Chapter 396: Shaking Kunlun? Shaking a Hammer

Outside Guniujiang lies an open space known as "Daxueping."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng and Xuanyuan Jingcheng ascended Daxueping and walked with long strides toward Guniujiang.

Initially, Xuanyuan Qingfeng felt slightly uneasy, but upon turning to see the faint smile that always graced Xuanyuan Jingcheng's face and hearing the tinkling of wind chimes under the eaves, her mood suddenly calmed significantly.

She was just about to push the door open, but before her hand could touch the panel, the door creaked and opened by itself.

A face of peerless beauty peeked out; with curved eyebrows, long eyelashes, and a pert nose, she wore clothes as white as snow, yet her skin was even fairer, and her eyes sparkled with a hint of indescribable childishness.

"Murong Tonghuang... no, that's not right..."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng was startled; the face before her was very similar to Murong Tonghuang's, yet it was definitely not the same person.

The woman's dark hair danced in the wind, revealing a fresh and delicate beauty, completely different from Murong Tonghuang's demonic and overbearing nature. But without a doubt, she was also a stunning beauty, enough to make anyone's heart skip a beat.

"You must be Xuanyuan Qingfeng and Xuanyuan Jingcheng, right? My younger brother asked me to come and receive you." The beauty in white was graceful and delicate, giving off a shy impression as she smiled gently.

"Many thanks, Miss Wuzhu," Xuanyuan Jingcheng said, cupping his hands.

"It's nothing, please come in." The beauty in palace attire lifted her skirt and led the two into the manor.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng followed closely behind, only then remembering that Murong Tonghuang had a twin sister, who seemed to be called Murong Wuzhu.

Taking a closer look, the siblings were indeed very similar. But as long as one's eyes weren't failing, one wouldn't confuse the two, because they each carried their own distinct colors.

Murong Wuzhu led the two straight through the hall and out toward the backyard.

The small courtyard featured rockeries and flowing water, with a few trees of unknown species planted within.

At this moment, leaves were falling and flowers were withering; the sunlight spilled lazily from behind the bare branches, and that long, black-clad figure stood under a tree.

A leaf fell and was caught by a slender palm, twirled between the index finger and thumb, then gently blown away to drift off again.

"Tonghuang, the guests have arrived."

"Good." The golden sunlight spilled onto him, as if he were dyed with a layer of golden halo. He turned his head and smiled, a beauty that could topple cities and states, a beauty that transcended the physical appearance of man or woman.

At this moment, he was not just overbearing and demonic, but possessed an added touch of gentleness and elegance.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng's heartstrings were plucked, and she couldn't help but be intoxicated by the beautiful scenery before her.

It seemed not just the figure, but the withered ancient tree beside him, the lazy sunlight, and the weathered stone table all combined to form a painting that was both real and illusory, like a dream yet true.

"Xuanyuan Jingcheng pays his respects to Young Master Murong." The scholar in green robes bowed, saluting the youth in black: "A bow for Young Master Murong clearing the dust from Huishan."

Yu Liancheng waved his hand and said, "I merely cleared the pent-up energy in my own heart, seeking a sense of gratification and ease."

"Regardless, Huishan has benefited because of you, Young Master." Xuanyuan Jingcheng lifted a wine pot and smiled: "I have a pot of Dangui Wine to toast your magnificent feat."

"Haha, I have long heard of the reputation of Dangui Wine." Yu Liancheng raised an eyebrow, revealing a look of interest: "With good wine before me, not to drink would be to act like a coward. Come, fill it up for me."

Only then did he recover the overbearing and unrestrained demeanor he had shown that day.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng's beautiful eyes brightened; she still preferred this posture of Yu Liancheng's.

The wine cup was filled, and Yu Liancheng tilted his head and drank it in one gulp.

Xuanyuan Jingcheng asked, "How is the taste?"

Yu Liancheng narrowed his eyes slightly, weighing his words: "The wine's fragrance combines tea and osmanthus; it is slightly bitter upon entering the mouth, but when savored carefully, it is mellow, sweet, and lingering, with an endless aftertaste. It quite fits the meaning of 'bitterness ending and sweetness beginning'."

Xuanyuan Jingcheng's eyes lit up: "I did not expect Young Master Murong to be a connoisseur of wine."

"Drink enough of it, and naturally you will understand."

After three rounds of drinks, the conversation between the two became more frequent.

As for Xuanyuan Qingfeng and Murong Wuzhu, they were merely two beautiful foils.

Xuanyuan Jingcheng was learned and talented, knowing everything from the north to the south; from Daoist classics to antiques and calligraphy, as long as he was willing to speak, he could talk for three days and three nights. No matter what question Yu Liancheng asked, he seemed able to provide an answer, much to the other's benefit.

And although Yu Liancheng was not as learned as Xuanyuan Jingcheng, he was also a man of wide experience. Moreover, he could always offer some unheard-of, strange, and brilliant theories; they seemed like wild fantasies, but in reality, he could justify them, providing Xuanyuan Jingcheng with great inspiration.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng watched the two converse and praise each other; one who didn't know better would think they were close friends who had known each other for years.

