Chapter 60

Chapter 59: Flame Blade vs. Wooden Sword

"Perhaps the Blood Knife Sect Master is exaggerating. Is that young man Xiao Feng or Zhang Wuji?" Hong Antong chuckled, clearly not believing it.

Yuan Chengzhi smiled faintly in his heart. Over the years, he had integrated the martial arts of the Huashan Sect, Jin She Langjun, and the Iron Sword Sect, forming his own unique style. Although he did not consider himself the best in the world, he was certainly not inferior to anyone.

"If the Hong Sect Master believes his martial arts surpass mine, he can come down and give me a lesson." The Old Ancestor of the Blood Knife Sect narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on the blood knife.

Hong Antong's white hair fluttered without wind, and he smiled faintly. His body suddenly disappeared from where he stood, and a punch was already aimed at the Old Ancestor of the Blood Knife Sect's chest. Although the Old Ancestor was surprised by his speed, his experience and preparation allowed him to counter with a swift slash.

In the blink of an eye, they exchanged over a dozen moves. Although Hong Antong's martial arts were slightly superior to the Old Ancestor's, in actual combat, he could only fight to a draw, feeling extremely frustrated.

Sangjie, seeing that the two were evenly matched, quickly jumped into the fray, his hands forming several ethereal seals, instantly separating the two.

"Humph!" Hong Antong grunted, turned, and sat down. "The Secret Sect's Great Seal, indeed well-deserved."

The Old Ancestor of the Blood Knife Sect sheathed his blood knife and slowly sat down.

Yuan Chengzhi was startled. He thought to himself that he could easily defeat any one of the three, but if two of them teamed up, he could at most maintain a draw. If all three attacked together, he would have to rely on the Divine Transformation to escape.

"Old Ancestor of the Blood Knife Sect, is that young man really that formidable?" Yuan Chengzhi originally intended to deal with Wei Xiaobao. Seeing that their goals aligned, and considering he had no enmity with them, he thought it would be fine to team up once.

The Old Ancestor of the Blood Knife Sect's face showed a hint of fear. "I have seen many martial arts experts in my life, but I have never seen anyone wield a simple wooden sword with such exquisite skill." He then described the events of that day in detail.

The other three were amazed, and Yuan Chengzhi was also uncertain. He thought to himself that half of his skills were in the Golden Snake Sword. If he had to use an ordinary wooden sword, he might not even be able to defeat the three of them.

Having witnessed the Old Ancestor's martial arts, everyone believed his judgment. Yuan Chengzhi was also somewhat moved but still had some doubts. "You are all leaders in your own right. Why are you all working together to deal with a mere Wei Xiaobao?"

Sangjie glanced at the Old Ancestor of the Blood Knife Sect, clasped his hands together, and said, "King of the Golden Snake, we are not hiding anything from you. The Blood Knife Sect Master and I have both pledged allegiance to the Mongol Prince Ali Bukha. The Prince has been at odds with the Qing Dynasty for a long time, and we, as his subordinates, are thinking of ways to ease his burden by removing the left and right arms of the young emperor Kangxi. As for the Hong Sect Master, he has recently shown interest in joining our Prince and plans to establish his worth before meeting the Prince..."

Hong Antong nodded slightly, but in his heart, he was calculating. Chapter 59: Flame Blade vs. Wooden Sword

"Once I find Wei Xiaobao and force him to reveal the secrets of the Forty-Two Chapters Sutra, wouldn't it be better to establish a kingdom overseas rather than serve as a mere vassal?"

"After multiple investigations, it seems that Wei Xiaobao has separated from the main group and is now in the territory of Song Gu, Suzhou. We will ambush him on his way back to Yanjing, in Yangzhou!" The four leaders quickly decided to team up and began planning.

"We must make him stay in Yangzhou for some time so we have enough time to set our trap."

"What are Wei Xiaobao's weaknesses?"

"Lecherous, a gambler, and greedy for money."

