Martial Arts Showdown: My Wife Asked Me to Be the Champion

Chapter 52 The Secret Treasure of Zhuge Liang: A Mystery of Earth-Shattering Changes!

Three years ago, a palace coup occurred in the imperial city. Countless masters fought fiercely, causing the heavens and earth to tremble and half of the palace to be reduced to ruins.

Hengwu Garden was not a remote palace. Several masters were fighting around it, but luckily it was not destroyed because there were huge stones scattered around Hengwu Garden.

Upon entering Hengwu Garden, one is not greeted by a luxurious palace, but by a huge, exquisite rock formation surrounded by various stones and adorned with hundreds of flowers and trees.

Xu Qingya laughed and said, "Old Mi, next time you make up a story, don't make up lies that are so obvious. This is hardly the courtyard of a favored concubine!"

Mi Cangqiong said angrily, "You little rascal, you can't speak like a human being! If this isn't where the favored concubine lives, then whose is it? Could it be...?"

"I didn't know whose yard it was at first, but after Brother Mi's hint, I already guessed!"

Xu Qingya flashed the same smile as the conman.

"You...you guessed what?"

"Based on the logic of language, Brother Mi originally wanted to say, 'Could it be that I live here?', but you stammered and stopped, not daring to say those words."

Within the Imperial Palace, who could make the Grand Eunuch stammer and stutter, afraid to even joke about his residence, and forced to shut his mouth?

Who will this person be?

Of course, it's those two noblemen.

Qingci prefers a bold and unrestrained layout; the artificial mountains and strange rocks in her home are either smashed or used as training tools, so they can't possibly be so neat and tidy.

Do I need to continue the analysis?

Xu Qingya looked at Mi Cangqiong with an air of confidence.

Mi Cangqiong sighed, "As expected of Young Master Xu, who has become famous throughout the land in just one month, his keen eyesight and bold reasoning are truly admirable!"

After a pause, Mi Cangqiong asked, "There's just one thing I don't understand: how can these haphazardly placed stones be considered 'neat'?"

Xu Qingya gestured: "These stones are arranged according to the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. This is an earth-wood symbiosis formation, a defensive formation that can effectively neutralize external forces or trap people in a maze."

"Young master, your erudition and talent are truly well-deserved!"

"A trivial skill, I only have a superficial understanding of it!"

Xu Qingya's words were not humble; he genuinely knew a little about it and spoke with confidence and composure, based on his master's guidance.

Mi Cangqiong was a direct descendant of the Zhanjing Hall in Luoyang. He was far more knowledgeable than Xu Qingya in Qimen Dunjia. However, he had been in the palace for many years, and what he had seen, heard, known, and felt was all petty and despicable. He had long forgotten all that knowledge.

For example, if you ask someone who graduated from university 30 years ago to answer college entrance exam questions, unless they work in the education industry, they can at most write a "solution". Most people are probably most knowledgeable during their senior year of high school.

The gates of noble families are as deep as the sea, let alone the imperial palace.

During the late emperor's reign, the palace was a chaotic mess, a veritable den of demons. How many bloody battles must Mi Cangqiong have fought his way up to become the Grand Eunuch? How could he possibly have the mind to study Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, or the art of divination?

Hengwu Garden was Liu Dinghuan's childhood residence. The outer stone array was arranged by Xu Xiaoyi, Zhuge Zhengwo's senior brother, according to the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. During the coup in the imperial city, most of the stone array was destroyed, but the palace itself was not damaged.

However, since Liu Dinghuan ascended the throne, he has never returned to Hengwu Garden. Although palace maids and eunuchs clean it every day, it is inevitably somewhat deserted.

Too much had happened in the past two days, and Xu Qingya didn't care whether it was quiet or not. She lay down on the bed, and as soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell into a deep sleep.

Nothing happened that night, and I slept peacefully until dawn.

Xu Qingya was used to going to bed early and getting up early, with a biological clock that seemed like a golden rule. She got up very early, and as soon as she opened her eyes, the palace maids and eunuchs came in to serve her.

Wash up, change clothes, and do morning exercises.

Only then did Xu Qingya have time to appreciate the architecture of Hengwu Garden. From the outside, Hengwu Garden did not resemble the palaces that should exist in the imperial palace. Even if it did, it should be the legendary cold palace, which seemed out of place.

From the inside, each artificial mountain and each boulder is entwined with lush green vines, some pulling, some trailing, some hanging from the mountain peaks, some hanging from the eaves and around the pillars, some winding around the steps, some like emerald ribbons swaying, some like golden ropes coiling, truly like cinnabar.

