[Wuxia] I Have a Harem in Tianlong (Complete) - 24

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Chapter 153

The old lady said, "Since the great monk was a close friend of my son Bo'er, he must know Bo'er's temperament.

Bo'er is most afraid of people coming to visit, and I understand that. Those who come to our mansion are either seeking revenge or to ask to become his disciples, or even worse, they come to extort money, or they try to take advantage of the situation and steal something.

Bo'er said that monks and nuns are even more unreliable, oh dear... I'm confused... Since the great monk was an old acquaintance of Bo'er, he must not be one of those scoundrels trying to take advantage of the situation!"

A'Zhu's acting was quite convincing, which shows that her disguise skills were indeed exquisite. However, this little girl was too bold. Kumārajīva's martial arts were so high that even she herself dared not say she was invincible, yet she dared to tease him. Perhaps she thought that because she was a maid of the Murong family, others would not dare to be violent towards her.

But then again, the Murong family's influence has indeed grown considerably in recent years.

Although Murong Fu was merely a figurehead,

Kumārajīva sighed, "There are many treacherous people in the world and few honest ones. It is indeed understandable that your son, Mr. Murong, does not wish to associate with ordinary people."

A'Zhu said, "Yes.

Bo'er's last words were: If anyone wants to come to pay respects at my grave, turn them away.

He said, 'These thieving bald men, most of them have no good intentions and definitely want to dig up my grave.' Oh, great monk, don't take it too seriously. Bo'er's 'thieving bald men' probably didn't refer to you. Although you are a bald donkey, no, although you are a monk, since Bo'er befriended you, you are also a bald...cough...monk worth befriending." Chu Bawang secretly chuckled, "The so-called 'cursing thieving bald men in front of monks' is truly accurate. I didn't realize A'Zhu was so amusing. However, although she cried like it was a matter of life and death last night, she actually took the initiative several times in the end. It's really not easy. The two of them cooperated without it seeming like rape at all." Seeing that Kumārajīva could still hold his temper, Duan Yu thought, "This bald thief remains completely unmoved. The more wicked and evil a person is, the more composed they are.

This bald thief is truly extraordinary."

Kumārajīva continued to feign composure, saying, "Master Murong's last words are quite reasonable.

He was a powerful figure in his lifetime, and he made too many enemies.

Some people couldn't do anything to him or take revenge while he was alive, so it's understandable that they might try to disturb his remains after his death." Kumārajīva continued to display his talent for eloquent persuasion: However, Mr. Murong and I were close friends throughout our lives. Upon hearing the tragic news of his passing, I traveled all the way from Tibet. I am only here to pay my respects at his grave, with no other intentions. Moreover, Mr. Murong once lamented his inability to witness the Six Meridians Divine Sword, the greatest sword technique in the world. This time, I have brought the manual of the Six Meridians Divine Sword for this purpose. Madam, please do not have any doubts.

This was a promise I made to Mr. Murong before his death, and I feel guilty for not keeping it.”

Seeing that A'Zhu still wanted to continue playing, King Xiang Yu did not intervene. Watching Kumārajīva's discomfiture was also a kind of enjoyment.

A'Zhu said, "Since that's the case, I'm also very curious about the agreement between Bo'er and you, Great Monk. Tell me, how's the Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual?

What if you haven't obtained it?"

Kumārajīva said, "Back then, Master Murong made an agreement with me: if I obtained the Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual and let him look at it for a few days, I would be allowed to read at your 'Returning Water Pavilion' for a few days."

A'Zhu said, "Hmm, if you are Bo'er's friend, I will naturally respect Bo'er's wishes. But whether these things were all fabricated by you, Great Monk, I don't know. Since you are Bo'er's good friend, then you should show me your sincerity."

A'Bi gestured repeatedly to Kumārajīva and whispered, "I say, Great Monk, you..." "Quickly kowtow! If you kowtow, the Grand Madam will be happy and will grant any request."

The old lady turned her head, held her palm to her ear to hear clearly, and asked loudly, "Little girl, what did you say? Did I kowtow?"

Although Kumārajīva hadn't realized that A'Zhu was a young girl in disguise, he had already guessed that she was feigning deafness and muteness, and was definitely not truly old and senile. He became more wary, thinking, "Even someone as capable as Mr. Murong is three points inferior to him. It seems that his elders are certainly not ordinary people either."

Kumārajīva said, "Grand Madam, greetings. This humble monk pays his respects to you."

He bowed deeply, and with force in his hands, the bricks immediately made a thumping sound, just like kowtowing.

The old lady nodded and said, "Very good, very good!

Nowadays, there are many cunning people and few honest people in this world. Even when it comes to kowtowing, some wicked people will pretend to be wicked, making a thumping sound on the ground even though they haven't kowtowed, trying to fool this old lady who can't see.

You little boy are very good, very well-behaved, and you kowtowed loudly."

Originally, seeing Kumārajīva's act of being a grandson, King Bawang of Chu was already trying his best to hold back his laughter. But seeing A'Zhu's sarcastic words and Kumārajīva's frustrated and humiliated appearance, he couldn't help but laugh. King Bawang of Chu could no longer suppress his laughter and burst out laughing: "Haha, A'Zhu, I didn't know you had such a talent for acting. If you had the opportunity, I think you would definitely be an Oscar-worthy actress.

Haha."

Seeing King Bawang of Chu laugh loudly, Duan Yu couldn't help but chuckle as well.

Seeing that King Xiang Yu was no longer cooperating with the act, A'Zhu couldn't help but let out a coquettish sigh, glaring at him with a fierce look, indicating that she hadn't had enough fun yet. At the same time, she revealed her true colors, undoubtedly A'Zhu, and said coquettishly, "Old bald monk, you were so funny just now, haha."

King Xiang Yu laughed and said, "Greed, anger, love, desire, and delusion—you old bald monk have them all, yet you dare to call yourself a high-ranking Buddhist monk. You truly have a false reputation."

Kumārajīva had come to Suzhou hoping to meet with Young Master Murong to discuss an important matter, but he couldn't see the person in question. The people he met were all entangled in complicated matters, seemingly intentional yet unintentional, a mix of truth and deception, leaving him unsure of how to proceed.

After a moment's thought, he concluded that Old Madam Murong, Sun San, Old Servant Huang, Abi, and the others were all trying to evade him. They wouldn't let him pay respects at the grave, and of course, they wouldn't let him enter the 'Returning Water Pavilion' to view the martial arts manuals. No matter how they pretended, he should make things clear first. Afterwards, whether they treated him with courtesy or resorted to force, he would be in the right from the start.

But he never expected that he would be tricked by a few young girls from beginning to end. Suddenly, anger surged within him, and his suppressed rage exploded. He suddenly swung his palm at Abi, saying, "I'm furious! I'll kill one of the young girls from the Murong family to establish my authority."

Kumārajīva was so angry that his face turned red and he trembled all over. Since entering the Central Plains, he had never suffered such a humiliation.

The attack came suddenly, catching Abi off guard. Chu Bawang, who was right beside her, was prepared and quickly pulled her away. Abi dodged the attack with a sharp slash, and a chair behind her was cleaved in two by the force of the internal energy.

Kumārajīva followed with another slash, and Abi rolled on the ground, her movements swift but her situation extremely precarious.

With a roar, Kumārajīva unleashed a third slash.

Abi turned deathly pale, utterly helpless against the invisible internal force.

Seeing this, Chu Bawang grabbed a table and used it to block the attack, slapping it twice until the sandalwood table shattered.

Abi, now with her back against the wall, had nowhere to retreat. Kumārajīva struck again with a palm strike, but Chu Bawang thrust out with his middle finger, his internal energy shooting out from his "Zhongchong" acupoint with a hissing sound – the Zhongchong sword technique.

Seeing that King Xiang Yu was using the Six Meridians Divine Sword, Kumārajīva dared not be careless. He used all the wonderful moves from the "Flame Blade". After several months of practice, King Xiang Yu had mastered the Six Meridians Divine Sword. When Kumārajīva used the Flame Blade, his left hand thrust out the "Shaoze Sword" to block Kumārajīva's "Flame Blade". Under King Xiang Yu's cover, A'Zhu and A'Bi escaped danger. Kumārajīva's Flame Blade was no match for King Xiang Yu, and it was all intercepted by King Xiang Yu's Six Meridians Divine Sword.

At this moment, Abi and Azhu were already behind Chu Bawang. Chu Bawang felt much more at ease and suddenly burst into laughter: "Haha... Old bald monk, don't blame me for mocking you. You are a virtuous monk, yet you bully two weak women with your strength. You have disgraced the reputation of the Tibetan National Preceptor!" His voice was like thunder, rolling and crashing down on Kumārajīva's mind. Kumārajīva felt as if he had been struck by a blunt object, his head spinning and the world spun.

