[Wuxia] The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea (Complete) - Chapter 23

In Chapter 32 of Liang Yusheng's *The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea*, the venerable Ice

Maiden, a demon of the Ice Jade Sword Sect, possesses three identities: a princess of Nepal, an elder of the Wudang Sect, and the wife of Tang Xiaolan, the world's greatest swordsman.
Any one of these identities is extraordinary, not to mention her celestial beauty and wielding of an ice sword. Her appearance truly captivated the entire audience, drawing
everyone's attention. The Wudang disciples had an even greater concern. While Yang Chifu had received guidance from his senior brother to defeat Lei Zhenzi within thirty moves
, he certainly possessed the skill to do so. Even though the Ice Maiden was superior to Lei Zhenzi,
no one dared to predict whether she could defeat Yang Chifu. If the Ice Maiden were to lose, the Wudang Sect would truly be wiped out. Yang Chifu,
overwhelmed by her radiant beauty and imposing presence, instantly shed his arrogance and said, "The arrival of the Ice Palace Mistress has
greatly ! Your Ice Jade Sword is a rare treasure of the martial world. Today, we are fortunate to meet, and I hope to broaden my horizons."
The Ice Palace Goddess replied calmly, "Seeing this sword is not difficult; why go to such great lengths to send someone
to steal it ?" As she spoke, she had already drawn the Ice Soul Cold Light Sword. This precious sword was made of ten-thousand-year-old cold jade from an ice cave, completely
transparent and dazzlingly bright. Although their bodies trembled, their hearts were filled with excitement. Everyone thought,
"The Ice Palace Goddess is not afraid of the Asura Yin Sha Technique, and her swordsmanship and lightness skills are superior to our enemies. We are certain to win this battle." Some
even thought that Meng Shentong's junior brother was nothing special, and Meng Shentong himself was probably not much stronger, thus greatly reducing their fear of the enemy.
Every time Yang Chifu was struck by a bullet or a sword, they cheered.
Little did they know that besides the Asura Hidden Fiend Technique, Meng Shentong had also mastered many long-lost martial arts techniques.
He had also completely mastered Qiao Beiming's half of the martial arts manual. Using any one of these techniques would be enough to contend with a top-tier martial arts master of the time.
Although Yang Chifu was not as skilled as him, he had also received some instruction from him. At this moment, Yang Chifu saw that the Asura Hidden Fiend Technique and the Splitting Palm were insufficient to deal with
the Ice River Fairy . He was pondering how to defeat her when he suddenly heard his senior brother whisper in his ear using "Heavenly Escape Transmission": "Heavenly Net Step,
Yin-Yang Claw, Splitting Palm!" Yang Chifu had originally intended to use the "Heavenly Net Step" and the "Yin-Yang Claw," but
he was not , nor had he yet grasped the depth of the Ice River Fairy's skill. Therefore, for a time, the outcome was uncertain. Now, having received
his senior brother 's "Heavenly Escape Transmission," he thought to himself, "My senior brother's discerning eye must have already discerned the opponent's strengths and weaknesses. He instructed me to use these two
techniques while retaining my original Splitting Palm, which is sure to be correct."
Just as he was pondering this, two swords appeared on his body. He immediately stopped praying and used the "Heavenly Net Step." The Ice River Goddess
was feeling quite at ease when she suddenly thrust her sword forward, only to lose sight of her enemy. She suddenly felt a gentle breeze, and her enemy was already behind her.
The Ice River Goddess was incredibly swift; she immediately countered with a sword strike. This time, she saw Yang Chifu's figure sweep past her side, but Yang Chifu
merely floated and flashed lightly, taking two steps. The Ice River Goddess's sword strike missed its mark again. It turns out that this "Heavenly Net Step"
evolved from the art of Qimen Dunjia. It seems simple, but the changes in direction are extremely complex,
far more profound than the "Flower-Walking-Around-Trees" movement technique in superior lightness skills. When one reaches the highest level, even if one encounters an opponent ten times stronger than oneself, one can still preserve
oneself .
The Ice River Goddess thrust out several swords in succession, each one missing its mark. In her killing frenzy, she suddenly rose from the sky and unleashed the "Flying Waterfall and Flowing Spring" move. The Ice Soul
Cold Light slashed through the air, instantly creating hundreds of cold stars falling from the sky. The Ice River Goddess's lightness skill was already superior to her opponent's, and
now, looking down from the air, the enemy had nowhere to hide. She aimed carefully and struck down from mid-air, fully expecting to hit him with one blow.
She was right, but just as the ice sword was about to pierce the enemy, Yang Chifu used a second technique.
He raised both palms simultaneously, his thousand fingers like heavy weights, and grabbed at the air with extreme ferocity. It was a close-quarters grappling
technique , far more domineering than any other grappling technique known in the martial arts world. Strangely, his raised palms
created two opposing suction forces, pulling the person as if into a raging torrent. The Ice River Fairy was terrified. As a princess
, how could she allow herself to be held? If she were to strike with her sword, she might hit him, but she would inevitably fall into
his hands. Moreover, the Yang Chi Talisman, struck by the ice sword, would at most suffer a loss of true energy. If the Ice River Fairy were held, she
might crippled. How could she dare to fight him head-on?
The Ice River Fairy's heart tightened. Before she could be pulled down by the suction, she bent her body, using her incredibly skillful
lightness technique. Her left heel touched her right foot, and she shot back like an arrow with a "whoosh." Even though she retreated
like a meteor, a palm-sized piece was torn from the left corner of her robe!
This rendered the Ice Maiden's exquisite swordsmanship useless, as she couldn't strike her opponent while on the ground. If
she used her lightness skill for close combat, her opponent possessed the "Yin-Yang Claw" technique, making it a losing proposition. Yang Chifu was now in an
invincible position .
The Ice Maiden had no choice but to switch from offense to defense, using her exquisite swordsmanship for self-defense. Her Ice Soul Cold Light Sword transformed into a beam of light, completely
obscuring . She thought, "I see you're empty-handed; how can you possibly break through?"
However, Yang Chifu wasn't in a hurry to enter her sword light circle. His "Heavenly Net Step" and "Yin-Yang Claw" techniques were effective, rendering him
completely immune to the Ice Maiden's threat. He could then leisurely circling the Ice Maiden, unleashing a series of
palm strikes from within a ten-foot radius.
Yang Chifu's skill was originally superior to that of Bingchuan Tiannu. While Bingchuan Tiannu's swordsmanship could defend herself, it couldn't defend against his Six-Splitting Palm technique.
Yang Chifu's palm strikes came relentlessly, their power striking from all directions. Bingchuan
Tiannu was like a small boat adrift in raging waves!
Bingchuan Tiannu inwardly cried out, "This is bad!" She thought, "If this continues, I won't be able to land another blow, and my inner energy will
be exhausted first." Given this situation, and since victory was impossible, she naturally considered retreating.
In Bingchuan Tiannu's mind, her lightness skill was superior, and her opponent feared her swordsmanship. If she retreated, at most she would
lose the battle, and Yang Chifu couldn't stop her.
Little did she know that Yang Chifu's "Heavenly Net Step" could not only be used for defense but also to intercept enemies. The Ice River Fairy swayed slightly, and he
immediately seized the opportunity, shouting, "Trying to escape? Not so difficult! Leave your sword behind!" His voice and body arrived instantly, blocking
the Ice River Fairy's path. Unable to withstand his "Yin-Yang Claw," the Ice River Fairy dared not engage in hand-to-hand combat and had to change direction to flee.
Yang Chifu, following the principles of the Eight Trigrams, flashed and darted, circling a few steps. The Ice River Fairy turned around and found herself right
in front of him again. She was truly caught in a dilemma, with no way to advance or retreat! It turns out that the reason the "Heavenly Net Step" is called that is because...
Because this footwork allows for a complete encirclement of the enemy.
At this moment, everyone present realized that the Ice Maiden's defeat was already evident. The Wudang disciples were especially discouraged, and Lei Zhenzi's face darkened;
he was waiting for the Ice Maiden to be defeated so he could leave the meeting.
Yang Chifu pressed closer and closer, and the Ice Maiden thought, "Oh no, oh no, I can only hold out for half an hour at most." Just
then, she suddenly heard a familiar voice say, "Move in the 'Qian' direction, circle around to an alternate position, and shoot ice bullets into his ears!"
The Ice Maiden was startled. At that moment, Yang Chifu was striking from the "Kun" position behind her, and she couldn't see him at all.
The voice instructed her to move in the 'Qian' direction, circle around to an alternate position, and shoot ice bullets—wouldn't that make the ice bullets useless? The voice was incredibly familiar
, and it spoke in a commanding tone. The Ice Maiden had no time to consider it, nor was she allowed to. In that instant, as if
hypnotized, she followed the voice's instructions, using her unparalleled lightness skill to quickly move from one position to another, and flicked out three
ice bullets . Just as she fired the ice bullets, Yang Chifu appeared precisely at the "Zhen" position in front of her. The first ice bullet struck his
ear, and the second and third hit the dizziness acupoints below his ears. Yang Chifu let
out a muffled groan, suddenly seemingly turning into a stone statue. He was about to unleash a palm strike, raising his hands and feet, his eyes wide open, yet his form and expression
remained —truly both comical and bizarre.
