"Haha, outnumbering others? The imperial court has never been afraid to outnumber others!" Lin Yang shouted. Then, his subordinates automatically lit a firework. A moment later, eighty first-rate experts, whose auras were revealed and who had just entered the Innate Realm, appeared together.
Upon seeing this, both the old man who was originally confident of victory and regarded everything as nothing, and Abbot Dabei of Shaolin Temple who was already worried, gasped in shock.
These guys are the temporary cannon fodder that Shi A has been frantically collecting medicinal herbs and training over the past few months. Although they are only at the initial stage of the Innate Realm, have short lifespans, and have many weaknesses, they are not afraid of death.
Moreover, after undergoing rigorous military training, their every move exudes the aura of true, iron-willed men. Each one is fearless and undaunted. Furthermore, and more importantly, they all practice the exact same martial arts, making their teamwork incredibly seamless.
In a one-on-one fight, they wouldn't even be a match for the Four Arhats (Lion, Tiger, Leopard, and Elephant). However, against two opponents, they could fight to a draw. Against three, they could even restrain a top-tier expert like Gongsun Da Niang. Against five, even a top-ranked expert would be in danger of death.
This army-type martial artist was Lin Yang's trump card in daring to come today. Moreover, the number was precisely chosen.
If there were more, with numbers exceeding a hundred, they could very well form an army formation, sweeping away all experts. Even top-tier experts like the old man, Jade Rakshasa, and Wooden Taoist would only be able to fall and die under such a formation.
However, if the number were smaller, say fifty people, it would be very likely that after eliminating a major force, the losses would be heavy. This would be somewhat inconsistent with the image of the imperial court in the eyes of the martial arts world.
People would then think that the treacherous court had probably laid an ambush somewhere. As a result, when they fought each other, they would be more cautious and unwilling to go all out.
"kill!"
At Lin Yang's command, eighty cannon fodder experts appeared and headed directly towards the little girl. Seeing this, the remaining people could no longer sit still.
Although prestigious sects like Shaolin and Wudang cannot directly attack Lin Yang for various reasons, the Demonic Sect, with its old man and old knife-wielding master, doesn't have so many concerns.
Fight, fight, fight! There's nothing more to say. There's only one word among them: fight! At first, the Shaolin monks, Wudang Taoists, and Emei elders had some reservations, but as the fighting progressed, they all turned into demons and slaughtered indiscriminately.
"Haha, how could such a lively scene be complete without my own master?" As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Yang joined the battle right before him.
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Chapter Thirty-Four: The Unwelcome Guest Arrives at Shaolin Temple
It's important to understand that the reason the Twin Dragons were able to make such tremendous progress in the Tang Dynasty, acquiring unparalleled martial arts prowess within just a few years, was primarily due to the Longevity Technique. The miraculous power of the Longevity Technique was the root of everything.
Now, Lin Yang possesses the complete Longevity Mantra, making him even more advanced than the other two in terms of recovery. Therefore, in just a few months, Lin Yang's martial arts have also improved tremendously.
When he first entered this world, his martial arts skills were only comparable to those of a top-tier master like Hua Manlou. But now, he has already transcended the ordinary and is fearless even when facing off against a master ranked high on the Heavenly Ranking.
"Haha, that was great, truly great. Old Knife Handle, take this!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he gently raised his right hand, and an incomparably scorching red true energy appeared, causing the temperature within a radius of several feet to rise by tens of degrees. With a single palm strike, three feet of flame appeared out of thin air, displaying unparalleled dominance.
"Good, what exquisite Flame Palm! Fire rising from the void, domineering and boundless, but it's still not enough!" Old Knife Handle said quietly.
Having said that, he took a step forward, facing Lin Yang head-on without dodging or avoiding. With a wave of his sleeve, a huge handprint appeared out of thin air. This handprint looked extremely cold, and as soon as it appeared, Lin Yang's Flaming Palm weakened by three points.
This palm technique was acquired by the Wood Daoist during his travels throughout the world from a small family. At first, he didn't think much of it, but the more he practiced it, the more refined it became. Over time, it became the exclusive martial art of the Old Knife Handle.
With a loud boom, as the two clashed, alternating between hot and cold air, wisps of white smoke appeared within a radius of several feet. Upon closer inspection, however, it became clear that this was not white smoke at all, but rather fine dust particles condensed together.