Kumārajīva froze, quickly clasping his hands together, fixing himself in place. He lowered his gaze, his breathing short and shallow. He was greatly surprised; he had misjudged this man's inner strength was so profound!

This time, Kumārajīva had misjudged. In terms of inner strength, Chu Bawang was not superior to Kumārajīva, but Chu Bawang's spiritual power was incomparably strong. Using his pure inner strength combined with his powerful spiritual power to unleash a sonic attack had a unique and remarkable effect.

This time, Chu Bawang had a sudden inspiration. He combined his internal energy with his mental power and amplified his voice, which surprisingly had a remarkable effect, affecting Kumārajīva's actions.

Chu Bawang's laughter continued, growing stronger and stronger, but because it was his first time using this technique, the attack range was difficult to control. He could only compress it into a circle, unable to completely eliminate the attacks. Their internal energy was indeed too weak. In fact, A'Zhu, A'Bi, and Duan Yu were all on the outermost edge of this circle, but even so, they couldn't withstand it. Their beautiful faces turned pale, and they slowly collapsed, leaning on the chairs beside them.

Seeing the two women like this, Chu Bawang couldn't help but stop laughing and sighed inwardly. This move still needed improvement. If he could control it freely and attack while distracted, it would be perfect.

Chu Bawang glanced at Duan Yu in surprise. He hadn't expected Duan Yu's internal energy to be able to barely withstand it. It seemed that although he had interfered with his progress, he still couldn't stop his luck. He truly deserved to be called an unkillable cockroach in Tian Long Ba Bu. It was truly the will of heaven.

Originally, the plan was to prevent him from learning the Northern Darkness Divine Art, but unexpectedly, he learned a power similar to the Star Absorbing Technique from somewhere; the plan was to let him quietly be the Emperor of Dali, but he was still captured by Kumārajīva.

However, Duan Yu at this time was not as powerful as described in the original book, so the Six Meridians Divine Sword could only unleash its potential in life-or-death situations.

The King of Chu didn't know that Duan Yu's absorption power was due to consuming a ten-thousand-year-old toad. He had only practiced a portion of the Northern Darkness Divine Art and couldn't unleash its essence, but the toad's influence compensated for this deficiency, allowing him to display considerable power in the original book.

However, the current Duan Yu lacked the foundation of the Northern Darkness Divine Art, so his internal energy wasn't as strong as in the original book, but it was still considerable.

Chapter 154

: Duan Yu let out a long sigh. He was under immense pressure, and the King of Chu's restraint allowed him to barely maintain his composure.

Chu Bawang, a master of martial arts, rarely had the opportunity to use his skills. Although Kumārajīva was a despicable villain, he was still a formidable opponent. It would be perfect for him to practice against him. He looked at Kumārajīva, waved his hand, and said, "Brother Duan, you take Miss Abi and Miss Azhu and go ahead. I'll meet this Tibetan National Preceptor!"

"Brother Chu, don't worry..."

Duan Yu had seen Chu Bawang defeat Kumārajīva and flee in disarray last time, so he had great faith in Chu Bawang's abilities. Although he was pedantic, he was also a smart man and naturally knew that he and his companions were a burden to Chu Bawang.

At this moment, Kumārajīva had recovered from the mental sonic attack unleashed by the King of Chu, but he was still shaken and exclaimed in surprise, "What kind of skill is that?"

The King of Chu smiled, stared at Kumārajīva, and laughed, "I created it in a moment of panic. It's just a rudimentary skill, hardly worthy of being called elegant."

"Good!"

Kumārajīva roared through gritted teeth, but inwardly he gasped, thinking to himself: At this moment, his talent is unmatched in the world. It has only been two months since we last met, and his internal strength has improved by leaps and bounds. And that unfathomable skill was created by him in such a short time. It is truly unbelievable.

It's easy to learn martial arts, but to create a mid-level technique without decades of experience is extremely difficult, let alone a superior one. Even his own Flaming Saber technique took decades of refinement to perfect. Kumārajīva, narrow-minded and consumed by jealousy, immediately conceived the idea of burying Xiang Yu here. Xiang Yu was young, yet his martial arts were already comparable to his own. Given his rate of progress, who could challenge him in ten years?

It would be better to eliminate him before he matured, reducing a formidable enemy for Tibet. "Those who are not of our kind will surely have different hearts," Kumārajīva understood this principle, finding a grander justification for his narrow-mindedness. But was Xiang Yu so easy to kill?

Having made his decision, Kumārajīva's eyes snapped open, a sharp glint in them. He raised his right palm like a single-edged sword and lightly slashed, a soft whistling sound echoing in the air.

"Swoosh!"

Like tearing silk, his eardrums throbbed with pain.

Duan Yu hurriedly urged the two women to leave. Kumārajīva knew that Chu Xiangyu possessed the Six Meridian Divine Sword and couldn't stop Duan Yu, so he simply let Duan Yu take the two women away so he could focus on dealing with Chu Xiangyu.

After the three left, Chu Xiangyu had no worries. He lightly tapped his fingers, and streams of sword energy shot out, forming a net that blocked Kumārajīva's path.

Kumārajīva unleashed a flurry of flaming blades, slashing at Chu Xiangyu's sword energy with fierce power.

Chu Xiangyu smiled and said, "Old bald monk, is this all you've got?"

"Benefactor Chu actually knows the Six Meridian Divine Sword. This humble monk is extremely curious. May Benefactor Chu explain it to this old monk?" Kumārajīva's expression was serene, not angry, and his speech was very refined.

He knew that Chu Xiangyu had learned the Six Meridian Divine Sword, so he must have another method. He didn't need to force Duan Yu to memorize the sword manual.

The King of Chu's ten fingers flexed and extended, sword energy shooting forth from them with a hissing sound. The sword energy was sometimes powerful, sometimes graceful.

His fingers moved with agility and elegance, sometimes expansive and generous, sometimes imposing and formidable—each possessing its own unique character, demonstrating his mastery of the Six Meridian Divine Sword.

Kumārajīva was greatly surprised, yet a look of joy appeared on his face. The Six Meridian Divine Sword truly lived up to its reputation as the number one sword technique in the world.

He then unleashed his own signature move, the Flaming Blade, its blade energy slashing horizontally with a hissing sound, extremely sharp and seemingly no less powerful than the Six Meridian Divine Sword.

With each strike, the King of Chu's understanding of the Six Meridian Divine Sword deepened, its power growing stronger and stronger, and Kumārajīva's Flaming Blade gradually became unable to withstand it.

Normally, Xiang Yu practiced the Six Meridians Divine Sword alone, unsure of his own mastery. But in his battle with Kumārajīva, these previous doubts vanished. His understanding deepened, and he wielded the Six Meridians Divine Sword with increasing ease and power. Any initial difficulties gradually dissipated effortlessly.

Eventually, Kumārajīva needed two to three Flaming Blades to shatter Xiang Yu's sword energy with each strike.

The Six Meridians Divine Sword is based on the Duan family's One-Finger Divine Skill. With sufficient internal energy, mastering it is a natural

progression. Xiang Yu, a latecomer to martial arts, had never practiced One-Finger Divine Skill, relying solely on his powerful spirit and incredibly pure internal energy to achieve mastery—a true prodigy. In the original story, Duan Yu also hadn't practiced One-Finger Divine Skill, but his internal energy was far greater than Xiang Yu's, allowing him to master it as well. However, lacking martial arts training and the One-Finger Divine Skill, his skills were inconsistent.

At this moment, Chu Bawang had completed his Six Meridians Divine Sword. Suddenly, he darted away, dodging the Flaming Blade, and arrogantly said, "Old bald monk, although your Flaming Blade is powerful, you spent too much time preparing in the early stages, and the blade's aura was not concentrated enough. You are no match for me. Why not try a different martial art?"

Kumārajīva knew that Chu Xiangyu was telling the truth, but he wasn't angry. He smiled slightly and said, "Very well, Chu Xiangyu's Six Meridian Divine Sword is indeed exquisite. Try my Flower-Picking Finger!"

After saying that, he withdrew his hand into his wide robe sleeve, stood upright, but gave the impression of sitting. He revealed a smile like Maitreya Buddha, which did indeed make him look somewhat like a charlatan. No wonder he could become the first national teacher of Tibet. Chu Xiangyu hadn't expected that the Flower-Picking Finger technique had such intricacies. Kumārajīva's smile was misleading. Even before the finger was drawn, it gave people the illusion that they couldn't attack. Often, when you came to your senses, that invisible force had already surged over. In this way, even if you didn't lose, you would be caught off guard and thrown into a panic.

