A Thousand Years of Elegance Discussed in Laughter (Complete) - 29

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Volume 37, Chapter 13: The Supreme Martial Arts Master

"Third—Third Brother!" Meng Fei exclaimed, struggling to open his eyes.
"Thank goodness, you're finally awake." Li Xuexing, sitting by the bedside, smiled with relief, gently stroking his forehead, speaking with boundless affection.
"Third…Third Brother?" Ignoring his exhaustion, Meng Fei forced himself to sit up and asked loudly.
"This…" Li Xuexing slowly lowered her head, remaining silent for a long while.
"What happened to Third Brother? Tell me quickly!" Meng Fei, abandoning his usual gentle demeanor, grabbed his wife's collar and shouted.
"Uncle…Uncle he…" Li Xuexing only managed a few words before her beautiful eyes filled with tears.
"Father, Uncle was swept away by the waves." Meng Ruyan, her eyes red and swollen, cried out and threw herself into Meng Fei's arms. It seemed even she was heartbroken by Meng Lei's "departure.
" "Second Master." The cabin door opened wide, and Xiao Yunlong, Xi Fangzhou, and Ao Shaohua entered simultaneously.
"What exactly happened?" Meng Fei asked in a deep voice, suppressing his grief.
"Last night, after you were knocked unconscious by the mast, you almost rolled into the sea. Thank goodness, eldest brother..."
"Third brother, where is third brother? Why didn't you save him?" Meng Fei roared before Xi Fangzhou could finish speaking.
"The sail ropes were pulled into the sea by the broken mast. We... we were really powerless to help." Ao Shaohua said with a bitter expression and his head bowed.
"Heavens!" Meng Fei slumped down, as if struck by lightning. What Silver Wing Iron Palm, what eight great masters, in the end, he couldn't even save his own brother.
"Second Master, Third Master is a lucky man, he'll be alright." Xiao Yunlong comforted him.
"Yes, this area is a strategic location with many merchant ships. I suppose Third Master was already..." Xi Fangzhou was halfway through his sentence when Meng Fei suddenly interrupted him, "Alright, you all go out. Let me have some peace and quiet."
No one dared to disobey, and the large cabin was suddenly left with only Meng Fei. Gazing at the package that once belonged to Meng Lei not far away, Meng Fei was overwhelmed with a thousand thoughts. No one knew his third brother's condition better than him. Even without the storm, he would have been exhausted and wouldn't have lasted long. Besides...
"Alas!" Meng Fei sighed deeply, his eyes filled with regret and frustration, his tone full of remorse. Logically speaking, with his profound martial arts foundation, he shouldn't have been knocked unconscious by half a mast. But at that moment, he had already used his "Soaring Clouds" technique twice and fought against the storm for nearly half an hour. The depletion of his strength was too great. But... but if he had gritted his teeth and persevered, he definitely could have held on!
Although the two brothers had already experienced a "baptism" of eternal separation when Meng Family Fortress was wiped out by the Asura Sect, he hadn't been there in person, nor had he watched Meng Lei pass away in sorrow.
Meng Fei collapsed onto the bed, tears welling in his eyes. The most painful thing in the world was losing a loved one and being powerless to help. Wasn't it said that "man can conquer nature"? Why, after all his efforts, his dedication, and his desperate struggle, did he ultimately lose to a tsunami?
"Look! Land ahead!" After what seemed like an eternity, Xiao Yunlong's joyful cry suddenly rang out from outside the cabin. More than half a month had passed since they left the South China Sea Gang's maritime base, and they hadn't seen a single island, let alone a large reef. Xi Fangzhou's claim that the area was strategically important was nothing but a consolation prize for Meng Fei. Even Madam Xiao knew that they were currently in the middle of the ocean, and finding a "paradise" was virtually impossible.
"Huh, why is it so quiet?" After the initial exclamation, there was no further sound outside the cabin. Meng Fei, bewildered, pulled back the curtain and froze.
The cliffs were steep, the mountains layered with verdant peaks, the trees swayed in the breeze, and the fields were lush and green. Bathed in the slanting rays of the afternoon sun, a tranquil and elegant island, like a fairyland, suddenly appeared before them.
Looking at this seemingly forbidden land deep in the ocean, inaccessible to mortals, Meng Fei was stunned. If he could escape the mundane world and live a secluded life here, climbing to the mountaintop at dawn to gaze into the distance; strolling arm in arm with his wife and children in the afternoon; drinking wine and tea at night, enjoying the moonlight together—how carefree, how delightful!
"Fangzhou, what's the name of that tree?" After a long while, everyone finally came to their senses. Li Xuexing pointed to a strangely shaped tree, five zhang tall, on the shore and asked curiously.
"Ah, that's a coconut tree, from the South China Sea coast, evergreen all year round," Xi Fangzhou replied.
"The coconut tree is a treasure trove. Not only is the fruit juicy and delicious, but the shell can also be used to make various utensils, and even the trunk can be used to build houses," Ao Shaohua added.
"Mother—Mother—let's build a house together once we get to the island," Meng Ruyan said coquettishly.
"Okay, Mother will build you a special one," Li Xuexing said with a smile.
"Yunlong, Fangzhou, Shaohua, full speed ahead!" Meng Fei ordered, and everyone immediately hoisted the sails. The two-masted ship sailed swiftly towards Coconut Island with the wind and current.
The anchor was dropped, the ship docked, and Meng Fei leaped ashore first.
Before him was indeed a secluded and tranquil coconut grove with lush pines and hazelnuts. The sea breeze rustled the coconut trees, harmonizing with the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, almost like heavenly music.
"You all stay here and keep watch, I'll go in and scout ahead," Meng Fei instructed, and slowly walked into the grove. Wildflowers bloomed in clusters, fragrant grasses grew luxuriantly, and towering coconut trees formed a dense forest. In the distance, verdant mountains served as a backdrop, and nearby, a babbling brook surrounded the area—truly a secluded paradise.
Passing through the dense forest, he entered a tranquil valley formed by the convergence of mountains. Following the winding stream, he passed crystal-clear pools and deep ponds, along a pebble path strewn with fallen maple leaves—everything was picturesque, dreamlike, and real. Meng Fei walked on, seemingly deepening into a beautiful dream. With each step forward, he moved further away from the cold, ruthless world of martial arts, where worldly worries, fame, and fortune were all fleeting clouds, easily dispelled, and not worth dwelling on. Suddenly, several stone houses nestled among the swaying trees by the stream caught his attention. Could there be people on the island? Just
as the thought arose, an aged voice came from behind a rock several dozen feet away: "Old Ghost Qi, don't expect me to show mercy this time."
"Hmm, it seems there's more than one." Meng Fei's mind stirred slightly, and he silently slipped past.
Rounding the rock, the space opened up before him. In an open area nearly a hundred feet in diameter, four elderly men and one woman stood in different corners. Meng Fei, unaware of their origins, could only hide in the nearby bushes and observe them secretly.
"Old Hua, enough of your nonsense! If it weren't for my old injury flaring up back then, how could I have lost to you?" The old man speaking had a five-strand white beard, an ancient and simple face, and a dignified and imposing figure. He wore a thick, snow-white silk robe, exuding the air of a hermit.
"For so many years, you two have been arguing and arguing. Don't you get tired of it?" another old man frowned. He had a high forehead and broad cheekbones, was thin and bony, and his face was sickly, but his eyes shone with a deep, unyielding light, carrying a piercing brilliance that dared not be met with direct gaze. "
As long as Old Hua lives, I'll never be done with him!" yet another old man stamped his foot and said. Clearly, the aged voice had come from him. The man had a thin face, white hair and beard, and was at least eighty years old, but his temper was frighteningly bad. As soon as the thin old man finished speaking, he rolled up his sleeves and prepared to fight.
"Enough!" The white-haired old woman standing at the east end stamped her foot and said coldly, "Just because of that martial arts competition atop Zhurong Peak, the two sages of chess and painting have fought for a full fifty years! Fifty years! How can you face Dugu Yu like this? How can you face Yi Qiu in the afterlife?"
"Could they be senior figures from the same era as Alliance Leader Dugu?" Meng Fei's heart stirred. He then heard "Old Ghost Hua" continue, "Hmph, if it weren't for that damned Dugu Yu insisting on holding some kind of martial arts contest for marriage, would Old Ghost Qi and I have had to fight like brothers, resulting in mutual destruction?"
"Hua Tianzhao, Hua Tianzhao, how dare you say that?" the thin elder sneered, "Sixty years ago, the four sages of qin, qi, shu, and hua roamed the martial world, living a life of pleasure and revenge. Who in the martial world didn't follow their lead..."
"Ha—keep bragging. Putting everything else aside, just Tang Bin and Nangong Ming alone would give face to us Four Saints," Hua Tianzhao sneered.
"Tang Bin? Tang Jue's father, the fifteenth generation sect leader of the Tang Clan. Nangong Ming? Nangong Feichen's uncle, the two previous sect leaders of Tingyu Pavilion," Meng Fei was secretly surprised.
"Tang Bin is arrogant and thinks too highly of himself, and Nangong Ming is too busy with business to have time for anything else, so I, Qin Huaiqing, can't really order him around. But apart from that, Shaolin, the Beggars' Sect, Meng Family Fortress, Yaoyue Tower, Fengming Pavilion, Shenhuo Hall, plus the five major sword sects and the Green Forest Alliance of the thirteen provinces, who wouldn't give me some face?" the white-haired old woman laughed.
"I wonder which two of them, ever since they met Dugu Qiuyiqiu in Hengshan, have been in a daze, absent-minded, and shouting... Hey, what were they shouting about again?" the thin elder asked deliberately, his eyes shining.
"I won't rest until I marry Yiqiu," the white-haired old woman added, feigning seriousness.
"Yes, yes, you all say this... this is improper," Hua Tianzhao said with a sarcastic laugh. "
A fair maiden is sought after by a gentleman. I, Qi Wendong, am just a bit blunt, unlike someone... ha, who traveled all the way to Hengshan just to propose to Dugu Yu, even saying he was willing to use the Seven Techniques of Ink Splashing as a betrothal gift to marry his sister," the gaunt, short-tempered old man sneered. "
Old ghost Qi, that's enough, say less," Hua Tianzhao's elegant and simple face flushed slightly.
"Fine, I won't expose your shortcomings," Qi Wendong laughed happily like a victorious child.
"Back then, Dugu Yu had just taken over as the head of the Hengshan Sect. How could he dare offend you two masters of chess and painting? He had no choice but to hold a martial arts contest to find a husband. If I remember correctly, the time and place were already communicated to you. If anything went wrong, you can't blame anyone else," the white-haired old woman recalled.
"I can forgive others, but Old Ghost Qi..." Hua Tianzhao said angrily.
"Old Ghost Hua! I should be the one to blame. That night you clearly lost by half a move, but you forced me to compete in internal strength, and the result..." Qi Wendong interrupted.
"Qi Wendong, Qi Wendong, it was fate that your long-standing injury relapsed that day, but you, knowing you were bound to lose, still used your internal strength to trick me at the last moment." Recalling the situation during the martial arts contest, Hua Tianzhao was immediately furious.
"Trick you? Hahaha, if I had known you couldn't even withstand thirty moves from Yi Qiu, why would I have acted like a villain?" Qi Wendong laughed loudly.
"You... Yi Qiu's swordsmanship is superb, not much worse than your brother Dugu Yu. If I weren't injured, I wouldn't be afraid. Who would have thought... Qi Wendong! You damned dog, I... I'll never forgive you!" Hua Tianzhao became increasingly angry as he spoke.
"Fine, then come on." Qi Wendong said, then waved his hand, and two chess pieces, one black and one white, flew out from his sleeve. The angle was so tricky and the speed so sharp that Meng Fei was dumbfounded.
Before Hua Tianzhao could make a move, the thin elder had already stepped forward, and a jade "brush" appeared in his hand. With a "whoosh," he knocked the chess pieces to the sides.
"Such fast brushwork!" Meng Fei was shocked.
"Second brother, fourth brother, you two are evenly matched. You could fight for ten years and still not be able to determine a winner. It would be Coconut Island that would suffer." Qin Huaiqing slowly walked between Qi Wendong and Hua Tianzhao and said calmly.
"If we don't settle this today, don't expect me to let this go!" Qi Wendong roared.
"That's right!" Hua Tianzhao retorted without backing
down. "To determine a winner, it doesn't necessarily have to be a life-or-death struggle." Qin Huaiqing took a deep breath and said frankly, "I heard that Second Brother Qi has spent over a decade creating his own finger technique, and Fourth Brother Hua has also recently mastered an extremely formidable martial art. Why don't you each demonstrate your skills, so Zhenpeng and I can broaden our horizons and, incidentally, decide the winner between you two?"
"Good idea." Qi Wendong clapped his hands and said, "Old Ghost Hua, what do you say?"
"I have no objection." Hua Tianzhao said seriously.
"Alright, then who goes first?" Qin Huaiqing said leisurely.
Meng Fei knew that a good show was about to unfold, so he quickly moved to a spot with a wider view and watched the scene intently.
"I'm the second brother, so of course I'll go first." Qi Wendong revealed a confident smile, walking towards Meng Fei's hiding place. He slowly raised his right hand, his five fingers first spreading wide, then closing up to leave only the index finger pointing forward. Meng Fei was still surprised when suddenly, a surge of energy, like a river condensing into mountains
, arose several feet away. Three finger strikes shot out in quick succession. The first seemed fast but was actually slow, the second seemed slow but was actually fast. When they reached Meng Fei's forehead, they merged into one without any difference in timing. A wave of heat rushed towards him, and the energy filled the air. The refined finger strikes were like a net, enveloping Meng Fei, who was not far away. Although he knew that the target of the attack was not him, he still had to gather his internal energy to resist Qi Wendong's scorching and destructive finger strikes.
Suddenly, Meng Fei's body felt light, and the rising heat around him instantly cooled down. Before he could even exhale, a pillar of fire suddenly appeared on his forehead.
Despite the distance, Meng Fei's face still burned with pain. Before he could even bend down, the force suddenly dispersed, slid across his face like waves along the protective aura that rose from his cheeks, and Meng Fei felt as if he were engulfed in a sea of fire and heat. His throat was dry, his ears were ringing, and he felt indescribably tired and uncomfortable.
"Second Brother's finger technique is indeed amazing," the thin elder exclaimed.
"A mere flick of the finger and a burst of flame is nothing to brag about, nothing to brag about," Qi Wendong said arrogantly, his eyes blazing with lightning.
"Fourth Brother, it's your turn," Qin Huaiqing said, turning around with an encouraging expression.
Hua Tianzhao smiled faintly, took out a judge's pen forged from fine steel, and began to draw strokes from top to bottom. The strokes were fluid and unrestrained, vigorous and free, with faint traces of rich and fresh ink and bright and vivid colors.
"Unpredictable and ever-changing, truly a rare and unique skill in the world," Meng Fei thought to himself.
"'Cao Yi Chu Shui, Wu Dai Dang Feng'—you dare to show off something from thirty years ago?" Qi Wendong scoffed.
"Hmph, watch closely before you speak," Hua Tianzhao sneered, continuing his demonstration. He used the seven techniques of ink splashing—painting, arranging, dotting, pushing, hooking, piling, and sweeping—in turn, leaving Meng Fei dazzled and mesmerized.
His brush moved freely, creating a swirling vortex of light and shadow that blurred reality from illusion, swirling up fallen leaves. Finally, Hua Tianzhao stopped, standing still, the fallen leaves scattering and piling up in countless circles on the ground—a beautiful sight.
"Fourth Brother's brushwork has improved since then, but..." The thin elder hadn't finished speaking when a coconut tree five feet in front of Hua Tianzhao suddenly trembled, its upper half flying off, leaving only a four-foot-long section of trunk on the ground. Before anyone could even gasp, coconut trees in the east, west, and north directions also collapsed.
"This...this is..." Qin Huaiqing stammered.
"Tai-Xuan-Zhen-Jin." Hua Tianzhao drawled out each word slowly.
"So powerful...so powerful!" Meng Fei, hiding in the bushes, thought to himself.
"After retreating to Coconut Island, I've been thinking that although the Seven Ink Splash Techniques are swift, fierce, and unparalleled in their power, because they incorporate painting into martial arts, they are traceable and difficult to master in actual combat." Hua Tianzhao stroked his white beard and said proudly, "This Tai-Xuan-Zhen-Jin can transform one into many, and many into one, transform the illusory into the real, and the real into the illusory, perfectly compensating for the shortcomings of brushwork."
"Then...that means that when your opponent fights you, once they step into a certain area, any point around them could potentially unleash the Seven Ink Splash Techniques?" the thin elder said incredulously.
“That’s right, otherwise, how could I have broken the coconut trees in the east, west, and north directions when I used my martial arts facing south?” Hua Tianzhao said with a regretful expression, and added, “Unfortunately, I haven’t fully mastered this unique skill yet. Currently, I can only control my power in a few limited directions. If I have another two or three years… Hmph, I wouldn’t dare say I’m invincible, but at least I can put up a 60 or 40 chance against Dugu Yu, Zhi Zhang, and Xue Yilong.”
