Murong Bo did not know Xiao Yuanshan, but he knew that Xiao Yuanshan was the chief instructor of the Liao Kingdom's Shan Army. The Shan Army was the most elite force in the Liao Kingdom, and it was formed in imitation of the Shan Army under Empress Yingtian.
As the head coach of this elite force, Xiao Yuanshan's martial arts skills were naturally formidable. Murong Bo's greatest wish was for both sides to suffer heavy losses, with the Central Plains martial arts world paying a heavy price to kill Xiao Yuanshan. Hao Jiu was already prepared to watch the drama unfold.
"Alright, let's go to Yanmen Pass and take a look then." After thirty years of cultivation, Xiang Yu had long wanted to see the outside world.
"Absolutely," Hao Jiu said with a smile.
Xiang Yu didn't say anything more and continued to cultivate his domineering aura. With a thought, his domineering energy filled a radius of a hundred meters. This area was essentially his domain. He could immediately sense any movement or the appearance of any living creature within it and launch a preemptive attack. This was the ultimate limit that the Xuanjing Domineering Aura could achieve.
If we take into account the power boost that martial arts bring to the domineering attack, Xiang Yu's Xuanjing domineering aura is comparable to the description of Dijing domineering aura within a hundred-meter range.
However, the sign of breaking through to the Earth Realm of domineering aura is that the range of the domineering aura can be released to about 100 miles. 100 miles and 100 meters are only one word apart, but the range of the domain controlled by the Profound Realm of domineering aura and the Earth Realm of domineering aura is more than 50,000 times greater.
It is precisely because of the huge gap between the two that breaking through from the Profound Realm to the Earth Realm is so difficult.
Over the years, with the help of the creation attribute bonus from Xiaoyaozi's cards, Xiang Yu has researched several possible methods to break through the Earth Realm, which Hao Jiu has recorded. In the next thirty years, he just needs to test all of them.
If none of these methods work, it means that the path of using martial arts to assist in breaking through is not feasible, and we must find another way. After all, Xiang Yu was the first person to try something new.
There may be other people cultivating domineering aura in the myriad worlds, but Hao Jiu couldn't find them, and the other party's breakthrough method might not necessarily be applicable to Xiang Yu.
The first method, which Xiang Yu and Hao Jiu placed high hopes on, was to use the domineering energy that came later to collide with the energy that came first, passing it from one to the next, so that the range of the domineering energy could break through the existing bottleneck.
This involves the application of various peerless martial arts, including the Six Meridian Divine Sword, the Yi Jin Jing, and the Beiming Divine Skill. It sounds simple, but it is incredibly difficult to actually use.
But this difficulty is a visible difficulty, which is much better than being completely clueless before.
I'll try the other methods if I have the chance. If one method doesn't work, another might. What if it succeeds?
A ball of domineering energy condensed beside Su Xinghe, and then one after another, these domineering energy balls appeared between Su Xinghe and the Boundless Jade Wall Cave.
Xiang Yu unleashed a powerful Six Meridians Divine Sword strike, hitting a domineering energy ball in front of him. Like dominoes, the ball passed from one to another, not only in straight lines but also along zigzag and curved paths, eventually reaching the furthest energy ball near Su Xinghe.
But this was just the beginning. Xiang Yu didn't stop at all, and kept using his ultimate move to bombard the newly formed domineering energy ball, making the long dragon longer and longer.
Just then, with a splash, Su Xinghe jumped into the lake!
As Xiang Yu was distracted, the furthest domineering energy ball escaped his control, but it was quickly pulled back by the nearest one and continued to meander into the distance.
Cultivation must proceed step by step. First, you must build a line from a point, then a surface from a line, and finally a domain from a surface. This is the ultimate achievement of the Earth Realm's domineering aura.
If Xiang Yu can control the domineering energy from a hundred miles away, he will have entered the Earth Realm. Even if he can only control a small energy ball, he will still be considered to have reached the early stage of the Earth Realm.
A moment later, Su Xinghe climbed ashore from Sword Lake, still soaking wet. He used his internal energy to dry his clothes and then left the area to search other cliffs and precipices in Wuliang Mountain.
