Chapter 105

“Hiss!”

Two dragon-shaped sword energies shot out from the Panlong Sword in Qi Fei’s hand, aiming at Xia Yushu’s vital points.

Xia Yushu unleashed a flurry of strange fist shadows, each fist enveloped in a powerful layer of innate qi. The entire fist was as black as ink, with flowing traces, as if some living creature was wrapped around it. Its imposing aura and astonishing power easily shattered Qi Fei’s Panlong Sword Qi.

The two have already exchanged more than thirty blows.

Qi Fei finally managed to get a pretty good grasp of Xia Yushu’s martial arts moves and knew roughly the strengths and weaknesses of his skills.

Besides being extremely lethal, the opponent’s martial arts are also bizarre and have no fixed patterns. Moreover, his hands and feet can extend and retract three feet freely when he attacks, which is almost contrary to common sense. In addition, his punches and kicks have multiple layers of force when they are thrown, and those who are unaware of this will inevitably suffer losses when they face him.

The saying goes, “an inch longer, an inch stronger,” which is extremely advantageous, and it can also be retracted to avoid most damage.

Faced with this strange martial art, Qi Fei couldn’t think of a way to break it for a while.

However, at least we know ourselves and our enemy, so we can look for opportunities to fight back.

After exchanging more than ten more blows, Xia Yushu’s attacks became increasingly fierce, and he was now using both his hands and feet. His opponent’s internal energy was also flowing continuously, showing no signs of depletion.

Seeing that the battle had dragged on without a clear victor, Qi Fei sheathed his Panlong Sword and prepared to unleash the Sun and Moon Divine Skill.

Just then, a monk wearing a yellow robe came rushing down the mountain path, looking dusty and dirty, with bruises and multiple injuries.

“Abbot, something terrible has happened, something terrible has happened…” he shouted as he stumbled and ran toward the Great Zen Temple.

The onlookers were curious. Dachan Temple was a leading force in the martial arts world, a sect with a history of thousands of years. It was a place where hidden talents and masters were everywhere. What big event could happen there?

Besides Abbot Kongming, the four Vajra Guardians of Dachan Temple are also here. Because the Shaoyue Sect is holding a martial arts contest to find a husband these days, these people are temporarily staying at the Shaoyue Sect. The two sects have always been on good terms and have no prejudice against each other.

Master Kongming’s white eyebrows twitched, and he steadied the monk who was about to fall in front of him, saying, “Abstinence from alcohol, what’s wrong with you in such a hurry?”

The monk named Jiejiu cried out, “Abbot, something terrible has happened! Our…our Great Zen Temple was robbed last night! The Cihang True Scripture was stolen and its whereabouts are unknown!”

“What?!” Upon hearing this, Zen Master Kongming’s expression changed drastically. Even with his profound knowledge of Buddhist teachings and his unwavering composure, he felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this news.

The “Compassionate Voyage Scripture” is the treasure of the Great Zen Temple, passed down for thousands of years. It is the highest martial arts manual of the Great Zen Temple. The reason why the Great Zen Temple has been able to stand firm for thousands of years and has always been the leading force in the martial arts world is precisely because of this extraordinary skill. It was also with this extraordinary skill that Zen Master Kongming cultivated to the Heavenly Realm, which enabled him to firmly sit in the position of one of the four great masters in the world.

If this extraordinary skill were stolen and circulated among the martial arts world, the position of the Great Zen Temple would be in danger. If it were stolen by evil people, it would cause endless harm!

Upon hearing this, the people around also turned to look in their direction.

Master Kongming grasped Jiejiu’s hand, his expression grave, and said, “How could this happen? Although I haven’t been at the temple gate these past few days, there’s still Abbot Konghai of the Discipline Hall and the eighteen Arhats of this temple overseeing things. How could thieves have broken in and stolen the ‘Compassionate Voyage Sutra’?!”

