More than ten Shaolin monks from the Southern Shaolin Temple stood uneasily. Although the majestic mountain range was behind them, the powerful pressure emanating from Xiao Yunlong, who was seated, felt even greater than the mountain itself.
Xiao Yunlong turned to the old monk and said in a calm tone, "Do you still want me to climb up from the ancient path in the middle?"
The Shaolin monks felt their mouths go dry. However, this was Southern Shaolin territory. If he backed down now, where would Shaoshi Mountain's reputation be?
"Xiao, I can only tell you that this mountain road has been sealed off, and there are a total of nine checkpoints. Without the consent of our Shaoshi Mountain, no one can ascend. Therefore, this old monk still advises you to climb up from the bluestone ancient path beside it!"
"Presumptuous! How dare you openly challenge the majesty of the Zhenbei King! Die!"
Tu Fu, the White Tiger General, known for his fiery temper, was furious. He lunged forward and grabbed the old monk by the neck.
A fierce gust of wind swept through the valley, and the entire pavilion was enveloped in a dense killing intent.
This old monk from Southern Shaolin was a master of the Hua Jin realm. Yet, he was subdued in a single encounter, with no room to resist. This showed the terrifying strength of the White Tiger General Tu Fu!
In fact, in the Northern Territory, the White Tiger General Tu Fu was known as the God of Slaughter, especially in the countries north of the Dragon Kingdom, where his fearsome reputation preceded him!
Xiao Yunlong remained seated and said, "This pavilion is quite nice. Don't scare the old man selling porridge. Cripple their hands and throw them into the gully!"
Upon the Northern King's command, the White Tiger General directly broke the old monk's arms and then flung him into the gully with a sweep of his hand.
The other three generals also moved. In the blink of an eye, these more than ten Shaolin monks, who had been sent down the mountain to intimidate Xiao Yunlong, had their hands crippled and were thrown into the nearby gully.
As for the old man selling porridge, he remained squatting in the corner, toying with the increasingly vigorous flames of the coal, his expression unchanged.
Xiao Yunlong glanced meaningfully at the weathered old man with his deeply furrowed face again. Seeing that the old man still showed no reaction, he naturally said nothing more.
Slowly standing up and dusting off his clothes, Xiao Yunlong waved his hand and said, "Get in the cars, let's go up the mountain!"
The entire Dragon Blood Guard team moved, quickly getting into the vehicles. The four generals' cars led the way, Xiao Yunlong's King's car was in the middle, followed by the thirty-six Heavenly Kings and seventy-two Dragon Blood Guards.
Nearly thirty vehicles rumbled forward, heading up the newly paved asphalt road.
The old man selling porridge remained expressionless, only watching the crackling flames and muttering, "Zhenbei King, so it was him!"
Meanwhile, on the summit of Fuan Mountain, magnificent buildings stood, with the Grand Hall of Great Strength in the center being the most imposing. In front of the hall was a square, already filled with a dense crowd, predominantly disciples of the three ancient martial sects.
At the edge of the cliff, at the forefront of the square, stood a massive three-legged bronze cauldron, filled with burning incense.
The nine o'clock morning sun shone on the square, casting colorful hues amidst the swirling incense smoke.
Today was the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the Ghost Festival, and also the day when the three ancient martial sects would convene a martial arts讨伐大会 (taǒfá dàhuì -讨伐大会) specifically targeting Xiao Yunlong.
Besides the disciples of the three sects, there were also representatives of secular noble families allied with them, as well as those who had past grievances with Xiao Yunlong, present to witness the event.
In the noisy square, three monks from the Arhat Hall hurried towards the abbot of Southern Shaolin in the center of the square.
"Bad news, Abbot! That fellow named Xiao did not ascend from the ancient path as you instructed, but drove directly up the road!" the three Arhat Hall monks said in exasperation.
In the center of the square, nine wide armchairs were placed, occupied by nine elders. Three of them were from Southern Shaolin: the abbot, the heads of the Bodhidharma Hall and the Arhat Hall.