This was the result of his recent contemplation in front of the Boundless Jade Wall. Wu Yazi possessed extremely high martial arts skills and the life-saving elixir, the Nine-Turn Bear-Snake Pill, so the possibility of him being killed or captured was unlikely.
If Wuyazi was trapped in Wuliang Mountain, it was most likely because of his limited mobility. Although the possibility of him accidentally falling off a cliff and breaking his leg is small, it is the most reasonable speculation so far.
Regardless, Su Xinghe had to investigate the dangerous areas of Wuliang Mountain first; it was much easier than conducting a thorough search of the entire mountain.
Meanwhile, Wu Yazi was still diligently cultivating at the bottom of that cliff, intending to create a martial art that could be extremely powerful without the need for legs.
"I must kill Li Qiushui and Ding Chunqiu, those traitorous disciples, and then go to Shaolin to seek revenge on that mad monk!" Wu Yazi was full of ambition, unaware of the mad monk's passing.
Inside a meditation room at Shaolin Temple, Xuanci was practicing his breathing exercises.
A fat monk walked in, put his hands together and said, "Abbot, Patriarch Murong has arrived. He says he has important matters to discuss with you."
“Sigh, Huijing, how many times have I told you? I am only temporarily managing Shaolin in place of Master. I am not the current abbot of Shaolin.” Xuanci smiled and stood up.
“In my heart, Master is destined to succeed as abbot. Although Uncle Xuancheng’s martial arts are comparable to Master’s, he is not as good as Master in other aspects. The old abbot asked Master to temporarily take over the abbot’s position, but did not ask Uncle Xuancheng. The intention is very clear.” Huijing said with a fawning expression.
Xuan Ci's smile faded, and he said solemnly, "Hui Jing, the reason I gave you the Dharma name 'Jing' was that I hoped you could be free from worldly desires. But look at yourself. We all practice vegetarianism and martial arts, so why have you become so fat? Focus your mind on practicing martial arts and don't try to flatter people like worldly people."
"Yes, disciple knows his mistake." Huijing respectfully admitted his mistake, but in his heart he despised Xuanci. Being called abbot must be very nice, right?
"Okay, that's good. Go and bring Patriarch Murong here." Xuan Ci nodded.
"Yes," Huijing replied and left the room.
Soon, Murong Bo arrived at Xuan Ci's meditation room, led by Hui Jing.
"The arrival of Patriarch Murong is a great honor to my humble abode," Xuan Ci said with a smile.
"Hey, my great abbot, you still have the mind to joke with me? Do you know... uh." Murong Bo glanced at Huijing outside the door.
Xuan Ci raised an eyebrow. "Hui Jing, go and check on the kitchen for me. See how the vegetarian meal is being prepared."
"Yes." Huijing happily agreed, then ran to the kitchen as fast as she could.
Murong Bo watched Huijing leave, then looked outside the room to make sure no one else was there before closing the door.
"Brother Murong, what's wrong with you?" Xuan Ci wondered what could be so important that it would make a master like Murong Bo so cautious.
Murong Bo approached Xuan Ci with a solemn expression and whispered in his ear, "I have received definite news that a group of Khitan warriors will be entering the Central Plains soon."
Xuan Ci gasped and whispered, "What are Liao warriors doing in my Great Song?"
"Their target is Shaolin. They want to steal the Seventy-Two Arts from Shaolin so they can train Liao soldiers and then invade our Central Plains!" Murong Bo said shockingly.
"Is this true?" Xuan Ci was somewhat incredulous. The Liao people actually dared to set their sights on the Seventy-Two Arts of Shaolin. Did they think that Shaolin's arts were so easy to obtain?
Murong Bo stared at Xuan Ci, "It's absolutely true! These Khitan warriors are no ordinary people; they are all true masters of the Liao Kingdom. Even if they were to launch a full-scale attack on Shaolin, the outcome would probably be fifty-fifty. What if they were to steal it in secret?"
"Hmph! My Shaolin Temple isn't made of clay. If they dare to come, I'll make sure they never leave!" Xuanci said domineeringly.
Murong Bo smiled and shook his head. "My great abbot, even tigers have their moments of weakness. How can you guard against thieves for a thousand days straight?"
