19: Chapter 19 True Martial Seven Intercepts vs. Eighteen Arhat Formation

Zhang Sanfeng took a light sip of tea, his gaze sweeping across the Shaolin Sect members.

"Just now, when I used a single palm to repel Kongwen and Miejue, you must have felt unconvinced, believing that I was bullying the younger generation and relying on my cultivation to suppress others."

These words struck a chord with Kongwen and the others.

As top-tier divine monks of the Shaolin Sect, being repelled by a single palm in public today caused them to lose all face.

If they were to slink down the mountain like this, the status of the Shaolin Sect in the Martial Forest would undoubtedly plummet.

Kongwen pressed his palms together, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice, "Amitabha."

"Grandmaster Zhang's cultivation reaches the heavens; this Junior is ashamed to be inferior."

"The rights and wrongs of today will naturally come to light one day."

"This old monk is willing to make a pact—my Shaolin Sect will pit the Eighteen Arhats Formation against the Wudang True Martial Seven-Section Formation."

"If my Shaolin Sect loses, I will immediately lead my Disciples down the mountain, never mention today's events again, and I will thoroughly investigate the matter of Yuan Zhen to provide an explanation to the Jianghu."

"If Wudang Sect loses, I ask Grandmaster Zhang to hand over Golden-Haired Lion King Xie Xun to be dealt with by the various sects. I wonder what Grandmaster Zhang thinks of this?"

Once these words were spoken, the plaza instantly erupted in an uproar.

Zhang Sanfeng's earlier display of strength was indeed astonishing, but as a Senior expert, his victory could not convince the Shaolin Sect.

A duel between the Seven Heroes of Wudang and the divine monks of the Shaolin Sect would truly showcase the strength of the two sects.

A head-on confrontation between the two great guardian Formations was a rare spectacle in a century. The members of the various sects retreated to the sides, holding their breath as they waited for this earth-shattering duel.

Zhang Sanfeng smiled faintly and looked at the Seven Heroes of Wudang beside him: "What do you say?"

Song Yuanqiao stepped forward, bowed, and cupped his hands, his voice resounding like a bell: "We Disciples are willing to follow Master's instructions."

"The True Martial Seven-Section Formation was personally created by Master. We seven brothers have practiced it together for many years, and we will certainly not tarnish the prestige of the Wudang Sect!"

The other six Heroes stepped forward in unison, their gazes firm, without a shred of fear.

"Good." Zhang Sanfeng nodded and looked at Kongwen.

"Then as you wish. However, let it be said beforehand that this duel of Formations will stop at a touch; no lives must be harmed."

"Amitabha, this old monk understands."

Kongwen waved his hand, and Kongzhi, Kongxing, along with fifteen top-tier experts from the Arhat Hall, stepped out in unison and took their positions in the center of the plaza.

The eighteen men held steel eyebrow-level staffs, their Qi connected to form a seamless whole, with the three divine monks at the Peak of the Innate stage guarding the heart of the Formation.

The remaining fifteen—seven at the Middle Stage of the Innate stage and eight at the Early Stage of the Innate stage—had all practiced the Formation together since childhood, possessing seamless tacit understanding.

"Form up!" Kongwen let out a low shout. Eighteen eyebrow-level staffs struck the ground simultaneously, the loud noise causing the plaza floor to tremble slightly.

The eighteen men moved and shifted their footsteps, their Vajra Zen chants solemn and grave, while the shadows of their staffs flew and overlapped in layers.

They advanced and retreated in unison; their attacks were like a heavenly river overturning, and their defense was like a Vajra rampart. A heavy and overbearing aura swept across all directions, causing the watching Disciples to retreat in succession, their faces turning pale.

"I invite the Wudang members to enter the Formation!" Kongwen shouted loudly.

The seven brothers of Song Yuanqiao exchanged glances and stepped out in unison, taking their positions according to the order of the Big Dipper.

Song Yuanqiao occupied the Tianshu position, holding a horsetail whisk, steady as a mountain;

Yu Lianzhou occupied the Tianxuan position, his tiger-like eyes filled with might, concealing strength;

Third Master Yu Daiyan occupied the Tianji position, his aura dense and without revealing any sharpness;

Zhang Songxi occupied the Tianquan position, his gaze sharp, having already seen through the initial form of the Formation;

Fifth Brother Zhang Cuishan occupied the Yuheng position, Judge's Pen in hand, poised with iron-drawing and silver-hook power;

Yin Liting occupied the Kaiyang position, his long sword unsheathed, his Sword Intent agile;

Mo Shenggu occupied the Yaoguang position, his long sword held upright, as straight as a pine.

As soon as the seven stood in position, their Qi instantly merged.

The True Martial Seven-Section Formation was a peerless Formation created by Zhang Sanfeng after observing the True Martial deity statue and realizing the principles of the tortoise and snake fighting, capturing the wonders of the changes in Yin and Yang.

The seven sets of martial arts were each top-tier supreme techniques when separated, but combined, they formed an unassailable Formation. The seven brothers shared one heart and mind, and the power of their combined Formation was enough to shake the heavens and earth.

"Form up!" At Song Yuanqiao's command, the seven moved simultaneously.

Their footsteps moved in accordance with the celestial numbers, while the horsetail whisk, palm wind, sword shadows, and pen tips spread out simultaneously.

Seven completely different styles perfectly merged under the guidance of the Taiji circular energy. A peaceful, heavy, yet all-encompassing Taiji Dao Rhyme slowly unfolded, standing on equal footing with the Eighteen Arhats Formation.