The three on the left, clad in green Taoist robes, were the sect leader of the Wudang Sect and two high-ranking members. The three on the right, wearing white training attire, were the mountain lord of Longhu Mountain and two powerful figures from the mountain.
It could be said that these nine elders seated in the square armchairs were the leading figures of the martial arts world in the southeastern region of the Dragon Kingdom!
The abbot of Southern Shaolin, Master Mingjing, clad in a red kasaya, sat calmly. He merely snorted, "What arrogance! He dares to openly disregard our Southern Shaolin rules and force his way up! Issue an order to set up nine checkpoints. They must not be allowed to ascend via the road!"
"Yes!" The three Arhat Hall disciples immediately turned and hurried down the mountain.
"Senior Brother, the power of that audacious rogue Xiao is not to be underestimated. Allow me to go personally!" Abbot Mingfei of the Arhat Hall suddenly stood up.
"If Junior Brother Mingfei is willing to take action, that would be excellent. However, as you said, that audacious rogue Xiao is not to be trifled with. Gather the rest of your fellow disciples and set up the Eighteen Arhat Formation at the final checkpoint. This concerns the reputation of our Southern Shaolin for a hundred years. We must not let that rogue force his way up the road!" Abbot Mingjing said, waving his hand.
"Yes, Senior Brother!" Abbot Mingfei of the Arhat Hall bowed and clasped his hands to the high-ranking officials from Longhu Mountain and Wudang Sect beside him, then quickly departed.
As for the six high-ranking officials from Wudang Sect and Longhu Mountain, they remained seated. After all, Southern Shaolin was leading this event, and they were only responsible for cooperating. On their territory, they naturally would not act rashly, lest they be accused of stealing the limelight by the martial arts community.
However, the three ancient martial sects had made thorough preparations. As long as that audacious rogue Xiao set foot on this square today, he would surely never return.
In fact, the high-ranking officials of these ancient martial sects present already knew Xiao Yunlong's true identity. However, precisely because the Imperial Capital's attitude was ambiguous, and even the powerful Kunlun Hidden Sect from the Western Regions was fanning the flames from behind the scenes, they naturally had nothing to fear.
As the saying goes, "A dragon in shallow waters is harassed by shrimp; a tiger fallen into the plains is bullied by dogs," which perfectly describes the situation!
Among the crowd, Zhang Quanche was mingling. As the proposer of this martial arts讨伐大会 against Xiao Yunlong, he naturally could not be absent.
"Xiao, go ahead and be arrogant. The more arrogant you are now, the more miserable your end will be later. Today, I will definitely take your head back to Jiangdong to pay respects to my fifth uncle and elder brother!"
Zhang Quanche's face was grim as he gritted his teeth and sneered inwardly.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yunlong's convoy continued to advance up the mountain. However, upon reaching the first bend, a large iron gate, tightly shut, blocked the road leading up the mountain.
On either side of the iron gate stood more than fifty Shaolin monks from the Southern Shaolin Temple, dressed in white training attire.
Xiao Yunlong's cars were forced to stop. The hot-tempered White Tiger General was the first to open his car door and step out.
"Damn it! They still dare to block the Zhenbei King's royal carriage! They're simply courting death! Master, please allow me to take action and kill these blind dogs!" the White Tiger General Tu Fu roared, his eyes like copper bells.
Xiao Yunlong sat in the car and said indifferently, "Why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken? For these mere pawns, let the Dragon Blood Guards behind handle them. Once the gate is opened, you will lead the Thirty-Six Heavenly Kings as the vanguard to clear the path!"
Saying this, Xiao Yunlong smiled slightly and added, "I heard the vegetarian meals at Southern Shaolin are good. I want to ascend the mountain for a meal before noon!"
"Yes, Master!"
The White Tiger General Tu Fu nodded immediately, then turned and shouted, "Dragon Blood Guards, heed my order! Break open the gate and throw all these bald donkeys down the mountain! Thirty-Six Heavenly Kings, prepare yourselves. Once the gate is open, follow me to charge and clear the path for the King's carriage!"
"Yes!"