The Taoist Xuantian, standing to the side, also said, “Indeed, how could this be? Although the Great Zen Temple has been robbed before over the past thousand years, it shouldn’t have lost the ‘Compassionate Voyage Sutra’. This is a huge matter. Could it be a mistake?”

“That’s right, the *Cihang Zhenjing* has indeed been stolen!” Jiejiu cried. “Abbot, Daoist Master, last night around 1 AM, all the senior monks and fellow disciples in the temple were already asleep. A few fellow disciples were on night watch, and I was one of them. We saw several masked men in black break into the temple. Just as we were about to call for everyone, they lost consciousness. When we woke up, we learned that the *Cihang Zhenjing* had been stolen. Last night, everyone was drugged with sleeping potion and passed out. Several senior disciples were even killed. The assailants didn’t damage any items in the temple, only ransacked the scripture pavilion. And the *Cihang Zhenjing* is gone… Abbot, what should we do?”

Zen Master Kongming was startled. He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and looked at Jiejiu with a sharp glint in his eyes. He slowly asked, “Did you see the thief’s appearance and height?”

The man who had quit drinking shook his head: “It was too late then. The other party was agile and highly skilled in martial arts. I was thrown away by one of them. While I was still in mid-air, the other party struck my pressure point with a finger strike from a distance, rendering me unconscious. I was powerless…”

“Alas!” Zen Master Kongming sighed, looking up. “This is not your fault… It is the calamity of our Great Zen Temple.”

The Taoist Xuantian, standing nearby, comforted him, saying, “Master, please accept my condolences. Perhaps there are other ways. Since someone stole it, they will appear sooner or later. We can just ask them to return it then…”

Just then, a disciple of the Shaoyue Sect stepped forward, bowed his head, and said, “Sect Leader, this disciple…this disciple has something to report…” His tone was somewhat flustered and fearful.

Xuan Tian Dao Ren frowned: “Just say what you want to say. What’s with all this stammering?”

“Yes!” The disciple still didn’t dare to raise his head. “Last night, last night, my senior brothers and I took turns guarding the sect leader’s courtyard. When it was my turn to keep watch in the second half of the night, I discovered, I discovered…”

“What have you discovered?!” Xuan Tian Dao Ren asked in a deep voice.

The disciple said, “Because the sect leader had specifically instructed that no one was allowed to enter the sect leader’s living quarters, I always kept an eye on the sect leader’s living quarters during my night watch to see if anyone had gone in. Last night, I went to check as usual and found that the sect leader’s living quarters door was slightly ajar…”

“What did you say?!” Xuan Tian Daoist’s expression changed drastically. “Why are you only telling me now?”

The disciple hurriedly replied, “At the time, I thought the sect leader had used his lightness skill to return to his room. It wasn’t until I woke up this morning that I heard the sect leader had been discussing important matters of state with Emperor Qianlong in the reception hall…”

Xuan Tian Daoist angrily retorted, “Why didn’t you tell me this morning?!”

The disciple said, “This disciple is worried about the sect leader’s punishment…”

“You…you’re so foolish!” Xuan Tian Daoist was furious. “Come with me and see!”

As he spoke, he led Shao Yue Qi Zhen and a group of disciples toward the courtyard where he lived.

To the east, Gan Huang and Bai Xifeng glanced at Zen Master Kongming and the departing Xuantian Daoist. They exchanged a look and saw a hint of a smile in each other’s eyes. Then, they both looked towards the arena.

On the open ground of Yujing Square, the contest between Qi Fei and Xia Yushu continued, the two locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle.

A moment later, Xuan Tian Dao Ren and Shao Yue Qi Zhen emerged from the main hall and reappeared outside the venue, each with a solemn expression and grave face, as if they had encountered a great calamity.

“How is it?” Zen Master Kongming asked, looking at Taoist Xuantian.

Xuan Tian Daoist sighed and said, “Our sect’s ‘Wuwei Dao Scroll’… has also been stolen.”

“What?!” Zen Master Kongming was stunned upon hearing this.

