Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 741 Discussion
Chen Fan noticed that the banquet was going exceptionally fast today. He had just finished toasting the guests at the eight tables in the courtyard when they had already finished eating.
Looking at the clean plates, I wondered if we had prepared too little food. Should we go to the other tables?
But if eight people at a table are eating thirteen dishes, and the portions are not small, and that's still not enough...

Then I saw several people clutching their stomachs and burping, trying their best to act like nothing was wrong.

If even the martial arts master with the biggest appetite is like this, one can only imagine how others are.

Alright, we can't serve any more food. If we give them any more, they might get a stomachache.

Back at the main table, seeing only a single bite of food left on each plate, Chen Fan could only silently express his gratitude to the high-ranking officials at the table; they were indeed people of refined taste.

After finishing the meal hastily, the banquet was considered over.

The ceremony is over, and we've had our meal. Shouldn't we be able to leave now?
So Chen Fan leaned closer to Master Liu and whispered, "How's it going with what I mentioned to you a few days ago about finding a few Taoist disciples to stay at Chaoyang Temple?"

Master Liu immediately said, "Those were the people who served the dishes and tea just now."

Chen Fan narrowed his eyes, recalling the scene just now, "Nine?"

Master Liu nodded slightly, then looked at the two-story dormitory building in the back and said softly, "They are three male Daoists and six female Daoists, all of whom are Daoist disciples. They were orphans adopted by several Daoist temples more than ten years ago. Later, the temples were destroyed, so they lived with us old folks. After they grew up a bit and we consulted their own opinions, we and a few fellow Daoists took them under our wing. Now they have all been ordained. If you intend to bring them into the Quanzhen School in the future, you can give them the 'ordination' ceremony."

Just like monks who are ordained, Taoist priests also have their own formal initiation ceremonies. The Zhengyi sect uses the "transmission of ordination," while the Quanzhen sect has the master put a "Taoist cap" on them, which is called a "crown cap."

From the outside, this Taoist headscarf looks like a black round hat. In fact, it is a kind of headscarf used by Taoists. The top is open, so it does not affect the bun or hairpins. It can also be worn as a crown. It is different from the hat that Uncle Nine usually wears. Uncle Nine belongs to the Zhengyi sect, so he only needs to wear a hat and does not need a crown.

Therefore, sometimes you can tell whether a Taoist belongs to the Zhengyi or Quanzhen sect by looking at what's on their head. Those who wear hats are generally Zhengyi, while those who wear headscarves are Quanzhen. For example, most Taoists on Wudang Mountain wear headscarves.

As for male and female Taoist priests living together in the same Taoist temple, this is quite common in Taoist temples, as long as their living quarters are separate.

It just so happened that the dormitory of Chaoyang Temple was a two-story building, so they installed a door at the entrance of the building, with the first floor for the male Taoist priests and the second floor as the rooms for the female Taoist priests.

With these Taoist priests moving in, Chaoyang Temple finally gained some life.

Chen Fan wanted to ask why there were twice as many Kun Dao as Qian Dao, but he swallowed the words back.

Remembering what Master Liu had said earlier about these animals being adopted by the Taoist temple, I guessed the reason.

Not to mention the past, even in the 90s, there were still many places where female infants were abandoned. Most of these Taoist disciples were picked up by wandering Taoist priests, so it was normal that there were more women than men.

Master Liu continued speaking, “That day you said you wanted to find a few Taoist disciples to come and stay at Chaoyang Temple, which was a great help to us. Now many Taoist temples have not yet returned the disciples, and many people are crammed into one temple, sleeping in a large dormitory. If a few disciples can be sent out, it will alleviate our predicament a little.”

Actually, the accommodation is not a big problem; we can just squeeze in. The main issue is that there are too many people and not enough food.

Ever since Chen Fan and Zhang Xuansong first visited the Taoist Association, everyone in Beijing's Taoist circles knew that Chaoyang Temple was wealthy. Those who came here would likely have no worries about food and clothing. After discussing it, the dozen or so elderly Taoist priests decided to send their youngest members over. This would both ensure the continuation of Chaoyang Temple's lineage and provide a future for the children—a win-win situation.

Chen Fan smiled and said, "Let's take it one step at a time. I heard that the Religious Affairs Bureau will be reinstated this year, so the problem will definitely be solved."

