Chapter 75

Chapter 74: The Extra Person in the Imperial Study

In the Imperial Study, an extra person appeared. Jumuozhi knew that Song Qingshu was giving him a way out. Although Kangxi and others thought he and Dongfang Bubai were still evenly matched, the three top martial arts experts in the room all knew that Jumuozhi's defeat was inevitable.

Rather than waiting for a humiliating defeat, it was better to admit defeat gracefully now and save face in front of Kangxi.

"Dongfang Sect Leader's divine skills surpass the world, this poor monk is far inferior," Jumuozhi said, his tone filled with reluctance. In his view, if the two of them stood still and struck each other, Dongfang Bubai would definitely suffer more severe injuries... Unfortunately, the other party was too fast, and his moves couldn't hit him.

"The great monk's martial arts are also excellent," seeing the other side admit defeat, Dongfang Bubai saw no need to continue纠缠. A red figure flashed, and he stood several yards away. "In the Central Plains martial arts world, there are probably no more than ten people whose skills clearly surpass yours."

"May I ask, Sect Leader Dongfang, who are the ten people who can clearly surpass this poor monk?" Jumuozhi asked resentfully. Losing to Dongfang Bubai was one thing, but hearing that there were ten more people who clearly surpassed him made him look disbelieving.

Dongfang Bubai smiled faintly. "Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang has reached a semi-divine realm, and his Tai Chi skills are best at using slowness to counter speed. Even I admit that I might not be his match, so you naturally can't defeat him."

"This poor monk has long admired Zhang Zhenren," Jumuozhi nodded, thinking about whether his grandmaster, the Lotus Master, who was in seclusion, was stronger than Zhang Sanfeng.

"Shaolin and Wudang have always been the pillars of the martial arts world. Although I look down on those stinky monks and their various formalities, I do admire their martial arts," Dongfang Bubai fell into deep thought. "Back then, to see the much-touted Shaolin 72 Skills, I sneaked into the Shaolin Temple's scripture hall. Along the way, I sensed at least three auras that were not weaker than mine. I only knew that one of them was the 13th Supreme Monk Xuancheng, who is said to be the strongest in Shaolin Temple in 200 years." He couldn't help but glance at Jumuozhi.

Jumuozhi's face couldn't help but turn a bit awkward. Although he claimed to be proficient in the 72 Skills of Shaolin, he actually relied on the Lesser Unparalleled Skill. The 13th Supreme Monk Xuancheng, on the other hand, was truly proficient in 13 of Shaolin's supreme skills.

"Who are the other two?" Song Qingshu, who had been listening, was very interested.

Dongfang Bubai was a bit surprised by the young man's martial arts knowledge. He smiled faintly and continued, "I'm not quite sure. Back then, although I knew there were three people in Shaolin Temple who were not weaker than me, I didn't pay much attention. As long as I wanted to leave, no one in the world could keep me, Dongfang Bubai, from leaving." When he said this, he had a confident air that looked down on the world.

"However," Dongfang Bubai suddenly looked a bit puzzled, "later, when I was reading the Shaolin scriptures in the scripture hall, I always felt someone was secretly watching me. After careful consideration, I decided to leave. That feeling was too eerie."

"Sect Leader Dongfang probably encountered the nameless monk in the scripture hall," Song Qingshu immediately understood and described the monk's appearance in detail.

"That monk sweeping in the corner?" Dongfang Bubai was startled. No wonder he couldn't find the source of the surveillance back then; it turned out to be the old monk he had initially overlooked. Realizing that the other party could evade his senses, Dongfang Bubai's face turned a bit grim.

"May I ask, Sect Leader Dongfang, about the other top experts in the Central Plains," Jumuozhi was not interested in the nameless monk.

Dongfang Bubai came back to his senses and continued, "Back then, Wang Chongyang of the Quanzhen Sect, who was called the 'First Under Heaven,' might not have lived up to the title, but he should be able to defeat you, the great monk."

"Perhaps not," Jumuozhi snorted.

Dongfang Bubai didn't care and continued, "Feng Qingyang, the Sword Saint of Huashan, is someone I greatly admire. It's said he has reached the realm of 'no sword surpasses the sword.' I really want to see it." He looked forward to it.

