Under One Person: Sincerity Moves the Gods

Chapter 87 Challenge to Zhuge Yunlan

Years are like a shuttle.

In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed.

That morning, just as dawn was breaking.

Li Cunzhen got up and practiced his fist and foot techniques in the courtyard. He then meditated for half an hour to adjust his energy and spirit to their best state.

He opened his eyes, his gaze calm and resolute.

For the past ten days, he has been studying the Qimen Dunjia techniques and Six Lines divination methods taught by Zhuge Yunhui day and night.

While I wouldn't dare say I'm an expert, I can at least use it skillfully now, no longer the novice who only knew how to set fires and floods.

As for how Zhuge Yunlan would respond, he already had a plan in mind.

"I should go and ask him for advice."

Li Cunzhen stood up, dusted off his Taoist robe, and strode towards the main hall.

Inside the main hall, the head of the Zhuge family was already seated on a grand chair.

Standing beside him was Zhuge Yunlan, a tall man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a neat buzz cut, and a calm demeanor that made it impossible to discern his true nature.

Zhuge Yunhui stood aside, gently waving his folding fan, a smile on his face, looking like he was watching a good show.

"Oh, Master Li, you've arrived so early."

The head of the Zhuge family also raised his half-closed eyes and nodded to Li Cunzhen.

"They're here."

Li Cunzhen cupped his hands in greeting.

"You know the rules. You have three chances, and you can only use Qimen Dunjia. You can't hurt anyone or ask for help."

The head of the Zhuge family reiterated this point, and then said...

"If you are ready, then let's begin."

Li Cunzhen nodded.

Zhuge Yunlan took out the yellowed book of Wuhou Qimen from his sleeve, waved it in front of Li Cunzhen, and then put it back in his pocket.

He spoke calmly and in a deep voice.

"Master Li, please."

The two walked out of the main hall and came to the village's martial arts training ground.

It was still early, and only a few Zhuge family disciples were practicing in the training ground.

Seeing this, they all retreated to the side and watched from a distance.

Zhuge Yunhui stood at the sidelines and whispered to Li Cunzhen.

"My elder brother's skill in the Wuhou Qimen Dunjia is among the top five in our Zhuge family. He learns it very quickly and his techniques are unpredictable. Master Li, you must be careful."

Li Cunzhen nodded and stepped into the center of the training ground.

Zhuge Yunlan was already standing opposite him, about ten steps away.

"Master Li, I am the host, you are the guest, please go first."

Zhuge Yunlan gestured.

Li Cunzhen didn't stand on ceremony and lightly stomped his right foot on the ground.

The Qimen Dunjia formation is activated!

With a low shout, a vast amount of true energy surged from his body, instantly unfolding a huge compass array within a radius of several feet around him.

Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, Dui, the eight gates and nine stars, each with its own function.

The array pattern was clearly defined, shimmering with a faint light, like ancient runes etched in the void.

Upon seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Zhuge Yunlan's eyes.

Although he had heard about Li Cunzhen's talent for learning Qimen Dunjia from Zhuge Yunhui, he was still shocked when he saw the Qimen Dunjia formation that this young man had set up.

The scale and grandeur of this scheme were even greater than those of a seasoned practitioner like him who had been practicing Qimen Dunjia for over twenty years.

However, he quickly suppressed his emotions and stomped his right foot on the ground.

"Qimen Formation, open!"

The same array unfolded beneath his feet, though slightly smaller in scale, but with finer textures and smoother operation, like a precision instrument that had undergone countless polishing processes.

Two Qimen formations overlapped in the training ground, their light and shadow colliding and emitting a faint hum.

Zhuge Yunlan made the first move.

"The character '巽' (xùn) evokes the sound of the wind!"

He raised his right hand slightly, causing the air to ripple slightly, and an invisible wind instantly spread in all directions.

This technique is not used for attack, but for probing.

