I Can Replicate Martial Arts

Chapter 441: Chapter 217: Discussing Convening the Martial Arts Conference

Rather than dispelling Zhao Rui’s confusion, Zen Master Puhua’s words only deepened it.

"The Shaolin’s stance?"

Zhao Rui asked with a frown.

"The great war with Gui Xu is imminent. As long as the Evil Dao doesn’t overstep its bounds, we should let it be. We must avoid a direct confrontation for now."

After he spoke, Zen Master Puhua seemed to feel his own words were shameful. He couldn’t help but recite a Buddhist mantra and bow his head.

"Heh. Such a Buddhist heart, delivering salvation to all."

Zhao Rui couldn’t help but sneer.

"Donor Zhao, this is simply the way the tide is turning. If we waste our strength on internal strife, the Central Plains Martial Arts will be in peril, as will the world itself."

Zen Master Puhua sighed, momentarily at a loss for words.

"Thank you for your candor, Zen Master. I’ll take my leave."

As Zhao Rui finished, he rose to his full height. A fearsome Sword Intent erupted from his body, and an invisible Domain Power instantly permeated the entire peak of Emei Mountain.

"Swords, come!"

Zhao Rui strode forward. With a casual beckoning gesture, a streak of sword light flashed and landed beneath his feet.

With his next step, another sword soared through the air to meet him.

A sword for every step!

The swords gave off an infinite, brilliant light.

Across Emei Mountain, every longsword began to tremble. The sound of ringing steel rose from all directions, a buzzing hum that shook the heavens and the earth, as if ten thousand swords were paying homage to their sovereign.

Somewhere on the rear mountain, Nun Lejing gripped her Qiushui Sword with both hands. The blade trembled violently, threatening to tear itself from her grasp. A look of horror crossed her face.

"Master, what’s happening?!"

Her disciples cried out in alarm.

"I don’t know. The Qiushui Sword is trying to fly away on its own. Who could possess such powerful Sword Intent?"

As she spoke, the ringing of swords filled Emei Mountain, punctuated by countless shouts and cries from all around.

Figures leaped and soared through the air all over Emei Mountain, all converging on the main hall.

"Suppress!"

Nun Lejing spat a mouthful of essence blood to suppress the Qiushui Sword’s agitation. Taking a great stride forward, she declared in a clear voice, "The sword may be lost, but the heart of Zen must not be broken. I will be right back."

With that, she executed her Supreme Lightness Skill and sped toward the source of the Sword Intent.

"A Sword Domain?"

Inside the main hall, Zen Master Puhua’s expression changed drastically as he cried out in alarm.

"The edge of the Emei Sword Intent... truly worthy of the name Immortal Sword!"

Zhao Rui’s voice boomed like a great bell, shaking the entire area.

Before his voice had even faded, his figure was already hundreds of feet away.

He rode the swords through the air, leaving only a fading afterimage that swiftly vanished among the peaks.

"The Master acts as his heart dictates. A pity that our Emei Sect is more than just the Sword Dao. Amitabha Buddha."

Zen Master Puhua shook his head slightly, his expression grim.

"Elder, what happened?"

"Uncle Master!"

"Who was that just now? To have such powerful Sword Intent?"

Just then, a group of Emei Sword Cultivators hurried over. They cried out in surprise upon seeing Zen Master Puhua.

"Amitabha Buddha. It was Donor Zhao of the Qingcheng Sword Sect. His talent is extraordinary; he has already comprehended the power of the Sword Dao Domain!"

"The Sword Dao Domain?"

Everyone was stunned, and they all looked in the direction where Zhao Rui had vanished.

They saw the longswords that had vanished suddenly streak back across the sky, all returning to Emei Mountain.

"That’s the Phoenix Cry Sword!"

"The Changye Sword! ..."

The Emei Sword Cultivators hastily leaped up to catch their returning swords.

"Everyone, disperse."

Zen Master Puhua waved his hand and turned back into the main hall.

’A Sword Dao Domain, is it?’

Nun Lejing gazed at the crimson-streaked sky, her eyes as deep as the ocean, seeming to hold a galaxy of twinkling stars.

...

「Qingcheng Mountain」

After returning to the sect, Zhao Rui sat in a pavilion on the mountain peak. With him were Master Weichen, Sect Leader of the Qingcheng Sect, and Yu Zhengnan, Sect Leader of the Qingcheng Sword Sect.

They basked in the mountain breeze and the evening glow. A pot of clear tea sat between them, the mood serene and calm.

"Junior Brother, that little stunt of yours was a real slap in the face for the Emei Sect. You hit them right where it hurts. Haha."

Yu Zhengnan laughed heartily, his voice full of satisfaction. ƒгeewёbnovel.com

The Emei Sect had always dominated the Martial Arts with its Emei Divine Sword. Before the return of the Gui Xu, when Spiritual Qi was scarce, the Emei Divine Sword was shrouded in mystery. All followers of the Evil Dao looked upon it with dread.

Now that the Gui Xu have returned and the forces of evil are on the rise again, the Emei Sect—who should be wielding their Divine Swords to sweep away the demonic hordes—are instead resorting to political machinations.

It was truly a shocking development.

"I was just acting on my principles. The Emei Sect has its own way of thinking. We just need to worry about ourselves."

Zhao Rui shook his head and looked at Yu Zhengnan. "Senior Brother, you need a strong arm to forge good steel. The foundation of our Qingcheng Sword Sect is still too weak."

"Yes, I know. But that’s not something we can fix overnight."

Yu Zhengnan shook his head and said with a wry smile.

"We need to speed things up. The great tribulation is upon us, and Qingcheng Mountain must be able to protect itself."

Zhao Rui then turned to Master Weichen and nodded. "The Qingcheng Sect and the Qingcheng Sword Sect are two branches of the same tree; we rise and fall together. Sect Leader, you must also make preparations for this."

"Yes. I’ve already dispatched men to travel day and night to the Song Realm. I suspect something must be holding up our people in Gui Xu Qing City."

Master Weichen said, his expression grave.

’Logically, Gui Xu Qing City has no shortage of experts. Why hasn’t anyone come to our aid?’

Not much time had passed since the return of the Gui Xu. The Song Realm was far from the Central Plains, and they had no modern equipment for communication.

In fact, exchanging information between the two regions was now even more difficult than it had been before.

This was an unexpected complication for Master Weichen and the others.

"Starting today," Master Weichen continued, "everyone on Qingcheng Mountain, from top to bottom, will prepare for war. We’ll establish fixed patrols both on and at the foot of the mountain..."

"As it should be. The Qingcheng Sword Sect will follow the Master’s orders."

Yu Zhengnan nodded. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

The three of them chatted on the mountaintop for a while longer as night fell.

Countless stars began to twinkle, their light mingling with the lamps lit on the peak, reflecting one another and chasing away the crisp chill in the air.

In the days that followed, Qingcheng Mountain was a hive of activity, its members sharpening their weapons and preparing for battle. Even the Treasure Swords, which were not typically distributed, were now handed out for the sect’s members and disciples to use.