"Yangzhou has always been a place of pleasure. We could use beauty as bait..."

"But Wei Xiaobao is a high-ranking official in the Qing Dynasty. He has seen many beauties. Ordinary women might not impress him."

"My wife is also considered a national beauty. She would have been a suitable candidate, but unfortunately, that little thief has already seen her. If he becomes suspicious, it would be troublesome."

"Hong's wife is famous for her beauty. What a pity, what a pity."

The group of men were looking at each other, troubled by the lack of a suitable bait. At this moment, the tent flap was lifted, and a young woman entered. Although she was not old, her hair was already styled, indicating she was married. "Brother Yuan, I heard some guests have arrived?"

The group exchanged glances, thinking to themselves, "We searched high and low, and here she is, right on time!"

Yuan Chengzhi, however, was embarrassed. "Qingqing, why did you have to come in at this moment?"

But when Xia Qingqing heard their plan, she became excited. "This sounds fun! Let me go. I don't believe that little brat Wei Xiaobao won't fall for me..."

...

Turning back to the duel between Song Qingshu and Ji Mozhi, Ji Mozhi had not initially taken Song Qingshu seriously. However, as they faced off, Ji Mozhi quickly realized his mistake. Song Qingshu exuded the aura of a grandmaster, not inferior to himself in the slightest.

Song Qingshu knew that Ji Mozhi was reluctant to make the first move due to pride, so he used the "Cloudy Sky Without Rain" move from the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, alternating his palms to create a flurry of palm shadows, attacking.

"Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms?" Ji Mozhi, with his extensive knowledge, immediately recognized Song Qingshu's martial arts style. He was puzzled, "I heard from those women that he is surnamed Song, so he can't be Qiao Feng or Guo Jing. But I haven't heard of any young martial arts experts in the Beggar Sect."

Excited by the challenge, Ji Mozhi used one of the seventy-two supreme skills of Shaolin, the "Prajna Palm," to counter. The two exchanged dozens of moves, one using the most powerful palm technique in the world, the other using the deepest and most profound palm technique of Shaolin Temple. They were truly evenly matched.

Unfortunately, Song Qingshu had not yet reached the pinnacle of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, so he could only use about seventy to eighty percent of its power. Ji Mozhi, relying on a trick, could only mimic the form of the Prajna Palm without capturing its essence. Thus, two half-skilled practitioners could fight for so long.

If it were Xiao Feng or Guo Jing using the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, Ji Mozhi would have been defeated long ago with just the Prajna Palm. Similarly, if the Prajna Palm were used by the Sweeping Monk, Song Qingshu's Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms would not last ten moves.

Despite this, their techniques were exquisite, and the surrounding tables and chairs were shattered by the residual force of their palm strikes, leaving the two men and three women watching in amazement.

"These damned martial artists, how am I supposed to compensate for this damage?" The innkeeper, seeing the mess, felt a deep sorrow and wailed.

"Shut up, don't disturb my viewing pleasure." Wei Xiaobao, engrossed in the fight, casually threw a stack of silver bills to the innkeeper. "Consider this compensation. Don't say it's not enough!"

"Enough, enough, sirs, please continue your fight. I'll bring you some tea." Seeing the amount of silver, the innkeeper's face lit up, and he scurried off.

Interrupted, the two fighters took the opportunity to separate. Ji Mozhi looked at Song Qingshu in admiration. "Young Master Song is the most skilled martial artist I have encountered since coming to Central China."

"The Prajna Palm of Shaolin Temple takes thirty-four years to achieve minor success. This monk has only been learning for a few years, yet he has reached such a level. It is truly perplexing." Wang Yuyan muttered to herself, her head lowered in deep thought, clearly puzzled.

"King Ming is truly remarkable. One year of practice is worth ten years for a Shaolin monk!" Song Qingshu sincerely praised, though he knew Ji Mozhi relied on the Lesser Unparalleled Skill to enhance his power. However, a bit of flattery never hurt.