"The great monk is indeed quite interesting, very interesting."

The Flower-Picking Finger is one of the seventy-two Shaolin arts. Now, when Kumārajīva used it, it had a bit of the charm of the Buddha's smile as he held up a flower. Kumārajīva had already mastered its essence. He was indeed worthy of being the number one master of Tibet. In terms of talent, Kumārajīva was second to none.

Kumārajīva said, "This flower-pointing finger technique was merely something I dabbled in casually back then, and my skill is quite rudimentary. I hope Benefactor Chu can offer some guidance."

He spoke humbly, but inwardly he was extremely proud. He had studied this flower-pointing finger technique quite thoroughly; otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to show it off.

He gently placed his right thumb and forefinger together, as if holding a flower, a smile on his face,

while his left hand flicked lightly to the right. His finger movements were incredibly gentle; each flick of his left hand seemed to be flicking away dewdrops from the flower in his right hand, yet he was also afraid of shaking off the petals. His face remained serene and smiling, showing deep understanding.

According to Zen tradition, when Shakyamuni Buddha preached at Vulture Peak, he held up a golden lotus flower and showed it to the assembly. Everyone remained silent, except for Venerable Kasyapa, who smiled broadly.

Knowing that Kasyapa had grasped the essence of the Dharma, Shakyamuni said, "I possess the true Dharma eye, the Nirvana Dharma, the true formless reality, the subtle Dharma, which is not established in words, a special transmission outside the scriptures.

I entrust it to Mahakasyapa."

Zen Buddhism considers sudden enlightenment through mind transmission its paramount importance, and Shaolin Temple, belonging to Zen, must have a deep understanding of the 'Flower-Plucking Finger' technique.

This Flower-Plucking Finger is entirely different from the One-Finger Divine Skill; its subtle internal force is indeed worthy of emulation.

The power of the Flower-Plucking Finger should not be underestimated. The Buddha's seemingly foolish smile, combined with the elusive energy of the Flower-Plucking Finger, makes it quite formidable.

Unfortunately, Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Chu, inherited Xiang Yu's mantle. In his eyes, the Buddha was nothing more than a charlatan. The Flower-Plucking Finger might be effective against others, but against Xiang Yu, it was a miscalculation.

Although the Flower-Plucking Finger was elusive, in Xiang Yu's eyes, it was as clear as a red light. He bent four fingers of his left hand, leaving only his little finger extended, and with a light touch, a hissing sound rang out—the Shaoze Sword was drawn. With a soft

"whoosh," two invisible energies collided, producing a light whistling sound, like a cold wind sweeping through the treetops.

Chu Bawang smiled slightly, retracting his little finger and extending his middle finger. With another soft whistling sound, he unleashed the Zhongchong Sword, its sword energy piercing the void and colliding with another "Flower-Picking Finger."

Kumārajīva knew many unique techniques; after the Flower-Picking Finger came the Formless Calamity Finger, followed by the Dora Leaf Finger. After dozens of strikes, Kumārajīva felt helpless. Chu Bawang's Six Meridian Divine Sword moved with effortless mastery, becoming increasingly refined and powerful.

Chu Xiangyu plucked the strings of his fingertips as if playing a stringless zither, and smiled, saying, "Great monk, what do you think!"

Kumārajīva knew Chu Xiangyu possessed the Six Meridian Divine Sword, but he hadn't expected Chu Xiangyu's internal strength to be so profound. He had initially thought his victory would be dishonorable, a laughable defeat, but given the circumstances, he had no choice but to strike out. The palm strike carried a faint, thumping sound, the posture and technique demonstrating superior Prajna Palm skills.

As for the Weituo Palm, it is the foundational martial art of the Shaolin School. Shaolin disciples learn the "Arhat Fist" first and the "Weituo Palm" second upon entering the sect. The Prajna Palm, however, is the most profound palm technique. Learning it step-by-step from the Weituo Palm to the Prajna Palm typically takes thirty to forty years.

Many monks have practiced the Prajna Palm for thirty or forty years, but few have truly mastered it. Although Kumārajīva was familiar with the Seventy-Two Shaolin Arts, he couldn't fully grasp its essence. He used the Lesser Formless Skill to wield it, merely achieving the form, but it was still not to be underestimated.

The Prajna Palm is one of the Seventy-Two Shaolin Arts; those who persevere will find its power inexhaustible, their palm strength growing ever stronger, their techniques ever more refined—truly a path of endless learning.

If Chu Bawang could continue using the Six Meridian Divine Sword, victory would be a certainty. Unfortunately, the Six Meridian Divine Sword consumes too much internal energy. Even though Chu Bawang could now maximize its use, his skill was still slightly lacking. He had been so focused on overwhelming Kumārajīva that he forgot his own weakness, and now he was in serious trouble. Chu Bawang couldn't help but smile bitterly.

In the original novel, Duan Yu absorbed the internal energy of dozens of people. Assuming each person's cultivation lasted ten years, these dozens combined to achieve hundreds of years' worth of internal energy. However, his skill remained inconsistent, only reaching its full potential after absorbing decades of refined internal energy from Kumārajīva and integrating it with his own. For Xiang Yu, the

Hegemon-King of Chu, to achieve this was already a testament to

his extraordinary talent. Possessing Xiang Yu's golden core, Xiang Yu should have possessed unfathomable internal energy. However, he didn't want to stop there; he wanted to reach even greater heights. He firmly believed that there were always higher levels to reach, and that martial arts were not limited to the path of the golden core!

If he had fully absorbed Xiang Yu's golden core, further advancement in his life would have been extremely difficult. But now, it was different. Xiang Yu cultivated the golden core's energy step by step, transforming it into his own, much like absorbing spiritual energy from heaven and earth. The only difference was that he had access to the golden core's energy, far superior to the impure and chaotic spiritual energy of heaven and earth, eliminating the need for such a distant and indirect approach.

Chapter 155

Seeing Chu Bawang relentlessly using the Six Meridian Divine Sword, Kumārajīva knew he was no match for him and was deeply frustrated. Often, before he could even make a move, Chu Bawang's sword energy had already arrived, forcing him to hastily change tactics. Fortunately, his experience was exceptional; although he managed to protect his vitals at crucial moments, injuries were inevitable, and his movements were already quite inconvenient. Even his cassock was not spared; Kumārajīva's attire at this moment was more ascetic than a penitent monk, more like a beggar than a member of the Beggar Clan.

Seeing Chu Bawang's sword energy falter, he was overjoyed, knowing that Chu Bawang's internal energy was exhausted. He thought to himself: "Even if your Six Meridian Divine Sword is powerful, your internal energy can't be inexhaustible. I've practiced diligently for decades to achieve this pure internal energy; even if you've been practicing since birth, your internal energy couldn't possibly be deeper than mine.

" Having been suppressed by Chu Bawang for so long, Kumārajīva seized this rare opportunity and immediately thrust out with both palms.

This was still a move from the Prajna Palm technique. Although the move appeared simple, the power it contained was incredibly strong.

Chu Bawang's Lingbo Weibu (Lingbo Steps) was exceptionally profound, and seeing this, he quickly used Lingbo Weibu to dodge.

Kumārajīva's figure moved swiftly, his sleeve concealing a universe, and he pointed his Wuxiang Jie Finger at his opponent. Clearly, Kumārajīva also recognized the power of Lingbo Weibu and knew that his previous move would be ineffective.

Chu Bawang dodged to the side, but Kumārajīva had anticipated his movement and unleashed his Great Vajra Fist. With a bang, the fist struck the house behind Chu Bawang.

Chu Bawang was startled, thinking to himself: "Fortunately, Lingbo Weibu is incredibly skillful; otherwise, even with the Overlord's Technique protecting me, I would still suffer some minor injuries."

Since the start of the battle, Kumārajīva had been at a disadvantage. Facing the increasingly proficient Six Meridian Divine Sword of Chu, he could only dodge awkwardly each time, and was often injured by the sword energy. Although he hadn't hit him this time, Kumārajīva seemed to have seen the dawn of victory. Thinking of this, Kumārajīva laughed and said, "Benefactor Chu, are you convinced yet? Take a break. Advertisement time: Still relying on your hands? How can you enjoy it? Forum reputation guaranteed! Healthy anti-premature ejaculation masturbation exerciser, real oral sex pleasure experience, hot recommendation! Maintain the feeling of ejaculation for 30 minutes, so good you'll faint. Fully automated masturbation with 12 different sexual positions and vibration frequencies. Click to enter."

Thinking that he had only managed to slightly turn the tide with his decades of hard-earned internal strength, he couldn't help but feel ashamed. His old face immediately fell, as this victory was not honorable.

