Starting with Naruto, I'll become stronger through my own efforts.

Chapter 87: Finally Back in the Dream

Despite Xia Zuo giving so many reasons, there is actually only one real reason.

That is because Xia Zuo is too strong; the Wudang Sect led by Chongxu simply cannot defeat him.

If a life-or-death conflict were to break out between the two sides, the result would inevitably be that Xia Zuo would be completely unharmed, while the Wudang Sect would be reduced to a few scattered individuals.

Whether it was the Ming emperor or the Taoist master Zhang Sanfeng, they had no choice but to forgive the powerful Xia Zuo in the face of such a situation.

After a long silence, Daoist Chongxu finally spoke: "I have no intention of targeting the Huashan Sect. What I want to deal with are Blackwood Cliff and Songshan."

Xia Zuo frowned and asked, "What exactly did my senior brother do to make the Daoist priest believe that he can influence the two strongest sects in the martial arts world?"

Chongxu couldn't help but shake his head: "So Young Hero Xia doesn't know yet, your senior brother has accomplished a great deal these past two months."

Two months ago, Linghu Chong and "Heavenly King" Xiang Wentian became sworn brothers.

"Afterwards, the two joined forces to break into Plum Manor in West Lake and rescued Ren Woxing, the former leader of the Demonic Sect. He learned the Demonic Star Absorbing Technique and married Ren Yingying, the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect."

"Last month, Linghu Chong and Ren Woxing parted ways and stopped the Songshan Sect's plot against the Hengshan Sect in Hebei, saving the lives of the Hengshan San Ding."

"Then he went south to Hengshan, where he joined forces with Master Mo Da to kill Zhao Sihai and Zhang Jingchao of the Songshan Sect."

Sima De and his three Grand Protectors.

"He is now a very important figure in the martial arts world. That's why I made a special trip down the mountain to get to know this newly rising master and leave some favors for him in the future when dealing with the Songshan Sect and the Demonic Sect."

At this point, Master Chongxu's eyes were filled with envy.

Yue Buqun of the Huashan Sect was originally someone he looked down upon, but he was incredibly lucky and managed to train two outstanding disciples.

The seventh disciple, Xia Zuo, has just emerged, but he has already reached his peak. It seems that he is about to lead the Huashan Sect to new heights and recreate the glory of the Wudang Sect becoming the number one sect in the world a hundred years ago.

Linghu Chong, Yue Buqun's eldest disciple, was no ordinary person either.

Although he wasn't very bright and seemed like a fool who couldn't distinguish right from wrong, his swordsmanship and Star-Absorbing Demon Art were truly formidable.

Even more astonishing is that Linghu Chong's luck is extraordinary. Since leaving Mount Hua, no matter what dangers he encounters, he always manages to turn misfortune into good fortune.

In just two months, he went from being a weakling who couldn't even beat Tian Boguang to becoming a top-tier master in the world. He gained the recognition of Mo Da of Hengshan and San Ding of Hengshan, won Ren Yingying's heart, and stood at the core of the martial arts world.

Chongxu saw a chosen one in Linghu Chong's plight, so he went down the mountain to teach him swordsmanship and they became friends.

Xia Zuo was secretly astonished when he learned of Linghu Chong's actions from Chongxu.

Senior Brother truly lives up to his reputation as the chosen one of this world. In just two months, he has become a top-tier expert, or even a top-ten existence.

Even Master Chongxu, who held the reins of the righteous path in the martial arts world, had to make a special trip down the mountain to befriend Linghu Chong and build a good relationship for the future.

If Xia Zuo hadn't attacked Shaolin Temple, forcing it to close its gates, Master Fang Sheng, with his approachable demeanor, would likely have come down the mountain and made contact with Linghu Chong.

Of course, once Xia Zuo approached the Wudang Sect, all of that became irrelevant.

However, Xia Zuo believed that Linghu Chong was in great danger at this time. His unlimited glory relied entirely on his hastily acquired strength, which was built on the Dugu Nine Swords and the Star Absorbing Technique. The degree of instability of his foundation was obvious to the naked eye.

