Chapter 55: The Five Greats in Their Youth

Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Five Greats in Their Youth

As soon as Wang Chongyang reached Hua Mountain Peak, all the martial arts masters present greeted him with respect, parting to clear a path.

Snowflakes danced in the air as he strode onto the wide, flat stone platform at the center of the South Peak.

"Since Chongyang Master has arrived, how could I, Huang, dare to be late?"

The clear, resonant voice belonged to a man in a green robe who was walking up from below. He appeared to be only twenty-seven or twenty-eight, possessing a suave and dashing demeanor.

Chen Sha noticed that the martial artists present didn’t immediately recognize the man in the green robe.

Of course, the world was not yet familiar with a character like Huang Yaoshi. The Hua Mountain Sword Discussion had not yet begun, and given Huang Yaoshi’s reclusive nature and solitary life on a remote island, it was only natural that he was not widely known.

But Chongyang Master was different. He was the founder of the Central Plains’ greatest sect, the Quanzhen Sect, and a righteous warrior who had resisted the Jin Country in his youth. His reputation was immense, both among the common folk and throughout the world of Martial Arts.

"Isle Master Huang, you’ve arrived as promised."

Seeing Huang Yaoshi stroll over, a Jade Flute in hand, Wang Chongyang couldn’t help but smile.

"A man of your word, indeed."

Huang Yaoshi stroked his flute. "Chongyang Master, you obtained the Nine Yin Scripture from a sea of blood in the world of Martial Arts. There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t wish to lay eyes upon this peerless scripture. How could I, Huang, be an exception?"

Everyone present was shocked and baffled to see this young man of twenty-seven or twenty-eight conversing with the Quanzhen Sect Master as an equal. They immediately began to speculate about his identity.

’He’s not old, so could his Martial Arts truly be that incredible?’

Among everyone on the peak, perhaps only Chen Sha knew that Wang Chongyang and Huang Yaoshi had been friends long before the Hua Mountain Sword Discussion. Their story was even intertwined with that of a heroic woman whose skills were no less than the Five Extremes...

The number of people on the peak gradually grew.

Finally, the other three key figures for the Hua Mountain Sword Discussion arrived in succession.

"Ouyang Feng of White Camel Manor is here!"

The voice rang out like the clang of steel on steel.

A tall man from the Western Domain, dressed in white with a high-bridged nose and deep-set eyes, strode to the center with his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped about thirty feet from Wang Chongyang and Huang Yaoshi, his gaze fixed solely on Wang Chongyang.

"The Nine Yin Scripture. Is it truly in your possession?"

The crowd of martial artists craned their necks, leaning forward to get a better look.

Everyone knew this peerless scripture had fallen into Wang Chongyang’s hands, but no one had ever seen it in its entirety. They would be more than willing to witness its true form here.

But just then, a voice thundered, "The Emperor of Dali arrives!"

The cry shook Hua Mountain Peak, and the hearts of all who heard it pounded like thunder.

An Emperor!

They turned toward the voice and saw a middle-aged man in a golden Dragon Robe striding toward them, flanked by two squads of guards. The clatter of their swords and armor created an intensely solemn atmosphere.

In the distance.

’This must be the Emperor of Dali, Duan Zhixing. He’ll later be known as Master Yideng.’

Chen Sha stood in the distance, hands clasped behind his back, a faint smile on his lips.

’I’ve fought Huang Yaoshi, Ouyang Feng, Hong Qigong, and Zhou Botong at their peak, but I’ve never had the chance to cross blades with the Southern Emperor. Now, I’ll finally get to witness the One Yang Finger, the legendary art of the Dali Duan Clan.’

Meanwhile, the martial artists gathered on the peak of Hua Mountain wore expressions of utter astonishment.

"I can’t believe the Hua Mountain Sword Discussion would draw the Emperor of Dali himself. This is far too grand an occasion."

They knew the Dali Duan Clan was a force in the world of Martial Arts, but the Emperor of Dali had to manage the countless affairs of his state every day. Had he sent a master of the Duan Clan in his stead, they would not have been nearly so shocked.

But for the Emperor to come in person...

Even Wang Chongyang, Huang Yaoshi, and Ouyang Feng—who had been looking down on everyone since his arrival—couldn’t help but turn their gazes toward him with solemn gravity.

Wang Chongyang stepped forward to offer his respects. "This humble Daoist greets Lord Duan."

Duan Zhixing showed no imperial airs. He stepped forward and said, "How could We miss this Hua Mountain Sword Discussion?"

Every emperor of Dali was required to cultivate the One Yang Finger, meaning they all possessed peerless Martial Arts. As for Duan Zhixing, he had been obsessed with Martial Arts his entire life.

The Hua Mountain Sword Discussion: to determine who was number one under the heavens and settle the ownership of the Nine Yin Scripture.

Each of these was an irresistible temptation for Duan Zhixing.

The chance to compete against the world’s greatest masters and be named the best in Martial Arts—this was the ultimate aspiration of every practitioner.

