Mysterious Martial Arts: The Record of the Swordsman

Chapter 344 Burning Flames as If Nothing Happened

Chapter 344 Burning Flames as If Nothing Happened

As Yu Zhenzi disappeared into the Tongtian Hall without a sound, the heroes of the martial arts world who had been hiding among the grass and rocks around them emerged in twos and threes and gathered outside Tongtian Rock. However, no one made a sound.

Those who escaped Tongtian Hall in the chaos naturally included the Wudang Sect members who had been beaten to the point of vomiting blood. At this moment, Feng Daode was clutching his chest and was being helped by his disciples as he staggered over.

"What are we waiting for?" His voice was hoarse, but it carried the determination to eliminate the threat completely. "Sect Leader Jiang, that villain has just been severely injured and is at his weakest. It's the perfect time to swarm him and rid the martial world of this scourge."

However, Jiang Wen simply looked calmly at Feng Daode and slowly shook his head.

"What's wrong with this?" Feng Daode frowned.

"Nothing more than I'm laughing at your lack of strategy and wisdom. Just now, when Second Master Gui tried to break in, I stopped him."

Jiang Wen lowered his voice and said, "Sect Leader Feng, just as I predicted, the person inside has not become weaker. On the contrary, he is stronger than ever before."

These words caused an uproar in the audience.

"What? Stronger? How is that possible!"

"Yeah, he was just beaten so badly, how could he possibly get stronger?"

"Sect Leader Jiang, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

The crowd was buzzing with discussion, their faces filled with disbelief. They had all witnessed the strength of the Six Ding Goddess, and the Heavenly Flying Immortal Sword Formation was incredibly fierce. Yu Zhenzi had withstood so many magnificent sword moves; it was already a miracle he hadn't died. How could he possibly have become stronger?

While circulating his internal energy to regulate his breathing, Feng Daode questioned, "This statement is too absurd to be true; I cannot agree with it."

"Whether I'm exaggerating or not, you can figure it out yourselves."

Jiang Wen pointed to the entrance of the Tongtian Palace, "Listen carefully, can you hear any cries of pain from the injured? Can you hear any signs of struggle or injury inside?"

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately fell silent and listened attentively.

Sure enough, the hall was deathly silent. There wasn't a sound, not even a gasp or a wail. Jiang Wen's hint made the feigned indifference even more obvious; the silence wasn't the helpless resignation of exhaustion, but rather a terrifying build-up before a storm.

Feng Daode's expression changed slightly. He had been so focused on revenge that he hadn't noticed these details. Now, reminded by Jiang Wenyi, he suddenly realized that something was indeed wrong. If Yu Zhenzi was truly seriously injured, how could he possibly make no sound at all?

Feng Daode pondered, "Perhaps he is already dead, we just don't know it."

“He won’t die.” Jiang Wen shook his head, his tone certain. “The Six Ding Goddess’s attack is indeed powerful, but it’s not enough to kill him.”

Even Lu Feiqing and the others were completely baffled: "Sect Leader Jiang, what do you mean by that?"

Jiang Wen's gaze deepened as he stared at the palace gate, as if he could see inside through the thick walls.

"Master Lu, who do you think is stronger, him or Yu Zhenzi?" he asked slowly.

Lu Feiqing was taken aback. Fu Yushu had just defeated Feng Daode so decisively that even those in the martial arts world present probably remembered it vividly, though outsiders were unaware of his true identity. Yu Zhenzi, as a traitor to the Iron Sword Sect, had injured the invincible Divine Fist Gui Xinshu, but his pursuit of Yuan Chengzhi yielded no results, and he was quickly covered in wounds by the Six Ding Goddess. His performance was clearly not impressive.

"Master Lu, you once studied martial arts with him. In your opinion, what is Fu Yushu's talent?"

Seeing that he hesitated and did not answer, Jiang asked in a different way.

“He is naturally a genius. He can grasp ordinary martial arts in the blink of an eye. I have been practicing hard for many years but I have not been able to beat him. If it weren’t for his evil intentions, he would be the next leader of our sect.” Lu Feiqing said frankly.