After swiftly dodging Kumārajīva's palm strike, Chu Bawang was not stunned. Instead, he unleashed one of the Six Meridian Divine Swords, the Shaochong Sword. His inner force rapidly flowed through the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian, and a lightning-fast sword aura shot towards Kumārajīva

. The Shaochong Sword's characteristic is speed and agility. Chu Bawang didn't have much inner force and didn't expect this attack to harm Kumārajīva; he was merely preparing for his next move. He instantly appeared before Kumārajīva using the Lingbo Weibu technique.

Seeing the sword aura hurtling towards him, Kumārajīva dared not be careless. He had suffered greatly from this sword aura earlier, but now it was too late to dodge. Knowing he couldn't avoid it, he slashed his palms down from left to right, carrying a vast amount of true energy, truly like a raging flood flowing eastward to the sea.

Chu Bawang's sword aura was a feint. Kumārajīva's palm force instantly shattered the sword aura. Seemingly surprised that the sword aura was so easily defeated, he was momentarily stunned. However, the arrow was already on the bowstring and had no choice but to be released, so he didn't retract his palms.

This was the moment that Chu Bawang had been waiting for. When he saw the two palms strike each other with such heavy force, he was secretly surprised. Chu Bawang first blocked with his own palm. He was not good at palm techniques, and the Overlord's Decree required too much internal strength, so he did not intend to block Kumārajīva's palm with his own palm. Instead, he used the force of Kumārajīva's palm to move his body and then used the famous Foshan Shadowless Kick in the movie industry. The Foshan Shadowless Kick lived up to its name and was extremely powerful when used by Chu Bawang.

He unleashed a flurry of kicks, twelve in a single blink. Kumārajīva, caught off guard by the Chu Overlord's counterattack using his palm strikes, was caught off guard and all the kicks landed on his chest. This Foshan Shadowless Kick was an unintentional creation of the Chu Overlord, far inferior to top-tier martial arts like the Overlord's Decree, but its advantage lay in its low barrier to entry; it didn't even require internal energy to use. One kick followed immediately, the second like a shadow, then the third, also like a shadow, followed by another kick—each kick invisible and intangible, impossible to block.

Finally, Kumārajīva managed to lean back and drift away, but the Chu Overlord seized the opportunity, giving him no respite, unleashing two sword strikes with a hissing sound, swift as lightning—the Shaochong Sword.

Kumārajīva, caught off guard, was already injured. Although it didn't significantly impair his movements, he saw a sword aura coming towards him and tried to dodge, but to his surprise, another sword aura was already waiting for him where he had tried to dodge. He could no longer avoid it and could only dodge

to a vital spot. The sword aura left a small but not insignificant sword wound on his shoulder. Kumārajīva didn't stop after being struck by the sword; instead, he became enraged and attacked even more fiercely. The dignified first national teacher of Tibet had actually been defeated by an unknown youth who was inferior to him in both internal strength and experience. This was already a disgrace. If he had lost to the famous Qiao Feng, he might have simply fled instead of continuing to fight.

This is the burden of reputation. This is why most masters are unwilling to fight against newly emerging young masters. Losing not only means losing martial arts skills but also losing face—a double loss.

Conversely, unknown masters often like to challenge established martial arts masters because it is the best way to gain fame. However, many ignorant and arrogant people have died because of this.

Enraged, Kumārajīva unleashed his Doro Finger strike, then immediately changed his move, slashing with one arm. Though unarmed, he employed the "Burning Wood Saber Technique." This technique, once mastered, involves rapidly slashing a dry log eighty-one times without damaging the wood, yet the heat emanating from the blade ignites it. Master Xuanku, Xiao Feng's master, was a master of this skill. The

"Burning Wood Saber Technique" is a single-sword technique, entirely different from the "Flame Saber Technique" with its powerful palm strikes he used at Tianlong Temple. He now used his palm as a saber, hacking and slashing fiercely—a style entirely characteristic of Shaolin martial arts.

With a resounding crash, a massive, incredibly sharp blade mark was left where the Chu Overlord had stood.

Seeing Kumārajīva's madness, Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Chu, was already enraged. Unexpectedly, as his right fist struck, a blade struck his right arm mid-fist. The blade's energy entered his body and transformed into his own internal force. Xiang Yu was overjoyed and an idea formed in his mind.

With deliberate intent, Xiang Yu's arm was struck twice more. This time, not only was his internal force enhanced, but his physical strength also seemed to have increased. He thought it might be the result of the combined effects of the Northern Darkness Divine Art and the Hegemon-King's Technique, and he was ecstatic.

Kumārajīva channeled his true energy into the edge of his palm, practicing over ten moves. His final strike was no less powerful than a steel blade, capable of severing heads and arms. Seeing Xiang Yu's right arm struck twice, yet seemingly unharmed, the impact even caused Xiang Yu's palm to ache slightly.

Kumārajīva, astonished, thought to himself, "This lad may be unknown, but his martial arts skills are comparable to mine. I never expected him to have such a powerful protective technique. Even the Golden Bell Shield and Iron Shirt techniques, when mastered to their fullest extent, couldn't withstand my heavy blows. Why is that?

Could he be wearing some kind of protective armor underneath his clothes?

He's so young yet already possesses such skill; he's likely the son of a reclusive family head. Therefore, it makes sense that he has protective armor."

With this in mind, he focused his attacks solely on Chu Bawang's face, unleashing six or seven Shaolin martial arts techniques in quick succession: "Great Wisdom Finger," "Affliction-Removing Finger," "Nirvana Claw," and "Indra Claw," aiming for Chu Bawang's eyes and throat.

Kumārajīva's rapid offensive, targeting the face with every strike... This greatly frustrated Xiang Yu, causing him to panic. He had initially planned to use the attacks of the old bald monk Kumārajīva to recover his internal energy and practice the Overlord's Technique, but unexpectedly, Kumārajīva seemed to know his thoughts and stopped attacking his body, focusing instead on his face. Although Xiang Yu was confident that his face was as resilient as his arms, his handsome appearance was his capital for captivating women, and he didn't want it to be ruined due to carelessness. In this day and age, even burying a cart to save someone could be believed; what else wouldn't happen?

A thought flashed through his mind: didn't he know the "Star Shift" technique?

His meridians were far superior to ordinary people; even the strongest moves could be countered with the "Star Shift" technique.

Thinking it and acting on it, Xiang Yu no longer used the "Lingbo Weibu" to dodge Kumārajīva's finger strikes, but instead adopted a... The posture, resembling Tai Chi, seemed like a death wish.

Indeed, in Kumārajīva's eyes, the King of Chu's actions were a death wish. At this moment, his finger strike was already at the King of Chu's face. Even with superior lightness skills and the most mysterious footwork, it was unlikely that one could dodge at such a distance.

Kumārajīva revealed a confident smile.

However, unfortunately, Kumārajīva was destined to be disappointed.

After the finger strike reached the King of Chu, the King of Chu used the "Shifting Stars" technique to absorb the finger strike into his body. Following the "Shifting Stars" technique's energy flow, just as the King of Chu was about to "fight fire with fire," he discovered that the "Northern Darkness Divine Art" suddenly activated, absorbing Kumārajīva's finger strike and transforming it into the internal energy of the "Northern Darkness Divine Art," storing it near his Golden Core. The King of Chu also discovered that Kumārajīva's finger strike was being refined by his Golden Core little by little, transforming... The refined internal energy was even purer, and it was just like the one he had cultivated before—effortless and fluid in its use!

Chu Bawang was overjoyed; he hadn't expected the Golden Elixir combined with the Northern Darkness Divine Art and the Star Shift Technique to have such wondrous effects.

Originally, the Northern Darkness Divine Art required physical contact to absorb an opponent's internal energy, but now he could absorb it little by little through combat.

In that split second, Chu Bawang made a decision, fully activating the Star Shift Technique and the Northern Darkness Divine Art.

In an instant, Kumārajīva, left with no other choice, unleashed sixteen more Shaolin techniques, leaving Chu Bawang dazzled and amazed. He thought to himself, "The original book says Kumārajīva claims to be proficient in all seventy-two Shaolin techniques. While that's an exaggeration, it's not far off; Chu Bawang has already witnessed over thirty of them." "

The King of Chu didn't believe that Kumārajīva knew all seventy-two martial arts techniques. Even if Kumārajīva possessed the Lesser Formless Skill, it wouldn't matter, as some of these techniques were unsuitable for him; forcing them would only lead to qi deviation.

Seeing that the King of Chu had been hit but seemed unharmed, Kumārajīva was startled; his protective armor was indeed formidable.

Kumārajīva unleashed all his skills, which the King of Chu countered with the Star Shift technique. After a few moments, Kumārajīva struck out with hundreds of fingers, which the King of Chu also forcefully blocked."

