Chapter 243: Invincible Under Heaven

"Thirty years ago, I mistakenly believed a message from Master Murong Bo and led the Central Plains martial artists to the pass beyond Yanmen, wrongly killing Xiao Yuanshan's wife..."

Before the Shaolin Temple, Abbot Xuan Ci clasped his palms together, facing Xiao Yuanshan, Qiao Feng, Kumārajīva, and the abbots who had come to Shaolin, and honestly admitted his guilt: "I committed a grave error in those days and willingly accept death. Xiao Yuanshan and Qiao Feng seeking vengeance upon me is the duty of a husband and a son—I have no objection."

In the revised edition of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," Jin Yong added much detail, truly rehabilitating Xuan Ci—he now resembles half a realized sage, daring to admit he was the leader and willing to sacrifice his life.

Xiao Yuanshan and Qiao Feng stood in the center with Ye Erniang, nodding repeatedly after hearing Abbot Xuan Ci's confession.

"But Xuan Ku was truly innocent."

Xuan Ci looked at Xiao Yuanshan and said: "Before all the martial world today, I am willing to die—but I also hope Xiao Yuanshan will remain at Shaolin Temple, that we may turn weapons into jade and silk..."

Xiao Yuanshan had mastered Shaolin's Seventy-Two Secret Techniques; Shaolin could not let him go.

"No!"

Qiao Feng shouted.

He had come up the mountain with Xiao Yuanshan, and they would stand together.

"Once I descend the mountain, I will spread Shaolin's martial arts to the Liao Kingdom!"

Xiao Yuanshan coldly snarled: "You slandered me then—I will do exactly that now!"

Many martial heroes revered Shaolin; at once they pressed forward, determined to kill Xiao Yuanshan and prevent Shaolin's arts from reaching the Liao Kingdom.

"There's no need to be so afraid."

Gu Qing said calmly: "The Liao Kingdom and our Great Song speak different languages. After Xiao Yuanshan publishes the manuals, Shaolin can also publish them to all. We'll learn them better than the Liao ever could."

Every martial man loved secret manuals; hearing Gu Qing's solution, they whispered among themselves, finding it reasonable.

"Those not of our kind must have different hearts!"

Several lay disciples of Shaolin voiced dissent.

Gu Qing smiled, took a letter from his sleeve, stepped forward, and handed it to Abbot Xuan Ci, the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple, and others: "This is a memorial written by Minister Su Dongpo of the Ministry of Rites: 'Things not produced in Qin may still be precious; scholars not born in Qin may still be loyal. If Great Song truly seeks to uphold its imperial legitimacy and unify all states, it should not expel outsiders to aid its enemies.'"

Gu Qing had protected Qiao Feng.

The abbots read the letter one by one; it returned to Abbot Xuan Ci, who carefully stored it away, gazing at Gu Qing with clasped palms and profound admiration: "After becoming leader of the Beggar's Sect, you had your disciples plant cotton, de-grease wool, spin thread and weave cloth, raise pearls and fish and sheep, teach medical texts, build homes—giving your disciples shelter and clothing. Such achievements are unprecedented in the Beggar's Sect, and indeed unheard of in the entire martial world..."

Illiterate beggars who joined the sect now radiated renewed spirit; Abbot Xuan Ci, having seen it, was deeply impressed.

"Recently, you've distributed the martial manuals from the Langhuan Jade Cave across the martial world, gathering heroes here at Shaolin—do you intend to become the martial world's leader?"

Abbot Xuan Ci asked.

Gu Qing and Wang Yuyan had fully memorized all manuals in the Langhuan Jade Cave; in their spare time, they could rewrite and revise them. After distributing them to various sects, each found missing techniques, causing great upheaval in the martial world—hence, after Gu Qing revealed Shaolin's location, they all flocked here.

"No."

Gu Qing said calmly: "I only summoned them all here to fight."

"How?"

Abbot Xuan Ci asked anxiously, fearing Gu Qing would storm Shaolin.

"I fight all of you alone."

Gu Qing said calmly.

His voice was soft, yet rolled like thunder.

Qiao Feng and Xiao Yuanshan heard unusual footsteps behind them, turned, and saw many Beggar's Sect disciples carrying bamboo litters, others setting up pots to boil medicinal decoctions.

"Master Qiao, what is the Beggar's Sect doing?"

A Zhu asked curiously.

Qiao Feng glanced, his lips twitching slightly: "These must be the barefoot physicians your sect trained—they fear someone will be mortally wounded in the coming chaos."

Qiao Feng had never seen a group fight with a medical team in tow—he found it remarkably professional.

"Abbot Gu is truly confident."