Xuan Ci frowned. "Don't call me abbot. I'm not abbot yet. If this gets to my master's ears and he misunderstands me, then I'm afraid I'll lose my chance to become abbot."
"Hehe, I'm not stupid. Why would I shout in front of outsiders? Besides, you're only half a step away from the position of abbot. We've known each other for a while, so why wouldn't I help you? This time, the Khitan warriors' incursion into Song is the perfect opportunity for you to secure the position of abbot." Murong Bo raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean by that? Could it be that Brother Murong wants to help me lay a trap at Shaolin Temple to annihilate this group of Khitan warriors?" Xuanci pondered.
"Not so. If the Khitan warriors were to come to Shaolin, the credit wouldn't go to you alone. Everyone who participated in the ambush would be credited, and some might even have contributed more than you," Murong Bo sneered.
Xuan Ci's expression changed slightly. He dared not say for sure about others, but Xuan Cheng might actually be able to do it. "Brother, do you have a good plan?"
"Brother, don't be anxious. I have already learned the approximate time when the Khitan warriors will pass through Yanmen Pass. If you dare to ambush them outside Yanmen Pass, the credit will be yours alone," Murong Bo said with a smile.
Chapter 427 Ambush
“I certainly dare to ambush outside the pass, but I don’t have many Shaolin disciples available, and even fewer experts among them. You just said that these Khitan warriors are all true experts of the Liao Kingdom. If my Shaolin loses a few disciples in this battle, it’s hard to say whether it will be a merit or a demerit.”
Xuan Ci thought to himself that if he brought all the masters of the Xuan generation, he would definitely win a great victory, but wouldn't that be no different from fighting at Shaolin?
Murong Bo naturally understood what Xuan Ci meant. "Brother, don't be impatient. What I'm about to say is the real secret of this plan. Shaolin is the pinnacle of the martial arts world, but since that couple stole the secret manual, its reputation has plummeted in the martial arts world."
If my elder brother could, in his capacity as the acting abbot of Shaolin, summon the martial arts world of the Central Plains to join forces and select the elites of each sect to ambush outside Yanmen Pass, not only would a great victory be guaranteed, but my elder brother could also become the leader of the martial arts world of the Central Plains.
This indirectly made Shaolin the supreme martial arts institution. With such a prestigious position in the martial arts world, why worry about the abbot's position falling to someone else? This was a brilliant plan that killed two birds with one stone, and it was even more secure than waiting for the Khitan warriors to come to Shaolin.
It must be understood that these Khitan warriors are no ordinary people. If they discover that Shaolin has laid a trap and instead try to seize the secret manuals of other sects such as the Beggars' Sect, it would pose a significant threat to the Song Dynasty.
"When will the Khitan warriors arrive at Yanmen Pass?" Xuanci asked.
"If nothing unexpected happens, we have exactly half a month left," Murong Bo said solemnly.
"There's no time to lose. I'll write letters right away. I'll personally go to Luoyang to negotiate, and for those who are further away, I'll have to trouble you, my brother, to deliver the letters for me. Then we'll all gather at Yanmen Pass within half a month."
Xuan Ci made a quick decision: whether the martial arts world was for the Song Dynasty, the Central Plains martial arts world, or Shaolin, he should go on this trip. With all the elites of the Central Plains martial arts world out, what was there to fear even if they encountered Liao masters?
"Alright! Leave this to me. Even if I have to run my legs off, I'll get the letter to everyone as soon as possible." Murong Bo's face showed determination.
Of course, Murong Bo couldn't personally notify everyone. The Murong family was quite powerful, so they naturally had people to run errands and deliver messages.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yuanshan and his wife Yang Xinwan, who were far away in the Liao Kingdom, took their son Xiao Feng, who was less than two years old, on a journey to the Central Plains to visit relatives. They were accompanied by only a few servants and guards, and it would take them at least half a month to pass through Yanmen Pass.
Xuan Ci's first target was Wang Jiantong, a master of the Beggars' Sect, who was the most likely successor to the sect leader. However, he also faced considerable competition, as Elder Xu Chongxiao was also very popular.
Wang Jiantong, who hated evil as much as he did, also needed to boost his reputation. So the two hit it off and contacted experts they knew from various factions to participate. With Murong Bo's efforts, more than a hundred people eventually agreed to participate in the operation.
