Reborn Ouyang Ke: From The Condor Heroes to the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 55 Shattering the Void, Future Opponents!

Inside the hall, the candlelight flickered, casting the shadows of several people onto the mottled walls.

Ouyang Ke gazed at the two young figures not far away, his eyes calm as still water, and said lightly, "You two were like unpolished gems before, but now that you have mastered the 'Longevity Technique,' it means you have officially stepped into the world of martial arts."

Upon hearing this, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling's eyes ignited simultaneously. It was longing, excitement, the irrepressible impulse of young people facing the vast world. They had waited far too long for this day.

Ouyang Ke could naturally see that the two were filled with excitement, eager to immediately plunge into that world of swords and shadows. He paused slightly, then continued, "However, although you have now mastered superior Daoist innate true qi, you lack the means to injure yourselves and protect yourselves. Next, I will teach you a few self-defense techniques."

"Teach us martial arts?" Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling asked in unison, their faces instantly lighting up with surprise.

Kou Zhong cautiously sized up Ouyang Ke for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Brother, are you going to take us as your disciples?" Xu Ziling, who was standing to the side, did not speak, but his eyes also reflected anticipation.

In Shuanglong's hearts, Ouyang Ke was undoubtedly the most qualified person in the world to be their master at this moment. Shi Long, the number one expert in Yangzhou, had already been defeated by him, and this elder brother had always thought of them, imparted extraordinary skills to them, and protected them since they met. Apart from Zhen Sao, no one else had ever treated them so well.

Ouyang Ke was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, his gaze lingering on the two men's faces for a moment, inwardly marveling at their quick wit. To be honest, with the twins' talent, any martial artist would be tempted to take them as disciples, not even the three great martial arts masters.

These two teenagers possessed an unparalleled ability to seize opportunities. Even when they were petty thugs, they knew to sneak into Shilong's martial arts school to learn. Later, when they met Fu Junbi and Li Jing, they always sought to become their disciples whenever the opportunity arose. Their thirst for martial arts was ingrained in their bones, which enabled them to achieve great success and become grandmasters of martial arts.

At that moment, Ouyang Ke's heart also stirred slightly.

But after gazing at the two dragons before him for a long time, he suddenly smiled, shook his head, and said, "I would rather treat you as rivals than as disciples."

"An opponent?" Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged a glance, looking puzzled.

"Not bad. An opponent." Ouyang Ke's gaze became distant, as if piercing through the rooftops and looking towards the vast sky. "Do you know what the greatest dream of martial artists has been since ancient times?"

Those eyes, which seemed to possess infinite charm, now faintly flashed with electric light.

The two dragons shook their heads blankly.

Ouyang Ke didn't expect the two inexperienced youths before him to know the story of "shattering the void." In fact, looking across the martial arts world, there were probably fewer than a hundred people who knew those four words.

More than three hundred years have passed, and the story of "Peerless Sword Saint" Yan Fei and "Celestial Master" Sun En has long been forgotten. Even if a few words have been passed down, most people regard them as fabrications by their predecessors and do not take them seriously.

He seemed lost in reminiscence, letting out a soft sigh: "The light returns to the sun and moon, the darkness returns to the void. This is the Zen practice of Buddhism."

The two dragons exchanged a glance, their faces showing confusion.

Ouyang Ke understood their confusion and said calmly, "The literal meaning is to transcend the universe and enter another dimension."

Kou Zhong clicked his tongue and exclaimed, "Brother, could this be referring to a deity?"

Ouyang Ke smiled calmly, "You can understand it that way too." Inwardly, however, he marveled at the twin dragons' high level of comprehension—after only being mentioned once, Kou Zhong was the quickest to grasp the meaning. He looked at Kou Zhong, a slight smile playing on his lips, "You do indeed have some insight."

Kou Zhong became smug, puffing out his chest: "My elder brother said that Xiao Ling and I are martial arts prodigies, one in a thousand years. How could that be wrong?"

Ouyang Ke sized him up for a moment, then said calmly, "Of the two of you, you are the most fond of showing off your intelligence. But you should know that intelligent people often have the most distracting thoughts, and distractions are the biggest obstacle to practicing basic skills. Only by focusing your mind can you break free from ego. Intuitive perception and divine insights will come one by one, and then you can use the methods to open your meridians, regulate your qi and blood, and harmonize their flow. Therefore, although the methods may vary in a thousand ways, their essence remains in this one word."

Kou Zhong scratched his head, his eyes darting around: "Does that mean the person with the highest martial arts skills must be the stupidest? Then wouldn't my elder brother be both dumb and stupid?"

Ouyang Ke chuckled upon hearing this, shaking his head and saying, "Good lad, you've even learned to use your own weapon against yourself. But I'm referring to petty cleverness, not true wisdom. Ziling, what do you think?"