"Xue Yilong is the master of the Peerless Sword Sect, and the master of Lao Yi (Yi Tianhan) and Lao Fu (Fu Longyuan). Who is this 'mentally challenged' one? Could he be a high-ranking monk from Shaolin? Oh dear, according to the ranking of 'Tian, Zhi, Xiao, Rui,' he must be twice as high-ranking as Abbot Xiaoming." Meng Fei was surprised again. Although he was familiar with the history of the martial arts world, he didn't know much about what happened fifty or sixty years ago. He only learned about the Four Saints of Qin, Qi, Shu, and Hua and the name "mentally challenged" today.
"Sister Qin, Third Brother Shu, please make a judgment," Qi Wendong said with a smile, looking confident.
"Wen Dong's Finger Flicking Flame is thunderous and incredibly powerful, while Tian Zhao's Tai Xuan True Energy is surging and profound. They are indeed unparalleled martial arts, but..." Qin Huaiqing's expression turned solemn as she pondered for a moment before saying, "In terms of actual combat, it seems that Tai Xuan True Energy is more useful."
"Sister Qin has sharp eyes, I admire you." Hua Tian Zhao seized the opportunity, glancing at Qi Wen Dong and laughing heartily.
"Shu Zhenpeng, you... you say it." Qi Wen Dong's old face turned a deep purplish-red as he grabbed the thin old man's sleeve, embarrassed.
"Tai Xuan True Energy is indeed powerful, but its effect is not so great against those with high internal strength. In contrast, Finger Flicking Flame can reverse the situation and turn defeat into victory in close combat, long-range combat, one-on-one combat, and group combat. So... Second Brother, I support you." Shu Zhenpeng's eyes were bright as he spoke gently. In truth, both men's newly created martial arts had their unique strengths, and there were many reasons to argue who was slightly better. Qin Huaiqing and Shu Zhenpeng, unwilling to see them continue their endless entanglement, could only stick to their own arguments, creating a "draw.
" "Zhenpeng understands me best," Qi Wendong's mood instantly improved, and he smiled broadly.
"One to one, it seems you two still can't determine a winner." Qin Huaiqing smiled knowingly and said casually, "Let's put this matter aside for now, and wait until..."
"No way!" Qi Wendong and Hua Tianzhao said in unison.
"It has to be done, there's no fifth person on Coconut Island." Qin Huaiqing laughed.
"Who said there isn't?" Qi Wendong and Hua Tianzhao exchanged a glance and attacked simultaneously! Flicking Finger Flame and Tai Xuan True Energy swept towards Meng Fei, who was hiding in the grass.
Meng Fei was taken aback and quickly leaped up, rushing towards the two men.
Qi Wendong and Hua Tianzhao were bewildered. They had noticed someone lurking nearby as they unleashed their newly created martial arts. Logically, the opponent should have already witnessed the power of their "Flick of the Finger" and "Tai Xuan True Force," so why didn't they dodge or evade, but instead charged forward?
"Second Brother, Fourth Brother, stop!" Shu Zhenpeng, thinking Meng Fei's martial arts were weak and couldn't withstand the combined attack of Qi Wendong and Hua Tianzhao, hurriedly tried to stop them, fearing they might accidentally injure innocent people.
"Don't worry, Wendong and Tianzhao can't hurt this kid," Qin Huaiqing said with a slight smile.
Before he finished speaking, Meng Fei's agile figure had already broken free from the combined aura of "Flick of the Finger" and "Tai Xuan True Force," standing calmly before them.
In terms of martial arts alone, Meng Fei was still far inferior to the two masters of chess and painting, which was why he leaned forward, drawing their power to a single point, and then used the exquisite "Flying Immortal Transformation" technique to turn in mid-air, dodging the attack.
Of course, Qi Wendong and Hua Tianzhao only attacked casually without any intention to kill; otherwise, with their two supreme skills combined, even Meng Fei, with his extraordinary abilities, would have had a hard time escaping.
"Boy, who are you?" Shu Zhenpeng asked in a deep voice, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
"I am..." Meng Fei was about to answer when Qi Wendong and Hua Tianzhao shouted at the same time, "Wait!" "
This junior has mistakenly trespassed on Coconut Island. I hope you two seniors will forgive me." Meng Fei thought the two were going to reprimand him, so he quickly turned around and bowed to apologize.
"We don't blame you, but..." Qi Wendong said with an unexpected smile.
"We just want to ask you for a small favor." Hua Tianzhao continued.
"Please speak, seniors." Meng Fei was completely confused.
"Fourth brother, you and this kid exchange ten moves and see who between me and Hua Tianzhao can guess his origins first." Qi Wendong looked Meng Fei up and down and said seriously.
"Yes, whoever guesses it first wins." Hua Tianzhao's sharp gaze turned expectant and confident as he announced loudly.
Although Meng Fei hadn't made a formal move, judging from his reaction and judgment, he was definitely a top-tier young master in the martial arts world. Since their previous duel was undecided, rather than ending it there and each holding a grudge, it would be better to use guessing his identity as a competition for a fair duel.
"How about it? No problem, right?" Qi Wendong stared intently at Meng Fei and said in a deep voice.
"I..." Meng Fei hesitated.
"If you don't help, this crime of trespassing on Coconut Island is no small matter." Hua Tianzhao said, half-coercing and half-threatening.
"Then... alright." Meng Fei knew that if he didn't meet the demands of the two masters of chess and painting, he would likely have difficulty escaping today, so he obediently nodded in agreement.
"Fourth brother, thank you for your trouble." Qi Wendong smiled slightly at Shu Zhenpeng and stepped back.
"Wait." Gazing at the crystal-clear jade pen in Shu Zhenpeng's hand, a bold idea suddenly flashed through Meng Fei's mind.
"What? Changed your mind?" Hua Tianzhao said coldly.
"Please forgive my rudeness, but what if you two can't guess my identity within ten moves?" Meng Fei put his hands behind his back, looked up at the sky, and pretended to be trying to raise the price, speaking in a deep voice.
"If that's the case, I'll just pass on my Finger Flicking Flame to you." Qi Wendong blurted out.
"And my Tai Xuan True Energy." Hua Tianzhao didn't even think before grabbing the opportunity.
The two had been fighting for fifty years; as long as a winner could be decided, what conditions wouldn't he agree to? Besides, could this kid really withstand ten moves from Shu Zhenpeng's pen without using his own martial arts?
“From a young age, I’ve followed a more delicate and agile path. I’m afraid even after practicing internal energy for thirty or forty years, I still won’t reach the level of you two seniors. Even if I learned the Finger Flicking Flame and the Tai Xuan True Force, it would be useless.” Meng Fei said, a bitter and helpless expression on his face, a wry smile.
“What do you want?” Qi Wendong and Hua Tianzhao asked impatiently.
“I have a nephew, about a year old, who also came to Coconut Island with me. I wonder if you two seniors could teach him martial arts every day?” Meng Fei asked with a smile, seizing the opportunity.
This request seemed simple, but it was actually quite intriguing. If Qi Wendong and Hua Tianzhao agreed, they would have to keep them all on Coconut Island, otherwise how could they teach Ren Xiaoyao martial arts “every day”?
“Alright, as you wish.” Hua Tianzhao said seriously, and Qi Wendong nodded in agreement.
"Young brother, there's something this old woman must say beforehand," Qin Huaiqing said softly, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "The Four Saints of Qin, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting have been living in seclusion on Coconut Island for fifty years. If you come from a newly established gang or sect within these fifty years, we probably wouldn't be able to guess your identity even after a hundred or a thousand moves."
"Don't worry, Senior Qin, even if I had the audacity, I wouldn't dare to deceive you all," Meng Fei laughed loudly.
"Young brother, make your move," Shu Zhenpeng said loudly, brandishing his jade pen as both sides took their positions.
Meng Fei was determined not to use any of his family's hidden weapons within ten moves. No matter how discerning the two saints of chess and painting were, they wouldn't be able to tell that he was from Meng Family Fortress. He immediately unleashed both palms, creating a flurry of palm shadows like butterflies flitting through the air, combined with the wondrous footwork of a flying immortal, rapidly attacking his opponent.
"What a fine Shaolin masterpiece—the Thousand-Leaf Tathagata Palm!" Hua Tianzhao exclaimed.
Shu Zhenpeng, being a senior figure, was unwilling to engage in a direct confrontation and immediately dodged to the side. Meng Fei roared, transforming his palm into a claw, swiftly grabbing at the jade pen, seemingly intending to disarm his opponent. He intentionally concealed his identity, even abandoning the Free and Unfettered Palm technique.
"Haha, the Inviting Moon Pavilion's bare-handed catching of a blade." Before Qi Wendong could finish speaking, Shu Zhenpeng had already counterattacked with the pen, cleverly using a deflecting force to turn the attack into a grappling hook, striking at Meng Fei's right hand.
Seeing the brush move effortlessly and freely, Meng Fei secretly admired him. With a slight sway of his toes, he swiftly moved to Shu Zhenpeng's side, his fingers forming a sword, and thrust it towards his chest. It was none other than the Taishan School's signature technique—the Dongyue Sword Palm—that Xiao Yusun relied on for his fame.
Knowing his skill, Shu Zhenpeng dared not meet it head-on, hastily retreating two steps. Meng Fei, seizing the opportunity, leaped several feet into the air, his palms thrusting forward, unleashing a torrent of energy that surged towards his opponent like a tidal wave. It was one of Yi Tianhan's three most prized moves—Lone Smoke Chasing Clouds.
"Xue Yilong's Heaven-Defying Palm, haha, you know that too?" Qin Huaiqing exclaimed, moved.
"There's something even more powerful!" Meng Fei shouted, abruptly changing his move to the extremely common "Great Stele-Smashing Hand." This was an unremarkable move, but when it came from Meng Fei's hands, it was a different story. While others handled it with ease, he made it feel heavy, exuding a suffocating power.
Seeing this, Shu Zhenpeng was secretly astonished. Counting on his fingers, he realized Meng Fei had already used five moves, yet he couldn't discern a single clue. He guessed his second and fourth brothers were no better off. Suddenly, he gathered his inner strength and launched a fierce attack, determined to force them to use their sect's martial arts to defend themselves.
Meng Fei's inner strength was far inferior; how could he dare to directly confront the power of the Jade Brush? He swiftly used a move he had learned from Duan Ao, "Star Moon Ice Sky," directly striking Shu Zhenpeng's wrist bone.
"One-Finger Divine Skill, the Dali Duan style One-Finger Divine Skill!" the four saints exclaimed in unison. Shu Zhenpeng hurriedly withdrew his hand and changed his move, the Jade Brush turning directly to sweep across his opponent's lower body.
In fact, the so-called "One-Finger Divine Skill" was entirely "stole" by Meng Fei from his sparring with Duan Ao. Not only was it similar in form but also extremely superficial. If Shu Zhenpeng were to risk taking a blow from him, he would immediately realize the truth.
Watching the jade pen hurtling towards him, Meng Fei felt utterly defenseless. Its speed concealed a slowness, its apparent slowness was actually swift, its energy flowed freely, varying in intensity; just watching it was enough to make one want to vomit blood from its unpredictable nature. Fortunately, his footwork was divine, his lightness skill exquisite. In a moment of crisis, he feinted a
move from the Taizu Long Fist, "Four Directions and Eight Aspects," barely dodging the attack. Shu Zhenpeng gathered his energy and pursued, striking backhand. The moment his two-foot-three-inch weapon was unleashed, the surrounding air resounded with the sound of energy piercing the air like thunder.
Meng Fei, his feet slightly apart, leaned against a tree, and with a "whoosh," he struck out with his palm towards Shu Zhenpeng's chest. He secretly channeled his inner energy, first securing his entire body flawlessly, then shifted his position, waiting for Shu Zhenpeng's pen to reach its midpoint before instantly dodging to the side. He unleashed two moves from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, "Double Dragons Taking Water" and "The Regretful Dragon," in quick succession. The powerful aura immediately surged upon his opponent like a chilling, bone-deep, wall-like, and blade-like icy torrent.
"The Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms!" Qin Huaiqing was shocked again. He hadn't expected Meng Fei to know so many martial arts at such a young age. He had practically used all the famous palm techniques in the martial arts world.
"Boom!" Meng Fei's whole body trembled violently, his blood surging. Shu Zhenpeng was also struck heavily in the chest by
Meng Fei's powerful and fierce energy penetrating his brush. The clash of palm and brush revealed the difference in skill. Meng Fei staggered back several steps, his face pale. Shu Zhenpeng only frowned slightly before recovering.
With one move remaining, Shu Zhenpeng completely forgot his status as a senior master. He lightly swung his brush, his strength flowing through the center. Suddenly, the brush moved freely and unpredictably, appearing ethereal and elusive. Then, the brushstrokes became heavy and tense, creating an incomparably chilling killing intent. He swept towards Meng Fei's forehead like lightning, truly living up to his reputation as the Sage of Calligraphy. With
his back against the wall and no way out, Meng Fei had no choice but to unleash his signature move—the Unfettered Palm. Suddenly, a torrent of energy surged forth, scattering wildly and whipping up the surrounding grass and mud, radiating outwards from the two of them with terrifying force.
Seeing his opponent's exquisite technique coming straight at him, Meng Fei conjured up images of thousands of troops charging into battle, their power shaking mountains and rivers. He no longer cared about the "ten moves" limit; his palms suddenly spun rapidly, transforming into a man-made tornado, directly meeting the tip of the brush.
"Boom!" The howling wind filled the entire arena, but Meng Fei remained fearless, directly confronting his opponent's profound cultivation of over sixty years.
The moment they clashed, Shu Zhenpeng knew he couldn't withstand his true power. A feeling of pity welled up within him, and he quietly withdrew three-tenths of his inner energy. Unexpectedly, Meng Fei's technique was the "Universal Perfection," with a truly powerful killing move hidden within. Before his opponent could react, the newly generated power was unleashed.
With the tide turning, the advantage gradually shifted towards Meng Fei. Shu Zhenpeng, realizing he couldn't lose to a junior, immediately increased his power, launching a devastating counterattack.
At this moment, the bizarre situation from the bamboo forest battle reappeared. The spiraling true energy of the "Universal Perfection" palm instantly engulfed Shu Zhenpeng's first burst of internal energy, colliding with his brush tip brimming with divine skill.
"Thud—" Shu Zhenpeng lost his grip, the jade brush flying from his hand, while Meng Fei's vision went black, and he collapsed slumped to the ground.
"I lost," Hua Tianzhao sighed, looking at Qi Wendong, only to see him also shaking his head slightly.
"Hahaha, hahaha." After a moment, Qi Wendong laughed loudly, then said sadly, "We, the Three Saints of Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting, were so confident in our martial arts, looking down on everyone, yet today we've lost to a mere brat. Cough cough... We're old... no... useless now." His voice trembled with emotion as he spoke. Meng Fei's first nine moves were clearly "stole" from someone else, but the final strike was something he had never heard of or seen before.
"Second brother, fourth brother, it's all my fault..." Shu Zhenpeng choked up.
"Even now, can't you two see through this?" Qin Huaiqing sighed deeply, "The Two Saints of Chess and Painting, you've practiced martial arts for half your lives, yet in the end, you still care about winning and losing, about fame and fortune. Haven't you wasted your eighty-odd years in this world?" He then helped Meng Fei up, speaking softly, "Young man, what do you call Meng Suifeng?
" "He... he's my grandfather." Meng Fei's heart trembled, and he answered truthfully.
"What? This kid is from Meng Family Fortress!" "The three of them exclaimed in unison,
"Sister Qin, how did you guess his background?" Shu Zhenpeng asked in astonishment. In fact, not only him, but the other three, including Meng Fei, were also puzzled. Those ten moves just now had absolutely nothing to do with Meng Family Fortress, so how could Qin Huaiqing guess it so easily?
Qin Huaiqing smiled slightly and looked at the two masters of chess and painting, explaining, "You two were so focused on this young man's fighting moves that you couldn't figure it out. In fact, from the beginning, this young man used the Meng Family Fortress's 'Soaring Wing Body Technique' more than once. This is a habit he developed since childhood, and no matter how he tries to hide it, it's useless. Although it's mixed in with his swift and agile lightness skill, with our combined cultivation and our past friendship with Meng Suifeng, it's not difficult to notice if we calm down."
"I see." Hua Tianzhao took a few steps back and murmured.
"A member of the Meng family? Impossible." Qi Wendong stroked his white beard. He questioned, "Meng Suifeng's family is extremely strict. How could he allow his descendants to practice other people's martial arts?" Without a sufficiently profound mastery of palm techniques, even if one imitates the style, it's difficult to unleash peerless martial arts like the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, the Thousand-Leaf Tathagata Hand, or the Heaven-Defying Divine Palm.
"I..." Meng Fei dared not conceal anything and truthfully recounted his experiences traveling the martial world.
