The Villain's Counterattack

Chapter 520: Martial Arts Realm

With a hundred thousand guan tied around his waist, he rode a crane down to Yangzhou.

It is said that Yang Xuyan and Jiang Shang set up a ring for nine days to challenge the Yijian master Shi Cailin but failed, so they called off the battle and erected a stone tablet, saying that from then on they would set up a ring for nine days at this time every year to wait for the Yijian master. If he did not come within nine years, they would go to Pyongyang to challenge him in person.

Afterwards, he led everyone back to Liaodong City and spent another three days to arrange all matters. Then he dressed up as an old Taoist priest and went south to Yangzhou with Dugu Feng, who was also dressed as a Taoist boy and carried a sword on his back and in his arms.

Riding a crane was impossible. It was impossible for him to fly all the way to Yangzhou with Dugu Feng on the Feitian Wing in such a freezing cold weather. Fortunately, the weather had just turned cold and the Liao River had not frozen. The two of them took a boat to Jeju Island, and from Jeju Island went to Laizhou and Zhoushan, and then took the Yangtze River to Yangzhou.

Along the way, Yang Xuyan never hid a single move from Dugu Feng, allowing this talented beauty from the Dugu family to see how great her master's hidden strength was. Not to mention other things, in Liaodong and Jeju Island alone, there were five masters, tens of thousands of elite soldiers, and dozens of innate masters.

There were nearly ten coastal strongholds, each of which was quite powerful. There were also over ten islands on the sea, each of which was garrisoned by innate masters. Dugu Feng even saw the shadow of the Ryukyu Dongming Sect. As the largest arms dealer in the Sui Dynasty, Dugu Feng was no stranger to the Dongming Sect. He just didn't know if it was an illusion, but he always felt that the Dongming Sect members were very humble when facing his master.

As a new disciple, Dugu Feng knew that there were some things she couldn't ask, but she still couldn't help being curious. Yang Xuyan was also very good to her and didn't hide anything that was not very important. He told her a piece of information: the little princess of Dongming Sect was her senior sister. Although she was younger than her, she had entered the sect a few years earlier than her.

Several years ago, Yang Xuyan subdued Lu Miaozi of Pegasus Ranch and took Shang Xiuxun as his disciple, expanding his business to Shanghai. This brought him into conflict with the Dongming Sect. Having obtained the "Immortal Seal Scroll" from Bi Xiuxin, Yang Xuyan, unable to advance his martial arts in a short period of time, personally journeyed to Ryukyu, where he battled Dongming Madam Shan Meixian and laid siege to the Dongming Sect.

The Dongming Sect was nearly annihilated. Dongming Madam Shan Meixian fought him for three hundred rounds, but she couldn't help but notice the Yang brothers' exceptional martial arts skills, defeating the others one after another. They also displayed weapons and equipment even more sophisticated than those of the Dongming Sect, especially their divine arm crossbow, which intimidated the Dongming Sect. The Buzhou assassins were elusive and strictly followed orders, and their first collective attack scared the Dongming Sect half to death.

Ultimately, Madam Dongming conceded defeat, and Yang Xuyan, posing as a Taoist priest, accepted Shan Wanjing as his disciple. While the Dongming Sect maintained its independence on the surface, it secretly became a subordinate of the Xiaoyao Sect. Yang Xuyan didn't let the Dongming Sect suffer, instead presenting them with even more sophisticated casting techniques, more refined and complete nautical charts, and even more powerful warships, stunning the entire Dongming Sect.

If there was anyone who was still dissatisfied, it would be the male line of the Dongming Sect, Shan Wanjing's fiancé. The male line of the Dongming Sect originally had a low status, and Shang Ming was the fiancé who was going to marry into the family. But this time Shan Wanjing became an inner disciple of Xiaoyao, and all the male disciples of the entire Dongming Sect were just disciples of the other party's subordinate forces. The gap in their identities and status was further widened, and the marriage was forced to be cancelled.

Yang Xuyan clearly informed all Dongming disciples that Xiaoyao was a secluded sect. Official disciples were required to reach Grandmaster status before the age of thirty, or they would be expelled. Subordinates with exceptional talent and appearance could reach Half-Step Grandmaster status before the age of twenty-five, and thus have a chance to join the Xiaoyao sect. Xiaoyao disciples could only have a gifted Taoist partner, either a fellow disciple or an outsider. However, the requirements for non-Xiaoyao disciples were extremely stringent, requiring their accomplishments to be no less than those of Xiaoyao disciples themselves.

This achievement is not a simple martial arts achievement. The Xiaoyao Sect has a broad heritage covering a wide range of things, including medicine, divination, astrology, chess, calligraphy and painting, mechanical work, trade and planting, drinking and singing, guessing riddles, the Five Elements and Eight Diagrams, Qimen Dunjia, farmland irrigation, economics and military strategies. It is well-versed in everything and proficient in everything.

In order to prove what he said, Yang Xuyan treated Shan Meixian on the spot and taught her the "Xiao Wuxiang Gong" (and later asked her to teach it to Shan Wanjing personally). Then, he sang the song "The Sound of the Blue Sea Tide" to overwhelm all the disciples of the Dongming Sect. He even spent three days redecorating the houses of Shan Meixian and Shan Wanjing, and stumped many people with the art of Qimen Dunjia.

