Chapter 742: Capable of Capturing Nine Serenities

Chapter 742: The Nine Nether Can Be Captured

Yue Hongling did not realize that what she had done was actually a transformation from a wandering chivalrous woman to the Princess of Zhao; she only felt that planting a hidden move with Wei Changming would benefit many matters. As for how to use it specifically, she would probably need to discuss it with Zhao Changhe.

She was in no hurry to do more, leisurely returning to the guesthouse of the Sunset Villa to rest, waiting to see if her master would provide "news of the barbarians" the next day, and then verify the results. To test her master's heart, and to test Wei Changming's stance.

As for the appointment with Zhao Changhe at the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, no specific time had been set, and there was no need to rush before the results here were clear. Presumably, Zhao Changhe wouldn't be able to uncover much in such a short time.

If she followed Zhao Changhe's "observation of qi" theory, stumbling upon Wei Changming arranging a marriage match upon her return was already a stroke of "protagonist's luck," quickly giving her a relatively clear judgment of the situation in Chang'an. How could an ordinary person break through so fast? She wondered what level Zhao Changhe's even more absurd luck would reach—surely he wouldn't cause trouble on his very first day here?

Indeed, while she was making progress, Zhao Changhe was still helplessly amusing a fool... gambling with Young Master Dai.

With his current level of "divine sense" that could overlook everything like a bird's-eye view, his "gambling skills" made it far too easy to toy with people. Soon, Dai Qingge felt they were evenly matched, that he could just barely beat this Qin Jiu by a hair, which was an exhilarating feeling. After a few rounds, he almost wanted to swear brotherhood with Zhao Changhe on the spot.

Zhao Changhe had no energy to swear brotherhood with him and reminded him, "Young Master Ge, either go back and chant Buddhist sutras, or else if your second uncle finds you missing, your father will curse your mother. Or go to the Louguan Terrace for a stroll, saying you went to study Daoist scriptures; your father will probably think it's harmless to hedge your bets. If you keep playing like this, you'll really be done for..."

It was eerily like himself sneaking off to an internet café on the eve of the college entrance exam. Looking at this guy, Zhao Changhe wished he could travel back in time and punch his younger self, finally understanding his parents' pain.

Dai Qingge reluctantly stood up: "Alright, alright. I won't go chant sutras; I'll go to Louguan Terrace for a walk, treat it as sightseeing."

Zhao Changhe's main purpose in coming to Chang'an was to meet Yuxu and try to disrupt his alliance with the Li family. As for other issues, he didn't think he and Hongling could solve everything alone.

He hadn't known how to approach Yuxu before—would a direct meeting be noticed by the Dao Venerable? Or perhaps Yuxu's current attitude was unknown, and a direct meeting might not be wise; he needed to observe first. Just as he was lamenting the lack of an entry point, he suddenly swaggered into the Louguan Terrace, where Yuxu resided, as Young Master Dai's attendant and friend.

At this moment, the Louguan Terrace was bustling with people, far more crowded than the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. After all, the "Buddhist-Daoist Debate" had ended with Buddhism's defeat.

Moreover, after Xia Longyuan's death, Yuxu was third on the Heavenly Ranking. In terms of the divine land alone, he was unequivocally the foremost figure in the divine land, and his reputation had suddenly soared to unprecedented heights. The number of pilgrims coming to pay homage was countless every day, something even Yuxu himself hadn't anticipated—he was only one rank lower before, yet he hadn't felt such immense prestige. It was only after the one above him was gone that his reputation exploded; who could have predicted that?

This was the principle that everyone remembers the champion, but few remember the runner-up.

This was also because he wasn't truly the first on the Heavenly Ranking; if he were, the reputation would be absurd. Now, with two barbarians pressing above him, martial artists in the divine land felt deeply frustrated. Yuxu, being the closest to first, was placed under even greater expectations, with everyone hoping he could represent the divine land and suppress the barbarians. This subtle shift in public sentiment had not been anticipated by anyone beforehand.

