Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 544 Internal Strife at Cihang Jingzhai, A Heart of Clarity and Stillness

"Please invite the successor of Jingzhai to step onto the stage and fight!"

The woman removed her straw hat, revealing a face as beautiful as Yan Jing'an's. Unlike the smiling, warm, and gentle Yan Jing'an, the woman was unusually cold.

It was as cold as millennia-old ice or ten-thousand-year-old snow.

A single glance from them could freeze a person to death.

Even with a face that could topple kingdoms, no one dared to get close. Such a person could not be judged by her appearance; one could only judge her age by her eyes.

Based on Li Zhaoting's experience, this person was about the same age as Yan Jing'an. At this age and with this appearance, it was obvious that he wanted to challenge the successor of Jingzhai.

According to Yan Jing'an, due to differing understandings of the sword manual, a protracted debate took place at Cihang Jingzhai, leading some members to leave the Jingzhai.

These people came to Tianshan and bewitched some of the female disciples of the Tianshan Sect to establish their own sect on the southern slope of Tianshan.

They call themselves—New Cihang Jingzhai!

Some people also call it the Northern School of Jingzhai!
Cheng Huaixiu stood up and asked, "May I ask what your relationship is with Cihang Jingzhai? Are you perhaps the leader of the Northern Sect? May I ask your esteemed name?"

"Practice Flying Smoke!"

"Cheng Huaixiu pays respects to Uncle Lian."

"Remember this, I am not from the Northern School of Jingzhai, we are the true Cihang Jingzhai. Cheng Huaixiu, there is no point in arguing, I prefer to let my sword speak!"

"Are we really going to fight here?"

"We must not waste such a precious time!"

"Seeing these two masters dueling has indeed made me itchy to join in. Please, senior, give me some pointers!"

Seeing Li Shengnan displaying her prowess, Cheng Huaixiu was unwilling to fall behind and leaped onto the stage.

"Are you using the Color Void or the Wing?"

"What I inherited is the Colorless Sword."

Why not a flying wing?

"The Flying Wing Sword is in the hands of my junior sister Qin Mengyao. She is the most talented disciple in the history of Cihang Jingzhai. Even my husband has praised her repeatedly."

When will Cihang Jingzhai be allowed to marry?

"Cihang Jingzhai never forbids marriage!"

"What a joke! How can the fairy Jingzhai maintain her fairy-like demeanor after marrying? How can she be so charming and sophisticated?"

"Senior, you are mistaken! The Cihang Sword Manual emphasizes following one's inner feelings and pursuing self-realization! I wish to marry, so why should I go against my heart?"

"No wonder Yan Jing'an passed the Flying Wing Sword to Qin Mengyao instead of you. A good-for-nothing like you who is unambitious and lustful has no right to inherit Jingzhai!"

"Senior is wrong again! If I wanted to become the head of Cihang Jingzhai, Master would immediately abdicate and pass the position to me without the slightest hesitation!"

Can marriage maintain a clear and unwavering sword mind?

"Sword Heart Clarity is the starting point for pursuing the Way of the Sword, the Way of Martial Arts, and the Way of Heaven, not the final result. If senior's only concern is Sword Heart Clarity..."

"What do you want to say?"

"This is truly disappointing!"

Three years ago, Junior Sister Qin broke through the Sword Heart Clarity and comprehended the true meaning of inclusiveness. She studied Buddhism at Jingnian Zen Temple for three years, which solidified her foundation and gave her boundless potential.

When Master was young, he was busy working for the sake of all living beings. He had too many distracting thoughts and failed to break through the Sword Heart Clarity. However, he bypassed the Sword Heart Clarity and successfully comprehended the Scattering Technique.

My husband went to the Jingzhai to read the sword manual, making annotations as he read. When he turned to the last page, he successfully grasped the path after achieving enlightenment in swordsmanship.

It's not about abandoning techniques or going into seclusion; it's about taking a completely different path, starting with a clear understanding of the sword's heart. And I'm walking this path now!

Would you like to see it, senior?

A wicked smile crept across Cheng Huaixiu's lips.

Cheng Huaixiu activated the skill "Provocation".

Lian Feiyan, who specializes in the supreme state of detachment and selflessness, broke her cultivation in a second. Her flaws were too obvious, and she simply could not achieve the supreme state of detachment.

If Lian Feiyan is truly detached from worldly affairs, why would she be so fixated on her name and whether or not she should get married?
They can't even forget past grievances and are still thinking about that debate. In the end, they only mention trivial matters. What kind of detachment is this?
"Alright, please make your move!"

Lian Feiyan quickly returned to a cold and austere state.

