41: Chapter 41 Showdown with the Vajra Subduing Demon Circle

The three men all had white hair and beards, with gaunt faces. There was not a shred of sharp Qi emanating from their bodies, yet they carried an air of solemn and grave Zen.

They were none other than the three reclusive high monks of the Shaolin Sect—Dujie, Du'e, and Dunan.

The three walked to the front of the stage, pressed their palms together, and bowed to Zhang Sanfeng.

Great Master Dujie spoke, his voice aged yet clear: "Grandmaster Zhang, my two brothers and I have long resided in the back mountains of the Shaolin Sect, detached from worldly affairs. Seeing the heroes of the world gathered here today, and witnessing Grandmaster's Tai Chi Great Dao, we are filled with deep emotion."

"Our Shaolin Sect possesses a signature ultimate technique called the Vajra Subjugation Circle. It was created by our Ancestral Masters after observing the Vajra Subjugation images. It requires three people to cultivate together and share a unified mind to execute."

"The three of us have diligently cultivated for a century, and recently, after exchanging martial arts with various Schools, we have refined and improved it. However, we have never had the opportunity to verify it against a true expert."

"Today, we make bold to request that Grandmaster Zhang kindly offer us your guidance. Let us three brothers witness the true mysteries of the Great Grandmaster Realm, and let the heroes of the world know that Shaolin martial arts still have their merits."

As these words were spoken, the entire venue instantly erupted.

Everyone knew that the three Shaolin monks had been in seclusion for a century, and their cultivation was unfathomable. Now that they were joining forces to challenge Zhang Sanfeng, this was truly a once-in-a-millennium event!

Zhang Sanfeng looked at the three old monks, a trace of approval in his eyes.

He could see that the three were not seeking to compete for dominance, but were pure Martial Artists who wished to verify their martial arts and pursue a higher Realm of the Dao.

He nodded slightly and said calmly: "Since the three Great Masters have this intention, this old Daoist shall accompany you. Let us stop at the point of contact; let there be no harm to our camaraderie."

As his voice fell, the entire venue instantly quieted down, to the point where even the sound of breathing could be heard clearly.

Everyone held their breath, staring fixedly at the arena, fearing they might miss any detail.

The three monks exchanged a glance and simultaneously leaped up, landing in the three corners of the arena, standing in a triangular Formation.

The three simultaneously channeled their internal Qi, and a faint golden Buddha light surged around them. Each held a pitch-black long rope, which was the Magical Artifact of the Vajra Subjugation Circle—the black iron rope.

"Form the array!"

Dujie let out a low shout, and the three swung their black ropes simultaneously.

The three black ropes intertwined and danced in the air, emitting bursts of sound as they cut through the air, instantly forming a huge golden circle of light that enveloped the entire arena.

Above the circle of light, the phantom images of countless Vajra Arhats faintly appeared, solemn and grave, carrying a majestic force that seemed to suppress everything.

"This is our temple's Vajra Subjugation Circle!" Below the stage, Abbot Kongwen's eyes were full of pride.

"My three Junior Martial Uncles' cultivation has actually reached such a level! The power of this Subjugation Circle could likely contend even with an expert at the Early Stage of the Great Grandmaster Realm!"

Yu Lianzhou also wore a solemn expression: "The three share a unified mind, as if they were one body. The three black ropes are both offensive and defensive, without a single flaw."

"What is even rarer is that they have integrated their lifelong cultivation and Zen intent into the Formation. Not only does it have physical attacks, but it also carries the pressure of mental attacks. If one is even slightly careless, their mind will be lost, and they will be suppressed by the Formation."

Cult Leader Zhang Wuji watched without blinking. He could clearly feel that the entire Formation was faintly connected to the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

The power of the three monks circulated within the Formation, endless and unceasing, forming a perfect closed loop. This had already touched upon the power of a Great Grandmaster.

Just at this moment, Dunan made the first Move.

The black rope in his hand flicked, turning into a bolt of black lightning, piercing straight at Zhang Sanfeng's front.

At the same time, Du'e's black rope swept across the lower body, while Dujie attacked from the side. The three black ropes coordinated flawlessly, sealing off all of Zhang Sanfeng's room to dodge.

Zhang Sanfeng's expression remained calm. He shifted his feet lightly and utilized the Wudang Cloud Ladder Step.

His figure was like a willow catkin, moving leisurely between the three black ropes. It looked extremely perilous, yet he remained completely unharmed.

The Cloud Ladder Step was originally a basic Wudang movement technique, but when used by him, it seemed to contain the ultimate truths of Heaven and Earth. With one step, he could shrink the earth into an inch, making the near seem far.

"What a marvelous movement technique!" The crowd below the stage cheered in unison.