Although Ji Mozhi was a great monk, he could not completely let go of the desire for martial arts and fame. Hearing the praise, he felt a bit guilty but smiled faintly in acknowledgment.

However, when Song Qingshu saw his smile, he was startled and quickly dodged to the side. Everyone saw that several deep holes had been left where Song Qingshu had been standing. If he hadn't dodged, he would have been seriously injured.

"Being able to easily dodge my finger strikes shows that Young Master has a deep understanding of Buddhist teachings. Ordinary people do not understand the essence of the Buddha's flower gesture and the smile of Venerable Kasyapa, so they cannot recognize the timing of the Flower Finger technique..." Ji Mozhi slowly retracted his fingers, growing more appreciative of the young man before him.

"Politeness demands a return. King Ming, please receive this move." Song Qingshu's face suddenly turned fierce, transforming his palm into a claw and attacking viciously.

Wei Xiaobao, seeing the marble on the floor being pierced by Song Qingshu's claws, cheered loudly, "Brother Song, you're amazing!"

Wang Yuyan, however, frowned and remained silent. After watching for a dozen moves, she sighed softly, "The Nine Yin Divine Claw is incredibly powerful, but Young Master Song seems to have not yet reached its pinnacle. If he continues like this, he may eventually suffer from a mental breakdown."

Hearing her soft, melodic voice, Duan Yu was entranced. In his heart, the duel between the two men was nothing compared to a glance at Miss Wang.

Mu Wanqing, who had been half-focused on Duan Yu, immediately noticed his dreamy expression and felt a pang of jealousy. She turned her full attention to the fight.

Sure enough, once Song Qingshu's initial momentum waned, Ji Mozhi used the Shaolin Dragon Claw technique, countering with his own claws and forcing Song Qingshu to retreat several yards in a hurry.

Ji Mozhi smiled faintly. "I am very curious about the wooden sword on Young Master's back. In the past few months, I have traveled eastward and seen many wondrous sword techniques in Central China, such as the Six Pulse Sword Technique of Young Master Duan, which is one of the best in the world... However, I have never seen anyone use a wooden sword. Could it be that Young Master does not consider me worthy of your sword?"

"Have I heard correctly that King Ming's supreme skill is the 'Flame Blade'? I wonder if I have the honor of experiencing it." Song Qingshu drew his wooden sword and attacked with the Three Immortal Sword Technique.

"Excellent sword technique!" Ji Mozhi praised inwardly, gathering his energy in his palms and pushing them out flat.

Wei Xiaobao, seeing the two standing in place, one waving his sword at the air and the other repeatedly striking the air from a distance, found it boring. He scratched his head and turned to Wang Yuyan with a smile. "Miss Wang, do you know what they are doing?"

Seeing his confusion, Wang Yuyan smiled and explained gently, "The monk is using the 'Flame Blade' technique of the Tibetan Nyingma Temple. Each time he strikes with his palm, a sharp and scorching blade of energy attacks Young Master Song. As for Young Master Song's sword technique, it is based on the Five Mountains Sword Technique, but each move quickly transforms into another. Although I recognize each move individually, when combined, they form a wondrous sword technique I have never seen before."

Hearing Wang Yuyan's voice, Ji Mozhi's experience became even more intense. Each move from his opponent was a standard, unremarkable sword technique, but when combined, they were incredibly exquisite. Only a master like him could understand that his opponent was no longer using sword techniques but sword intent.

"But can they really hit each other while moving around in place?" Wei Xiaobao asked, puzzled, but inwardly delighted: "Oh, such a beautiful voice. If she ever calls me 'Xiaobao,' I would be willing to live ten... no, one year less."

"The monk's blade energy can reach several yards away. Young Master Song is using his exquisite sword technique to find the weakest points in the monk's blade energy. Therefore, each time he strikes, he can disperse one of the monk's blade energies." Wang Yuyan's face glowed with excitement. The duel between the two top martial artists deepened her understanding of martial arts, and she thought to herself that she must tell her cousin about this next time.