Ficus pumila, Asarum heterotropoides, Hedyotis diffusa, Tricholoma matsutake, Pueraria lobata, Rhizoma Cymbidium ensifolium, Rhizoma Cymbidium faberi, Rhizoma Cymbidium ensifolium, Angelica dahurica...

The herbs and green plants mentioned in "Li Sao" that can be grown can basically be found everywhere.

Xu Qingya practices the Yi Wood Heart Method, and has been cultivating in seclusion in the deep mountains and forests since childhood. He really likes this kind of environment.

As the sun rises, the wisteria vines stretch out their green leaves, fully absorbing the sunlight and rain. If you close your eyes, you can even hear the plants breathing. Living in this environment, you can achieve a state of perfect tranquility without needing to meditate or practice breathing exercises.

Xu Qingya performed a section of the Eight Pieces of Brocade, circulated the Yi Wood Heart Method, and used it as a foundation to cultivate the East Wind Mystic Skill. He sensed the vitality of wood, the breath of wind, and felt the warmth of the sunshine, immersing himself completely in the surrounding environment.

Cloud Steps, Exploring the Sea, Hanging Dew, Listening to the Spring, Parting the Water, Resting on a Stone, Startled by the Mist, Embracing the Moon, Catching Shadows, Strong Grass in the Wind, Torrential Rain and Gale, Swift and Decisive Action...

When Xu Qingya unleashed "Swift and Decisive", he did not follow the fixed routine of using Wind Sweep and Divine Wind Howl. Instead, he used the Heavenly Pool Divine Palm as a foundation to continue to develop leg techniques and make his offensive more restrained.

The original storyline had six moves in the "Wind God Leg" technique, which is obviously problematic. The Cloud Dispelling Palm had eleven moves, and the Heavenly Frost Fist had ten moves. It seems that Xiong Ba was cautious and suspicious, and was wary of Nie Feng's talent, so he deliberately hid half of the moves.

The three unique martial arts techniques, Cloud-Dispelling Palm, Wind God Leg, and Heavenly Frost Fist, are mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining, complementing each other. According to martial arts principles, their moves should be roughly the same, around twelve moves each.

It should at least include all leg techniques.

The basic routines include footwork, low leg techniques, high splits, side kicks, continuous kicks, independent stances, spinning stances, and aerial kicks. You should master at least one of these routines, or specialize in a particular move. For example, the Shaolin Shadow-Following Leg routine specializes in both continuous kicks and aerial kicks.

Most importantly, the attack power of "Wind God Leg" is too strong. It only has earth-shattering hurricanes and no warm and intoxicating breezes, which is completely different from the concept of "Wind Without Form". Six moves are obviously far from enough.

Xu Qingya used the Heavenly Pool Divine Palm as his foundation and the East Wind Profound Skill as his source of power. He combined the experience of Dongfang Qingmu in fighting on the battlefield with his insights from more than ten years in prison. After a swift and decisive move, he followed up with the move "Wind Sends a Thousand Bells".

A strong wind swept across the lush green vines, causing all the red flowers and green leaves to sway and dance like wind chimes.

Gentle breeze, soft breeze, warm breeze, strong wind, whirlwind, hurricane, I don't care if the wind blows from the east, west, north, or south!

Wind Without Form!

Formless and without appearance, it does as it pleases.

The wind is ever-changing.

The god of wind also has countless transformations.

How can we be bound by so-called "moves"?

Let alone six or twelve moves, when inspiration strikes, forty-nine moves are easily accomplished.

The speed and agility of his movements shocked Mi Cangqiong, who was watching from a distance. With such unparalleled lightness skills, he could go anywhere in the world!

Mi Cangqiong was secretly puzzled.

Given Liu Qingci's personality, he would definitely come to bother Xu Qingya in the morning, so why is he nowhere to be seen yet?

Liu Dinghuan let Xu Qingya stay overnight at the palace, but did nothing at night. What was the reason for this?

Mi Cangqiong knew that Liu Dinghuan was unfathomable and Liu Qingci was wise in appearance but foolish in reality. The two of them must have some special calculations behind their actions, so he had to go and sound them out.

Since ancient times, serving a ruler has been like serving a tiger.

Especially eunuchs.

The competitive pressure is too great.

Countless skilled and learned eunuchs were keeping a close eye on Mi Cangqiong's position. If Mi Cangqiong revealed any weakness, he would be devoured alive.

This might be a special talent of the Liu family; during the reign of the late emperor, they almost managed to assemble the "Ten Attendants".