Without any further formalities, Lian Feiyan suddenly drew her ancient longsword, the blade humming and emitting a mournful sound, as if the blade itself was weeping.

This sword is named—Heartbreak!

Before he finished speaking, the longsword suddenly thrust out.

Heartbreak Sword Technique: Deep Sorrow!

The sword light was dim and unclear, as if weeping and lamenting. The spectators felt their hearts heavy and couldn't help but lower their heads and shed tears. Just as they lowered their heads, the sword's momentum suddenly became violent.

In the blink of an eye, the sword's momentum transformed from that of a bullied young wife into the roar of a powerful lioness.

Heartbreak Sword Technique: Crying Out to Heaven and Earth!

Cheng Huaixiu's sword heart is clear and pure, untouched by worldly dust. His mind is like a clear mirror, and the sword intent that disturbs his mind is reflected and dissolved by his exquisite sword heart as soon as it approaches.

Inspired by Li Zhaoting, Cheng Huaixiu broke through the limitations of Sword Heart Clarity and, stepping on the foundation tailored for her by Li Zhaoting, walked step by step toward the Great Dao.

When Li Zhaoting was reading the Cihang Sword Manual, he created the Heart Sword Divine Technique, but the sword intent and sword moves were not perfect.

What Qin Mengyao gained was creative inspiration.

What Cheng Huaixiu received was "half a formula".

Without Cheng Huaixiu needing to painstakingly calculate, Li Zhaoting helped Cheng Huaixiu complete the process from zero to one. What Cheng Huaixiu had to do was transform from one into—infinity!
Heart Sword Divine Technique: Heart Clear, Sword Spirit Renewed!

The sword moved with lightness and agility, weaving through the gaps in Lian Feiyan's swordplay, whether it was ferocious or restrained, like a skilled butcher dissecting an ox, precisely pinpointing the points where Lian Feiyan's power flowed.

Lian Feiyan's swordsmanship was undeniably sharp.

Suddenly, it sounded like a lament, like a yearning, like weeping, like a complaint; the sound of the sword was more mournful than that of the flute, leaving one feeling sad and heartbroken.

Suddenly, sword energy surged forth, tearing everything apart. Grief and indignation transformed into power, as if he were wailing and lamenting to the heavens.

Suddenly, the sword strikes contained an extreme sense of oppression, each strike becoming incredibly heavy, as if carrying unvented pain, the breath stagnant, wanting to cry but unable to shed tears.

Suddenly, the sword light transformed into a continuous drizzle. The gentle sword moves contained a chilling penetrating power, causing Cheng Huaixiu's breathing to become disordered. Overwhelmed by the scene, tears filled his clothes.

Every move and every stance is aimed at emotions, at the softest part of the heart, as if you were throwing your own internal organs on the ground and stomping on them hundreds of times.

As expected of the "Reverse Compassionate Sword Manual," even after entering the demonic path, it still exudes an ethereal and otherworldly aura.

In a daze, it seemed as if hundreds of lovelorn couples who died of unrequited love appeared on the arena. After their deaths, these people became love ghosts, with sword energy swirling around them as threads of love.

Entangled in emotions, there is nowhere to escape.

Theoretically speaking, the rules of Cihang Jingzhai do not prohibit marriage, but while successive generations of Cihang Jingzhai members may have romantic relationships, there has never been a record of them getting married.

This "Heartbreak Sword Technique" is a psychological tactic targeting the successors of Cihang Jingzhai, especially those who have experienced love and eventually returned to Cihang Jingzhai. They are easily stirred up by past emotions, and Yan Jing'an is no exception.

In Lian Feiyan's view, if the successor of Jingzhai is a person with feelings, he will inevitably be moved by the sword intent and suffer heartbreak. If he is a person without feelings, it means that he is walking the path of forgetting emotions and is his own disciple. He himself is the true successor of Jingzhai.

Lian Feiyan was born in the wrong era.

If Lian Feiyan lived in another era, she would have at least a 50% advantage over Yan Jing'an, Bi Xiuxin, Duanmu Ling, or even Shi Feixuan.

Unfortunately, all the current successors are bugs.

Qin Mengyao is too young and has no experience with love.

Cheng Huaixiu got married and enjoys endless joy every day. Who could possibly make Cheng Huaixiu sad?

In Cheng Huaixiu's heart, there was only the sweetness of love between men and women, and the joy of having children and the happiness of family life. There was no such thing as heartbreak.
Who would dare to break Cheng Huaixiu's heart?

