A top-tier martial arts master can change the course of a battle, not by directly confronting a large army's offensive and wiping out the entire force, but by acting as a vanguard, single-handedly capturing the enemy commander.
Therefore, both the military and the government would have someone capable of contending with such top-notch experts, otherwise they would have to be prepared for their commander to be killed.
The Sweeper Monk thought the same way, confident in his martial arts skills that he could go anywhere in the world, so he chose the most risky fighting method.
"Protect the adults!!"
Wu 6 was the first to shout, then drew his single-edged sword and leaped off his horse.
With a powerful strike, he slammed his fist into the path of the Sweeper Monk.
However, he clearly underestimated his opponents. Among them, the best martial artist was Wu 1, who could fight Qiao Feng for over a thousand moves without a clear winner. He believed that he was no weaker than any other martial arts master.
Galloping down from horseback is a powerful and forceful move, like splitting Mount Hua in two.
I thought that even if I couldn't hurt him, I should at least slow down the Sweeper Monk's progress.
Before the single-edged sword could even get close to the Sweeper Monk, the monk had already swung and flicked the crossbow bolt in his hand, and a powerful force came from above, directly throwing Wu 6 dozens of meters away, sword and all.
The gap between a first-rate master and a top-tier master is too great; they are not even a match for each other in a single move!
However, there were also many skilled fighters guarding Xu Xiao's side, all of whom drew their weapons and protected the Sweeper Monk's path.
The Sweeper Monk didn't even look, casually waving his crossbow, sometimes slapping, sometimes flicking, pushing everyone aside without causing any harm.
"You scoundrel! How dare you be so insolent!!"
At the critical moment, Qiao Feng roared and stood before Xu Xiao's imperial carriage.
He focused his energy in his dantian and secretly practiced the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, as if the sound of a dragon's roar could be heard in the air.
He bent his knees and raised his palms, unleashing a powerful and unstoppable strike with his fleshy hands imbued with immense Internal Energy.
" The Proud Dragon Repents!"
As the introductory move in the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, and also the master move that leads to the whole series, this move is the most essential.
Xu Xiao sat on the dragon carriage, watching Qiao Feng's palms strike out, first shattering the crossbow bolt in the Sweeper Monk's hand, and then being blocked by the Sweeper Monk's qi barrier in front of him.
The Sweeper Monk's face flushed slightly as he took Qiao Feng's incredibly powerful Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms- on, causing his internal energy to surge.
However, relying on this to deal with him is far from enough.
He slightly gathered his strength in one hand, then suddenly struck out, exchanging a palm strike with Qiao Feng and sending Qiao Feng staggering back three steps.
"Your Excellency must be the renowned Beggar Clan leader Qiao Feng. Why then act as an accomplice to evil?"
The Sweeper Monk spoke expressionlessly.
With such a skilled fighter blocking his way, it would be quite troublesome for him to capture Xu Xiao on the imperial carriage. Once the army surrounded him, he might be forced to retreat again.
"Hmph! Now that I, Qiao, have submitted to the Martial Command Office, I naturally cannot allow you to attack my superior."
Qiao Feng spoke with a cold face. He had received many favors from Xu Xiao, and now that he had entered the imperial court, even if burning down Shaolin was a bit excessive, he still had to stand on the side of Martial Command Office.
"Very well, since Benefactor Qiao is so stubborn, don't blame this old monk for being ruthless."
Upon hearing this, the Sweeper Monk also adopted a posture, looking as if he was determined to capture Xu Xiao.
Qiao Feng disregarded the surge of blood and qi caused by the opponent's palm strike and stepped forward again, guarding Xu Xiao's dragon carriage.
He would never back down Qiao Feng a debt of gratitude that lasts a thousand years.
" Deputy Commander Qiao, you may step back. Since the old monk has come to see me, I will deal with him."
At the crucial moment, it was Xu Xiao, who had been watching from the sidelines, who spoke up.
Qiao Feng has already proven his loyalty through his actions, so there's no need for him to force his subordinates to deal with people they can't handle.