Those around them were also deeply moved.

The theft of the “Cihang True Scripture” from the Great Zen Temple and the “Wuwei Dao Scroll” from the Shaoyue Sect—two extraordinary martial arts techniques of our time—is a momentous event, a major occurrence in the martial arts world with far-reaching consequences.

Xuantian Daoist and Kongming Zen Master walked towards Wang Tianlong and Bai Xifeng at the same time. After bowing, Xuantian Daoist said, “Your Majesty, it is like this. The Cihang True Scripture of the Great Zen Temple and the Wuwei Dao Scroll of my Shaoyue Sect were stolen last night. This matter is too important to our two sects. I hope Your Majesty will suspend the martial arts contest for marriage and help find the thief. I hope Your Majesty will grant my request!”

“What? The secret manual was stolen? Is that true?” Wang Tianlong exclaimed in surprise. “If that’s the case, it’s no small matter. Compared to that, my daughter’s marriage seems less important!”

Bai Xifeng also said, “That’s right. The secret manuals of Dachan Temple and Shaoyue Sect are important. Why don’t we stop the martial arts contest for marriage for now?”

“Alright, the wedding can be postponed.” Wang Tianlong nodded and gestured to the master of ceremonies beside him.

The master of ceremonies understood and walked to the center of the arena, calling out to Qi Fei and Xia Yushu, “Young heroes, please stop for now!”

Qi Fei and Xia Yushu were locked in a fierce battle when they heard the official’s words. They exchanged a palm strike, then drifted back to their respective camps.

The master of ceremonies said, “Heroes and young heroes, the Xuan Tian Sect Leader and Abbot Kong Ming said that last night, thieves broke into the Da Chan Temple and Shao Yue Sect and stole the Cihang True Scripture and the Wuwei Dao Scroll. We don’t know who is so audacious. We hope that they will come forward and admit their mistake and return the items. There is still room for negotiation. Otherwise, they will have to bear the consequences themselves!”

The official’s words left everyone present speechless and shocked. How could anyone dare to do such a thing? They must have a death wish.

Someone said, “Could it be the work of some petty thief?”

“Even ordinary petty thieves don’t have this ability. Even Wang Lu, the notorious bandit of Youzhou, might not be able to steal from the Shaoyue Sect and the Great Zen Temple…”

“Could it be that someone stole from the premises?”

Everyone was discussing it and offering their own guesses.

Feng Liyao sat on the west side, pouring herself a drink, pretending not to hear what the official in charge of rites said.

Emperor Qian sat solemnly to the east, his tiger-like eyes scanning the surroundings with piercing light.

Xia Yushu sat on the south side of the square, his legs crossed on a large chair, playing with an iron-bone fan in his hand, a contemptuous smile on his face, as if he looked down on everything.

Qi Fei tugged at Li Huiyu’s delicate hand, and Li Huiyu immediately grasped it. Her warm, white palm radiated a faint warmth.

Qi Fei placed his fingers in Li Huiyu’s palm and moved them back and forth as if manipulating her. Li Huiyu’s palm trembled slightly, but she gripped it even tighter.

Seeing no response, the master of ceremonies asked again.

At this moment, Xuan Tian Daoist and Kong Ming Zen Master stepped forward and stood in the center of the field, looking around.

Xuan Tian Dao Ren spoke first: “Heroes, if anyone has taken the ‘Scroll of Non-Action,’ please hand it over. I will pretend this never happened and will not pursue your mistake. No one is perfect.”

Zen Master Kongming further stated, “Even if you obtain the ‘Compassionate Voyage Sutra,’ you will not be able to master unparalleled martial arts. The scriptures of our Buddhist sect cannot be practiced by those who are not deeply versed in Buddhist teachings. If you attempt to practice them recklessly, you are very likely to suffer from qi deviation and become possessed by demons. Do not make a mistake for yourself!”

