Chapter 513: The Forbidden Secret

The scorching blood qi surged like a furnace, making the onlookers' hair and beard flutter wildly.

Xiandao floated in golden light, auspicious clouds drifting apart.

Across the entire training ground, it seemed as if two blazing suns had risen!

"Brother Master Helian, do you recognize this technique?"

Yang Yang Dongxiong glanced sideways—he knew the origin of Liang Qu's Golden Body, passed down by a Entering Zhen Xiang Master, kept in the western wing of his home.

Yet the world's martial arts are as vast as the ocean; few can identify a technique's origin without having seen it firsthand.

Master Helian Nianci scrutinized repeatedly, confirmed it beyond doubt, and spoke solemnly.

"I was originally a lay disciple of Xukong Temple, trained through the Wooden Man Alley and the Eighteen Arhat Array, and upon completing my studies, descended the mountain."

"The Golden Bell Twelve Gates is my signature art; I've cultivated it long-term, causing my tendons and bones to thicken like a set of tuned bells. Upon full mastery, it can transform the intangible into the tangible, like an inverted golden bell—but it is primarily a hard-body art."

"The Indestructible Golden Body shares similar external traits, yet internally it is utterly different from the Golden Bell Cover! When fully cultivated, it grants not only indestructibility, but also the Buddha's strength to hurl an elephant!"

"Legend says the great master Bodhidharma sat in meditation in a cave behind Xukong Temple, remaining incorruptible, unbroken, and undefeated for three thousand years!"

A sect's prestige cannot rely solely on its temple monks—it depends heavily on its lay disciples who walk the world.

"The Golden Bell Twelve Gates," commonly called the Golden Bell Cover, is taught only to the temple's most outstanding disciples.

Naturally, the imperial court has copies.

The imperial court's Scripture Palace holds copies of most martial arts and techniques from the Five Great Doctrines, yet a few are uniquely held by the doctrines themselves, preserved as a sign of respect.

The Indestructible Golden Body is one of them!

Only high monks of great virtue may comprehend and cultivate it.

A high monk of great virtue is one who has achieved outstanding scholarly mastery of the scriptures, or whose strength is extraordinary, radiating power from within and without.

"I wonder, Brother Yang, where did you learn the Indestructible Golden Body?"

"If Brother Master Helian is curious, why not spar with him afterward and ask him yourself?"

Regarding the whereabouts of the Entering Zhen Xiang Master, Yang Yang Dongxiong, as an outsider, stopped short of pressing further.

Master Helian Nianci could not press for details.

Learning a technique and transmitting it are two different matters.

Being qualified to learn does not mean being qualified to teach.

Even if I had merely passed the Wooden Man Alley and the Bronze Man Array, I would still lack the authority to teach Guan Guan Congjian the Golden Bell Twelve Gates.

Master Helian Nianci did not believe Liang Qu's Indestructible Golden Body was stolen.

Liang Qu grew up within Pingyang Prefecture; he probably didn't even know which way the gates of Xukong Temple faced.

Let alone that he was merely a Wolf Smoke.

Even Yang Yang Dongxiong could not steal this technique.

If a Hunting Tiger Grand Martial Artist could steal Xukong Temple's secret arts, what would the Five Great Doctrines even be for?

It must have been voluntarily taught by a high monk with transmission authority.

Whether or not he would reveal the source, Master Helian Nianci, this Hunting Tiger Grand Martial Artist, truly had to look to Liang Qu's face for an answer.

Who exactly taught him?

Master Helian Nianci lowered his gaze, silently recalling which ancestral master had come to Pingyang Prefecture.

Huh, huh!

Nightlight burst into radiant beams.

The red sun reappeared, waves of heat crashing ashore.

Scorching winds rose from the ground, sweeping across the sky, peeling green leaves from shrubs and flinging them beyond the walls.

The Golden Tiger roared, its claws leaving marks, its whip-like tail lashing out gale-force winds that carved jagged fissures across the earth.

The White Ape was wrapped in roaring golden flames, fangs bared, clinging to the Dragon Pillar, striking the brilliant Golden Bell with overwhelming force.

Dong!

Buddhist chants shook the heavens, ripples spreading in waves.

A buzzing filled their ears.

Ma Ma Shaobai pinched the puppy's ears, his features scrunched, his teeth aching.

Both possessed the Second True Gang, both had fully mastered true martial arts, and both had cultivated them to an extraordinary level—this was truly a battle of immortals.

Inspector Bian Inspector Bian Yuanchong and Zhai Zhai Yunsu exchanged glances.

They finally understood the strength of Liang Qu and Guan Guan Congjian—each gold medal's worth was undeniable.

Zhang Jia Zai was right.

Even if all of us silver and bronze medalists fought together, we truly wouldn't be a match…

"Pingyang Prefecture is brimming with talent…"

Zhang Xu, sleeves folded, smiled knowingly—his investment in the Two-Life Flower had been worthwhile.

Compared to the shock of the silver and bronze medalists,

Pei Pei Yunkun faced the gale, squinting closely.

"Such strength is undoubtedly gold medal level—but how could he earn a jade medal?"

Xie Yan's expression turned solemn: "He must have another hidden technique—but I wonder if this naturally gifted martial bone, Guan Guan Congjian, can force it out of him!"

Naturally gifted martial bone, Second True Gang, fully mastered true martial art.

With just these three, Guan Guan Congjian was no inferior to any gold medalist present—indeed, he surpassed them.

