The Villain's Counterattack

Chapter 575 When did the Grandmaster become so worthless?

"Feng girl, there is no need to rush to defeat him immediately. Instead, feel the difference between this Turkic boy and you. As the saying goes, one of three people walking together can be my teacher. This boy's internal strength, realm, and skills are not as good as yours, but he has been through hundreds of battles. Some of his methods that are not presentable but quite effective are worth seeing." Yue Buqun's voice caused an uproar among everyone.

Ba Fenghan was not an unknown person. He fled from the grassland to the Sui Dynasty and challenged many masters from the Central Plains along the way. Perhaps because of his background, he was quite ruthless and showed little mercy. In order to make a living, he had to take on some not-so-good jobs for money, and he killed quite a few people.

The wolf nature of the grassland is fully reflected in Ba Fenghan. Despite his humble background, he is able to stand out among his peers, which shows that he has extraordinary qualifications. Compared with Dugu Feng and Shan Wanjing, he is a complete grassroots, and his martial arts inheritance is not worth mentioning at all. Only his experience in fighting in hundreds of battles is invaluable.

Dugu Feng responded and actually restrained his fierce aura by three to five points, which made Ba Fenghan's face turn cold. His eyes were like lightning and he slashed at Dugu Feng with the long sword in his hand. His aura was shocking and murderous.

"Ding~Ding~Ding~" Dugu Feng held the sword in one hand and easily resolved Ba Fenghan's attack. Her choice was very strange. It was neither the best nor the worst. She could easily resolve the opponent's attack without forcing him to retreat. Instead, it allowed him to change his moves quickly. It looked weird no matter how you looked at it.

The more Fu Junyu looked, the gloomier his expression became, while Yue Buqun nodded slightly in approval. All the people around him saw was Ba Fenghan's crazy attack like a tide, his sword energy was majestic and awe-inspiring. Dugu Feng was like a reef in the tide, standing proudly and easily. His swordsmanship was not particularly sophisticated, but he was able to maintain his position. However, it was somewhat lacking in visibility, and only true masters could see the trick.

Wang Tong, Wang Shichong and Ouyang Xiyi could see 70 to 80 percent, Shan Wanjing and Fu Junyu were slightly behind at only 50 to 60 percent, but Yue Buqun was the only one with a look of approval on his face, and from time to time he would give Dugu Feng some pointers, asking her to let go of more water, reduce her internal force output, and also pay more attention to other changes in Ba Fenghan.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were also attracted by this wonderful battle and could not help discussing it in a low voice. They found that Dugu Feng's swordsmanship was similar to Fu Junchuo's Yijian in many aspects, but when they felt it carefully, they found that there were some differences. They themselves did not know Yijian, but had a general impression from Fu Junchuo's description and watching her moves. Now that they had seen Dugu Nine Swords, they could not help but compare them.

It was precisely because of this that, without too many preconceived obstacles, they gained more than Fu Junyu. The two pairs of eyes almost dazzled the others, but as soon as they glanced at Shan Wanjing and Shen Wushuang, they immediately became a little timid and tried to squeeze through the gate.

At this moment, the sound of the flute suddenly arose.

The flute's sound was marvelous, its rhythms unpredictable, appearing and disappearing amidst the clash of swords. Its brilliance lay in the lack of a fixed rhythm, a seemingly impromptu composition, yet incredibly blending seamlessly into the clashing of swords. The flute's notes were at times high and generous, at times mournful and low, rising to infinity and descending to infinity, captivating the listener with utter intoxication.

Even Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, who were masters of the art of immortality, could not help but become so absorbed in it that they forgot to escape.

Soon after the flute sound appeared, Ba Fenghan took a few steps back and listened motionlessly. Dugu Feng seemed to have sensed something and carefully savored the special feeling contained in this heavenly sound, especially the rhythm of the flute sound during the battle between himself and Ba Fenghan. The true energy in his body slowly accelerated, and an inexplicable feeling came over him.

Grandmaster, breakthrough!

Everything seemed to be happening naturally, without any obstacles or setbacks. There was no thunder from the sky, no clouds in the sky, and even the changes in the aura around him were masked by the sudden sound of nature. Only Yue Buqun nodded slightly and gave him an approving look.

The sound of the flute suddenly stopped, and the courtyard was silent. Everyone was immersed in it for a long time and didn't want to wake up.

In the end, it was Wang Tong, who had a higher realm, who spoke first. He seemed to be thinking of Bi Xiuxin. He was particularly gentle to Shi Qingxuan and had no grudges at all because she was the daughter of the Evil King.

Everyone started inviting her to meet this goddess of flute music. Yue Buqun laughed heartily and said, "You are quite a brave girl. You actually dare to wander around alone. Aren't you afraid that those nuns will catch you and use them to threaten your parents? You must know that one of them is a Grandmaster, and the other is a half-step Grandmaster. No matter where they are, they are both extremely powerful warriors who can turn the tide of the situation."

Everyone was shocked when they heard this. Many people didn't know who the nun Yue Buqun, the hermit, was talking about, but they were shocked by the strength of the parents of the Xiaoyin Tiannu. One was a Grandmaster, the other a Half-Step Grandmaster. Could it be that...

