The final competition at the Martial Arts Academy had concluded. The important figures who had sat on the reviewing stand for almost a day rose to their feet. Prince Yi bid farewell to Dean Zhou, the stingy old man who hadn't even invited them to stay for dinner. Everyone knew Dean Zhou's unconventional nature, so no one minded. They left the reviewing stand, got into their carriages, and departed in a grand procession, escorted by a large entourage.
Prince Yi, Yang Yin, invited Minister of Rites Huai Qiugong to accompany him. This old man, who was considered one of the two elders of the court alongside Zhou Banchuan, seemed to hesitate for a moment, then smiled and nodded. He turned to Zhou Banchuan and asked, "When are you going to repay me for that pot of fine Xinyang tea you owe me?"
Zhou Banchuan curled his lip and said, "You say I owe you, so I do?"
"Old and shameless."
Huai Qiugong rolled his eyes at him and said. "I am indeed older than you. What, do you intend to disrespect an elder?"
Huai Qiugong chuckled and said, "Refusing to pay your debt and still acting like you have a reason? If all the students of the Martial Arts Academy knew your true colors, let's see what prestige you'd have left."
Zhou Banchuan smiled and said, "The prestige of the Martial Arts Academy has never been something you can just talk about."
Huai Qiugong shook his head with a smile, and left chatting and laughing with Prince Yi, Yang Yin. Prince Yi personally helped the old man into his carriage, and waved goodbye to Zhou Banchuan. Zhou Banchuan nodded slightly, seemingly not intending to leave. He walked back to his chair and sat down, glancing at Qiu Yu who had been standing to one side, and said in a low voice, "Something has happened at Shenquan Mountain. I've already sent Yan Qing over. Pack your things and go take a look too."
Qiu Yu, hearing the solemn tone in Zhou Banchuan's voice, couldn't help but ask, "Could it be that some troublesome person has arrived from the capital?"
Zhou Banchuan nodded and said, "If nothing unexpected happens, that little fellow named He Li from the Yiqi Temple on Qingle Mountain, and that freak Zhuo Buyi from the Imperial Guards should both be there. Add Yan Qing and you, and even if it's a very important figure, at least it won't make people underestimate the martial arts world of the Sui Dynasty."
"The four of us have to join forces?!"
Qiu Yu was clearly taken aback. "Could it be a Celestial Venerable from the Buddhist sect?"
"I suppose so."
Qiu Yu was silent for a moment before saying, "The Buddhist sect has never set foot in the Central Plains. How could a Celestial Venerable arrive here so quietly? If it really is, it's not only a provocation to our Central Plains martial arts world, but also a provocation to the Sui Dynasty. Once the identity of the visitor is confirmed, I'm afraid His Majesty will immediately mobilize the best warriors from the Six Armies. Allowing someone from the Buddhist sect, even a Celestial Venerable, to come and go freely within the Sui territory is undeniably embarrassing. And… why didn't you take action yourself, sir?"
"His Majesty won't send the military."
Zhou Banchuan waved his hand and said, "The Sui Dynasty has its own sects, and the leader of these sects is the Daoist sect. No matter how powerful the Buddhist sect is, they are ultimately..." "But if His Majesty were to use the military to capture him, wouldn't the entire martial world be ridiculed? Wouldn't people say that the Sui Dynasty has countless sects, yet not a single one is worthy of respect? The martial world can afford to lose face, but His Majesty cannot."
"As for why I wouldn't go..."
Zhou Banchuan curled his lip and said, "Even Xiao Yijiu is too proud to go, so why would I? Logically speaking, the Buddhist Celestial Venerable is a disciple of the Great Wheel Bright King. And in the eyes of the common people, Xiao Yijiu is comparable to the Great Wheel Bright King. If he were to make a move, wouldn't that be bullying the weak? Speaking of which, that little fellow He Li is the one on par with the Buddhist Celestial Venerable, but unfortunately... although he has considerable talent, he still can't defeat him."
Xiao Yijiu is none other than Xiao Zhenren of Qing Le Mountain.
In Zhou Banchuan's words, both Xiao Zhenren and Daoist He Li were just "little fellows." If these two important figures from the Daoist sects heard this, one wonders if they would feel embarrassed.
Qiu Yu understood Zhou Banchuan's meaning and nodded, saying, "I'll go right away."
His Majesty didn't want the military to get involved and wanted the martial arts sects to handle the matter. Zhou Banchuan was the dean of the Martial Arts Academy; no one could represent the military better than him. Moreover, not only in the military but also in the court, Dean Zhou was the most senior, and highly respected in the martial arts world. If he were to personally intervene, it would indeed seem beneath his status.
