Mysterious Martial Arts: The Record of the Swordsman

At night, the gilded beams and pillars support the dome of the main hall, and the smoke from the three-legged incense burner rises straight into the air, undisturbed by the slightest breeze, as if nailed there.

After a long silence, Yuan Chengzhi finally spoke: "Sect Leader Jiang, may I stay at the Wuyi Sect for a few days?"

Jiang Wen nodded: "Of course. Didn't Brother Yuan intend to take his leave earlier?"

Yuan Chengzhi honestly said, "At first I was worried about Guangzhou, but now I'm less worried about Fujian."

Jiang Wen: "..."

"Sect Leader Jiang, Zhao Wuji is an extremely dangerous person. Now that he has become an enemy of the Wuyi Sect, we must make full preparations, otherwise the consequences will be extremely dire."

Yuan Chengzhi seemed to have made up his mind, and with a single sentence, he pulled Jiang Wen, who had already made up his mind and was just about to leave, back to where he was.

Jiang Wen stared intently at the middle-aged man.

"Brother Yuan, so you have indeed dealt with Zhao Wuji as well."

Yuan Chengzhi smiled slightly, his hand holding the sword sheath paused, and his brows gradually furrowed, as if he were recalling something terrible.

"Fourteen years ago, when the country was in deep crisis, Yuan felt helpless and dejected. He took his relatives, friends, and the remaining members of the Chongzi Camp to an island in the sea near the country."

"However, in all my years of wandering the world, it is impossible for me to take all my relatives and friends with me at once. People like Sha Tianguang, Cheng Qingzhu, Cui Qiushan, and many others in the Chongzi Camp are all determined to die, and even if they are no match for the Qing, they will fight to the end."

"Besides, I am even more worried that my mentor Mu Renqing and the senior Mu Sang of the Iron Sword Sect will have no one to serve them after their passing. Therefore, I have returned to the Central Plains many times over the past ten years, but I am ashamed to see my old friends and can only hide my identity."

Jiang Wen nodded secretly. Yuan Chengzhi in "The Sword Stained with Royal Blood" was just an ordinary person in terms of character. He lacked the courage and talent to resist the difficult times. After fighting a battle and suffering a setback, he fled overseas. He was just like the literati who practiced Taoism and Zen in that era, but he was really not like a martial artist.

And as he said, sneaking back to the Central Plains is in line with the normal logic of a chivalrous knight-errant.

If he truly intended to resist the Qing, even if he was unwilling to risk his life, he wouldn't have his courage to draw his sword and fight against injustice shattered. Such a "hero" would be far too fragile.

"When I first returned to the Central Plains, I traveled by water back to Mount Hua. I found that all the buildings of the Mount Hua Sect had been burned down, the paths to the summit were overgrown with weeds, and even the grave of Yu Zhenzi, the traitor of the Iron Sword Sect, had been desecrated. I knew that my master, this grandmaster, must have abandoned the sect and disappeared. I waited on Mount Hua for more than a month, but my master never returned, so I had to give up."

Yuan Chengzhi looked somber, clearly aware of the reason why his master Mu Renqing was avoiding him, and felt ashamed and guilty.

Who is Mu Renqing?

When Yuan Chengzhi completed his studies and descended the mountain, he took the initiative to ask his disciples to contact heroes of the martial arts world to assist the rebel leader Li Zicheng. Clearly, he was not a reclusive scholar who lived in seclusion. On the contrary, he had a deep understanding of the suffering of the common people, which is why he devoted all of the already meager resources of Mount Hua to the tumultuous revolution at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

It's hard to imagine how heartbroken Mu Renqing, a kind-hearted man, must have felt when his carefully nurtured disciple suddenly came to say goodbye to his master, claiming he was going to live abroad temporarily and deceiving himself and others with the excuse that "he would return to serve his country when the situation changed."

Jiang Wen thought about it. This was equivalent to Hong Wending telling him ten years later that he believed hatred in the world stemmed from a cycle of revenge, and that instead of clinging to hatred and fighting against the Qing Dynasty, it would be better to join the Qing Dynasty and change it. After this farewell, he was going to take the martial arts exam...