This not only led Yuxu to leave the mountains and come to Chang'an, attracting throngs of pilgrims, but also placed Yuxu on a pedestal, making him an unwitting symbol of resistance against the barbarians.

Under such circumstances, could he still openly cooperate with the Li family, who were colluding with the barbarians? According to his true heart, obviously not, but unfortunately, he might no longer act solely by his heart.

When they entered the Louguan Terrace, Yuxu was seated high in the square, preaching and transmitting the Dao.

Looking at Yuxu, dignified in his Daoist robe, he was almost unrecognizable from the hermit of the Cloud Water Cottage.

Dai Qingge stood outside the venue and listened for a while. The spirited look he had during the gambling match had faded, and he started yawning again: "Boring. I might as well go fight crickets. Oh, right, a few days ago, Wei Xiaobao invited me, but I forgot..."

"This Wei Xiaobao of yours, is he from Yangzhou?"

"...Jingzhao Wei clan."

Zhao Changhe couldn't help but say, "Young Master Ge, you're at least on the Hidden Dragon List, and your rank isn't low. How come all you do is gamble and fight crickets all day? Don't you practice?"

Dai Qingge replied, "Isn't this just figuring out which school to practice? Until I decide, I have no heart to train."

Zhao Changhe was taken aback, then heard Dai Qingge continue: "Our family's inheritance can at most reach the breakthrough of the Secret Treasury; that's the ceiling. In all these generations, only my great-great-grandfather ever reached the first level of the Secret Treasury. In other words, the inheritance isn't high-end enough; training to death is just that. Now, on the surface, Buddhism and Daoism are contending, and to ordinary people, it's a struggle for faith, but to families like ours, it's naturally a way to obtain higher-level inheritance. Otherwise, why would my father force me to listen to scriptures? Is he not afraid I'll become a monk? Then he'd really have something to cry about!"

Zhao Changhe thought to himself, so that's how it is... If that's the case, the Great Han could win people over by expanding education, providing many ordinary families or sects with a ladder to the Secret Treasury or even the Imperial Realm. That would be a true game-changer, drawing all the heroes of the world into the fold.

If this proposal had been made earlier, it would only have been used by the Four Symbols Sect as a stepping stone for proselytizing, but now it was different... That was why Wan Zhuang had earnestly pointed out that the hidden dangers between the Great Han and the Four Symbols Sect needed to be eliminated, with him taking the lead. With such a foundation, the Great Han could implement these operations far more easily than the current Guanzhong region, given the level of infighting and strife here. Tsk...

Just as he was thinking this, a Buddhist chant suddenly came from outside: "Amitabha..."

A stir went through the square. The people listening to the sermon quickly made way, craning their necks to look at the mountain gate.

A solemn monk, draped in an abbot's robe, led a group of monks into the Louguan Terrace, walking straight toward Yuxu, and declared: "Greetings, Daoist brother... Your Daoist skills are profound. In the debate the other day, my junior disciples were no match for you and suffered a great defeat. Today, this old monk emerges from the mountains, specifically to seek instruction. I hope the Daoist brother will not begrudge his teachings."

Dai Qingge's spirits soared: "Excellent, excellent! I was just getting bored; I want to see blood flow—fight, fight!"

Zhao Changhe laughed: "So bringing you here was the right call, wasn't it? Hiding in a gambling den all day, how could you witness such excitement?"

"Right, right, right! You're my real brother!"

Zhao Changhe smiled, his gaze fixed on the arena, his heart also filled with uncertainty. This new Buddha, suspected to be Bo Xun, whom the Buddhist sect had found, had been secretly spreading the Dharma before, hadn't he? Why not lay more groundwork before rushing to challenge the Daoist sect and start a new round of Buddhist-Daoist debate? Logically, a debate required a crowd of nobles and officials present to publicly refute the opponent for it to be meaningful. With few dignitaries in the venue, victory or defeat would rely on word of mouth, which was less direct.

