Chapter 110: The Dragon, the Phoenix, and the Tiger (8)
Chapter 110: The Dragon, the Phoenix, and the Tiger (8)
The only secret technique I possessed was the Hunyuan Thunderbolt Art.
I had been desperately trying not to even look at any martial arts beyond that. I feared that one wrong step might lead me down a path like this. And look at me now.
Clang—!!
"Splendid! What do you call that blade technique?"
"The Chain Blade. No... it’s..."
It was one of the martial lineages taught as an introductory art. Since the Chain Art and the Iron Scraper Art originally stemmed from the same root, if one followed the flow of the forms back to their source, they would eventually reach it.
If the Founder had given a name to this martial art, it would likely be...
"The Heaven and Earth Chain Art."
Qian represents Heaven, and Kun represents Earth.
It was the martial principle that paired with the Hunyuan Thunderbolt Art. In other words, this was another branch of the martial lineage first conceived by the Founder.
Hunyuan refers to the primordial universe, and Thunderbolt signifies the first mark that split that primordial state. It represents the God of Thunder himself, who separated Heaven and Earth at the birth of the universe.
Thus, Heaven and Earth were divided—Qian and Kun.
In the medieval Chinese worldview, it was believed that the primordial Heaven and Earth were entangled, chasing each other's tails, which was called the Twin Filial Piety Eight Trigrams.
Such was the logic of the universe named by Fuxi in ancient times. Mimicking that, the Hunyuan Thunderbolt Art was created to split the primordial Hunyuan like a bolt of lightning. And the Heaven and Earth Chain Art was created to eternally connect the divided celestial and terrestrial realms.
Perhaps, if these two martial arts were to merge into a single stream and finally restore the Founder’s true lineage—if I were to name it—I would call it Mihe, the Pervasive Void...
"Gah—!!"
My head spun, and blood erupted from my nose. Seeing this, the Little Arhat let out a boisterous laugh and shouted.
"Trying to run before you can walk? They weren't kidding when they said your family's style was impetuous!"
"Shut up..."
I shook my head roughly to clear the blood. I wasn't permitted to approach anything beyond this point yet.
In the first place, without having mastered the Soul-Stealing Blade, the Heaven and Earth Chain Art remained incomplete.
I could roughly gauge it now. If I had built my martial arts following the standard path, I would have reached the Peak Realm upon completing the Hunyuan Thunderbolt Art, then slowly mastered the Soul-Stealing Blade while beginning to touch upon the domain of Intent.
Now that I had manifested the Heaven and Earth Chain Art, I understood.
If I were to master the Soul-Stealing Blade as well, this would be a martial art that challenges the Super Peak Realm—the Upper Dantian. The kind that touches the realm of Intent.
I had just taken a direct hit as payment for trying to glimpse the scenery above before I was even qualified to discuss that level.
Fine, let's just consider this a slap from the Founder telling me to wake up.
I decided to let it slide for now and pay him back later. I planned to give him a piece of my mind when I met him after I died. Thinking about challenging the previous family heads to a 'Final-True-Patriarch-Succession-Battle' in the afterlife made a smirk crawl onto my face.
"What thoughts are you having that are so amusing?"
"It's nothing."
I waved my hand dismissively and raised my blade again.
Just as the Hunyuan Thunderbolt Art used defensive forms through the Heart-Protecting Fist and gauntlets, the Heaven and Earth Chain Art used defensive forms through the Chain Blade.
In other words, since I hadn't mastered the Soul-Stealing Blade, this martial art lacked offensive forms. However, because of that...
Its defensive forms were built so solidly that they could easily rank among the top even within the martial systems of the Peak Realm.
I finally understood why the Peng family's martial arts didn't use Protection Aura to shield the body.
It was as if there was no need for it.
Crackle, zap...!!
The Astral Energy seeping from my entire body repeatedly failed to form a protective layer and dispersed. It was a cycle of connecting, attaching, shattering, and scattering.
After all, a Thunderbolt was not a force that could be maintained in one place.
This was a sixth sense. Just as the Chain Art and the Iron Scraper Art allowed me to block and deflect an opponent's offensive, my Peak Realm senses ensured I wouldn't miss even a single move.
A sense of energy that replaced sight. I could feel the very shape of the falling snowflakes as if I were touching them. That was the first reason.
And the second was...
"Don't die on me."
"Hah."
The lightning flowing over my skin seeped into my bones and muscles.
The sensation of lightning pooling, concentrated into a single point. This bizarre feeling of muscles racing and acupoints twitching.
But there was no more pain.
My acupoints and blood vessels were being restructured into a form that could withstand the pressure of the Astral Energy. It wasn't grand enough to be called Metamorphosis, but rather...
'The medicinal properties of the Cleansing the Marrow have completely dissolved.'
