37: Chapter 37 World Martial Arts Exchange Meeting

The Spiritual Qi in the Yitian World surged, leading to an explosive development of martial arts in the Jianghu, yet hidden crises remained within the martial world.

For millennia, major sects had treated martial arts as private property, keeping their core Secret Manuals hidden. This led to a severe fragmentation of fundamental martial arts, leaving countless Disciples from humble backgrounds with talent but no path to enter.

Each sect worked in isolation, leading to numerous drawbacks and difficulty in making Breakthroughs.

On this day, Zhang Sanfeng, in his capacity as the leader of the Central Plains Martial Arts World, issued an initiative to all sects under heaven:

He proposed holding the first World Martial Arts Exchange at Wudang Mountain, to be held every three years, with the tenet of "breaking barriers, sharing resources, and prospering together in the Martial Dao."

During the exchange, all sects would communicate as equals, discussing only martial arts, regardless of whether they were considered righteous or evil; sparring would be limited to friendly exchanges, with private fighting and harboring grudges strictly prohibited; and all shared content, provided the owner consented, could be made available to the world.

Once the initiative was released, the entire Jianghu was shaken.

Abbot Kongwen of the Shaolin Sect was the first to respond, stating directly, "Grandmaster Zhang's proposal is a merit for the present and a benefit for the future," and immediately decided to lead the Shaolin Core Disciples and bring their martial arts classics to Wudang.

Left Emissary Yang Xiao of the Ming Cult, Beggar Sect Leader Shi Huolong, Abbess Miejue of the Emei Sect, and even the Kunlun, Kongtong, and Huashan sects all expressed their willingness to participate.

Even the Baituo Mountain Villa in the Western Regions and the Murong family of Jiangnan sent letters expressing their intent to attend.

Everyone understood that the Wudang Sect was no longer merely a sect in the Jianghu, but the leader of the martial arts world.

Participating in this grand event would not only allow them to make up for the shortcomings of their own martial arts but also showcase their sect's style before the talents of the world, attracting high-quality Disciples.

Moreover, who wouldn't want to witness this Great Grandmaster's understanding of the Martial Dao firsthand?

Half a month later, Wudang Mountain welcomed an unprecedented grand occasion.

Over a hundred sects from across the world and thousands of Martial Artists gathered at Wudang, from gray-haired Elders to teenage Disciples, shoulder to shoulder.

The plaza in front of the Zixiao Palace was expanded threefold, with dozens of viewing stands erected around it. Even the small town at the foot of Wudang Mountain was filled with Jianghu wanderers and commoners who had come to observe.

At the opening ceremony, Zhang Sanfeng, dressed in moon-white Daoist robes, walked slowly onto the main stage.

He did not say any polite pleasantries, but said in a resonant voice, "The path of martial arts has never been the path of one person or one sect, but lies in gathering the strengths of all and innovating."

"Today, we at Wudang publicly release our improved Taiji Fundamental Mind-Cultivation Technique and Taiji Fist, and we are willing to share them with fellow practitioners across the world."

As his voice fell, Young Hero Song Qingshu led the third-generation Personal Disciples to demonstrate the Taiji Fundamental Mind-Cultivation Technique and Taiji Fist in the center of the plaza.

This set of martial arts had no threshold; even ordinary people without any martial arts Foundation could practice it to strengthen their bodies.

Those with martial arts talent could use it as a Foundation to embark on the path of the Martial Dao.

After the demonstration, the entire venue erupted in thunderous cheers.

Countless Disciples from humble backgrounds were moved to tears; after years of having no path to follow, they had finally obtained a set of orthodox fundamental martial arts.

The first World Martial Arts Exchange officially began.

The fundamental martial arts exchange area was the liveliest place.

Various sects brought out their fundamental fist and kick techniques, Internal Skill Mind-Cultivation Techniques, and publicly shared their cultivation insights, correcting each other's flaws.

The Taiji Fundamental Mind-Cultivation Technique of Wudang was undoubtedly the focus of the entire venue, with countless Disciples surrounding the Wudang Transmission Elder, listening carefully for fear of missing a single word.

Shaolin's Arhat Fist, the Beggar Sect's Long Fist, and Emei's Internal Skill also had their own supporters.

Disciples from various sects, who had previously been clearly divided, now sat together, sparring and exchanging insights, with no more of the estrangement and hostility of the past.