Yet she faintly felt a trace of unnaturalness, as if every sentence and every smile had a deeper meaning, a battle of wits, but she immediately shook her head, dismissing it as her own illusion.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng glanced at Murong Wuzhu, who was also acting as a vase on the side.

She saw Murong Wuzhu quietly pick up the wine pot, pour herself a cup of 'Guizi Wine', and stick out her tongue to tentatively lick it; she first frowned, then her beautiful eyes lit up, and she began to sip it, looking very much like a kitten.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng couldn't help but chuckle, but seeing the gazes of Xuanyuan Jingcheng and Yu Liancheng turn toward her, she quickly straightened her posture and sat properly.

"What a Young Master Murong, truly extraordinary."

After a moment, Xuanyuan Jingcheng let out a long breath, his eyes flickering.

In reality, he had been using various topics to test this Young Master Murong. Sometimes it was the common folk and the vulgar; sometimes it was Buddhist and Daoist classics, or high mountains and flowing water.

But he discovered with disappointment that it was useless; the other party's eyes were clear, his aura was steady, and his every gesture carried a powerful bearing; he was clearly not a person who could be moved by mere words.

To achieve his goal, he had to demonstrate his strength.

Yu Liancheng suddenly stood up and looked down; clouds and mist obscured the view, making Guniu Dagang appear extremely small, with the scenery at the foot of the mountain barely visible. He changed the subject: "No wonder Xuanyuan Dapan is so conceited; that aloof arrogance of his was likely cultivated right here. He looks at others like ants, and only when the ants get close does he realize that the ant is a fierce dragon."

Living in high places for a long time, looking down at all the mountains, and possessing martial arts that are arrogant under heaven, one's temperament is inevitably affected. Of course, with Xuanyuan Dapan's cultivation, he has enough to be proud of.

It is just a pity that he met Yu Liancheng.

Xuanyuan Jingcheng drank a cup of wine, his words also seemingly playing a game of wits: "When I was young, I read a line about a mayfly shaking a giant tree, ridiculous for not knowing its own strength. At the time, I just thought it was ridiculous, but later, when I pondered it carefully, I thought that changing the word 'ridiculous' to 'respectable' would also be quite interesting."

A mayfly shakes a giant tree, respectable for not knowing its own strength?

And now, in the 'Jing' generation of Huishan, only he, Xuanyuan Jingcheng, remained.

Yu Liancheng said: "A giant tree is a dead object; a thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant colony, so it is not impossible to shake it. But for a dragon to soar in the firmament, why should an ant look up to the sky?"

Xuanyuan Jingcheng retorted tit-for-tat: "Sometimes, one must do things that one knows are impossible to do." He was silent for a moment, then added: "After all, this is the foundation of the Xuanyuan family for hundreds of years, and I am, after all, a descendant of the Xuanyuan family..."

"Good." A smile curled on the corner of Yu Liancheng's mouth: "I actually admire you a bit. I will give you ten chances to strike; I will only defend and not attack. If you can shake my stance within ten moves and make me move my feet, I will let you have your way. Conversely, if I win, you will be at my beck and call."

Xuanyuan Jingcheng smiled: "In that case, wouldn't I be taking a huge advantage?"

Yu Liancheng said calmly: "A fierce dragon does not cross the river without cause."

"Fine, then let this ant of mine shake the fierce dragon above the nine heavens."

"You two..." Xuanyuan Qingfeng's face was blank; she first completely failed to understand their cryptic conversation—one moment a fierce dragon, one moment an ant, one moment shaking a giant tree.

But as the two conversed, she seemed to vaguely grasp the content of their talk, yet felt even more confused.

How could this weak scholar, who could not even truss a chicken, shake a peerless expert capable of being ranked in the Martial Evaluation?

Xuanyuan Jingcheng patted Xuanyuan Qingfeng's head, his face revealing the warmth of a loving father: "I will go on a trip with Young Master Murong and will be back very soon."

Yu Liancheng also wanted to learn from Xuanyuan Jingcheng and pat the hair of his elder sister, Murong Wuzhu, but he discovered that Murong Wuzhu was full of drunken intent, two flushes of red appearing on her white jade cheeks, and she was still holding a wine cup in her hand.

He had just reached out his hand when Murong Wuzhu slapped it away, saying huffily: "Stinky Tonghuang, don't touch my head. You get more arrogant the older you grow; you aren't as obedient as when you were little at all."

Having said this, she braced her left hand against the table, stood up unsteadily, patted Yu Liancheng's head with one hand, and laughed foolishly: "Tonghuang is good, Tonghuang is good. Sister hid some osmanthus cake for you; I'll let you eat it in a moment, don't tell Father or Mother."

A bitter smile appeared on Yu Liancheng's face.

They had only drunk a few cups, how could she be drunk already?