The decision to ask the Taoist Association for personnel to bolster Chaoyang Temple was made after he and Zhang Xuansong discussed it.

Chaoyang Temple has reopened and been rebuilt, but a Taoist temple like this can't just sit here unattended.

Aside from his obsession with rebuilding the Taoist temple, Zhang Xuansong wasn't interested in practicing Taoism. He also had a large family to support, so how could he just abandon them? ...Although he didn't usually care much about them, choosing to live with Li Shangde and Lin Yuanxiang instead of staying at his own home, it was still somewhat related to whether he became a Taoist priest or not.

In short, he neither knows nor has the ability to manage Chaoyang Temple.

Chen Fan was even less likely to stay here, but Chaoyang Temple couldn't be left without someone, so what could be done?
As the saying goes, if you have difficulties, go to your leader.

If a Taoist temple has a problem, then of course you should go to the management body, which is the Taoist Association.

The Taoist Association is just paralyzed, not disbanded; all the bigwigs are still around.

So Chen Fan went to Master Liu, who was still holding the title of vice president of the Taoist Association.

Master Liu didn't hesitate and immediately agreed, saying he couldn't ask for anything more.

Sure enough, today he brought nine Taoist disciples to start work, and on their very first day, he gave them a lot of hard work, dumping all sorts of miscellaneous tasks on them.

To be honest, these Taoist disciples were quite efficient at their work. After all, they had practiced Taoist arts for a few days, and they were even more efficient than Liu Juan and Ma Lan.

Chen Fan wasn't afraid that these people would take over his place. On the one hand, the property deeds and everything else were with Zhang Xuansong. He wasn't a rootless duckweed; even Chen Fan was just an accessory to him. Who would be so blind as to ask for trouble?
Another point is that the Taoist Association itself does bear this responsibility, as it needs to coordinate various activities of local Taoist temples and cultivate outstanding Taoists. Although they are not responsible for recruiting people for Taoist temples, it is their duty to coordinate a few people from one Taoist temple to another when needed.

The main idea is that everyone is happy because it's a mutual agreement.

Moreover, as a qualified Taoist priest, he doesn't really care much about external things.

Taoist priests in Taoist temples were provided with food and lodging, and were also given Taoist robes for all four seasons. In later generations, apart from some famous mountains and temples that provided a decent "fee," many Taoist priests in small temples only received three to five hundred yuan a month in fees, or even none at all, relying solely on a meager "commission" from performing rituals. That little money wasn't even enough for a cigarette, yet many Taoist priests still had more than enough to spend, which shows how low their desire for material things was.

Chen Fan had just noticed those young Taoist disciples. The older ones were about sixteen or seventeen years old, and the younger ones were only fourteen or fifteen. Yet, each of them had a calm and composed look in their eyes and acted in an orderly manner. Clearly, they had been tempered by following high-level Taoist priests like Master Liu.

Regardless of how high one's skill level is, it should at least be above the passing grade.

Master Liu looked at Chen Fan and said, “Abbot, I didn’t mention them to you before so you could see their performance. If you don’t like them, I’ll find someone else to replace them. But the major Taoist temples haven’t taken on any disciples for over ten years, so it’s a time of transition and there aren’t many young disciples…”

He was afraid that Chen Fan would find these Daoist disciples too young and unsuitable, and would return them to him.

Chen Fan quickly said, "No need to change them, these people are fine."

He had just noticed that these Taoist disciples were performing remarkably well. If they waited a few years until the Taoist temples across the region had stabilized, such promising talents would be hard to find. Now, with just a word, they'd been delivered to their doorstep—what more could they ask for?!
Upon hearing this, Master Liu smiled and said, "In that case, I will have someone send their luggage over later. From now on, they will be disciples of Chaoyang Temple, at your beck and call. If you wish to bring them into your fold in the future, I will arrange it."

Chen Fan nodded. "That's how it should be."

For now, these people are just changing places to cultivate. They are not taking on disciples or changing jobs. At most, they are just temporarily staying. They don't even need to go through complicated rituals. They will just burn incense for the ancestral master and inform him when they do their evening prayers.

If they perform well, they will be formally accepted into the Chaoyang Temple. At that time, a ceremony will be held to inform the patriarch and the Taoist Association, and to invite high-ranking Taoist priests from other Taoist temples to witness the ceremony. The lineage will be written on the Taoist certificate, and then they can call themselves disciples of the Chaoyang Temple.