“That’s right, Fu Yushu is exceptionally talented, a once-in-a-century talent. But why would he resort to such elaborate schemes and tricks instead of finding a place to learn unparalleled martial arts to overpower Wudang? Wouldn’t that have made him the sect leader naturally?”

"Therefore, I've discovered from your words that he has a fatal weakness: he lacks humanity. Martial arts are merely a tool to him; he can betray his sect, kill his own brothers, and use any means necessary. He has no feelings for a tool whatsoever—"

"Therefore, in his heart, there was no love, no hate, no joy, no anger, only a cold self."

Everyone around listened intently, their faces showing thoughtful expressions—it was the first time they had heard such a statement, and although it sounded unbelievable, upon closer examination, it made a lot of sense.

"Therefore, its purity is too low!"

Jiang Wen held up a finger, his voice extremely firm, “What is purity? It is a power, representing the ultimate emotion, the intense passions and desires. Without strong desires, one cannot truly become powerful, much less unleash one’s full potential. Fu Yushu is like a furnace with capacity but no fuel; it can’t burn brightly, so naturally it can’t become very strong.”

"But Yu Zhenzi is different—"

Jiang Wen's tone shifted, becoming serious. "Yu Zhenzi is a man whose seven emotions and six desires are burning to the extreme. He is power-hungry, lustful, narrow-minded, and vindictive. He hates that Yuan Chengzhi stole his limelight, hates that his master didn't pass on the position of sect leader to him, and hates that the entire martial arts world refused to submit to him. These hatreds and desires are like the most potent fuel, capable of burning that force with unparalleled fervor."

"The attack from the Six Ding Goddess just now seemed to have severely injured him, but as long as it didn't directly destroy him, it would actually burn away all the impurities in his body, making his fusion with that power even higher. I saw it very clearly just now. By the end of the Six Ding Goddess's attack, he had actually become somewhat accustomed to the attack frequency. The reason he didn't immediately retaliate but instead pretended to be weak was to lure Yuan Chengzhi in and then trick him into killing him in one fell swoop."

The entire room erupted in uproar; everyone was stunned by Jiang Wen's words.

They never expected things to turn out this way. A person covered in wounds was not only not seriously injured, but might have become even stronger. Moreover, he was so cunning that he could calmly set a trap and wait for Yuan Chengzhi to walk into it.

Feng Daode was silent for a moment: "...If what you say is true, Dongxuan has obviously made a grave mistake, but we don't know what he released?"

"I don't know. All I know is that the statue of the Taoist priest Qingniu Weng was smashed. I'm afraid something was taken out."

After saying this, Jiang Wen stopped talking. His gaze remained fixed on the palace gate, but there was still one sentence in his heart that was not suitable to be said in front of so many people.

Fu Yushu doesn't possess many strange martial arts techniques. Most of what he knows are Wudang kung fu, plus the Snake Crane Thirteen Styles that he created by comprehending and integrating them on his own.

But Yu Zhenzi was different. During their fight, Jiang Wen clearly saw that Yu Zhenzi used several unorthodox techniques he had never seen before. These techniques were insidious and bizarre, completely unlike the style of martial arts from the Central Plains.

This indicates that the spiritual power is constantly increasing, and the purity of the strange martial arts is also increasing. Jiang Wen is worried that these things are also increasing in quantity.

For example, the three tomb raiders from the earliest Rattan Shield Gate, whose swordsmen, summoned by spirits, committed suicide after killing people, seemed to disdain this world belonging to the living, even burning away the traces of their re-existence with a fire.

The madman that the meddlesome master later encountered seemed to have a vague yearning for killing and destruction. After being stopped from killing someone, he even chose to commit suicide, existing only for violence.

Then there's the hidden weapon master who possesses Zhou Long. Although he's still insane, his actions become more human. In addition to killing Gu Jinbiao, one of the Six Demons of Guandong, and attacking martial arts practitioners who appear nearby, he also tries to escape when surrounded. He even competes with Zhao Banshan and Jiang Wen in hidden weapon techniques.