Yuxu opened his eyes from the platform, studied the newcomer for a moment, and said flatly, "This master has a very unfamiliar face. May I ask your Dharma name? If I recall correctly, the ones who debated with me the other day were several 'Yuan'-generation eminent monks. You don't look that old, yet you call them your junior disciples?"

The newcomer chuckled: "This old monk is Kong Shi, indeed one generation above the 'Yuan' generation. Seniority and age don't have much to do with each other."

Yuxu said calmly, "So there is still a 'Kong'-generation eminent monk surviving in the world. I am indeed ignorant. Venerable Monk, what topic do you wish to debate?"

Kong Shi, solemn and dignified, raised his palm in a salute: "I wish to discuss martial matters."

Yuxu's expression shifted slightly, and the square erupted in uproar!

This was not a debate of scriptures! This was a challenge!

And it was the most common form of public challenge in the martial world—Cui Yuanyong against Yue Hongling, Chil Batu against the Jiangnan Hidden Dragons, Zhao Changhe against Wan Dongliu—all had fought like this before. But at a certain level, where victory or defeat affected too many interests, such challenges had almost ceased to occur. Moreover, Yuxu was now third on the Heavenly Ranking, first in the divine land!

This Kong Shi, unheard of, was he tired of living?

Dai Qingge was ecstatic: "Fight! Fight!"

Even Zhao Changhe's heart raced. A duel involving the third on the Heavenly Ranking was not something you could see anytime! This Kong Shi was definitely Bo Xun; only Bo Xun would dare face the Imperial Realm Yuxu. The mere act of observing this battle would be immensely valuable.

In theory, Yuxu's status allowed him to refuse such random challenges—any Tom, Dick, or Harry could challenge someone of this level, and he had other things to do. But precisely in the context of the Buddhist-Daoist conflict, under the gaze of the public, Yuxu truly could not refuse!

It was easy to imagine: if he lost, his reputation would collapse instantly, the Daoist sect could withdraw from Chang'an entirely, and Yuxu himself would have to hide in Kunlun for the rest of his life, unable to show his face. If he won, as long as the opponent didn't lose too badly, he could still gain fame and secure his position in Chang'an.

It was an unfair match, but Yuxu could not decline.

Yuxu narrowed his eyes and stared at Kong Shi for a long while, then slowly said, "Then... I'll let the master use one hand. Please."

Zhao Changhe silently thought, old Daoist, don't capsize. On the surface, offering to use one hand was a graceful solution, full of face, but the premise was that you couldn't lose! If you lost, outsiders wouldn't care about the handicap; a loss was a loss—who told you to offer it? Of course, if he won, the Buddhist sect would lose all face. In theory, such a no-retreat challenge shouldn't have been made suddenly; he wondered what madness had seized Bo Xun.

If the opponent also valued martial honor, he wouldn't accept such terms. But Bo Xun was clearly not one to care about face; he chuckled and said, "Then this old monk will take advantage. Daoist, be careful."

As he spoke, he bowed slightly.

A brilliant golden light shot out from his body with the bowing motion, charging straight toward the high platform. Just this one ceremonial attack caused an uproar all around!

Qi released from the body, and with such effortless grace! What level was this?

It was on par with the Thousand Army Breaker before the Dragon Sparrow's ascension, and back then, releasing a single Thousand Army Breaker had exhausted the Dragon Sparrow! With just this move, this Master Kong Shi was at least at the top of the Earthly Ranking.

Yuxu's expression was as calm as still water. He also returned a single-palm salute. The golden light entered the area a foot around him, as if sinking into an invisible quagmire, struggling to advance. Then it began to spin, forming a taiji.

Without even rising from his seat, Yuxu waved his hand back, and the golden light, now transformed into a taiji, was hurled back. As it returned, it grew larger, and by the time it reached Kong Shi's head, it was like Mount Tai pressing down.

A faint golden light shimmered around Kong Shi. The crushing blow of the inverted seal struck his head but left him unharmed, vanishing without a trace.