"Attack!" Kongwen shouted angrily, and the Eighteen Arhats Formation made the first move.

Ten thousand staffs struck out together like a raging sea, sweeping towards the Seven Heroes of Wudang with the force of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.

The three divine monks channeled the Shaolin Nine Yang Skill, pushing the power of the Formation to its limit.

Facing this world-destroying offensive, the Seven Heroes of Wudang remained composed.

Song Yuanqiao waved his horsetail whisk, and the Taiji circular energy instantly spread out, as if creating a calm harbor amidst the crashing waves.

The seven simultaneously circulated their internal energy, the Yin and Yang rotating to defend like a Black Tortoise crouching in water. As the sky-filled staff shadows smashed down, the fierce force was stripped away and guided, layer by layer, eventually dissipating into nothingness.

With the first move failing, Kongwen's expression changed slightly, and he immediately changed the Formation, shrinking it to surround the seven in the center.

Staff shadows attacked from all directions; before the previous move had faded, the next had already arrived, repeating endlessly.

Kongxing let out an angry shout, his Dragon Claw Hand fiercely breaking through the Formation, aiming straight for Yu Lianzhou in the center!

"Well come!" Yu Lianzhou laughed loudly, his Tiger Claw Desolation Hand colliding head-on. As the palms met, a deafening sound erupted, and both retreated half a step.

The Arhats on the sides immediately swung their staffs to follow up, aiming directly at Yu Lianzhou's opening, but they saw Third Master Yu Daiyan's long sword slant upward to block the staff shadows, Mo Shenggu's long sword sweep horizontally to force three men back, Yin Liting's sword light agilely sealing off the flank attack, Zhang Songxi whispering reminders of the Formation's changes, and Zhang Cuishan's pen tip flying to strike at the weak points of the Formation.

Meanwhile, Song Yuanqiao sat in the center, using the force of Taiji circular rotation to neutralize all missed attacks, guiding the seven's internal energy in a continuous, endless cycle.

No matter how fiercely the Arhats Formation attacked or changed, the seven remained as steady as Mount Tai. After over a hundred rounds of fighting, they had not broken or leaked.

The more Kongwen fought, the more alarmed he became. He never expected that the seven-person Formation could contend with the eighteen-person Arhats Formation, and even vaguely hold the upper hand.

"Use full power!" Kongwen shouted angrily. The three divine monks simultaneously channeled all their internal energy. The power of the eighteen men completely merged at the heart of the Formation, transforming into an earth-shattering staff radiance that smashed down fiercely towards Song Yuanqiao!

This strike gathered the full power of eighteen Innate experts; even a Great Grandmaster would not dare to meet it head-on. The crowd in the plaza instantly held their breath, their expressions changing drastically.

"Seven Stars return to position, True Martial descends upon the world!"

Song Yuanqiao shouted loudly, and the seven simultaneously stood in their positions. Their internal energy completely merged under the guidance of the Taiji Dao Rhyme, and a vast, boundless aura erupted with a roar.

At this moment, the seven were like one body. Song Yuanqiao met the staff radiance and struck out a palm, light as a feather.

The other six struck simultaneously. The seven palm forces merged into a single, soft yet extremely overbearing circular energy, colliding fiercely with the heaven-shocking staff radiance.

A loud noise shook Wudang Mountain, and waves of energy swept across all directions, shattering countless bluestone slabs in the plaza.

Amidst the billowing dust, the staff radiance that had gathered the full power of eighteen men dissolved inch by inch, and the rebounding force traveled back along the staffs.

The eighteen Shaolin monks groaned and retreated in unison, their eyebrow-level staffs flying out of their hands. The three divine monks also turned deathly pale, staggering back a few steps before barely managing to stand steady.

As the dust cleared, the Seven Heroes of Wudang were still standing in the Big Dipper Formation, their figures upright, their breathing steady, and completely unharmed.

The plaza was deathly silent; one could hear a pin drop.

Everyone's eyes were wide open, their minds blank—the Shaolin Sect's thousand-year-old guardian Formation had actually been defeated by the True Martial Seven-Section Formation!

Seven against eighteen, Wudang was unscathed, Shaolin's weapons had all fallen; the victor was decided, clear at a glance.

Kongwen looked at the Seven Heroes before him, then at the scattered eyebrow-level staffs on the ground, all color draining from his face.

After a long while, he let out a long sigh, pressed his palms together, and bowed deeply to Zhang Sanfeng on the main seat.

"Amitabha. The True Martial Seven-Section Formation created by Grandmaster Zhang is miraculously unparalleled, and the Seven Heroes of Wudang are worthy of their reputation. In this battle, I, the Shaolin Sect, admit defeat."

"This old monk promises that today's events will never be mentioned again, and I will immediately take my Disciples back to the temple."

"The matter of Yuan Zhen will definitely be thoroughly investigated. If true, he will be severely punished according to the temple rules, to provide an explanation to Grandmaster Zhang, to the Wudang Sect, and to the entire Jianghu!"

After his words fell, he waved his hand to signal his Disciples to collect their weapons, and was about to lead the Shaolin group down the mountain with their heads bowed, no longer possessing a shred of the arrogance they had when they arrived.

In the blink of an eye, the tense plaza returned to calm, leaving only the Wudang members and the red silk filling the courtyard.

Zhang Sanfeng looked at the people from the various sects, a smile appearing in his eyes.

He spoke slowly, his voice spreading throughout the entire plaza, word by word, revealing Cheng Kun's conspiracy.