A Zhu murmured in admiration beside Qiao Feng, weaving her deep affection for him into every word, subtly stirring his heart until he smiled.

Originally, Qiao Feng had intended to fight Shaolin himself—but now Gu Qing had taken the whole matter upon himself.

"Shaolin will fight—but what of your Lingjiu Palace, the Thirty-Six Caves, the Seventy-Two Islands, the Xingxiu Sect, and the Beggar's Sect? Will they fight too?"

Monk Xuan Tong shouted.

Gu Qing said calmly: "They've all fought already. Without new breakthroughs, they won't move."

Gu Qing had reorganized the affairs of the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands, removed most of the Life-and-Death Marks, overpowered them with martial skill, and arranged profitable businesses to bind them by interest—they now revered Gu Qing above all.

"Then we who haven't fought shall test your skill!"

Monk Xuan Tong roared; Shaolin monks surged out, forming the Shaolin Staff Array, and with a fierce cry, charged Gu Qing.

Gu Qing moved swiftly; before the monks could strike, he darted into the staff array, striking left and kicking right—his form was lightning-fast, his blows rapid. Before the array could form a chain of attacks, he had already struck each monk; a series of dull "puff-puff-puff" sounds echoed as dozens collapsed.

The Beggar's Sect's medical team rushed forward, dragging them aside, applying acupuncture and moxibustion to relieve bruising and swelling.

Monks Xuan Tong, Xuan Nan, Xuan Bei, and others leapt out; seeing Gu Qing's ferocity, they attacked together, deploying Shaolin's Seventy-Two Secret Techniques. At that moment, Gu Qing's form flickered, suddenly splitting into several images, engaging each Xuan monk simultaneously. Each monk used a different technique, yet Gu Qing's movements flowed seamlessly—his hand techniques were exquisite, matching each Shaolin secret one by one, with no delay.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!!!"

The Xuan monks all fell.

Together, they were no match for Gu Qing's single strike.

"Shaolin's Flower-Touching Finger!"

"Great Vajra Club!"

"Sutra-Cloak Subduing Demon Art!"

"Sleeve's Hidden Universe!"

"Indra's Claw!"

Jiumo Zhi recognized these techniques, chanting them with fervor.

"Though Shaolin's Seventy-Two Secret Techniques are strong, our Lord's Heavenly Mountain Plucking Plum Hand, blending several knife and axe moves, has utterly defeated them."

This was spoken by Wu Laoda, known as the male Wang Yuyan of "Demi-Gods," who understood the Xiaoyao Sect's arts intimately. Seeing Gu Qing's moves, he instantly recognized his origin. After the Xuan monks fell, Shaolin monks, lay disciples, and allies of Shaolin roared as one, surging toward Gu Qing—blades, daggers, and hidden weapons flew at once.

Gu Qing flicked his sleeve; all hidden weapons were sucked in, "dodododo," sticking into Shaolin's outer wall. He applied Heavenly Mountain Plucking Plum Hand, seizing and using each weapon as it came—clangs rang out as over a dozen weapons flew skyward. He caught a short dagger, spun it once, and it whirled around seven wrists, leaving shallow cuts on each arm. On the eighth man, the dagger shot out—severing his wrist.

"Quick! Send someone from Lingjiu Palace to take over!"

Gu Qing shoved the severed hand into the man's chest, lifted him effortlessly, and hurled him over ten zhang—clearing the crowd, landing before Lingjiu Palace disciples. They had been ordered to wait; seeing the severed hand, they rushed forward, using Lingjiu Palace's medical skills to reattach it.

These martial men paid no heed—they surged forward as one.

Gu Qing wielded daggers as daggers, swords as swords—every weapon he mastered. Many techniques were so exquisite that Wang Yuyan, watching, kept exclaiming in admiration.

"Ah..."

Abbot Xuan Ci rolled up his sleeves, watching Gu Qing amid the assault of countless martial masters—still holding back, barely touching, never killing. Yet among these martial men were elderly masters who had studied for decades; now, easily broken by Gu Qing, they could not accept defeat—and some wept as they withdrew.

"Exactly! Exactly!"

Zhuo Bu Fan nodded repeatedly.

!

When Gu Qing claimed he was the best at sword, palm, finger, lightness, hidden weapons, poison, fist, internal energy, strength, and wisdom, the martial world scoffed, thinking him boastful. But now, seeing him wield every weapon with ease, unleash any martial art at will—the tenfold greatness of Gu Qing was no empty claim.

"Namo Amitabha Buddha..."

Abbot Xuan Ci chanted silently, deaf to all outside.

"Watch out!"

"Get out of the way!"