When it comes to the person summoned by the Vajra Sect disciples, they immediately vanish without a trace. Compared to the bewildered "deceased" before them, such a person is the most dangerous and terrifying existence. The reason they lurk is only because they carry a deeper malice towards this world.

The "dead" with profound spiritual insight was better hidden, and even Feng Daode failed to notice anything amiss until Jiang Wen secretly placed a fragrant incense, which interrupted and revealed his flaws, thus transforming him into Fu Yushu.

Fu Yushu was just the beginning. His malice toward the world was innate. Although he was inhuman, he was actually extremely calm. If Feng Daode hadn't taken the initiative to kill him, Fu Yushu would probably have just tortured and killed others like a cat playing with a mouse, and he wouldn't have had a strong desire to find his enemy Yun Feiyang.

The current Yu Zhenzi is more vivid and more hidden than Fu Yushu. His emotions and hatred far exceed those of ordinary people. It seems that these "dead" who have been summoned by spirits are slowly evolving. What about the next one? If Yuan Chengzhi is successfully captured by him, how strong will the next person be?

Jiang Wen felt uneasy. He usually made all the necessary plans when facing challenges, but this time the matter was really tricky. He didn't have enough time to investigate. He had to become a detective and do everything he could to find clues and get closer to the truth in the shortest amount of time, and get closer to the method that could completely expel the "dead".

Just then, a loud "boom" was heard. The roof of the Tongtian Hall, with its flying eaves and brackets, was smashed open from the inside, and broken stones and tiles fell like raindrops in all directions.

But all of this was just a smokescreen. As the smoke and dust filled the air, a figure shot out like a ghost. The man was wearing a tattered Taoist robe, with his long hair disheveled. He held a long sword in his right hand and a whisk in his left. It was none other than Yu Zhenzi!

With a swift movement, he instantly appeared in front of the nearest Wudang disciple. Before the man could even react, and no one could see the trajectory of the sword, a soft "whoosh" was heard as the longsword pierced through the burly man's throat!

At this moment, the martial arts practitioners in the arena retreated one after another, seeking reliable shelter.

At present, Lu Feiqing, Feng Daode, and Gui Xinshu are all injured. Although the young Shang Baozhen and Yuan Yan are on high alert, the Red Lotus Saintess, though beautiful, cannot give them any sense of security. Therefore, they all came to Yuan Chengzhi and Jiang Wen's back.

"Sect Leader Jiang, this villain must have been enraged because you exposed his trick!"

Seeing the powerful enemy attacking again, the Goddess Liuding immediately guarded her position, re-formed the formation, and with a flick of her wrist, all six swords were drawn from their sheaths at the same time.

There was no earth-shattering sound, only six extremely soft and sharp sounds. As the sword trembled slightly, each of them split apart, one into two, two into four, four into eight... Yet the sword path was as dense as a tide, wave after wave, giving the enemy no chance to breathe. The sword's trace was sometimes as elusive as a ghost. Just when it seemed to be stabbing to the left, the sword's edge had already circled around to the back of the enemy from the right.

But this time, Yu Zhenzi seems to have found a way to break the deadlock.

His swordsmanship still lacked any fancy moves or unnecessary actions, but the power was astonishing and the speed was extraordinary. Every sword strike was aimed directly at the enemy's vital point, fast, ruthless, dangerous, and poisonous, with each move being fatal and leaving no survivors.

His longsword moved with sweeping, powerful strokes, its blade radiating energy. He wielded his whisk with unparalleled skill; when gentle, it was like a spring breeze rustling willow branches, capable of entangled enemy weapons and dissipating their force; when forceful, it was like a steel whip and iron broom, capable of ripping bones and taking lives. With the longsword and whisk moving together, their combined power amplified, the longsword primarily offensive, the whisk primarily defensive. Their perfect coordination allowed him to withstand the relentless, tidal wave of attacks from the Six Ding Goddesses and even manage a counter-attack!

One of the Six Ding Goddesses was distracted by the sword's momentum and lost her footing, thus escaping the sword formation that was like a rain of flowers. It was in this moment of vulnerability that two Six Ding Goddesses, eager to save lives, forcibly turned around and drew their swords, trying to force Yu Zhenzi back.