It seems he cannot let this girl drink alcohol in the future.

"I will wait for you at Daxueping."

The backyard was naturally not a good place to make a move; Xuanyuan Jingcheng's figure leaped, covering a distance of several zhang. As he was about to fall, the tips of his feet tapped the empty air, exploding a mass of airflow like a blooming lotus.

One lotus with every step, lotus flowers growing with every stride.

After seven steps, he had already arrived at Daxueping.

"Your movement technique is not bad," Yu Liancheng praised, draped his outer garment over Murong Wuzhu, and then tapped his toes, his figure darting out like a flying immortal.

"This... this..." Xuanyuan Qingfeng was dumbfounded. So it turned out that day she hadn't been seeing things; her father really did have hidden depths.

It was just that he had hidden them a bit too deeply.

But at this moment, she could not care about too much else; Xuanyuan Qingfeng immediately let loose her legs and dashed toward Daxueping.

As for Murong Wuzhu, she was slumped over the table, her beautiful eyes closed, appearing to have fallen asleep.

When Xuanyuan Qingfeng arrived at Daxueping, she saw Xuanyuan Jingcheng, no longer bitterly suppressing his realm, raise his hands and take a stance.

He stepped forward with his right foot and slightly bent his right knee.

His right hand "slowly" probed forward, while his left hand retracted to embrace.

It was a very ordinary movement, yet it was filled with profound meaning, in harmony with the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, his whole body appearing to merge into one with heaven and earth.

The will of heaven is the human heart; the human heart stirs the will of heaven.

Xuanyuan Jingcheng, who had already stepped into the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, moved his mind, and immediately stirred the Heavenly Phenomenon. The sky, which had been clear for ten thousand li, was now covered in heavy, layered dark clouds, pressing down in clusters, giving people an extremely oppressive feeling, as if heaven and earth were about to collapse.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng could not help but have her breathing stall.

A mountain rain was about to come, the dark clouds churning like a tornado, suddenly descending.

"I shake Kunlun," Xuanyuan Jingcheng's voice was very soft, yet it drowned out the howling of the sky.

Yu Liancheng stood with his hands behind his back, looking calmly at the tornado drawn by Xuanyuan Jingcheng's abundant energy. It took the shape of a huge funnel, its base spinning violently on Daxueping, as if reaching up to the Heavenly Court, continuously pulling down the black clouds in the sky, becoming more and more intense. It was simply a terrifying natural disaster, capable of sweeping away and tearing apart everything, person or object.

How could a natural disaster be resisted by human strength?

This tornado was already terrifying enough, but Xuanyuan Jingcheng felt it was not secure enough. His probing hand traced another profound arc, while the other hand slowly lifted upward, and he said softly: "Rise again."

Consequently, a second, incomparably huge tornado rose out of thin air on the left side of Daxueping, spinning continuously, draining all the air for a radius around it, its rotation stirring up endless flying sand and moving stones.

Xuanyuan Jingcheng went all out, his energy surging, showing not the slightest sign of exhaustion. He clenched his hands into fists, his green robes bulging, filled with invisible Qi, and as his energy climbed to its peak, he said slowly: "Rise a third time."

A third tornado rose on the right side.

On Daxueping, Three Dragons Drawing Water.

For a time, the sky grew dark and the sun and moon lost their light.

As Xuanyuan Jingcheng pushed with both palms, the three tornadoes, carrying the power to stir heaven and earth, began to move and converge.

And at the center of the pressure was, shockingly, Yu Liancheng.

"This... could it be entering sainthood through Confucianism? He... he has actually reached this step."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng's expression was dazed. Such earth-shattering, near-supernatural means were actually being driven by her father, Xuanyuan Jingcheng, whom she had always looked down upon.

Zhang Susheng of the northern Confucianism proposed that reading books cultivates the vast, righteous energy of heaven and earth, and also said that whenever a person is treated unfairly, they will cry out; thus, experts who enter the great Martial Dao realm through Confucianism are extremely skilled at using the method of "four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds" to stir the heavenly mechanisms, with the human heart drawing upon the will of heaven.

And thus appeared this shocking scene before their eyes.

With Xuanyuan Jingcheng's discernment, he of course could see that although the momentum of the Three Dragons Drawing Water was vast, it was still far from enough to deal with this Martial Dao expert who had suppressed the Xuanyuan Old Ancestor.

Fortunately, he was not trying to defeat his opponent.

As long as the other party moved half a step, he would count it as his victory.

And after this move, he still had follow-up moves waiting for Yu Liancheng.

"You shake Kunlun?"

Yu Liancheng's mouth curled, his energy erupting, his figure twisting slightly, and he struck both fists toward the two tornadoes. It was as if raging flames ignited on his fists, the temperature rising suddenly, and the entire Daxueping seemed to have fallen into a furnace.

Boom! Boom!

The two tornadoes collapsed with a roar, the airflow swirling wildly.

Following this, with a casual grab, the third tornado also dissipated into nothingness.

"You shake a hammer."