Qiu Yu turned to leave, but before descending the command platform, he heard Dean Zhou calmly instruct him again: "Don't underestimate them. The Buddhist sect has existed for a thousand years. Let alone the Heavenly Venerable, even that little monk who caused trouble in the city a few days ago has some real skill. Although the Sui Dynasty has many sects, and quite a few claiming to be experts… in reality, they are nothing compared to the Buddhist sect's foundation. If you can win, fight; if you can't, run back. Don't force yourself; face is ultimately less important than life."
Qiu Yu paused slightly, nodded, and then quickened his pace.
Inside the carriage, Prince Yi, Yang Yin, lifted the curtain of the carriage window and looked outside. Seeing that Dean Zhou hadn't left the command platform, his doubts lessened slightly. After lowering the curtain, he asked Huai Qiugong softly, "Elder Huai, you know Dean Zhou best. Why do I feel he acted a little strange this afternoon?"
"Zhou Banchuan is the kind of person who becomes increasingly composed when trouble is brewing. He's sitting in his chair on the reviewing stand, not moving an inch… He seems fine, but I'm afraid something serious is brewing."
Huai Qiugong replied with a smile. "However, Your Highness should also know that when even Dean Zhou can't sit still, that's when something truly serious will happen. As long as he remains calmly seated, there's nothing to worry about."
Yang Yin hummed in agreement, then after a moment of silence, asked, "That Fang Jie seems to be a promising talent."
"No rush, no rush."
Huai Qiugong waved his hand, saying, "He still has three more years of training at the Martial Arts Academy. Why is Your Highness in such a hurry?"
Yang Yin smiled helplessly, "I'm starting to envy my elder brother for having a talent reserve record."
Huai Qiugong stroked his beard, saying, "The talent reserve record is just a book; it doesn't mean anything. Instead of thinking about these things, Your Highness should think about going to that pleasure boat tonight."
Yang Yin couldn't help but laugh heartily, but a dark glint remained in his eyes.
…
…
Shenquan Mountain.
Zhuo Buyi sat cross-legged on the ground, while the Crane Cry Daoist's sleeves fluttered.
The old monk, dressed in a grey robe and draped in a golden kasaya, blocked the attacks of Crane Cry Daoist with one hand and Zhuo Buyi with the other. One hand was still, the other moving, just as Zhuo Buyi and Crane Cry Daoist were also still, one moving. The strange thing was that it was the still hand that blocked Crane Cry Daoist, while it was the slowly waving hand that blocked Zhuo Buyi.
Stillness against movement, movement against stillness.
The old monk's expression was calm, showing no sign of strain.
Crane Cry Daoist unleashed four consecutive repulsive attacks but failed to break through the old monk's kasaya. A smirk appeared on his lips, as if he were truly enraged. He took a step back and then extended both hands from the wide sleeves of his robe. His hands had been hidden in his sleeves when he nearly killed Chen Ya in two strikes in Chang'an. They had also been hidden in his sleeves during his attack on the old monk.
The old monk's expression shifted slightly as the Crane Cry Daoist extended his hand.
"The Great Sui Dynasty still has a few notable figures. I thought that since his death, there was no one left to worry about. Unexpectedly, a few promising juniors have emerged, but compared to him… you are still far inferior."
The Crane Cry Daoist held his right hand to the old monk's forehead, coldly snorting, "I knew long ago that the Buddhist sect was shameless, and now it seems I was right. You say he's dead, and he's dead? Do you really think you can kill him with your low-down methods?"
"If he's not dead, why doesn't he come out?"
The old monk asked with a smile.
"If he came out, would you dare to act so presumptuously here?"
The Crane Cry Daoist retorted. The old monk was taken aback by the question, remaining silent for a moment before replying, "I don't deny it. If he were still in the Sui Dynasty, I might not have come to the Central Plains. Unfortunately, among you Sui people, only one emerged—he—and there is no one else who can compare. As for my Buddhist sect, I alone can easily enter and leave Chang'an. The superiority of one over the other is obvious."
"Chang'an is not as shallow as you think!"
The Crane Cry Daoist's right hand suddenly thrust forward, unleashing a powerful repulsive force. Unlike the previous fierce but invisible attacks, this repulsive force was tangible! The surging repulsive force resembled a divine dragon soaring into the sky, and the moment it flew from the Crane Cry Daoist's palm, a resounding dragon's roar echoed throughout Shenquan Mountain! "So this is the Daoist Lesser Heavenly Circuit Technique?"