The Ice Maiden laughed, "Alright, do you still want my sword?" The ice sword flashed in front of Yang Chifu, but
his eyelids didn't even move; clearly, the ice bullets had hit his acupoints and were working. It turned out that Yang Chidai practiced a kind of
mysterious . No amount of skillful acupoint striking could cure him
. Only by using a hidden weapon to strike his ear could his acupoint-sealing technique be broken, rendering him immobile. Therefore, one ice bullet was actually enough; the other two
ice bullets that hit his "dizziness acupoint" were superfluous.
This sudden change astonished everyone present, but under everyone's watchful eyes, it was clear that Yang Chidai had
struck the acupoint of the Ice River Fairy. Although Meng Shentong's side felt something was amiss, they remained silent.
The Ice River Fairy said, "Fine, if you don't want my sword, I'm going back!" She had only taken two steps when Meng Shentong suddenly
shouted , "Stop!"
This shout was like a bolt from the blue. The Ice River Fairy froze for a moment, then said, "Jingtian, you take this round for me." She thought
Meng Shentong wanted to avenge her junior brother, and according to the rules of the martial arts arena, no one could force her to continue if she didn't want to.
Meng Shentong swept his eyes across the crowd, gathered his energy in his dantian, and uttered each word clearly, "Which esteemed master has arrived? Please forgive
my failure to greet you properly." His voice was resounding and extremely piercing, audible for approximately four or five miles. This resounding voice immediately
shook the entire area, and everyone opened their eyes wide to see who this extraordinary person was. After a while, there was still no reaction. The crowd
whispered among themselves . Wu Tianlang, relying on his seniority, said in a sarcastic tone, "Meng Shentong must be seeing ghosts. Where is there any expert? If an expert
came, would he be able to hide it from my eyes?"
Meng Shentong's expression changed, and he shouted again, "Your move just now was clearly brilliant. Since you came here with your skills
to oppose , why are you hiding in the shadows, afraid to show yourself?"
Meng Shentong's words caused an uproar in the Wudang Sect. Lei Zhenzi cursed, "Bah, don't take the risk. Are you trying to renege on this
?" Everyone present, except for Bingchuan Tiannu who knew the truth, was completely baffled.
Ignoring Lei Zhenzi's clamor, Meng Shentong directly asked Bingchuan Tiannu, "We're both considered somewhat renowned
figures in the martial arts world. Let's not lie. Did someone secretly transmit a message to you just now?"
Bingchuan Tiannu was still deeply puzzled by that extremely familiar voice, her mind reeling. Moreover, she had never
told . When Meng Shentong asked, she blurted out, "Yes, but I can't be sure who it was." Knowing
that Feng Lin and her daughter had confirmed Jin Shiyi's death, Bingchuan Tiannu was already certain. Therefore, although she felt it was Jin Shiyi's voice,
she couldn't be sure until she met him. Just like Meng Shentong, although he also suspected it was Jin Shiyi, he felt it was too
impossible.
Bingchuan Tiannu's self-admission greatly surprised everyone, and the entire place immediately fell silent. But the mysterious "master" still
hadn't appeared. Meng Shentong chuckled coldly, "Heh, heh, heh," and shouted, "Cao Jin'er, what do you say!"
Cao Jin'er was bewildered and flustered. Before she could speak, Tang Jingtian stood up and said, "Meng Shentong, your junior brother just
had two matches in a row. Did you also use 'Heavenly Escape Transmission' to give him pointers? The Wudang Sect Leader Lei hasn't settled accounts with you yet
! If you think your junior brother's loss was unfair, then the Sect Leader's loss was unfair too! Even if both sides had someone to guide them, you still
owe us a match!"
Lei Zhenzi's spirits lifted, and he shouted, "Ha, so it was you, you old thief, who secretly played tricks! No wonder I lost so
confusedly !" In fact, Yang Chifu's martial arts were indeed far superior to his; even without his senior brother's guidance, he only won more slowly.
Lei Zhenzi's outburst was entirely to save face.
Meng Shentong snorted, disdainful of Lei Zhenzi's presence, but he couldn't help but be intrigued by Tang Jingtian's words.
"Huh, how does he also know about Heavenly Escape Transmission?" His eyes darted around, and he coldly asked, "What Heavenly Escape Transmission? Did you hear me say
any coded language?"
Tang Jingtian knew that the evil sect had the skill of "Heavenly Escape Transmission" because he had learned it from Master Tongchan. However,
Master Tongchan only knew the name and did not know the skill. Therefore, not only Tang Jingtian, but also
martial arts would not have heard the coded language that Meng Shentong had just spoken to his junior brother. However, they had been paying attention and noticed that Meng Shentong's
lips were slightly parted during the battle, so they guessed that he was secretly using "Heavenly Escape Transmission" to instruct his junior brother.
Tang Jingtian couldn't answer, but he was extremely clever. A thought struck him, and he immediately sneered, "What you said earlier was good. We're not exactly nobodys in
the martial arts world , especially you, who considers yourself a grandmaster. Would you lie? What code words did you use?
You know them, I know them, your junior brother knows them, and maybe others know them too. Ask yourself, have you ever used 'Heavenly Escape Transmission'? Do you
really want me to repeat it to you?"
This was a classic case of using one's own spear against one's own shield. Meng Shentong, feeling guilty, dared not pursue the matter further. He reached out and released
Yang Chifu's acupoints, rolled his eyes, and said, "Do you think I'm narrow-minded and would argue with you about the outcome of this match?
Although your wife received some guidance, she still relied on her own skills. Her lightness skill, swordsmanship, and hidden weapons are all quite
proficient . Otherwise, even with guidance, she wouldn't have won. Since she hit my junior brother's acupoints, of course she won this match.
Bah! Do you think I'm like those dishonest and unreasonable people?"
These words sounded fair and reasonable, befitting a grandmaster, but at their core, they were directed at Lei Zhenzi. Lei Zhenzi
understood, but remained silent.
Just when everyone thought the storm was about to pass, Meng Shentong paused and continued, "I'm not concerned about
the outcome of this match, but since you have someone lying in ambush outside, it's against the rules. You must hand him over immediately! I can personally
go down and fight him!"
This presented another problem. Since the mysterious "master" refused to come out, where could Cao Jin'er find one for him? Jiang
Nan secretly wondered, "Why is Master Jin able to swallow this insult? That old scoundrel Meng has clearly challenged him several times,
only without revealing his name." Little did Jiang Nan know that Jin Shiyi's refusal to come out had another reason. Moreover, after
three years of seclusion on the island and practicing the supreme secret manual of the evil sect, Jin Shiyi's temperament had changed somewhat—something
Jiang Nan could never have predicted.
Meng Shentong called out three times, trying to summon the "expert" to appear, but received no response. Enraged, he roared, "Cao Jin'er, this is your
territory! You've hidden an ambush here! I'm asking you for the person!"
In a flash, Meng Shentong shot towards Cao Jin'er like an arrow. The Ice River Fairy was still in the field
and hadn't had time to retreat. Meng Shentong swept past her and suddenly said, "Fine, Cao Jin'er won't talk. I'll
capture , then I'll question her! Hmph, you won't obediently drop your sword, and you still want to fight me?"
Why was Meng Shentong so eager to find the hidden "expert"? Because his suspicions had deepened
. Initially, he thought of Jin Shiyi, but immediately dismissed it, believing it impossible. When he
released acupoints, he discovered that the enemy could access his unique method of sealing acupoints. He thought, "Perhaps someone else knows how to use Heavenly Escape Transmission
, but this method of sealing acupoints with Hunyuan True Qi is something I learned from Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual. Although my junior brother hasn't mastered it perfectly, he's still far beyond
the reach of contemporary masters, unless he's studied that martial arts manual. Who else could it be but Jin Shiyi?" You see, on that deserted island, he and
Jin Shiyi fought over that martial arts manual, each getting half. Jin Shiyi got the first half, which focused on superior martial arts techniques,
including several unsolved martial arts problems that had persisted for centuries, such as the method to avoid "qi deviation."
The second half focused on various extraordinary skills for actual combat, such as how to reach the
ninth . Therefore, Jin Shiyi might not know how to practice the Asura Hidden Fiend Technique, but he was familiar with Qiao Beiming's martial arts mental techniques and could understand their
intricacies the Asura Hidden Fiend Technique was a defensive technique, unbreakable, so Meng Shentong wasn't too worried. The martial arts manual also contained several
extremely vicious and subtle techniques, which Qiao Beiming had only researched in the years before his death. Naturally, they weren't perfected, so Qiao
Beiming wrote down the parts he hadn't fully mastered, leaving them for his successors to remedy. For example, using Hunyuan True Qi to close acupoints and then shooting a hidden weapon into the ear to shatter
the hidden acupoint in the middle ear could break this technique. Jin Shiyi understood these techniques, and even if he didn't know how to use them, he knew their
weaknesses biggest fear was that
Jin Shiyi might die and return to his former position, challenging him for supremacy! Now that he had discovered someone could break his unique acupoint-closing technique, how could he not be anxious and alarmed!