In the arena, Song Qingshu suddenly jumped out of Ji Mozhi's attack range and immediately said, "I concede."

Ji Mozhi looked puzzled. "Young Master's sword technique is divine. I have not gained any advantage. Why do you concede?"

Song Qingshu smiled bitterly, holding his wooden sword in front of him and looking at the slightly charred blade. He sighed, "King Ming's Flame Blade energy is scorching. If we continue, my wooden sword will catch fire."

In his heart, Song Qingshu knew that his own power was inferior to Ji Mozhi's. Otherwise, the blade would not have been damaged by the heat of the monk's blade energy. If it were the invincible sword of Dugu Qiubai, not even real flames could harm it. "Poor wooden sword, you are so unlucky to have such an incompetent master," he lamented to himself.

"Ha ha ha!" Ji Mozhi laughed heartily. "Young Master Song's sword technique is divine, and his character is upright. Truly remarkable."

At this moment, Wei Xiaobao had an idea and knew it was his turn to act. He immediately jumped out. "Since you two admire each other so much, why fight? All the world is one family. Let's sit down and have a cup of water wine. Innkeeper, bring us your best vegetarian dishes."

"Sure thing!"

Hearing the innkeeper's response, Ji Mozhi felt very comfortable and glanced at Wei Xiaobao. "From your attire, you must be a Qing Dynasty official, right?"

"Master, you are truly a master. I haven't even introduced myself, and you already know." Wei Xiaobao's exaggerated expression of admiration greatly pleased Ji Mozhi. Chapter 60: The Four Major Schools of the Esoteric Sect

Seeing his confusion, Wang Yuyan smiled and explained gently, "The monk is using the 'Flame Blade' technique of the Tibetan Nyingma Temple. Each time he strikes with his palm, a sharp and scorching blade of energy attacks Young Master Song. As for Young Master Song's sword technique, it is based on the Five Mountains Sword Technique, but each move quickly transforms into another. Although I recognize each move individually, when combined, they form a wondrous sword technique I have never seen before."

Hearing Wang Yuyan's voice, Ji Mozhi's experience became even more intense. Each move from his opponent was a standard, unremarkable sword technique, but when combined, they were incredibly exquisite. Only a master like him could understand that his opponent was no longer using sword techniques but sword intent.

"But can they really hit each other while moving around in place?" Wei Xiaobao asked, puzzled, but inwardly delighted: "Oh, such a beautiful voice. If she ever calls me 'Xiaobao,' I would be willing to live ten... no, one year less."

"The monk's blade energy can reach several yards away. Young Master Song is using his exquisite sword technique to find the weakest points in the monk's blade energy. Therefore, each time he strikes, he can disperse one of the monk's blade energies." Wang Yuyan's face glowed with excitement. The duel between the two top martial artists deepened her understanding of martial arts, and she thought to herself that she must tell her cousin about this next time.

In the arena, Song Qingshu suddenly jumped out of Ji Mozhi's attack range and immediately said, "I concede."

Ji Mozhi looked puzzled. "Young Master's sword technique is divine. I have not gained any advantage. Why do you concede?"

Song Qingshu smiled bitterly, holding his wooden sword in front of him and looking at the slightly charred blade. He sighed, "King Ming's Flame Blade energy is scorching. If we continue, my wooden sword will catch fire."

In his heart, Song Qingshu knew that his own power was inferior to Ji Mozhi's. Otherwise, the blade would not have been damaged by the heat of the monk's blade energy. If it were the invincible sword of Dugu Qiubai, not even real flames could harm it. "Poor wooden sword, you are so unlucky to have such an incompetent master," he lamented to himself.

"Ha ha ha!" Ji Mozhi laughed heartily. "Young Master Song's sword technique is divine, and his character is upright. Truly remarkable."

At this moment,