After arriving at the inn in the small town at the foot of the mountain, Song Qingshu said to Jiumozhi and Ren Woxing, “I must thank you both for your righteous assistance today.”
Ren Woxing chuckled. “Hah! I’ve long found that bunch of bald donkeys from Shaolin displeasing. Today, borrowing the prestige of Daoist Zhang, I gave them a lesson. But I also caused trouble for Wudang, so I hope Daoist Zhang can forgive me.”
Zhang Sanfeng replied, “You’re too courteous, Master Ren. Nowadays, Shaolin places too much emphasis on sectarian divisions and often lacks human sentiment. If I had come alone, I might have just been met with cold rejection and left empty-handed. In truth, I should be the one thanking you both for stirring up the waters.”
Jiumozhi, who had been worried, was instantly overjoyed. “On the way down the mountain, I was uneasy, fearing that you would blame me for being too arrogant. Now that I hear your words, I can finally be at ease.”
Zhang Sanfeng smiled. “The Maha Cakra Vajra has mastered all 72 Ultimate Techniques of Shaolin. Such extraordinary talent is truly admirable.” He had always believed that martial arts across the world were ultimately one family, each borrowing from the strengths of others over centuries, making their true origins indistinguishable.
Unlike ordinary sect leaders who were bound by sectarian biases, he had no objections to Jiumozhi’s practice of various martial arts. Instead, he admired his intelligence and talent. Though Jiumozhi relied on the ingenuity of the ‘Minor Formless Martial Art’, mastering the vast changes of the 72 Ultimate Techniques to perfection was something few could achieve.
Being praised by someone of Zhang Sanfeng’s stature, Jiumozhi was overjoyed. “My meager skills before Daoist Zhang are like the dim light of a firefly compared to the brilliance of the moon. How could I dare to compete?”
On their journey to Mount Song, Jiumozhi had repeatedly sought Zhang Sanfeng’s guidance and had long been convinced of his profound cultivation. As a result, his usual arrogance had vanished, replaced by extreme humility.
Zhang Sanfeng smiled faintly. “Maha Cakra Vajra, you are too modest. However, I do have one thing I’m not sure if I should say.”
Sensing a deeper meaning in his words, Jiumozhi immediately became serious. “Daoist Zhang, please feel free to speak.”Zhang Sanfeng said slowly, “Today on the mountain, I observed your moves. The 72 Ultimate Techniques are indeed dazzling, but ultimately, you rely on ingenuity. If you were to face someone who has truly mastered those techniques, you might suffer a disadvantage. In truth, by forcing yourself to use these techniques, your overall power is still far inferior to your ‘Flaming Blade’. Why abandon the fundamental for the superficial?”
Jiumozhi broke out in cold sweat. “Thank you for your guidance, Daoist Zhang. I had faintly sensed this myself but was too enticed by the prestige of Shaolin’s 72 Ultimate Techniques to see through the illusion of fame and gain. Today, thanks to your wisdom, I feel as if I have awakened from a dream!”
Seeing Jiumozhi deeply enlightened, Ren Woxing’s eyes lit up. Knowing that this was a rare opportunity, he quickly asked, “Daoist Zhang, could you also offer me some guidance?”
“You flatter me, Master Ren. I wouldn’t dare call it guidance, just a friendly exchange,” Zhang Sanfeng said after a moment of contemplation. “From what I’ve observed, your vision and techniques are among the finest in the martial world. However, each time you make a move, it seems as if you cannot exert your full power, as though you are holding back. Could it be that there is some hidden flaw in your ‘Cosmic Absorption Technique’?”
Ren Woxing was initially startled but then smiled bitterly. “Daoist Zhang truly has piercing insight. This has been my greatest secret, but since those present are no outsiders, I shall not conceal it.” He then explained how the foreign True Qi within his body constantly plagued him, forcing him to devote thirty percent of his internal strength to suppress it at all times.
“A few years ago, while imprisoned in the Iron Prison by West Lake, I devised a temporary solution, but it only treated the symptoms, not the root cause,” Ren Woxing sighed bitterly. If not for this issue, he would not have needed to resort to schemes to defeat Abbot Fang Zheng.
“This…” The three martial masters exchanged glances, visibly astonished by Ren Woxing’s unique predicament. Zhang Sanfeng stroked his long beard, his expression serious. “Master Ren, I may be able to find a solution, but it will take some time. However, at the moment, I must first rescue my disciples, so it may take a while before I can devise a remedy.”
Hearing that Zhang Sanfeng might have a solution, Ren Woxing was overjoyed. Given Zhang Sanfeng’s cultivation and integrity, he would not have made such a promise lightly unless he was confident. “Of course, the Wudang disciples must be saved first. I can certainly wait. Thank you in advance, Daoist Zhang.”
Song Qingshu chuckled. “Father-in-law, I actually have a solution as well.”
As soon as he spoke, the other three turned their gazes to him, eyes filled with shock.
Ren Woxing was an extraordinary genius, yet he had been troubled by this issue for decades without finding a perfect solution. Jiumozhi, despite his profound skills, was completely at a loss when he heard about it. Even Zhang Sanfeng, with the highest cultivation and vast experience, only had a few vague ideas that required time to verify. Yet Song Qingshu, the youngest among them, not only claimed to have a solution but sounded more certain than Zhang Sanfeng. How could they not be astonished?
However, Song Qingshu knew himself well. These three were supreme experts with decades of experience, and in pure martial knowledge, he was no match for any of them. But he had an advantage—he knew the original story. He was aware that Linghu Chong’s ‘Cosmic Absorption Technique’ was eventually resolved using a passage from the ‘Marrow Cleansing Scripture’. And now, the ‘Marrow Cleansing Scripture’ was in his possession.
Thinking of this, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but feel grateful toward Ah Zi. That little girl was truly thoughtful!
“You’re all staring at me like that—I feel a little embarrassed,” Song Qingshu said with a shy smile. Seeing their skeptical expressions, he continued, “But I also need time to verify my theory. Father-in-law, once this matter is settled, I will personally visit Blackwood Cliff.”
Ren Woxing was overjoyed. Between owing Zhang Sanfeng a favor and relying on his own son-in-law, he naturally preferred the latter. Moreover, he had witnessed Song Qingshu’s martial prowess, which even surpassed his own, so he had no doubts. “Hahaha! Yingying has truly found me a fine son-in-law!”
Song Qingshu smiled politely but couldn’t help complaining inwardly: ‘You were the one who forced her into this marriage—how is this her choice? But if people want to offer me their daughters, I certainly won’t refuse.’
After chatting for a while longer, Song Qingshu and Zhang Sanfeng bid the others farewell. Ren Woxing needed time to recuperate, while Jiumozhi was planning to track down the remaining volumes of ‘Minor Formless Martial Art’ to complete his internal cultivation. None had any objections.
That night, the elderly master and his young disciple moved like shadows, silently infiltrating Shaolin Temple.
Seeing the Scripture Library just ahead, Song Qingshu chuckled. “Grandmaster, with the two of us working together, no place in the world—be it a dragon’s lair or a tiger’s den—can stop us.”
Zhang Sanfeng smiled slightly, about to reply, when his expression suddenly changed. “Be careful!”
At that moment, Song Qingshu sensed a sudden shift in the airflow around him. This attack had come without the slightest warning! Startled, he immediately executed the ‘Snake Form Swift Evasion’ from the ‘Nine Yin Scripture’, rolling to the ground in an undignified retreat. (G: Changing, “Slithering Snake Jumping Raccoon Technique” to “Snake Form Swift Evasion”. Sounds better.)
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