Before this, they could only tell outsiders that they were practicing at Chaoyang Temple and were not considered members of Chaoyang Temple.

After settling the last "minor matter," Chen Fan looked around at the guests chatting in small groups, then at the seemingly idle Taoist priest Liu, and asked in a low voice, "Taoist priest, what are you all going to do later?"

The implication is that everything is done, the meal and tea have been served, shouldn't you all head home now?

Unexpectedly, Master Liu seemed not to understand, looking at the martial arts practitioners with a curious expression, and said with a smile, "We're fine, we'll stay here and rest for a while."

He then waved to Chen Fan, "You go about your business, don't worry about us."

Chen Fan's lips twitched slightly as he couldn't help but wonder to himself, "Do you want to stay and have dinner, or do you want to watch the show?"
Or perhaps together?
……

Chen Fan glanced around the crowd and found Zhang Xuansong. The two exchanged a look, both understanding that they could proceed to the next step.

Then, guided by Zhang Xuansong and Lin Yuanxiang, everyone went to the largest courtyard in front.

Besides the nine Taoist disciples who were responsible for cleaning up the mess, even Jiang Tiantian, Jiang Lili, Liu Juan, and Ma Lan ran to the front to watch the excitement.

The Taoist priests all went to the main hall, but they didn't go inside. They stayed outside under the eaves, some squatting, some sitting, and some leaning against the walls or pillars, prioritizing comfort.

Li Shangde, along with eight old comrades, occupied a side hall. Soon after, a young Taoist priest brought tea after the meal, and each of them took a cup.

An elderly man, somewhat impatient, craned his neck to look outside and asked, "When does it start?"

Li Shangde also eagerly awaited, "It should be soon."

A short while later, Chen Fan finally put on the pure white Taoist robe he had prepared and walked out of the main hall with an imposing air.

He stepped down the stairs, bowed to the group of martial arts figures, and said, "I am grateful to all the senior martial arts practitioners for coming to witness the reopening of our small temple today. My master has already explained the rules to me, but I would like to know the specific procedures?"

When he came out, the Taoist priests quickly adjusted their posture and stepped forward to the edge of the eaves to watch the show from above.

Jiang Lili and the other three hid behind a window in a side hall, nervously watching the middle of the courtyard.

Just as Chen Fan put his hand down, an elderly man with white hair and beard walked out from the opposite side. After a moment's thought, he remembered that Master Zhang had introduced this person. He was a true disciple of Yang-style Tai Chi, who studied under Li Wancheng from Yongnian County. Later, he moved to the capital and is now considered a prominent figure in Yang-style Tai Chi in the capital. He also seems to be surnamed Yang.

He then cupped his hands in a respectful bow, saying, "Master Yang."

The man stepped forward three steps, cupped his hands in greeting, and then said, “Before the founding of the nation, the capital was in turmoil and chaos. People who practiced martial arts had no other skills, so they either sold themselves to wealthy families to guard their homes, or opened a martial arts school to teach and make a living.”

But a territory is only so big; if you take a bite more, someone else takes a bite less, and naturally, disputes arise constantly. Later, heroes from all walks of life gathered together and established a set of rules.

If a new martial arts master opens a school, a fighting ring must be set up on the street in front of the school, awaiting challenges from other martial arts schools. Only those who can hold the ring from sunrise to noon are allowed to open their school and teach; other practitioners are not permitted to cause them further trouble.

After briefly explaining the origins of the rules for opening a martial arts school in the capital, Master Yang suddenly smiled and said, "But that's all in the past. The situation is naturally very different now. Nobody makes a living from those skills anymore. It's just that the rules set by our predecessors are hard to break, and Master Zhang insists that Chaoyang Temple belongs to the martial arts lineage, so we can only come here to go through the motions."

"A new society brings new atmosphere, and my senior brother Zhang Xinyi also entered the Taoist sect, with the Dharma name Feng Lingzi. So, we have some connection in that respect."

As he spoke, he turned to look at the people around him, then smiled at Chen Fan and said, "So we've discussed it, and today your temple won't hold the 'Ever-Victorious Arena.' Instead, we'll define it as a friendly exchange, with only three matches: fist and foot techniques, weapons, and internal strength. There will be no winner or loser; it's just for the sake of sparring. Regardless of the outcome, the martial arts world of Beijing will recognize the Chaoyang Temple lineage. What does the Qinglian Temple Master think?!"