Jiang Wen couldn't help but wonder if Mu Renqing, upon hearing this news fourteen years ago, might have appeared calm on the surface but had actually been gone for a long time.
"The second time was not long after. Yuan went to Sichuan and Chongqing. He heard from Uncle Cui about the many atrocities committed by the Qing government. He was furious and killed corrupt officials in more than 20 prefectures and counties. Feeling that he was weak and alone, he decided to seek help from masters in Shaolin and Wudang."

As Yuan Chengzhi spoke, his expression gradually turned serious, as if he were completely immersed in the memories of that perilous journey.

"Yuan first went to the Shaolin Temple in Henan, and found that the Shaolin Temple was also closed and everyone was in danger. Sure enough, disaster struck soon after. It was extremely dangerous. Yuan almost lost his life on the spot, and the Northern Shaolin Temple also suffered a heavy blow..."

That autumn, Mount Song was shrouded in continuous rain. When Yuan Chengzhi trudged through the mud and entered the mountain gate, the first thing he noticed was an unusual stillness—

The rhythm of the morning bell and evening drum of the past has been disrupted, and the incense in the Thousand Buddha Hall has a faint, sweet smell. At that time, no one could have imagined that this silence was not due to the weariness brought about by war, but a sudden disaster that had already choked the breath of the ancestral home of Zen Buddhism.

Outsiders only know that Shaolin Temple was destroyed by Li Jiyu's war in the thirteenth year of Chongzhen's reign, but Yuan Chengzhi knew that many strange things happened at Shaolin Temple afterward. Someone found a scroll of Northern Wei silk in the Sutra Repository. The Sanskrit on it looked like the gnawing of reptiles, and it made a rustling sound when unfolded. The old monk who had been in charge of the scroll for many years went mad that night and ran barefoot into the rain shouting, "There is something in the lotus seat!" and "The terracotta figures in the pagoda forest are running!"

Later, it was discovered that blood seeped from the corners of the eyes of the Tang Dynasty Buddha statue in the Huayan Hall, and it would reappear the next day after being wiped away; when the martial monks practiced with their staffs, the tips of their staffs were covered with invisible threads, and when they exerted force, they could hear children laughing; green algae resembling dragon scales floated on the well water, and strange patterns began to grow on the scalps of the monks who drank from it...

Living people, wooden figures, pottery figures, paper figures...

Confucius said, "He who first made funerary figurines, will he have no descendants?" It was only on that day that Yuan Chengzhi understood the true meaning behind the renowned Eighteen Bronze Men of Shaolin Temple...

...The abbot, leading the last few conscious monks, carried something into the underground palace of the pagoda forest. It was said they intended to use the *Yi Jin Jing* (a classic Chinese medical text) to suppress it, and they never emerged. The few monks who escaped felt as if they were being followed by something, daring not to utter a word about the pagoda forest, only vaguely saying, "The calamity arose from underground."

After the abbot's death, the Northern Shaolin Temple was naturally leaderless. Later, he heard that Zen Master Xingyin of the Southern Shaolin Temple had come with several disciples to handle the aftermath and had taken away a batch of silk scrolls and scriptures. Not long after, some strange things also happened to the Southern Shaolin Temple, and it was unknown whether it was related to those things that were hidden from the world.

"After recuperating from his injuries for several days, Mr. Yuan traveled by horse and boat to Wudang Mountain in Hubei Province. It was on Wudang Mountain that Mr. Yuan first met the man who was then called 'Yun Feiyang'..."

Yuan Chengzhi paused abruptly at this point, glancing down at the swirling tea in his cup before looking up at the dark night outside the hall, until he was certain he could see no stars before finally looking up.

The worry in his eyes at this moment seemed to be directed not at his own predicament, but at Jiang Wen in front of him.

"Sect Leader Jiang, have you ever seen people kill each other?"