Seeing their attack miss, the three monks were not flustered and simultaneously channeled their internal Qi.

The power of the Vajra Subjugation Circle instantly surged. Golden Buddha light soared into the sky, and countless phantom images of Vajra Arhats attacked simultaneously—some with palms or fists, others with staves or pestles—raining down upon Zhang Sanfeng like a landslide.

Dunan used the Prajna Vajra Palm; the palm force was fierce and unparalleled, carrying a heat that seemed to burn everything away;

Du'e used the Mount Sumeru Palm; the palm force was as heavy as a mountain, as if the entire Mount Sumeru were pressing down from above;

Dujie used the Great Mercy and Compassion Thousand Leaf Hand; the palm shadows were layered, like falling flower petals filling the sky. It appeared gentle, but in reality, it hid murderous intent.

The three great Shaolin ultimate techniques were unleashed simultaneously, combined with the might of the Vajra Subjugation Circle, which was enough to grind any expert at the Grandmaster Realm into dust.

Zhang Sanfeng was unhurried. He slowly raised his hands and used the Wudang Cotton Palm.

His palm technique was very slow. Every Move was simple and unadorned, without a shred of flashiness. Yet, every palm strike he sent out drew upon the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, forming waves of gentle Tai Chi circular force.

The scorching palm force of the Prajna Vajra Palm struck, but was gently guided by the Tai Chi circular force, causing it to veer off course and hit empty air;

The heavy pressure of the Mount Sumeru Palm descended, but was stripped away layer by layer by the Tai Chi circular force, ultimately vanishing into nothingness;

The sky-filling palm shadows of the Great Mercy and Compassion Thousand Leaf Hand were completely absorbed by the Tai Chi circular force, like a clay ox entering the sea, without a single ripple.

"This... how is this possible?" Below the stage, Kunlun Sect Leader He Taichong widened his eyes, his face full of disbelief.

"Those are the three great Shaolin ultimate techniques! How could they be resolved so easily?"

"This is the Great Grandmaster Realm!" Beggar Sect's Shi Huolong sighed deeply, his eyes filled with awe.

"Grandmaster Zhang has achieved the state of returning to simplicity, turning the complex into the simple."

"In his hands, any basic martial art can unleash earth-shattering power."

"He is not cracking the Moves; he is utilizing the rules of Heaven and Earth, meeting change with constancy."

After a hundred rounds of intense fighting, cold sweat seeped from the foreheads of the three monks.

They had not expected that their pride and joy, the Vajra Subjugation Circle, even after touching the power of a Great Grandmaster, would still be so powerless before Zhang Sanfeng.

The three exchanged a glance, simultaneously bit their tongues, and sprayed a mouthful of Origin essence blood onto the black ropes.

"Amitabha!"

The three chanted the Buddha's name in unison, and the Buddha light around their bodies surged to several zhang high.

The power of the Vajra Subjugation Circle instantly rose to its limit. Countless phantom images of Vajra Arhats merged together, transforming into a massive, dozens-of-zhang-tall Vajra Dharma Image, holding a Vajra pestle, and crashing down toward Zhang Sanfeng!

At the same time, the three chanted the Diamond Sutra in unison, and the solemn Zen sound resonated throughout the entire Bright Peak.

This was not ordinary chanting; it was a mental attack containing the lifelong Zen intent of the three monks. It could directly strike at a person's Divine Soul, and even an expert at the Grandmaster Realm would instantly lose their composure and be left at their mercy.

The crowd below the stage only felt a buzzing in their minds and felt unsettled. The Disciples with weaker cultivation directly knelt on the ground, pressed their palms together, and began to chant along.

"This is a mental attack!" Yu Lianzhou's expression changed.

"Don't worry, Second Senior Martial Uncle. Master will be fine."

Cult Leader Zhang Wuji's gaze was firm. He could clearly feel that Zhang Sanfeng's mind was as steady as Mount Tai, completely unaffected by the Zen sound.

Indeed, facing the heaven-destroying Vajra Dharma Image and the pervasive mental attack, Zhang Sanfeng's expression remained calm.

He slowly drew the Zhenwu Sword from his waist and used the Wudang Spirit Gate Thirteen Swords.

The Spirit Gate Thirteen Swords were originally a basic Wudang sword technique, specializing in attacking the opponent's Spirit Gate acupuncture point on the wrist. The Moves were simple and direct.

Yet, when used by Zhang Sanfeng, they seemed to contain infinite variations.

He flicked his wrist lightly, and thirteen sword beams flew out simultaneously, precisely piercing the thirteen flaws of the Vajra Dharma Image.

There was no earth-shattering loud noise, only a slight "puchi" sound.