Once the Wind Whisper was activated, he could perceive every blade of grass and every tree in the entire training ground. He could even clearly detect Li Cunzhen's heartbeat, breathing, and the flow of true qi within his body.

Know yourself and the enemy, a hundred battles will never end.

In the warlords' battle, information is king.

However, Li Cunzhen was not slow either; at almost the same time, he also used the same technique.

The character "巽" (xùn) means "to listen to the wind whisper".

Two invisible winds intersected in the training ground, interfering with and canceling each other out.

Zhuge Yunlan frowned slightly. He could sense that although Li Cunzhen's "Listening to the Wind" was not very precise, it had a very wide coverage area, almost enveloping the entire training ground.

This is the advantage of cultivating one's life force.

The same technique, but Li Cunzhen used it in a more domineering and far-reaching way.

But Zhuge Yunlan remained calm. He made a hand seal with his left hand and pointed at Li Cunzhen with his right.

"The character '震' (zhen) signifies thunder!"

The Zhen position in the array suddenly lit up, and a blinding bolt of lightning cleaved out from the void with a deafening roar, crashing down on Li Cunzhen.

This move came extremely fast, almost as soon as Tingfengyin began to execute it.

Li Cunzhen has an advantage in terms of life cultivation.

However, Zhuge Yunlan also has his own advantages, namely the proficiency he has gained from decades of practicing the art of Qimen Dunjia.

He used the same technique, but he did it faster and more smoothly than Li Cunzhen!

Li Cunzhen's pupils contracted slightly, and he took two steps back while simultaneously flipping his right hand.

"The character '兑' (duì) means black glass."

His right arm was instantly covered with a layer of dark crystal, black but not transparent, cold but not chilling, as if it were wrapped in a layer of dark glass.

The lightning struck his arm, producing a deafening explosion and sending sparks flying.

Several fine cracks appeared on the black glass, but the lightning was completely blocked.

Li Cunzhen shook his numb arm and nodded to himself.

This black glass is really useful. If it were just a simple reverse-life triple attack, I could withstand it, but it would hurt a lot.

However, passively taking a beating is not his style.

Li Cunzhen turned his foot, and the formation diagram shifted slightly with his step. His gaze fell on the Zhuge Yunlan formation diagram that had been moved out of place.

"The character 'Separation,' the crimson serpent!"

A bright red fire python, as thick as a water bucket, shot up from the ground, carrying terrifying heat, and pounced towards Zhuge Yunlan.

The sheer scale of the event was so overwhelming that even the Zhuge family disciples standing on the edge of the training ground were startled and took several steps back.

Zhuge Yunlan's expression hardened, and she dared not meet the attack head-on.

He retreated swiftly, drawing an arc in front of him with his right hand.

"The character 'Kan' signifies 'Water Dragon's Chant'!"

A thick column of water shot into the sky from the Kan position in the array diagram, transforming into a winding water dragon that collided fiercely with the fire python.

laugh-

White mist rose, and water vapor filled the air.

The fire python and the water dragon canceled each other out, exploding into a huge cloud of steam in the air.

Taking advantage of the situation, Li Cunzhen pressed forward, making a hand seal with his left hand and waving his right.

"The character '巽' (xùn) represents wind and wall!"

An invisible wall of wind condensed in front of him, dispersing the rising water vapor and protecting his front.

Zhuge Yunlan was not to be outdone, and with a series of hand gestures, the various gates in the array diagram lit up one after another.

"The character '艮' signifies a mountain collapse!"

"The character '兑' (duì) resembles a golden blade!"

Huge rocks flew out from Liangwei, crashing down on Li Cunzhen with a heavy sense of oppression.

Golden blades shot out from the Dui position, slicing through the air with a sharp whistling sound.

Li Cunzhen's expression remained unchanged as he thrust out both hands.

With both arms covered in dark crystals, he swung them, shattering the flying boulders one by one and deflecting the golden blades one by one.

Stone fragments flew everywhere, and the golden blade shattered.