The new casting techniques and naval warship blueprints that were subsequently presented astounded all the Dongming Sect artisans. No longer doubting that this was a masterstroke by Sect Leader Madam Dongming, her strength was clear to see. While the Dongming Sect was undoubtedly isolated overseas, as the Sui Dynasty's largest arms dealer, it was incredibly well-informed. How could a versatile talent like Taoist Xiaoyao remain so unknown unless he was truly the descendant of a hidden sect?

The books left behind by people cover a wide range of topics, all of them are excellent, and there are even many that are said to have been lost. There are also martial arts secrets that have never been heard of, but they are all exquisite and profound, light and elegant, leisurely and refined.

However, apart from Shan Wanjing, a disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect, only Madam Dongming has the right to comprehend and practice these martial arts. Others can be rewarded if they make great contributions and learn a few moves, but even so, they are excited.

As soon as the name of Xiaoyao Sect entered Dongming, it was classified as top secret. Yang Xuyan demonstrated the power of the Life and Death Talisman, which made everyone shudder. What he left to Shan Wanjing was Peach Blossom Island and the inheritance of the Ancient Tomb Sect, and also the "Xiao Wuxiang Gong". He also told her that she had fellow brothers and sisters in the world, and if she met someone using the same martial arts in the future, they needed to take care of each other.

However, martial arts moves are static, while people are alive. Moves can be imitated, but internal strength is different. This "Xiao Wuxiang Gong" cannot be taught to anyone other than the core disciples of the sect. It is the highest martial arts inheritance for the female disciples of the sect, which makes Madam Dongming and Shan Wanjing even happier.

Shan Wanjing likes to use the sword. She has learned the sword techniques from Peach Blossom Island and the Ancient Tomb Sect, and shared a portion of Wudang tonic soup with her mother, Madam Dongming Shan Meixian. Although she is young, she is already a senior innate expert. No one in the Dongming Sect can defeat her except Madam Dongming. Her peers are all envious of her, but they are extremely afraid of the Xiaoyao Sect and dare not overstep their boundaries.

The power of the life and death talisman is so astonishing that those who have rebellious intentions absolutely do not want to experience the wailing of being unable to live or die.

Yang Xuyan did not visit Ryukyu again during the three expeditions to Goguryeo, but gifts were sent to him every year. Shan Wanjing also sent letters to express her longing for him, but more importantly, she was seeking advice on martial arts. Her admiration for her master did not diminish over time.

But on this day, Dugu Feng followed Yang Xuyan into Yangzhou City. The two were dressed in Taoist attire, which was a bit plain but with extraordinary bearing. The soldiers guarding the city did not dare to stop them, and even let them pass without stopping them to ask a few questions.

Dugu Feng was curious and asked in a low voice why. Yang Xuyan shook his head and said, "It's simple. It's just the use of your aura. Once you reach the Grandmaster level, you'll be able to do it easily."

"Master, you have come here from afar, you are not really trying to escape the bitter cold of Liaodong?" Dugu Feng couldn't believe that his master was so childish and boring that he would leave the huge foundation of Liaodong County alone just to come to the south to spend the winter.

Yang Xuyan glanced at her, smiled slightly, and suddenly asked, "There are countless martial arts in the world, how many of them have been destroyed?"

Dugu Feng was born into the Dugu Clan, so he was naturally no ordinary person. He knew a thing or two about many secrets, but he had heard of the Broken Void, but he was skeptical. Instead of answering, he asked, "Master, is there really a Broken Void in the world?"

Yang Xuyan was indoctrinated with a familiar plot when he traveled through time, and he was quite familiar with this world. Also, as a member of the Demon Sect, he had inherited the entire Way of the Heaven-Repairing Dao, and was well aware of many secrets. He said very naturally, "The limit of martial arts, shattering the void, isn't that a very natural thing? When a person's strength reaches the limit of what the world can bear and accommodate, being rejected by the world is a natural thing. Shattering the void is a personal transcendence, and it also reduces the burden on the world."

"A warrior practices, training the body, training the energy, and training the spirit. From being no-rate to third-rate, second-rate, and first-rate, it is all acquired. Only by surpassing the first-rate can one return to the innate nature. The innate nature can be used to train the spirit. When the spirit, essence, and energy are full, one can become a master. The master can comprehend the heaven and earth into his own way. When the way is perfected, he can become a grand master." Yang Xuyan's words made Dugu Feng's eyes sparkle. Many things that he didn't understand before suddenly became clear, and the future path became clearer and clearer.

"The laws of nature are constant, and all things follow their own paths. If one comprehends the paths of heaven and earth and integrates them into one's own being, constantly strengthening them, and reaches the state of unity between man and nature, one becomes an unrivaled Grandmaster. At this point, if one attempts a further breakthrough, heaven and earth will no longer tolerate them. This is the Shattered Realm, where one can shatter the void and transcend the world. However, after transcending, whether one will find themselves in the Immortal Realm or the Demonic Abyss is unknown."

"Acquired, innate, Grandmaster, Grandmaster, Supreme Grandmaster, breaking the realm?" Dugu Feng murmured to himself, his aura slowly rising, and unknowingly he had taken another crucial step in the innate realm, which made Yang Xuyan nod in approval with a smile on his face. She was worthy of being his chosen disciple, the darling of heaven who broke through the Grandmaster realm at a young age in the original book, and indeed had extraordinary comprehension.