The Astral Energy from my Middle Dantian, which had surged through my entire body, had fully integrated the medicinal essence that had been accumulated in my system since childhood.
I felt as if the elasticity and durability of the tendons in my limbs had broken past their limits.
Trusting in that, I struck my bones and muscles with lightning.
Like an iron ingot being forged on an anvil—or to think like a modern man—like a firing pin striking a primer.
Yes, like a loaded round. Like an engine igniting—!
BOOM!!
My body lunged forward of its own accord.
The perceived time was so fast it was difficult to control, but I didn't even attempt to control it. I simply designated the direction, and every martial art that unfolded from that state was continuous and unceasing.
Since it was uncontrollable to begin with, they only taught two offensive forms.
Rumble!!
Lightning dwelled beneath my clenched gauntlet.
I arched my body like a bow and guided the force, pouring all that elasticity into the strike.
The Thunderbolt City-Destroying Cannon. A lightning strike meant to crumble fortress walls. It plummeted toward the Little Arhat's chest.
"Hmph."
It was blocked. This monster of a man was packed with muscles as hard as flint. As he twitched his arm, the power of the Tathagata seeped into it.
Dong—! With the thunderous roar of a temple bell that made my ears ring...
KABOOM!!
The gauntlet was crushed in a single blow. Blood sprayed from my fist. I saw that the monk's hand had also been torn to shreds.
Right, we exchanged a blow each. This is how it should be.
Without even a moment to feel the pain, we looked at each other and grinned.
Shring. The blade that had been dormant until now pointed toward the sky.
Snowflakes burned and scattered in the lightning, and the blade glowed white-hot. The blade itself became lightning, and I guided it toward his exposed neck—
KRA-KOOM!!
Thunderbolt Severing the Heavens. A strike of the Thunder God that cleaves Heaven and Earth.
He blocked it again. A brilliant light was flowing from the Little Arhat's eyes. His palm gripped the lightning as we both tore through each other's internal energy and lunged forward.
"Urgh—!"
"Gah!"
In the brief moment of stillness where our Astral Energies intertwined, a shock followed that felt like my internal organs were being turned to mush.
I poured my energy into the blade with trembling hands and spoke.
"Your name!"
"What?"
"I asked what your name is!!"
Speaking at length would disrupt my breathing. And in all martial arts, the moment your breathing falters, your power diminishes. I was currently pouring every ounce of my internal energy into this, so I couldn't carry on a long conversation.
I should have learned Sound Transmission.
The Little Arhat laughed even as blood trickled down his face.
"It is the Subduing Demons and Tigers Palm."
"What a shitty name."
"Look who's talking."
It was obvious that the names 'Subduing Demons' and 'Tigers' were part of a martial art specifically designed to target my family.
These petty bastards. Researching counter-techniques? Just because we burned down the Library of Sutras a bit? Holding a grudge for two hundred years?
This was unforgivable.
Thwack!
We were at point-blank range, close enough to feel each other's breath. At this distance, the Peng family's physique had the advantage in sudden changes.
I pulled my head back and immediately slammed my forehead into his smooth, bald scalp.
He tried to back away in surprise, but when my blade dropped toward his neck, he stiffened in alarm.
"You coward—!"
"Did you think you were fighting a saint!"
"What on earth is that supposed to—!"
The Little Arhat gritted his teeth.
Both our arms were tied up. We had both lost the ability to use one arm for combat in the very first exchange.
Fortunately, for me it was the left, and for him, it was the right.
After a quick check of our arms—which were at least fractured—we were in a stalemate, having thrust our ultimate techniques at each other with our remaining functional arms.
A super-close range where our reflections were visible in each other's pupils and our breaths mingled.
Therefore, the Hebei Peng Family was superior in creating variables—
THWACK!
"Gah!!"
"Urgh!!"
This crazy monk head-butted me back? What a cowardly, pathetic display...!!
Without deciding who went first, we began to slam our foreheads into each other.
"You don't! Gasp! Know how! Strong! Gasp! The Peng body is!"
"I have! Urgh! Practiced the! Muscle-Tendon! Changing Classic! Since I was! Gah! Born—!!"
Even as blood streamed down our faces, we criticized each other's unsightly behavior.
"Uh."
"Oh..."
"Oof."
Weren't they engaged in a truly magnificent duel just a moment ago?
Everyone had been ready to give a clean round of applause, let out some cheers, scatter some colored paper, and conclude by admiring the Dragon and Tiger of the new era.
Then the Alliance Leader would have stood up, offered praise and words of wisdom to these wonderful young experts, and the atmosphere would have shifted into a banquet where they could eat and drink for the remaining days...
That would have been perfect.
"Die! Die, you monk! I'll show you personally what 'Revering Confucianism and Suppressing Buddhism' means!!"