Jiang Wen nodded: "The most common thing in the martial arts world is that people kill each other."

Yuan Chengzhi said, "Have you ever seen the entire sect fighting to the death in the main hall, with a smiling, silent man sitting in the middle, yet everyone ignoring him..."

That day, Yuan Chengzhi passed through the mountain gate without any hindrance and peered into the tightly closed main hall. The door of the Zhenwu Hall of Wudang was cracked, and pieces of peach wood sword mixed with dark stains were embedded in the dragon pillar. The plaque with the words "Dao Fa Zi Ran" (The Way Follows Nature) looked dark, and a black, gooey substance was dripping down it, eventually sticking to the eaves.

The people in the hall were all stiff and motionless. The disciple in the green robe was covered in abscesses, and he held up a broken sword and tried to throw it at the person opposite him. The person hit did not fall down, but made muffled sounds in his throat and kept moving closer. The Wudang Sect Leader was pale, and the silver threads of his whisk were wrapped around his wrist. With each tug, a red mark appeared on his wrist. He kept muttering something, and his eyes were fixed on the ceiling of the hall, where the Big Dipper was painted.

A young Taoist boy with a swollen, bruised head ran over carrying a ruler stained with blood. In the middle of the main hall sat a young man in a moon-white robe on a prayer mat. Just as the boy was about to bump into the young man, he walked straight past him as if he hadn't seen him, and simply swung the ruler at an empty space.

The young man sat there, his lips curved without moving, his eyes as calm as water, as if he hadn't seen what was happening in the hall, yet it was as if he saw everything that was happening in the hall. Amidst the thick stench of decay, not even the curve of his lips changed the slightest...

"This person is incredibly terrifying... Sometimes, even when passing through a bustling city and face to face with you, no one can detect him, much like a 'hidden immortal in the marketplace, unknown to all,' yet his actions are extremely treacherous..."

Jiang Wen suddenly raised his head. Yuan Chengzhi glanced at him and felt as if he saw a sword of unparalleled sharpness and exquisite craftsmanship. In times of peace and prosperity, even if it were hanging on the wall, it would inevitably roar in the middle of the night and leap out of its scabbard.

This familiar feeling made Jiang Wen realize that there were some things he shouldn't say anymore—

The Rhinoceros-Wielding Swordsman?
Yuan Chengzhi smiled with a hint of relief, then said, "Just as I expected, you've also been involved in these matters... Remember, don't ask about what happened to me, and I won't ask about what happened to you. If those past events resurface, they'll probably be even more difficult to deal with than before..."

Jiang Wen nodded, deeply agreeing with Yuan Chengzhi's words. He didn't intend to tell even his close disciples, like Xiao Shitou, Hong Wending, and Fu Ningdie, about such exotic things as the six-tusked white elephant, the mirage snail, and the Yellow Springs Ghost Kingdom, let alone outsiders who were also members of the Hui Xi Ke.

Therefore, he naturally wouldn't tell Yuan Chengzhi that such methods might not only be possessed by immortals. For example, the King Shouluo, whom he had fought hard against, was proficient in this "Mind-Controlling Technique." However, the King Shouluo was extremely arrogant and pursued the martial arts of "extreme strength and speed," so he only used this method in martial arts and disdained to use it to pretend to be a god.

"and after?"

Jiang Wen smiled and pressed on with the question.

Yuan Chengzhi said with a wry smile: "Later I heard that he called himself the leader of the Qingyang Sect and his behavior became even more wicked. My several trips to the Central Plains were all related to Yun Feiyang. But after the death of the Manchu regent Dorgon, he suddenly disappeared. It wasn't until this time that I noticed traces of his instigation that I returned to the Central Plains."

Jiang Wen could glean some details about the fight from Yuan Chengzhi's expression, but upon further reflection, he suddenly felt that something was amiss.