"This poor monk's young friend has also experienced Feng Qingyang's sword technique. Why doesn't Sect Leader Dongfang ask him?" Jumuozhi said with a smile.

"Oh? I was puzzled by the wooden sword on your back. Could you be Feng Lao's successor?" Dongfang Bubai's voice had just finished when he suddenly appeared in front of Song Qingshu.

Song Qingshu was startled, but fortunately, he had known about Dongfang Bubai's ghostly movements and had been on guard.

Seeing him attack, Song Qingshu quickly used the 'Fish Leaping in the Abyss' from the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms to dodge. The wooden sword was drawn, and a sword aura shot out.

"Interesting, interesting. Today, I not only saw intangible sword qi but also intangible sword qi." Dongfang Bubai chuckled, and his attacks continued relentlessly.

In the midst of the battle, Song Qingshu finally understood Jumuozhi's helplessness and realized the gap between himself and Jumuozhi.

Dongfang Bubai's speed was too fast, and Song Qingshu couldn't tell from which direction he would attack. Jumuozhi could predict Dongfang Bubai's attacks based on his rich combat experience and prepare in advance.

Song Qingshu lacked this ability. Many times, he only reacted when Dongfang Bubai's fingers were about to touch his body. Fortunately, he had learned a variety of skills, including the Nine Yin Manual, the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, and the sword intent from the secret cave on Sigu Peak, which were all top-notch martial arts, allowing him to barely cope.

However, from the outside, Song Qingshu looked flustered and struggled to cope, lacking the composure and ease that Jumuozhi had shown in the battle.

"Boy, your rolling on the ground may look a bit awkward, but it's quite effective," Dongfang Bubai, having tested enough, stopped attacking and retreated to his original position.

Song Qingshu smiled awkwardly and got up, using the Snake Form Rolling Technique in front of everyone. Even with his two lifetimes of experience, his face couldn't help but turn red.

"Your martial arts are quite good, but can you really escape from Feng Qingyang?" Dongfang Bubai looked at him with doubt. He had already tested that the other party was not using the Nine Swords of Dugu, so he would naturally be an enemy in a confrontation with Feng Qingyang.

"A gentleman can be deceived by a method." Song Qingshu didn't reveal that he had escaped using the supreme lightness skill. He had been holding back during the exchange with Dongfang Bubai, as it wasn't a life-or-death battle, and it was better to keep some cards up his sleeve.

"Very good, very good," Dongfang Bubai looked at him approvingly. "What is Feng Qingyang's 'no sword' realm like?"

"The sword qi I release must be shaped through this wooden sword," Song Qingshu fell into a reverie. "Feng Qingyang, however, can emit sword qi with every movement, as if... as if he himself is a supreme sword."

"Oh?" Dongfang Bubai seemed to be thinking.

"Sect Leader Dongfang, who else can surpass the Great Wheel Vajra King?" Kangxi, always interested in these martial arts secrets, was deeply moved sitting on the dragon throne.

"The rest are some reclusive elders in the mountains. I'm not sure if they are still alive," Dongfang Bubai replied.

"What about the famous Xiao Feng, the Southern Garden King of the Liao Kingdom, Zhang Wuji, the leader of the Ming Sect, and Northern Hero Guo Jing? How do they compare to the Great Wheel Vajra King?" Kangxi looked curious and asked.

"Probably about the same. Even if they are slightly better, they can't clearly surpass the Great Wheel Vajra King," Dongfang Bubai thought for a moment and gave his estimate.

Jumuozhi's face twitched, thinking that the Central Plains martial arts world indeed produced many heroes.

"Have you heard of Dugu Qiubai?" Song Qingshu suddenly remembered something and asked.

"Dugu Qiubai?" Dongfang Bubai shook his head, indicating he hadn't heard of him before, but the name made him sneer. "It's probably easy to be Dugu, but hard to seek defeat."

"The name suggests a conflict with Sect Leader Dongfang, but in my view, seeking defeat is not as impressive as being undefeated," Wei Xiaobao, seeing Dongfang Bubai make two great experts bow in submission with just a gesture, instinctively flattered him.

Jumuozhi and Song Qingshu exchanged glances and secretly despised Wei Xiaobao: just from the name, the realm of seeking defeat is far beyond that of being undefeated.