"Promoting Virtue and Combating Evil!! It is Promoting Virtue and Combating Evil!! You have accumulated so much bad karma that you will be reincarnated as a cow or a pig!!"
"You—you! How can a Buddhist say such things!!"
"Even Sakyamuni would have approved of this!!"
"Dammit! Confucius!! Give me strength too!!"
The two of them, faces covered in blood like vengeful demons, continued to head-butt each other insanely.
Eventually, they even forgot their initial plan to find an opening for a finishing move.
Dropping the blade hilt imbued with lightning and the palm technique where the Tathagata sat, they began to pummel each other's jaws and chests with bare hands, slamming their foreheads together like third-rate vagabonds in a back alley.
"DIEEEE!!"
"I shall send you to the afterlife!!"
POW!!!
They both landed clean punches on each other's jaws simultaneously.
Thud.
Without anyone falling first, they both collapsed to their knees and lost consciousness.
"Oh, for heaven's sake."
Watching that scene blankly, Murong Cheong covered her face, looking like she was about to cry.
"Just how badly did you want to win!"
Just how badly did you want to get married!
The Alliance Leader, who had been heightening his tension in case of outside interference, finally stood up after the two had collapsed.
"A round of unreserved applause for these two heroic knights."
Even as he said it, he inwardly wondered if it was really okay to call them 'heroic knights.'
Well, the Beheading Blood Wolf was from the Unorthodox Faction, so that was one thing, but he couldn't help but lament, What on earth is happening in the Songshan Shaolin Temple these days?
Still, it was the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. Since it was a massive event involving the prestige of the Martial Alliance...
"I know not of the world, but at the very least, the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is concluded with this."
As he spoke, the crowd in the audience burst into boisterous laughter and cheers.
The Peng family banner could be seen fluttering proudly in the center of the stage.
There weren't many people left who expressed hatred toward the banner or the young man lying beneath it.
It wasn't that the prestige of the Hebei Peng Family or the grudges entangled beneath it had been washed away. Those weren't scars shallow enough to vanish in such a short time. Such was the infamy of the Peng family that had once scorched the entire Central Plains.
However, that was sixty years ago. There were few left who truly remembered the Peng family...
—The martial arts of the Hebei Peng Family are powerful and fierce, but they are impetuous and lack awareness of their surroundings, leaving many openings.
—The warriors of the Peng family are hot-headed and dull. Their path is straight and simple, so it will not be difficult to dismantle.
Such were the teachings they had passed down. It was likely wisdom intended for dealing with those they could not match. It was a means to dilute their own fear by belittling the opponent and portraying them as ridiculous.
They probably felt there was no need to instill fear of a Peng family they hadn't even met into the sect's successors.
And that turned out to be a brilliant policy.
In this era, among those who knew the name of the Peng family, few truly feared them. At least, that was the case within the Orthodox sects.
In the Unorthodox Faction, the prestige of the Hebei Peng Family remained formidable. They ruled through fear, as every Unorthodox sect that had attempted to resist them had been annihilated.
But the sects belonging to the Orthodox Martial Alliance were different. They didn't encroach on the Peng family's territory, and the Peng family had no reason to bother them as long as they didn't enter Hebei.
Thus, for the generation following the Righteous-Demonic War, the warriors of the Orthodox Faction were essentially seeing a 'proper,' 'direct-line' 'Peng warrior' for the first time today.
—Impetuous and dull.
They ended up thinking that evaluation was quite accurate in its own way. And seeing that attitude—charging straight ahead without any schemes, giving their all, and engaging in the duel with everything they had without even worrying about their secret techniques being exposed...
Isn't that a truly warrior-like attitude?
That thought even crossed their minds.
Everyone looked at the fallen man with the eyes one would use for a hot-blooded youth.
While there were still few who would be delighted by the name of the Hebei Peng Family itself, there would also be few who would truly hate that young man from now on.
*
Ugh.
"A message has arrived asking if the Little Arhat is still sleeping, Young Master."
"When?"
"That is, just now..."
"How 'just now'?"
"It really just arrived, Young Master."
"That bastard's already awake too! Why is he pretending to be fine first—!!"
As soon as I opened my eyes, the news brought by the maid made my blood boil, nearly reopening my wounds.
I sat up, roughly tearing off the bandages wrapped around my forehead.
There wasn't a single part of my body that felt fine. It felt like I had been beaten to a pulp from head to toe.
"He says if you are awake, you should come over for a cup of grain tea."
"Is a monk allowed to drink? Doesn't that violate some precept or something?"
"Even if you tell me that, I..."
"Tsk, apostate monks, the lot of them. Murderous monks."
Regardless, I was in desperate need of a drink right now, so I stood up.