"Good, this palm strike appears cold on the surface, but in reality, you, Master, have already cultivated it to the point where Yin gives rise to Yang. Within this single palm strike, two completely different realms of intent are contained, truly insidious. It complements your current concealed and revealing demeanor perfectly," Lin Yang said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Old Knife Handle smiled without saying a word, and immediately flashed away to find other experts. Although Mu Daoren was currently using the alias Old Knife Handle, this could not deny the fact that he was a martial artist.
Therefore, after discovering that so many masters had gathered here, their desire to fight each other grew even stronger.
Then, taking advantage of the momentum from Old Knife Handle's palm strike, Lin Yang retreated directly to Ye Gucheng's side. Before he even arrived, he drew his sword from his waist.
The sword was unleashed with lightning speed, producing a deafening roar and descending from the sky with overwhelming divine might. The entire void was filled with sword shadows; such power was so great that even Ye Gucheng couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
"Excellent! The Imperial Preceptor's sword strike is indeed extraordinary. Based on this one strike alone, the Imperial Preceptor's swordsmanship is enough to rank him among the top ten in the martial arts world today," Ye Gucheng laughed loudly.
Since the Dragon and Tiger Ranking was announced, Ye Gucheng felt no longer empty and had a goal to strive for again. Therefore, he did not participate in the Prince of Pingnan's rebellion. Later, after obtaining a secret scroll of the Martial Ancestor, his martial arts skills soared to new heights.
No sooner had he finished speaking than Ye Gucheng, showing no fear, struck first despite being behind. His sword, drawn from its sheath, transformed into a streak of azure lightning, directly engaging Lin Yang in a direct attack.
The clanging and clashing sounds were incessant. In just a few breaths, the two had already exchanged hundreds of sword strikes. Even within a radius of several dozen feet, two streaks of lightning flashed. As expected, Lin Yang was at a disadvantage.
"Very well, Brother Ye's swordsmanship is indeed remarkable. I'll go find someone else now." With that, Lin Yang turned and left without hesitation.
After all, this is just the appetizer, far from the final battle. Therefore, Lin Yang did not use his full strength, and neither did Ye Gucheng.
Then, with a swift movement, Lin Yang arrived beside Shi Yan, the leader of the Wudang Sect. Shi Yan was in a rather disheveled state. Even with the help of two Wudang elders, he remained in a precarious position and at a disadvantage.
In fact, if his opponent hadn't held back, Shi Yan might already be dead. His opponent was none other than the unfathomable old man from the nameless island, currently considered the number one in the world.
Looking at him, Lin Yang's brows furrowed even more. At this moment, although the old man was also fighting with Master Shi Yan, not a single trace of his aura was leaking out between his every move.
In other words, even during combat, he could perfectly control his power. He looked just like an old man who didn't know martial arts. If one had to describe the old man's current state in one word, it would be "perfectly subtle."
"Perfect control, able to control one's power perfectly. If one so desires, one can even ignore the surrounding environment for a short period of time and unleash the full force of every strike. Logically speaking, this should be a skill possessed only by grandmasters. What a talent!" Lin Yang thought to himself as he watched the old man's retreating figure.
It's important to understand that someone like this old man, who can maintain such a profound level of mastery for so long, would be considered a top-tier grandmaster even in the main world. It's simply a matter of being born in the wrong place. If this person were in the main world, breaking through to the third-tier grandmaster level would be a piece of cake. Even reaching the fourth-tier celestial realm wouldn't be impossible.
What's even more unbelievable is that the old man's acupoints were perfectly aligned, and even his ancestral acupoint between his eyebrows was faintly glowing. This means that he could open his ancestral acupoint and enter the Grandmaster realm at any time.
If the opponent suddenly unleashes a powerful burst of energy and breaks through to the next level, even Lin Yang will only have the option of running away.
"Old man, take this sword."
...
While Lin Yang was battling against the world's top masters by the cliff, Shi A and Cai Yan were not idle either.
"Sir, we have arrived at Shaolin Temple." Jin Jiuling, the chief constable of the Six Doors and known as the number one expert in the Six Doors in three hundred years, said in a low voice.
Unlike the uninformed bystanders, Jin Jiuling, as a direct subordinate of the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, knew perfectly well that there were three Mansion Masters within the mansion. Each of them was extremely powerful. However, the martial arts world was only familiar with the Grand Mansion Master, the Supreme Imperial Preceptor.
The woman before them, though not known for her martial prowess, possessed an extraordinary and profound wisdom. Almost all the affairs, large and small, within the Imperial Preceptor's residence were handled by this seemingly frail young woman. Moreover, she managed them all with near perfection. Her methods were shrewd and sophisticated, truly remarkable.
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