"I knew it! So the Carefree Limitless Palm and Flying Immortal Transformation are your specialties. No wonder I couldn't force you to use our sect's hidden weapons no matter how hard I tried." Shu Zhenpeng laughed heartily, relieved.
"The eldest son of the dignified Meng family, why aren't you staying at Meng Family Fortress? What are you doing on Coconut Island?" Hua Tianzhao asked slowly.
"Meng Family Fortress?" Meng Fei let out a long sigh to vent his pent-up anger. As he seemed to calm down, tears suddenly welled up in his tiger-like eyes, and he trembled violently, saying, "This place no longer exists in the world."
"What exactly happened?" "Qi Wendong was taken aback and pressed for an answer.
"Alas—" Meng Fei sighed and recounted in detail the events that occurred between the Asura Sect's invasion of the Central Plains and his own journey south to sea. Everyone who heard it sighed deeply.
"Chi Li's disciples and followers are truly despicable." Hua Tianzhao was furious upon hearing this. "Ghost... Ghost Netherworld God Lord, is it? Humph! I'll definitely have to exchange blows with him when I get the chance."
"Alas, fifty years have passed in a flash, and Old Ghost Dugu still holds the title of the number one in the world." Shu Zhenpeng sighed with a nostalgic expression.
"By the way, your daughter is only three years old, right?" Qi Wendong suddenly asked.
"Hmm!"
"Where's Ren Xiaoyao?" Hua Tianzhao interjected.
"A little over a year old."
"Haha, Old Ghost Qi, why don't we each pick one to teach and see whose disciple is more powerful in ten years?" Hua Tianzhao was secretly delighted, but said seriously.
"No problem, we lost anyway, so we have to keep our promise." Qi Wendong agreed without hesitation.
Meng Fei was overjoyed. With the two sages of chess and painting teaching him martial arts, Xiaoyao and his daughter were sure to become masters.
"Where are the others? Let's go together." Qin Huaiqing said calmly. For many years, only the four of them lived on the vast Coconut Island. It would be a lie to say they weren't lonely. Now, seven people and two children had come all at once. How could they not be happy?
××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××
After waiting for more than an hour, Li Xuexing finally saw her husband. She was overjoyed, but when she saw four old men following behind, she couldn't help but be taken aback.
"Father!" Meng Ruyan cheered and ran towards him, but tripped over a pebble halfway and fell to the ground.
Meng Fei was busy talking to Shu Zhenpeng and couldn't catch his daughter in time. Qin Huaiqing, who was beside him, leaped forward and caught Meng Ruyan in her arms before she fell.
"Thank you, Auntie." Meng Ruyan wasn't afraid of strangers and gave Qin Huaiqing a quick kiss, saying softly.
"Ruyan, call her... Great-Grandma, that's disrespectful." Meng Fei scolded in a low voice. In terms of seniority, Qin Huaiqing was at least two generations higher than him, and it might be a bit abrupt for Meng Ruyan to call her Great-Grandma.
"What's the point of talking about seniority on a deserted island? From now on, just call me Auntie, I like it." Qin Huaiqing couldn't help but smile slightly, her face instantly becoming radiant, all her previous sternness gone.
"Thank you, Auntie." Meng Ruyan hugged Qin Huaiqing's neck and clapped her hands sweetly.
Seeing her so excited, Qin Huaiqing couldn't help but smile again. He then realized that even with his years of mental cultivation, he couldn't control his emotions in time, and had unexpectedly laughed repeatedly. A slight tremor ran through him; he thought to himself, "It seems I truly have a connection with this little girl. "
After the introductions, Xiao Yunlong, Xi Fangzhou, and Ao Shaohua began unloading various supplies from the ship. Rice, flour, ingredients, and clothing gradually filled half the beach.
"Old Ghost Hua, I'm withdrawing my decision to choose a disciple." Qi Wendong, holding the swaddled baby, suddenly became serious.
"What? Want to back out?" Hua Tianzhao rushed forward, pressing for an answer.
"Look at this… this is no match." Qi Wendong opened his arms, looking at Ren Xiaoyao in his arms.
Hua Tianzhao, filled with doubt, stroked his long beard and touched the forehead and wrist of the infant in swaddling clothes. He exclaimed, "Alright, alright, if we don't want to compete, then we don't want to compete." "
Senior, you..." Meng Fei, standing to the side, was anxious and at a loss. The two sages of chess and painting had clearly agreed to teach Ren Xiaoyao martial arts, so why did they change their minds so suddenly?
"Second brother, fourth brother, you two are really going too far." Shu Zhenpeng frowned and said, "You can't just keep your promises..."
"Oh dear, I only said the competition was canceled, I didn't say I wouldn't teach him martial arts!" Qi Wendong and Hua Tianzhao stamped their feet in unison.
"What does Senior mean?" Meng Fei asked softly.
"Your nephew is exceptionally talented, with extraordinary aptitude. He is a martial arts prodigy, one in a hundred years. Even if you teach him alone, and the four of us old ghosts teach your daughter together, in the future... in the future, his achievements will not be comparable." Hua Tianzhao blushed and said somewhat awkwardly.
Upon hearing this, Qin Huaiqing and Shu Zhenpeng immediately leaned over, and after a brief inspection, they were both full of praise.
"Sister Qin, look..." Shu Zhenpeng leaned close to Qin Huaiqing's ear and whispered a few words. Seeing her nod slightly, he immediately pulled Qi Wendong and Hua Tianzhao aside.
Meng Fei stared intently, and saw the four saints talking amongst themselves, seemingly discussing something, but their voices were so soft that it was impossible to hear them clearly.
"Senior..." Meng Fei was about to speak when Shu Zhenpeng suddenly turned around and interrupted, "Don't worry, we will definitely do what we promised you."
After a short while, Qin Huaiqing beckoned everyone forward. The Three Heroes of the East Sea dared not delay, putting down their work and gathering around, quietly awaiting her "instructions."
"Ahem," Qin Huaiqing cleared his throat and said loudly, "Xi Fangzhou and Ao Shaohua are from the same school and have similar aptitudes. The second and fourth brothers will each choose one to pass on their mantle, and they will meet in ten years to compete and see who is better. As for Ruyan, this girl is kindred spirits with me, so she will practice the zither and martial arts from now on. As for Xiao Yunlong, the third brother's cursive calligraphy is unparalleled in the martial arts world, and I'm sure he won't disgrace you. Does anyone have any objections?"
"Great!" "
No!" The Three Heroes of the East Sea cheered in unison. To learn martial arts from the Four Saints of the Four Arts was a blessing earned over many lifetimes.
"Where...where is Xiaoyao?" Meng Fei was very anxious when Qin Huaiqing didn't mention his nephew.
"Don't rush, answer one question for us first." Shu Zhenpeng smiled and stared at Meng Fei, speaking slowly.
"Please speak, senior. I will answer whatever I know." Meng Fei said respectfully.
"Do you want Ren Xiaoyao to become a renowned first-rate master in the martial arts world, or..." Hua Tianzhao took a deep breath and said very solemnly, "Or do you want him to be a sage of chivalry who shines through the ages, a supreme master of the martial arts world?"
"A sage of chivalry, a supreme master of the martial arts world!" Li Xuexing suddenly recalled Tang Gu's words at Su Xianling: Unless a sage of chivalry, a supreme master of the martial arts world who can make all foreign lands submit and all nations pay homage, so that no one in the world dares to covet the Song Dynasty or spy on the Central Plains. Does Xiaoyao really have such an opportunity?
"To be honest, although the martial arts of our Four Sages are powerful, apart from Finger Flicking Flame and Tai Xuan True Energy, the others do not yet qualify as 'ultimate skills'. However, these two martial arts require profound internal strength as a foundation. According to the conventional method of practice, it is absolutely impossible to use them freely without twenty or thirty years." Qin Huaiqing said solemnly.
"If you choose the former, we will impart all our life's skills to you. Within twenty years, Ren Xiaoyao will definitely be among the top masters. But to become the number one martial artist in the world, it will take at least another twenty years," Hua Tianzhao carefully instructed.
"Then... what about the latter?" Meng Fei pressed.
"We will not teach him any moves or mental techniques. We will only reposition his acupoints and cleanse his bones and marrow to lay a solid foundation for his future rapid advancement in internal strength. Of course, we will not allow you to teach him any miscellaneous skills other than the Free and Unfettered Palm and Flying Immortal Transformation. We must ensure the purity of his martial arts path. In this way, after he turns eighteen, with Ren Xiaoyao's unparalleled talent and his fully formed meridians and acupoints, he can master anything he wants in one fell swoop," Qi Wendong said with a knowing smile.
"Yes, let him travel the martial world for a few years first, find some Ganoderma lucidum and other medicinal herbs to improve his internal strength. When he comes back, he can practice Finger Flicking Flame and Tai Xuan True Force. Haha, who knows what kind of peerless moves Sister Qin and Fourth Brother Shu might create. Before Ren Xiaoyao is thirty years old... Hmph, Old Ghost Dugu won't live to see that day." Hua Tianzhao glanced at everyone and smiled calmly.
"'The title of Saint of Heroes, Supreme of the Martial World' belongs to him alone!" Qin Huaiqing said, each word deliberate and solemn.
"Meng Lang? Have you decided?" Li Xuexing supported her husband's back and asked gently.
"I choose—the latter!" Meng Fei's eyes shone with determination and strong confidence as he roared to the sky!

Volume 38, Chapter 1: Another Change Arises.

Ren Xiaoyao was gathering his strength, while Crown Prince Tonghu was completely unprepared, with no experts around to protect him.
Let alone the sect leaders and patriarchs of Kikusō Mu, even an ordinary genin would know that Prince Kiriko was doomed and had no chance of escape.
Ren Xiaoyao naturally thought so too. His sword strike was the culmination of his life's work, perfectly executed in terms of angle, timing, and direction. Even Shinguji Ryuugen would have struggled to withstand it.
Prince Tonghu was indeed terrified, frozen in place by Ren Xiaoyao's powerful and irresistible attack, too afraid to even raise his hand to block.
Seeing this, Ren Xiaoyao became even more certain that the Ice Soul Frost Sword would instantly kill him. Then, just then, a soft, feminine hum suddenly sounded in his ear.
Even with Ren Xiaoyao's courage, a chill ran down his spine.
He had mastered the three great lightness skills of Flying Immortal Transformation, Illusory Shadow Capture, and Crossing the River on a Reed, along with the Shadow Clone Technique. Even Meng Fei, Long Yinxiao, and Xiao Chen would find it impossible to predict his next location. Yet, his opponent could easily send eight sounds into his ears. This skill was astonishing.
The Ice Soul Frost Sword was still a foot away from Prince Tonghu when he vanished, replaced by a woman in elegant black robes, her face hidden beneath a heavy veil.
She was tall and slender, with smooth, full curves in her chest, waist, and legs, possessing an indescribable allure. Even without seeing her face, one could feel her captivating charm. Her delicate, arched eyebrows and long, curled black eyelashes added endless temptation to her dreamlike, alluring phoenix eyes. Her very posture was captivating, exuding a mature charm that was both subtle and suggestive.
A strange and inexplicable feeling surged through Ren Xiaoyao. A woman who could possess such powerful charm without revealing her face—aside from the disciple of the Ghostly Lord he had encountered atop Mount Wuyun—he had never even dreamed of such a thing.
"Mutou Ran!" Sakurai Takahiro, Aoki Toshishi, Watanabe Tsuyoshi, and others exclaimed in unison.
"What? He's Mutou Ran!" Ren Xiaoyao's heart skipped a beat. He knew that Prince Kiriko had been concealed by some kind of ninjutsu, completely out of his sight, and there was no possibility of a fatal blow.
Mutou Ran sneered and charged towards him. Her trailing kimono concealed her movements, making her appear almost like a ghost. Her slender hands, fingers spread wide, emitted a wall-like force, pressing down on Ren Xiaoyao. Simultaneously, her legs unleashed a series of swift and vicious kicks, aimed directly at his groin. Her attacks were ruthless and unpredictable.
Ren Xiaoyao gasped, hastily unleashing a move from the Thirteen Forms of Meteor, "Rainbow Reflection." His precious blade split into three, each striking an opening in the chest, abdomen, and waist! A
flurry of blue light flashed and overlapped, accompanied by a constant whistling sound.
This seemingly swift and sharp move was actually a masterful technique, employing two feints and one real strike, or even all three swords being feints, intended to force the enemy into a defensive posture, thus gaining the initiative. However, Wu Tenglan's move was also a feint. The instant the blue light dissipated, Wu Tenglan broke through the hazy glow of the sunset, her delicate body twisting to the side, forcefully pressing into his arms. She lifted her sleeves, revealing snow-white forearms, and two gleaming, sharp short blades appeared in her hands, aiming for his chest and throat. The timing, angle, and speed were all exquisite, no less impressive than Ren Xiaoyao's previous strike.
Even more bizarrely, she only touched the ground with her toes, her jet-black kimono fluttering in the wind, her entire body seemingly weightless. With incredibly light and graceful steps, she attacked him, each movement exquisitely beautiful, yet her methods ruthless and vicious, each move deadly, creating a stark contrast that left him bewildered and disoriented.
Ren Xiaoyao retreated hastily in horror, not because he lacked confidence in withstanding Mutou Ran's attacks, but because he knew that once entangled with her, he would be unable to escape, and naturally, he would be unable to fight Prince Tonghu.
"It's... the mist and sand obstruction, Brother Ren, that dog Tonghu is on your right." Although Aoki Toshishi couldn't move, his eyesight was impeccable.
Without hesitation, Ren Xiaoyao unleashed his Ice Soul Frost Sword, transforming it into a bolt of lightning, attacking Prince Tonghu without regard for his own safety.
Mutou Ran pursued from the left, her speed astonishing.
Ren Xiaoyao channeled his inner energy, pushing his lightness skill to its limit, confident that no one could catch him. He then channeled some of his internal energy into his back, determined to rush forward even at the cost of a blow from Wu Tenglan.
Unexpectedly, Wu Tenglan's deadly scream rang in his ears again.
Even with Ren Xiaoyao's current level of cultivation, he felt a sharp, stabbing pain, as if being cut by knives or pricked by needles.
Wu Tenglan's figure vanished abruptly, and the scream that had lingered in his ears transformed into a raging storm.
The scream expanded like a tidal wave, and in an instant, the entire world was filled with the terrifying sound of howling winds, like the wailing of vengeful ghosts, shaking one's very soul.
When the wind intensified into thunder, Ren Xiaoyao immediately felt as if he were in the heart of a raging storm; his hands and feet turned cold, his entire body chilled, and his steps faltered. He could only barely maintain his balance through sheer willpower.
Such illusionary magic was truly unprecedented and unheard of.
The waves crashed against the shore, the tsunami roared, and Ren Xiaoyao's mind was instantly bewildered. It truly seemed as if a colossal wave, higher than a city wall, was surging towards them from somewhere.
No, this was not an illusion, not a simple illusion, but a combination of illusion and physical technique. Taking advantage of his momentary mental distraction, Wu Tenglan launched a thunderous surprise attack.
In this critical moment of life and death, Ren Xiaoyao raised his innate supreme qi to its limit. Although his eardrums were still bewitched by the demonic sound, his will became as firm as a rock. The auditory illusion could no longer affect his clear and lucid mind, and he controlled everything happening around him without missing a single detail.
The Ice Soul Frost Sword flashed with a cold, gleaming light, piercing towards the core of the overwhelming "giant wave."
The giant wave instantly transformed into an unfathomable vortex, seemingly trying to pull them in.
But the raging demonic sound in his ears suddenly subsided, revealing that this sonic illusion technique, even more powerful than the "Dreamlike Sound Lock" and "Mind-Disrupting Body Secret Technique," required Mutou Ran's full
power to unleash. Ren Xiaoyao, fully expecting to force her back with his sword, suddenly saw a jade-like hand, exquisitely beautiful and otherworldly, emerge from her sleeve. The slender, graceful, and jade-like fingers contrasted sharply with the black kimono, making mysterious and enigmatic movements in the air, dazzling and captivating to behold.
Ren Xiaoyao, who had been rushing towards her with his inner energy, moving at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, was suddenly horrified to realize that Mutou Ran's slender hand was subtly controlling all his possible attack routes, leaving him seemingly offering himself up for slaughter.
If Hasegawa Izumi, the leader of the Five Beauties, was an unfathomable pool, then Mutou Ran was an endless ocean.
Hasegawa Izumi's ninjutsu was already incredibly varied and impossible to defend against.
However, Zhu Yuyan's ninjutsu had reached an unparalleled level of mastery, omnipotence, and divine skill.
Ren Xiaoyao dared not be reckless. His internal energy suddenly shifted, changing his forward charge to a sideways movement. His body felt lighter, and he escaped the gravitational field formed by Wu Tenglan's internal energy.
