strokinit Chapter 96 Wu Daozi's Authentic Work, The Temptation of Embracing the Elixir!
Chapter 96 Wu Daozi's Authentic Work, The Temptation of Embracing the Elixir!
Chapter 97 Wu Daozi's Genuine Work, The Temptation of Embracing the Elixir! (3k)
Shichahai, Beiping.
The spring chill was still heavy. In the darkness of night, the Prince Chun's Mansion squatted there, dark and heavy, like an old beast that could hardly breathe, exuding the stale smell of a fallen royal family.
"Squeak—"
The side door was pushed open a crack, and several Japanese people dressed in black kimonos and wooden clogs, led by the steward of the palace, hurriedly passed through the corridor, keeping their footsteps low.
Leading the group was Chiba Ken, the Japanese representative at this "China-Japan Exchange Conference" and a successor of the Chiba Itto-ryu school.
He was holding a long knife in his arms, his eyes filled with malice.
In this palace that once represented the supreme imperial power, he felt no reverence whatsoever, only the greed and contempt of a hunter eyeing his dying prey.
"Mr. Chiba, the master is waiting at Baohan Hall. Please come in."
Eunuch Su stood at the door, holding a lantern that seemed to die from exhaustion.
The clean-shaven old face was expressionless, except that his cloudy eyes narrowed slightly as they swept over the sword at Chiba's waist.
Inside the room, the candlelight flickered dimly.
Puyi was still wearing that royal blue robe and sitting in the armchair.
He held the scroll in his hand, seemingly calm, but the slightly trembling corner of the book betrayed his inner unease.
He is a dragon, but also a dragon whose teeth have been pulled and who is locked in a cage.
"Chiba Zan greets His Majesty the Xuantong Emperor."
Chiba Ken entered the room without kneeling, only giving a slight bow, his broken Chinese sounding awful.
"What brings you here so late at night?" Puyi put down his book, barely maintaining the last shred of his imperial demeanor.
"Let's not beat around the bush."
Chiba straightened up, his gaze burning as he stared directly at Puyi.
"I heard that there is an authentic work by the painting master Wu Daozi in the palace, called 'Zhong Kui Catching Ghosts'."
"This painting is not only an artistic treasure, but also a Taoist treasure. It's said to contain the secret of 'embracing the elixir'."
"Our Black Dragon Society has long admired this painting and has come here specifically to borrow it."
He emphasized the word "borrow" heavily, his tone carrying a hint of ruthlessness.
Upon hearing this, Pu Yi's expression changed instantly.
"Embracing the Elixir!"
These two words are a taboo in the martial arts world, and also the end of the legend.
Those who practice martial arts train their bones with visible strength, their marrow with hidden strength, and their spirit with transformative strength.
Above that lies that ethereal and intangible realm.
Embrace the elixir and sit on the hips, perfectly round and unified, break through the void, and see the indestructible spirit!
That is the realm of a true immortal on land.
Legend has it that the painting of Zhong Kui contains the aura of a Taoist immortal whom Wu Daozi once encountered. Whoever can decipher it may have a chance to glimpse the final step.
This is precisely why Lu Cheng was able to suppress his inner demons with just one glance.
"painting?"
Pu Yi took a deep breath, a cold smile appearing on his face, a smile of disgust for the invaders.
Unfortunately...
"I've already given that painting away."
"Give it away?!"
Chiba's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and his hand instantly gripped the hilt of his sword, filling the entire room with an intense killing intent.
"Who did you give it to?"
"It was given to someone—someone you can't afford to mess with."
Before Pu Yi could speak, an old voice suddenly came from the dark corner.
Chiba suddenly turned around.
Behind the inconspicuous screen, an old Taoist priest dressed in a gray robe stood.
The old Taoist priest was so old that he looked as if a gust of wind could blow him over. He held a whisk in his hand, and his eyelids drooped.
But at the very moment Chiba Zan looked at him.
boom!
The old Taoist priest raised his eyelids.
Those weren't eyes; they were two ancient wells, their depths unfathomable.
A suffocating mental pressure crashed down like Mount Tai.
This is not about presence.
This is—God!
It is the "divine power" that only a grandmaster of the Transformation Realm can attain after practicing the Spirit Returning to Emptiness.
"Ta-da!"