Those who don’t know the details think of Ning Daoqi, but those who know Shi Qingxuan’s identity, the first thing that comes to mind is: Could it be that the Evil King has broken through to the Grandmaster level and become the Evil Emperor?

At this moment, Shi Qingxuan's clear and pleasant voice could be heard. "Qingxuan is just an ordinary woman. She rarely goes out and has no influence in the martial arts world or the court. She is not worthy of the attention of a master. My parents have lived in seclusion in the mountains for a long time, so it's not surprising that she knows some self-defense skills. Moreover, Qingxuan is playing a song for the two masters at my mother's command. Others will give them some face and not embarrass me."

Hearing she didn't deny Yue Buqun's claims about her parents' strength, Wang Tong, Wang Shichong, Ouyang Xiyi, and other people who knew her background changed their expressions slightly. You have to know that in the martial arts world, a Grandmaster is capable of founding a sect and influencing a region, while a Grandmaster is said to be able to suppress an entire nation. Previously, the entire Central Plains had only one Grandmaster, the wandering scholar Ning Daoqi. And because he owed a favor to the Cihang Jingzhai, he was bound by their command, allowing the Buddhist sect to dominate the Demonic sect. Now that the Demonic sect had produced a Grandmaster, the situation in the Central Plains martial arts world was likely to undergo a drastic change.

Yue Buqun shook his head slightly and said, "If your father is still only at the peak of Grandmaster or half-step Grandmaster, it would be fine. At least we still have the freeloader Ning Daoqi and the Four Great Saints to suppress him, just like twenty years ago. But with Shi Zhixuan at the Grandmaster level, I'm afraid Ning Daoqi would also be a little wary of him."

Wang Tong looked at Yue Buqun in confusion and asked, "Brother Yue, you seem to be very clear about the Evil King's strength? Is there really a second Grandmaster in the Central Plains?"

Yue Buqun laughed heartily and said, "When has the Central Plains martial arts world, both the Demonic and Demonic sects, ever been without Grandmasters? It's just that most of them don't care to show off and stay in seclusion. Let's not even talk about the distant past. Even the previous Evil Emperor Xiang Yutian shattered the void and departed only thirty years ago. Born in the Jin Dynasty, he was already a Grandmaster two hundred years ago. Have you ever seen him show off in all these years?"

When everyone heard this, they were not only shocked that the evil emperor Xiang Yutian had lived for two hundred years, but also shocked by the four words "shattered void".

The pinnacle of martial arts, shattering the void, is this not just a legend?

At this moment, Yue Buqun changed his tone and looked at Fu Junyu, saying, "The Evil King's breakthrough to Grandmaster status is largely due to the contribution of Master Yijian, Master Shi Cailin. The Evil King is a gifted man of great talent. He combined the essence of the Demonic and Buddhist sects to create his own Immortal Seal. He approached the technique steadily and cautiously, but it was ultimately a self-made creation, and it has many flaws. His advancement to Grandmaster status was entirely due to his direct battles with Master Yijian, Master Shi Cailin, who forcibly raised his own strength to Grandmaster status. He was able to use Yijian techniques to discover and address the flaws in the Immortal Seal, and only then was he able to succeed."

"Grandmasters are hard to come by in the martial arts world, but there are a few here. However, looking at the world as a whole, how many great grandmasters are there? To become a great grandmaster, in addition to essence, energy, and spirit, one also needs the heart—the human heart, the self-heart!"

"The wandering scholar Ning Daoqi achieved Grandmaster status through the heart of Taoism and Buddha, Fu Cailin achieved Grandmaster status through ambitions for Goguryeo, and Bi Xuan achieved Grandmaster status through a desire for expansionism in the Turkic region. And the Evil King achieved Grandmaster status through the heart of the Great Sui martial arts world, stepping on Fu Cailin. The secrets involved here require a Half-Step Grandmaster to discern."

Yue Buqun looked around and said, "This method is difficult and extremely risky. One misstep could lead to certain death. However, it is extremely important for a martial arts fanatic. The Evil King is also petty, fearing that others will follow his path. When Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty was besieged in Yanmen City, he secretly restrained the Martial Master Bi Xuan, not giving him the opportunity to attack. In fact, it was not only because he feared the fall of the Sui Emperor and the devastation of the Sui Dynasty, but also because he wanted to prevent other Half-Step Grandmasters from stepping on Bi Xuan to ascend to Grand Master."

"After all, the Sui Emperor has already made arrangements. The Marquis of Liaodong, Zhang Xutuo, and Lord Wang are ready to go. The Turkic defeat is inevitable. If a Half-Step Grandmaster actively participates and seizes the opportunity to defeat Martial Honored Bi Xuan, there's a 90% chance that he can break through to the Grandmaster level. This is the power of the mind!"

"The Sword Demon made a nine-year agreement to challenge Fu Cailin in the arena every year. This is the path he is taking." Yue Buqun's words shocked everyone. When did the Grandmaster become so worthless?