Wu Tenglan's sigh sounded for the third time. It was clearly a death cry, yet it sounded gentle and melodious, like heavenly music. Just as Ren Xiaoyao was still in shock, a faint, cold internal energy had already penetrated along the Ice Soul Frost Sword, attacking the meridians in his right hand. It instantly broke through the protection of the innate supreme qi and directly invaded his internal organs.
It is said that the innate supreme qi is extremely strong and yang, and absolutely no internal energy can shake it. However, true qi protects the whole body, while the opponent's yin energy is seemingly tangible but intangible. It is accumulated in a single point, condensed as fine as a hair, and suddenly drills and pierces, difficult to defend against and resist. Although it was immediately dissipated after entering the body, it still caused excruciating pain.
Ren Xiaoyao was filled with shock and anger. Knowing that with Wu Tenglan's ninjutsu skills, it was impossible for him to let her go and attack Prince Tonghu. Immediately, he swung his right hand violently, and the Ice Soul Frost Sword suddenly burst forth with a myriad of cold blades. The cold light hummed and trembled rapidly, like a reflection in water, spreading out in layers, engulfing her in a magnificent blue light.
Wu Tenglan seemingly casually spun around and flicked her sleeve, easily dispersing the sword shadows. She looked up at Ren Xiaoyao, her eyes filled with a melancholy and captivating charm, and exhaled a fragrant breath from her cherry lips.
Ren Xiaoyao stumbled and fell after being brushed aside by her profound and unparalleled sleeve, rendering all his subsequent attacks ineffective. A chilling and strange force, penetrating to the very tip of his tongue, attacked his body one after another, instantly numbing his sword-wielding arm. He was unable to counterattack, let alone defend himself.
The misery didn't end there; the fragrance unexpectedly split in two a foot or so from his face, stabbing towards his eyes. If it struck, his eyes would likely be ruined forever.
Ren Xiaoyao is indeed Ren Xiaoyao. Even in the face of such a dire and critical situation, he was able to maintain his composure and calmness as always. Two streams of true energy surged upwards from the Yongquan acupoints on the soles of his feet, passed through the Yinqiao meridians on the inner sides of his legs, reached the Life and Death Acupoints under his hips, passed through the Chong meridians on the left and right sides of his chest, and then returned to the Tan acupoints on his chest. They merged into one, forming an intense, irresistible, and powerful internal force that spread throughout his body in the blink of an eye. This not only relieved the stiffness and pain in his arms, but also allowed him to fly back into the air, barely avoiding the danger of blindness. He even raised his hand and struck out with a palm strike from a distance, aiming at his opponent's face. The heavy veil covering Mutou Ran's pretty face lifted slightly, revealing her stunningly beautiful face. Her beautiful eyes shone with a captivating expression that seemed to hold a mixture of anger, resentment, hesitation, and annoyance. Combined with her innate and naturally beautiful appearance, she possessed a truly alluring and captivating power. As she sang, her delicate body swayed gently, her graceful movements bewitching and enchanting, capable of making even the most hardened hearts, or the most virtuous Buddhist monks who had cultivated themselves to the point of renunciation, break their vows and be moved.
What was even more astonishing was that wherever Ren Xiaoyao moved, the air was filled with a tantalizing fragrance that seemed to have been infused with certain aphrodisiac herbs, making it difficult to resist even just smelling it.
Faced with this alluring and unparalleled female demon, Ren Xiaoyao was probably the first man not to be completely captivated. His Ice Soul Frost Sword swept through the air, while his left hand emerged from his sleeve, palm transforming into claw, claw into finger, and with pinpoint accuracy, swept towards his opponent's shoulder.
This move, "Twin Peaks Piercing the Clouds," was a technique used when the Listening Rain Pavilion's Blazing Sky-Supporting Sword and Snow Reflecting the Mortal World Sword were combined. The coordinated use of the two swords subtly conveyed the opposing forces of the two peaks, a verdant and ethereal scene, truly difficult to fathom.
Twin Peaks Piercing the Clouds is one of the Ten Scenic Spots of Qiantang, featuring two peaks, north and south, each with distinct scenery, stretching and confronting each other. Ren Xiaoyao's moves also differed between the two, switching from sword to claw, each with its own unique and ingenious counter-movement, yet echoing each other perfectly, mysterious and unpredictable.
"No… Ah, help…" At the critical moment, a cry of alarm suddenly rang out from behind him from Shinguji Mina.
Ren Xiaoyao glanced back and saw that Prince Tonghu was dragging Shinguji Mina by the arms, forcibly pulling her towards the main hall—"There's a secret room under the Yasutsuna Palace, both soundproof and cool. If Your Highness wishes to favor the young lady, that would be a good place." Ichimaru Gin's fawning words still echoed in his ears.
"Beast, stop!" Ren Xiaoyao was so concerned that he no longer cared about fighting. He feinted to lure Mutou Ran away and leaped out like lightning, not caring about exposing the opening of his vest, and quickly ran towards the high platform. "Hmph,
trying to leave? Not so easy!" Mutou Ran coldly shouted, her pupils blazing with purple light. Her long robe sleeves fluttered, her jade hands billowed in the wind, and her short blade moved like a torrent of water. In one move, she actually attacked seven points. Even if Ren Xiaoyao had his back to her, he might not be able to withstand it even if he blocked it head-on.
Exclamations, curses, and shouts rang out.
Prince Kiriko's methods were utterly shameless and despicable. To disrupt the minds of Shinguji Ryuugen, Hanashi-kun, and Ren Xiaoyao, he seized the moment when the battle was raging and dragged Shinguji Mina to the Yasutsuna Palace to commit adultery.
It must be admitted that this tactic was both effective and convenient. If the three didn't intervene, they could only watch helplessly as their daughter and lover were violated; if they did intervene, they would expose a huge weakness to the enemy.
Any "viewer" with a modicum of conscience, whether affiliated with the Hokushin Ittō-ryū or a member of the "Hokushin Ittō-ryū Alliance," would have loudly condemned this scene—the ninja world has its rules. Before a fight, poisoning, assassination, kidnapping, and other methods are permissible, but to bully the family of one side when the battle is still undecided is an act far more immoral and depraved than incest.
Our covert mobile unit captain, the most beautiful woman in Japan, possessed exquisite ninjutsu, but due to the effects of Kikusō's drug, she was unable to use it, her body limp and powerless. Aside from crying out for help, she could only endure Prince Kiriko's wanton violence.
Ren Xiaoyao reacted the fastest, arrived the fastest, and rescued the fastest, but also exposed his biggest weakness.
With no defense behind him, he was about to be pierced through the heart by Mutou Ran's "Zhuluo Double Slashes" when he suddenly rose high, spinning in mid-air, his Ice Soul Frost Sword drawing a perfect circle to meet the rapidly approaching sharp blade.
To everyone's surprise, Mutou Ran's all-out, relentless, and persistent energy blade vanished like a stone thrown into the deep sea, becoming a mere formality devoid of threat.
As her half-hidden face revealed a look of utter horror, Ren Xiaoyao unleashed the full power of his Sixteen Forms of the Soaring Sky Sword Technique. The Ice Soul Frost Sword's edge blazed brightly, engulfing his opponent in a storm of sword shadows that resembled a thousand giant waves whipped up by a raging storm.
What a cunning Ren Xiaoyao! His feigned concern and disregard for his own safety in rescuing Shinguji Mina was a ruse; his true intention was to lure Mutou Ran into a trap and launch a full-scale attack!
He wasn't indifferent, allowing his lover Shinguji Mina to suffer such humiliation; rather, he was using this opportunity to eliminate his opponent—if Mutou Ran were to perish, could Prince Kiriko escape to the heavens?
Mutou Ran, now trapped, had no choice but to unleash her signature move, the Twin Slashes of the Luo River, which blazed brightly, transforming into countless streaks of cold light as she fiercely attacked Ren Xiaoyao.
The clanging of weapons clashing was incessant. In the lightning-fast speed, Wu Tenglan unleashed her life's ultimate technique, the "Nine Seals of the Illusory Dragon." Her twin swords, wielding the Luo Twin Blades, created more than a dozen illusory and real streaks of light, overwhelming the enemy with a devastating force, unleashing forty-nine attacks in the blink of an eye.
Ren Xiaoyao, his clever plan succeeding, felt no joy. He fully unleashed his innate supreme qi, combining it with the Nine Revolutions Returning to Origin Force, using the sword energy from the Ice Soul Frost Sword to create a perfectly round, concave force field. This neutralized Wu Tenglan's ferocious attack, which disregarded life and death and concentrated her life's cultivation, forcing her to confront him head-on without any room for maneuver.
Of course, the opponent's attacks were not easy to withstand. Even with his best efforts to defend, he was under extreme danger, struggling to the very limit.
"Clang—" Ren Xiaoyao, with his supreme and unparalleled innate qi, deflected the forty-ninth strike from Mutou Ran that was aimed at his brow. All subsequent attacks failed, forcing him to retreat.
The two were now locked in a stalemate
. Mutou Ran's breath came in soft gasps, her full, firm breasts heaving slightly, but her sword-wielding hand remained as steady as a mountain.
"Rip!" The heavy veil covering Mutou Ran's face shattered under the impact of the clash of internal forces, revealing her stunningly beautiful and alluring face.
Ren Xiaoyao was instantly dumbfounded.
The relentless passage of time had left not a single mark on her face; from any angle, she appeared only a few years older than Shinguji Mina, radiating youthful vitality.
When the veil was lifted just now, he had seen half of Mutou Ran's face. Even that glimpse of her smiling face was already captivating and alluring. Now, her peerless beauty, capable of bewitching any man in the world, was fully and clearly displayed before him.
Her delicate eyebrows slanted upwards, her eyes were as black as lacquer, and her glossy black hair accentuated her snow-white skin, which glowed with a healthy, radiant blush and a breathtakingly alluring beauty. Her nose was straight and petite, and her full, luscious lips formed a seductive cherry-like mouth, as if smooth ivory were tinged with a soft, rosy hue. Her soft, flowing lines and moon-like cheeks framed her dreamy eyes, which rippled like autumn lake water in a gentle breeze. A single glance from her was enough to steal his soul.
Unlike the otherworldly, ethereal beauty of Hanashi-kun, which is utterly devoid of any earthy charm, Mutou Ran's beauty is purely designed to please the opposite sex. She exudes charm and allure at every turn. Any man who sees her and doesn't want to make love to her in bed is either a eunuch or a castrated man.
If Ren Xiaoyao hadn't been accustomed to sleeping with beautiful women, and hadn't overheard the Third Prince mention the ages of the Five Beauties, thus deducing Mutou Ran's age from them, he almost would have lost control. The sudden, breathtaking beauty of her face had left him utterly bewildered, revealing a vulnerability in his heart. She
exploited this weakness with her sensory illusions, causing him to crumble without a fight. Ren Xiaoyao hadn't managed to kill her with a single blow, or even injure her. Knowing that her martial arts were no less than those of Yoshihiro Nobuyuki and Kubo Kousuke, and that killing her in a short time was impossible, and that any further delay would mean that Shinguji Mina would fall completely into Prince Kiriko's hands, he dared not hesitate. He spun sideways in mid-air, lightly touching the ground with his toes, and flew backward, determined to snatch her back even at the cost of injury.
Mutou Ran giggled as she blocked his path, her flowing skirt creating an indescribable, strange vortex.
The surrounding air instantly turned icy cold, a fierce wind surged, and killing intent filled the air. A strange, tangible force transformed into more than ten streams of energy, intangible yet substantial, coiling towards him.
Ren Xiaoyao swung his sword fiercely, attempting to force her away; at this juncture, he couldn't linger.
An astonishing thing happened: Ren Xiaoyao's incomparably powerful innate supreme qi was completely drained from his body when he was still a foot away from Wu Tenglan. He felt a terrifying forward lurch, as if the place where he stood had become a bottomless abyss; if he fell in, he would never be able to climb out alive.
Caught in the middle of it all, he felt his sword energy sink like a stone into the sea, never to return, yet it hadn't affected his enemy in the slightest. A chill ran through him; he was so distressed he almost vomited blood, especially that strange feeling of his true energy having nowhere to attach, which completely extinguished his fighting spirit.
Seizing the opportunity, Mutou Ran pounced like lightning. Her clothes fluttered lightly, her skirt billowed, and her beautiful, ethereal face revealed a shallow dimple. She was serene and elegant, not at all like someone who wanted to kill Ren Xiaoyao. Rather, she was performing a graceful dance. With her flawless beauty and figure, every gesture and step was full of captivating charm. She moved gracefully around Ren Xiaoyao, each movement exquisite, yet concealing a deadly intent. She seemed to have merged the ultimate beauty and the ultimate evil into one.
Seeing that the twin swords of the Luo River slashed like willows in the wind, their movements incredibly graceful yet possessing a surprisingly refined power, though lacking any sharpness, they were all-pervasive and unpredictable. Ren Xiaoyao was not confident in taking them head-on. He used the Ice Soul Frost Sword to slash through the air, forcefully "breaking" the entanglement of the opponent's chilling energy with his own protective true qi. At the same time, he turned around, his footwork suddenly changing, intending to bypass Wu Tenglan in the extremely narrow space and intercept Prince Tonghu before he entered the Angang Palace.
This move, "Shifting Stars," was a superb movement technique from the story of crossing the Yangtze River on a reed. When used, it was like the ancient Bodhidharma crossing the Yangtze River on a reed, floating as if flying through the air. In a flash, he seemed to be able to pass by Wu Tenglan, but unexpectedly, a low murmur suddenly came from her lips, which, after entering her ears, gradually transformed into a heavenly melody with chilling killing intent.
Ren Xiaoyao's body trembled violently, his momentum immediately slowing. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Wu Tenglan spun her arms in a circle, her twin swords merging in mid-air to form a seamless, inseparable whole, thrusting straight at Ren Xiaoyao with unparalleled ferocity. At the same time, a chilling wind erupted from both sides of her delicate body, completely sealing off his retreat.
"Clang! Clang!" Unable to launch an attack, Ren Xiaoyao barely managed to parry her downward slash with the blade, then deflected her blade aimed at his waist with the hilt, narrowly escaping. Ren Xiaoyao was forced to take a step back, inwardly cursing. As expected, Wu Tenglan had gained the upper hand and immediately pressed her advantage, her twin swords flashing like mercury as she attacked him at close range.
Under the blazing sun, her flawless hands shone with an otherworldly radiance. Every movement and gesture embodied the most exquisite beauty in the world. Her attacks were unconventional, tailored to Ren Xiaoyao's every move, seeking out weaknesses and openings, as if containing some unspeakable secret of the universe.
Ren Xiaoyao felt as if he had entered another world, another world filled with bloodshed and slaughter, a world fraught with constant danger, where the slightest carelessness could mean instant death. Mutou Ran unleashed her full power; from her hair to her chin, every part of her body was a potential weapon. The unpredictable and bizarre attacks were beyond the comprehension of even Ren Xiaoyao, with his extensive combat experience and vivid imagination, unless he witnessed it firsthand.
At a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, the clanging of weapons clashing rang out incessantly. Ren Xiaoyao exerted all his strength, using every inch of the Ice Soul Frost Sword from hilt to tip to its fullest extent. He then used his elbows and palms to withstand seven or eight powerful shoulder and elbow strikes from Wu Tenglan. Finally, thanks to her skillful display, his clothes were torn apart, revealing several deep bloodstains, two or three centimeters deep. He was thrown back like a kite with a broken string, only managing to stand several feet away.
"Well, Ren Xiaoyao, should you admit defeat now? If you surrender obediently, maybe I can..." Wu Tenglan giggled coquettishly, her delicate fingertips tracing her breasts, exuding endless charm and allure.
"Sorry, I'm not interested in women old enough to be my grandmother." Ren Xiaoyao said calmly, unexpectedly sheathing his sword. Wu Tenglan's pretty face immediately turned a deep shade of rage.
"You're courting death!" A sharp shout erupted from her lips, and the surrounding chilling energy swirled into a vortex, rapidly converging towards its center. Ren Xiaoyao's protective inner energy seemed on the verge of shattering, his eardrums filled with the terrifying shrill sound of the rushing energy, like being alone on the ocean, enduring the torment before a storm.
"No, you're the one courting death." Ren Xiaoyao's tone was soft and gentle as she spoke these words. In an instant, she gathered her energy in her dantian and let out a long roar. A series of rapid, booming sounds followed, as if countless thunderbolts had struck the sky, exploding one after another above Wu Tenglan's head. It was as if the heavens had changed, the sky darkened, and the inner energy within a ten-foot radius trembled violently, instantly dispelling the illusory sound she had emitted.
The Vajra Lion's Roar? Yes, one of the Seventy-Two Shaolin Arts—the Vajra Lion's Roar!
The profound and extensive Buddhist martial arts are naturally the nemesis of all evil and heretical paths, let alone the supreme and innate qi that gathers the strongest and most powerful innate energy. Even if Wu Tenglan's strength were twice as strong, she still wouldn't be able to withstand it.