Meeting Ouyang Ke's gaze, Xu Ziling, who had rarely spoken, nodded and slowly said, "That's right. Those who can establish their own martial arts school must create their own to surpass those who merely maintain the status quo. Therefore, what you're referring to, elder brother, is cleverness, not wisdom. The saying 'great skill appears clumsy' means that the great wisdom you speak of should refer to those who appear foolish but are actually wise."

Kou Zhong was moved upon hearing this, and looked Xu Ziling up and down as if he were meeting him for the first time.

Ouyang Ke had long known that Xu Ziling's comprehension was even greater than Kou Zhong's, so he was not surprised and nodded in praise, "Ziling is right."

You two have very different personalities, yet you complement each other perfectly. If you join hands to explore the world, you will surely create something of great success.

Kou Zhong, beaming with pride, put his arm around Xu Ziling's shoulder. Before he could speak, Xu Ziling asked curiously, "Entering another world, is it not the Taoist concept of ascension to immortality in broad daylight?"

Ouyang Ke smiled and said calmly, "You can understand it that way. But a simpler explanation is that it means breaking free from the shackles of one's physical body and mind to reach another realm."

Xu Ziling fell into deep thought. Kou Zhong, however, clicked his tongue and said, "Little Ling, when did you start believing in such sorcerers?"

Ouyang Ke glanced at Kou Zhong indifferently and said, "In the eyes of country folk, wouldn't martial arts masters with extraordinary skills be regarded as immortals? So-called immortals are essentially people who have transcended their own limitations and have reached an unprecedented level of life."

Upon hearing this, the playful expression on Kou Zhong's face gradually faded, replaced by an unusual seriousness.

"You two have exceptional talent and are likely to reach that unattainable realm in the future. However, to truly break free from the shackles of heaven and earth, the right timing, location, and people are all indispensable. For this, you absolutely need an opponent with whom you can fight to your heart's content."

At this point, Ouyang Ke's gaze was fixed on the two of them.

Those eyes, which seemed to possess boundless charm, suddenly turned sharp as knives. Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling felt a chill run down their spines, as if they were being stared at by a ferocious beast, their blood freezing. The feeling of being locked onto by a mortal enemy made it almost impossible for them to breathe.

But in an instant, the illusion vanished, as if everything just now was nothing but a hallucination.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged a glance, only to realize that their backs were already soaked with cold sweat. They were horrified—with the mastery of the "Longevity Technique," their spiritual senses far surpassed those of ordinary people; just a moment ago, they had truly felt the fleeting killing intent emanating from Ouyang Ke. It wasn't an illusion.

"Are you scared?" Ouyang Ke looked at the two men who were still shaken and suddenly laughed.

Upon hearing this, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling felt a surge of courage welling up within them. Kou Zhong straightened his chest and said with boundless pride, "Brother, we are honored that you consider us your rivals. We only hope that you will not be discouraged by your defeats in the future."

Seeing that the two were unaffected and quickly cheered up, Ouyang Ke was not surprised but pleased, and said with a smile: "It is best that you have such spirit."

Looking across the vast Tang Dynasty, there are countless masters, but none are more suitable as opponents than the Twin Dragons. Throughout their journey in the original novel, they are like two indestructible cockroaches, growing stronger step by step, and finally becoming martial arts grandmasters whom even the three great masters would look up to.

Even two years after his adopted son Ling Zhong's wedding, Kou Zhong, feeling restless, suddenly had the idea of ​​traveling far away. Taking advantage of Ba Feng Han's visit from afar, he met up with Xu Ziling and they traveled west together, after which they were never heard from again.

In Ouyang Ke's view, the two of them could potentially break through the void together and go away.

Of course, this was just Ouyang Ke's speculation. However, given the twin dragons' talent and destiny, they were indeed the most likely people in the Tang Dynasty's martial arts world to reach that level.

Ouyang Ke collected his thoughts and said calmly, "Next, I will teach you a few self-defense techniques. As for how you will forge your own path in the future, that will depend on yourselves."

Upon hearing this, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling immediately listened intently. Although the two had mastered the "Longevity Technique," they lacked knowledge of how to injure their enemies.

I have no idea how to protect myself.

Ouyang Ke asked, "What do you want to learn?"

Kou Zhong blurted out, "I want to learn a sword technique, preferably one suitable for battlefield combat!" His biggest dream in his early years was to join a righteous army. Now that he has acquired divine skills, he naturally wants to make a name for himself with his own abilities.

Xu Ziling pondered for a moment and said, "I want to learn my elder brother's lightness skill." Kou Zhong, who was standing to the side, had a glint in his eyes when he heard this, obviously recalling Ouyang Ke's enviable graceful figure from earlier.

Ouyang Ke nodded and looked at Kou Zhong first: "Although I know a few sword techniques, they are just ordinary martial arts. It would be fine to pass them on to you, but they won't be of much use to you in your travels."

