Chapter 94

"Alas! I wonder if I will ever have the chance in my life to cultivate my martial arts to the level of Yan Chengfeng, reaching a state of divine clarity, where every move and gesture is as if all laws follow, almost reaching the realm of a legendary Buddha."

White Elephant Dharma King sighed in admiration and a bit of envy. He had devoted his entire life to the cultivation of martial arts, showing extraordinary talent in his youth and becoming a disciple of the Yuan Dynasty's Imperial Preceptor, Phagspa. He felt that the title of the world's greatest martial artist was surely his, and the position of Imperial Preceptor would be easily within his grasp. He looked down on everyone else, considering himself above all.

Even when Phagspa chose his successor, White Elephant Dharma King did not bother to compete with his senior brother, Red Sun Dharma King. At the time, he thought, "My martial arts are not yet fully developed, and I am not yet the most powerful in the world. Once I perfect the Great Vajra Dharma, will the position of Imperial Preceptor not be mine for the taking? Let Red Sun sit in that position for a few days; what can he do?"

When White Elephant Dharma King felt his martial arts were fully developed and was preparing to challenge the current world's greatest martial artist, the Gray Wolf Martial God Guo Kan, he was shocked to hear that his senior brother Red Sun Dharma King had been killed and the Heavenly Buddha Sect's secret technique, the "Great Stupa Dharma," had been stolen.

White Elephant Dharma King immediately gathered Red Sun Dharma King's disciples who had witnessed the event and the Yuan Dynasty's experts who had encountered Yan Chengfeng, to inquire in detail about Yan Chengfeng's martial arts. He had not initially considered this rising Han martial artist a threat, but after that, he no longer mentioned challenging the Gray Wolf Martial God Guo Kan. Instead, he strongly advised the Yuan Emperor to arrange a battle between Yan Chengfeng and Guo Kan.

Yan Chengfeng's fame was unparalleled at the time. The Yuan Emperor was concerned that if Guo Kan were to lose, the world would be left to Yan Chengfeng's dominance, which would be highly detrimental to the Yuan Dynasty's rule. Therefore, the Emperor, with his imperial authority, persuaded Guo Kan to abandon the duel.

White Elephant Dharma King negotiated extensively and assured the Yuan Emperor that the Gray Wolf Martial God Guo Kan would surely win, thus restarting this battle that would shock the world.

As White Elephant Dharma King walked to the foot of the mountain and looked at the nearby nameless town, his heart suddenly felt heavy.

He had strongly advocated for the battle between the two supreme martial artists and had always believed that the Gray Wolf Martial God Guo Kan would win. However, after meeting Yan Chengfeng, he no longer had such confidence.

This battle was too crucial, possibly becoming a turning point for a change of dynasty.

If the Yuan Dynasty's invincible legend ended, the anti-Yuan uprisings across the country would surge uncontrollably. If Yan Chengfeng were to be defeated, the title of Martial God would surely be Guo Kan's, and the various anti-Yuan forces would no longer dare to act rashly.

Yan Chengfeng's repeated challenges to Guo Kan were said to be related to the anti-Yuan movement among the Han people, and White Elephant Dharma King firmly believed this.

There was even a legend that the current leader of the Red Turban Army, Bai Mire, was Yan Chengfeng's junior brother. This person was extremely skilled in martial arts, with deep and unfathomable abilities, and was a master of military strategy and deep planning. It was he who had invited Yan Chengfeng to challenge Guo Kan.

Bai Mire's martial arts were said to be on par with Yan Chengfeng, and he had disciples like Han Shantong, Liu Futong, Guo Zixing, Peng Yingyu, and Xu Shouhui. Even a supreme expert like White Elephant Dharma King was deeply wary of him.

Thinking about the complex situations that the outcome of this battle could lead to, even the wise White Elephant Dharma King could not help but feel uneasy.

Suddenly, a bird landed in front of White Elephant Dharma King. The bird had been pierced through both eyes by an arrow, and the archer's skill was almost at its peak.

White Elephant Dharma King casually flicked his hand, pulling out the arrow and glancing at it, but there was no trace of a smile on his face.

A group of iron-clad cavalry galloped over. Seeing White Elephant Dharma King, the lead rider slightly bowed and said, "National Preceptor!"

White Elephant Dharma King tossed the arrow back to the lead rider and hurriedly left without saying another word.