Are they not afraid of the Tai Sui of the Jiazi year wiping out their entire family?
Since there is no such emotion as "heartbreak", in Cheng Huaixiu's eyes, Lian Feiyan's Heartbreak Sword Technique is nothing more than a sword move that is sometimes fierce, sometimes continuous, sometimes small and swift, and sometimes powerful and steady.

Cheng Huaixiu maintained a clear mind, observing the flaws in Lian Feiyan's sword moves. No matter how Lian Feiyan's swordsmanship changed, Cheng Huaixiu would thrust out with his sword, forcing Lian Feiyan to change her sword path. Cheng Huaixiu would then launch a counterattack.

In less than thirty moves, Lian Feiyan was overwhelmed by Cheng Huaixiu's skillful combination of parrying and striking. The Heartbreak Sword Technique could not harm the other's heart, and the sword intent would inevitably backfire on her own heart, making her feel more and more frustrated as the fight went on.

Lian Feiyan's eyes were icy cold as she sneered, "So you're using physical intimacy to offset your heartbreak. It seems your feelings for each other run deep; you love your husband very much!"

Cheng Huaixiu smiled sweetly: "My husband is handsome, skilled in martial arts, and extremely talented. Although there are many sisters in the family, they get along quite well."

Li Zhaoting proudly curled his nose.

A few soft boos came from the stands.

Lian Feiyan sneered, "I never thought Fairy Jingzhai would stoop so low as to become someone else's concubine! How did Yan Jing'an raise you? You're getting more and more pathetic!"

Cheng Huaixiu shook her head: "If you are truly detached from worldly affairs, how could you have such thoughts? What kind of detached fairy would be so obsessed with jealousy and rivalry?"

Lian Feiyan flicked her wrist, changing the sword's stance, and an aura capable of annihilating all life spread out. "Since your emotions are so intense, I will sever your emotional ties and see how you cope!"

Seven Deadly Verses on Severing Emotions: Severing the Threads of Love in Anger!

The sword technique was extremely simple, abandoning all fancy variations, with only a black sword light that was condensed to the extreme, carrying the decisiveness to sever all emotions, piercing straight into Cheng Huaixiu's heart meridian, faster than lightning.

Cheng Huaixiu's expression suddenly turned cold.

Previously, I thought Lian Feiyan wasn't a bad person at heart, but had just gone down the wrong path, and I wanted to guide her back to the right path.

This move proves that Lian Feiyan has long been obsessed with demonic desires. This is not a battle to discuss the Dao and destroy gods, but a battle to slay demons and eliminate the demon of love for the human world!

Li Zhaoting, Tang Xiaolan, Li Shengnan and others all sensed the demonic energy emanating from Lian Feiyan. Li Zhaoting even wondered what the relationship was between Lian Feiyan and the bald-headed monk and lame Taoist priest who collected love ghosts in the Qing Dynasty.
This is clearly the work of evil and heretical sects.

First, use ruthless methods to force lovelorn men and women to be unable to have their love, to break off their relationships, and to break their hearts. Then, use this to cultivate the Heartbreak Sword Technique and improve the skill level of the sword technique.

If the other party is cold and heartless, try to win them over; if the other party harbors feelings, sever their emotional ties and turn them into a love-struck ghost.

Anger welled up in Cheng Huaixiu's heart.

Anger at the traitor to the sect.

Anger at the rampage of demons.

A flash of bloodlust crossed his eyes, and Cheng Huaixiu transformed his anger into sword intent. Just as Lian Feiyan thought Cheng Huaixiu had fallen into a trap, a world-shaking sword light suddenly erupted.

Heart Sword Divine Technique: Heart's Wrath and Sword Fury!

The sword light flashed across the sky like a bolt of lightning, carrying the fury that could burn the eight wastelands and the chilling killing intent. It pierced towards Lian Feiyan like a crossbow drawn from its sheath. Wherever the sword energy passed, even the air was frozen and cut off. The fury burned the nine heavens!
"Good! Good! Good! This is more interesting! Let me see how far the Jingzhai successor, now moved by emotion, can use the sword manual. I really look forward to it!"

A subtle ripple flashed in Lian Feiyan's eyes, as if a crack had appeared in an ancient glacier. She took a half-step back, flipped her wrist, and her sword aura changed again. A completely different, yet subtly connected to the origin of the Cihang Sword Manual, evil, domineering, and destructive aura suddenly erupted. This was the ultimate technique born from reversing the Cihang Sword Manual:

—The Compassionate Demon Sword!
Lian Feiyan's "Path of Heartlessness" is extremely advanced. The purity of her sword intent and the cruelty of her killing are dozens of times stronger than Zhong Zhongyou's. Although she has clearly fallen into the demonic path and can be seen as a demon at a glance, she appears to be like a god or an immortal.

