Chapter 82: Eat from My Bowl! Smash My Pot!

Among the protagonists of metal-style martial arts novels, Zhang Wuji has the highest configuration; all internal martial arts in the world fall within the boundaries of the Nine Yang Divine Art, so after Zhang Wuji fully mastered it, every martial art under heaven became readily usable.

The Qi-N Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi is the pinnacle of all force-channeling techniques; once its essence is understood, no martial art in the world holds any secrets.

With these two abilities, Zhang Wuji could directly replicate an opponent’s martial arts for his own use; Gu Qing had just used his sword to force out Lu Xiaofeng’s Spirit Sensing Finger, truly sensing Lu Xiaofeng’s force manipulation, and thus learned the technique.

Lu Xiaofeng did not know what Qi-N Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi was, but he had an unbelievable thought and asked: “Did you learn this just now while fighting me?”

At a certain level of martial arts, many techniques become instantly usable upon exposure—like how Lu Xiaofeng, after seeing Ye Gucheng’s Heavenly Sword Descent, could later replicate it—but Spirit Sensing Finger is different; it involves internal energy application and force mechanics, with no incantation, and merely two fingers cannot grip a weapon.

“Of course!”

Gu Qing said: “Why else would I have warned you?”

Gu Qing had drawn his sword not to test whether Lu Xiaofeng could catch it, but to force out his Spirit Sensing Finger and master its force mechanics.

And for a technique like Spirit Sensing Finger, even after mastering the force mechanics, one still needs courage to apply it; Gu Qing used Spirit Sensing Finger to directly intercept Ximen Chuixue’s sword.

This was the blade-light Lu Xiaofeng himself dared not face—and Gu Qing caught it.

Braver than Lu Xiaofeng.

Disgusting!

Lu Xiaofeng felt disgusted!

His own ultimate technique had been stolen—and used to block Ximen Chuixue’s sword—giving Lu Xiaofeng the nauseating feeling of his wife running off with another man, and living better than before.

Ximen Chuixue drew his sword with a cold face.

Gu Qing’s two fingers were long, smooth-skinned, sinews and bones hidden, seemingly relaxed, yet firmly clamping Ximen Chuixue’s sword; no matter how hard Ximen Chuixue pulled, Gu Qing never loosened his grip.

Gu Qing’s internal energy was immensely powerful, rare in the world, and with the force manipulation of Qi-N Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi, his Spirit Sensing Finger was far more secure than Lu Xiaofeng’s—even Ximen Chuixue could not wrest the sword away.

Nearby, Huo Tianqing had been clenching his fists, ready to provoke Gu Qing, but now his fists slowly relaxed; seeing Gu Qing and Ximen Chuixue locked in stalemate, he stood up to mediate: “All of you have come from afar, gathered at the Pearl and Treasure Pavilion—you are all friends. When friends meet, we should raise cups, not weapons… Someone, bring out the wine and dishes!”

Ma Xingkong beside him immediately began fawning.

This bodyguard had lost half his internal energy; to survive, he had abandoned the temperament of a martial artist and now hovered around Huo Tianqing and Yan Tieshan like a sycophant.

“Clang.”

Gu Qing relaxed his fingers, and Ximen Chuixue finally retracted his sword.

The two did not continue fighting; Ximen Chuixue’s gaze was cold and still as he examined his blade.

“You shouldn’t have tried to mediate.”

Gu Qing had just fought Lu Xiaofeng and Ximen Chuixue; his fighting spirit had not yet faded, and his words turned sharp, targeting Huo Tianqing.

Huo Tianqing was startled and asked: “Why not mediate?”

Huo Tianqing was the son of the Heavenly Pigeon Elder, always protected by the Heavenly Pigeon Sect, so he sought to accomplish a great feat to prove himself—seizing the wealth of the Golden Peng Dynasty was his goal; this banquet in the pavilion was his doing.

To Huo Tianqing, Gu Qing, Ximen Chuixue, Lu Xiaofeng, and Hua Manlou were all weapons.

Naturally, they should unite against Yan Tieshan.

“Because we came here to target the Pearl and Treasure Pavilion!”

Gu Qing spoke coldly: “Just now we were fighting among ourselves; now that we’ve made peace, we must unite against the Pearl and Treasure Pavilion!”

If you won’t let me attack Ximen Chuixue, I’ll attack you!

Huo Tianqing’s face turned icy.

Everything today was Huo Tianqing’s setup: to lure Yan Tieshan into the pavilion and trap him in a certain death; but Yan Tieshan had not yet arrived, and Gu Qing had already launched repeated attacks—this completely disrupted Huo Tianqing’s plan.

You eat from my bowl! Smash my pot!

And you slept with my woman!

“You just asked me: how do you plan to make money at the Pearl and Treasure Pavilion?”

Gu Qing asked coldly.

This was the provocation Huo Tianqing had thrown earlier; now Huo Tianqing coldly admitted it.

Gu Qing said matter-of-factly: “I make money from whoever has it!”

“Then who has money?”

“The Pearl and Treasure Pavilion has money!”