Dongfang Bubai clearly had the same thought and was pondering who this Dugu Qiubai was when his expression suddenly changed, and a strange smile appeared on his lips. "Great Wheel Vajra King, I said earlier that there are many reclusive elders in the world. It turns out one is right here."

As he spoke, Dongfang Bubai raised his hands, and before Song Qingshu could react, dozens of embroidery needles shot into the shadows of a beam in the Imperial Study.

Song Qingshu and Jumuozhi looked up and saw only the flashing needles, but no one.

"Sect Leader Dongfang is indeed highly skilled. I only sped up my heartbeat a little, and you sensed it," a hoarse voice sounded, and an old eunuch walked out from the shadow of a pillar.

"Who are you?" Kangxi was startled. If it weren't for the eunuch's attire, he might have shouted for guards.

"Your Majesty," the old eunuch looked thoughtful and finally shook his head. "It's been too long, I don't remember. But when I entered the palace, the emperor was still surnamed Zhu..."

Kangxi's face turned pale, and Wei Xiaobao was also startled. He quickly shouted, "Protect..." but before he could finish, a needle had already pierced his throat.

Wei Xiaobao was so scared that he wet his pants, thinking he was about to die. After moving a few times, he realized that only his voice was blocked, and there were no other serious problems.

Jumuozhi and Song Qingshu were also startled and immediately focused their attention. As top martial arts experts, they hadn't sensed another person in the room, and from Dongfang Bubai's tone, he had just discovered the person as well.

"Why do you know the *Kuihua Manual*?" Dongfang Bubai's heart was not calm, and he stared at the other party.

"You ask why I know the *Kuihua Manual*?" The old eunuch laughed lightly, as if he had heard a great joke. "I created the *Kuihua Manual*. Do you think I know it?"

Song Qingshu was speechless: according to the old eunuch, he had probably lived for several hundred years. Why were emperors looking for the secret of immortality when they could just find this eunuch? Hmm, perhaps to live so long, one had to castrate oneself. What would be the point of being an emperor then?

Dongfang Bubai clearly didn't believe it and snorted. "Words are not enough; we need to test it." A silver needle appeared at his fingertip, and a series of afterimages attacked the old eunuch.

The eunuch looked old and frail, but his speed was no less than Dongfang Bubai's. The others only saw a red light and a green light fighting in the room. Song Qingshu's face turned grim because he couldn't see their moves at all!

Jumuozhi was no better, and he secretly wiped a cold sweat: it seemed that Dongfang Bubai hadn't used his full strength earlier.

Seeing Wei Xiaobao's anxious and frantic expression, Song Qingshu couldn't help but laugh. He raised his hand and sucked out the needle from Wei Xiaobao's throat.

"Damn!" Wei Xiaobao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Wei Xiaobao almost became Wei Dumbbao."

"Little Gui, can you see what they are doing?" Kangxi asked in shock.

"Besides a green shadow and a red shadow, how can I see anything? And they make no sound at all. Are they human or ghosts?" Wei Xiaobao muttered.

After a while, the two figures suddenly separated, and the old eunuch coughed. "Very good, very good. Indeed, the younger generation surpasses the older."

Song Qingshu and Jumuozhi: "#%"

"Although you claim to be the creator of the *Kuihua Manual*, your skills are not much higher than mine," Dongfang Bubai said, but he knew that the other party's martial arts realm was indeed higher, just a bit slower due to old age, making them evenly matched.

"Fine, if you say so," the old eunuch didn't argue. "By the way, the Dugu Qiubai you mentioned, I met him once. To be honest, the three of you together are not his match..."

"By the way, little emperor, you don't need to be afraid. I've lived in the Forbidden City all my life. I'm old and don't want to move. In recent years, I've helped you deal with many troublemakers, so consider it rent."

The old eunuch's voice grew fainter, and his figure slowly faded into the shadows.

Song Qingshu suddenly understood why, despite the lack of top martial arts experts in the Qing imperial guards, there were no reports of assassins entering the palace to attack Kangxi. Many assassins were probably dealt with by this old monster as soon as they entered the inner palace.

Watching the old ancestor of the *Kuihua Manual* gradually disappear, Dong