After he finished speaking, Chen Fan, though not afraid, breathed a sigh of relief.

He wasn't afraid of fighting, but he was afraid of these martial arts practitioners who acted impulsively, refused to admit defeat after losing, and held grudges after being beaten. That was what really drove him crazy.

This is for the best; it's just a simple formality, a win-win situation for everyone.

He immediately cupped his hands in a salute and said with a smile, "We'll do as Master Yang says."

They were all getting along well, but the onlookers weren't happy about it.

An old Taoist priest chirped crickets next to Master Liu, "This is no fun. Back in the day, I ran into a newly opened martial arts school at Tianqiao. Oh my, the owner was from Cangzhou. You know Cangzhou, right? It's a martial arts hotbed. Even kids can get a piece of the action there."

It is said that the man practiced diligently for more than ten years, and with the help of his fellow villager Li Shuwen, he felt that he could open a martial arts school in the capital. So he rented a house in the capital and set up the Everlasting Victory Arena at the entrance.

Good heavens! The first match was between a Xingyiquan practitioner and the two fought for half an hour without a clear winner. In the second match, a practitioner of armor went up and, taking advantage of the opponent's exhaustion, quickly threw him to the ground. The ring was also dismantled. It was truly an eyesore.

But I must say, that's what makes it so exciting. Just a friendly sparring match lacks a certain something."

Master Liu turned and glanced at him. "Judging from your words, you seem to have some regrets?"

The man immediately coughed and said, "No, it's not that. Actually, sparring is quite good; it doesn't hurt feelings."

But that little expression of his seemed to look like regret.

He wasn't the only one feeling regret; the courtyard was filled with the chirping of crickets, and even the eight veterans accompanying Li Shangde all wore expressions of regret.

One of them even slapped his thigh, insisting on getting a refund from Li Shangde, saying, "You collected so much incense money, and then you just faked the fight, how can you be so shameless?!"

Li Shangde rolled his eyes and said, "If you're so capable, go and rummage through the donation box!"

Only in another small side hall did Jiang Tiantian and Jiang Lili breathe a sigh of relief. Jiang Lili kept muttering, "It's good that it wasn't a real fight."

Jiang Tiantian couldn't help but nod, "Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmm."

Although they all had faith in Chen Fan, what if something went wrong?
In the middle of the courtyard, Master Yang cupped his hands and said with a smile, "I'll take the stage for the first match, a fistfight. Master Qinglian, just let me know if you're ready."

Chen Fan flicked his wrist, waved his handsome white robe, and stretched out his right hand, "Master Yang, please."

Master Yang was slightly angry when he saw him like this. He had enjoyed his meal and had a good impression of Chen Fan because of his Taoist demeanor. But Chen Fan dared to attack him without even taking off his outer robe.

Without saying another word, he took a deep breath, pushed off with his feet, and with a barely perceptible crack, the bricks beneath his feet shattered. He pounced on the opposite side like a tiger pouncing on its prey.

If there were an old man practicing Tai Chi in the park right now, and you told him that this was Tai Chi, he would definitely get angry and say, "This is what you call Tai Chi? It's more like Tai Chi!"

As Master Yang attacked, Chen Fan's pupils contracted slightly, and he secretly praised him, "What a Tai Chi Cannon Hammer!"
As is well known, Tai Chi Chuan has eight kinds of force: Peng, Lu, Ji, An, Cai, Lie, Zhou, and Kao. Among them, Peng is the mother force, which is the most basic force in Tai Chi Chuan, but it is also the most powerful.

Peng (掤) is similar to Beng (崩), emphasizing the accumulation of internal energy and then using borrowed force to unleash explosive power. It aims for extreme explosive force. If you cannot master Peng (掤) energy, you cannot expect to master the subsequent seven types of energy, let alone learn true Tai Chi. Tai Chi Cannon Hammer (太极炮锤) utilizes Peng (掤) energy.

It is said that fists are afraid of the young and strong, while sticks are afraid of the old, but this Master Yang is really old but not young at heart. At his age, he still dares to fight with such fierce punches. Isn't he afraid of hurting his back when he gets back?