This level of Golden Bell Shield... Dai Qingge's mouth hung open, unable to close. If he had been on the field facing that Mount Tai-like pressure, he would have been reduced to a pulp long ago. Yet before this Golden Bell Shield, it was like a fart, not even stirring a corner of his robe.

Zhao Changhe chuckled softly: "Well, Young Master Ge, which school's technique catches your fancy?"

Dai Qingge was startled, then realized that this duel also served to showcase techniques to the public. He was a bit conflicted; Yuxu's style was handsome, but Kong Shi's could save your life. After a moment's hesitation, he asked back, "What about you, Brother Qin?"

Zhao Changhe bared his teeth in a grin: "Handsomeness is a lifelong affair. Who wants to be a punching bag?"

Dai Qingge found this deeply reasonable and nodded vigorously, little knowing that this "Brother Qin," who claimed handsomeness was a lifelong affair, had coveted others' Golden Bell Shield for its defensive benefits more than once...

During their brief exchange, several more rounds of attack and defense had transpired in the arena, all in various forms of "wave-clashing."

Yuxu was no fool; claiming to "let you use one hand" would be disadvantageous in close combat, but in long-range wave-clashing, one hand or two made little difference. Kong Shi kept trying to close in on the high platform but was constantly pushed back, unable to get near.

Kong Shi was not anxious either. If he could keep wave-clashing, that was enough... In the eyes of onlookers, he was evenly matched with Yuxu, enough to make a name for himself.

Yuxu clearly understood this as well. Gradually, Zhao Changhe noticed that the various qi blasts that Kong Shi had dispersed earlier had not actually dissipated; they still lingered around him. As Yuxu continued his attacks, those qi blasts were slowly drawn into a new taiji around Kong Shi, like a massive millstone, turning slowly.

Outsiders could not know what Kong Shi felt inside, but Zhao Changhe clearly sensed that if someone weaker were in there, they would have been ground to pulp long ago.

This kind of soft force was interesting, completely opposite to Zhao Changhe's usual brute force, but very effective.

In the eyes of the onlookers, Kong Shi was being spun around in the vortex, faster and faster. In reality, he was neutralizing this soft-force vortex. Though spinning, it did him no harm, and he was waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.

Before he could seize the opportunity, Yuxu thrust out another palm.

This palm seemed utterly devoid of power... yet in truth, it gave a tug along the direction of Kongshi’s spin, and sheer inertia swept Kongshi from his spot, whirling him into the crowd.

Once he tumbled into the crowd, all face would be lost, and victory decided. From start to finish, Yuxu could win without a trace of worldly strife—the foremost of the Divine Land lived up to his name.

As it happened, Kongshi’s spinning trajectory aimed straight at Zhao Changhe and Dai Qingge, and Zhao Changhe caught a fleeting smile and murderous intent in Kongshi’s whirl.

Zhao Changhe’s heart skipped a beat; he sensed trouble.

If judged solely by the Buddhist dharma Kongshi had displayed so far, he truly couldn’t resist this spin and would have to fall in. But what if Kongshi was actually Papiyas? What if he still concealed demonic arts? And his demonic arts excelled at disguise—if he spun into the crowd, unleashed demonic energy to kill, it would appear as if Yuxu’s mistake had sent energy scattering, wounding or killing onlookers. Wouldn’t Yuxu’s face be utterly lost too?

He didn’t need to defeat Yuxu head-on; all he needed was to make Yuxu lose face!

The thought had barely flashed through his mind when Kongshi had already spun into the crowd. The crowd was about to scatter to the sides, but the originally soft, swirling Taiji energy suddenly turned into blades, slicing like wind knives toward the surroundings.

Yuxu’s expression shifted drastically on the platform—at this distance, who could possibly stop it?

But then, the man standing beside Young Master Dai Qingge, who seemed to be a “retainer,” quietly extended a single finger and gently poked it toward the direction where the wind blades had just arisen.

As the energy transformed into wind blades, it was no longer Yuxu’s qi nor Kongshi’s dharma—it was scattered wind.

