Just then Wu Tong suddenly felt two streams of formless palm force sweep in silently from left and right. His heart tightened—danger! At once he sank his qi, drew upon his inner strength, and with both palms lifted lightly, he executed "Looking East, Glancing West" from the Eight Forms of Cloud Hands. In a ghostlike turn he spun away, retreating several feet, slipping past the ambush.
Grandmaster Quanzhi was momentarily taken aback. He gave a cold snort, yet in his eyes flickered a glint of approval."Hmph. The boy has some skill after all."
Wu Tong smiled faintly, clasped his fists, and said,"Senior, as one who follows the Dao, your path lies in stillness and non-contention, in nurturing the spirit. Why throw away your cultivation over a moment's anger? To walk the Great Way is to follow reason, align body and mind, and take the Dao as one's guide—that is the true path."
Quanzhi's gaze sharpened. He stared at Wu Tong and said slowly,"You quote many fine words, and they are not without insight. But do you know this? These two have broken the taboos of the jianghu. Their crimes are grave; their deaths unavoidable! The martial world has its laws, and Huashan acts according to those laws. They must be punished."
Wu Tong did not yield. His voice was earnest, yet resolute:"Before the eyes of all gathered heroes, I begged both sides to cease. The elders of True God Palace had already agreed to withdraw. Then Senior appeared, and all turned to chaos again. The fault lies with me. Since matters have reached this pass, how could I stand idle while lives are cast aside? If I did, would I not disgrace the very name of Loyalty and Righteousness?"
At this Quanzhi threw back his head and laughed, his voice booming like thunder, filled with vigor and spirit."Ha! So the tales were true. The leaders of the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness are ever among the greatest heroes of their age. Today I see it with my own eyes. Since you insist on meddling, then let me test your measure. If you can withstand a hundred moves under my hands, today's matter shall be ended. What say you?"
Wu Tong smiled broadly."Though I am young and my skills fall short of Senior's, for the sake of loyalty and righteousness I will do all I can. Please, grant me your instruction!"
He bowed with full courtesy, his bearing undiminished.
Just then, from afar, came the rush of footsteps through the snow. Robes fluttered, wind swirled, and several figures approached at speed. It was Beggar-Clan Chief Fei Jin, with a band of righteous allies. Seeing the field poised for battle, Fei Jin cried out anxiously:"Hold! Boy, do not be reckless! These two have broken the taboos of the jianghu, their crimes demand death. Why risk your life in this mire?"
Wu Tong's eyes burned with resolve. His voice was calm as stone:"To seek benevolence, and gain benevolence—what complaint could I have?"
The crowd started. Then, stirred by his words, murmurs rose in admiration. Many righteous knights shouted in unison:"Well said! To seek righteousness and accept its price—truly worthy of the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness!"
As the Master said: "For the gentleman, righteousness comes first. Courage without righteousness brings chaos; courage without righteousness in the petty man makes him a thief." Wu Tong, as leader of the Hall, carried the name of loyalty and righteousness upon his shoulders. How could he shrink from duty out of fear?
Quanzhi's gaze deepened. A spark of admiration kindled in his heart. At last he chuckled, voice tinged with grandeur:"Boy, are you sure of this? If you fall beneath my hand, do not expect mercy!"
Wu Tong met his eyes, steady and unflinching."Then I ask Senior to grant me the honor of your teaching."
Quanzhi laughed loud and long, his voice echoing through the snowy peaks."Good! A true heir of the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness. Then take this first strike!"
His aura surged like a storm. With a single step the snow at his feet burst outward. His palms swept forward, a roaring gale crashing down upon Wu Tong like heaven's wrath.
Wu Tong's voice rang out:"Then allow me to receive Senior's instruction!"
With a respectful bow he leapt forward, unleashing "Breaking Through the Sky" from the Sixteen Palms of the Northern Darkness. His footwork flashed like lightning, palms striking in succession, his qi surging. Four palms clashed in midair—the boom like thunder shaking the heavens.
The two masters moved as shadows, shifting and turning, exchanging blows in blinding succession. Quanzhi suddenly roared, driving both palms in a lightning rush, force like an arrow loosed. Wu Tong's body flickered aside, using "Stars Shift, Objects Change" from the Eight Forms of Cloud Hands, sidestepping with ghostly agility. Quanzhi's form swept past like the wind, but Wu Tong countered in a breath, unleashing "Billows Overturning the Sea". His palms surged like waves, crashing forward in relentless force. Quanzhi answered with a booming strike of his own, and once again the plaza thundered as qi clashed, snow flying skyward in whirling storms.
The two figures raced across the snow, leaping and striking, each move the work of a master. In moments they had exchanged fifty blows. Their inner power collided with an earth-shaking roar, snow billowing in all directions, onlookers forced to stumble back in awe.
Quanzhi's face was wreathed in purple qi, his mixed Hunyuan and Zixia arts surging to their pinnacle, as though a god had descended. Wu Tong stood unmoved, his robe snapping in the gale, eyes bright, his aura fierce yet fluid, evenly matched against the ancient master.
The heroes gasped. None had imagined that this duel would be so earth-shattering—nearly a hundred exchanges, yet neither yielding an inch. Some whispered in awe at Quanzhi's depth of cultivation, others marveled at Wu Tong's youthful brilliance.
Quanzhi gave a piercing cry, his palms shifting into the elusive Hunyuan Palms. The force was heavy and unpredictable, driving forward with deadly weight. Wu Tong bent aside, answering with his Six Illusions of the Palm—palms within fists, fists within palms, feints upon feints, dazzling and unpredictable. Quanzhi was startled by the ingenuity, yet countered with Huashan's Stone-Splitting Fist, cleaving down with thunderous power.
The crowd saw two titans, one aged yet vigorous, the other young yet unyielding, clashing in a storm of skill. Each move revealed genius, each exchange stirred awe.
As the hundredth blow neared, Quanzhi's purple qi flared to its zenith, his arts of Hunyuan and Zixia blending as one, purple light spilling across the snow. Wu Tong's heart jolted at the sight. He braced with full inner power, but Quanzhi's force crashed upon him like a tidal wave, numbing his arm. At once Wu Tong unleashed "Illusion Within Truth", the final form of his phantom palms—where false became true, and true became false, dazzling the eye.
Quanzhi, master though he was, faltered a breath at the uncanny deception. In that instant Wu Tong struck boldly, his palm thrusting straight for Quanzhi's center.
The two forces collided with a resounding boom.