Not to mention that the Star Absorbing Skill itself is a demonic art that is like drinking poison to quench thirst, and could at any time put Linghu Chong in a desperate situation worse than death.

Even Linghu Chong, who mastered the best of the Dugu Nine Swords, still had the problem of not being able to leave his longsword.

With a three-foot-long sword in hand, Linghu Chong is one of the top ten masters in the world. Not to mention his master Yue Buqun, even "Heavenly King" Xiang Wentian is not as good as him. He can even overpower Chongxu, the leader of Wudang.

But without his sword, Linghu Chong didn't even have the courage to face Bao Dachu, the elder of the Demonic Sect.

Such a flawed, top-tier master would inevitably fall from grace if his luck turned sour.

This is a common problem for those born under the sign of good fortune: when their luck is high, they are invincible, but when their luck declines, their fate is often tragic.

A powerful ruler like Sun Ce, the Little Conqueror, died a miserable death at the hands of three nameless nobodys.

Kou Zhong was bewitched by three sentences, abandoned his brothers and subordinates to become a wild man in the Jianghu, and eventually died somewhere unknown.

Naruto Uzumaki not only became a miserable laborer in Konoha Village, but also became a new unit of measurement for combat power, as any Otsutsuki could easily subdue him.

In all the heavens and myriad realms, there are countless chosen ones who rise to prominence through sheer luck.

Only Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu, managed to maintain the situation after the crisis passed, thanks to his exceptional abilities, and thus achieved a successful conclusion.

Given Linghu Chong's intelligence, it would be the best he could do to escape unscathed from Ren Yingying's scheme.

So Xia Zuo didn't care at all.

He said to Chongxu, "Master Chongxu, you are the leader of Wudang. It is only natural for you to do these things from Wudang's perspective. I can understand."

"But the risks that my Huashan Sect has taken for this are not in vain. Now I am stronger than you, so you have to pay the price."

Chongxu took a deep breath: "Young Master Xia, what do you want?"

Xia Zuo calmly replied, "The Tai Chi Boxing Classic and the Tai Chi Sword Classic."

He did not promise not to tell others, because this was something Wudang owed to Huashan Sect, not just to him.

When the victim's fist gets bigger, what can Chongxu, the perpetrator, say?

He sighed and said, "Okay."

"But Young Master Xia, the Wudang School's Tai Chi Classics is not the original version by Grandmaster Zhang Sanfeng, but a copy that my master wrote down from memory."

"It was originally taken away by the evil cult 20 years ago —"

Speaking of this shameful past, Chongxu's face turned bright red.

He was able to readily hand over the Wudang Sect's highest martial arts manual because this thing had been stolen by the Demonic Sect and then widely distributed in Hebei.

Although no one has yet made a name for themselves in it, the Tai Chi Classics are no longer a closely guarded secret of the Wudang School.

Xia Zuo nodded: "A copy is fine too. As for the original manuscript by Master Sanfeng, I will naturally go to Blackwood Cliff to find it."

Obtaining the two handwritten copies from Chongxu was tantamount to obtaining proof that the Wudang Sect had submitted. Xia Zuo thus accomplished his goal of subduing Shaolin and Wudang and making the Huashan Sect famous.

After spending three days at the Wudang Sect, he confirmed that there was no trace of Zhang Sanfeng, so he simply left Wudang Mountain and headed straight for Black Cliff in Hebei.

While no trace of the legendary Zhang Sanfeng was found, the Taoist aura he left behind was felt near the Golden Summit, perfectly round and ever-changing.

Xia Zuo was deeply shocked, and inspired, he chose to head straight to Hebei.

He not only climbed mountains but also crossed rivers entirely on his own, without using any means of transportation.

Even the Yangtze River, the Han River, and the roaring Yellow River, Xia Zuo could walk across the water like a ninja in the Naruto world.

But after walking across the Yellow River, he sat down to rest, exhausted, and finally returned to the dream world.