In an instant, the seventy-two Dragon Blood Guards moved. These Dragon Blood Guards, as the Zhenbei King's confidantes, were not only the elite of the Northern Army but also veterans of countless battles. Each of them had a minimum martial arts cultivation of an Inner Strength Minor Grandmaster!
As for the Thirty-Six Heavenly Kings, each was a Hua Jin Grandmaster. And the four generals were even more formidable. These four generals were personally trained by the Old Northern King, and their martial arts cultivation had long surpassed the Hua Jin Grandmaster level!
With the seventy-two Dragon Blood Guards in action, the fifty monks guarding the gate had no power to resist. Soon, each of them was thrown down the mountain. Fortunately, the distance to the gully was not too great, otherwise, such a fall would have been fatal.
However, even so, these fifty-odd monks were not spared. They all fell with bruised faces, and some even broke their legs.
With a bang!
The iron gate was forcefully rammed open, and then, led by the White Tiger General Tu Fu, the thirty-six Dragon Blood Guard Heavenly Kings followed closely, charging straight up the mountain.
"Let's go, up the mountain!" Xiao Yunlong calmly commanded, remaining motionless in his car from beginning to end.
Jun Bufan drove, and Tang Bowen sat in the passenger seat. Both remained silent, clearly somewhat awestruck by the grand spectacle.
With the other three generals clearing the way, the convoy majestically ascended the winding mountain road.
Soon, the vanguard, the White Tiger General, encountered the second checkpoint. On a small platform beside the road halfway up the mountain, more than a hundred Southern Shaolin disciples were gathered, and the road was blocked by a large pine tree lying across it.
"Damn it, these impudent birds really don't know their place! Hurry up, brothers, clear them out quickly and pave the way for His Highness the Northern King! Master said he must ascend the mountain and have a delicious vegetarian meal before noon!"
The burly White Tiger General Tu Fu snorted and charged towards these Southern Shaolin disciples, with the Thirty-Six Dragon Blood Guard Heavenly Kings following closely behind.
The one hundred and eight Southern Shaolin disciples also moved, engaging in a fierce battle on the small platform halfway up the mountain.
After all, the White Tiger General Tu Fu surpassed the Hua Jin Grandmaster, with one foot already in the realm of the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown Martial King. These Southern Shaolin disciples were no match for him, let alone the thirty-six Dragon Blood Guard Heavenly Kings at the Hua Jin Grandmaster level.
In less than a few seconds, all these Southern Shaolin disciples lay sprawled on the ground.
"Move this tree and continue up the mountain to clear the path. Hurry up!" Tu Fu said, then got back into his car and led his subordinates further up.
To prevent Xiao Yunlong from ascending via this road, Southern Shaolin had deliberately set up nine checkpoints along this road.
Over the next hour, led by the White Tiger General as the vanguard, the preceding six checkpoints were successively broken. Throughout the process, Xiao Yunlong merely sat in his car, following the vanguard team leisurely up the mountain.
However, at the seventh checkpoint, the vanguard team was blocked. They were now two-thirds of the way up Fuan Mountain.
This place was called Tiger Resting Slope. Legend had it that in ancient times, tigers often rested here. Because the terrain resembled a crouching tiger, it was named as such.
On Tiger Resting Slope, four Southern Shaolin monks stood, blocking the way.
All four held Zen staffs. Judging by their age and demeanor, they appeared to be elders of Southern Shaolin. Three of them were at the Hua Jin Grandmaster level, and the remaining one was a super expert with one foot in the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown Martial King realm.
It was no wonder that the White Tiger General Tu Fu's attack had been repelled earlier, and even two Dragon Blood Guard Heavenly Kings had been injured.
Xiao Yunlong glanced at the situation and understood it immediately. He had to admit that Southern Shaolin, as the foremost ancient martial sect in the southeastern region of the Dragon Kingdom, indeed had its own foundation.
"Zhuge Wushuang, you go and join forces with Tu Fu to take them down!" Xiao Yunlong said in a deep voice, still showing no intention of getting out of the car.