That dozens-of-zhang-tall Vajra Dharma Image actually shattered and dissipated instantly, like a bubble.

Immediately after, Zhang Sanfeng used his left hand to perform the Taiji Cloud Hands, giving it a light pull.

The Zen intent of the three monks chanting the Diamond Sutra was actually pulled by the Concept of the Taiji Cloud Hands, and in turn, surged back toward the three monks themselves.

The three felt a roar in their minds and their spirits were severely shaken. They hurriedly stopped chanting to barely stabilize their minds.

Taking this opportunity, Zhang Sanfeng flashed, used the Cloud Ladder Step, and instantly appeared in the center of the three monks.

The iron sword in his hand tapped lightly, striking the connection nodes of the three black ropes respectively.

With three light "click" sounds, the three indestructible black ropes actually snapped into several pieces simultaneously.

The Vajra Subjugation Circle, broken!

The three monks groaned simultaneously, retreated three steps, and their faces turned as pale as paper.

They looked at Zhang Sanfeng, their eyes filled with shock and admiration.

"Grandmaster Zhang's martial arts are divine. We three brothers are convinced and admire you wholeheartedly."

Great Master Dujie pressed his palms together and bowed deeply, "In today's battle, we three brothers have benefited immensely. We have finally personally felt the Great Grandmaster Realm and touched upon an understanding of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. Thank you, Grandmaster, for your guidance."

Zhang Sanfeng sheathed his sword and nodded slightly: "The three Great Masters' Vajra Subjugation Circle is already at the pinnacle of this age."

"Shaolin martial arts have a deep foundation and will surely achieve great success in the future. The road of martial arts is endless."

The whole arena was silent for a moment, and everyone stood up and bowed to the people on the stage.

Below the stage, experts from all sects were filled with deep emotion.

"Only after seeing a Great Grandmaster Move today do I truly feel my own weakness. There really is always someone better, and a sky beyond the sky!"

"Indeed," Abbess Miejue, Sect Head of the Emei Sect, also nodded, feeling deeply moved. Now that the Wudang Sect was at its peak and the Shaolin Sect had such a deep foundation, the Emei Sect needed to work hard to catch up as soon as possible.

In this duel, the Shaolin Sect displayed the deep foundation of their thousand-year-old temple and won the respect of everyone.

Zhang Sanfeng allowed the people of the world to witness the true mysteries of the Great Grandmaster Realm, pointing out the direction forward for all Martial Artists.

On the final day of the Martial Arts Conference, the Six Major Sects and the Ming Cult swore an alliance with blood in public.

All past grievances and hatred were wiped clean.

The Battle of Bright Peak, which was originally destined to flow with blood, became a turning point for uniting the Martial Forest and resisting the Yuan Court together.

After the competition, Disciples from various sects consulted each other and exchanged martial arts insights.

Huashan Disciples realized the principle of combining hardness and softness from the Taiji Cotton Palm, improving the flaws of the Huashan sword technique;

Under the guidance of Yu Lianzhou, Shi Huolong of the Beggar Sect mastered the final three palms of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, becoming the first Beggar Sect leader in a century to Master the complete Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms;

Zhou Zhiruo and Young Hero Song Qingshu exchanged Sword Intent, and both of their sword techniques ascended to a higher level.

In just a few short days, martial arts exchanges throughout the Jianghu emerged one after another, and newly created martial arts constantly blossomed.

Now, the experts of the Jianghu have formed a complete tier system of one Pinnacle, four Grandmasters, and ten Rising Stars.

All participating sects unanimously passed a resolution, voting unanimously to elect Zhang Sanfeng as the Alliance Leader of the Wulin Alliance, and the four Grandmasters as Deputy Alliance Leaders.

The alliance agreed: each sect would draw one-third of its elite to form an anti-Yuan vanguard team to support the righteous armies in various places;

establish an intelligence sharing system to exchange information; unify the distribution of food and military equipment, and jointly resist the suppression of the Yuan Court.

[Detected that the Host has successfully ended the century-long strife in the Jianghu and unified the Martial Forest's anti-Yuan forces. Side quest [End Jianghu Strife] completion rate 100%!]

[Task Reward: The Jianghu strife in the Yitian World has been completely ended, world peace level reached 100%;]

[The Host has obtained the complete Origin recognition of the Yitian World, world Fusion level locked at 100%; unlocked the "Martial Dao Inspiration" ability, which can inspire people with chivalry in any world!]

At the peak of Bright Peak, the setting sun dyed the sky red.

Zhang Sanfeng looked at the vast multitude of martial arts heroes below the mountain, his eyes full of gratification.

The momentum against the Yuan Court had been established; his mission in the Yitian World was now perfectly complete.