Moreover, his fighting style is highly sophisticated, employing genuine combat techniques. He doesn't use his fists to strike, but rather pounces like a tiger hunting its prey, leaving his opponent bewildered. Simultaneously, he applies force a foot behind him, meaning that when the opponent is in front of you, you shouldn't focus your force on their body, but rather apply it a foot behind them. Because the opponent can dodge and defend, insufficient force will easily be evaded or blocked. This "one-foot-long" force prevents the opponent from exhausting their strength and becoming powerless, making it difficult for them to defend or parry.

In that instant, Chen Fan's eyes twitched.

You call this a friendly exchange?
In less than a second, Master Yang pounced in front of him. Chen Fan flipped his right hand upwards to catch him, and then his wide sleeves fluttered, covering his hands as he unleashed a series of attacks.

Master Yang's eyes lit up. Good heavens, no wonder he insisted on wearing this robe. I tried to outsmart you, and you tried to outmaneuver me.
I've only ever heard of "legs hidden in skirts" before, but you're going to use "hidden punches" here!

In the next instant, Master Yang flipped his hands and reached for the wide sleeves.

I'll tear your sleeve off, let's see how you play then!

Unfortunately, Chen Fan was no pushover either. With a slight twitch of his arms, his sleeves, like the flowing cloud sleeves in the hands of the female lead, stretched and contracted freely, allowing him to evade Master Yang's attack without serious injury.

He then flipped his palms upwards and clashed head-on with Master Yang.

Only then did the two truly engage in combat.

Under the eaves of the side hall, Lin Yuanxiang stared intently at the two men fighting in the courtyard, muttering to himself, though it was impossible to hear what he was saying.

Zhang Xuansong's hands were clenched tightly, clearly showing his anxiety. He glanced at Lin Yuanxiang unintentionally, then froze, nudging him, "What are you chanting?"

Lin Yuanxiang glanced at him and said in a low voice, "It's this old guy who punched me back then. I was encouraging Xiao Fan to punch him back."

Zhang Xuansong snorted twice, "One punch isn't enough. He also kicked me. I haven't gotten out of bed for three days."

Lin Yuanxiang clicked his tongue, his brows furrowing slightly. "I didn't expect this old man, who's almost seventy, to still have such a strong voice. He actually took to the field himself this time. What does he mean by that?"

Zhang Xuansong also frowned, "I don't know, I don't understand."

In the courtyard, Chen Fan calmly dealt with the situation using only the secret boxing technique of Chaoyang Temple. Since today's matter concerned Chaoyang Temple, he could only use Chaoyang Temple's kung fu. However, for him, it didn't matter what kind of kung fu he used; it would all be the same anyway.

After sparring with Master Yang for a few rounds, he suddenly realized something, and when he looked at Master Yang again, his gaze was completely different.

After a few more moves, Master Yang suddenly stopped, leaped back, and cupped his hands in a straightforward gesture. “I only have three minutes of strength left. Once I’m done, I’ll be done. Master Qinglian, let’s stop here.”

Chen Fan gave him a meaningful look, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and said, "I will do as Master Yang says."

Although it was only three minutes, Master Yang demonstrated all eight types of Tai Chi power in front of him. Was this a friendly exchange or an instruction to pass on his skills?

But I already know them all.

After Master Yang retreated into the crowd, the others were still in shock.

Is that all?

It was just a friendly sparring match, but it was quite exciting. The younger generation brought by the martial arts practitioners seemed to have discovered a new world. They recalled the exchange and immersed themselves in it, but soon shook their heads in disbelief.

Whether facing Master Yang or Chen Fan, he could only get beaten up. No wonder Master Yang stopped fighting. With their skills, continuing the fight would only end like this, unless it came down to life or death.

But if it gets to that point, shouldn't everyone go to the palace?
After Master Yang stood still in the crowd, another elderly man in work clothes came out, carrying a practice sword in his hand.

Yes, it's the kind of thing that old men and women use in parks. It's a bit thick, with rounded edges, and it's shiny silver, looking very light.

The old man, holding his sword, bowed to Chen Fan, his mouth widening to reveal a small black hole—he was missing two teeth.

Fortunately, it wasn't his front teeth, so his speech was still fairly clear. "Master Qinglian, this old man will take the stage for this weapons competition."

