Chapter 85

Chapter 84: The First Match

Dongxu Daoist slowly turned his body to the right, holding his sword with his left hand and raising it upward, the blade horizontally in front of his chest. His palms faced each other as if embracing a sphere, and the onlookers saw that even without drawing his sword, he had already gathered immense power. They were all deeply impressed.

His right hand formed a sword gesture, and his left hand, holding the sword, trembled continuously. Suddenly, he thrust it forward, the tip of the sword trembling rapidly, making it impossible to discern where the attack was aimed. It covered the seven vital points of Song Qingshu's upper body. Jiumozhi was delighted, spotting three weaknesses in the Daoist's stance. Just as he was about to remind Song Qingshu, the opponent's sword technique changed, and suddenly, several white light circles appeared before everyone's eyes—large circles, small circles, straight circles, and slanted circles, flickering continuously. Jiumozhi's vision blurred, and he realized that the weaknesses he had seen had vanished.

The light circles created by Dongxu Daoist's sword grew more numerous, and soon, his entire body was hidden within countless light circles. One circle had not yet faded when another appeared. Although his sword moved extremely fast, there was no sound of metal cutting through the air, demonstrating the supreme flexibility of his sword technique. The onlookers could no longer find any gaps in his sword technique, feeling as if he were protected by hundreds of swords. They were all astonished, thinking that the Tai Chi Sword technique was indeed well-deserved of its reputation.

A smile appeared on Song Qingshu's lips as he drew his wooden sword. He used the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" move from the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, striking directly at the brightest spot in the opponent's light circle.

"Impossible!" Jiumozhi thought Song Qingshu had lost his mind. If he thrust the sword, wouldn't his arm be severed by the opponent's sword?

The other experts in the audience also thought Song Qingshu was overconfident, imagining that he could win with one move. Charging at the most dazzling part of the opponent's sword light, how could he not lose?

However, after a series of metallic sounds, Dongxu Daoist actually retreated five steps, looking at the broken half of his sword, his face pale and disbelieving, saying, "I have lost."

The onlookers were shocked and stood up, not understanding how the situation had suddenly reversed. Those with lower martial arts skills were completely baffled.

Jiumozhi and others like Fang Zheng and Zuo Lengshan barely understood the situation: it seemed that the center of the Tai Chi Sword's circular movements was actually its weakness. This weakness was probably known only to Zhang Sanfeng, and even Dongxu Daoist himself might not have been aware of it. The fact that Song Qingshu could see it at a glance made them reassess his strength.

Song Qingshu felt lucky. He had been provocative and boastful, trying to anger the opponent.

Under the one-move agreement, Dongxu, unsure of his own strength, would inevitably use his strongest defensive technique to ensure he did not lose from the start.

However, Song Qingshu, familiar with the original plot, knew the weakness of this Tai Chi Sword technique was at the brightest spot in the light circle. If Dongxu Daoist had used ordinary sword techniques, with his skill, they might not have been able to determine a winner within a hundred moves. But Dongxu Daoist chose the Tai Chi Sword technique, which Song Qingshu knew well...

Being defeated by a junior in his sect, even if Dongxu Daoist was broad-minded, he felt utterly humiliated. Chapter 84: The First Match

"I have no face to stay here. I will return to Zhenwu Temple to meditate and refine my sword technique." He left without waiting for anyone to stop him, his figure lonely as he descended the mountain.

"I fear the enmity with the Wudang Sect will never be resolved." Song Qingshu sighed, looking at Zuo Lengshan, "Zuo Alliance Leader, it's your turn."

Zuo Lengshan's face turned pale, thinking that his martial arts were on par with Dongxu's, and if Dongxu could be defeated by one sword, ...

However, as a cunning figure, he quickly had a plan: "Alright, but since even a sword expert like Dongxu Daoist was defeated by your sword technique, I admit my sword skills are not as good as his. So this time, I will change the method of competition and not compare swords with you."

Zuo Lengshan's straightforward admission of his inferior sword skills made the onlookers feel he was fair and honest, but they did not realize that as a senior in the martial world, asking a junior to abandon his strongest skill was extremely dishonorable.