Seeing that the surroundings remained completely silent and no one paid any attention, both Grandmasters, Master Kongming and Master Xuantian, had gloomy expressions and sighed repeatedly.

On the Shaoyue Sect’s side, Yuan Fuyao stood in the crowd, his hands tightly gripping the hem of his clothes, his eyes revealing a struggle. He gritted his teeth and looked towards the Daqian Court, his gaze landing on Wang Hongyu and Wei Dongxiang. Both of them looked relaxed and carefree, as if nothing had happened.

At this moment, Wang Tianlong suddenly said, “Sect Leader, Master, and seniors, I believe that stealing a secret manual is something that ordinary petty thieves could never accomplish. It would require at least a top expert at the Innate Realm, or even a Heavenly Realm expert!”

As he spoke, he glanced in Feng Liyao’s direction.

Zen Master Kongming asked, “Does His Majesty mean… that this matter is related to several powerful Heavenly Realm experts?”

Emperor Gan nodded and said, “It’s not impossible. Take some people, for example. They clearly have the ‘Bright Moon Flying Phoenix’ martial art, but suddenly they’ve mastered someone else’s ‘Red Sun Shines Over the World.’ Could it really be that they comprehended it on their own? I think that’s almost impossible. You have to understand that every martial art is a secret, with its own untold secrets. It’s absolutely impossible to comprehend it on your own, let alone the Four Great Extraordinary Skills. It’s not surprising that some people are so enthusiastic about other schools’ martial arts that they would do such a thing…”

Upon hearing this, both Zen Master Kongming and Taoist Master Xuantian turned their gazes to Feng Liyao, waiting for her to explain.

Wang Tianlong’s veiled remarks were all too obvious, but Feng Liyao merely gave a slight cold laugh and remained silent.

She disdained to engage in verbal sparring with the other party, but this did not mean that Kun Kingdom would tacitly approve of the matter, otherwise it would become the target of public criticism.

Fang Huaxian immediately said, “What the Emperor said makes sense. It’s just a pity that Her Majesty the Empress doesn’t care about the ‘Wuwei Dao Scroll’ or the ‘Cihang True Scripture’ at all, which has disappointed the Sect Leader and the Abbot.”

Kazami Haru followed up, saying, “In my opinion, the most suspicious party is the Great Gan Dynasty!”

Wang Hongyu snorted coldly: “Empty words are no proof!” Feng Jianqing chuckled: “I’ve been wondering why the Da Gan court would suddenly hold a martial arts contest to find a husband for Princess Wanru, and deliberately choose the Shaoyue Sect as the venue. It seems that their purpose is to steal the martial arts manuals of the Shaoyue Sect and the Da Chan Temple. In particular, I heard that last night Emperor Gan and Sword Saint were talking all night with the two seniors, Headmaster Xuantian and Abbot Kongming. I suppose they were just trying to stall them so they could make their move?”

“That’s utter nonsense!” Wang Hongyu sneered. “That’s precisely why my father and the Sword Saint didn’t have a chance to act; they have alibis! Only the Empress of Kun Kingdom is the prime suspect!”

Qi Fei thought to himself how impressive it was. The Da Gan court not only stole the “Wuwei Dao Scroll” and the “Cihang True Scripture,” but also pointed the finger at Feng Liyao, killing two birds with one stone.

Kazami Haru said, “It’s ridiculous. With the Xuan Tian Sect Leader and Abbot Kongming not around, there’s no need for a Heavenly Realm expert to take action. Ordinary Innate Realm experts are more than capable of moving freely between the Shao Yue Sect and the Da Chan Temple. For example, there’s Eunuch Wei, who’s said to be ranked second on the list of martial arts masters. I’ve heard that Eunuch Wei’s ‘Netherworld Ghost Claw’ is unparalleled in the world. He has three armies under his command: the Golden Armor Dragon Guards, the Silver Armor Imperial Guards, and the Iron Armor Guards. With so many experts under his command, stealing a secret manual should be a piece of cake, right?”