Reaching the summit, Duan Zhixing swept his gaze over the assembled masters and expressed a hint of surprise.

"I don’t see the leaders of the two great gangs of the Central Plains?"

The Central Plains had two great gangs. One was the Beggar Gang, which presided over all the beggars in the land and had members numbering in the tens of thousands. For generations, they had been a major power in the world of Martial Arts.

The other was the Iron Palm Sect. Founded by a former subordinate of Yue Fei, it had several thousand members in Jiangnan and wielded immense influence. Its current leader, Qiu Qianren, was widely considered by martial artists to be a rare Grandmaster.

"Hahaha."

A laugh filled with righteous vigor rang out, and a young man of twenty-five or twenty-six emerged. His clothes were covered in patches, and a green jade staff hung from his waist. He announced in a clear, strong voice:

"If even you, the Emperor of Dali, have come, how could this old beggar chief possibly be absent?"

The crowd was astonished. "The leader of the Beggar Gang is so young?"

From a distance, Chen Sha saw a Hong Qigong who was even younger than the one he’d met before, and he couldn’t help but reflect:

’No matter the era, it pays to make a name for yourself early. Some people know from their first day of training that they are destined for greatness, while others can practice Martial Arts their entire lives and still end up as third-rate nobodies.’

’A true master is always a master. They are masters when they are young, and they only become greater with age.’

’They debut with peerless Martial Arts, and as they age, their Power deepens and their skills become even more formidable.’

’Hong Qigong was exactly this type of prodigy.’

’To take charge of the greatest gang in the world of Martial Arts in his twenties was proof enough that he had already mastered the Beggar Gang’s ultimate skills: the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms and the Dog Beating Stick Technique. Otherwise, he could never have become its leader.’

’But for the more than a thousand people on Hua Mountain Peak, the saying "to hear the Way in one’s youth but achieve nothing by the time one’s hair is white" was the harsh reality of life.’

Duan Zhixing took the initiative to approach Hong Qigong. "Gang Leader Hong, a leader of your esteemed gang many generations ago was a sworn brother to one of my Duan Family ancestors. Seeing you today, I can’t help but remark that the Beggar Gang truly produces righteous heroes. Even We, in Dali, have heard much of your heroic reputation. It is a great regret that we have not met until now."

"Lord Duan, you are too kind."

Hong Qigong did not dare to be impolite; he was well aware that what Duan Zhixing said was true.

After the two exchanged courtesies.

Duan Zhixing turned to Wang Chongyang. "We see that on this Hua Mountain Peak, masters from across the world of Martial Arts and from all the famous sects have come. It seems only the Iron Palm Sect and Shaolin are not yet present."

Wang Chongyang replied, "Since the Jin Country’s invasion to the south, the Shaolin Temple has long since sealed its gates and no longer involves itself in the conflicts of Martial Arts. We need not wait for them."

Listening from the side, Chen Sha detected a subtle emotional fluctuation in Wang Chongyang’s voice, perhaps because they were both followers of the Daoist School.

Wang Chongyang then added, "As for the Iron Palm Gang Leader, I went to invite him personally. However, he claimed that his Iron Palm Divine Skill had not yet reached Great Success and that he is currently in seclusion, training at the foot of Iron Palm Peak. Thus, he cannot join us, and we need not wait for him either."

The crowd glanced at the sky.

"In other words, all the heroes who are coming have arrived. We can now determine who is superior and compete for the title of number one under heaven!" Ouyang Feng declared. "But before we begin, it would be best for Daoist Wang to first reveal the Nine Yin Scripture to everyone. Only then can we truly start!"

Wang Chongyang smiled faintly. "Of course."

The moment he finished speaking, he took a cloth-wrapped bundle from his robes. He unwrapped it gently, revealing two blue-covered volumes, an upper and a lower. He held them up for all to see.

"The Nine Yin Scripture is here."

Chen Sha stared at the two volumes. Although they looked different from the human-skin scroll of the lower volume he possessed, this was clearly the original version of the Martial Arts. He had learned many of the skills from the lower volume, but he was missing the general principles and the Inner Power Heart Method from the upper volume—the true essence of the Nine Yin Scripture.

This scripture was an exquisite work of Superior Martial Arts, conceived by the prodigy Huang Shang from the Daoist canon. ’If I could get my hands on it,’ Chen Sha thought, ’it would be a tremendous aid in cultivating my Great Yellow Court, greatly boosting my Power.’

At that moment, for the first time since arriving at Hua Mountain Peak, Chen Sha spoke.

"I wonder, for this Hua Mountain Sword Discussion, what are the rules of engagement?"

’Is it a free-for-all to see who’s the last one standing?’

’Or will it be a series of one-on-one duels, with the losers eliminated one by one?’

Wang Chongyang turned toward the sound of the voice.

As he did, his gaze flickered with great surprise.

"And you are...?"

He had only just now noticed such an unfathomably profound young Daoist in the crowd.