Since Meng Shentong and Jin Shiyi were mortal enemies, Meng Shentong had naturally investigated Jin Shiyi's past and knew that his relationship with Tang Jingtian and his wife was extraordinary. Therefore, in his desperation, he concealed his identity and tried to capture the Ice River Fairy to force Jin Shiyi to reveal himself. Tang Jingtian was shocked and furious to see Meng Shentong
blocking the Ice River Fairy's path and shouted, "Outrageous!" Before he finished speaking, Meng Shentong had already grabbed at the Ice River Fairy. The Ice River Fairy flicked her hand and released seven Ice Soul Divine Bullets. Meng Shentong opened his mouth, and all seven ice bullets fell into his mouth . Meng Shentong swallowed them all and laughed, "Wonderful, wonderful! Better than the Ten Perfect Replenishing Elixir!" Meng Shentong's words were not false. His Asura Yin Sha Technique had reached the ninth level, and swallowing the Ice Soul Divine Bullets could indeed enhance its power. The Ice Maiden retreated swiftly, and Meng Shentong swallowed the ice bullet. He swayed slightly, and without any apparent movement, the Ice Maiden, despite her superb lightness skill , was caught up with by him in the blink of an eye. Meng Shentong reached out to grab it, when suddenly he heard a strange, mournful howl. A beam of dark gold light shot towards him like lightning . This was the Heavenly Mountain Divine Light shot by Tang Jingtian. Back then, the second-generation patriarch of the Heavenly Mountain Sect, the great hero Ling Mofeng, relied on the Youlong Sword and the Heavenly Mountain Divine Light to dominate the world and sweep away evil demons. The Heavenly Mountain Divine Light was harder than refined gold. In terms of the power of hidden weapons, no one could surpass it. It was truly indestructible, and anything that touched it would be destroyed instantly. Seeing this momentum, Meng Shentong was also startled. He thought, "If Tang Xiaolan were here today, she would indeed be a formidable opponent." He immediately withdrew his grabbing hand from the Ice River Fairy and flicked his middle finger. The Heavenly Mountain Divine Light hit him squarely, and a beam of dark gold light shot straight into the sky, even faster than the one shot by Tang Jingtian. It wasn't that Tang Jingtian's hidden weapon skills were inferior, but rather that his skill was far inferior to Meng Shentong's. Therefore, even with the most powerful hidden weapon in the world, he could not do anything to him! However, after deflecting the Heavenly Mountain Divine Light, Meng Shentong felt a slight tingling and numbness in his tiger's mouth. Master Tongchan slowly stood up and said in a deep voice, "Let's talk things out. Why make things difficult for a junior?" Meng Shentong blushed. Master Tongchan, as a respected figure in the martial arts world, had spoken to him, so he naturally had to consider his status and hesitate slightly. Meanwhile, the Ice River Fairy had already fled back to her own formation. Meng Shentong said, "Alright, since it is you, Master, who pleaded for her, I will let her go for now. I only need Cao Jin'er to give her the person." Master Tongchan said, "Mr. Meng, you are mistaken. As far as I know, even if there is a master lurking in the shadows, this person was not invited by Sister Cao. If you cannot find him yourself, how can you expect him to be on her?" Master Jinguang added, "Besides, masters and he saw Mr. Meng instructing his junior brother and felt itchy to show off his skills, following in Mr. Meng's footsteps? I think that since he has such abilities, he would not be afraid of fighting. After this gathering, Mr. Meng can certainly challenge him to a duel." There are few truly capable people in this world. With Mr. Meng's wide circle of friends, surely he can find out the truth? It seems unnecessary to make such a fuss! Master Jin Guang's speech ended there, seemingly unsatisfied . Jiang Nan chuckled, poked his head out from the crowd, made a face, and said, "It seems we should also add: unreasonable!" What Master Tong Chan and Master Jin Guang said was reasonable, but they didn't know the inside story. They thought it was "making a mountain out of a molehill," but Meng Shentong actually considered it a "major threat" and couldn't wait to find this person to see if he was Jin Shiyi. Therefore, he would spare no effort to investigate, and even if Master Tong Chan and Master Jin Guang spoke up, he wouldn't give up! As soon as Jiang Nan's laughter stopped, he immediately seized the opportunity, pretending to be embarrassed and angry, and shouted, "You say I'm being unreasonable!"

"Making a big fuss, being unreasonable? Fine, I'll go all the way and give Cao Jin'er two hundred lashes first, and ask her for breaking the rules.
Who told her to let people in and secretly oppose me? Even if it wasn't arranged, she should still bear the blame for this oversight." Master Jin Guang had just
said , "Mr. Meng, how can you be so unreasonable..." when Meng Shentong shouted, "Anyone who's not satisfied, come at me
! Anyway, I said beforehand that I'd already challenged all the sect leaders to a duel!"
Cao Jin'er trembled with anger and cursed, "Bullshit! Who do you take me for, Cao Jin'er, to dare utter such foul language!"
Meng Shentong said, "You think you're the leader of the Mangshan Sect? In my eyes, you're worthless! Chi Fu, Xiao Feng, come, help me trap them
!" With a swing of his arms, several people fell to the ground. Master Jin Guang said, "Mr. Meng, this old monk will have a match with you!" He
was sitting in the host's seat, which was quite far away, so he had to push through the crowd. Meng Shentong knocked down a few more people. Suddenly, he heard an old voice
say, "Young Meng, I am here. You cannot be so insolent!"
Meng Shentong suddenly felt someone attacking from the side. In the crowd, he was furious and did not have time to investigate. He immediately cursed, "What is
this , impersonating my elder?" With a flick of his sleeve, Meng Shentong unleashed the superior internal energy technique of "Eighteen Falling Techniques," only to suddenly feel the man's extraordinary strength
. With a "whoosh," a piece of his sleeve was torn off. Meng Shentong flipped his wrist, but failed
to grab . He then raised his palm and immediately unleashed the power of the ninth level of the Asura Hidden Fiend Technique.
This man was the imposing Elder Wu Tianlang, over eighty years old, whose martial arts were somewhere between righteous and evil. He loved to show off
his age, and was already somewhat dissatisfied that the various sects' grand gathering at Mangshan hadn't chosen a location for the main tower. Therefore, he rushed ahead of
Master , intending to stop Meng Shentong and display his skills. Given their age difference, calling Meng Shentong "Little Meng" wouldn't have been
inappropriate, but Meng... Without even examining the situation closely, Meng Shentong launched into a tirade, infuriating him to the point of rage! He possessed over seventy years of internal energy and
had mastered several unique martial arts techniques, making him far from ordinary. Thus, Meng Shentong's casual flick tore off his sleeve. However
, when Meng Shentong unleashed his full power, employing the ninth level of the Asura Concealing Fiend Technique, he couldn't withstand the onslaught. Fortunately, he possessed
the "Turtle Hiding Leopard Concealment Technique," similar in principle to the "Heavenly Net Step," and avoided being struck by Meng Shentong's palm. Yet, the overwhelming force of the palm,
carrying chilling, bone-piercing chill, pushed him backward like a spear!
Yang Chifu, following behind his senior brother, bumped into him. Wu Tianlang vented all his anger on him, shoving him on the shoulder and
shouting, "Get out of the way!" Before Yang Chifu could even unleash his "Yin-Yang Claw," he was struck squarely. While Wu Tianlang
had suffered , dealing with Yang Chifu was a piece of cake. Yang Chifu delivered a blow, sending Wu Tianlang tumbling head over heels.
Meng Shentong unleashed the ninth level of his Asura Hidden Fiend Technique. Those within three zhang of him felt a chill run through them, and were
suffocated by the pressure of his palm strike. Several with lower skill levels collapsed to the ground, their fellow disciples quickly carrying them
away . Those uninjured also fled, instantly clearing a large area.
Hearing his junior brother's shout, Meng Shentong turned and saw Wu Tianlang. He realized he had been somewhat reckless, but having already cursed and fought, he decided to go all the way and coldly said, "So it's this old codger. Come on, take another palm strike!
"
"As soon as the sound arrived, another palm strike carrying the power of the Ninth Level of the Asura Yin Sha Technique was unleashed. Just then, a yellow
shadow suddenly appeared between the two of them. It was Master Jin Guang who had arrived silently, wearing an apricot-yellow
robe.
Master Jin Guang clapped his hands and flipped them, instantly sealing Meng Shentong's palms. He said calmly, "Mr. Meng, why are you angry? If you
want to test your palms, this old man will have a match with you." Meng Shentong was taken aback and muttered, "No wonder he and Master Tong Chan were able to stand out among the crowd in
the Central Plains . He truly possesses unparalleled divine skills, no small matter. He actually dared to take
the palm strike of my Ninth Level of the Asura Yin Sha Technique head-on. " Master Jin Guang unleashed the authentic Xuanmen "Taiqing Qigong," cultivated over decades, his internal energy flowing forth and firmly binding
Meng Shentong 's palms. Meng Shentong, in his haste, found himself unable to break free. He thought to himself, "To settle this old monk's score,
it will take at least half an hour." Eager to capture Cao Jin'er and force out Jin Shiyi, he was unwilling to entangle with Master Jin Guang. Suddenly, he unleashed
the Vajra Prajna Divine Skill, channeling all his internal energy from his palms, immediately pushing Master Jin Guang away. He laughed and said, "I am grateful for your
kind regard and willingness to teach me. However, I am currently preoccupied with other matters. How about I seek your guidance later?" Even
though Master Jin Guang's Xuanmen internal energy had reached the highest level, he still felt his blood and qi
surge after being pushed by Meng Shentong. Meng Shentong broke free from Master Jin Guang and rushed to the tomb of the Candle-Armed Nun in the blink of an eye.