He was like an iron tower, unmoving.

Zhuge Yunlan felt a slight unease.

Previously, when I was in Lujia Town, I watched Li Cunzhen and others compete as a spectator and didn't think much of it.

Now that I'm actually fighting these monsters with high life cultivation, I realize that I have no way to express my suffering.

Those arms covered in black glass were like two iron hammers; his magic couldn't penetrate them at all.

But Zhuge Yunlan was not discouraged.

He took a deep breath, and the array beneath his feet suddenly shrank and then expanded.

"Eight-door transport!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the eight gates in the array diagram began to rotate rapidly, with Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, and Dui intersecting and their positions constantly changing.

Li Cunzhen frowned slightly. He could feel that his array diagram was being disturbed by this force and had become less stable.

Zhuge Yunlan's control over the Qimen Dunjia formation was far more refined than his.

It was able to disrupt the opponent's formation while maintaining the stability of its own formation.

While Li Cunzhen could expand the array to be larger and more robust, he appeared somewhat clumsy in the face of such subtle interference.

"Master Li, be careful."

Zhuge Yunlan gave a low shout and thrust out both hands simultaneously.

"The character 'Separation,' the crimson serpent!"

"The character 'Kan' signifies 'Water Dragon's Chant'!"

"The character '震' (zhen) signifies thunder!"

The three spells were released almost simultaneously!

The three attributes of fire, water, and lightning intertwined, forming a fierce triple attack that poured down on Li Cunzhen.

This is still an advantage of proficiency.

In the same amount of time, Li Cunzhen can only release one spell, while Zhuge Yunlan can release three.

Li Cunzhen's expression was solemn. He held his arms in front of him with black glass and retreated rapidly.

However, the attack range of the three spells was too wide, and he had no way to avoid them.

boom-

Fire, water vapor, and thunder exploded into a ball, engulfing Li Cunzhen.

Zhuge Yunhui, standing by the training ground, felt a sudden tightness in his chest and gripped his folding fan slightly harder.

However, when the smoke cleared, Li Cunzhen was still standing in the same spot.

His Taoist robe was ripped to shreds and his hair was charred, but the black glass on his body, though covered in cracks, remained intact.

Li Cunzhen looked down at the Qimen formation beneath his feet and shook his head.

"As expected, when it comes to using Qimen magic, I'm still no match for you sorcerers who specialize in it."

He muttered something to himself, then looked up at Zhuge Yunlan.

"Senior Brother Yunlan, it's my turn next."

As soon as he finished speaking, the array beneath Li Cunzhen's feet trembled violently.

A faint halo suddenly appeared in his eyes, the halo constantly shifting, like two copper coins spinning rapidly.

Six lines, cast a hexagram!

Li Cunzhen silently arranged in his mind, incorporating Zhuge Yunlan's location, actions, and the timing of his spell release into the divination.

The original hexagram is Kan (water), and the changing hexagram is Li (fire).

The Worldly Branch represents himself, and the Corresponding Branch represents Zhuge Yunlan.

The Worldly Branch (世爻) is in a favorable position, while the Corresponding Branch (应爻) is out of power.

Among the six relatives, the presence of the official ghost alongside the Azure Dragon indicates good fortune.

Li Cunzhen's lips curled up slightly.

The divination result shows...

Victory is assured in this battle!

Of course, this is only the trend within half an incense stick's time. The Great Six Lines divination cannot predict the whole situation, but even if he only predicts three moves accurately, it will be enough for him to turn the tide.

Li Cunzhen stomped his foot and charged forward.

Zhuge Yunlan immediately made a hand seal, intending to release a spell.

But Li Cunzhen seemed to have known in advance, and changed direction a moment before he raised his hand.

"The character 'Separation,' the crimson serpent!"

Li Cunzhen's fire python attacked from the side, striking right at the opening where Zhuge Yunlan was casting her spell.

Zhuge Yunlan's expression changed, and he hurriedly changed his move to block, but he was already half a beat too late.