In fact, Ren Xiaoyao could have used this move long ago, but he had delayed until now because he couldn't control the range of the sound waves as precisely as Master Xiaochen. He was afraid that if the roar was too loud , all the people from various sects who were hit by the Chrysanthemum Sect's Illusion and lost their internal energy would suffer as well. So he deliberately delayed the fight until he figured out the range of the opponent's illusion before breaking it in one fell swoop.
Even so, many innocent disciples from various sects were still seriously injured and coughed up blood.
Wu Tenglan was in the middle of the storm, her heart was cold and her courage was broken, and she was crying out in pain. Ren Xiaoyao's roar was perfectly timed. He took advantage of her anger and intense emotions and launched a sudden attack, completely suppressing the illusionary sound. She herself was also suffering an unprecedentedly strong impact, as if she were in a sea of fire and heat waves, her whole body swollen and about to burst.
"Boom!" The force exploded, the air swirling wildly, producing a thunderous, chilling roar. Mutou Ran didn't even have time to utter a sound before being sent flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground.
This roar contained all of Ren Xiaoyao's unreserved power, enough to shatter mountains and rocks. Even if she wasn't severely injured, she would have difficulty continuing to fight.
The battle was over. Only then did Ren Xiaoyao have a chance to glance towards the direction of Ansuna Palace, but not seeing Prince Kiriko or Shinguji Mina, he became extremely anxious. He had no time to care about his severely injured opponent and darted forward.
Mutou Ran staggered to her feet, a tragically beautiful smile playing on her lips, dragging her bloodied body as she followed behind.
Just as Ren Xiaoyao was about to enter, she suddenly pursed her lips and shrieked, emitting another illusory sound.
Ren Xiaoyao hadn't expected her to be so fierce. His body froze for a moment, his eardrums filled with the shrill scream she unleashed with her last ounce of strength. It was like being adrift on a lone boat on the sea, a storm surging up from all sides, roaring towards him. At first, it was short, powerful, and jarring, then a torrential downpour crashed down on him.
It was all-pervasive and tangible. Ren Xiaoyao felt his vision blurring under the assault of the illusory sound, the world spinning around him, the raging storm threatening to engulf him. Even more terrifying was the sudden contraction of the chilling aura centered on Wu Tenglan, narrowing to a point, yet possessing an explosive force that forcibly pulled him back from his rapid movement.
"Corpse Demon... Corpse Demon Seal!? No, she's going to take you down with her! Get out of the way!!" Aoki Toshishi's exclamation came from behind. Mutou Ranyu's face revealed a trace of sad and helpless laughter. Suddenly, she raised the Heavenly Demon Voice to its limit and shouted sharply, "Too late, die!"
An astonishing burst of true energy exploded from a single point, spreading at an astonishing speed to a space of two zhang in radius, instantly engulfing Ren Xiaoyao.

Volume 38, Chapter 2: Mina's Humiliation .

With Ren Xiaoyao's martial arts skills, he was completely unable to resist the powerful suction force and was thus drawn into the vortex formed by the true energy. The icy cold air, penetrating to the bone and piercing his heart and lungs, seemed to drill into him from all 36,000 pores of his body, making him feel as if his internal organs were being torn apart, yet he could not scream. It was like being in a nightmare, knowing that a ferocious beast or a venomous snake was about to devour him, but unable to move.
Before the previous wave of chilling energy had even subsided, wave after wave of it surged forth, like wild horses breaking free and flooding his body. With astonishing speed, it spread to every meridian, large and small, like thousands of fine, icy knives slicing through his veins and internal organs.
Even a tough man like Ren Xiaoyao couldn't endure such pain. Had he not been unable to speak, he would have screamed in agony. He was already trembling uncontrollably, suffering the agony of "ice torture."
He could no longer control his internal energy, but his innate supreme qi automatically generated a defensive force, surging forth from his acupoints like hundreds of scorching pillars of fire spreading throughout his body. The old and new qi clashed, their chilling energy clashing against each other, instantly turning his meridians into a battlefield of struggle. Compared to this, the previous pain was utterly insignificant. "Boom!" The beautiful woman, Wu Tengla, exploded into a shower of blood and powder, her body miraculously vanishing without a trace.
A violent clash of heat and cold, an attack from both within and without, engulfed everything in its path.
Within Ren Xiaoyao's body, it was as if a volcanic eruption and an avalanche of ice were occurring simultaneously. He saw stars, yet he didn't faint
. Currents of heat and cold emanated from him, sending a whirlwind of energy outwards. The marble floor shattered instantly, splintering into countless fragments that flew into the air. The howling of the cold energy intensified wildly, striking like thousands of arrows. All his senses failed him; he could neither see nor hear, as if cast into a void of nothingness, utterly disoriented. What was happening? Only waves of increasingly intense damage and pain tormented him.
The concentrated energy of his blood surged forth, shattering the protective qi barrier on his back like a hammer blow.
Ren Xiaoyao was pulled into the air by this immense force, tumbling like two weak, swaying scarecrows outside the An Gang Hall, completely disoriented. He then coughed up blood, nearly fainting on the spot.
Ren Xiaoyao's hearing was completely disordered, his ears filled with a cacophony of sounds, like the frantic beating of war drums on a battlefield, with thousands of drumsticks striking the ground as a drumbeat. He could no longer feel his body, as if only his soul remained. He couldn't tell if it was burning or freezing, only that he was on the verge of death...
In the deepest part of this tragic abyss, Ren Xiaoyao's body suddenly felt a warmth. Although he was still in excruciating pain and wished he could die quickly to escape this sea of suffering, his mind gradually cleared. He vaguely felt the warmth originating from his lower abdomen, his dantian—the first acupoint he had opened after cultivating the Supreme Innate Qi—and it gradually spread towards his heart.
It was like a person on the verge of freezing to death in a frozen world suddenly receiving a spark of fire, or a thirsty traveler in the desert seeing a ripple of water.
Consciousness gradually returned to Ren Xiaoyao's mind, like seeing a glimmer of light in absolute darkness. The light expanded, transforming into a dazzling brilliance, but in reality, his eyes remained tightly closed. Having
escaped death, Ren Xiaoyao had no time to consider why this strange situation had occurred; he only tried to forget the excruciating pain, desperately clinging to the tiny warmth in his heart.
The warmth gradually expanded, slowly extending through his heart meridian to his Ren and Du meridians. With focused concentration, the pain seemed to be gradually leaving him. This didn't mean he was free from the torment of alternating hot and cold, but rather that he was no longer completely powerless. Although his meridians were still filled with scattered, surging true energy, he had regained some control. His senses gradually returned, and he began to feel the existence of his body and limbs.
Ren Xiaoyao endured the pain, guiding his Qi with his mind to clear his internal energy. His Niwan (upper dantian) descended along the Ren meridian, reaching the Dantian (lower abdomen), passing through the groin, then the life-and-death acupoint, and finally ascending the Du meridian from the coccyx, passing through the Jade Gate and returning to the Niwan Palace, completing one cycle. The speed of the Qi circulation within his body began to slow, and the pain gradually lessened.
With each cycle, the out-of-control innate supreme Qi weakened, and the unusually cold Yin energy was no longer as unbearable. After several cycles, the innate supreme Qi gradually returned to its original state, shrinking into a ball of heat at the various acupoints without spreading outwards. Meanwhile, the cold Qi, propelled by Wu Tenglan at the cost of her life, directly invaded his internal organs.
Ren Xiaoyao focused his mind on the major acupoints, guiding his Qi up the Ren meridian, through the heart meridian to the Niwan, past the Jade Pillow to the coccyx, surging towards the point of greatest coldness. A miraculous thing happened: instantly, the cold Qi converged and circulated throughout the body, while the heat spread throughout the meridians. The Niwan became hot, and the acupoints turned cold.
The cold and heat achieved a delicate balance under regulation, not only no longer causing pain, but becoming increasingly comfortable and enjoyable.
His body undulated in mid-air, yet he felt no sense of being torn apart or exploding. It was as if he were playing a game of balancing cold and heat. The cold intensified, stimulating his true energy; the cold weakened, drawing back his true energy. The two gradually merged into one, and his spirit continuously sublimated, becoming hazy and indistinct, forgetting both self and external things.
"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" In the instant before landing, Ren Xiaoyao's body seemed to undergo a series of explosions, starting at his coccyx, then his back, and finally exploding at the Jade Pillow Gate at the back of his head. The cold and heat within his body dissipated, and the sky above his head seemed to connect to the source of nectar, cold yet not harmful, sweet and fragrant. The invisible yet substantial true energy flowed through his head, cheeks, and throat, pouring down along the major and minor meridians, flowing towards the lower dantian. The
Yongquan points on the soles of his feet became hot, and the heat, though not dry, rose up along the leg meridians to the dantian.
As the warm and cold energies merged and flowed in his dantian, Ren Xiaoyao's spirit immediately expanded and soared, no longer bound by the physical body's meridians. He felt as if he could live as long as the universe and coexist with the stars, a perfect sublimation from the finite to the infinite. His seven acupoints operated completely freely, and the comfortable and moving feeling was beyond description.
The mysterious feeling vanished in an instant, and Ren Xiaoyao returned from heaven to earth, once again feeling the existence and limitations of his physical body. His true energy was perfectly integrated, an indescribable feeling of comfort and enjoyment.
Ren Xiaoyao felt an indescribable ecstasy, knowing that he had not only survived Mutou Ran's "Corpse Demon Seal," but had also recovered his full strength thanks to the extremely cold energy generated by her self-destruction. He also experienced the pure and indescribable mysterious feeling of the fusion of hot and cold. A bold idea about internal energy cultivation sprouted in his mind.
Of course, the most important thing now was not to consider internal energy cultivation, but to rescue Shinguji Mina immediately.
Ren Xiaoyao dashed into the Ansang Palace, only to find rows of wooden doors separating the rooms, but no sign of the secret chamber.
"Feiyun—Hanbi—Xiuxiu!" he shouted, but no one answered. It seemed they had all gone to the plaza to watch the commotion, and were now all under the influence of Kikusō Mu.
Due to the intense chill, Ren Xiaoyao didn't know how long he had been tormented by Mutou Ran's life-risking attack, but he was certain that Shinguji Mina was now completely incapable of resistance, and would likely be stripped naked by Prince Kiriko in no time, or even…
"Ren… Brother Ren, the secret chamber is under the fifth wooden plank from the left at the top left." Kenpachi Zaraki's hoarse voice sounded from behind. He was truly valiant, dragging his limp body from the plaza to this location.
Ren Xiaoyao didn't even have time to thank him before disappearing.
Prince Kiriko dragged Mina Shinguji into the secret room, and immediately spotted a stone bed at the very back... no, it would be more accurate to say an ice bed. Standing two zhang away, one could feel a chill rushing towards them. In the sweltering heat of July, it did not feel hot at all, but rather refreshing and pleasant.
"Hahaha, this must be the Jade Bed that old thief Shinguji dug out from under the hundred-foot-high ice of the frigid lands of Ezo, crafted from the cold jade of the North Sea!" Prince Kiriko laughed loudly, his cunning eyes flashing with lewdness. "They say this bed is very beneficial for internal energy cultivation. I wonder what it's like to lie on it and have sex with his daughter, Yu."
Shinguji Mina was already terrified, curling up in a corner and screaming, "You...you don't come any closer...don't come any closer—help! Help!"
"Scream, scream, even if you scream your lungs out, no one will come to save you." Prince Kiriko reached out with his right hand and grabbed Liu Qianqian's left wrist, pulling her closer.
Shinguji Mina was even more panicked when she saw him about to touch her chest. She hurriedly tried to block him with her hands, but the effects of the Kikuzong drug were too strong, and she couldn't muster any strength at all. It was like a dragonfly trying to move a stone pillar; she couldn't budge an inch.
A cold smile appeared on Prince Kiriko's face. With a flick of his arm, Shinguji Mina felt as if she couldn't breathe, and was pushed away with great force, landing right next to the jade bed.
Shinguji Mina endured the pain without making a sound, only groaning softly a few times, struggling to stand up. But Prince Kiriko was already in front of her, pulling her up with one hand, and said with a smirk, "How are you, Miss Shinguji? Did you hurt your bottom? Do you want me to rub it for you?"
Shinguji Mina remained silent, but tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.
"What's wrong? Not saying a word? Hahaha, can't wait to be favored, can you?" Crown Prince Tonghu laughed even harder, his hand moving downwards, his palm gently touching her fair neck. "No wonder, after today's matter, I, the Crown Prince, will be the Emperor. The Empress's position is something countless women would rather die for."
Shinguji Mina was both shocked and anxious, not knowing what to do, her face flushing crimson: "You...you dare touch me, Brother Ren...Xiaoyao...he...he won't...he won't let you get away with it."
It would have been better if Ren Xiaoyao hadn't been mentioned . The mere mention of Ren Xiaoyao ignited a surge of anger in Prince Tonghu. He thought, "I've devoured countless royal secret scrolls in the palace, mastered countless exquisite ninjutsu, and even spent five or six years learning several forbidden techniques from the Iga Valley. I thought I was invincible except for Shinguji Ryuugen, yet I couldn't defeat this brat and lost face in front of thousands. If it weren't for him and the experts he brought, that old devil Shinguji would have been dead long ago, why would it have dragged on until now?" A surge of malice welled up within him, and he roared, "Turn around!"
"No, I won't... Ah—" Shinguji Mina was flustered and confused, at least she knew how to resist, but her wrist was gripped by his iron-like fingers, her body went limp, and all her martial arts skills were rendered useless. With a gentle pull from Prince Tonghu, she collapsed onto the jade bed with a "thud," unable even to get up.
Just as she was about to cry for help, Prince Tonghu's lewd hands were already caressing her plump, jade-like buttocks, occasionally pinching them, while laughing: "So soft even through the kimono, truly worthy of being the number one beauty of our Fusang Kingdom! If that brat Ren Xiaoyao were to enjoy her, it would be such a waste, such a waste, hahaha!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Qianqian trembled with fear, struggling desperately, but at this moment she was no different from a delicate young lady from a noble family, completely powerless to resist Prince Tonghu's hands. Prince Tonghu's hands roamed wantonly on her buttocks, gradually sliding down to between her thighs, his palm slowly rubbing against them, and her dress slowly sinking into her cleft.
Finally, Shinguji Mina could not bear it any longer, letting out a soft "hmm," her heart filled with extreme fear, tears welling up in her eyes, and she pleaded in a trembling voice: "Please... don't... don't do this... please." Prince Kiriko
ignored him and instead laughed loudly, repeatedly poking his fingers through her kimono at her private parts, as if trying to stuff the fabric inside. Before long, the fabric was damp, and Liu Qianqian's voice seemed to be tinged with tears. She barely turned her head halfway, sobbing, "No...you can't..."
Seeing her pitiful, tearful, and helpless expression, Prince Kiriko's lewd power surged. He thought to himself, "What youngest Jonin in the history of ninjutsu, what captain of the Hokushin Ittō-ryū clan's secret mobile unit? She's nothing more than a geisha maid, fawning over me...Hmph, let me show you what I'm capable of, and see if you cry out then?" "Fingers teased her genitals rapidly, the fabric dampened by her love juices, wrinkling in many places.
Pressed down on the jade bed, being wantonly violated by Prince Tonghu, Mina naturally hoped Ren Xiaoyao would appear immediately and rush into the secret chamber to rescue her. However, this secret chamber was a forbidden area of the sect, and also where she and her father practiced using the Ryujin Jakka. The walls were built on an unshakeable foundation, and the door was made of the same North Sea Jade as the bed, a foot thick. Unless opened from the inside, even the might of the Ice Soul Frost Sword couldn't cleave it open.
Thinking that Ren Xiaoyao couldn't possibly come to her rescue, and imagining the violence Prince Tonghu was about to inflict, Mina grew increasingly frightened and began to sob softly, tears streaming down her face. Prince
Tonghu, seeing this, felt a surge of lust, experiencing a sense of conquest even before intercourse. He said softly, 'Don't cry, serve this prince obediently, and I will let you…'
'No!'" "Shinguji Mina suddenly looked up, her eyes burning like flames.
"Hmph, little brat, still trying to be tough? I'll make you beg for mercy." As Kiriko spoke, his fingers suddenly increased in pressure, pressing hard on her private parts, pushing in repeatedly.
"Uh... Ahhh..." Shinguji Mina was caught off guard, suddenly stimulated, and couldn't help but moan softly.
Under Kiriko's violent movements, she was filled with an indescribable sense of shame, her pretty eyes tightly closed, tears sliding down her cheeks, her body swaying incessantly as he made her, her cries for help seeming to be squeezed out little by little from within: "Ugh... Ahhh... Xiaoyao... Save me... Uh, uh... No, no... Save me..."
"Stop!" At the critical moment, a sharp shout suddenly rang out, like a thunderclap, shaking the very soul. It wasn't through the door, but rather seemed as if it were right next to them.
Both Shinguji Mina and Prince Kiriko were startled, turning their heads simultaneously. The former showed no expected surprise or elation, but rather fear and disappointment, while the latter continued to laugh loudly as always—yes, the shout came from Ren Xiaoyao. The sound traveled without any obstruction, but… but the door to the secret chamber remained intact. Ren Xiaoyao had only tried to stop Prince Kiriko's atrocities through the small hole used for passing food.