This has piqued people's curiosity.

Who is "Zhang Rang"?

Zhang Rang was at the very bottom of the prison.

When Zhang Rang was at his most powerful, Mi Cangqiong, Cao Shaoqin and others were just his subordinates, desperately wanting to become his godson. They never dared to provoke him in the slightest.

It wasn't until Huang Shang personally suppressed Zhang Rang and imprisoned him at the bottom of the Heavenly Prison that Mi Cangqiong, Cao Shaoqin, and others were able to unleash their full potential and gradually reveal their ambitions.

Mi Cangqiong stepped forward with a smile to try and get closer to him.

The result, naturally, was that they didn't get anything out of him.

Xu Qingya himself was completely bewildered.

After breakfast, Xu Qingya left the palace to go and review the events with Yang Yan, without encountering any obstacles.

Liu Dinghuan did not attend court.

Liu Qingci did not cause any trouble.

No one knew what the two were doing.

……

Let's rewind a few hours.

After seeing Xu Qingya off, Liu Dinghuan and Liu Qingci stopped their playful fight. Liu Qingci patted the dragon throne, revealing a secret passage behind it. The two sisters entered the passage together. The passage was very long, stretching for more than ten miles. When the two stopped, they found themselves at the ancestral temple of the Han imperial family.

The main hall of the ancestral temple is dedicated to Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, with Liu Xiu and Liu Bei on the left and right respectively. The side halls are dedicated to the civil and military officials who established the Han Dynasty three times, such as the Twenty-Eight Generals of Yuntai and the Five Tiger Generals and Four Ministers. There are not only statues of the figures, but also their personal weapons and some mechanical artifacts.

However, a few weapons are missing.

Liu Bei's twin swords, Ma Chao's silver lion helmet, Zhao Yun's cliff spear and Qinggang sword, and Guan Yu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade are not in the ancestral temple.

The Qilin Bow and Lion Helmet were bestowed upon Liu Qingci.

The Cliff Edge Spear and the Qinggang Sword were bestowed upon Zhuge Zhengwo.

Other divine weapons are currently unknown.

Liu Dinghuan and Liu Qingci offered incense to the sages, and then discussed some unspeakable matters in the ancestral temple.

Liu Qingci complained wearily, "Zhuge Liang is really something. He could have just left the good stuff directly. Why did he have to be so hesitant? He had to gather this and that! If we couldn't gather one of them, we couldn't open the secret treasure."

Liu Dinghuan laughed and said, "Not at all! This is due to Zhuge Liang's foresight. If it could be opened so easily, why would later generations cherish it? They would probably have used it up long ago!"

Liu Qingci complained, "What if we reach a point where the country is destroyed and the family is ruined, and we can't gather enough people?"

Liu Dinghuan took it all in stride: "That just shows the emperor was incompetent, angering both heaven and the people, leading to widespread resentment, the fall of the country, and the destruction of families. What's there to regret?"

Liu Dinghuan did not say the second half of his sentence.

—Just like the situation when the late emperor was on the throne!

If that bastard late emperor could open the secret treasure of Zhuge Liang at will, then he would truly be beyond redemption!

Hundreds of years ago, Liu Bei unified the world. Before his death, he combined the efforts of himself, Zhuge Liang, and Huang Yueying, along with the weapons, seals, and markings of the Five Tiger Generals, Fei Yi, Jiang Wei, and others, to create a special secret treasure that contained unparalleled treasures.

The secret treasure is protected by the Eight Trigrams Formation of Zhuge Liang, and inside are mechanisms created by Huang Yueying with all her life's effort. Only by combining the heritage of these people and passing the test can the secret treasure be opened, the divine artifact retrieved, and the kingdom secured.

It's relatively easy to find successors for Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, Zhang Fei, Jiang Wei, and Huang Zhong. To name just a few, Liu Qingci inherited the mantle of Ma Chao and Huang Zhong. However, finding successors for Guan Yu, Zhuge Liang, and Huang Yueying is far more difficult.

Especially the legacy of Guan Yu.

There is no record of this from ancient times to the present.

No one knows the "conditions for inheritance".

Is it loyalty, swordsmanship, or divinity?

Nobody knows the specific requirements.

Liu Dinghuan only knew one thing: the person in the world closest to meeting the requirements for succession must be Xu Qingya!

For certain special reasons, Liu Dinghuan was determined to open the secret treasure and find a special artifact.

This is a secret that Liu Dinghuan discovered before the palace coup.

—A secret that shocked the world and turned the world upside down.