Yu Zhenzi remained unmoved. After deflecting the attack with his sword, he turned to strike again. Fortunately, the Six Ding Goddess was clever and used an extremely graceful movement to slip past him. She stepped on Yu Zhenzi's shoulder with her toes to gain leverage and flew out of his attack range.

Yu Zhenzi reacted extremely quickly, his body moving even before his mind could react. He suddenly thrust out a sword in mid-air, determined to catch up with Liu Ding Shen Nu and pierce her heart!

"clang!"

With a loud thud, a hidden weapon flew through the air, its trajectory unpredictable. The snake-shaped golden cone struck Yu Zhenzi's sword precisely, causing the sword to veer slightly. The golden cone grazed his ear and left a deep bloody mark on his face.

"Yuan Chengzhi!"

Yu Zhenzi suddenly turned his head, his gaze fixed on the man in the blue robe in the crowd, the killing intent in his eyes almost tangible.

Yuan Chengzhi walked out slowly, holding the Golden Serpent Sword in his hand, looking at Yu Zhenzi with a solemn expression. It was he who had just thrown that Golden Serpent Cone. Yu Zhenzi's swordsmanship was clearly an attempt to deceive everyone. When the longsword was thrust out, the whisk was already gathering power. If it had been a step later, another Liuding Goddess would probably have died.

"Yu Zhenzi, the opponent you're looking for is me."

Yuan Chengzhi said in a deep voice. He knew that this person had come for him, and he was determined to fight him with the Golden Snake Sword Technique and hidden weapons, and would never have any physical contact with him.

"Hahahaha!"

Yu Zhenzi laughed loudly, his laughter filled with madness and triumph. "Yuan Chengzhi, I've been waiting for you for a long time! I've wanted to settle this score with you for a long time! Today, I will make you die by my sword, and let everyone know that I, Yu Zhenzi, am the number one in the world!"

Before he could finish speaking, Yu Zhenzi had already lunged at Yuan Chengzhi. His longsword transformed into a streak of light, piercing straight for Yuan Chengzhi's chest.

Yuan Chengzhi dared not be careless, and with a wave of his Golden Snake Sword, he went to meet the attack.

"Ding! Ding! Ding!"

The clang of metal clashing was deafening as the two exchanged dozens of blows in an instant. Sword energy crisscrossed, and powerful strikes filled the air, causing the surrounding heroes to retreat hastily, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire.

Yuan Chengzhi's Golden Snake Sword Technique was agile, unpredictable, and ever-changing; the Golden Snake Sword itself was a divine weapon capable of cutting through iron like mud. However, Yu Zhenzi's swordsmanship was even more ruthless and vicious than before, and his speed and strength had both undergone a qualitative leap.

Yuan Chengzhi spotted an opening and thrust his Golden Serpent Sword at Yu Zhenzi's shoulder. The strike was swift and ruthless, and should have been a sure hit. However, to everyone's surprise, the Golden Serpent Sword struck Yu Zhenzi with a clang, only tearing his Taoist robe and leaving a shallow white mark on his skin!

"what?!"

Yuan Chengzhi's expression changed drastically, his heart filled with shock. His sword strike could pierce even iron armor, yet it couldn't even penetrate Yu Zhenzi's skin. His protective martial arts had actually reached a state of perfection!

"Hahaha! It's useless!"

Yu Zhenzi laughed wildly, and with his left hand holding the whisk, he formed a claw and grabbed at Yuan Chengzhi's face. His fingers were as hard as iron and carried a sharp force, which was his unique skill - Iron Finger Kung Fu!

This Iron Finger skill can break wood and split rocks with bare hands, and it is even more capable of striking pressure points to subdue enemies. If an ordinary person were to be grabbed by it, their head would probably be crushed.

Yuan Chengzhi hurriedly dodged to the side, and struck his opponent with a Golden Snake Palm, while simultaneously sweeping his Golden Snake Sword horizontally towards Yu Zhenzi's wrist.