Seeing Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, looking so energetic while he himself was so dejected, Kumārajīva was more than just surprised; he was practically shouting, "You are truly a divine being!" At this moment, the difference between Xiang Yu and Kumārajīva was like heaven and earth

.

Xiang Yu had not only fully recovered his inner strength but was even stronger than before, while Kumārajīva was completely exhausted. Given his current state, Kumārajīva's defeat was inevitable. Sensing that Kumārajīva's attacks were noticeably weakening, Xiang Yu grew impatient.

He unleashed a dozen or so kicks with his "Shadowless Kick of Foshan," each kick forcing Kumārajīva back half a foot. It was this mere half-foot difference that rendered all of Kumārajīva's wondrous techniques useless.

The method to counter the Foshan Shadowless Kick is simple: just be fast enough. Kumārajīva, a martial arts master, naturally knew how to counter it, but knowing is one thing, being able to execute it is another. In terms of speed, Kumārajīva was far inferior, and was forced into a series of retreats by Chu Bawang.

After his recent "self-torture," Chu Bawang's internal energy not only fully recovered but also broke through to a new level. With the enhancement of his internal energy, the power of the Foshan Shadowless Kick was even more ferocious than before. Kumārajīva used all his strength but could only barely withstand it, and with each strike, he coughed up blood. When Chu Bawang's final kick came, he felt some liquid welling up in his throat. This attack had severely injured Kumārajīva, but fearing that Chu Bawang would see through his disguise, he stubbornly swallowed it. Clearly, Kumārajīva had suffered considerable internal injuries.

Chu Bawang didn't expect the Foshan Shadowless Kick to severely injure Kumārajīva, but the fact that he had beaten him so badly showed his carelessness. He hadn't anticipated that Kumārajīva's internal injuries were far more severe than he had imagined; Kumārajīva's pretense had only temporarily fooled Chu Bawang.

However, even facing Kumārajīva at his peak, Chu Bawang was no longer afraid.

In Chapter 156,

Chu Bawang, having used Kumārajīva for training, was in high spirits. He had no deep-seated hatred for Kumārajīva; the only time he had done so was when he had injured Kumārajīva, so he couldn't bring himself to kill him.

Actually, aside from being somewhat shameless, Kumārajīva was quite good; otherwise, he wouldn't have become a great monk. He was simply currently consumed by greed and couldn't extricate himself.

Kumārajīva had used every trick in the book, but none could defeat Chu Bawang. Instead, he had suffered extremely serious internal injuries. He wasn't a sore loser; he immediately bowed and said, "Benefactor Chu, your divine skill is unparalleled; this humble monk admires you."

His pale face was filled with dejection, and he looked much older than before.

Chu Bawang laughed, "Great monk, you actually know dozens of exquisite martial arts, and you're proficient in each one. I admire you greatly."

Chu Bawang's words were indeed true; to have mastered half of the Shaolin Temple's Seventy-Two Arts, Kumārajīva was quite a figure!

Kumārajīva looked ashamed and sighed, "Even if I know dozens of exquisite martial arts, so what?

You, sir, possess an indestructible body and the unbreakable Six Meridian Divine Sword. I'm sure no one in the world can harm you." He apparently thought Chu Bawang had mastered the Shaolin Temple's indestructible body.

Chu Bawang didn't expose him, and laughed, "Do you know why you lost?"

The way of martial arts is no different from the complex and profound arts of music, chess, calligraphy, painting, Buddhism, and the I Ching. The more one studies it, the more interesting it becomes. If one learns of superior martial arts, one will do everything in one's power to observe and learn them.

Among the eminent Indian monks, the wise and talented Polo Xing initially arrived at Shaolin Temple with the sole aim of stealing the martial arts manuals to return and promote Indian martial arts. However, upon witnessing the vast and profound nature of Shaolin's martial arts, he became reluctant to leave.

Kumārajīva was similar, but unfortunately, instead of learning from and absorbing the essence of the teachings, he became a jack of all trades and master of none, just like Murong Bo, wasting decades of martial arts practice.

Kumārajīva pondered for a moment before sighing, "The Six Meridian Divine Sword of the Dali Duan family is the number one offensive sword technique in the world, and the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill of Shaolin Temple is the number one defensive divine skill in the world. You, benefactor, have mastered both, making you invincible in both offense and defense. This humble monk's defeat is not unjust."

Chu Bawang asked, "What does the Great Monk think of my Foshan Shadowless Kick?"

Kumārajīva replied, "That leg technique is indeed called Foshan Shadowless Kick. It is truly invisible and formless, a superior martial art, comparable to the Seventy-Two Arts of Shaolin.

But you think you can defeat me with just this one leg technique."

Chu Bawang knew that he had used the Six Meridian Divine Sword to injure him, slowing his movements slightly, which allowed the Foshan Shadowless Kick to play its greatest role, resulting in successive victories.

The Hegemon-King of Chu chuckled and said, "Actually, what I want to tell you is that if I wanted to defeat you, I wouldn't need to go to

such lengths; one hand would suffice." The implication was that even without his Six Meridian Divine Sword, the Shadowless Kick of Foshan, or the "Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill," he could defeat Kumārajīva. With such a

boastful tone, how could Kumārajīva possibly accept defeat? The Hegemon-King of Chu wasn't exaggerating; he truly had a firm grasp on defeating Kumārajīva. While he initially won, Kumārajīva was no pushover, and the Hegemon-King's victory wasn't easy. Although Kumārajīva's techniques were inferior to the Hegemon-King's, he possessed greater internal strength, while the Hegemon-King's victory lay in the quality of his internal energy.

Since his debut, the Hegemon-King of Chu hadn't experienced many battles. Although he had inherited Xiang Yu's skills, everything remained only in his mind; he hadn't yet effectively integrated them. The truth is, understanding something is one thing, but being able to execute it is another.

The battle with Kumārajīva was incredibly beneficial for Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Chu. While his internal energy was initially inferior to Kumārajīva's decades of arduous training, he deliberately allowed himself to be struck dozens of times by Kumārajīva's Burning Wood Blade Technique, then used the Star Shift Technique to transform Kumārajīva's attack energy into his own. This was a truly heaven-defying feat, something only a monster like Xiang Yu could wield.

The effect was significant; Xiang Yu's internal energy was now far superior to Kumārajīva's, making victory incredibly easy.

Xiang Yu's perception of his surroundings was now much clearer. Previously, he needed his Golden Core to sense his surroundings, but now he could perceive everything without it. It's important to understand that forcibly using the Golden Core when one's cultivation level is insufficient is extremely taxing, which is why Xiang Yu had been quietly refining his Golden Core rather than using it directly.

The human body is a vast treasure trove, almost no one has fully comprehended it. To do so would be enough to achieve immortality or godhood. When Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Chu, broke through his limitations in a desperate situation, his inner strength greatly increased. It's possible he could defeat Kumārajīva with one hand. With his

greatly increased inner strength, Xiang Yu would unleash the Hegemon-King's Decree with all his might; Kumārajīva would have no chance of escaping.

At this moment, Xiang Yu's internal strength not only surpassed that of Kumārajīva, but its purity was also far superior. Seeing Kumārajīva's dissatisfaction, Xiang Yu stopped speaking and made a few extremely mysterious turns with his palm. The movements were incredibly slow, but when one tried to remember them, one found that not a single movement could be recalled. It was an extreme display of speed. The reason it seemed slow was due to the illusion of repetitive movements. Finally, his palm pressed down on Kumārajīva, and an irresistible vortex of domineering energy attacked him. The Overlord's Decree was known as "When the Overlord's Decree is issued, the world submits." Its power was not just empty talk. At that time, Xiang Yu's internal strength was insufficient. Although he had the martial arts memories of Xiang Yu, he had no combat experience. Yet, he still managed to send Yun Zhonghe flying with a single move using the Overlord's Decree, subdue the Crocodile God of the South Sea, and finally scare away the notorious Duan Yanqing. This shows the power of the Overlord's Decree. How could Xiang Yu's internal strength have increased several times since the last time?

With the Overlord's command issued, the outcome was immediately clear, without a doubt. After making his move, the Overlord of Chu stood with his head bowed, his robes fluttering, truly displaying the demeanor of a grandmaster.

However, this time he was completely putting on a show, but a convincing one—he had no choice but to!

"Although your martial arts are superb, if it weren't for the invincible power of your Six Meridians Divine Sword, which slightly slowed my movements, how could I have lost?"

Kumārajīva was obsessed with obtaining the Six Meridian Divine Sword, believing it to be invincible. Naturally, he wouldn't believe that Xiang Yu could defeat him without it. His own martial arts were undoubtedly among the best of the time, only slightly inferior to the Six Meridian Divine Sword. How could he admit that Xiang Yu could defeat him without it? His earlier defeat was simply because he was initially intimidated by the sword energy of the Six Meridian Divine Sword, unable to unleash his full power.