With Kenpachi Zaraki's guidance, he quickly found the secret passage to the chamber, but upon reaching the door, he discovered that the door made of gleaming jade was impossible to open.
Unable to find the opening mechanism, he had no choice but to force his way through.
Ren Xiao… Holding the sword in hand, he channeled his inner energy, and the sword light flashed like a bolt
of lightning as he slashed
towards Yu Men. He was anxious to save him, and used all his strength in his first move. Even if this sword were just a bamboo sword, let alone one capable of cutting through gold and jade, this strike would be enough to shatter stone into powder! With a clang, sparks flew, and the incomparably sharp and iron-slicing Ice Soul Frost Sword only managed to cleave the door five inches open. The blade embedded itself in the crack in the stone, without even the slightest tremor.
Ren Xiaoyao, gripping the hilt, stood frozen for a long time, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
When he cleaved the jade door with his sword, he felt he still had considerable strength left, enough to cleave at least eight more inches. However, after only two inches, his strength was exhausted. This showed that the further he cleaved, the more difficult it would be. Even if his strength were fully restored and he had the Ice Soul Frost Sword in hand, he probably wouldn't be able to open the door to the secret chamber.
"Clang—Clang—Boom—" Knowing that Mina Shinguji was inside, and that every moment of delay increased the risk of her humiliation, Ren Xiaoyao was unwilling to give up easily. He used every technique at his disposal—the Lingxiao Sword Art, the Nine Dragon Control Techniques, the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, and the Heaven-Defying Divine Palm—but these powerful, fierce, and devastating techniques, capable of shattering mountains and breaking rocks, couldn't even budge the door. Instead, a stone block on the left was shaken down,
revealing a palm-sized hole behind it. This hole was usually sealed, used only by Shinguji Ryuugen and his daughter when they were in seclusion practicing their skills, and was barely big enough to fit one hand.
Ren Xiaoyao peered closer and gasped—the jade door blocking his path was a full foot wide, clearly beyond human capability to move!
"Ren Xiaoyao? Hahaha, it seems Mutou Ran's Corpse Demon Seal didn't kill you after all." Prince Kiriko spoke, but his hands continued to humiliate Shinguji Mina, coldly saying, "Very well, let you watch your lover being played with to your heart's content—hahaha, this little pump-bomb girl is so tender, definitely a virgin who hasn't experienced anything yet. Ren Xiaoyao, Ren Xiaoyao, you're unwilling to deflower her, which is a good thing for me."
Ren Xiaoyao was furious, his eyes blazing with rage. Ren Xiaoyao grabbed a handful of copper coins, about to toss them in, when he heard Prince Tonghu chuckle sinisterly, "Try it, try hitting me with hidden weapons. My martial arts skills speak for themselves. If you, Ren Xiaoyao, dare to make a move, I'll use your sweetheart as a shield!"
Shinguji Mina didn't understand terms like "untouched" or "virginity broken," but seeing Ren Xiaoyao's expression, she knew something was terrified. Her face paled with fear, and suddenly, Prince Tonghu pressed her down onto the bed.
“Little beauty, be good and don’t be afraid. Let’s put on a live sex show and let the Song Dynasty’s special envoy, Master Ren, see how lewd you are.” Prince Tonghu straddled her waist, reaching out to pull at her clothes.
Zhen Gongji Mina was pinned down by him, her heart filled with panic. She had no time to think about what Ren Xiaoyao was doing. She only knew that Prince Tonghu’s lust was aroused and he was about to ravage her at any moment. She was filled with inexplicable fear and trembled as she said, “No… don’t touch me… please… uh ah ah… no… I… I…”
Ren Xiaoyao was even more anxious than her. He raised the Ice Soul Frost Sword and slashed at the hole with “ding” “ding” “clang” “clang”. The green light flashed and the air was filled with sound. He used the Lingxiao Sword Technique from the first move to the sixteenth move. The entire secret room shook violently under the impact of the internal energy, as if an earthquake had occurred. Only the door was unharmed.
"Chop away slowly, this prince will first enjoy this beauty... Hahaha!" Prince Kiriko grinned maliciously, stretching out his hands to squeeze and squeeze Shinguji Mina's breasts, ripping and tearing at them, making her clothes disheveled. He breathed heavily, his eyes like those of a beast ready to devour its prey.
Shinguji Mina's resistance was futile, tears welling in her eyes. A bitter thought crossed her mind, and she cried out pitifully, "Brother Ren, go, go help Father and Mother, don't worry about me. Mina can't escape this calamity today, she can't live on in this world, only... only in the next life... in the next life can we meet again..."
Seeing her slowly give up resisting, her face showing despair, a fierce rage rose within Prince Kiriko. He lewdly laughed, "My beauty, enjoy yourself!" His hands roamed over her body, finally stopping at her waist sash, which he began to untie.
Shinguji Mina turned her head away in despair, her sobs growing softer, her shoulders trembling slightly.
"Mei Nai—" Ren Xiaoyao screamed hoarsely, ignoring the numbness in his arms, he continued to hack and slash relentlessly.
Why, why can't I open this door? Why can't I save Mei Nai!
Ren Xiaoyao wanted to curse himself, to curse himself for being useless and worthless. What about the supreme innate qi, the number one divine skill in the world? What about the invincible Lingxiao sword technique?
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him. True qi surged from the Yongquan acupoints on his feet and descended from the Baihui acupoint on his head. At lightning speed, it first gathered at the Dantian and then flowed up the spine through the Ren and Du meridians, before being injected into the Ice Soul Frost Sword in his left and right hands.
"Clang!" The Butterfly Love Flower sword emitted a clear ringing sound. One side turned as white as snow, while the other turned as red as fire. Like two flames, one white and one red, they converged into a blinding bolt of lightning. With an overwhelming and domineering aura, it roared towards the gate in an arc filled with indescribable mystical principles, like a yellow dragon soaring into the sky and thunder breaking through the clouds.
There was no earth-shattering roar as expected, no earth-shaking tremor as usual. Kenpachi Zaraki, who had just arrived, was so tense his heart felt like it would leap out of his throat.
The strangest phenomenon occurred before he could even believe it.
A point of intense light, too bright for anyone to look directly at, appeared at the center of the Jade Gate, followed by a thunderous explosion.
Most strangely, the light didn't reach far, only illuminating a small spot where the sealed sword trembled, before vanishing instantly.
Prince Kiriko's lewd desires surged, and just as he was about to indulge in his lust, a sudden, deafening roar…
“Boom!” The Jade Gate shattered! A powerful gust of wind shot straight up his back without warning, violently lifting him up. The force exploded like thunder, tearing flesh and blood from Prince Kiriko's chest. His body was thrown backward, slamming against the wall, swaying slightly before crashing to the ground with a thud.
“Xiaoyao—” Mina Shinguji called softly, finding strength from who-knows-where to throw herself into Ren Xiaoyao's arms.
"Don't be afraid, it's alright now." Ren Xiaoyao gently stroked her trembling body, his gaze fixed intently on Crown Prince Tonghu.
"You...it's impossible...impossible!" Crown Prince Tonghu clutched his chest, staggering to his feet, his steps unsteady as if drunk, his voice hoarse as he cried out, "This door...how could it have been cleaved open...you...you...what...what technique did you use!?"
"The Soaring Cloud Sword Technique..." Ren Xiaoyao stood proudly, his reply resounding and firm, his expression growing increasingly cold, "The seventeenth move—'Body Without the Wings of a Colorful Phoenix'!" The battle at Zongqian Square continued. Meng
Fei
and Deng Lei were evenly matched against Matsuno Masamune, Mogami Asanobu, Saito Narimasa, and Tachibana Saizo. Yi Tianhan, Fu Longyuan, and Hua Shijun each possessed dozens of profound cultivation techniques, making their fighting strength even stronger than the Iga Valley Five Beauties and the Okazaki Five. In particular, the ultimate moves "Water and Sky in One Color" and "Dragon Slaying the Moon," created by Yi and Fu after they went into seclusion overseas, were invincible. Their power was so great that it was impossible to withstand them without the combined strength of four or five people. As the battle progressed, they gradually gained the upper hand.
Only Shinguji Ryuken, fighting six opponents alone, was gradually finding himself overwhelmed. Yoshihiro Tomoyuki was cunning and highly skilled, Kubo Kousuke possessed unpredictable ninjutsu and was in his prime; Ichimaru Gin and Tōsen Kaname had been under his tutelage for decades and knew his fighting style intimately; Hattori Yataro and Gotō Yoshitaka each had their own unique skills, and their combined power was amplified. Ninjutsu, illusion, and taijutsu were used in rapid succession, giving him no chance to breathe.
Yoshihiro Tomoyuki and Kubo Kousuke exchanged glances, seized the opportunity, and attacked Shinguji Ryuken from both sides, swiftly striking his upper body. Ichimaru Gin and Tōsen Kaname simultaneously used the Crescent Moon Slash, its power even more astonishing.
Shinguji Ryuken had already elevated his senses of sight, hearing, and smell to their limits, to the point that he could sense even through clothing, allowing him to reach the level of a master who could "know his enemy." How could he not know his opponents' intentions? He swiftly channeled his inner energy, unleashing a torrent of fiery light from his Ryujin, instantly shattering the palm strikes of the three attackers . The moment he gained the upper hand, he immediately sprang to his feet.
He intended to dodge sideways to catch his breath, but Hattori Yataro and Goto Yoshitaka were already waiting in his retreat path, their twin swords raised, slashing down at him.
Purely in terms of technique and skill, Shinguji Ryuken would not fear them. However, their timing was impeccable, seizing the moment when his old strength was exhausted and his new strength had not yet been generated to launch a sudden attack. Not to mention relying on brute force to repel them, even avoiding them unscathed would require considerable effort.
The situation left Shinguji Ryuugen with no room to hold back. He quickly transferred Ryujin Jakka to his left hand, his right hand rapidly forming hand seals, meeting his opponent head-on without dodging or evading.
"Clang!" "Clang!" The twin blades struck squarely, but there was no feeling of them penetrating flesh; it was as if they were hitting metal.
"Partial Hardening Technique!?" The two were startled at the same time, trying to withdraw their swords, but suddenly a powerful suction force seemed to arise from Shinguji Ryuugen's shoulder, firmly binding the tips of their blades, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't budge them.
"Hahaha, what partial hardening technique? It's clearly Earth Release: Earth Return." Before Aoki Toshishi could finish speaking, Hattori Yataro and Goto Yoshitaka were completely enveloped and surrounded by the powerful true energy unleashed by Shinguji Ryuugen, who had recovered his breath. The space around them seemed to have sunken in, not only weakening their senses but also creating an uncomfortable feeling of being unable to put weight on them, somewhat like prey caught in a spider web, powerless and unable to struggle.
"Ninja Art: Leaf Village Gale!" Shinguji Ryuugen roared, his right leg sweeping out with immense power.
Hattori Yataro didn't even hesitate, dropping his sword and retreating. Goto Yoshitaka hesitated slightly, and was struck squarely by the kick, his brains splattering instantly, a gruesome death.
Shinguji Ryuugen moved swiftly, kicking Yoshihiro Michiyuki again, like a god descending from the heavens, controlling the clouds and his energy with incredible speed.
Yoshihiro Michiyuki suddenly felt immense pressure, unable to parry with his sword. He swung his left arm straight up, palm facing upwards, his hand and foot clashing, creating a cloud of smoke.
The dust on Shinguji Ryuugen's shoes was shaken away, his internal energy swirling and clashing fiercely, incredibly powerful.
"Clang—" The two swords clashed, exchanging another blow.
Yoshihiro Tomoyuki's skill was truly profound. Although he was nearly eighty years old, he had not diminished his strength after fighting for so long. Shinguji Ryuken, using eighty percent of his power, did not gain the slightest advantage and was forced to fly backward to deflect the attack. Of course, this was not an ordinary retreat; it contained subtle and profound principles and was a true test of his skill.
First, he had to avoid Kubo Kosuke's katana attack from the left. This move seemed ordinary, but it was actually Igagaya's unique secret technique, "Kisarazuki-zan" (Fang Thrust Slash). Holding the end of the hilt, he would suddenly pull back during the attack, striking with his fingers and the blade simultaneously. It was impossible to defend against, leaving him with no choice but to either block or not block.
If it were just a two-on-one fight, Ryujin Jakka could easily break through with a simple forward thrust. However, Ichimaru Gin and Tosen Kaname attacked from the left and rear respectively, their energy rapidly intensifying as the katana approached. Even with protective inner energy, the pressure on each part of his body would push him to the brink of collapse. Adding to this, Hattori Yataro regrouped and arrived just in time. When he took Kubo Kosuke's attack head-on, it would be the moment of his death; there was no other possibility.
"Prince Kiriko is in my hands! Who dares to move!" At this critical moment, a soft whistle suddenly resounded through the sky, powerful and resonant, shaking the surrounding area.
Everyone stopped in their tracks and looked towards the source of the sound.
Ren Xiaoyao emerged, holding the Ice Soul Frost Sword upside down in his right hand and a bloodied figure held hostage in his left. It was none other than the culprit behind the whole affair, the arrogant Prince Kiriko who had been so overbearing just moments before.
"Put down your weapons! Anyone who dares to attack me again will be killed!" Ren Xiaoyao shouted fiercely, his eyes sweeping across the faces of the assembled experts with piercing intensity.
The experts exchanged glances, then simultaneously looked at Kubo Kosuke.
Kubo Kosuke nodded, and the sound of weapons clashing against the ground filled the air.
"It's over!" Shinguji Ryuugen let out a long sigh of relief, his body swaying as he nearly collapsed. He had fought under the scorching sun for nearly two hours against more than a dozen top-tier experts, almost to the point of exhaustion. If Ren Xiaoyao had arrived any later, he might have had to fight to the death with his opponent.
Yi Tianhan, Fu Longyuan, Hua Shijun, Meng Fei, Deng Lei, and of course their opponents were in no better shape. As soon as the fight stopped, their tense nerves relaxed, and they were all panting heavily.
"Tong Hu's actions are despicable, his intentions are sinister, he is violent, licentious, and perverse. He murdered his brother and raped his own sister, attempting to annihilate the Seven Great Sects and destroy the martial arts world of Japan. He has incurred the wrath of both gods and men, and is unforgivable by the laws of heaven. He is no longer qualified to be the Crown Prince." Ren Xiaoyao lifted Tong Hu's limp body high and said loudly, "The Emperor is critically ill, and the country cannot be without a ruler for a day. The Third Prince, Wei Guang, is exceptionally talented and of exceptional virtue. He is rightfully to succeed to this position. Does anyone have any objections?"
The Emperor only had three sons. One was dead and the other was still alive, leaving him with only half a life. If he didn't succeed, who else could he succeed? Kuchiki Shikiyasu, Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and Taira no Kiyomori were obvious choices. Akai Naomasa, Kosaka Masanobu, and Sawa Moriyasu, Tong Hu's close associates, were quicker to change sides than anyone else. Despite their weak and powerless bodies, they crawled off their seats and prostrated themselves before Wei Guang, calling him "Your Highness the Crown Prince" more smoothly than anyone else.
"Even our high-ranking officials know proper etiquette, why don't you all come and pay your respects!" Ren Xiaoyao shouted, and more than six thousand people bowed down in unison—in reality, they had already collapsed to the ground due to the effects
of the Chrysanthemum Sect's attack, but they had simply changed their posture to bow. Shinguji Ryuugen and Ren Xiaoyao exchanged a smile. The greatest crisis in the history of the Hokushin Ittō-ryū, even the most severe crisis in the centuries since the founding of Japan, had been resolved just like that.
At this moment, an unexpected change suddenly occurred. A figure leaped out from the crowd, barely visible to the naked eye, wielding a gleaming blade and thrusting it towards Shinguji Ryuugen's back.
His movements were swift, yet his footwork was incredibly light, impossible to detect amidst the shouts of "Your Highness the Crown Prince." However, Shinguji Ryuugen's martial arts had reached the highest level of effortless mastery, and he sensed the impending danger even when the blade was still a foot away, turning around to deliver a palm strike.
This palm strike, seemingly casual, was actually as soft as cotton yet as hard as iron. A direct hit would likely shatter the opponent to pieces instantly. However, halfway through the strike, Shinguji Ryuugen suddenly froze, staring in disbelief at the figure before him.
The dark figure was none other than the long-deceased Fifth Division Captain—Aizen Sousuke.
"Thud!" At the same time, a sharp blade pierced Shinguji Ryuugen's chest, disappearing to the hilt!

Volume 38, Chapter 3: Mirror Flower, Water Moon.

This sudden turn of events stunned everyone present.
Even the most skilled and discerning sect leaders and masters failed to recognize Aizen Sousuke's movements.