Lian Feiyan's aura was more like that of the Fairy of the Quiet Studio than that of Cheng Huaixiu, like an ice and snow goddess born from the convergence of all the spiritual energy of the Tianshan Mountains.

Compassionate Sword - Heart-Shattering Separation!

Suddenly, demonic shadows appeared, pointing directly at Cheng Huaixiu's sword heart, attempting to corrupt his clear mind and shatter his Dao heart.

Suddenly unpredictable and ever-changing, seemingly real yet illusory, it contains the strongest and most intense "delusions" and "attachments".

Suddenly, a mournful cry, like the wailing of ten thousand ghosts, filled the air!

Suddenly, a hundred jet-black sword beams condensed!
Suddenly, he was willing to sacrifice himself, exchanging injury for injury!

Faced with the terrifying sword technique that had merged with the origin of the "Compassionate Journey Sword Manual" but fallen into the demonic path, Cheng Huaixiu felt unprecedented pressure, even surpassing some of the extreme pressure she faced when confronting Li Zhaoting, causing her celestial embryo to throb violently.

The celestial embryo resonated with the sword heart that had broken through its limits, and the insights gained from discussing the Dao with Li Zhaoting, fighting fiercely with Li Shengnan, and killing Leng Yifu merged together like rivers flowing into the sea, unleashing a torrent of sword intent!

The Colorless Sword seemed to come alive in her hands. Its light sometimes moved like a galaxy, nimbly dispelling Lian Feiyan's obsessive delusions; sometimes it shone like the blazing sun, its magnificent sword energy burning away and dispelling demonic energy; and sometimes it was as pure and refined as millennia-old ice, the sword master of heaven and earth, its spirit encompassing the universe.

Ambitious and soaring!

A pure heart and a spirit of swordsmanship!

Anger surged within him, and his sword lashed out!

Cold-hearted and sharp-sworded!

The four sword techniques cycled back and forth, and no matter how many powerful moves Lian Feiyan used, they were all deflected by Cheng Huaixiu.

No longer was it about finding the enemy's weaknesses and striking first after they had made their move; instead, it was about taking the initiative and launching attacks with every move. Lian Feiyan was forced to retreat repeatedly, her mind filled with rage.

"You brat! Die!"

The Compassionate Demon Sword: Selflessness in the face of life and death!

The destructive sword energy blasted towards Cheng Huaixiu.

Cheng Huaixiu closed his eyes, completely absorbed in the moment, and entered a deep state of enlightenment, where a flash of inspiration struck his mind.

The sword is the god, and the god is the will!
When the destructive sword energy reached three feet around him, Cheng Huaixiu suddenly opened his eyes. His physical potential was developed to the extreme. The four sword intents complemented each other, and he swung his sword to unleash the sword light of the rising sun, sweeping away the demons with a single strike.

This sword strike is both the ultimate expression of the sword spirit's keen insight into the flaws of all things and the sublimation of the sword's soaring spirit, transcending the constraints of life and death, seemingly surpassing the concept of speed.

Sword Heart Clear and Bright, Heart as Still as a Mirror and as Calm as Water!

At the moment when Lian Feiyan's "selfless" sword intent of annihilation had exhausted its old power and had not yet generated new power, and she was putting all her energy and spirit into the attack, she precisely struck the only fleeting "life" point in the flow of energy—the last core point that the path of ruthlessness had not completely extinguished, maintaining the operation of her sword technique.

"puff!"

The overwhelming demonic energy and annihilating sword intent that Lian Feiyan had gathered dissipated suddenly, like a punctured balloon!

The Heartbreak Sword let out a mournful cry of defiance, flew out of my hand, and plunged deep into the distant mountain rocks.

Lian Feiyan was struck as if by lightning. Her body trembled violently, and she staggered back several steps. For the first time, a clear crack appeared on her cold face, revealing extreme shock and bewilderment.

The outcome is decided!

Cheng Huaixiu sheathed his sword and stood there, slightly out of breath, with fine beads of sweat seeping from his temples. The light of the Color Void Sword was restrained, as if the astonishing sword strike just now was merely an illusion.

"Senior Lian, the Supreme Being's detachment from emotions is not the same as being heartless. Severing all feelings and thoughts is not the true path. Compassionate salvation is not about being sentimental, nor is it about being heartless. Senior, you have fallen into demonic possession!"

"Am I doing everything wrong?"