However, since everyone is from different parts of the country, it would be too late to meet up and go together. It would be better to meet at Yanmen Pass instead.
Xuan Ci and Wang Jiantong were naturally the most proactive, but because they had to contact experts while traveling, they took a longer route.
Therefore, when the two of them arrived at Yanmen Pass, there were already quite a few people waiting there. Murong Bo was responsible for notifying them, but Murong Bo himself was not there.
"Xuan Ci thanks everyone for keeping the appointment and for contributing to the Song Dynasty and the martial arts world of the Central Plains." Xuan Ci clasped his hands together and bowed deeply.
"Master Xuanci, you are too kind. We are all citizens of our Great Song Dynasty and members of the Central Plains martial arts world. This is our duty."
The speaker had a buzz cut and wore monk's robes. He was none other than the famous monk Zhiguang from the Lingtai Mountain area, known as Master Zhiguang. He was quite talented and could contribute a lot of energy points to Hao Jiu every day, making him a qualified "meat chicken".
But in reality, Monk Zhiguang was not a true monk at all. Not only was he not ordained, but he was also very keen on fighting and killing.
The old abbot of Lingtai Mountain was also hesitant about whether to take in such a troublemaker because of his heavy sins of killing. He had thought about sending him to Shaolin Temple many times, but he was reluctant to do so.
"Haha, Master Zhiguang is absolutely right," Tan Erjie laughed.
"Hey, Master Zhiguang's hairstyle is pretty good," Tan Dajie joked.
“Oh, so you are the three Tan brothers of Chongxiao Cave. I’ve heard so much about you. However, I dare not accept the title of master. The real master is right here.” After saying this, Monk Zhiguang pointed at Xuanci.
Just then, a Taoist priest ran in from outside. He was none other than Huangshan Heyun, the Taoist priest known as the Earthly Sword Master.
"Something terrible has happened! The Khitan army is already not far from Yanmen Pass!"
"What! It hasn't even been half a month, how could this be!" Xuan Ci looked at everyone present. There were only 21 people in total. Although they were all elites, the Liao people were also elites.
"It's possible that the Liao people knew our journey had been leaked and set off ahead of time, hoping to catch us off guard," Master Heyun said worriedly.
Tan Dajie's expression changed slightly. "I'm afraid they've caught us off guard. We don't have enough manpower."
"Hmph! So what if we don't have enough manpower? A true man should defend his home and country. We, representing the martial arts world of the Central Plains, should fight to the death! We will never let those Khitan warriors set foot in the Song Dynasty!" Wang Jiantong said proudly.
“Jian Tong is right! Even if we are outnumbered, we must fight to the death. In that case, let’s set off now. We’ll act according to the situation. If we can’t annihilate them all, we’ll assassinate their leader first and dampen their morale.” Xuan Ci hurriedly expressed his opinion, afraid that Wang Jian Tong would steal the limelight.
"I agree!" Shan Zheng, the stern judge of Shanjiazhuang, raised both hands.
"I agree too!" Fang Daxiong, the Iron Pagoda of Datong Prefecture in Shanxi, also expressed his opinion. This man was nine feet tall, with broad shoulders and a thick waist. He wielded a steel rod and was extremely brave.
Yes! I agree!
Everyone expressed their opinions, saying that they all cared about their reputation and could not back down just because they heard that the Khitans had arrived ahead of schedule. Besides, twenty-one people was not a small number, and most of them were elites from the Central Plains martial arts world.
The key point is that everyone knows the level of martial arts in the Liao Kingdom. No matter how powerful they are, how powerful can they be?
Outside Yanmen Pass, Xiao Yuanshan drove his carriage leisurely forward. He had long heard his master, Mu Yi, talk about the prosperity of the Central Plains and was eager to see it for himself.
Moreover, it was also his wife Yang Xinwan's first time returning to the Central Plains, and the child in her arms was half Yang family blood.
Although Xiao Yuanshan was a Liao Dynasty citizen, his master was from the Central Plains and made great efforts for the peace between the two countries. Xiao Yuanshan's current skills, his ability to marry his beloved wife, and his position as the chief instructor of the Shan Army are all thanks to having a good master.