Cao Jin'er and three generations of disciples from the Mangshan Sect were on the open ground in front of the tomb, serving as guardians of their master's grave. Seeing
Meng Shentong rush into their sacred place, they were all furious and tried to fight him to the death. Meng Shentong laughed heartily. He
didn't want to expend too much true energy to use the Asura Hidden Fiend Technique, so he only used the "Eighteen Falling Techniques with Clothes Touching His Clothes." The Mangshan Sect disciples
fell away before they could even touch his clothes, and there was no way they could fight him to the death.
Meng Shentong shouted, "Cao Jin'er, where are you going to hide? Xiaofeng, come and bind him!" "Yi Zhongmou, Cao Jin'er, Lu
Daolin, and Lin Wang, the four most skilled martial artists of the Mangshan Sect, took their positions, ready to fight, when suddenly Meng Shentong shouted, 'Ha,
so you were hiding here! Come out now!' He swooped down like a giant eagle, soaring over the man's head and landing in front of a stone statue (an ancient guardian stone placed in front of a tomb, called a Weng Zhong) on the right side of the tomb
of the Candle-Armed Nun. With a loud shout, he swung his palm like a knife,
striking the Weng Zhong's head. Just
as he was about to unleash his deadly attack on Cao Jin'er and the others, he noticed the Weng Zhong sway, and guessed that it was hollow inside, hiding someone. Sure enough, with a single strike, the Weng Zhong fell to the ground, and a person jumped out. But this person greatly surprised Meng Shentong..." Beta stood frozen, unable to bring himself to strike with his second palm: " A lone child appears amidst the flowers and willows, a strange guest arrives with a startling sound." To find out who this person is, please read the next chapter. (From Liang Yusheng's *The Jade Bow and the Clouds* , Chapter 33: A Weak Woman Pleads for Justice, Demons and Gods Overpower ) In that instant, all the disciples of the Mangshan Sect suddenly froze. Cao Jin'er's eyes widened, her expression extremely unpleasant, seemingly both pleased and somewhat embarrassed, clearly indicating that this person's appearance was also greatly unexpected! Li Qin cried out, "Sister Gu! Sister Gu!" It turned out that the girl hidden inside the Weng Zhong's belly was none other than Gu Zhihua, the abandoned disciple of Ye Shanzuo and daughter of Meng Shentong. Gu Zhihua raised her head, silently greeting Li Qinmei, indicating that she had seen her, before her gaze returned to Meng Shentong.

Meng Shentong paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Zhihua, what are you doing here?" Gu Zhihua stood before the Candle-Armed God Niki and
slowly said, "Today is the anniversary of my master's death. I've come first to sweep the tombs of my master and my teacher, and second to ask you to stop
the fighting ."
Meng Shentong said, "Ding, you want me to give up now?" Cao Jin'er slammed her dragon-headed cane heavily on the ground and
said resentfully, "Gu Zhihua, I can't believe you have the nerve to come here, and even dare to say such things in front of my master's tomb! How
easy is it to ? Do you know who killed the four elders of the Beggars' Sect? Do you know
who your wicked father just bullied?"
Yi Zhongnian said, "Senior Sister, please don't be angry." Facing Meng Shentong, he said, "You're right, today's matter certainly cannot
end here! But you've now met the 'master' you're looking for. She was originally a disciple of the Mangshan Sect, but on this day last year,
in this very place, she was expelled from the sect by our sect leader. Now you can probably believe that this person wasn't someone we arranged to ambush
you, right? Alright, now please leave this place. If you want to continue the fight, go to the lawn!" This is
the tomb of the Touch-Arm Divine Nun, a place the Mangshan Sect considers its most sacred. If Meng Shentong were to fight here recklessly, regardless of the final outcome,
if the ancestral tomb were destroyed, even if Meng Shentong were killed, it would be the greatest disgrace to the Mangshan Sect!
Tears welled in Gu Zhihua's eyes. She had expected Cao Jin'er's scolding. Yi Zhongnian, who usually protected her,
now also disrespected her. This made her feel wronged, but what pained her most was the unyielding attitude of both sides
. This martial arts catastrophe was beyond human control!
Despite her grievances, Gu Zhihua bit her lip, held back her tears, and listened to Yi Zhongnian finish speaking.
Meng Shentong laughed heartily and said, "Zhihua, did you hear that? Cao Jin'er doesn't recognize you as her junior sister anymore.
Why are you still helping her? Hmph, even if they refuse to give up, even if Cao Jin'er kowtows two hundred times in front of me,
I won't let it go!"
Meng Shentong knew in his heart that the mysterious figure hiding in the shadows was definitely not her daughter, so he still wanted to follow the
original plan: first capture Cao Jin'er, and then chase after that person. Meng Shentong spoke these words sternly and then ignored
his daughter. He turned around abruptly, his eyes filled with murderous intent, and shouted at Cao Jin'er, "Why don't you come and confess your crimes? Do you really want
me to take action myself? I've already said that I will show no mercy. If you delay any longer, I guarantee that none of you will escape with your lives!"
He raised , and before he could even unleash his power, a chilling aura swept across the ground. Even though Cao Jin'er and Yi Zhongnian had practiced the "Shaoyang Divine Skill" for a year,
they felt unbearably cold and their teeth chattered.
Just as the crisis was about to unfold, Gu Zhihua suddenly appeared, blocking the path between Meng Shentong and Cao Jin'er,
and said , "Please let me say a few more words!" Meng Shentong quickly withdrew his palm strike, and Gu Zhihua continued, "I have thought of several
ways to mediate, but I don't know if they are feasible. Please consider them."
Meng Shentong said, "Go ahead and speak!" Gu Zhihua pointed at him and said, "You harmed the four elders of the Beggars' Sect and bullied
the masters of various sects; these things were originally your fault!" When Meng Shentong heard her fabricate accusations against him as soon as she opened her mouth, he
snorted the fact that she was a woman in front of him, he probably would have killed her with a single palm strike before she finished speaking.
Gu Zhihua turned to Cao Jin'er and said, "There's a saying in the martial arts world: 'Killing someone is just a matter of a head falling to the ground.' If he's willing to repent, I
hope you can forgive him. Of course, 'repentance' isn't just empty talk; I need him to do three things."
Meng Shentong's face turned ashen, and he coldly said, "Repent? Beg for her mercy? Hmph, who are you talking to? Do you know
that your father has lived this long and has never bowed his head to anyone!" His right palm slowly rose in a triangular shape, but upon
seeing his daughter's eyes filled with tears and her pleading expression, Meng Shentong's hand stopped in mid-air once more, and he said:
"Alright, what are the three things? Let me hear them out."
Gu Zhihua said, "First,
you Second, you must withdraw from the martial arts world. Third, I know you have obtained Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual.
If this manual remains in your hands, the various sects will not be at ease, and they also fear that you will pass it on to the wrong person, causing great disaster in the future. Therefore, the third
thing is to ask you to hand over Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual to the highly respected Abbot Tongchan of Shaolin Temple! Alright, these
are the three things, Senior Sister Cao. If he fulfills these three promises, I also hope that you will stop when you should, and
be lenient when you can!"
The disciples of the various sects did not know about Qiao Beiming's history, but their sect leaders did. They were all greatly surprised to hear that Meng Shentong had obtained Qiao Beiming
's martial arts manual.
By this point, Cao Jin'er's fierce demeanor had subsided. Having witnessed the earlier confrontation, she clearly understood that
none of those present, including Master Tongchan and Master Jinguang, could stop Meng Shentong.
Cao Jin'er thought to herself, "Gu Zhihua's mediation doesn't count as betraying the sect. If Meng Shentong agrees to these three conditions,
hmm, that's something I can consider." In truth, she was more than willing to accept these terms if she could save face.
Her silence and reluctance to express her opinion first were merely for the sake of saving face.
Master Tongchan chanted Buddhist prayers, clasped his hands in prayer, and said, “Miss Gu’s words are reasonable. Benefactor Meng, whether it brings fortune or misfortune depends
entirely on your decision.” He continued, “While Meng Shentong is unforgivably wicked, if he were truly willing to offer up Qiao Beiming’s martial arts
manual, according to legends throughout the martial arts world, this manual would integrate the strengths of both righteous and evil schools, opening up a new realm for martial arts.
Disciples of all schools would benefit, and it would greatly contribute to the advancement of martial arts. The great merit and the great sin could
be offset . Moreover, if neither side is willing to back down and they insist on fighting, regardless of who wins, it will inevitably lead to a catastrophe.
” At this moment, hundreds of gazes were focused on Meng Shentong. His expression was wooden; outwardly, he didn’t seem
as angry or terrifying as before. Master Tongchan and Cao Jin’er, among others, only had expectations of him because they hoped he would show
some consideration for their kinship.