After their exchange, Gu Qing said coolly: “Of course, I’m a righteous hero, not a bandit. A hero must earn money with legitimacy. Today, I’ve come here to collect debts for the Golden Peng Dynasty!”

As soon as “Golden Peng Dynasty” was spoken, silence fell over the pavilion and its surroundings.

“I don’t know what the Golden Peng Dynasty is.”

Huo Tianqing said indifferently.

“You don’t need to know.”

Gu Qing said calmly: “You only need to know that Yan Tieshan has been deeply kind to you, trusts you completely, and you are his right hand. If I take you, I can force Yan Tieshan to sit down and talk with us.”

Perhaps because Gu Qing’s earlier duels with Lu Xiaofeng and Ximen Chuixue had alerted Yan Tieshan, Yan Tieshan never appeared in the pavilion; now that Gu Qing was challenging Huo Tianqing, Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou both watched from the sidelines.

Huo Tianqing was always a difficult opponent.

“Good! Good! Good!”

Huo Tianqing laughed bitterly with rage; he had wanted to deal with Gu Qing earlier, but seeing Gu Qing’s sword and finger techniques, he had deemed him valuable for alliance and set aside the matter of the green hat. Now Gu Qing had openly insulted him—if Huo Tianqing didn’t retaliate, the Heavenly Pigeon Sect’s face would be utterly lost.

“I’ll test your Qi-N Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi!”

As he spoke, Huo Tianqing lunged forward, striking with a palm—Little Heavenly Star Palm, an internal martial art.

He had long wanted to beat the adulterer!

Gu Qing suddenly erupted, not using his sword; his Crushing Strength Claw struck left three times, right three times, palms striking, fingers spinning, relentless and continuous; as soon as he moved, he showed no mercy—his claw strikes were swift and violent, faster than wind, leaving Lu Xiaofeng and Ximen Chuixue beside him awestruck.

Such techniques had never been seen in the martial world.

Huo Tianqing’s Heavenly Pigeon Sect martial arts were immediately forced out; his figure drifted, palms darting, claws and beaks alternating—his martial cultivation was already among the world’s elite; even Lu Xiaofeng found it daunting.

In an instant, over fifty moves had passed.

“Gu Qing’s attacks have slowed.”

Hua Manlou was blind; he could only judge by sound, and from the rhythm of strikes, he sensed Gu Qing’s movements had grown sluggish.

“The Heavenly Pigeon Sect’s internal energy has unique qualities.”

Lu Xiaofeng said: “Gu Qing has struck over fifty moves, but the Heavenly Pigeon Sect’s martial arts allow exhaling and vocalizing mid-strike to replenish breath—so the more they strike, the purer their technique becomes. But…”

Lu Xiaofeng seemed to suspect something.

Suddenly, Huo Tianqing brought down a palm; Gu Qing spread both hands—exactly the Heavenly Pigeon’s Phoenix Spreading Wings—and evaded Huo Tianqing’s strike; then, one after another, Heavenly Pigeon techniques unfolded in Gu Qing’s hands, each move surpassing Huo Tianqing’s own application.

By now, Gu Qing had fully learned all of the Heavenly Pigeon Sect’s techniques.

Huo Tianqing’s expression grew darker, his palm strikes flowing in relentless succession.

“Hit!”

Suddenly, Gu Qing thrust a palm forward; Huo Tianqing’s eyes glinted with malice—he spotted a flaw in the follow-up sequence and lunged to seize; but as his hand touched Gu Qing’s arm, he found it slippery and unpredictable, and instead, his own chest took a solid palm strike!

Having learned the techniques, Gu Qing ceased fighting Huo Tianqing.

Huo Tianqing had demanded to see Qi-N Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi; Gu Qing showed him how Qi-N Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi creates openings.

“Slap! Slap! Slap!!!”

In an instant, Huo Tianqing felt multiple strikes hit his body, his acupoints sealed; as Gu Qing’s finger jabbed him, he stiffened completely, standing rigidly upright—then Gu Qing reached forward, spun Huo Tianqing around, head down, feet up, and planted him firmly headfirst into the lotus pond!

“Gurgle… gurgle…”

Bubbles rose on the water’s surface; lotus leaves swayed back and forth.

Lu Xiaofeng watched Huo Tianqing planted in the pond, sighing inwardly—Huo Tianqing’s reputation had been trampled into mud; he wondered if Huo Tianqing could ever recover…

Ma Xingkong rushed to the water, pulled Huo Tianqing out of the lotus pond, and dragged him ashore.

Huo Tianqing’s face was ashen; being defeated by Gu Qing meant not just tactical failure and martial defeat, but also humiliation over his woman—he bore triple disgrace.

“Clang! Clang…”

Gu Qing tossed a silver ingot onto the ground; it bounced twice before landing before Huo Tianqing.

“Your martial arts are decent. Keep this silver for your medicine.”

Gu Qing sat in the pavilion, speaking calmly to Huo Tianqing.

“Puh!”

Huo Tianqing spat blood directly.

(End of Chapter)