"Yes, Master!"
The Azure Dragon General Zhuge Wushuang responded to the command, suddenly drawing his long sword with a clanging sound. Without any further words or hesitation, his azure robe flashed in the sunlight as he directly attacked the four Southern Shaolin elders.
"You bald donkeys, ganging up on us! Let's see if I don't cripple you this time!"
The White Tiger General Tu Fu snorted and also charged forward.
Among the four generals under the Zhenbei King, the highest cultivation belonged to the Azure Dragon General Zhuge Wushuang. With his participation, combined with Tu Fu's fierce assault, these four Southern Shaolin elders were soon forced to retreat.
With a muffled thud!
One elder was pierced in the abdomen, another was kicked flying by the Azure Dragon General Li Jiuxiao, and the remaining two were defeated under the mighty fists of Tu Fu.
"You four, lead the Thirty-Six Heavenly Kings and charge!" Xiao Yunlong issued another command.
The four generals responded to the command and immediately led the thirty-six Heavenly Kings up the mountain. Xiao Yunlong and the Dragon Blood Guards followed closely behind.
They soon arrived at the eighth checkpoint, a resting spot with a living spring nearby. The spring water flowed down from the mountain stream, hitting the rocks with a clear and pleasant sound.
Eighteen disciples from the Arhat Hall, including Abbot Mingfei of the Arhat Hall, stood in the middle of the road, forming an Eighteen Arhat Formation.
"Break the formation!"
With a cold shout from the Azure Dragon General, the four generals, before even stopping their cars, leaped out of the windows and charged directly at these eighteen Arhat Hall disciples.
The eighteen Arhat Hall disciples, holding long staffs, under the direction of Abbot Mingfei, rapidly changed positions and engaged in a mobile battle.
However, among the four generals under the Zhenbei King, the Azure Dragon General and the Vermilion Bird General were true Martial Kings who had gathered the Three Flowers at the Crown. The other two were quasi-Martial Kings.
Having experienced countless battlefield skirmishes over the years, the four had honed a tightly coordinated killing formation. Now, with its deployment, the Eighteen Arhat Formation was unable to resist.
After all, among these eighteen Arhat Hall disciples, only the Arhat Hall Abbot Mingfei was a quasi-Martial King with one foot in the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown realm. The rest were merely Hua Jin Grandmasters.
Just as Xiao Yunlong's royal carriage entered, a series of crashing sounds echoed. One by one, the Arhat Hall disciples were sent flying, and the Arhat Formation immediately collapsed.
Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, the Abbot of the Arhat Hall had no choice but to flee into the forest.
"Let's go, continue up the mountain and clear the path!" Li Jiuxiao and the others were too lazy to pursue and continued driving upwards.
The final checkpoint. As they were about to reach the summit, the steep eaves of the Grand Hall of Great Strength were already within sight, and even the incense cauldron by the square could be seen.
However, to everyone's surprise, the weathered old man who had been selling porridge at the foot of the mountain was now sitting on a large rock by the roadside.
The cars of the four generals attempted to speed past, but at that moment, the old man selling porridge flicked his finger, and a small stone shot out, piercing a tire and forcing the car to a halt.
"So, we all misjudged you. I didn't expect you, the old man selling porridge, to be a master. You look like a monk from Southern Shaolin, don't you?" the Azure Dragon General Li Jiuxiao said in a deep voice.
"I am ashamed, I am ashamed. This old man is not considered a disciple of Southern Shaolin. I was merely a porridge cook in the refectory back then, but my studies were all from Shaolin. If I must count, I am barely half a disciple!" the old man selling porridge said with a sigh.
The White Tiger General Tu Fu said in a deep voice, "Why waste words with the old fellow? It's almost noon, and Master still needs to ascend the mountain for a meal before noon!"
"Let's go together and force him back!" Saying this, Tu Fu clenched his fist and was about to make a move.
But at that moment, Xiao Yunlong's voice came from behind, "Stop! You are no match for him. All of you, step back!"
After saying this, Xiao Yunlong slowly opened the car door and stepped out for the first time!