A flicker of disappointment crossed Kou Zhong's eyes, but he remained undeterred and tentatively asked, "Brother, are you skilled with other weapons?"

Ouyang Ke pondered for a moment, then subconsciously reached for his waist. But after glancing at Kou Zhong's current physique, he shook his head: "I am, however, skilled in a whip technique—"

Kou Zhong shook his head directly: "Brother, are there any other martial arts you can learn?"

Seeing the disappointment in Kou Zhong's eyes, Ouyang Ke pondered and said, "I currently possess a fist technique and a palm technique. The fist technique is called the Great Subduing Demon Fist, possessing extremely strong yang energy, steady and fierce, with unpredictable and wondrous moves. Under the influence of its fist power, its might is unstoppable."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ouyang Ke lightly tapped his crutches under his armpits and landed gracefully in the courtyard. Before he could even steady himself, he threw a punch right out of the air. The punch was upright, powerful, and full of overwhelming masculine strength.

"Boom—"

'

A deafening crash followed, and then a jaw-dropping scene unfolded. The towering tree in the courtyard, requiring three people to encircle it, was cleanly snapped in two in the middle!

The upper half of the tree trunk flew several meters away to the horrified eyes of the crowd, crashing heavily to the ground and kicking up clouds of dust. The half of the trunk that remained in place had a clean, mirror-like cut. Even more terrifying, the wood grain at the break had been completely reduced to dust, with faint traces of charring, as if it had been struck by lightning.

Ouyang Ke stood with his fist withdrawn, his robes fluttering. The true energy he had painstakingly cultivated through the "Nine Yang Divine Skill" had now been completely transformed into innate purple energy, possessing both yin and yang qualities. At this moment, the "Great Subduing Demon Fist" he unleashed was even more powerful than before.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were utterly shocked, almost unable to believe their eyes. That towering tree had been snapped in two by a single punch from a distance; it was simply indestructible.

"As for this palm technique, it's called the Heart-Shattering Palm." Ouyang Ke's voice was calm and unhurried. "Although this palm is named Heart-Shattering Palm, the internal organs of the person struck will be shattered, but their bones will not break. Its power should not be underestimated."

He slowly walked to a plum tree and, in front of the two dragons, gently placed his palm on the trunk. The touch was light and casual, as if he were just casually supporting it. The plum tree trembled slightly, and a few petals fell, but other than that, the tree was completely unharmed, not even a single crack in the bark.

"This—" Shuanglong was puzzled.

Until the firebird on Ouyang Ke's shoulder seemed to sense something and flew down to the plum tree. Instantly, branches and leaves fell one after another. Only then did the two dragons realize that the fallen branches and leaves were already faintly yellowing, devoid of any vitality.

This "Heart-Shattering Palm" was originally a unique skill that Huang Shang learned from the Ming Cult, their rivals. After being improved by him using superior Taoist internal energy techniques, its power was even greater than before. Now, under the influence of Ouyang Ke's innate purple energy, it has become even more incredible.

"Wow—that's amazing!"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were speechless for a long time. Then, like mischievous children who had found their favorite toy, they couldn't wait to figure out the tricks that Ouyang Ke had taught them.

Surprisingly, the two quickly mastered three-tenths of its essence. Kou Zhong chose the "Great Subduing Demon Fist," which seemed to contradict the attributes of his martial arts, while Xu Ziling chose the "Heart-Shattering Palm."

However, the true energy cultivated by the two from the "Longevity Formula" has transcended the common sense of the world and cannot be judged by ordinary attributes.

Next, Ouyang Ke taught the White Camel Mountain lineage the lightness skill "Instant Thousand Miles" and the movement technique "Snake Walk and Fox somersault". Just as he was about to continue speaking, a warning suddenly appeared in his mind, and his eyes shot towards the distance like lightning.

After a moment, he slowly said, "As long as you haven't mastered these two martial arts, you are not allowed to set foot in the martial world."

"Big Brother—" Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling looked puzzled.

Ouyang Ke said in a deep voice, "Someone is coming. You should take this opportunity to leave this place later."

Before the words were even finished, the rapid sound of horses' hooves echoed from all around the courtyard, causing the ground to tremble slightly. Then, a deep voice drifted from afar, seemingly close at hand: "Yuwen Huaji has come to visit. Would the young master be willing to receive his guest?"

The sound wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, making their eardrums tingle slightly.

Both dragons paled upon hearing this. They were no longer the same as before, and could naturally tell that the speaker was extremely far away, yet could transmit his voice so clearly into the courtyard. His martial arts skills were unfathomable.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged a glance and finally understood the meaning of Ouyang Ke's words.

The martial arts world has arrived at their doorstep.

P.S.: Next up is treating my leg!