The display stage for the sects' Ultimate Techniques was the most breathtaking place.

Each sect sent top Disciples and Elders to demonstrate the essence of their sect's Ultimate Techniques.

Abbot Kongwen of the Shaolin Sect personally took the stage to demonstrate the Shaolin Ultimate Technique, Dragon Claw Hand. With Buddhist light flowing around him and his Qi perfectly integrated, he drew gasps of amazement from the crowd.

Beggar Sect Leader Shi Huolong performed the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms; the wind from his palms whistled, with faint sounds of dragon roars, fierce and unparalleled.

Left Emissary Yang Xiao of the Ming Cult displayed the Heaven and Earth Great Shift, his movements ethereal as he borrowed force to strike, easily shifting a thousand-jin boulder.

Abbess Jingxuan of the Emei Sect held a long sword to demonstrate Emei Swordplay, which was agile and elegant, with sword light like silk.

The Ultimate Techniques of various sects took turns on stage, making the Disciples below feel their blood boiling and finding it thoroughly satisfying.

Many had never seen so many top Ultimate Techniques in their entire lives. Seeing them today, they felt their horizons broadened, and their path of cultivation suddenly became clear.

The innovation competition, which held the most value, became the highlight of the entire exchange.

Countless young talents emerged, integrating the martial arts of various Schools and creating stunning new Moves.

The first to take the stage was the ten-year-old Cult Leader Zhang Wuji.

Dressed in green Daoist robes with a serious little face, he bowed to the crowd below, then channeled his Internal Energy to perform a brand-new palm technique.

This palm technique was based on the Wudang Taiji Force and integrated the Pure Yang Power of the Nine Yang Divine Skill, combining hardness and softness, endless and continuous.

When the palms were struck, it possessed both the seamlessness of Taiji and the majestic heat of the Nine Yang, with Yin and Yang generating each other, changing infinitely.

Three Disciples of the same level from other sects attacked together. Cult Leader Zhang Wuji was unhurried; his palm technique shifted, using soft force to neutralize the attacks of the three.

Immediately, the Pure Yang Power erupted. With a gentle push, the three were simultaneously pushed back several steps, standing steadily without any injury.

"This is the Yin and Yang Palm I created by fusing the Nine Yang Divine Skill and Taiji Force. I ask all Seniors to correct me."

As Cult Leader Zhang Wuji's crisp voice rang out, the entire venue erupted in thunderous applause.

Zhang Sanfeng sat on the judges' bench, smiling and nodding, his eyes filled with approval.

Following this, Shaolin Disciple Huineng took the stage and demonstrated the Diamond Cotton Palm he created by combining the Arhat Fist and Wudang Cotton Palm.

This palm technique contained softness within hardness, retaining the fierce and domineering nature of Shaolin martial arts while incorporating the Taiji principle of overcoming hardness with softness, improving the drawback of Shaolin martial arts being too fierce and prone to backlash.

Zhang Sanfeng personally commented, praising it for "truly grasping the essence of combining hardness and softness."

Emei Disciple Zhou Zhiruo improved the Soft Cloud Emei Sword.

She integrated the seamless agility of the Taiji Sword Intent into the elegance of Emei Swordplay. The swordplay was sometimes like flowing clouds and running water, sometimes like sudden thunder, agile and elegant yet concealing murderous intent, making up for the shortcoming of Emei Swordplay's lack of lethal power, causing Abbess Miejue to nod repeatedly.

The most surprising was Left Emissary Yang Xiao of the Ming Cult.

He combined the force-neutralizing method of the Heaven and Earth Great Shift with the circular force of Wudang Taiji, significantly lowering the threshold for cultivating the Heaven and Earth Great Shift.

The sect's Ultimate Technique, which could originally only be cultivated by the Cult Leader, could now be mastered by ordinary Disciples if they had enough talent. After the demonstration, Elders from various sects stood up one after another, and the scene became extraordinarily lively.

In just seven days, the innovation competition gave birth to dozens of brand-new martial arts and improved Moves.

Disciples from various sects inspired each other during the exchange, sparking inspiration, and the vitality of martial arts in the entire Jianghu was completely ignited.

On the last day of the exchange, Zhang Sanfeng personally took the stage to give a public lecture on the Martial Dao.

He did not speak about any specific Moves, but only about the Origin of martial arts, the changes of Yin and Yang, and the principle of the unity of heaven and humanity.