Besides, he was confident that his decades of internal energy were no less than Xiang Yu's.

But when he truly faced the Overlord's Decree, he realized he was wrong. As the Overlord raised his hand, he felt an immense killing intent rushing towards him. Although he was only facing the Overlord head-on, he found the boundless killing intent omnipresent. Even making a move was incredibly difficult; his body seemed bound by something unknown, making every step difficult, and even the flow of his internal energy was ten times slower than usual. It was as if everything was out of control. He even had an urge to kneel before the Overlord. He seemed to see an unparalleled emperor. As the first national teacher of Tibet, he never knelt before the Tibetan leader, often considering himself the greatest under heaven, cultivating an arrogant sense of superiority. But now, he felt an urge to worship—not the usual feeling of chanting scriptures or praying to Buddha, but a thought of submission to an emperor. And this thought grew stronger and stronger. Just as he tried to resist it, a gigantic palm pressed down on him, like Mount Tai crushing him. He couldn't resist. How could a man fight against the heavens?

Was he going to die here today?

A sense of utter despair washed over him. Though a high-ranking Buddhist monk, he was also a monk with deep-seated selfish desires. Faced with death, he too felt fear and dread.

Just as he gave up resistance and faced death, everything vanished, as if nothing had ever happened.

Kumārajīva, though bewildered, knew it was because the King of Chu had shown mercy. Opening his eyes, he found the small circle surrounding him completely empty—no, there was only a pile of powder on the ground. Kumārajīva gasped in shock. Was the King's Decree truly this powerful?

It was truly unbelievable. Kumārajīva, completely convinced, clasped his hands in reverence and exclaimed, "Amitabha! Thank you, Benefactor Chu, for showing mercy. Your move has transcended the realm of martial arts; I believe no one in the world can withstand it. Previously, this humble monk was short-sighted and ignorant, truly ashamed. May I ask if Benefactor Chu's move has a name?"

Chu Xiangyu smiled, both proud and embarrassed, and said, "This was created by my ancestors, called 'Overlord's Decree.' My ancestor used it to dominate the world, and no one could stop him." He was proud that his ancestor, Xiang Yu, resided... Despite being able to create such a world-shaking and awe-inspiring martial art as the Overlord's Decree, the embarrassing thing was that he hadn't been holding back; rather, his inner strength had been exhausted once again. This breakthrough had deepened his understanding of the Overlord's Decree, and he had intended to unleash its full power to test its might and give the old bald monk Kumārajīva a taste of his own medicine. However, unexpectedly, even with his greatly improved power, he couldn't fully unleash the Overlord's Decree's power, thus allowing Kumārajīva to escape with his life. It seemed Kumārajīva's fate was not to end; it appeared to be a matter of destiny.

After discovering his inner strength was once again depleted, the Overlord naturally couldn't let Kumārajīva know. Who knew if Kumārajīva would seize the opportunity to kill him? The Overlord had sensed the murderous intent Kumārajīva had displayed earlier, so he naturally pretended to have shown mercy. Everything went as the Overlord had predicted; having witnessed his skill, Kumārajīva dared not attack him again.

Upon hearing this, Kumārajīva exclaimed in admiration, "The Overlord's Decree, its power lives up to its name! Excellent skill, excellent skill!" He paused, then continued, "Since your ancestor was able to create such a superior martial art, he must have been a very famous figure in the Central Plains. May I ask, Benefactor Chu , what is your ancestor's name?"

The Overlord of Western Chu, Xiang Yu, held great admiration for him. Within a few years of rebellion, he had conquered a vast territory, dividing the land among himself. Such achievements at such a young age, dominating five thousand years of Chinese history, were unparalleled .

As his descendant, the Overlord of Chu was also proud, smiling, "My surname is Chu, my given name is Jixian, and others call me the Overlord of Chu. Does the master have an answer in his heart?"

The Overlord of Chu was proud of his ancestor Xiang Yu, but also deeply regretful. Unfortunately, Xiang Yu's personality destined him to become only a peerless overlord, not a peerless emperor.

Liu Bang fought on despite repeated defeats, while Xiang Yu, after only one defeat, was ashamed to face the elders of Jiangdong. Truly, personality determines everything!

Chapter 157

Upon hearing this, Kumārajīva pondered for a moment, then his heart trembled. A figure appeared in his mind, and he had his answer. He sighed, "Yes, yes, only he could have created such a divine skill. It is said that Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, could lift a bronze cauldron weighing ten thousand catties with one arm. 'His strength could uproot mountains and rivers, and his spirit could cover the sky' is probably not an exaggeration. This humble monk has practiced diligently for decades and studied dozens of superior martial arts. I originally thought I was already one of the top masters in the world, but now it seems that this humble monk is far inferior to your ancestor." The King of Chu said, “Whenever I see some superior martial arts, I am tempted to learn them, but more often I learn them for reference, to compare with my own martial arts, so as to see my own weaknesses and shortcomings and make improvements.

In addition, I hope to learn from the strengths of various schools and integrate the essence of each school into my own moves to make them more perfect and exquisite. Although you, Master, are proficient in dozens of martial arts, you have not achieved great success in any of them. In terms of the Finger Flicking Technique, you are not as good as Master Xuandu of Shaolin Temple; in terms of palm techniques, you are not as good as Qiao Feng of the Beggars’ Sect; in terms of swordsmanship, you are not as good as the Sword Saint Dugu Qiubai. In this respect, you are far behind others!

Therefore, in a fight, you often use many unique skills but still cannot compare to others using only one unique skill. As the saying goes, martial arts are valued for their quality, not their quantity. This is indeed a great truth of martial arts, but people in the world often cannot see it, which is truly sad!”

"Amitabha! Hearing Benefactor Chu's words is better than reciting scriptures for ten years. Only today have I understood this extremely simple martial arts principle. Benefactor Chu truly has excellent aptitude and comprehension!" Kumārajīva was initially quite surprised by his words, then astonished, and then felt as if he had suddenly understood some profound truths.

"Benefactor Chu is quite right. I am indeed inferior to them. However, who is the Sword Saint Dugu Qiubai that you mentioned? I truly do not know."

Seeing Kumārajīva's bewildered look, Chu Bawang found it amusing. He was not very clear about the era of Dugu Qiubai either, but he assumed that Dugu Qiubai would not exist in this era, so he could only make excuses: "Dugu Qiubai was a figure from the era of my ancestors. His swordsmanship was invincible. I am not very clear about his deeds, but my ancestors wrote a passage in the family genealogy describing the Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai, which is enough to give people a glimpse into the deeds of the Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai."

Kumārajīva also greatly admired Dugu Qiubai and quickly asked for details: "I would like to hear more." "

The Hegemon-King of Chu said, 'For over thirty years I have roamed the martial world, slaying all my enemies and villains, defeating all heroes and valiant men. There is no one left in the world who can rival me. Helpless, I can only retreat to a deep valley, taking eagles as my companions.

Alas, in my life I have sought an opponent but could not find one; truly, this loneliness is unbearable.

-- Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai.' Later, his ancestors summarized Dugu Qiubai's realm into five realms: First realm, the sword without intention. Before Dugu Qiubai reached adulthood, he used a single sword to contend with the heroes of Hebei, creating the Dugu Nine Swords sword technique, which destroyed all martial arts under heaven; Second realm, the soft sword without constancy. At this time, he had reached the realm of no moves being better than moves, because moves have constancy, but constancy is even better than constancy.

At this time, he held the Purple Star Soft Sword, which he used before the age of thirty. He accidentally injured a righteous man, an ominous sign, and filled with regret, he discarded it into a deep valley; Third realm, the heavy sword without edge.

The heavy sword without edge, great skill without artifice.

Before the age of forty, Dugu Qiubai relied on it to roam the world; Fourth realm, the wooden sword without hindrance."

At this time, he was forty years old and had reached the realm where he was no longer bound by material things, and that grass, trees, bamboo, and stones could all be used as swords; the fifth realm was without sword or style, where all things in heaven and earth could be used as swords, thus reaching the realm of the Way of the Sword.

After saying this, Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, was also filled with admiration for Dugu Qiubai, regretting that he was born at the wrong time, and couldn't help but sigh: "Such a person cannot be met, and can only be admired and revered, what a pity." Dugu Qiubai's martial arts were as unfathomable as a myth; Dugu Qiubai's life was as dazzling as a myth; Dugu Qiubai's realm of life was even more progressively divine, gradually entering the divine path.