But Meng Shentong was heartbroken at this moment, so he appeared unusually calm,
showing no sign of anger. After a long silence, he suddenly burst into a deafening burst of maniacal laughter, which made the eardrums of the disciples from various sects
ring. Those with lower levels of skill even fainted to the ground. After laughing wildly, Meng Shentong tore at his hair and shouted, "Good! You are my
own daughter, my only flesh and blood, and you... you actually forced your father to beg for mercy in humiliation, refusing to bend his arm inward!
Even if I, Meng, have committed heinous crimes, I do not deserve this retribution!"
Gu Zhihua calmly said, "You agree to these three things, and I'll agree to one too. Regardless of your past
sins , I'm willing to acknowledge you as my father again. After you retire from the martial arts world, we'll find a beautiful place to live in seclusion
. I'll stay by your side day and night, enjoying the happiness of family life, never to be separated again. Father, are you willing?"
Meng Shentong had been like a raging wild beast, but Gu Zhihua's words were like
the whip , instantly calming him down. Like his daughter, his eyes filled with tears!
Standing before him was his only blood relative. He thought of his deceased wife, and of the loneliness he had felt over the years, a loneliness
unknown . His daughter was willing to serve him for life, to live a carefree life with him—wasn't this his own wish?
Wasn't it worth sacrificing the honor of being the overlord of the martial arts world for this? At this moment, he was filled with compassion, his thoughts surging like a tide. He almost blurted
out , "Alright, daughter, I will obey you. This is the first time in my life I've ever agreed to someone else's words!" But the words caught in his throat,
and he lacked the courage to continue. His eyes flickered uncertainly; alas, who knew what he was thinking!
Gu Zhihua stared intently at Meng Shentong. Her only hope in mediating this was that Meng Shentong would be moved by
the father-daughter bond. She saw Meng Shentong's expression growing increasingly kind, and Gu Zhihua could almost hear her own heartbeat. She
felt both joy and sorrow, thinking, "If he accepts mediation, this catastrophe in the martial world can be avoided.
I will then accompany him for the rest of my life. Hmm, what will others think?" She knew that her sect and Meng Shentong were sworn enemies. Even if
mediation succeeded, the hatred would not simply disappear. To acknowledge her sect's greatest enemy as her father was tantamount to severing ties with her own sect. Even if she had good intentions
, she feared that her senior sister, the sect leader, would find it difficult to forgive her. In other words, her wish to return to her sect would never be fulfilled.
Suddenly
, the image of Jin Shiqian appeared in her mind again. On this day last year, when she was expelled from the sect by her senior sister,
she clearly remembered the words Jin Shiqian said to her as he sent her down the mountain: "The pure are pure, the impure are impure. The lotus rises from
the mud , the phoenix is born in the secluded valley. He is him, you are you. What does it matter? Why worry?" She never imagined that today, in order to save this catastrophe,
she might end up "mixing the pure and the impure" with him. "Hmm, if Jin Shiyi knew, how would he view me?" She
had also heard the news of Jin Shiyi's death, but she was the only one in the martial arts world who refused to believe it.
But these thoughts were like light clouds obscuring the blazing sun. She had a burning heart, a heart willing
to sacrifice wanted to rescue her father from the abyss of sin, and on the other hand
, she wanted to save her senior sister, the sect leader, from the brink of death. So all criticism, even Jin Shiqian's criticism, was insignificant. She thought to herself: "I only seek
peace of mind. Let them judge me as they will!"
Unfortunately, despite Bi Gu Zhihua's willingness to sacrifice herself to save others, she still could not achieve her goal. Just when she
thought there was hope of success, Meng Shentong's expression suddenly changed, and he said calmly: "I
cannot do any of the three things you mentioned!" "
Fatherly love ultimately couldn't overcome his ambition to dominate the martial arts world, or more precisely, his extreme pride.
After repeated observations, he finally made up his mind. He couldn't kneel and
beg for Besides, I risked my life and endured countless hardships to obtain this martial arts manual. What was it for?" Thinking of
this, his mind made up instantly!
In that instant, Gu Zhihua felt utterly hopeless. Although Meng Shentong's voice was calm, even somewhat kind, it
was like a thunderbolt to her. She felt the world spinning, and she was on the verge of collapse.
Meng Shentong laughed, "Silly child, isn't it better to have an invincible father?" He gently pushed her away and
walked towards Cao Jin'er. With each step, his murderous aura intensified. However, after only three or four steps, Gu Zhihua caught up with him.
Meng Shentong frowned, but before he could speak, a sharp "snap" was heard, and Gu Zhihua had already drawn her Frostflower Sword.
Meng Shentong coldly said, "Do you want to be my enemy?" Before he could finish speaking, Gu Zhihua suddenly reversed his sword, thrusting it towards
his own chest.
Cao Jin'er cried out, "Ah!" Almost simultaneously, a clang rang out, and a streak of green light shot into the air. Gu Zhihua
's sword slipped from her grasp, and she fell to the ground. Meng Shentong strode forward, grabbing at her with both hands!
However, at that very moment, Meng Shentong suddenly felt two powerful forces attacking simultaneously. It was Master Tongchan and
Master . They had come to protect Cao Jin'er while Meng Shentong was talking to his daughter. Seeing Gu Zhihua suddenly fall, the two
masters attacked at the same time.
Meng Shentong's left palm caught Master Tongchan's attack, while his right palm pressed down on Master Jinguang's, with a muffled "Clang, clang!" Two sounds rang out, and Meng Shentong
stumbled back three steps. Master Tongchan and Master Jinguang also lost their footing and separated. Just then, Cao Jin'er had already carried Gu Zhihua
back.
Meng Shentong angrily said, "She is my daughter! I want to take her back. Whether she lives or dies is none of your business!" Master Tongchan
said , "Excellent! Excellent! This old man may not be able to interfere, but there are others here who can!" Turning around, he asked, "
Am I right? Sister Cao, this is your responsibility!"
Cao Jin'er handed Gu Zhihua to a female disciple, her expression solemn, and said sternly, "Today, as the
head , I publicly announce that I allow Gu Zhihua to rejoin the sect from this day forward!" "Gu Zhihua risked his life to protect her, finally
moving , but unfortunately, Gu Zhihua couldn't hear him.
In the martial arts world, father and master are equally important, and if the father and master are enemies, the rule is to obey the master, not the father, unless she
willingly leaves her sect, in which case it's a different story. Now, everyone present has heard what Gu Zhihua just said. If
Meng Shentong refuses to agree to those three conditions, that is, if he refuses to reconcile with Cao Jin'er, she will not acknowledge him as her father. And..." Everyone
had heard Gu Zhihua repeatedly address Cao Jin'er as "Sect Leader Sister," which was clear
evidence that she didn't want to leave the sect. Now that Cao Jin'er had officially announced her return to the sect, Meng Shentong couldn't control her no matter what he said.
Master Tongchan spoke a few words with righteous indignation, then ignored Meng Shentong and went back to check on Gu Zhihua. He found Gu Zhihua with her eyes
tightly closed and her face pale. Cao Jin'er said tearfully, "She seems to have stopped breathing!"
Master Tongchan checked her pulse and said, "No, she's perfectly fine."
When , she had already felt her body was ice-cold. Now Master Tongchan said she was alright. If Master Tongchan weren't a highly respected martial arts
master, she would never have believed it.
Master Tongchan said, "She's alright, but I can't wake her up right now!"
Cao Jin'er asked, "Is she drugged?" Master Tongchan shook his head, "No, if she were drugged, that would be easy to handle. She's been
hit by a strange acupoint striking technique I've never seen before in martial arts manuals. I only know how to do it, but not why."
It turned out that when Gu Zhihua drew her sword to commit suicide, Meng Shentong, on a whim, immediately used a technique he learned from Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual called
"Free and Easy Finger" to knock her unconscious. This acupoint striking technique causes no physical harm, but unless
someone knowledgeable in this technique can release her, she will remain unconscious forever. Meng Shentong used this technique for three reasons: first, to prevent his daughter from committing suicide; second, to prevent
Gu Zhihua from nagging him; and third, in case she was taken away by someone powerful, he assumed no one could release her from the acupoints.
Cao Jin'er felt relieved and asked, "Then, what should we do?" Master Tongchan thought for a moment and said, "
If fortunate enough to be unharmed after this meeting, I will use my One-Finger Zen Skill to open her eight extraordinary meridians. She will then
awaken on her own." The One-Finger Zen Skill is one of Shao Xiu's seven unique martial arts techniques. It consumes considerable internal energy and takes at least two hours to
open someone's eight extraordinary meridians, so Master Tongchan cannot perform this now. Cao Jin'er already knew that Gu Zhihua was unharmed, yet Master Tongchan
was willing to expend his energy to awaken her after the meeting. His care for the younger generation was truly admirable. Cao Jin'er recalled her past treatment
of Gu Zhihua and felt both grateful and ashamed.