He explained obscure and difficult Martial Dao principles in the most accessible language, from the basic circulation of internal breath to the insights of the Grandmaster Realm, and then to the laws of heaven and earth at the Great Grandmaster Realm, explaining the profound in simple terms and making it fascinating.

Thousands of Martial Artists below, regardless of their level of cultivation, all gained some enlightenment.

Experts at the Grandmaster Realm, such as Song Yuanqiao and Yu Lianzhou, felt their hearts suddenly open up, touching the threshold of the Great Grandmaster Realm.

Countless Disciples who had been stuck at the Xiantian Realm for many years made a Breakthrough in their Realm on the spot.

Those ordinary Outer Sect Disciples also clarified the direction of their cultivation and would no longer practice blindly.

After the three-hour public lecture, the entire venue was silent.

Immediately, thousands of people bowed in unison, making a deep bow to Zhang Sanfeng on the stage, and said loudly, "Thank you, Immortal Master Zhang, for your teachings!"

The sound resounded through the sky, echoing in the valleys of Wudang Mountain, lingering for a long time.

The first World Martial Arts Exchange achieved results far exceeding expectations.

Each sect voluntarily copied their sect's martial arts manuals, from fundamental martial arts to underlying Ultimate Techniques, and gifted them to the Wudang Scripture Pavilion for collection.

At the same time, they also took away the Taiji martial arts made public by Wudang, as well as the exchange manuals that other sects were willing to share.

Countless talents from humble backgrounds and Jianghu wanderers from all over the world requested to join the Wudang Sect. During the exchange alone, more than three hundred outstanding Disciples passed the assessment and joined Wudang.

The sects also agreed that the next World Martial Arts Exchange would add a segment for joint training of Disciples across sects, led by Wudang, with sects taking turns sending Elders to teach and jointly Cultivate the younger generation of the martial arts world.

Zhang Sanfeng took this opportunity to unify, organize, and revise all the collected and newly created martial arts.

He guided the Seven Heroes of Wudang to study the martial arts of various sects, removing the insidious and harmful parts, filling in the loopholes and flaws, and storing them in the Wudang Scripture Pavilion by category, forming a complete martial arts System of "Exchange - Innovation - Collection - Legacy."

[System Notification: The Host has successfully held the first World Martial Arts Exchange, gathering the essence of world martial arts and promoting the overall progress of Jianghu martial arts. Side Quest [Establish Martial Arts Treasury] completion rate is 100%!]

[Task Reward Distributed: The Wudang lineage Foundation has reached its peak, the Host's understanding of martial arts across the heavens has been greatly improved, and the difficulty of subsequent cross-world martial arts Fusion has been reduced by 30%!]

[Obtained the exclusive title "Martial Dao Grandmaster"; you can gain basic awe from local Martial Artists in any Wuxia world!]

As the System notification ended, Zhang Sanfeng smiled slightly.

After the exchange ended, he went alone to the top floor of the Wudang Scripture Pavilion.

This was the Forbidden Ground of Wudang, and only he could enter.

He took a thick thread-bound book from his bosom. On the cover were four vigorous and powerful characters—《Complete Explanation of the Tai Chi Great Dao.

This was the supreme Secret Manual he had revised and perfected over several months of painstaking effort, combining the laws of heaven and earth of the Yitian World with all his own insights from the Great Grandmaster Realm.

The book not only contained all Wudang martial arts such as Taiji Fist, Taiji Sword, and Pure Yang Infinite Skill, but also recorded all his insights into the Yin and Yang Dao, the laws of heaven and earth, and the Realms of the Martial Dao.

It was enough to guide future Martial Artists to break through the Great Grandmaster Realm and glimpse higher levels of the Martial Dao.

Zhang Sanfeng personally placed the 《Complete Explanation of the Tai Chi Great Dao into the jade box on the top floor, making it the treasure of the Wudang Sect.

After doing all this, he walked to the window of the Scripture Pavilion, watching the sea of clouds surging below the mountain, the sunset dyeing the sky into a golden red.

The Foundation of the Yitian World had been completely solidified.

The Wudang lineage was as stable as Mount Tai, the martial arts of the world were flourishing, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment.

He raised his hand to bring up the System panel, looking at the glowing "Legend of the Condor Heroes World" travel button, a glimmer of anticipation flashing in his eyes.