Yuan Chengzhi and Zhang Wuji have very similar personalities, and their actions in crucial moments often fall into the following stages:

In the first stage, they claimed that what happened in the martial arts world was nothing more than a minor ailment; in the second stage, they said that there was some trouble but that they needed to plan carefully; in the third stage, they said that one should never act rashly in a critical moment; in the fourth stage, they said that it was all too late and that it would be better to just leave.

But given this damned personality, at least four years passed between Yuan Chengzhi's departure overseas and Dorgon's death from a fall from his horse.

Judging from Yuan Chengzhi's easily defeated nature, even if Yuan Chengzhi did not win in their fight, he would at least be slightly inferior; otherwise, given his personality, he would have given up long ago.

If we consider another perspective, if the outcome of the battle between Yuan Chengzhi and Zhao was a complete defeat for Yuan Chengzhi, then Yuan Chengzhi's true character today would certainly not be the ambitious but incompetent and constantly frustrated figure he was fourteen years ago.

Jiang Wen suddenly became very curious about what had happened. He figured that after the hasty ending of "The Sword Stained with Royal Blood" where he went to Brunei, a series of unbelievable events must have occurred.

More importantly, when Zhao Wuji, whose skills had improved further, met Ding Dian, who had arrived at his peak, in Zhanlu Mountain in Songxi County, his words still carried a sense of competition; however, when Yuan Chengzhi, the Golden Snake Swordsman, appeared, Zhao Wuji turned and left without hesitation. This means that in Zhao Wuji's mind, Yuan Chengzhi's strength should be equal to or even greater than Ding Dian's...

"Sect Leader Jiang, my rambling is not just for reminiscing, but also to give you a wake-up call."

After saying this, Yuan Chengzhi's eyes shone with determination. "Over the years, I have sparred with Zhao Wuji several times in the art of internal strength, but I have never won. I have already lost too much, and I cannot watch you risk your life to repeat the same mistakes. So let me see if you can carve out a new path in the treacherous world of martial arts."

Jiang Wen smiled slightly, thinking to himself that Yuan Chengzhi was indeed an honest and kind person.

Yuan Chengzhi's strength lies in his eclectic martial arts style, which combines the powerful, vigorous, and sustained strength of Huashan martial arts with the unpredictable and daring style of the Golden Snake Swordsman, making him extremely difficult to predict during a fight.

Although his internal skills were learned from a prestigious school, he didn't have the extraordinary encounters of Duan Yu and Xu Zhu absorbing other people's internal energy or Guo Jing and Yang Guo devouring rare treasures. Relying solely on his own honing and accumulation, he naturally couldn't compare to Zhao Wuji, who had mastered the "Heavenly Silkworm Divine Skill."

When the other party compares their weaknesses to yours, it clearly indicates that they are only testing your strength and have no intention of engaging in any emotional conflict.

Yuan Chengzhi had already closed his eyes and concentrated his mind, harmonizing his yin and yang breaths in his dantian. Then, he raised his palm and pressed it towards Jiang Wen, his palm concealing a powerful force, a primordial energy that never ceased to flow. He raised his hand and channeled the force at will, as if a casual wave could silently dent the bluestone.
"This is the Huashan 'Hun Yuan Gong' passed down by my master, Mu Renqing. Sect Leader, be careful."

Jiang Wen knew that the Huashan Sect's "Hun Yuan Gong" was a Taoist internal skill, and its power and refinement far surpassed that of ordinary people. He then channeled his energy and reached out his palm to place it on top of the skill.

The moment the two made contact, Yuan Chengzhi felt a surge of power deep within Jiang Wen's dantian. However, it was not a ball of energy cultivated later in life, but rather a wisp of pure and clear true energy that he was born with. Touching it felt like morning dew, cool and refreshing yet containing inexhaustible vitality.

He activated the internal force of the Hunyuan Gong, which was about to surge like a tidal wave, but the innate true energy had already formed an invisible circle. It neither consumed nor dispersed, but flowed quietly, as if resonating with the breath of heaven and earth. Even his breathing became in sync with the operation of the true energy. No matter how the true energy flowed, it remained unmoved.