Yi Tianhan, Fu Longyuan, and Hua Shijun were closest to Shinguji Ryuugen, but firstly, they knew his martial arts were unparalleled and he couldn't have been ambushed; secondly, seeing the "dead man" resurrected, they were all stunned for a moment, never expecting that he intended to kill Shinguji Ryuugen instantly. Ren Xiaoyao saw it clearly, but the distance was too great, and he couldn't come to the rescue in time.
"Aizen...you..." Shinguji Ryuugen's face was deathly pale. He felt all his blood and strength draining away along the hilt of his sword. The fatigue accumulated from the previous fierce battles erupted all at once. It felt as if countless steel needles were piercing his meridians. He didn't even have the strength to struggle, let alone fight back.
"I'm sorry, Sect Master." Aizen Sousuke still had that refined and polite appearance, but his words were strangely cold and indifferent, like a taut steel wire, devoid of any emotion, sending chills down one's spine. "For my great cause, you can only die!" He raised his left hand and slapped Shinguji Ryuugen's forehead.
"Ryuu-hyun—" Hua Shi-jun cried out and rushed over. Deng Lei's hidden weapon was already launched, but all the experts knew it was all in vain.
"Clang!" At the critical moment when life and death hung in the balance, Ryujin Jakka emitted a clear and melodious sound, resonating in the eardrums.
Shinguji Ryuu-hyun was as if he had been summoned back from a dream. His mind was crystal clear and without any omissions. His scattered power was restored in an instant. His meridians were unobstructed. He also realized that Aizen Sousuke was recovering from shock and that there was an inappropriate gap in his mind.
He endured the pain and wanted to swing his sword to kill his opponent. Unexpectedly, Aizen Sousuke's sword hit his heart squarely. Even if his power was fully restored, he could not hold on. Ryujin Jakka was only half pulled out when it fell to the ground with a "clang". He barely managed to deflect his opponent's palm strike and staggered back. Blood splattered and instantly covered his clothes.
"Longxuan—Longxuan—" Seeing her blood-soaked husband just a few feet away, Huashijun rushed over like a madwoman. Unexpectedly, after only a few steps, a gust of wind suddenly rushed past her ears. It was Kubo Kosuke, wielding his treasured sword "Daibunnya Nagako," who charged diagonally towards her, blocking her path.
At the same time, Yoshihiro Tomoyuki, Tosen Kaname, and Ichimaru Gin, who had already stopped fighting, launched a simultaneous attack, rushing towards Yi Tianhan, Fu Longyuan, Deng Lei, and Meng Fei with lightning speed.
In terms of martial arts, they were at a disadvantage against four opponents, even slightly inferior. However, Yi Tianhan, Fu Longyuan, and the others, believing the battle was over, relaxed their guard. Coupled with the resurrection of Aizen Sousuke and the assassination attempt on Shinguji Longxuan, they were caught off guard by a series of unexpected events. In their haste, they could only muster four or five tenths of their strength, immediately becoming clumsy and in a sorry state.
"Tonghu is in my hands, how dare you hit her!" Ren Xiaoyao shouted sternly.
"Hahaha—" Aizen Sousuke unexpectedly laughed loudly, his voice cold, "So what if he's in your hands? At most, I'll kill him. Kill him if you want, I don't care at all."
"Hmph—Hahaha, Kirihiro is dead, what good will you get?" Ren Xiaoyao stared intently at Aizen Sousuke, one hand holding the half-dead Prince Kirihiro, the other secretly reaching behind his back to frantically gesture to Su Hanbi and Unohana Retsu in the crowd, instructing them to try to get close to Shinguji Ryuugen and treat his injuries—Aizen Sousuke's knife was still stuck in his chest, seemingly piercing his heart. If he wasn't treated in time, even with Shinguji Ryuugen's unparalleled skill and unmatched prowess in Japan, he might not last more than a cup of tea.
"That's right. I won't benefit from Kiriko's death, but if Koremitsu also dies..." Aizen Sousuke's gaze suddenly sharpened, and he grinned maliciously, "The Emperor's throne will be mine, and the benefits..."
"What did you say!?" Before Ren Xiaoyao could speak, Kuchiki Shikiyasu, Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and Taira no Kiyomori shouted in unison.
"My lords, according to the rules of the Imperial Family, if the Emperor has no heir, who will inherit the throne?"
"Naturally, it will be His Majesty's closest relatives. What right do you have..." Minamoto no Yoshitomo was halfway through his answer when Aizen Sousuke abruptly interrupted, "Well said, closest relatives! Do you know who, besides Kiriko and Koremitsu, is closest to him in the world?" A faint, sinister smile played on his lips, sending chills down one's spine just by looking at him.
"Kanto Governor Uesugi Norimasa, you...you could it be...you could it be that you've received benefits from him and are hoping we and Crown Prince Kiriko will fight to the death." Taira no Kiyomori asked tentatively.
"Hahaha—uh hahaha—" Aizen Sousuke burst into another fit of maniacal laughter, which made everyone look at each other in disbelief, thinking he had gone mad. Suddenly, he stopped and said sharply, "Uesugi Norimasa? What is Uesugi Norimasa? He's just the eldest son of Koga Kubo, and only slightly related to Ichijo. Does he have the right to order me around?"
Kuchiki Shikiyasu looked at his tone and demeanor, and saw him address the current emperor by his name. Suddenly, a memory flashed through his mind, and he said in a trembling voice, "Takechiyo, you, you, you...you are Emperor Kazan's youngest son, the child Takechiyo who went missing during the Otate Rebellion!"
"Hahaha—the Grand General is indeed clever, seeing through my identity with a single sentence." Aizen Sōsuke raised an eyebrow and said sharply, "That's right, I am the second son of the old scoundrel Hanayama, and the younger brother of the old scoundrel Ichijō! Back then, I was at the Eiroku Imperial Palace with my mother and the old scoundrel Hanayama, taking advantage of the summer heat. Matsunaga Hisahide and Miyoshi Yoshitsugu seized the opportunity to rebel, launching a surprise attack on Sanuki Castle and besieging the Eiroku Imperial Palace, an event known as the 'Iroku Rebellion.' To save his own life, the old scoundrel Hanayama shamelessly sued for peace with the rebels, not only promising Matsunaga Hisahide and Miyoshi Yoshitsugu high-ranking positions like Junior Second Rank and Junior Second Rank, but also sending my mother and me as hostages." His voice grew increasingly sinister and cold, almost inhuman. "Yes, I am the youngest son, unqualified to succeed to the throne. Being a hostage is fine, but as soon as the old scoundrel Hanayama returned to Kyoto, he immediately summoned the Taira, Minamoto, and Kuchiki families to attack Matsunaga Hisahide and Miyoshi Yoshitsugu, completely disregarding the lives of my mother and me!"
"Hmph, your three armies are indeed very strong, and you certainly know how to pick your timing. The rebels were defeated in less than ten days. But in your triumphant advance, did you ever consider what fate awaited my mother and me as hostages?" Aizen Sousuke clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with murderous intent, clearly unable to contain his rage.
"This...this..." Kuchiki Shikiyasu, Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and Taira no Kiyomori exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.
"Matsu Hisahide and Miyoshi Yoshitsugu knew that with my mother and me in their hands, the old thief Hanazono wouldn't go back on his word, so they relaxed their military preparations, giving you an opportunity. As soon as they heard that the three armies were advancing rapidly and approaching the castle, they immediately wanted to kill my mother and me to vent their anger. If it weren't for... if it weren't for his retainer Jinnai Shōzō, who had previously received a favor from my grandfather and secretly let me go, I would have long been a sacrifice to the old thief Hanazono!"
"So, because of this, you didn't return to Kyoto, but
instead went into hiding and joined the Hokushin Ittō-ryū?" "Yes, I meticulously planned to become Shinguji Ryūken's apprentice and build my own power within the Thirteen Guards of the Imperial Palace, all so that one day I could overthrow the old thief Hanazono or his son and reclaim the Emperor's throne!"
"How dare you covet..."
"We are both descendants of Emperor Jimmu, so why can't I be the emperor?" A terrifying smile filled with hatred escaped Aizen Sousuke's lips, quickly widening as he laughed, "You think the mastermind behind this whole thing is Prince Kiriko? No, no, no, I am the instigator! I am the mastermind!"
"What? You are the mastermind?" The Third Prince was taken aback.
"Yuiguang, oh Yiguang, the court nobles and aristocratic families all say you're incredibly intelligent, but I never expected you couldn't even understand such a simple principle," Aizen Sousuke sneered. "Kiriko's position as crown prince was personally decided by that old scoundrel Hanayama. Kurosaki Hideyasu's coup, which hadn't even begun, has been thwarted. Even if he didn't kill you, he would still be the emperor. It was I... it was I who instructed Kubo Kousuke to keep instigating him to eliminate the threat completely, intentionally provoking conflict between the Imperial Family and the Hokushin Ittō-ryū, making you fight to the death, and then I would come out and clean up the mess."
"You...you're using me!?" Crown Prince Kiriko, who had been hit by Ren Xiaoyao's punch and four slaps and was already on the verge of death, suddenly regained his senses upon hearing this and cried out hoarsely.
"Of course, Kubo Kosuke and the entire Iga Valley are already under my command. They gave you advice, taught you how to intercept Yuimitsu, how to recruit experts, how to drug, and how to wipe out the Hokushin Ittō-ryū, all at my behest." Aizen Sōsuke coldly glanced at Prince Kiriko, making them feel uneasy, and said disdainfully, "I don't deny that you are a martial arts genius, learning ninjutsu faster than anyone else, but your brain is incredibly stupid. You deserve to be a puppet for me to use."
"The corpse, what about the corpse?" Ren Xiaoyao asked in a deep voice, "The corpse that Hanbi and Captain Unohana examined cannot still be alive. Did you find a substitute that looks exactly like yourself?"
"It's the Puppet Technique Corpse Doll!" Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni said hatefully.
"No, I am not proficient in the Puppet Technique." Aizen Sōsuke smiled, "It's just that your five senses are under my control, so..."
"Kyoka Suigetsu, you used Kyoka Suigetsu!?" Unohana Retsu was shocked.
"Hahaha, yes, the Mirror Flower Water Moon Pavilion itself is a giant magic array. Combined with my illusion magic, you were all completely hypnotized the moment you entered, so naturally you couldn't notice the abnormality of the corpses." Aizen Sousuke said, turning to Hattori Yataro, Matsuno Masamune, and other experts. "You all followed Kiriko in attacking the Hokushin Ittō-ryū. This great grudge cannot go unavenged, unless... you are all intelligent people and should know who to listen to at this time..."
"Don't listen to his nonsense! As long as you all set things right and rid this prince of this rebellious, immoral, and heinous thief, today's events will be forgiven!" the Third Prince interrupted.
The experts exchanged glances, all unsure of what to do.
Aizen Sousuke's gaze swept across their faces, a cold smile appearing on his lips, gradually widening until he finally declared loudly, "Helping Hokushin Ittō-ryū overcome this crisis will at most absolve you of the crime of invading Hueco Mundo. If you kill a few of them and help me ascend the throne smoothly, you should know how much benefit you'll receive."
The experts thought this made sense and were about to rush forward when Ren Xiaoyao suddenly shouted, "Aizen Sousuke, do you think you can kill Prince Yukō!" His eyes flashed with a sharp light, but his expression was calmer and more composed than ever before. He retorted sharply, "As long as I, Ren Xiaoyao, am alive, your schemes will not succeed!" The Ice Soul Frost Sword was suddenly raised, its energy flowing through the blade without any hesitation. Man and sword became one, transforming into a rainbow that instantly traversed a distance of several dozen feet at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, rushing towards Aizen Sousuke.
He had experienced similar situations before during the Tsunaga Incident and knew that words were unreliable in such times; force was the only standard for deciding everything. Only by eliminating the ringleader with lightning speed could Hattori Yataro, Matsuno Masamune, and others be deterred from taking action.
He knew Aizen Sousuke was a formidable fighter, and his first move was the ultimate technique he had just mastered to save Shinguji Mina, "Body Without the Wings of a Colorful Phoenix." It carried a sword cry as ethereal and fleeting as a dragon soaring through the sky or diving into the abyss, like divine light piercing the heavens. Not only were his moves and movements perfectly coordinated, but one could also sense that his sword embodied the power of his entire being, his intent penetrating and his spirit concentrated. Unless one's martial arts and eyesight were far superior to his, no one could dodge it.
In the Japanese martial world, besides Shinguji Ryuken, was there anyone who could defeat him? No!
Aizen Sousuke stood frozen in place, neither dodging nor yielding, his eyes shooting out a deep, unfathomable light. His hands crossed in front of his chest, forming the twelve mudras: "Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai." White steam rose from above his head, like swirling clouds, and the ground cracked softly, revealing countless fissures.
In almost an instant, the distance between the two sides closed to two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters). Their true energy clashed, producing hissing sounds like thunder rumbling in the dark, lightning flashing, and a whirlwind of energy surging forth, making it difficult for everyone to breathe and causing their cheeks to sting. Even the experts who still possessed considerable skill hurriedly raised their sleeves and turned to avoid the attack. Just
as the two astonishing powers were about to collide, Ren Xiaoyao suddenly let out a soft shout, rapidly shifting left and right, creating several illusory figures that were difficult to distinguish from reality. It was as if he had transformed into thousands of people, leaving Aizen Sousuke dazzled and bewildered. At that moment, his true form had already silently floated behind him, his sword thrusting straight into his back without slowing down.
"Swoosh—" Aizen Sousuke's whole body trembled, and a low growl escaped his throat.
"You're finished, goodbye!" Although Ren Xiaoyao was standing behind Aizen Sousuke, he could still see the half-exposed peak of his chest—a sword piercing his heart! With the sharpness of the Ice Soul Frost Sword, his entire heart must have been shattered, not to mention the innate supreme qi exploding within him; his internal organs would have been blown to dust long ago. How could he possibly survive?
"Hanbi, Captain Unohana, quickly check the sect leader's wounds; Master, Mr. Deng, take Tonghu to the dungeon; Senior Hua, Senior Yi, use your qi to help the sect leader..." Ren Xiaoyao drew his sword, rapidly issuing orders, but after a long while, no one responded.
"Huh?" Ren Xiaoyao's gaze shifted from Aizen Sousuke, and he looked around in astonishment. The vast sect plaza was completely empty; the thousands of people who had been staggering just moments before had vanished in an instant!
He looked back at the spot where he had been standing, and even Aizen Sousuke's corpse had disappeared!
What? "I've fallen under an illusion, a mirage!"
Ren Xiaoyao realized, as the shattered marble floor beneath his feet suddenly trembled, instantly forming a small swamp several feet in diameter.
Ren Xiaoyao reacted swiftly, his figure blurring as he floated five feet away.
Before he could stop, several thick vines rose from behind him without warning, their branches spreading out in mid-air, rapidly coiling towards him.
If Ren Xiaoyao hadn't used his original stance, he would have been trapped, but changing his position in mid-air was a skill he'd honed since childhood. He crossed his feet, using the "Flying Immortal Transformation" technique, easily dodging the attack.
Suddenly, a slight tremor came from behind him. Without hesitation, Ren Xiaoyao swung his sword.
"Crack!" Something snapped in two. Turning around, he saw a gigantic vine tree, even thicker than the vines he had previously avoided, growing from the ground. What he had cut was merely a single branch of the vine tree.
"How is this possible!?" Ren Xiaoyao sprang to his feet again, dodging the vines, but his mind was in turmoil, and he was so shocked that he was at a loss. When he faced the seven masters, Miura Tomokazu, a Jonin
of the Uesugi-ryu school, prepared for a long time and even coughed up blood before activating the forbidden technique "Advent of the Tree World." But that was just manipulating trees. To summon several trees at will like this was beyond the limits of ninjutsu! Could it be that Aizen Sousuke was hiding his true strength? Could it be that his cultivation was higher than Shinguji Ryuuken's?
Ren Xiaoyao didn't have time to think, because he had quickly exhausted his Eight Leaps and Eight Jumps, and even used One Reed Crossing the River, Illusionary Shadow, and Shadow Clone Technique all at once, but the vines that suddenly appeared all around him continued to emerge.
While suspended in mid-air, struggling to dodge a blow aimed at his face, seven or eight vines whistled towards him from both sides. Simultaneously, the enormous vine tree beneath his feet, rapidly sprouting from the ground, also grew several thin, leafy vines at an astonishing speed, coiling towards his feet. The timing, direction, and angle were perfectly coordinated.
Ren Xiaoyao hastily retreated, his feet barely touching the ground before he nearly fell back into the swamp. He quickly caught his breath and once again used the eighth level of his Flying Immortal Transformation technique, "Soaring Upwards."
Before he could fully leap, he was nearly caught by several green vines that surged forth from directly beneath him the moment he lifted off the ground!
This time, he could no longer dodge the branches that suddenly sprouted from the vine tree behind him. In the blink of an eye, Ren Xiaoyao, the unparalleled master of lightness skill and agility, was tightly bound, his hands, feet, neck, waist, and knees all bound tightly, unable to move.