Judging from his title, Dugu Qiubai, who once became a demon, must have been an arrogant, unruly, and incomprehensible martial arts eccentric.

In his later years, having accepted his fate, he had long since reached a state of detachment from the world, only his pride remained.

Therefore, in his dying words, he still called himself "Sword Demon," which can be seen as a sign that he had no regrets about his life and was worthy of his swordsmanship.

Kumārajīva was stunned for a full quarter of an hour before he came to his senses. He sighed again, "The martial arts of the Central Plains are profound and extensive, and there are many talented people. Not only are there Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, but also unfathomable masters like the Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai. After hearing what you said, Benefactor Chu, I realized my own insignificance. Before this, I was like a frog in a well, oblivious to my own limitations. I am far from being able to match even a fraction of the Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai's swordsmanship.

Although I have learned a few superior martial arts techniques from Buddhism, I am still stuck at the first level—'The sword is without intention.' The Sword Demon is indeed the greatest swordsman of all time."

Kumārajīva was right. Looking at the books recorded by Mr. Jin Yong, Dugu Qiubai can indeed be considered the greatest swordsman of all time, and probably the greatest master in the world.

The King of Chu laughed and said, "Master, what you say is absolutely right. Therefore, I have always believed that only the martial arts one creates oneself are truly suitable for oneself.

When others create martial arts, the creators do so according to their own conditions, but the conditions of those who learn them in later generations may not match those of the original creators, thus preventing them from mastering them.

Many exquisite martial arts have therefore been gradually lost.

Therefore, I believe that to master a unique skill, one should not rely on one's aptitude, but rather on how closely one's physical condition matches that of the original creator.

If their physical conditions are perfectly matched, then the learner can master the martial art.

Otherwise, the opposite is not true!"

While Kumozhi could understand the King of Chu's previous words, this new martial arts theory completely overturned his existing understanding.

The success of learning a martial art does not depend on the learner's innate talent or comprehension, but on how closely the learner's conditions match those of the original creator.

This viewpoint was something he had never heard of before, and he was momentarily stunned.

After a long while, he finally let out a long sigh and put his palms together with Chu Bawang, saying, "Young Master's insights into martial arts are truly extraordinary, yet they seem to make great sense!"

Chu Bawang said, "I was merely stating my own views, Master, you need not worry too much. I simply want you to know that only martial arts created according to one's own conditions are the most suitable for oneself and can exert the greatest power in one's own hands.

Master, you just demonstrated dozens of unique skills, do you know which one Chu Mou admires the most?"

Kumārajīva thought for a moment and said, "Is it the Formless Finger of Calamity?"

Seeing Chu Bawang shake his head, he paused and said, "Could it be the Kasaya Subduing Demon Skill?"

Chu Bawang smiled and said, "It is the Flaming Blade created by Master."

This time, Kumārajīva was completely stunned, since his self-created Flaming Blade was no less powerful than the Six Meridians Divine Sword.

Why bother going through all that trouble to obtain the Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual? He could simply master his own Flaming Blade technique.

He'd been so busy, always trying to acquire every martial art imaginable, even breaking many Buddhist precepts in the process.

But now, this man was telling him, "Your own is already incredibly powerful. Why waste time learning others' techniques?"

This completely overturned all his preconceived notions. He'd always believed that the techniques created by the masters of the past were the best and most powerful, unaware that his own creation was no less impressive.

Kumārajīva stood frozen in place after hearing Chu Bawang's words, his mind racing. He reflected on his life's actions—his relentless pursuit of supreme martial arts, his almost unscrupulous methods, and his transgressions of Buddhist precepts.

Now, enlightened by Chu Bawang, he felt utterly pathetic, pitiful, laughable, and hateful.

All his busyness and wandering had ultimately led him to seek something within himself.

After an unknown amount of time, he finally let out a long sigh.

Then, he clasped his hands together and bowed respectfully to King Xiangyu, saying, "Hearing your words, sir, is truly more valuable than reading Buddhist scriptures for ten years.

Although I am a Buddhist monk, since I started practicing martial arts, my competitive spirit has grown stronger day by day. I have become obsessed with martial arts, always wanting to pursue the unique skills created by the masters of the past and learn them all.

I have already violated the three major precepts of Buddhism: greed, anger, and ignorance. After hearing your words today, I have suddenly awakened.

I feel that the past is too painful to recall, and I have made mistake after mistake, like sinking deeper and deeper into mud.

If it weren't for your enlightenment today, I don't know how long I would have continued to make these mistakes .

I am truly grateful for your great kindness, but I must first thank you here and promise to repay you in the future!"

He was, after all, a great monk of his time, a man of great wisdom. After great joy and sorrow, he finally achieved enlightenment.

Seeing that Kumārajīva had realized his mistake and thanked him, King Bawang of Chu was happy to oblige, and laughed, "Master, you are too kind. I do not have such ability.

It was just a few unintentional words. It is my honor to have been able to help you!"

Kumārajīva then put his palms together and said, "Mr. Chu, there is no need to be so modest. I am extremely grateful for your enlightenment.

However, I am ashamed to express my gratitude in vain. Since you wish to combine the strengths of various schools to create your own divine skill, I cannot help you. This Flaming Blade Manual is the result of my painstaking efforts. Although it is not yet perfect, it is still a unique skill. I will give it to you, Master. Also, I will give you this Lesser Formless Skill, which I obtained by chance."

"Very well, thank you very much, Master!"

Chu Bawang had no intention of gaining anything from Kumārajīva. He had originally used him for practice, which led to a significant breakthrough in his power, and in his high mood, he decided to enlighten him. However, while Chu Bawang possessed the Six Meridians Divine Sword, which surpassed the Flaming Blade, he still yearned for it. Since Kumārajīva insisted on giving it to him, accepting it wouldn't be unreasonable. As for

the Lesser Formless Skill, it was something he had always wanted, and since Kumārajīva was offering it to him voluntarily, that was for the best.

King Xiang Yu asked, "Now that you have achieved enlightenment, Master, what are your plans for the future?"

Kumārajīva sighed, "Although I am in the Buddhist order, my competitive spirit is stronger than most. To receive your guidance today, Master Xiang Yu, is truly a great fortune.

Alas, since I began learning martial arts,

I have been plagued by the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance. Yet I consider myself a

high monk, arrogant and shameless.

Alas, if it weren't for your guidance, Master Xiang Yu, I fear I would have been plunged into the Avici Hell after death, unable to be reborn for countless eons. I can never repay your kindness in this life. I am fortunate that these two books of profound learning will be of use to you." King Xiang Yu said, "Master, you flatter me." Kumārajīva was originally a man of great wisdom and profound Buddhist understanding, but because he practiced martial arts, his competitive spirit grew stronger, while his devotion to Buddhism diminished.

Seeing that Xiang Yu had finally accepted the gift, Kumārajīva clasped his hands together and said, “The Buddha teaches his disciples that the first thing is to relinquish greed, love, attachment, and entanglement, only then can there be hope of liberation.

Yet I have failed to relinquish any of these; the chains of fame and fortune bind me tightly.

How can I know that today it is not the Buddha’s enlightenment that has led me to repent and be liberated?”

He reflected on his actions over the past decades, sweat pouring down his forehead, filled with shame and sorrow.

Xiang Yu asked, “Master, are you going back to Tibet?”

Kumārajīva replied, “I am going back to where I came from, but not necessarily to Tibet.”

Chapter 158 A Cameo as a Charlatan

Chu Bawang stood before the Qin Yun Xiao Ju (Musical Pavilion), looking at the collapsed house, shaking his head and smiling bitterly. He had been so focused on fighting that he had completely destroyed little girl Abi's home. He should have made Kumārajīva compensate him with some silver; as the first national teacher of Tibet, he must have plenty of silver. But he himself was utterly penniless. Could it be that he, a descendant of the mighty Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, was now reduced to a thief?

Chu Bawang lowered his head and thought for a while, then nodded to himself, muttering, "Hmm, that's a good idea."

A little while later, two middle-aged men arrived. Seeing the once beautiful Tingxiang Shuixie (Listening Fragrance Pavilion) in its current state, they were stunned. Although they knew someone had come to cause trouble, they hadn't expected the intruder to be so powerful, destroying the entire building.

Chu Bawang glanced at the two men, slightly surprised. They were dressed in fine blue robes, and the cloth hats on their heads indicated they were servants. He hadn't expected the servants of the Murong family to be dressed in such high-quality clothing. What surprised them most was that these two also possessed third-rate martial arts skills. It seemed the Murong family's accumulated strength was indeed not to be underestimated; even their servants had internal energy. They were truly extraordinary. He smiled slightly and said, "During the fight just now, I wasn't paying attention and caused the house to collapse. I'm truly sorry. Could you please trouble the two gentlemen to call Miss Abi and Miss Azhu back?" "Who are you?"

a middle-aged man in blue robes asked, his eyes wide. The two men exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes. They didn't know the newcomer's martial arts skills, but even their former patriarch, Murong Bo, might not have been able to cause such destruction. It seemed the person who drove away the troublemakers was even more unfathomable.