"There is no right or wrong in martial arts. No one can prove whether the Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotions is right or wrong, nor can anyone prove whether being emotional or indifferent is superior or inferior. However, the martial arts technique you just used was clearly a demonic sword technique, and the most vicious and evil one at that. I wonder where your sword technique came from?"

"Jinghuan...Jinghuan, you lied to me..."

Lian Feiyan let out a scream as blood flowed from all seven orifices. Cheng Huaixiu touched her body with his fingers, intending to treat her injuries, but Lian Feiyan waved her hand in refusal.

"Demonic energy has entered my brain, and there is no cure. I have regained some clarity with the help of your sword intent. Take me away, and I will tell you everything I know. Hurry up!"

Lian Feiyan grabbed Cheng Huaixiu's sleeve.

Cheng Huaixiu looked at Li Zhaoting.

Li Zhaoting nodded in agreement.

Cheng Huaixiu left with Lian Feiyan.

Tang Xiaolan was a little embarrassed by this unexpected turn of events in the duel. She glanced around and, finding no other challengers, finally felt relieved.

Li Zhaoting asked, "Sect Leader Tang, I've heard that some disciples of the Cihang Northern Sect come from the Tianshan Sect. Have you met them before? Where is the Northern Sect located?"

Tang Xiaolan sighed, "The Tianshan Sword Technique is not the strongest among the seven major sword sects, but it is the most stable, which means that the martial arts of the Tianshan Sword Sect are all the result of slow and steady progress."

To acquire profound martial arts skills, one needs to diligently cultivate for twenty or thirty years, or even forty or fifty years. It is virtually impossible to debut before the age of twenty.

Who didn't dream of becoming a chivalrous hero when they were young?
Who wouldn't want to become famous at a young age with a single sword strike?
The Tianshan Sect couldn't satisfy these people, so they went to other sects. I didn't want to stop them, but I destroyed their Tianshan Sect internal energy foundation and forbade them from passing on their martial arts. Otherwise, I would definitely hunt them down for thousands of miles.

However, from Lian Feiyan's perspective, they probably wouldn't even consider the martial arts of the Tianshan Sect worth their attention!

Li Zhaoting praised, "The martial arts lineage of the Tianshan Sect is orthodox and righteous. As long as you diligently cultivate step by step, you can become a first-class master."

Cihang Jingzhai and Cihang Beizong emphasize cultivating the spirit, which requires a very high level of talent. Initial progress is extremely rapid, but once one reaches the stage of spiritual resonance, a strong bottleneck will be encountered.

The Cihang Jingzhai tradition has been passed down for thousands of years. Very few people have broken through the realm of spiritual connection and achieved sword heart clarity. Most of them are stuck at the realm of spiritual connection and pass away regretfully.

Before the age of thirty-five, the Cihang Sword Manual is more powerful; after the age of thirty-five, the Tianshan Sword Technique will surpass the Cihang Sword Manual, and the gap will widen.

My wife is a descendant of the Jingzhai lineage, but I genuinely dislike the Cihang Sword Manual; it's too restrictive.

Which of the successors throughout history wasn't a genius?
Which one can unleash their full potential?
How many people are stuck at a certain level?
Lian Feiyan suffered a qi deviation and fell into the demonic path. Perhaps he was tempted by outsiders, or perhaps his will was not firm. But is it possible that the Compassionate Sword Manual...

This part involves sect secrets.

I'm not at liberty to say more.

Please forgive me, Headmaster Tang.

From my personal perspective, if I had to choose from the seven major sword sects, I would choose the Tianshan Sect.

If Li Zhaoting, who had just transmigrated, were to choose from the seven major sword sects, he would definitely choose the Tianshan Sect. The only competitive advantage of the Huashan Sect was the Dugu Nine Swords, but he didn't know whether Feng Qingyang would teach it to him, nor did he know whether he could master the Dugu Nine Swords. The variance was too great.

The best choice is definitely the Tianshan Sect!

If you're traversing a martial arts world, the Liang family is the best choice, especially the Tianshan Sect. You might not become a top master, but you'll likely live a long life, and you can eventually become a master through sheer perseverance.

Why didn't Li Zhaoting go to Tianshan to become a disciple?
It's too far, I can't get there!
If Li Zhaoting insists on going to Tianshan, he will most likely be kidnapped by Yu Luosha halfway there, given a beating of loving iron fists, and thus become a disciple of the Demonic Sect and its contemporary holy son.

And incidentally, engage in a "palace intrigue" with Yu Tianbao!
Not long after, Cheng Huaixiu returned.

His face was somewhat gloomy.

It's clear that a lot of bad news has been heard.

Most of them are related to "Fairy Jinghuan".

(End of this chapter)