"How about it, Master Ren, you're helpless now, aren't you?" A vine with a huge flower bud at the top stretched out about five feet in front of Ren Xiaoyao. The bud opened, revealing Aizen Sousuke standing inside.
"Hmph, you're the one who's helpless!" Ren Xiaoyao roared, his innate supreme qi erupting forth, causing the vine binding him to burst apart inch by inch. "Body Without Colorful Phoenix Wings" was unleashed with ease. "
Boom—" A flash of lightning struck, directly at Aizen Sousuke's face.
Five feet, the two were only five feet apart; even a god couldn't dodge this move.
Knowing that Aizen Sousuke couldn't dodge, Ren Xiaoyao revealed a knowing smile. With his lightness skill, it wouldn't be difficult for him to avoid being entangled by the vines for two hours. So, his "walking into the trap" was just to lure out his opponent—to kill him in one blow, what did illusion matter!
Unexpectedly…
there were no screams of agony, no cries of pain, and no scene of flying flesh and blood.
Under the attack of "Body Without the Wings of a Colorful Phoenix," which could even break the North Sea Jade Gate in one strike, Aizen Sousuke's entire body collapsed, but not a single drop of blood was left. Instead, he transformed into hundreds of silver birds and flew away, a pair of huge purple eyes appearing in the sky, constantly rotating and staring at Ren Xiaoyao.
"Being hit by the Mirror Flower Water Moon, everything is in vain." Aizen Sousuke's voice was slow and deliberate, not at all like he was fighting Ren Xiaoyao to the death, but rather with a hint of mockery.
"You..." Ren Xiaoyao began to speak, but suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. His eyes involuntarily closed, and a violent gust of wind filled his ears. When he opened them again, he found himself chained to a massive cliff, surrounded by swarms of vultures watching him intently.
"How could this be!? I clearly... I clearly hit him..." Ren Xiaoyao murmured, but the only answer was excruciating pain. A dozen vultures swarmed around him, tearing at his body, their agonizing groans echoing in the hazy space.
"Aaaaah... Haaah..." Ren Xiaoyao roared, activating seven acupoints simultaneously, unleashing a torrent of innate, supreme qi to protect his entire body.
Without raising a hand or making a move, he could still unleash unparalleled power—this was the number one divine skill in the world!
"Boom! Boom boom!!" The energy exploded, swirling and raging, instantly blasting the vultures into pieces, their black feathers flying everywhere, leaving not a single one alive.
"Very well, it's impressive that you've held on this long." A slightly surprised sigh echoed in the air from Aizen Sousuke.
The scene shifted again, and Ren Xiaoyao was back on Munechika's high platform. The surrounding crowd was still gone, but two giant logs had appeared in the middle, intersecting to form a cross. He was bound to them, his wrists and ankles chained, unable to break free no matter how much he struggled.
"To be honest, I admire you, Ren Xiaoyao." A cloud of smoke rose in the distance, and when it dissipated, Aizen Sousuke appeared before him, a cold smile on his lips. "An ordinary person would die instantly from the Mirror Flower Water Moon technique, but you've managed to hold on until now. You truly deserve to be called the foremost master of the Central Plains martial arts world... no, the entire world."
"Hmph, the one capable of killing this sect leader hasn't been born yet." Ren Xiaoyao's expression was resolute, showing no fear whatsoever.
"Is that so? It seems you're quite confident in yourself. Very well, I'll see how long you can hold out." Aizen Sousuke waved his hand, and a row of sword racks immediately appeared beside him.
"This is 'Futsu-no-Mitama,' the legendary sword of Takemikazuchi. According to the 'Records of Ancient Japanese,' countless demons and monsters have perished beneath its blade. It's unknown..." Aizen Sousuke casually drew one, and a silver light instantly appeared before him. "It's unknown what it feels like to use it to kill someone!"
Before he finished speaking, the sword pierced Ren Xiaoyao's shoulder.
"Ah—" A scream echoed throughout the area.
"Swish!" This time, what appeared before Ren Xiaoyao was a beautifully decorated katana, exuding a chilling killing intent.
"'Aoi-mon Echizen Yasutsugu,' forged by the renowned swordsmith Echizen Yasutsugu during the Nara period, is now a treasure of Atsuta Shrine. People only know it as a sacrificial sword used to offer to the gods, unaware that its sharpness surpasses even that of famous swords like Horikawa Kunihiro and Izumi no Kami Kanesada. Master Ren, you should experience it for yourself."
*Thud—* Ren Xiaoyao was stabbed again in the left shoulder.
"'Kage-shu,' the sword of Empress Himiko eight hundred years ago, once severed an enemy general from head to saddle, thus earning the nickname 'Saddle-Slayer.'" "
'Kurei-ichimonji,' a cursed sword; none who are wounded by it survive." "
'Fukuoka Ichimonji'"
"Half-Tachi Kowakizashi"
In the blink of an eye, Ren Xiaoyao's limbs, chest, abdomen, and back were riddled with swords. Aizen Sousuke's technique was exquisite; none hit a vital spot, but the profusely flowing blood left Ren Xiaoyao on the verge of death.
"Huff...huff...huff..." He gasped for breath, his face contorted in pain, but his eyes remained bright as flames, fixed intently on his opponent.
"The last one, Raikiri! This sword is the embodiment of the Thunder God, just like the sword you used to slash me. As long as the wielder's skill is strong enough, it can unleash thunder when wielded." Aizen Sousuke said with a smile, "You missed my heart, but I'm sure to hit you. Die, Ren Xiaoyao!"
"Hahaha! Hahaha!" Ren Xiaoyao suddenly raised his head and burst into laughter, contrary to his usual behavior.
"What are you laughing at?"
"If I don't want to die, I'll never die, right?" Ren Xiaoyao's lips curled into a disdainful expression. His blood-soaked clothes suddenly billowed and rustled without any wind. His eyes, bright and clear, were fixed on Shi Zhixuan, not missing a single slight movement. He said in a deep voice, "What I hear, see, and feel right now is all an illusion created by 'Mirror Flower, Water Moon.' Even if your illusionary arts are unparalleled in Japan, and there's no one else like you in the world, at most you can only damage my physical body. As long as I hold onto the belief that 'I am not dead,' I will never die, and I will live forever!"
Sure enough, Aizen Sousuke's image trembled slightly, clearly Ren Xiaoyao had hit the nail on the head, causing a ripple in his mind.
"Hmph, so it's Ren Xiaoyao after all. He saw through my plan to use 'No-Sword Takedown' so easily. It seems that even if your heart is pierced by Raikiri, you can still survive," Aizen Sousuke sneered. "But don't be so smug. Your five senses are completely controlled by your body. There's no possibility of regaining control. I have a thousand, ten thousand ways to force you to die, and you can't do anything but wait."
"Fine, then let's wear you down," Ren Xiaoyao said, panting, blood trickling from the corner of his lips. "If you want to completely control me, you can't spare the time to deal with others. Let the battle outside decide who wins!"
"I can wait, you can wait, everyone can wait, but can Shinguji Ryuugen wait?" Aizen Sousuke chuckled sinisterly. "I used the 'swastika pull' technique to stab him, severing all the meridians near his heart. No matter how high his internal energy is, he can't use it. The tip of the blade was also coated with a deadly poison that kills on contact with blood. Unless you use your innate supreme qi to restore his life, otherwise... no matter how skilled Unohana Retsu and your woman are in medicine, they can heal the wound but not cure the poison, and they can cure the poison but not heal the wound. Shinguji Ryuugen is doomed."
"Of course, if you don't care about his life or death, I still have ways to make you submit." Aizen Sousuke grabbed Ren Xiaoyao's hair and pulled him up sharply. "You're determined and unwilling to die, fine, I'll let you see your beautiful wives being ravaged by Prince Kiriko, and see if you can handle it or not."
"You..." Ren Xiaoyao was furious and tried desperately to break free of the iron chains binding his hands and feet, but he couldn't move at all.
"If you don't want to see, then choose to die." Aizen Sousuke waved his hand, and Ren Xiaoyao was instantly transported back to the moment before he cleaved open the Jade Gate and rushed into the secret chamber.
"Rip—rip—" Shinguji Mina's kimono was torn apart layer by layer.
"No...please...no!" Shinguji Mina's cries echoed in his ears.
Ren Xiaoyao had no Ice Soul Frost Sword in his hand. Even though he had comprehended the "Without the wings of a colorful phoenix to fly with you," he could only watch helplessly as his lover was violated and humiliated.
"No! No! This isn't real!" Ren Xiaoyao closed his eyes, covered his ears, and reminded himself again and again, but even so, the clear images and sounds continued to drill into his mind.
The illusion was too terrifying. His five senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch—were completely controlled by Aizen Sousuke. How could he have the right not to see, not to hear, not to think, not to feel!
"Mina...you beast, stop! Stop!" Knowing it was a lie, Ren Xiaoyao couldn't control his emotions at all. He roared and howled, pounding on the door with his hands and feet, trying to rush in and stop what was happening, but it was all in vain. Shinguji Mina was quickly stripped naked, and Prince Kiriko laughed heartily...
"I won't look, I won't listen! Let me die, let me die." Ren Xiaoyao, still a mortal, could remain unmoved even with swords piercing his body, could endure endless torture without giving up, but he, with his deepest feelings and strong sense of justice, could never bear to see his lover being humiliated. He couldn't stop what was happening before him, so he could only die.
Ren Xiaoyao gathered his inner energy, intending to sever his own heart meridian, when a sudden realization struck him: "That's right, I can freely control my inner strength, so... that means the operation of the Supreme Innate Qi is unaffected by the 'Mirror Flower, Water Moon' effect, so... that means I can rely on it... No, what's the use of just controlling inner energy? My five senses are completely lost; I can't pinpoint Aizen Sousuke's location at all. If I use it recklessly... Sigh, even if... even if I retain just one feeling, at least... a feeling?" Yes, Qi Interaction, the first level of Supreme Innate Qi Interaction, through which he could... No, Qi Interaction needs to be used in conjunction with touch, sight, and hearing. Relying solely on inner energy is absolutely insufficient, unless... unless I infinitely extend Qi Interaction, allowing it to function independently and become my sixth sense! In an instant, Ren Xiaoyao was struck by a sudden inspiration .
His innate supreme qi was fully activated, flowing through his seven meridians and eight extraordinary channels, and his spirit and body entered an unprecedented state.
In a short while, he felt as if his body and mind had become one, transforming into a surging power beyond the ordinary.
At this moment, even if a Great Luo Golden Immortal gave Ren Xiaoyao another pair of eyes and ears, what he saw and heard would still be all illusions. However, by utilizing the miraculous effect of the interaction of qi, he could gradually grasp the actual situation around him. He could not see any actual images, but actual images slowly appeared in his mind. He could not see any real sounds, but soon the real sounds... Not a single detail could escape his keen ears.
Having cultivated his innate supreme qi to its peak, he had mastered the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man. The "Man" realm was the most concise, yet also the most unpredictable. This was because the human body held infinite mysteries, forming its own universe, with the mind controlling the entire body. The use of terms like "head" or "leader" reveals that while the ancients may not have fully understood the mind's secrets, they knew it was the dominant force in the human body.
Ordinary people possess all five senses, but Ren Xiaoyao's senses were entirely controlled by Aizen Sousuke, forcing him to develop a new sense to replace his five senses and fully perceive everything—a feeling akin to someone suddenly becoming blind; initially difficult to adapt to, but eventually one unconsciously uses hearing to replace sight.
Replacing even one sense requires gradual, accumulated changes, let alone five. Countless masters would spend their entire lives trying to grasp even the basics. Yet, due to the effect of the Mirror Flower Water Moon, Ren Xiaoyao completely lost control of his five senses. The intense shock he experienced was unprecedented, causing this extremely subtle yet crucial evolution over many years to occur in an instant, transforming him completely. Before Aizen Sousuke could detect the anomaly, he had fully comprehended his sixth sense!
At this moment, extreme clarity and chaos coexisted in Ren Xiaoyao's mind. He couldn't see, hear, or feel anything… yet he clearly knew everything he could see, hear, and feel. His entire mind was crystal clear, without omissions, and even operated at a speed faster than his opponent's.
Now, it wasn't Ren Xiaoyao who was being controlled, but Aizen Sousuke himself! A
full
incense stick's time had passed when Ren Xiaoyao stood before Aizen Sousuke, sword in hand, the tip of his sword only two inches from his chest, yet he remained motionless.
Aizen Sousuke also stood frozen in place, neither parrying nor dodging.
The two stood there like statues, letting time tick by.
A moment earlier, Hattori Yataro had stepped forward to investigate, only to be jolted back by a sudden, powerful force as he entered an area of about two zhang in radius, coughing up blood and instantly suffering severe internal injuries. Yi Tianhan
, Fu Longyuan, Hua Shijun, and the four opponents, who were engaged in battle, also stopped fighting, joining the more than six thousand pairs of eyes watching this scene without blinking.
The blazing sun beat down, scorching the soul. Ren Xiaoyao and Aizen Sousuke, locked in a standoff, were both drenched in sweat, yet they seemed oblivious, remaining perfectly still in their initial positions, not even a finger twitching.
Everyone's hearts pounded. They all knew that this battle between the two wouldn't just determine their own lives, or the survival of the Hokushin Itto-ryu school, but also the future of Fusang and even the world.
Suddenly, Aizen Sousuke moved. He flicked his sleeve and roared with laughter: "Hahaha, Ren Xiaoyao, you finally couldn't withstand the mental blow! You've severed your own heart meridian! Hahaha..."
The third "ha" was cut short as Ren Xiaoyao pushed his wrist, and the Ice Soul Frost Sword pierced his chest perfectly.
"You..." Aizen Sousuke choked, plummeting from heaven to hell in an instant. "How...how are you not dead? You...you were already..."
"You severed your own heart meridian, there was no way to survive." Ren Xiaoyao flashed his signature charming smile, irresistible to any young girl in love, and slowly opened his eyes.
In an instant, the entire world changed.
Standing in the center of the plaza, the distant Ansuna Palace seemed to have transformed into another world. Not only were the layers and richness of colors multiplied, but most captivatingly, at a glance, he could almost grasp the myriad forms of every brick and tile under the sunlight, without the slightest flaw or omission.
Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath, and the world inside and outside instantly merged into one. The warm sunlight shone from the east, falling upon him. Never before had he felt his existence and the meaning of life as he did now.
"Is this my sixth sense?" A thought struck him, and his gaze returned to Aizen Sousuke—the same arrogant and domineering figure who had been shouting wildly in the illusion was now practically an empty shell, his expression blank, his eyes lifeless. If it weren't for the slight twitching of his lips and his trembling body, no one would believe he was still alive.
"Why...why...why could you, who should have been utterly defeated, break through Kyoka Suigetsu!" Life slowly slipped away with each word he uttered, and by the time he uttered "Kyoka Suigetsu," he seemed to have aged decades in an instant, all color draining from his face.
"Because with your 'help,' I've developed a sixth sense—intuition."
"Intuition!?"
"Yes, it's the intuition that people, especially women, often talk about." Ren Xiaoyao's tiger-like eyes flashed with unfathomable wisdom as he said calmly, "Of course, my 'intuition' isn't that kind of intuition. It's a perfect spiritual perception that replaces the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, based on the dispersion and feedback of true energy."
"I see… I… I didn't lose to you, but… I lost to myself!" Aizen Sousuke's body trembled violently. He abruptly pulled away from the Ice Soul Frost Sword that pierced his chest, crashing to the ground like a mountain collapsing or a jade pillar toppling.
"Thump!" The moment he breathed his last, Ren Xiaoyao also collapsed. The Mirror Flower Water Moon had inflicted at least twenty severe internal injuries on him; it was a miracle he had survived until now.
“Xiaoyao… Father—” At the same time, Mina Shinguji, having changed her clothes, walked out of the Yasutsuna Palace. She staggered towards Ren Xiaoyao, but upon descending the platform, she suddenly saw her father lying in her mother's arms, his face as pale as paper, blood gushing from his chest. She immediately changed course.
Just then, something no one could have predicted happened.
Aizen Sousuke, who had already collapsed, suddenly leaped up and pounced on Mina Shinguji like a hungry tiger!
“Ren Xiaoyao, I’m finished, but your woman won’t live either. I’m going to kill her and make you regret it for the rest of your life!!!”
Ren Xiaoyao was suddenly startled, realizing that he was too weak to move after being seriously injured. Although the sword had struck his heart, it couldn’t kill Aizen Sousuke immediately. The other party seized the opportunity to pretend to be dead, waiting for Mina Shinguji to come closer so he could drag her down with him. But by then, it was too late… Aizen
Sousuke’s palm strike, using the last ounce of strength in his life, was less than three feet away from Mina Shinguji.
At such close range, even if he were fully recovered, Deng Lei who was a master of hidden weapons, or any other expert in the entire arena, he would be unable to save her, let alone Ren Xiaoyao!
"Mina..." A cry of surprise echoed throughout the entire Void Night Palace!

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