The two couldn't help but think to themselves: although the patriarch is the renowned Northern Murong, his skill is so high that even the old patriarch might not be able to match him, and the young patriarch's skill certainly doesn't possess such destructive power.

They couldn't help but feel deep admiration; the strong always earn respect.

"I am Chu Bawang, and I am acquainted with Misses Azhu and Abi,"

Chu Bawang said with a smile, noticing the shock in their eyes.

The middle-aged servant, upon hearing this, respectfully said, "Mr. Chu, please come with me to sit and rest for a while; this place has been severely damaged." He pointed to a small house in the distance and gestured for the servant to fetch Azhu and Abi.

Seeing their sudden change in attitude to one of friendliness and respect, Chu Bawang smiled and said, "Thank you for your trouble, brothers."

Capable people are respected wherever they go; the difference in their attitudes before and after was too great for Chu Bawang to bother with.

That's how the world is. Without ability, you won't gain respect, so you strive to improve yourself. Respect is earned, not given, but many people don't understand this.

A middle-aged servant hurriedly and humbly said, "Sir, you flatter me. This is only what I should do. I really don't deserve it." Chu Bawang smiled, understanding in his heart that if he weren't strong enough, he wouldn't be so kind. "Sir

, please wait a moment. The two young ladies will be back soon,"

the middle-aged servant said with a smile, serving tea and snacks.

This tea was also Biluochun, although not as good as the pot Abi brewed yesterday, it was still a top-quality tea.

Chu Bawang had been in Tianlong for several months and was gradually developing a liking for tea. He discovered that drinking good tea was indeed a pleasure. As for why so few people in modern times are willing to drink tea

, there are reasons for that. People don't like bad tea, and they can't afford good tea, leading to the rise of milk tea and coffee, with foreigners making all the money.

Tea like this Biluochun from Taihu Lake, of this quality, would probably cost thousands of yuan per gram in later generations, and even then, it would be priceless and unavailable; even with money, it wouldn't be available.

The King of Chu nodded his thanks, accepted the teacup, and leisurely ate the exquisitely crafted pastries.

He began to reflect on his battle with Kumārajīva. Martial arts require constant refinement, combining the strengths of many schools into one's own. Self-imposed isolation will never lead to true mastery; no matter how well one practices, one can never surpass one's predecessors.

The best way to innovate is through actual combat. The King of Chu had initially thought that with his mastery of several divine skills, he was at least on par with those peerless masters, if not quite. Now, he realized that was a grave mistake.

If he had possessed sufficient combat experience, he wouldn't have been forced to exhaust his internal energy by Kumārajīva at the beginning.

However, this time the gains were considerable. Not only did he master the Six Meridians Divine Sword to a high level, but he also learned a unique method for absorbing the internal energy of others during combat. This could be considered an upgraded version of the Northern Darkness Divine Art. However, this method was something no one else could practice; in the entire world, only he was blessed with this unique skill!

On one hand, one needed strong meridians to withstand the baptism of others' internal energy; on the other hand, one needed a golden core within their body to refine others' internal energy. Otherwise, even if they learned the Northern Darkness Divine Art and the Star Shift Technique, it would be useless.

It's important to understand that if an enemy's internal energy is incompatible with one's own, forcibly absorbing it will only lead to qi deviation. Furthermore, one cannot absorb an enemy's internal energy when they use it in their techniques; otherwise, it will only result in shattered meridians and the loss of all martial arts skills.

Murong Fu dared not do this, and since he couldn't reach a high level with his family's martial art, the Star Shift Technique, he could only learn other schools' techniques to maintain the Murong family's reputation for "using their own methods against them"—a truly tragic situation.

As Xiang Yu was pondering, he suddenly heard footsteps, incredibly light and quick. He focused his mind and clearly saw Abi walking swiftly towards him, her steps hurried, her expression slightly furrowed, her anxiety palpable.

Azhu, having just lost her virginity, walked with a limp, but also looked anxious.

Xiang Yu stood up, his brow furrowing slightly. He wondered why Duan Yu hadn't come with him. Had he seen his fairy-like sister and refused to return?

Then it dawned on him: Duan Yu was probably entangled with Wang Yuyan and had been captured by Lady Wang.

He hadn't expected Duan Yu to be unable to escape this fate. Recalling Duan Yu's experiences, they seemed quite similar to those in the original story, making Xiang Yu even more convinced that fate had its own design.

Even something as unbelievable as time travel had happened to him; what else couldn't happen?

Xiang Yu explained this to himself.

A delicate fragrance wafted by, carrying a refreshing mist. The two women's delicate faces were slightly furrowed, whether from the damage to Qin Yun Xiao Zhu or from Duan Yu's matter, it was unclear.

Chu Bawang smiled and apologized, "Abi, your house was damaged by Brother Chu. You won't ask Brother Chu to pay for it, will you? Brother Chu doesn't have any money."

Seeing the two women's anxiety, Chu Bawang made a timely joke.

The two women were taken aback at first, then laughed lightly, their worried expressions vanishing.

However, Azhu looked at Chu Bawang with a hint of surprise, as if she hadn't expected that the devil from last night could also have a humorous side.

Abi smiled and said, "Brother Chu, I'm always happy when I'm with you." Seeing that Azhu didn't speak, Chu Bawang laughed and said, "Azhu, what's wrong? Aren't you happy? I remember you were very happy last night." "Last night?

What happened to Azhu last night?

I remember talking to Azhu, and she fell asleep."

"You, I..." Azhu was extremely embarrassed when Chu Bawang brought up last night's "shameful affair." She couldn't believe that Chu Bawang would bring it up in front of Abi, which made her feel ashamed and her face flushed.

Abi's unaware expression made her even more embarrassed and ashamed. Thinking of Chu Bawang's roughness last night, Azhu felt a surge of anger. Her lower body was still hurting. That bad man, he didn't know

how to be gentle with a woman. Just now, the way she was limping in pain made Abi think that she was addicted to playing the old woman, but she didn't know how to explain it.

"Come on, Abi, you lead the way, let's go rescue Brother Duan."

Brother Duan Yu's mother was his woman, yet he called him brother. He was really ashamed and embarrassed.

"Brother Chu, how did you know Young Master Duan was captured by his aunt!"

Thinking of Duan Yu falling into Madam Wang's hands, Abi twisted her slender fingers tightly, her beautiful face full of worry. Abi knew a little about Madam Wang's methods and character.

"Brother Chu can tell fortunes, do you believe it?"

Having already played the charlatan once in front of Qiao Feng, she wouldn't mind playing the role of a fortune teller again. In Tianlong, she could indeed be considered "infallible."

Chu Bawang knew that the aunt Abi mentioned was probably his wife. He sighed inwardly. He had done so much, yet Duan Yu still wanted to compete with him for Wang Yuyan. Man proposes, God disposes! He thought, he couldn't just watch his friend fall into the sea of lust and turn a blind eye. He had

originally planned to prevent him from seeing Wang Yuyan again, but in the end, he still came to Mandala Manor and saw Wang Yuyan.

He wanted to save Duan Yu not because he was particularly noble, but partly because Duan Yu had an exceptionally kind heart. Even now, as emperor, Duan Yu possessed none of the arrogance often associated with superiors; such a person was truly worthy of friendship.

Of course, he would also save Duan Yu for Dao Baifeng's sake. Although he had asked Dao Baifeng to stop thinking about his son and focus solely on him, he knew this request was excessive. What mother doesn't love her son?

He was just saying it casually, and Dao Baifeng had confirmed her wholehearted devotion to him. He couldn't possibly watch Duan Yu be slaughtered by Lady Wang and used as fertilizer; the book mentioned that Lady Wang had this hobby, all thanks to Duan Yu's father, the Prince of Zhennan.

Now, while Duan Yu and Wang Yuyan were still relatively isolated, it was best for Duan Yu to leave as soon as possible. However, this request seemed a bit difficult for Duan Yu; given his personality, he would definitely relentlessly pursue Wang Yuyan.

However, Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, also greatly admired Wang Yuyan. He couldn't very well give her to Duan Yu. It seemed the only solution was to abduct Wang Yuyan himself, and then bring her back once the deed was done. By then,

Duan Yu would surely give up. Hmm, a good plan. Xiang Yu had already made up his mind. After rescuing Duan Yu, he would abduct Wang Yuyan, giving him no chance whatsoever.

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