Yu Zhenzi flicked his wrist, dodging the Golden Snake Sword. At the same time, he flicked out his whisk with his left hand, and countless silver threads shot out like sharp arrows toward Yuan Chengzhi's major acupoints.

Yuan Chengzhi lightly touched the ground with his feet, his body floating backward to avoid the attack of the whisk. But at this moment, Yu Zhenzi had already closed in, his right hand thrusting with his long sword as a feint, while his left hand's Iron Finger Kung Fu was already aimed at Yuan Chengzhi's Tanzhong acupoint, and could turn to Yuan Chengzhi's lower body at any moment.

The two moves were launched simultaneously and perfectly coordinated, sealing off all of Yuan Chengzhi's escape routes!

Yuan Chengzhi felt a chill run down his spine. Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, he hurriedly used his Hunyuan Gong to strike out with both palms, determined to take Yu Zhenzi's finger strike head-on.

"Oh!"

A loud bang was followed by a dark shadow, and the two of them took several steps back at the same time.

Suddenly, a huge rock appeared between the two of them. Yuan Chengzhi struck the rock with both palms, feeling his blood surge, a dull pain in his chest, and a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

He looked up and saw that Yu Zhenzi had left a finger mark on the boulder, the finger twisted and hanging down in a strange shape. Although he also took a few steps back, his face remained crazed, as if these injuries were as ephemeral as smoke, and could even bring him joy.

"Wait a minute!"

Jiang Wen remained in the same position as when he threw the boulder, which made him look somewhat comical.

Yu Zhenzi stopped and turned to look at Jiang Wen, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "What great strength! Who are you, and do you also want to come up here to die?"

Jiang Wen ignored his provocation and kept his eyes fixed on Yu Zhenzi.

"Yes, I have never practiced martial arts, I just have superhuman strength."

After a moment, Jiang Wen slowly spoke, "Yu Zhenzi, do you feel your body getting hotter and hotter? Do you feel a fire burning inside your internal organs? Does that fire burn even brighter every time you circulate your energy?"

Yu Zhenzi's expression suddenly changed, replaced by an incredulous shock.

What Jiang Wen described was exactly what he was experiencing right now. Ever since he was stepped on by the Six Ding Goddess, he felt as if there was a fire burning inside his body, and the more he circulated his energy, the stronger the fire became. However, he always thought it was just from overexertion and didn't take it to heart.

But now, Jiang Wen has revealed his secret in one breath!

"How...how did you know?" Yu Zhenzi asked in a hoarse voice, staring at the man with the semi-permanent smile in front of her.

"I not only know this, I also know that this fire will burn you to ashes sooner or later."

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Yu Zhenzi frowned and denied.

Jiang Wen said calmly, "The Sacred Flame Technique of the Six Ding Goddess is a strange martial art that burns fiercely. It has now invaded your body and merged with the internal energy in your eight extraordinary meridians. Although it can make you stronger temporarily, it is also constantly burning your life force. The stronger you are now, the faster it burns, and the faster you will die."

Jiang Wen smiled and uttered a curse that even Yu Zhenzi could not ignore.

In fact, Jiang Wen had been carefully observing the fight between Yu Zhenzi and Yuan Chengzhi.

He noticed that Yu Zhenzi's skin had an abnormal reddish tinge, and as he channeled his energy, the red deepened, as if flames were burning beneath his skin, and after flowing through it, it would turn into a pale, ashen white.

Previously, when Fu Yushu fought against Master Ji Po, he not only failed to benefit from it, but was also injured by the blood Buddha wrapped around Master Ji Po's body. His body was almost cut into pieces. It is clear that some of the secrets that Dong Xuan has mastered have been gradually exposed.

Just now, Yu Zhenzi and the Six Ding Goddesses had fought. Although the six of them were still relatively inexperienced and might not be able to form any powerful enemies, the "Sacred Fire Technique" they cultivated was a strange flame that sprang from the void of the universe, from the coldest and most desolate place. It was born to ignite everything, causing cultivators to experience the pain of having their meridians burned and their bodies scorched by the blazing sun—

Well done, Wuji! We really are the best partners!