Yi Zhongyang said, "Let's move Junior Sister Gu back to the temple first, lest Meng Shentong snatch her away again." Cao Jinxiong said, "You're right
, but we still need to find one or two highly skilled martial artists to protect her." Just now, Tu Zhaoming broke through the Wudang sword formation, and several Wudang disciples
were injured. They were looking for someone to escort them back. Li Qinmei took her mother's hand, and Feng Lin smiled and said, "I know you want to accompany
Sister . Alright, let's send the injured back together." Feng Lin's martial arts skills were second only to Masters Tong Chan and Jin Guang, making her
the most suitable candidate. Feng Lin thought for a moment and then said, "Zhong Zhan, you should come back with me too. These injured Wudang
disciples are all men, so it will be easier for you to take care of them." In fact, Feng Lin never cared about gender, and besides, these Wudang
disciples were her juniors. She wanted Zhong Zhan to come along because she already considered him her son-in-law and was afraid he would be
injured in the upcoming melee. This battle was a once-in-a-century event in the martial arts world. Although Zhong Zhan really wanted to go, he
preferred to stay with Li Qinmei. When Feng Lin called him, he was happy to give up the fish for the bear's paw.
Master Tongchan turned around and said, "Benefactor Meng, the 'master' you sought to find has been found,
and the matter you wanted to manage has been taken care of for you. Would you still
like to continue the competition as agreed upon by you and this old monk?" Meng Shentong thought for a moment. If things continued and they insisted on capturing Cao Jin'er, it would inevitably lead to a chaotic battle. With Master Jinguang and Master Tongchan attacking together, he
was not confident of victory. If they followed the original agreement, even in a series of battles, he was confident of defeating dozens of masters. Besides, his daughter was
protecting her sect leader, so even if he didn't consider Master Tongchan, he should consider his daughter. Therefore, he nodded proudly
.
The chaos subsided, and everyone returned to the lawn, resuming the previous standoff. Meng Shentong's face was frosty, his expression
cold and arrogant, sending
chills down one's spine. Yang Chifu and Ji Xiaofeng stood on either side, one to the left and one to the right. Yang Chifu had just been knocked down by Wu Tianlang, injuring the tendons in his calf, and walked with a limp, dejected. Ji Xiaofeng, on the other hand, was beaming with pride. It turned out that he had just
weaved through the crowd, displaying his skillful thievery, and had taken quite a few odds and ends, such as the Buddhist beads of the Great Master Zhi,
the beaded flowers on Cao Jin'er's shoes, Lu Yinghao's unique butterfly dart, Lin Wang's jade flute, and so on
. He was the world's number one thief, and once he got his hands on something rare and precious, he couldn't resist the urge to steal it. He didn't care about
the value of ; like people today who enjoy collecting souvenirs, the more famous the person who used something, the more valuable it was. Ji Xiaofeng had stolen
many items from famous martial arts masters today, enough for him to boast about for the rest of his life.
Meng Shentong stared at Ji Xiaofeng and said calmly, "Give me the Heaven-Mending Ointment!" Ji Xiaofeng was taken aback and muttered, "
Where would any Heaven-Mending Ointment? Ah, right, right, Master must be referring to one of the spiritual medicines I stole." But he had just stolen
more than a dozen different kinds of ointments and elixirs, and he himself had no idea which one was the Heaven-Mending Ointment.
Meng Shentong, impatient with further conversation, lightly patted his shoulder, instantly creating a rustling sound as a pile of
strange souvenirs" littered the ground. Pointing to a long-necked jade bottle, Meng Shentong said, "Dissolve the ointment and give it to your uncle
as a hot compress!" He paused, then added, "Foolish thing, you took someone else's things but don't know their use, your knowledge is shallow; and you call yourself a
master thief ? Learn more from your uncle in the future."
Ji Xiaofeng responded, "Yes?" He bent down to pick up the bottle, and in an instant, when he stood up, all others
saw was the long-necked jade bottle in his hand, but the entire pile of items on the ground had vanished. It was clear that while picking up
the bottle, he had also hidden the other items; his swift and clean movements were truly unbelievable! Thieves are also known as "Three
Hands," but judging by his methods, he was more than just "three hands"—he was practically a thousand-armed Buddha, concealing things as
if performing magic!
The victims whose belongings he had stolen were dumbfounded, while Wu Tianlang blushed with shame. It turned out that the "Heaven-Mending Ointment" was
his. This ointment was renowned for its ability to mend broken bones and tendons, and its effects were extremely rapid; newly broken bones and tendons could be restored to their original state in less than half an hour. It
was created by Miao San Niang, the previous leader of the Qiangtong Sect. Because she was a woman, and because her words were so miraculous, she named it "
Heaven-Mending Ointment," taking its name from the legend of Nuwa mending the sky with a stone. The masters of various martial arts sects naturally recognized the "Heaven-Mending Ointment" as a treasure of the Qiangtong Sect, so when
Meng Shentong mentioned the name, he knew that Wu Tianlang had fallen for Ji Xiaofeng's trick.
Just now, when Meng Shentong was causing a ruckus, Wu Tianlang received a palm strike from him. Although it knocked him back, it also tore off a piece of his sleeve
and injured Yang Chifu. In comparison, he had the upper hand, so he was quite smug
. Little did he know that his own miraculous medicine from the Wooden Gate had been given to Meng Shentong's disciple Yu, and he was even more humiliated! He couldn't help but blush. Actually, Meng Shentong didn't mean to humiliate
him. It was just that although Meng Shentong also had the pleasure of mending tendons and bones, its effects were not as fast and good as the Heaven-Mending Ointment. Therefore, he asked Ji Xiaofeng
to use the Heaven-Mending Ointment to treat his master uncle. As
Ji Xiaofeng and Yang Chifu were leaving, Meng Shentong suddenly asked, "How many rounds have been fought?" Ji Xiaofeng replied, "Seven
rounds in total, with three wins, three draws, and one tie."
Meng Shentong waved his hand, and after Ji and Yang left, he strode out to the center of the arena and said loudly, "After fighting for so long... "
"Since it's getting late, I'd like to perform one match myself. I'd like to learn from all the sect leaders and masters.
If you defeat me, I will immediately commit suicide. If I am fortunate enough to win, well, then I'll ask you to keep your promise
and submit your disciples to my sect! Will all the sect leaders come at once, or will they take turns teaching me?"
Originally, according to the agreement between Meng Shentong and Master Tongchan, the two sides' masters would first challenge each other to a duel. If Master Tongchan's side
won, then Meng Shentong would appear last. Following this method, the Mangshan Conference would take at least three to five days to reach a conclusion.
Now, Meng Shentong is clearly impatient and has voluntarily stepped forward early, intending to use his unparalleled martial arts to forcefully subdue the various sects.
Master Tongchan could have asked him to maintain the original plan and continue the proceedings, but Master Tongchan's status is such that he also needs to
uphold the dignity of the various sects . Yan, of course, could not refuse Meng Shentong's challenge.
However, who should deal with Meng Shentong first was a matter of great concern. Although Meng Shentong could allow the leaders of various sects to attack him together,
how could someone of the status of Master Tongchan and Master Jinguang unite with other sect leaders to besiege him? Even a
"war of attrition" would be beneath their dignity.
Suddenly, an old voice said, "Brother Meng, I overestimated myself. I only exchanged one palm strike with you just now, and
I was not satisfied. How about I risk my life to accompany you in a battle?" This old man was Wu Tianlang. He was particularly arrogant
and conceited. Having suffered a setback just now, he was confident that he still had a way to resist Meng Shentong's palm strike, so he stepped forward without showing any restraint.
Meng Shentong said calmly, "Alright, since Elder Wu wants to teach me, please draw up the rules." Wu Tianlang smiled and said, "
Don't be impatient." "Wait a moment," he said, taking out a shiny black cylinder. Pressing the bottom with his thumb, a burst of flame erupted.
Before he even reached Meng Shentong, the flame wasn't aimed at Meng Shentong, but rather he held the fire-breathing cylinder in his left hand to burn his right.
When he first took out the fire-breathing cylinder, everyone was greatly puzzled and wondered, "How can this oldest senior in the martial arts world
be so useless?"
It should be understood that when martial arts are honed to perfection, reaching a state of perfect harmony between spirit and energy, every movement, even plucking a leaf or sending a flower flying, possesses boundless
power. Why would one need to rely on external weapons? Therefore, anyone who relies on hidden weapons for fame, no matter how vicious, will never be
a first-rate master. Thus, when the attendees first saw Wu Tianlang take out the fire-breathing cylinder, they were all greatly surprised, thinking, "This
old man thinks so highly of himself, why is he using a firearm? With Meng Shentong's skills, how could he possibly be burned by your firearm?" "
Who would have thought that Wu Tianlang wouldn't use the flamethrower to burn Meng Shentong, but rather to burn his own hands! This
surprised everyone even more than before. No matter how skilled a person is in martial arts, they are still made of flesh and blood. Now, Wu Tianlang was actually letting himself
be engulfed in , which was simply unbelievable!
Seeing the astonished looks on everyone's faces, Wu Tianlang was very pleased with himself and laughed, "This old man is afraid of the cold. Before going out, he's just warming
his hands. Why are you all so surprised!" On the lawn, the cold air emitted by the Ice Soul Divine Bullet had not completely dissipated, and it was indeed
much , but everyone knew that Wu Tianlang was not afraid of the cold. This was just a "cold talk."
