all.

Eating delicacies from land and sea, wearing fine silks and satins, riding in luxurious carriages, using divine weapons, and sleeping with stunning beauties—enjoying twice the luxurious pleasures that the other person dared not do, could not afford, or even dreamed of when they were a great hero—from the inside out and from top to bottom. That little bit of conscience unknowingly dissipates in the bright lights, wine, and debauchery.

Money is the most powerful weapon in the world.

Anything that can be solved with money is not a problem.

It's not easy to learn good things, but it's easy to learn bad things. Once you've even slightly strayed from the right path, you can forget about ever clearing your name again!
……

Luminglou is the most distinctive restaurant in the area.

Most restaurants either specialize in one type of cuisine, such as Shandong, Sichuan, Cantonese, or Huaiyang cuisine, or they offer two or three types of cuisine. But Luminglou is unique in that it offers everything.

We can cook dishes from all over the country.

They even studied Japanese cuisine and Korean cuisine.

The deer cry out, "Yo-yo!" as they eat the wild apples.
I have guests, let's play the zither and the sheng!
Local nobles, high-ranking officials, wealthy merchants, and other elites all preferred to come to Luminglou to recruit talent.

"Yiyangzi" is from Yunnan and lived in the Qing Dynasty for more than 20 years, so he must be familiar with two kinds of dishes.

One is Yunnan cuisine, and the other is Northeastern cuisine.

Nangong Ling thoughtfully ordered two different cuisines, and the dishes were quite authentic, with a wide variety of wild mushrooms included.

To show his sincerity, Nangong Ling booked the largest and most luxurious private room. After all the food and wine were served, the musicians and waiters all left quietly.

Apart from Nangong Ling and Li Zhaoting, there was no one else in the warm private room. Nangong Ling was quick-witted and smooth-talking, building relationships while eating. In just a few words, the dinner became much more lively. At the right moment, Nangong Ling made a request.

"Master, this is our first meeting, yet we feel an instant connection, as if we've known each other for decades. There are some things I shouldn't say, but I have to say them now!"

"Oh? What is it about?"

"Master Yiyangzi, tell me the truth, is this Guandong Martial Arts Conference grand enough? Compared with the Central Plains martial arts world, is the Qing Dynasty martial arts world superior or inferior?"

"From the perspective of the imperial court, the scale of the Guandong Martial Arts Conference is not only large, but also too large, posing a threat to the court. Compared with the martial arts world of the Central Plains, let alone Shaolin, Wudang, Emei, and Tangmen, it is somewhat inferior even compared with the Money Gang and Power Gang."

The Power Gang has three major leaders, four protectors, six secret agents, eight heavenly kings, nineteen demons, and countless masters lurking in various sects. If the two sides were to engage in a battle, the martial arts world of Guandong would collapse at the first touch.

If it's a contest of wits, open and covert struggles, or even scheming and plotting, it's not that I underestimate the martial arts world of Guandong, but all these people combined are no match for Liu Suifeng's calculations!
The situation in the martial arts world is truly not optimistic!

Li Zhaoting casually used his power to give an example.

To be honest, these martial arts sects in Guandong are indeed no match for the Power Gang. They can't defeat them head-on, and they are even less likely to defeat them from the side. The difference in strength between the two sides is like heaven and earth.

Give Liu Suifeng six months, and he could cause the Tianlong Gang, Shangwan Tiangong, and the Twelve Orders of the Universe to fight each other to the point of annihilation, leaving them dead without even knowing how they died.

Nangong Ling asked, "What's the reason?"

Li Zhaoting stretched out his finger and pointed upwards.

Nangong Ling shook his head: "Brother Dao, you are mistaken. It is not that His Majesty is suppressing the martial arts sects, but that the remnants of the Wanyan clan do not know the will of Heaven and attempt to rebel. Their crimes are heinous. Many martial arts masters of the Wanyan clan are lurking in the martial arts world. In order to capture the rebels, we can only err on the side of arresting the wrong ones."

Li Zhaoting laughed and said, "From what you're saying, I should run away quickly instead of rebuilding my sect!"

Nangong Ling waved his hand: "Brother Dao, you misunderstand! This martial arts tournament is meant to lure out the remnants of the Wanyan clan. Once these people are eliminated, His Majesty will lift the restrictions on martial arts sects. Brother Dao has made great contributions in this battle, and His Majesty will surely reward you handsomely for the sake of a thousand pieces of gold."

(End of this chapter)