Gu Qing charged through the martial crowd, usually defeating foes with a single strike. They had barely formed formations, but Gu Qing moved freely, unstoppable—wherever he passed, men fell. The martial gathering was already large, and Gu Qing's distribution of Langhuan Jade Cave manuals had drawn even more—but no matter how they grouped, they could not stop him.

Outside Shaolin Temple, Gu Qing darted and struck for over an hour; more than half the martial guests lay fallen.

This was because Gu Qing held back with every strike.

Yet even spectators grew numb-legged; Gu Qing, within the fray, remained as mighty as ever, his techniques unchanged, his movements as swift and powerful.

"This kid's got real grit!"

Ruan Xingzhu watched Gu Qing's might, her brows curving: "No wonder Yuyan can tolerate sisters."

A Zi, watching Gu Qing's awe-inspiring presence, asked curiously: "What does that have to do with whether Wang Jiejie can tolerate others?"

Ruan Xingzhu pinched A Zi's cheek: "Don't ask, child!"

At first, the martial heroes had united in righteous fury—but after being beaten for over an hour, even their fiercest resolve had dulled. Looking at Gu Qing, their legs trembled, their martial power weakened.

"Jiumo Zhi, Xuan Ci—let's spar!"

Gu Qing, unsatisfied, darted toward Jiumo Zhi.

Jiumo Zhi had learned the full Seventy-Two Secret Techniques from Xiao Yuanshan; his martial insight was profound. Seeing Gu Qing approach, his sleeves swelled, sending multiple blasts toward him.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang..."

The blasts exploded before Gu Qing, who at once closed the distance, seized Jiumo Zhi's arm with a twist of Heavenly Mountain Plucking Plum Hand.

"Master Gu, beware!"

Abbot Xuan Ci cried out—he knew Jiumo Zhi was a master. Seeing Gu Qing grip Jiumo Zhi's arm, he saw it as if Gu Qing had lost an arm himself. Seizing the moment, he attacked, yet before his strike landed, he warned aloud, to avoid the appearance of ambush.

"Think carefully—I've never given alms to a monk."

Gu Qing said calmly: "The title 'Master' is truly unworthy." As he spoke, he twisted Jiumo Zhi's arm with one hand, and with the other, struck Abbot Xuan Ci with Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.

Upon impact, Abbot Xuan Ci reeled back several steps, spat blood, his face as pale as wax, sinking to the ground.

"Namo Amitabha Buddha!"

From within Shaolin Temple, a Buddhist chant rang out—then a figure flashed out, swift as shadow, visible only as a faint gray blur, charging straight at Gu Qing. With that chant, the gray shadow reached Gu Qing's front, striking a palm directly against his.

"Watch out!"

Wang Yuyan recognized the newcomer as extraordinary, and cried out in warning.

"Bang!"

The palms clashed; the ground beneath Gu Qing cracked like spiderweb—and Jiumo Zhi, moments before, had already been released by Gu Qing, sidestepping away.

"Shameless!"

The four maids—Plum, Orchid, Chrysanthemum, and Bamboo—shouted in unison, swords in hand, ready to advance.

Gu Qing had not taken a life in any of his previous fights, but having battled for over an hour, his internal energy must have been significantly depleted; now, with a master suddenly stepping forward to engage in a palm clash, this was extremely disadvantageous for him.

"No need."

Wang Yuyan said.

No need?

Everyone turned to Gu Qing and saw him gradually glowing like jade, warm and translucent.

"Old monk, your skills are impressive."

Gu Qing smiled as he looked at the Sweeping Monk and said: "You've helped me unlock Stage Two."

The Sweeping Monk did not understand what Stage Two meant, but seeing Gu Qing's extraordinary behavior, he realized Gu Qing was now exceedingly difficult to defeat. The ground cracks had been meant to trap Gu Qing's legs in the earth, yet now Gu Qing was slowly rising; the Sweeping Monk glanced down and saw mounds of earth emerging, lifting his feet upward.

Such internal energy was unheard of and unseen by the Sweeping Monk; as their palms clashed, an icy chill pierced deep into his body. After holding the contest for a moment, the Sweeping Monk swept his sleeve aside, letting go of Gu Qing.

"Master Gu's internal energy is truly unmatched."

The Sweeping Monk said: "I yield."

In just this short time, the Sweeping Monk had grasped the nature of Mingyu Gong and knew he could not possibly prevail against such internal energy.

"You flatter me, you flatter me."

Gu Qing stood with his hands behind his back, calmly saying: "Does this count as being invincible under heaven?"

Above and below, I alone am supreme.

From ancient times to now, invincible under heaven.

(End of Chapter)