The old monk couldn't help but nod, saying, "It does have some merit, but it's merely a facade."
He slowly waved his left hand, which was supporting his kasaya, causing the kasaya to rotate. As it spun, the stripes on the kasaya faintly formed a golden swastika. In a flash of golden light, the dragon-shaped repulsive force of the Crane Cry Daoist slammed into the kasaya.
With a loud bang, the kasaya was dented backward by the dragon-shaped repulsive force. But as the golden light continued to flash, the fierce dragon-shaped repulsive force couldn't break through the kasaya.
The old monk smiled slightly and said, "You Sui people are all arrogant. You clearly have no real skills, yet you all think too highly of yourselves. Today, I will use my Flowing Cloud Sleeve to break your repulsive force, and my Bodhi Heart to break his will."
After saying this, he suddenly looked towards Zhuo Buyi. Without any apparent movement, Zhuo Buyi, who was sitting cross-legged in the distance, suddenly trembled. His chest heaved, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. He seemed to have suffered a serious injury.
At the same time, the golden shield formed by the old monk's robe with his left hand suddenly changed shape. The robe twisted and turned, parting slightly, and the sleeve of the old monk's gray robe flew out like a dark, flowing cloud, swiftly attacking the Crane Cry Daoist. The Crane Cry Daoist's eyes sharpened. He stretched out his hands, and two repulsive forces erupted from his palms, colliding violently with the Flowing Cloud Sleeve. The instant they made contact, Crane Cry Daoist felt a tightness in his chest, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
The old monk smiled and said, "The Sui people, since establishing their kingdom in the Central Plains, have been so overconfident, always thinking they could contend with the great Western world. Little do they know that if it weren't for the benevolent rule of the Wise King, how could they be allowed to wreak havoc in the East?"
The old monk switched from defense to offense, injuring both Crane Cry Daoist and Zhuo Buyi in a single move!
But just as he was speaking with some pride, a sword shadow arrived from mid-air like lightning. Behind that lightning was an old man in a royal blue robe. He was behind the sword, but his mind was on the sword. The sword was so fast that the old monk seemed to only realize it before it was already above his head.
Li Nan had arrived.
This old man, who had always guarded the palace, hadn't drawn his sword in a long time.
The sword arrived, striking the old monk squarely on the head! The old monk seemed completely oblivious to Li Nan's long-prepared sword strike, unable to react in time!
From beginning to end, the attacks of Crane Cry Daoist and Zhuo Buyi were merely feints. The true killing move was Li Nan's sword, as swift as a shooting star from the heavens! The sword pierced the old monk's head squarely. In that instant, Crane Cry Daoist jerked backward, flipping his body to avoid the flowing sleeve. Zhuo Buyi opened his eyes, stood up, and slowly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
A crisp clang rang out!
The sword… had broken.
"Hahahaha."
The old monk couldn't help but laugh loudly, looking up at the sky: "I achieved the Vajra Body many years ago. Did you think such tricks would work? If you cultivated your swordsmanship for another twenty years, perhaps you would have a sliver of a chance."
Just as he was laughing wildly, suddenly another moon-white figure flashed in. A palm transformed into a blade, slashing fiercely at the old monk's forehead, arriving only half a breath later than Li Nan's sword. This man had clearly been waiting for his chance, seizing the opportunity while the old monk was acting arrogantly and slashing down with his blade.
There was no blade, yet the aura of a blade was chilling.
But then, with a crisp clang, the old monk's body trembled, and he stretched out his arms, sending the attacker flying back. The man staggered back two steps before regaining his footing. Crane Cry Daoist, Zhuo Buyi, and Li Nan all noticed that the hand that had formed the blade with his palm was trembling slightly.
This man was none other than Professor Yan Qing of the Martial Arts Academy!
"I've already said, you can't break the Vajra Body."
The old monk slowly stood up, his eyes gradually filled with contempt.
"I come when I want, I leave when I want, what can you do to me?"
"Vajra Body my ass!"
With a loud thud, the old monk was suddenly sent flying forward as if struck hard on the back by a heavy object. Although he tried his best to twist his body, he was not skilled in light-footed martial arts. The immense force behind him was so great that even his indestructible body seemed unable to withstand it.
Bang!
The old monk struck a large tree in mid-air before regaining his balance, taking two steps back before standing firmly.
In the spot where he had been sitting, a beautiful young woman in a blue floral dress stood with wide, bright eyes, her cheeks slightly puffed out with a rosy blush, exuding an indescribable beauty. She remained in her punching stance, while the boulder in front of her, where the old monk had been sitting, was now shattered into countless fragments!