"My 'Innate Skill' is a Taoist breathing exercise, which is not naturally good at offensive techniques. Brother Yuan, please forgive my ignorance."

Jiang Wen smiled and said, "Since the source of Yuan Chengzhi's Taoist Hunyuan Gong is likely Hao Datong, the founder of the Huashan Taoist School, then I'll just bring up Wang Chongyang and see how you deal with it."

Yuan Chengzhi exclaimed in amazement, "Sect Leader Jiang is too modest! This internal energy is perfectly harmonious and contains the power of creation. With your skill, you could probably fight for ten days and ten nights without needing to recover your breath. You far surpass me. I dare to ask, Sect Leader Jiang, to test your offensive techniques again."

After saying this, he suddenly withdrew the power of his Hunyuan internal energy, as if a great river had suddenly dried up and stopped flowing. He slightly raised his breath, and his meridians gradually warmed as the internal energy flowed through them. A faint purple aura appeared on his forehead, but an even more powerful force surged back. As the internal energy flowed continuously, there was no sluggishness after the fierce exertion. Instead, he felt the internal energy in his dantian becoming more and more abundant.

Yuan Chengzhi immediately pressed down with his left palm and suddenly pushed out with his right palm. The palm wind felt like a light breeze when it first touched a person, but it suddenly surged half a foot away. The force was as solid as a mountain, and it wrapped around Jiang Wen like a purple cloud spreading out in the sky. It was a continuous purple cloud rushing towards him!

Although this palm strike was only a few inches away, it carried tremendous force. Jiang Wen, caught off guard, smiled and, with a slight turn of his palm, channeled his true energy through the twelve meridians, unleashing a palm strike in return. At first, it was like a light morning mist clinging to him, but as he focused his mind, it gradually generated a warm and dense force.

Then, a strange internal force swept through his meridians, and the scene of his childhood training appeared before his eyes: the scene of Mount Hua before the clouds and mist had dissipated at dawn every day.

Yuan Chengzhi felt enveloped in a purple aura, as if he were atop Mount Hua. In an instant, an eastern purple mist, seemingly drawn by an invisible hand, transformed into a rolling tide of light surging towards the horizon: the low-lying purple mist was thick as solidified fat, a soft, almost translucent purple, concealing shimmering light; the high-lying purple clouds were pale as wisps of smoke, mingling with drifting clouds to form an all-encompassing purple curtain, even the sunlight filtered into a warm, purplish glow. Where the tide passed, the rocks were tinged with a pale purple hue, and the wings of birds left long, purple trails. The entire universe was enveloped in this surging, misty purple aura—

Auspicious purple clouds are coming from the east!

The wooden door several feet away vibrated and hummed. The copper kettle boiling water suddenly overturned to the ground. The force seemed soft and fluffy, but it suddenly solidified when it hit the ground, as fast as a mountain collapsing, which made people's minds and spirits tremble. Fu Ningdie also covered her ears tightly.

After their palms met, the two suddenly stopped their movements and stood still.

Jiang Wen abruptly withdrew the purple aura he had unleashed. As the strong wind dissipated, Jiang Wen slowly withdrew his palm. The purple aura that filled the sky did not seem to dissipate immediately. Instead, it flowed back slowly with his breath, like a rainbow, before disappearing into the fluttering of his clothes.

Fu Ningdie quickly scrambled to her feet, leaped onto the roof beam, and clung tightly to it, refusing to let go, fearing that the two might unleash some earth-shattering move.

Jiang Wen nodded slightly, thinking that Yuan Chengzhi, the Rhinoceros-Wielding Swordsman, must have had many extraordinary encounters in the martial world over the years. His internal strength alone was enough to make him unparalleled in the region. If he were to encounter him at only one-tenth of his power, dealing with him would probably be quite troublesome.

Before Jiang Wen could speak, Yuan Chengzhi stopped abruptly, his eyes filled with astonishment as he asked.

"Sect Leader Jiang...you...you are actually one of the Nine Stars of the Purple Sun Sect?!" (End of Chapter)