The town was guarded by the Yuan Emperor's Qeshi Army, an elite force composed of the descendants of nobles, generals, and high-ranking officials. At that moment, hundreds of iron-clad cavalry had spread out, forming an invisible net that protected the entire town, making it impossible for even a cat, a mouse, or a bird to enter. The lead rider was just a squad leader of the Qeshi Army, yet he possessed such archery skills, demonstrating the elite nature of the Great Khan's personal guard.

The Yuan Emperor had even mobilized the Qeshi Army, indicating the importance of this battle to the Yuan Dynasty.

All the residents of this nameless town had long been killed by the Yuan soldiers, leaving no Han people in the town.

In the center of the town, there was a newly built pavilion made of logs and cowhide. A tall, middle-aged man with a weathered appearance was reading a book inside.

White Elephant Dharma King, of course, knew that this was the Yuan Dynasty's greatest martial artist, the Gray Wolf Martial God Guo Kan. Guo Kan had been famous for nearly sixty years and was now an old man, but he still looked as strong as a lion or a tiger, showing no signs of aging.

The Gray Wolf Martial God seemed to know that White Elephant Dharma King had arrived. Without lifting his head, he said gently, "Is it the National Preceptor?"

Although White Elephant Dharma King's reputation and status were on par with Guo Kan, and he was even more favored by the Yuan Emperor, he did not dare to be arrogant. He bowed and, speaking in a low voice as a junior, said, "I just met Yan Chengfeng. His martial arts have reached the Heavenly Dao, with no flaws, like a divine being, no longer a mortal."

Guo Kan laughed heartily and said, "If Yan Chengfeng had not emerged, the National Preceptor might have challenged this old man for the title of the world's greatest martial artist. With the National Preceptor's martial arts realm, how could you be deceived by these illusions? Yan Chengfeng's martial arts are indeed remarkable, but they are just illusions, suitable only for deceiving the common people. I will dispel them for the National Preceptor tomorrow."

White Elephant Dharma King was startled and realized, "Thank you, Martial God, for enlightening me. Is this the Ten Directions Annihilation Technique that has made Yan Chengfeng famous?"

Guo Kan nodded and said, "Yes! It is the Ten Directions Annihilation Technique that has made Yan Chengfeng famous. This technique focuses on the spirit, directly targeting the mind. If the opponent's emotions and desires are even slightly relaxed, they will be vulnerable to this technique. The practitioner can make the opponent live or die as they wish. It is a realm where martial arts have reached the pinnacle, transcending all constraints, entering the Dao, and making illusions real. It appears as if the practitioner is a divine being, capable of anything, but in reality, it is still within the realm of martial arts. As long as the mind is pure and focused, the illusions can be dispelled, and the technique will not harm."

White Elephant Dharma King pondered for a moment and sighed, "Thank you, Martial God, for enlightening me. Otherwise, my martial arts would not have progressed for ten years."

Guo Kan shook his head and smiled, "Phagspa's mental techniques are unparalleled in the world, surpassing Yan Chengfeng's Ten Directions Annihilation Technique. If you and Red Sun could master the Great Stupa Dharma, you would have nothing to fear from Yan Chengfeng. Unfortunately, you and Red Sun chose to learn the Thirteen Outer Scriptures of the Heavenly Buddha Sect, the Great Vajra Dharma, forsaking the precious and pursuing the trivial!"

White Elephant Dharma King's face showed a hint of shame as he replied, "Master Phagspa's knowledge is profound, and many of his great abilities are innate, not something that can be learned later. I and my senior brother can only aim for the second best."

The Gray Wolf Martial God Guo Kan laughed and patted the book in his hand, saying, "Tomorrow is Yan Chengfeng's day of doom. Go! This person cannot be underestimated, and I need to rest and prepare my spirit for the battle."

White Elephant Dharma King bowed deeply and turned to leave, but the heavy feeling in his heart did not dissipate.

"Although the Martial God is confident, what if Yan Chengfeng wins tomorrow?" Thinking about this, White Elephant Dharma King did not dare to dwell on it further. He flicked his sleeve and left, leaving the Gray Wolf Martial God Guo Kan to read leisurely in the pavilion.

After White Elephant Dharma King left, the entire town was left with only Guo Kan. Even the Qeshi Army could only guard the perimeter, not daring to step into the town, so as not to disturb the Martial God's tranquility.

That night, there was nothing to say...

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