Ji Xiaofeng thought to himself, "I've seen martial arts masters swallow knives and breathe fire. Is this old man's trick also an illusion to
scare people?" He was brewing medicine by the side of the field, guarding the stove. The charcoal in the stove was burning red-hot. On a whim, he smiled at Wu Tianlang
and said, "This old man is afraid of the cold. Come here and warm the ready-made person!" "This is even better," Wu Tianlang said. He threw the fire-breathing tube,
which caught fire on a section of tree root. In a few moments, half of it was charred. Ji Xiaofeng was surprised and exclaimed, "This is
even more powerful than the person in the furnace!" The Ice Maiden quickly fired an Ice Soul Divine Ball to extinguish the flames and prevent a fire. Wu Tianlang
sat cross-legged beside the furnace, plunging his hands into the scorching embers, repeatedly saying, "Comfortable, so comfortable!" Ji Xiaofeng
peered closer and closer to him, when suddenly Wu Tianlang snorted and shouted, "You little thief, you still want to steal my
things!" Ji Xiaofeng tumbled several times, falling more than three zhang away, utterly humiliated.
This time, however, Ji Xiaofeng was truly wronged. He had wanted to use his extensive experience in the martial world to see
what tricks Wu Tianlang had up his sleeve. Wu Tianlang, seeking revenge for the arrow he had just received, leaned back slightly upon realizing Ji Xiaofeng was behind him. The moment Ji Xiaofeng touched
him, Wu Tianlang used his protective divine skill to send him flying several zhang away. Given Wu Tianlang's abilities, Ji Xiaofeng wouldn't have been able to steal his things anyway
, but because of his cunning... Wu Tianlang had to focus entirely on dealing with Meng Shentong to allow him to succeed. Now, Wu Tianlang was determined to punish him, and both men,
overconfident in their elusive movements and unaware of the danger, dared to approach his back, thus immediately receiving their retribution. Fortunately,
Ji Xiaofeng sensed danger and immediately dodged, falling heavily and biting him, but was unharmed.
Wu Tianlang withdrew his hand, slowly stood up, and said, "Brother Meng, we only exchanged one palm strike just now, not enough. How about
we continue?" He clapped his hands together, producing a metallic clang, sparks flying everywhere!
Everyone was shocked to see his palms glowing red, like freshly forged iron plates, and whispered, "Could he
have truly mastered the supreme Vajra Indestructible Body?" "
It turns out that Wu Tianlang hadn't actually cultivated an indestructible body. In the Wufeng Cave of Yinshan, a type of celestial silkworm silk was produced,
more fire-resistant than the finest asbestos, but its production was extremely limited. He spent thirty-three years collecting the silkworm silk to make a pair of gloves,
and then layered an extremely thin metal glove over it—so thin that it was impossible to see through. This metal glove was the same color as flesh,
so if someone saw it, they would think he had truly allowed the flames to burn his hands. However, although he wore a fire-resistant
celestial silkworm , the metal glove was still heated to a high red-hot temperature, which ordinary martial artists couldn't withstand. Therefore
, its protective power, while not comparable to that of Master Tongchan or Master Jinguang," was still considered top-notch.
Meng Shentong was unaware of the secrets behind Wu Tianlang's double gloves. Seeing Wu Tianlang's palms burning red and radiating heat, he was somewhat surprised, thinking
, "No wonder people say this old man's martial arts are extremely strange; it truly lives up to its reputation." However, he was not afraid and
said , "Since you've drawn your own line, I'll play along. Make your move!"
Wu Tianlang unleashed a move called "Soaring Heavenly Horse," striking with both palms simultaneously. One palm aimed at Meng Shentong's chest, and the other at his face.
The ferocity and domineering nature of the palm technique was one thing, but if his blazing palms were to strike him, wouldn't it be like being branded with red-hot iron bars? Although
Meng Shentong great
supernatural powers, he still had to be cautious. He feigned a strike, not daring to take the blow head-on, but still using the palm power of the ninth level of the Asura Yin Sha Gong
. Wu Tianlang's red-hot palms were precisely designed to prevent Meng Shentong from touching him. If Meng Shentong's palms couldn't touch him, the power of the Asura Yin Sha Gong would be unleashed.
Unable to exert his full strength, Niao Tianlang was essentially just receiving the force of Niao Tianlang's palm strike. Although he still felt immense pressure and
shortness of breath, it was nothing serious. On the contrary, Meng Shentong was wary, constantly being pursued and forced to dodge, putting him
at a disadvantage.
Meng Shentong's eyesight was exceptional; after a while, he noticed that the heat emanating from Niao Tianlang's palms was unlike the true yang
energy of internal martial arts, and guessed that his palms were probably covered with a very thin layer of metal. However, he did not yet know the secret of the Heavenly Silkworm Gloves,
nor had he figured out the most appropriate way to deal with Niao Tianlang's scorching "strange palm," so he remained defensive.
Another strange thing was that, like red-hot iron, which would cool down over time, Niao Tianlang's strange palms, after fighting Meng Shentong for
more than thirty moves, still remained hot!
Meng Shentong, having mastered the strengths of both righteous and evil sects, thought to himself, "Although this old man cannot use pure Yang energy to harm others, his skill
is indeed formidable. If I only use the Asura Hidden Fiend Technique to deal with him, without touching his body, it will take at least an hour to
cool his palms." It turned out that Wu Tianlang had concentrated pure Yang energy in his palms, increasing the heat. Meng Shentong used the Yin Fiend Qi emitted
by his Pi Kong Wang technique to counteract him, and although he still had a slight advantage, he couldn't cool Wu Tianlang's palms in the heat of the moment.
Meng Shentong wanted to use his unparalleled martial arts to subdue the martial arts masters of the various sects. He thought that if he were to be entangled with Wu Tianlang for an hour, even a victory
would not be honorable. So, he frowned, a plan forming in his mind. He feigned fear of the heat of Wu Tianlang's palms and retreated repeatedly.
Wu Tianlang's palms moved like knives, launching a series of attacks. Meng Shentong followed with a swift, deliberate step, but suddenly appeared unsteady. Wu Tianlang
was overjoyed and unleashed a move called "Horizontal Cloud Breaking Peak," slashing down with his left palm. Suddenly, his palm missed its mark, and he felt a gust of wind behind his head. It turned out that Meng Shentong had used the Heavenly Net
Step technique, circling behind him and blowing a breath of cold air into his ear.
Meng Shentong was as fast as lightning, but Wu Tianlang was no less formidable. Sensing danger, he immediately retaliated with a palm strike, but he was still a fraction too slow.
With a hissing sound, a piece of his robe was torn off by Meng Shentong! The cold air blowing into his eardrum caused immediate ringing and dizziness.
This move by Meng Shentong had the same effect as the Ice River Fairy's earlier instruction to use ice bullets to hit Yang Chifu's ear. Wu Tianlang's
skill was far superior to Yang Chifu's, and he could barely withstand the attack, but his movements were already slower than before.
Originally, Meng Shentong could have easily defeated him using only the "Heavenly Net Step" and the "Yin-Yang Claw," but Meng Shentong, intending to show off his martial arts,
tore off piece of his clothing, wrapped it around his hand, and laughed, "Come on, let's exchange palm strikes!" He pressed forward, and with a "thud," their palms
met. The tattered cloth wrapped around Meng Shentong's palm instantly burst into flames. Meng Shentong swiftly withdrew his palm and blew away the ashes. Because
the palm strike was as fast as lightning, although the tattered cloth wrapped around Meng Shentong's hand was burned, his skin and flesh remained completely unharmed.
Meng Shentong laughed heartily, "One palm strike wasn't enough, let's go again, again!" He moved his palms like the wind, "Boom! Boom! Boom!" striking
three times in succession. After exchanging a palm strike with him, the chilling energy had already entered Wu Tianlang's palm, following the Shaoyang meridian in his hand and attacking
his body . The heat in his palm was greatly reduced as a result, and Meng Shentong no longer needed the tattered cloth to make direct contact with him.
After exchanging four blows, Wu Tianlang's face turned ashen. Meng Shentong sneered, "Having had your fun yet?" With a "thud," another blow landed.
How could Wu Tianlang withstand this? He
immediately spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground! Meng Shentong took out a pill. Wu Tianlang was coughing up blood, his lips not yet closed, when the pill was flicked into his mouth. Meng Shentong
laughed , "My disciple took your Heaven-Mending Ointment, and I'll return you a Six Yang Moon Pill to save your life. One thing for a kiss, I
've finally done right by you!" "
These Six Yang Moons were concocted by Meng Shentong using six of the hottest poisons. An ordinary person would die instantly from
bleeding . However, if someone is injured by his Asura Hidden Fiend Technique, it can have the effect of fighting poison with poison, thus saving their life." Wu
Tianlang was forced to swallow one, but felt a surge of yang energy flowing through his body along the Shaoyang meridian. He knew that Meng Shentong was not lying to him, and that the Six Yang
Moons were indeed effective. He said, "With a formidable enemy at hand, how can I be concerned with saving face? To avenge my senior brother,
I can't afford ." "He immediately drew his longsword and attacked Meng Shentong.
Qi Lianpei's sect leader, Qi Tianle, was a friend of Wu Tianlang. He was a man between the righteous and the evil factions and didn't care much about
such formalities. Besides, he himself felt he had no chance against Meng Shentong. Seeing Xin Yinnong draw his sword and advance, he also
struck out with one palm.