The explosion forced him back several steps.

Zhuge Yunlan steadied herself, her heart filled with shock.

Li Cunzhen's move just now seemed to have seen through his thoughts and predicted his actions in advance.

Before he could think any further, Li Cunzhen rushed forward again.

"The character '震' (zhen) signifies thunder!"

A bolt of lightning struck Zhuge Yunlan's left side, and he happened to dodge to the left, running right into the lightning.

Sizzle—

Zhuge Yunlan felt a jolt throughout her body, slowing her movements by half a beat.

Taking advantage of the situation, Li Cunzhen pressed forward, his right fist aimed straight for his chest.

Zhuge Yunlan hurriedly used Black Glazed Glass to block, but Li Cunzhen's fist had already reached his chest.

Then, he transformed his fist into a finger and gently flicked it, thus capturing the Wuhou Qimen technique.

"You're too kind!"

Li Cunzhen withdrew his fist, stepped back, and cupped his hands in greeting.

Zhuge Yunlan looked down at her chest, then at Li Cunzhen, and gave a bitter smile.

"Master Li, your skills are impressive. I've lost."

The disciples of the Zhuge family were in an uproar at the edge of the training ground.

Zhuge Yunlan is the most skilled cultivator of this generation in the Zhuge family, and is practically the head of the family.

We actually lost!

Zhuge Yunhui waved his folding fan, a smile playing on his lips, but a complex emotion flickered in his eyes.

He knew Li Cunzhen would win, but he didn't expect him to win so quickly.

The head of the Zhuge family stood up from the armchair, and his half-closed eyes finally opened slightly, revealing a glint of shrewdness.

"Master Li, what a mastery of Qimen Dunjia!"

He paused, then continued.

"However, I am quite curious, what did you divine when you used the Great Six Lines divination technique just now?"

Li Cunzhen told the truth.

"The official ghost is accompanied by the Azure Dragon, which is auspicious. The self-element is in a favorable position, while the responding element is out of power. I will surely win within half an incense stick's time."

Upon hearing this, the head of the Zhuge family burst into laughter.

"Excellent! What a brilliant hexagram!"

"The magic arts of my Zhuge family have not been buried in your hands."

Li Cunzhen smiled and then began to look through the book "Wuhou Qimen".

The paper was thin and brittle, with slightly curled edges, but the ink was still clearly visible.

The opening is a preface, written in neat and powerful handwriting, each stroke exuding a composed demeanor.

"The Qimen Dunjia is the fundamental principle of heaven and earth, and the overarching principle of yin and yang —"

Li Cunzhen was engrossed in reading, his fingers gently stroking the pages.

The ingenuity of this technique far exceeded his previous expectations.

Ordinary Qimen Dunjia uses Heaven and Earth as its compass and the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams as its framework; the practitioner can only follow the natural flow.

The Wuhou Qimen uses itself as the central palace, drawing the power of heaven and earth into itself, and every move it makes can attract the energy from all directions.

"Exquisite."

Li Cunzhen closed the book, let out a long breath, and sincerely praised it.

The head of the Zhuge family, holding a teacup, smiled slightly upon hearing this.

"The things passed down by Zhuge Liang are naturally exquisite, but books are static, while people are dynamic. You can't master Zhuge Liang's unique skills just by reading books."

Li Cunzhen raised his head and looked at the old man with white hair and beard.

The head of the Zhuge family put down his teacup, took out a thin booklet from his sleeve, and handed it over.

"These are the notes and insights of the Zhuge family's generations of practitioners of the Wuhou Qimen method. They contain the detours taken by our predecessors, as well as the methods they summarized. Since you have defeated Yunlan, these things should be given to you."

Li Cunzhen took the booklet and opened it.

The handwriting varied; some was neat, some was messy, and some even had only a few lines drawn at the bottom of the page with a few small notes next to them. But each page was densely covered with writing, clearly indicating that it had been written by many people.