Wind could cut like blades, or it could be refreshing and pleasant—it all depended on whether a spirit guided it.

Compared to whether his identity was exposed, the lives of the surrounding commoners were far more important.

The onlookers had no idea what had happened; they only felt a gentle breeze on their faces, quite cold in this winter, yet nothing occurred.

But Kongshi had a bit of a problem... He clearly saw that someone was meddling, yet he couldn’t openly strike at the troublemaker in front of everyone. After a quick thought, he pretended to lose control of his body and staggered toward Zhao Changhe.

If he could knock this fellow dead or wounded, it would kill two birds with one stone—letting him know not everyone’s business could be meddled with, while also pinning the blame on Yuxu for “accidentally” harming the crowd.

“Great master, it’s crowded here—better spin back.” A large hand landed on his shoulder and gave another push along the spinning force.

This push was no longer the power of wind control; it was the thousand-jun might of Zhao Changhe’s famed Blood Asura Body, savage and unrivaled. Kongshi never expected that the martial artist who had just seemed so elegant in controlling the wind would suddenly turn into a rampaging beast. Caught off guard, he was forcibly spun back, twirling like a top back to his original spot.

In the midst of spinning, he hastily swept his gaze over Zhao Changhe’s disguised, ordinary face, which was beaming at a nearby young master: “This shiny bald top is quite fun, Master Ge—you could make a batch to sell; I bet they’d be a hot item.”

Laughter erupted all around.

Kongshi abruptly halted his momentum, so furious he nearly spat blood.

Without revealing his demonic arts, losing was no big deal—what mattered was “holding out against Yuxu for a long time” and “forcing Yuxu to accidentally harm someone.” That would have been enough. But now, not only had he failed to harm anyone, the face he’d saved by “holding out for so long” was utterly shattered by that “top” remark. Tomorrow, the rumors in Chang’an would only speak of a shiny bald top.

This battle was a complete and humiliating defeat, lost inexplicably to an ordinary face that had come from nowhere.

Kongshi took a deep breath and said calmly, “True Man Yuxu, your cultivation is indeed profound, worthy of the Divine Land’s foremost. I have learned much. And this one...”

He pointed at Zhao Changhe and asked, “Which expert of the Chaos List is this?”

Yuxu spoke at the right moment: “This young friend merely saw the wind’s direction and used inertia to redirect the force. He may not be a Chaos List expert, but his potential is commendable.”

Zhao Changhe exchanged a glance with him, understanding without words.

Yuxu turned amiably to Dai Qingge: “This young friend looks somewhat familiar—could he be the young master of the Jingzhao Dai family? Is this gentleman your brother?”

Dai Qingge, brimming with pride, puffed out his chest and laughed: “This is my family’s guest, Qin Jiu, and also my brother!”

Yuxu paused, then smiled with a hint of depth: “Qin Jiu... a fine name... one who can seize the Nine Abysses.”

Zhao Changhe opened his mouth, dumbfounded.

Who’s seizing the Nine Abysses? Not me, I’m not, don’t talk nonsense.

Yuxu rose from the high platform for the first time, clasped his hands in a bow toward Kongshi and the group of monks: “Venerable masters, if you have no other business, would you care to stay for a vegetarian meal at this temple?”

“No need.” Kongshi glanced at Zhao Changhe, then returned the bow with considerable grace: “Our cultivation is lacking; we have made fools of ourselves. We shall return to the temple to cultivate diligently.”

With that, he led his followers away.

In truth, as long as no shiny bald tops appeared on the market tomorrow, this outing wasn’t a total loss—the Golden Bell Shield’s power was still quite impressive.

Yuxu watched them leave, then turned warmly to Dai Qingge: “Young Master Dai, why not bring this Mr. Qin Jiu into the temple for a chat over some clear tea?”

If Yue Hongling knew what had happened here, she would surely be dumbfounded too.

What was the “qi pulse”? This was too exaggerated—she had only just stepped into the situation, and here he was, already involved in a major battle and heading straight for the trip’s true purpose—an audience with Yuxu.