As he spoke, he brandished his sword and continued, "My father loved martial arts in his early years. Back then, the Qing Dynasty was still in power, so he apprenticed under two imperial guards to learn martial arts. Later, he felt he wasn't learning anything, and when he heard that Shaolin Temple had a lot of martial arts, he went there."

As it turned out, he had never traveled far before, and he was tricked and got lost along the way. Before he knew it, he had wandered from Henan to Danjiangkou, and ended up on Wudang Mountain.

The old man twirled his sword, grinning with his yellowed teeth, and said, "Since we're already here, let's try to learn something. After all, Wudang's kung fu isn't inferior to Shaolin's." So he set his sights on an old Taoist priest who was gathering herbs, serving him diligently for a year before learning two sword techniques.

However, it wasn't the Wudang Dan Sword of the Sword Immortal lineage, but rather the Taiyi Xuanmen Sword and the Eight Immortals Sword. After my father returned, these two sword techniques took root in our family and were gradually passed down.”

Only then did he turn his sword upside down and perform a sword salute. “These two sword techniques are not as famous as the Wudang Dan Sword, but their power is no less. Old Yang arranged for me to perform them, but I have never fought anyone before. So, I will demonstrate these two sword techniques here and ask Master Qinglian for guidance.”

While listening to him speak, Chen Fan was on high alert and ready for battle, but then the other party said that they would not fight anymore and would instead perform?

He blinked, came to his senses, and bowed respectfully, saying, "I will leave it to you, senior."

The old man grinned, but the smile vanished the next second. He held the sword upside down in his left hand, his face serious as he stared ahead.

Just as everyone was holding their breath, he made a starting stance, handed the sword to his right hand with his left hand, and slowly unleashed a series of sword techniques.

Chop, hook, flick, stab, point... At first, his sword moves were still clear, but after a while, the old man's movements became faster and faster, turning his sword into a ball of silver light, making it impossible to see his movements at all.

Chen Fan couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly. Everyone says that those who practice hard at home will never be able to fight in real combat.

If the old man is telling the truth, judging from the swordsmanship he is displaying, I'm afraid that all the masters I've ever seen, without weapons, wouldn't last more than ten moves against him.

This includes Lin Yuanxiang, Zhang Xuansong, and Master Yang from earlier.

So, is it that this old man is highly talented? Or is it that he only practices and doesn't know how to use weapons in actual combat?

A few minutes later, the old man suddenly threw the sword into the air, then, without even looking at it, clasped his hands in a salute to Chen Fan, turned around and walked into the crowd.

Chen Fan returned the greeting with a Daoist chant, looked up, and saw the longsword tumbling down.

He narrowed his eyes, then suddenly stepped forward, reached out and grabbed the longsword.

Once he had the longsword in his hand, Chen Fan realized he had misjudged the situation.

This is hardly the practice sword of an old man in the park! You can tell how heavy it is as soon as you pick it up; it weighs more than twelve pounds.

A normal sword usually weighs around 3 or 4 jin (1.5-2 catties), and a sword weighing more than 5 jin (2.5 catties) can be considered a heavy sword. Yu Chenghui's swords were even lighter; the swords used for performances weighed only 2 jin (1 kg), while the swords used for practice weighed 3 jin (1.5 catties).

But the sword in his hand weighed over 12 pounds. Even without sharpening it, it would be terrible if it hit him.

Thinking back to how the old man had wielded the sword so skillfully, it's no wonder Master Yang arranged for him to compete.

Chen Fan looked up and saw the old man grinning at him, revealing two large, yellow teeth that were missing.

He immediately pursed his lips, forced a smile, and thought, "Fine, I'll just go for it."

Standing outside the arena, Zhang Xuansong frowned slightly as he watched his disciple remain motionless. "That old man's swordsmanship is not bad, but it's just so-so. It's not even as fast as Xiao Fan's usual sword practice speed. Why does Xiao Fan seem to be having some trouble?"

Lin Yuanxiang placed his hands in front of him, frowned, and thought for a moment, "Maybe he's older and they want to give way to him?"

Just then, Chen Fan made a move.

He first raised his sword and performed an opening salute, then took a deep breath and used his strength to slowly execute a set of Pure Yang Sword Technique.

Like the old man, he started slowly and then accelerated. By the end, the sword was nowhere to be seen, only a ball of silver light protecting him. The surrounding area was filled with a chilling aura of swords, making people afraid to approach.