Chiba Zan felt a buzzing sound in his head, as if he had been hit by a sledgehammer. His face turned pale, and he staggered back three steps, unable to pull out his sword.
The feeling was like a mouse seeing a cat, every muscle in its body screaming "Run!"
.
"Dissolve—dissolve internal energy?!"
Chiba Kirito was horrified and speechless.
He never imagined that such a guardian deity was hidden beside this fallen emperor.
"roll."
The old Taoist priest's lips moved slightly, and he uttered a single word.
This word was like a thunderclap.
Chiba felt a tightness in his chest, and a mouthful of blood welled up in his throat, which he swallowed forcefully.
He gave the old Taoist priest a deep look, then glanced at Pu Yi, whose face was cold and stern, and knew that he was not going to get away with it tonight.
"Good—good heritage. China really does have some old monsters."
Chiba gritted his teeth, bowed, and turned to leave, his steps somewhat disheveled, like a stray dog.
Once outside the palace, a cold wind blew, and Qianye Zhan realized that his back was covered in cold sweat.
"Baka!"
He spat fiercely, his eyes filled with malice.
"There's even a powerful expert guarding it—who has that map?"
Beside him stood an Onmyoji with a Jintan mustache, dressed in a hunting robe, holding a folding fan, who spoke in a sinister tone.
"Chiba-kun, please calm down."
"I just used my shikigami to investigate, and there is indeed no trace of the painting in that room."
"but----"
The Onmyoji opened his folding fan, covering half of his face.
"According to our intelligence, there are more than one diagram of the 'Embracing the Elixir' energy hidden within Beiping City."
"Oh?"
"The Four Martial Arts Association of Xicheng" is the ancestral home of the Xingyi School. They possess a painting, the "White Tiger Carrying a Corpse," which has been passed down for hundreds of years.
"The true meaning of the white tiger in that picture is extremely fierce and malevolent, and it is also the key to the Taoist practice of cultivating Qi and transforming into spirit."
"and----"
The Onmyoji chuckled.
"I've found out. The president of the Simin Martial Arts Club, Mr. Liu, went to Tianjin on business with two other skilled fighters."
"Now, there's still an old man surnamed Han in charge of that martial arts school."
"Although that old man was a Transformation Realm expert when he was young, he was over seventy years old after all, and his vital energy had long since declined. He was just a toothless tiger."
"And this time—"
The Onmyoji cast his gaze into the depths of darkness.
"But we've invited the 'Sword Saint' of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school, Master Yagyu Seiun."
Upon hearing the name, Chiba Zan's body trembled violently, and his eyes instantly lit up.
Yagyu Seiun!
That was a true grandmaster of martial arts in Japan, wielding a deadly sword that was so potent that even the cicadas sensed the coming autumn wind.
"Good, with Master Yagyu in charge, this Shimin Martial Arts Club is within our grasp."
Chiba's greed surged up again.
"Also, inform the heir of the Nalan family."
"He is a Manchu nobleman, but a martial arts fanatic. Tell him that our Great Japanese Empire is willing to share this White Tiger painting with him."
"The condition is—tonight, they must pay this pledge of allegiance!"
into the night.
The sky over Beiping seemed to have a huge hole in it.
The rain grew heavier, mixed with fine hailstones that pattered against the roof tiles.
West City, Taiping Bridge.
The usually solemn and dignified Simin Martial Arts Club was now closed, with only two dilapidated lanterns swaying precariously in the wind casting a dim yellow glow.
But this halo could not illuminate the dark shadows that surged in from all directions.
A gust of eerie wind swept by.
The two lamps went out simultaneously with a "poof".
The entire martial arts club was instantly plunged into darkness.
"Who goes there?!"
Before the disciple in the gatehouse could even shout, he felt a chill on his neck.
"Crack!"
Fresh blood gushed out.
Several ninjas dressed in black night clothes scaled the wall, their samurai swords flashing coldly in the rainy night.
There was no nonsense, just a direct massacre.
"Enemy attack!!!"
A piercing scream finally broke through the night sky.
The backyard, the main hall.
An elderly man with white hair and beard was sitting cross-legged on a futon, meditating.
Upon hearing the sound, he suddenly opened his eyes.
There was no panic in those eyes, only a resolute determination.
Han Tieshou, the elder who remained at the Simin Martial Arts Club.