Wei Dongxiang gently shook his feather fan and sneered, “What nonsense are you talking about, you little brat? We went to bed early last night. How could we have the time to go out and steal? I think the women of Kun Kingdom are the most insidious, vicious, and cunning. Stealing is probably a piece of cake for you, isn’t it?”

“You who are plotting against the imperial court are the ones who are despicable, shameless, vile, and filthy…”

“Gentlemen…” Seeing the two sides arguing endlessly, Xuan Tian Daoist quickly intervened to stop them, “This argument will not lead to anything. I am very grateful to all the heroes for visiting my Shaoyue Sect. Please forgive me for any shortcomings in our hospitality! The recent raids on Dachan Temple and our sect are heartbreaking and regrettable. If you could cooperate with the search, that would be the best outcome…”

“What, a search? A body search?”

“Sect Leader, isn’t this inappropriate?”

“Are they treating us all as suspects?”

Upon hearing this, everyone objected; they would never agree.

We are all people of the martial arts world, each with our own unique skills for self-defense, our own tempers and pride. Even if our martial arts skills are inferior to yours, we will never obediently submit and let you do whatever you want.

Xia Yushu sneered, “Dogs fighting, how exciting.”

At this moment, Zen Master Kongming suddenly looked at Xia Yushu with sharp eyes and said, “Yes, just now during the competition, I saw that the martial arts that Benefactor Xia used were very similar to the legendary ‘Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Demonic Art’. I wonder if it is?”

“What ‘Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Demonic Art’? I’ve never heard of it. What I cultivate is the supreme divine art. Old monk, don’t talk nonsense.”

Xia Yushu said dismissively.

He could not possibly admit that he practiced the demon’s martial arts, nor could he tell others that he was a descendant of the Great Xia Dynasty, otherwise he would be constantly hunted down by the entire martial arts world, and the Da Gan Dynasty and the Kun Kingdom Dynasty would never let him go.

Things have priorities, and compared to the Heavenly Fiends and Earthly Demons, as well as the grudges between the Great Xia Dynasty, the Great Gan Dynasty, and the Kun Kingdom, they seem less important.

Zen Master Kongming then asked, “May I ask if Benefactor Xia has ever heard of the Great Xia Dynasty?”

“Never heard of it!” Xia Yushu denied immediately.

“Then why did you change your surname to Xia?”

There are plenty of people with the surname Xia, so what if I have the surname Xia?

“Very well, this old monk has no more questions.” Knowing that he would not get anything out of him by asking any more questions, Zen Master Kongming immediately shut his mouth.

Next, Xuan Tian Dao Ren and Kong Ming Chan Shi questioned everyone present, but to no avail.

They knew that even if they searched, they would definitely not find anything, and besides, it would cause public outrage, so they did not continue.

Soon some people were planning to leave, and seeing this, Xuantian Daoist and Kongming Zen Master had no choice but to give up.

Xuan Tian Dao Ren said, “Everyone, our Shao Yue Sect and Da Chan Temple will not let this matter rest. Once we discover that someone has learned the martial arts from the ‘Wu Wei Dao Scroll’ and the ‘Ci Hang Zhen Jing,’ we will definitely come to their door to demand an explanation!”

Zen Master Kongming also said, “That’s right, there’s no way to hide. The thief will be exposed sooner or later. We will investigate this matter thoroughly.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Tianlong and Bai Xifeng exchanged a glance, their eyes both flickering.

“Let’s go, let’s go, there’s nothing to see anymore.” The people around were already impatient and got up to leave.

“Looks like there’s not much excitement to be had. It’s a pity I couldn’t marry the Great Gan Princess. What a shame!” Xia Yushu chuckled and stood up.

“Young Master, shall we leave?” Yao Ye stepped forward and asked.

“Since there’s no more excitement to watch, let’s go.” Xia Yushu’s face always wore a contemptuous smile, as if he were the second-in-command in the world and no one dared to claim the top spot.