After finishing a set of sword techniques, Chen Fan held the sword horizontally and presented it to the old man with both hands, saying, "Senior, here is your sword."

The old man refused to take it. Instead, his expression darkened, and he said sullenly, "Your sword is a fraction faster than mine. Here, take this sword."

Chen Fan paused, hesitated for a moment, and said, "I'm just taking advantage of my youth..."

Before he could finish speaking, the old man sighed, "The reason I can still wield a sword at my age is because of the Wudang Great Toad Qi technique. You also practice Qi cultivation, and you're already a step ahead of me at such a young age. What will you be like when you reach my age?"

He then looked at the longsword and said, "This sword was given to my father by the old Taoist priest when he went down the mountain after completing his studies. After the country was at peace, I went to look for him, but unfortunately he had already passed away. It is fate that this sword has returned to the Taoist sect."

After saying that, he fell silent and took two steps back, indicating that what happened next was none of his business.

Seeing this, Chen Fan could only hold the sword upside down, cup his hands in a salute, and say, "Thank you, senior."

Then, turning to Master Yang, who was watching the commotion from the sidelines, he asked, "I wonder who will be performing in the third round?"

Before Master Yang could speak, a sturdy middle-aged man stepped forward. He smiled憨厚ly and said, "Master Qinglian, you're too kind. I'm just a rough man. If Master Yang tells me to go, I'll go."

He then took two steps forward, extended his right hand, and said with a smile, "A handshake is enough for us."

His outstretched hand, compared to his robust physique, surprisingly appeared somewhat delicate.

Chen Fan's expression remained unchanged, but he was inwardly puzzled.

Outside the crowd, several people in different directions simultaneously muttered, "Hard Qigong, Iron Palm."

This is a purely external martial art that requires soaking in a secret medicinal solution as an aid. This soaking must be done every day for decades until the skill is mastered.

The Iron Sand Palm after it reaches its peak will resemble the shape of this person's hands, which look soft and weak, and not at all conspicuous.

If you don't practice according to the proper methods, it's easy to cripple your hands and ruin your life. Your hands will also become deformed, which will be obvious at a glance.

After mastering this skill, breaking bricks and splitting stones is nothing special; if it hits a person, it can cause a scratch or even death.

Judging from this man's hands, he has clearly mastered the Iron Sand Palm technique. Before his Daoist skills advance further, Chen Fan would not dare to confront him head-on.

It wouldn't hurt to give it a try now.

So Chen Fan handed the longsword to his left hand, extended his right palm, and clasped it tightly with the man's.

The moment the two hands clenched, the man suddenly unleashed his power. His eyes nearly bulged out, veins bulged on his forehead and arms, and his skin was covered in blood, as if it were about to drip blood.

Chen Fan also focused intently, his face solemn.

After a while, less than a minute later, the man suddenly let go, took two steps back, and resumed his honest, middle-aged appearance, waving his hand with a smile, "I'm almost out of strength, and you haven't even started to exert your strength yet. You're stronger than me."

Chen Fan breathed a sigh of relief, cupped his hands in a salute, and said with a smile, "Thank you for your kind offer."

It's really too kind of him. His skill isn't based on sheer strength, but rather on a well-rounded development. In terms of sheer power, he might not even be able to match this true successor of Iron Palm. The reason he didn't exert his strength is because he was busy resisting and couldn't unleash it.

However, if this continues and the opponent is exhausted, then it will be time for him to launch a counterattack.

Therefore, the person chose to stop in time, which can be considered as saving face for both parties.

Just then, Master Yang stepped forward, cupped his hands, and smiled at Chen Fan, saying, "Master Qinglian is indeed exceptionally skilled. It is an honor for the martial arts community of Beijing that Chaoyang Temple has established itself in the capital. I apologize for disturbing you today, but we will meet again another day. Farewell."

After saying the polite words, he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Li Shangde, Lin Yuanxiang, and Zhang Xuansong, then decisively turned and left.

The others followed closely behind, and they went off in a grand procession.

After they left, the Taoist priests and several veterans couldn't sit still any longer and came over to say goodbye.

In the blink of an eye, Chaoyang Temple was left with only a few cats and kittens, plus a few Taoist disciples who were left behind.

(End of this chapter)