"Oh, what do you want to compare then?" Song Qingshu became interested.

"Internal strength." Zuo Lengshan looked at Song Qingshu, sneering inwardly, thinking that even if he had practiced from birth, his internal strength at this age could not be very high.

Jiumozhi, who already felt he sometimes used underhanded methods, was surprised to encounter someone even more shameless, and sarcastically said, "As the Alliance Leader of the Five Mountains, how can you say such things?"

"Humph!" Zuo Lengshan was unconcerned, "We are here to compete in martial arts, and there is no rule that we must compare swords."

Song Qingshu knew that Zuo Lengshan intended to use his Cold Ice True Qi against him, so he put away his wooden sword and smiled, "You are right. I admire your style and demeanor, and I am here to learn from you."

Zuo Lengshan was surprised by his sincerity, wondering if Song Qingshu really admired him. In fact, Song Qingshu admired his ruthless and ambitious nature, but in the original story, he lacked the protagonist's aura and ultimately lost to a group of mediocre defenders.

"Song Young Hero, please!" As a renowned figure in the martial world, Zuo Lengshan felt it was already a loss of face to ask Song Qingshu to use his palms instead of his sword, so he did not want to attack first.

"Alright!" Song Qingshu did not hesitate and attacked with the Great Demon Subduing Fist.

From a distance, Zuo Lengshan felt a surge of yang energy coming towards him and was greatly alarmed, quickly using the Great Songyang Palm of the Shaolin Sect to counter.

Zuo Lengshan alternated between fists and palms, grabs and holds, using all his skills. Song Qingshu's fist technique, though simple and unchanging, was extremely powerful, always attacking the most vulnerable points. In contrast, Zuo Lengshan's Great Songyang Palm, with its many variations, seemed overly complex. As the fight intensified, those with lower martial arts skills could hardly follow their movements.

"Your Highness, who is gaining the upper hand between Song Young Hero and the Five Mountains Alliance Leader?" Dolong, seeing the intense battle, could not tell who was winning and asked.

"This Zuo Alliance Leader, though gradually restrained by his palm technique, still has decades of martial arts experience. Song Young Hero will find it difficult to defeat him." Jiumozhi saw that the two were in a stalemate, and neither would win in the short term.

Zuo Lengshan, however, grew more confident as the fight continued, feeling relieved that Song Qingshu's palm technique, though simple, was not as astonishing as his sword technique. He gathered his strength and attacked more aggressively.

Song Qingshu, however, frowned. He wanted to use this opportunity to integrate the various palm techniques he knew, but combining the Golden Summit Soft Palm of the Emei Sect, the Wudang Long Fist, the Heaven-Shaking Iron Palm, the Wudang Soft Palm, the Heart-Crushing Palm from the Nine Yin Manual, the Great Demon Subduing Fist, and the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms was no easy task.

The Golden Summit Soft Palm, Wudang Long Fist, and Heaven-Shaking Iron Palm were manageable, but the Wudang Soft Palm, a legacy of the Wudang Sect created by Zhang Sanfeng, was powerful but had few weaknesses. Zhang Sanfeng had simplified it to the point where there was no excess. The Heart-Crushing Palm and Great Demon Subduing Fist were masterpieces of the great master Huang Chou, and altering them was not easy. The Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, after generations of improvement by the Beggar Sect, had reached a point where adding or subtracting anything would be detrimental. How could Song Qingshu change them at will? Chapter 85: The Unexpected Result of the Second Match

Zuo Lengshan, however, felt that Song Qingshu's palm technique was becoming more fluid, and he feared that if the stalemate continued, Song Qingshu might truly integrate the different styles.

Driven by the desire to surpass Song Qingshu, he thought that if he could defeat him after Song Qingshu's victory over Dongxu, the prestige of the Songshan Sect and himself would soar. With this in mind, he decided to risk his internal strength, gathering Cold Ice True Qi at his fingertips and slowly pointing at Song Qingshu.

Song Qingshu was alarmed, recognizing this as Zuo Lengshan's ultimate technique, Cold Ice True Qi. However, he wanted to test his own Sunlight True Qi, so he did not dodge and punched forward.