Meng Shentong used a coiling dragon step to circle to Xin Yinnong's side, but before he could hide, he heard the sound of a golden blade cutting through the wind behind him. Xin
Yinnong's second move had already arrived. The sword light flickered and changed unpredictably, so strangely that even Meng Shentong felt a chill in his heart. Meng Shentong laughed and said, "Your swordsmanship is even better than your senior brother's. In the Qingcheng Sect, you are undoubtedly the best. Use
the Heavenly Orchid Palm as well !"
"It turns out that the Qingcheng Sect is famous for three martial arts masterpieces: the Heavenly Net Step, the Heavenly Escape Sword, and the Heavenly Orchid Palm. The Qingcheng Sect split off from the Emei Sect at the end of
the Southern Song Dynasty . By the mid-Ming Dynasty, during the time of Qiao Beiming, these three martial arts techniques had been perfected.
The Heavenly Net Step that Meng Shentong learned from Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual was a variation of the Qingcheng Sect's Heavenly Net Step, but it
was even more profound. Therefore, Meng Shentong dared not use it on Xin Yinong, only instructing him to use the Heavenly Orchid Palm again.
Qiao Beiming had also studied the Heavenly Escape Sword and the Heavenly Orchid Palm, but his research yielded only a limited understanding of their techniques."
The technique, recorded in the first half of his martial arts manual, was something Meng Shentong had never learned. His injury to Xin Yinnong's senior brother, Han Yinqiao, was purely
due to the power of the ninth level of the Asura Yin Sha Technique. He could have defeated Xin Yinnong with the Asura Yin Sha Technique, but he wanted to
explore the secrets of the Heavenly Escape Sword and Heavenly Testicle Palm; secondly, because Xin Yinnong's swordsmanship was extremely refined, the Asura Yin Sha Technique
would only be effective against a first-rate master like Xin Yinnong if it came into direct contact. However, in close combat, Meng Shentong was wary of Xin Yinnong's
swordsmanship . Even though he said, "With a formidable enemy before us, how can we be concerned with saving face? To avenge my senior brother, even a two-
on-one fight is acceptable. " "He immediately drew his longsword and attacked Meng Shentong.
Qi Lianpei's sect leader, Qi Tianle, was a friend of Wu Tianlang. He was somewhere between the righteous and the evil factions and didn't care much about
such formalities. Besides, he felt he had no chance against Meng Shentong. Seeing Xin Yinong draw his sword, he also
struck out with his palm.
Meng Shentong used a coiling dragon step to circle to Xin Yinong's side, but before he could disappear, he heard the sound of a golden blade cutting through the wind behind him. Xin
Yinong's second attack had already arrived. The sword light flickered and changed unpredictably, its unpredictable changes even making Meng Shentong's heart tremble.
Meng Shentong laughed, "Your swordsmanship is even better than your senior brother's. In the Qingcheng Sect, you are undoubtedly number one.
Use the Heavenly Orchid Palm as well!" It turned out that the Qingcheng Sect was famous for three martial arts techniques: the Heavenly Net Step, the Heavenly Escape Sword, and the Heavenly Orchid Palm. The Qingcheng Sect was a southern...
The Qingcheng School, which branched off from the Emei School at the end of the Song Dynasty, had perfected its three martial arts techniques by the time of Qiao Beiming in the mid-Ming Dynasty.
Meng Shentong's "Tianluo Step," learned from Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual, was a variation of the Qingcheng
School's "Tianluo Step," but even more profound. Therefore, Meng Shentong dared not use it against Xin Yinnong, only instructing him to use the Tiangao Palm again.
Qiao Beiming had also researched the Tian Dun Sword and Tianzhi Palm, two unique martial arts techniques, but
the methods he developed to counter them were recorded in the first half of his martial arts manual, which Meng Shentong never learned. His injury to Xin Yinnong's senior brother, Han Yinqiao, was purely
due to the power of the ninth level of the Shura Yinsha Technique. He could have defeated Xin Yinnong with the Asura Yin Sha Gong right now, but he wanted to
explore the secrets of the Heavenly Escape Sword and the Heavenly Orchid Palm. Secondly, Xin Yinnong's swordsmanship was extremely refined; using the Asura Yin Sha Gong against
a top-tier master like Xin Yinnong would only be effective if it touched his body. In close combat, Meng Shentong was wary of Xin Yinnong's
swordsmanship . Even if he killed Xin Yinnong, he would only suffer minor injuries, which would be a great loss of face.
Fortunately, Meng Shentong knew many superior martial arts and could use them according to the opponent.
While Meng Shentong was speaking, Xin Yinnong had already unleashed a series of extremely complex and fierce sword moves.
The sword light flashed, appearing in front and then suddenly behind. This swordsmanship was famous for its ruthlessness, accuracy, speed, and changeability; it came without a trace and went without
a trace, hence the name Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship. Even though he wielded his sword with lightning speed, each strike seemingly poised to pierce Meng Shentong, he always
missed by a mere half-inch. Whenever his sword tip touched Meng Shentong's clothes, Meng Shentong would use his superior internal energy to deflect his
force , causing his sword to slide aside. This skill was similar to the Wudang School's "Eighteen Falling Techniques,
" but far more powerful.
On the eighth move, when Meng Shentong ordered him to use the "Heavenly Palm," Xin Yinong
roared sword and palm strikes. His palm moved like thunder, and his sword like lightning. With a press and pull of his left palm, he generated a strong suction force,
causing Meng Shentong's body to tremble slightly and lean forward. With a sharp sound, the sword sliced past Meng Shentong's shoulder
. Qi Tianle, who was working with Xin Yinong, saw this excellent opportunity and immediately used a coiling dragon step to circle behind Meng Shentong,
striking him in the back with a "Stone Tablet-Opening Hand."
Meng Shentong praised, "The Heavenly Orchid Palm truly lives up to its name!" Suddenly, he leaped up,
soaring over Qi Tianle's head like a towering figure. Qi Tianle hurriedly turned and struck out with his palm. Meng Shentong shouted, "Good! Now I'll test your Hunyuan
Qigong !"
His palm struck down like shredded leather, with a loud "thud" followed by a "hiss." Before anyone could see
clearly , the two were already separated. Qi Tianle's large vest was torn to shreds, and Meng Shentong's sleeve was ripped off
. Meng Shentong remained calm, while Qi Tianle, as if he had drunk a few cups, appeared slightly drunk, his face flushed and pale.
It turned out that Qi Tianle's Hunyuan Qigong was the highest level of "endurance" skill. Meng Shentong's palm strike, imbued with the power
of the ninth level of the Asura Hidden Fiend Technique, only slightly trembled his internal organs, failing to truly injure him. Besides his Hunyuan Qigong, Qi Tianle's "
Dislocating Tendons and Bones Hand" was also the best in the martial arts world. Any enemy who got close to him would immediately have their arms and legs broken. Meng Shentong, relying on
the profound footwork of his Tianluo Step, barely managed to dodge, but even with his speed, he couldn't completely lose a piece of his sleeve.
Meng Shentong was somewhat cautious in dealing with their combined attack, and in his haste, he didn't dare to press too hard. He
split his palms, unleashing his most powerful "Vajra Palm Force," striking Qi Tianle on the left and Xin Yinong on the right, the force like a tidal wave. Qi
Tianle had just taken a blow, his internal organs shaken, and although he wasn't injured, his spirit was shaken. Xin Yinong's Tianzhi Palm Force could barely
withstand it, but its sword techniques were deflected by Meng Shentong's palm force, at most only reaching within three feet of him.
In the blink of an eye, more than twenty moves had passed, and Meng Shentong had already grasped the essence of the Tian Dun Sword and Tianzhi Palm. Suddenly withdrawing
his Vajra Palm power, he switched to the Swimming Body
Eight Trigrams Palm to fight them. Xin Yinnong sensed the weakening of his palm power, and his longsword flashed like a rainbow as he immediately pressed forward. Meng Shentong smiled faintly, "You two have fought me for fifty or thirty moves, that's quite an achievement, you should rest." With a
flick of his middle finger, a wisp of cold wind pierced towards Xin Yinnong's eyes, causing them to sting and tears to well up. In his blurry vision, he seemed to see Meng Shentong's shadow
already in front of him, and hurriedly unleashed a move called "White Rainbow Piercing the Sun," a killer move from the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique
. Xin Yinnong was willing to fight his powerful enemy to the death.
But then he heard a scream, and the person in front of him fell to the ground like a piece of wood. Only then did he see clearly: it was Qi Tianle who
had fallen not Meng Shentong!
In that instant, Meng Shentong used the ultimate technique of "Rotating the Universe," subtly
guiding Xin Yinong's sword towards Qi Tianle with a flick of his fingers along the spine. Xin Yinong's strike was already at full power, and combined with Meng Shentong's
own Yinong's sword tip
sliced a five- or six-inch-long wound into his stomach.
Meng Shentong clapped his hands, stepped aside, and laughed, "This is your own people hurting your own people; how hateful! Fortunately,
this external injury can be healed with the Golden Wound Medicine of your Qingcheng Sect, so I probably won't need to provide any more medicine." Indeed:
The demons surge, who can subdue them? Blood chills the Mangshan Mountains.

To find out what happens next, please turn to the next chapter.

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