Although Qiao Feng was a martial arts prodigy, one in a hundred years, and mastered the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, the most outstanding external palm technique in the world, he was still no match for the Sweeper Monk and other top masters who had already reached the pinnacle of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils martial arts in a real fight.
Xu Xiao had been watching the show for a while, and he was starting to get the urge to join in.
'Capture the king? You've chosen the wrong opponent!'
" Deputy Commander Qiao, go avenge yourself at the Shaolin camp. I'll handle him here myself."
On the dragon carriage, Xu Xiao slowly stood up. The three women beside him gently removed his golden dragon-embroidered robe, revealing his fitted martial arts uniform underneath.
Because he had been practicing martial arts every day recently, Xu Xiao's two Jiazi Northern Darkness True Qi had already been compressed to the limit, and he was just waiting for an opportunity. Now was the perfect time to test his skills against the Sweeper Monk.
Look at how many moves Xu Xiao could withstand from such a master, relying solely on his martial arts skills.
Upon hearing this, Qiao Feng bowed and then decisively stepped aside.
This made the Sweeper Monk think more highly of Xu Xiao. If Qiao Feng was willing to let Xu Xiao fight him one-on-one, it meant that Xu Xiao's strength was no less than Qiao Feng's.
" Amitabha Buddha "
"I implore you to spare Shaolin's life; I have been extremely presumptuous and offensive today."
The Sweeper Monk performed a Buddhist salute and looked directly at Xu Xiao.
"Offended? Since you know you've offended me, you still expect me to spare your life? Do you look down on me?"
Xu Xiao sneered.
This old man really thinks he's invincible; even his pleading is so arrogant.
" Amitabha Buddha! Heaven cherishes life. You, benefactor, are using your worldly power to coerce me like this. Aren't you afraid of the cycle of cause and effect, and that retribution will be inevitable?"
The Sweeper Monk didn't rush to take action, but instead tried to persuade him, or rather, to talk him out of it.
"Cause and effect? If we're talking about cause and effect, then your Buddhist Sect should have gone to Hell long ago. You don't produce anything, you don't work, you just plunder the money of believers, seize land, and build extravagant temples."
"Tell me yourself, which one of these shouldn't Hell?"
After Xu Xiao finished speaking, without waiting for the Sweeper Monk's reply, he directly unleashed the Northern Darkness True Qi, covering his fists and feet.
With Lingbo Weibu steps, he darted forward.
"Enough with the talk, let's settle this with our fists. If you win today, my Shaolin Temple will let you go. But if you lose, not only Shaolin, but all Buddhism will have no chance of ever having a foothold in the Great Song again!"
In the past few days, under Wuyazi's guidance, Xu Xiao has also practiced several martial arts techniques.
As the saying goes, practicing martial arts without internal strength training will ultimately lead to nothing.
Xu Xiao, however, only practices internal strength but not martial arts; he possesses profound Internal Energy but has no techniques to demonstrate it.
Fortunately, after witnessing Xu Xiao's mysterious and unpredictable Telekinesis, Wuyazi no longer forced him to practice martial arts moves. Instead, he taught him how to dodge and how to attach Internal Energy to his fists and feet.
At this moment, Xu Xiao, who stepped forward with the Lingbo Weibu, was as ghostly as he approached in an instant and punched the Sweeper Monk in the face.
'puff!'
Like popping a bubble, the transparent air wall that even Qiao Feng's Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms could block was instantly torn apart by Xu Xiao's Northern Darkness True Qi, which was compressed to the extreme.
Fortunately, the Sweeper Monk reacted extremely quickly, using a backbend to dodge Xu Xiao's punch.
Immediately afterwards, he turned to avoid Xu Xiao's kick, pushed off the ground with his feet, and took a few steps back.
"Your internal energy has reached a state of perfection; even my protective true energy cannot withstand it. I am truly impressed!"
The Sweeper Monk raised his hand in a compliment, then adopted a similar air of superiority:
"If you think you can defeat this old monk with just your internal strength, then we'll have to see how capable you are."
One is a practitioner, the other a powerhouse; if they were to fight, the outcome would be uncertain.