If he cannot force it out, no one else can.

This trip to Pingyang Prefecture is truly a great regret!

Weng!

The Dragon Pillar struck the Golden Bell.

The powerful recoil surged up his arm, yet vanished like mud sinking into the sea, merely causing Liang Qu to lean back slightly.

Guan Guan Congjian was stunned—the Golden Bell Twelve Gates not only had supreme defense, but should also have a counter-recoil effect; yet when striking Liang Qu, it felt like a gentle breeze brushing his face.

Instead, he himself bore the full impact of the pillar—its immense force nearly robbed him of breath.

He forcibly calmed his churning blood qi.

Guan Guan Congjian realized his technique was at a disadvantage; he kicked off again, lunging forward, closing in for hand-to-hand combat, utterly disregarding his own injuries.

Bathed in the Golden Bell's radiance, every punch and kick struck like towering mountains, unstoppable.

At this moment, even those in the Four Gates or the Running Horse tier, and even some newly arrived Wolf Smoke cultivators, could barely make out the movements.

"Such remarkable resilience."

Liang Qu inwardly marveled—his opponent's hard-body cultivation was certainly no weakling; in performance, he nearly matched the Golden Body. Combined with the Four Imagery Coiled Tendons and Bones, they complemented each other perfectly—but functionally, he still lagged behind the Golden Body.

Had his opponent possessed the Xiandao phenomenon, a true battle of equals would have ensued.

"Fame is never undeserved."

Lu Gang silently praised.

At the same level, Guan Guan Congjian could wrestle with his little brother so fiercely.

Enough to be proud of.

Xu Xu Zeshuai was deeply frustrated.

Had he really become the third?

Golden light crisscrossed, constantly interweaving.

Two blazing suns scorched the earth,

The entire training ground trembled without pause.

"He's going to lose…"

Behind the round window,

Zong Zong Lichan's face showed worry—being his beloved, she knew Guan Guan Congjian better than anyone.

The Four Imagery Coiled Tendons and Bones granted immense strength, even surpassing Dragon Tendons and Tiger Bones, yet its recovery was far weaker than Dragon Tendons and Tiger Bones.

Strong in explosive power, weak in recovery.

Once at a disadvantage, the longer the fight dragged on, the slimmer his chances of victory became.

Punches wove a dense net; the earth softened into sand.

Guan Guan Congjian's injuries worsened, yet his fighting spirit surged higher—muscles on his cheek twitched like taut sails, his entire body glowing crimson, faint white vapor swirling.

What a fearsome demon, a wrathful star!

Liang Qu was moved—he had intended to win methodically, letting his opponent surrender with dignity.

But this was probably not what his opponent wanted.

"Win or lose, I just want to fight…"

Bang!

The giant ape hurled the White Tiger flying.

In the moment Guan Guan Congjian was thrown backward, a faint aura stirred and coalesced.

"Hmm?"

At this moment, not only the spectators, but even Guan Guan Congjian himself froze in shock.

"This…"

Pei Pei Yunkun's pupils trembled, swallowing hard.

Though he had not directly faced the aura's pressure, right now, it felt as if something crushed him, making it hard to breathe.

Ma Ma Shaobai suddenly felt damp heat on his hand and looked down.

The puppy urinated.

"The power of the jade tablet?"

Zhang Xu turned his head, his neck rubbing against his collar; as a Great Wu Shi, he felt an odd unease.

"Huh!"

Liang Qu exhaled a puff of white vapor, withdrew his stance, straightened his back, and spread his fingers—behind him, the White Ape mirrored his movement exactly.

Heaven and earth reversed; killing intent surged everywhere.

The White Ape transformed: its beast form radiated true Gang qi, one hand gripping the pillar, faintly revealing a human stance!

What technique is this?

Guan Guan Congjian's pupils dilated violently.

Before he could think.

Liang Qu reached out with one hand, grasping wind and clouds in his palm, stepped forward, and slashed out a half-moon.

Slanting downward!

The Dragon Pillar swung forth from the immortal island's floating clouds, scattering auspicious mist, advancing inch by inch—no Gang wind, no ripples, as if slicing through empty space.

Guan Guan Congjian stood motionless, his black hair whipping wildly, for he realized he could go nowhere.

All evasion was useless; all resistance was futile.

Above and below, danger lay everywhere—he could only watch helplessly as the Dragon Pillar struck the Golden Bell!

The two collided.

The Golden Bell shuddered violently; its supposedly indestructible surface rippled like water!

The sun sank completely below the horizon.

Darkness burst through the dam and flooded in.

A blinding flash of light reignited the courtyard; tree shadows swayed and intertwined, rapidly stretching long—as if a blazing sun had, in mere instants, risen from the horizon to its zenith.

Boom!

The Golden Bell shattered into a thousand golden lights, followed by the thunderous crash of impact.

Wild currents flew everywhere.

Killing intent dispersed.

Master Helian Nianci took half a step forward, then halted midway.

Huh!

The Golden Ape flipped his hand.

The swirling dust was crushed by the Gang qi; Guan Guan Congjian stood frozen, eyes vacant, swaying unsteadily.

Liang Qu stepped back half a pace, steadied himself, and gasped for breath.

"How is that?"

Guan Guan Congjian stood stunned for a long while, then looked up.

"I've lost."

With those words spoken.

Guan Guan Congjian toppled backward, falling to the ground.

A faint haze rose.