When their fists and fingers met, the two, who had been moving like lightning, suddenly stopped. To the onlookers, Zuo Lengshan's face turned increasingly pale, and the stone slab under his feet began to freeze. Song Qingshu, however, remained serious, with a faint red glow on his face.

"Your Highness, is Song Young Hero in danger?" Seeing Zuo Lengshan freeze the stone slab, Dolong was alarmed and worried for Song Qingshu.

Jiumozhi smiled reassuringly, "Supervisor Dolong, you can rest assured. In a contest of internal strength, the difference between victory and defeat is often very small. This Zuo Alliance Leader has not yet mastered the art of controlling his true qi, causing it to leak out. In contrast, Song Young Hero's internal strength is condensed and powerful, and in no more than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Zuo Lengshan will surely lose."

Hearing Jiumozhi's assessment, Zuo Lengshan was shocked. He realized that his frequent display of Cold Ice True Qi to impress his disciples was seen as a weakness by true experts. Overwhelmed with shame and anger, he could not control his breath, and immediately felt a surge of scorching true qi from Song Qingshu.

The onlookers saw Zuo Lengshan spew a mouthful of blood and retreat several dozen feet, his teeth clenched, clearly severely injured.

Song Qingshu calmed his chaotic internal strength and smiled faintly, "We have won the first match." He turned and walked back.

Seeing Song Qingshu win, Jiumozhi felt that the competition was almost certain to be in their favor. He laughed loudly, stepped forward, and stood in the center, looking around at the crowd, "I am the Imperial Preceptor of the Great Qing, the Great Wheel Vajra King of Tubo, Jiumozhi. I have long heard of the many experts in the Central Plains and come to learn."

The onlookers on Yuhuang Peak were all alarmed, but they could not think of anyone who could defeat him. The acknowledged strongest, the Golden Snake King, believed he was only evenly matched with Jiumozhi, so they decided to keep him as a hidden ace. Considering that they had already lost one match, choosing the second contestant became a difficult problem.

"Amitabha! I have long heard that the Vajra King is proficient in the seventy-two special techniques of the Shaolin Temple. I am not talented, but I dare to come and learn." With a Buddhist chant, Fangzheng Master slowly walked into the center.

"Excellent, a true Lion's Roar!" Jiumozhi's eyes lit up, feeling that in terms of internal strength alone, the opponent was not inferior to him.

"There is a rumor that our temple's Master Xuanbei was defeated and killed by you at the Shengjie Temple in Dali. Vajra King, is this true?" Fangzheng Master asked. Chapter 85: The Unexpected Result of the Second Match

Zuo Lengshan, however, had a different feeling. He felt that Song Qingshu's palm technique was becoming more fluid, and he feared that if the stalemate continued, Song Qingshu might truly integrate the different styles.

Driven by the desire to surpass Song Qingshu, he thought that if he could defeat him after Song Qingshu's victory over Dongxu, the prestige of the Songshan Sect and himself would soar. With this in mind, he decided to risk his internal strength, gathering Cold Ice True Qi at his fingertips and slowly pointing at Song Qingshu.

Song Qingshu was alarmed, recognizing this as Zuo Lengshan's ultimate technique, Cold Ice True Qi. However, he wanted to test his own Sunlight True Qi, so he did not dodge and punched forward.

When their fists and fingers met, the two, who had been moving like lightning, suddenly stopped. To the onlookers, Zuo Lengshan's face turned increasingly pale, and the stone slab under his feet began to freeze. Song Qingshu, however, remained serious, with a faint red glow on his face.

"Your Highness, is Song Young Hero in danger?" Seeing Zuo Lengshan freeze the stone slab, Dolong was alarmed and worried for Song Qingshu.

Jiumozhi smiled reassuringly, "Supervisor Dolong, you can rest assured. In a contest of internal strength, the difference between victory and defeat is often very small. This Zuo Alliance Leader has not yet mastered the art of controlling his true qi, causing it to leak out. In contrast, Song Young Hero's internal strength is condensed and powerful, and in no more than the time it takes to burn