He slowly stood up, his joints cracking as he did so.
Although he was over seventy and his vital energy had begun to decline, he still possessed the "spirit" of a master of internal energy transformation.
It remains like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath.
"How dare you!"
Old Master Han roared, his voice booming like a bell, shaking the paper windows.
He grabbed the red-tasseled spear hanging on the wall, kicked open the door, and rushed into the rain.
The courtyard was in complete chaos.
Dozens of disciples who remained behind were fighting with the group of men in black, wielding sticks and clubs.
But those men in black were too strange.
They were not only skilled with their swords, but they also threw those smoking bullets that exploded, filling the air with a cloud of smoke.
"Those who follow unorthodox paths dare to act wildly in front of the patriarch."
Old Master Han was furious and shook his spear.
"Buzz".
This shot, imbued with his life's work, was like an angry dragon emerging from the sea, plunging directly into a ninja about to commit a murder.
"puff."
The ninja didn't even have time to react before he was pierced through the heart by the spear and sent flying.
"Hmph, old man, you've got some skills."
Just then, a soft, feminine voice rang out.
A young man emerged from the darkness.
Dressed in pristine white, holding a red coral bracelet, she stood out starkly amidst the bloodshed and carnage, yet remained a crane among chickens.
Nalan Yuanshu.
To his left stood a tall, imposing old man, who resembled an upright, monstrous bear.
"The Bear Demon Beyond the Pass", Wanyan Lie.
This person's external martial arts skills have already reached their peak, and he is only half a step away from mastering the ultimate skill, which is commonly known as "half-step grandmaster".
And to the right of Nalan Yuanshu————
There stood a middle-aged man dressed in a gray kimono, wearing wooden clogs, and with a long sword hanging from his waist.
The man kept his eyes closed, as if the sounds of fighting around him had nothing to do with him. He was like a stagnant pool, devoid of any sign of life.
But the moment Old Master Han saw this person, his pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints.
A true master of transformation!
One is at the half-step Transformation Realm, the other is at the true Transformation Realm, plus Nalan Yuanshu, a leading figure among the younger generation.
Old Master Han felt a chill in his heart.
Tonight, this is a trap to wipe out the entire family!
"Old Han."
Nalan Yuanshu smiled slightly.
"Hand over that painting, 'White Tiger Carrying Corpse'."
"If you hand over the map, I can decide whether or not to leave you with a complete corpse."
"Pooh."
Grandpa Han spat on the ground.
"Nalan Yuanshu, you are also a descendant of Yan and Huang, and you also grew up on this land."
"You collude with Japanese pirates, harm your compatriots, and plot to seize your ancestors' legacy—you dare to challenge me?"
"Today, even if I, Han, die, I will knock out a few of your teeth to cleanse the martial arts world of its corruption."
"Ungrateful wretch."
The middle-aged Japanese man, Yagyu Shizukumo, who had been keeping his eyes closed, suddenly spoke.
The Chinese was stiff, yet it carried a sense of indifference.
"Wanyan Jun, let's make our move."
"roar--!"
Wanyan Lie let out a sinister laugh, his voice like a muffled thunderclap.
He moved.
There are no fancy moves, just a simple "bear shake".
Its massive body suddenly unleashed astonishing speed, like an out-of-control tank, crashing into Old Master Han.
Although the power of this half-step Transformation Realm cultivator is not as refined as that of a true Transformation Realm cultivator, his brute strength is enough to split mountains and shatter rocks.
"kill!"
Grandpa Han shouted loudly. Despite his advanced age, his pride as a master made him advance instead of retreat. He held his spear horizontally and shouted, "Block, seize, thrust!"
"clang--!!"
The spear struck Wanyan Lie's breastplate with a loud clang, sending sparks flying.
Wanyan Lie was jolted by the spear thrust.
But at that moment, an extremely deadly gust of wind silently attacked from the side.
Yagyu Shizuku drew his sword.
Iaijutsu!
This strike was incredibly fast and incredibly vicious.
Old Master Han's hair stood on end. Relying on the instinct of a master of internal energy, like a cicada sensing the autumn wind before it blows, he managed to lean back the moment his spear was blocked.
"Sizzle."
The clothes on the chest were ripped, and a bloody mark appeared instantly.
If you're even half a second slower, you'll be disemboweled.