[Wuxia] The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea (Complete) - 26

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

In Chapter 36 of Liang Yusheng's *The Jade Bow and the Clouds*

, Songshi Daoren was greatly surprised and asked, "Senior Feng, didn't you come while we were unconscious
?" Feng Lin replied, "No! Well, our sects are different. Even if I've lived a few years longer than you, you don't need to be so formal
. Calling me 'senior' all the time makes me cringe." Although Feng Lin was nearly sixty, she looked like she was in her forties and still retained
the willfulness of her youth, disliking being called old.
Songshi Daoren paused, then said awkwardly, "So, it was someone else who secretly revived us." Feng Lin
said:
"Of course it's someone else! Tell me, tell me, what happened?"
Songshi Daoren said, "Shortly after dark, we heard what sounded like killing outside. I was about to struggle to get up when I suddenly
smelled an extremely strange fragrance that made my muscles weak and my bones limp, making me feel very uncomfortable. That fragrance was
very ." Feng Lin said, "I know, the first scent you smelled was the fragrance of the Devil's Flower." She thought, "Songshi
Daoren's martial arts are second only to Lei Zhenzi in the Wudang Sect. No wonder he was able to struggle even after inhaling the fragrance of the Devil's Flower."
Songshi Daoren said, "I struggled with all my might, but my body was weak..." Unable to get up, the main hall was completely silent, a
chilling . Looking around, I saw that all my fellow disciples had their eyes closed, as if they had fainted. A panic gripped me, and I inhaled
the fragrance of the Devil's Flower twice more. Instantly, I felt dizzy and, in a daze, soon lost consciousness completely.
Feng Lin thought, "If an enemy had broken into the hall at that moment, it would have been unimaginable. I would have had no face
to see Lei Zhenzi and Master Tongchan again."
Songshi Daoist continued, "I don't know how much time passed, but suddenly I felt a refreshing fragrance, penetrating my lungs, and
a warm current flowing through my body, very comfortable, and I felt..." In my daze, I seemed to feel someone beside me, but when I could open my eyes,
I saw nothing. Not long after, my fellow disciples also woke up one by one. They all had the same
feeling ; the pain in their injuries had subsided, and after testing, their strength had recovered to about 40-50%. At this time, we could
clearly hear shouts and running sounds outside, knowing that enemies had entered the temple. Therefore, we set up the Nine Palaces Sword Formation, preparing to hold
off any enemies who tried to break through. "I didn't expect you, oh... It's Lady Feng who came in. We've offended Lady Feng.
The enemies who sneaked into the temple have probably already been dealt with by Lady Feng..." "The hero has been chased away."
Feng Lin blushed, inwardly exclaiming, "I'm ashamed!" She said, "This is the fragrance of Tianshan Snow Lotus. It seems that
while you were unconscious, someone put the Jade Spirit Pill into your mouths. I can't guess who that person is right now. Fortunately, you are all able to
move around. Let's go and find Master Tongchan and Master Jinguang. Once we see them, we should be able to find some clues."
Feng Lin led the pursuit team, her mind filled with doubts along the way. She knew that the Jade Spirit Pill, made with Tianshan Snow Lotus as the main ingredient, was only
available from the Tianshan Sect. She only had three pills on her, and there were about twelve injured people, not enough to distribute, so she hadn't given them
any . She thought to herself, "Could it be Xiaolan and my sister? If it wasn't them, who would have so many Jade Spirit Pills? But
if it was them, why wouldn't they come out to see me? They are both usually serious people, and they wouldn't play such a big
joke on me."
Feng Lin was intelligent, but because she was convinced that Jin Shiyi was dead, she didn't immediately think of him. After returning from the deserted island,
Jin Shiyi had secretly visited Tianshan Mountain to see Li Qinmei. He stayed there for three days without anyone
noticing.
During those three days, he spied on Li Qinmei several times, and each time she was with Zhong Zhan. He sensed Zhong Zhan
's feelings for Li Qinmei, and also realized that while Li Qinmei still loved him, she treated Zhong Zhan like a sister.
Judging from their relationship, it was foreseeable that as long as he remained hidden, Li Qinmei wouldn't know he was still alive, and given time
, it wasn't impossible for them to become lovers. Because of this thought, at the Mangshan martial arts tournament, he
secretly helped Jiang Nan, Feng Lin, and the Ice River Fairy… but refused to show himself and fight Meng Shentong.
During his three days in Tianshan, he also collected over a dozen Tianshan snow lotuses and made thirty Jade Spirit Pills, which unexpectedly came in
handy , saving the lives of the Wudang disciples.
After catching up with the group, Feng Lin spoke with Master Tongchan and learned that their daughter was not the one they had saved, and Tang Xiaolan had not
arrived . No one could guess who had secretly helped them. The fate of Gu Zhihua, Li Qinmei, and Zhong Zhan
became everyone's biggest concern, but with a formidable enemy at hand, they couldn't afford to investigate at their leisure. Feng Lin had no choice but to follow the group and first settle at the Shaolin Temple
on Mount Song . Feng Lin used the Red Sect's "Guicang Unblocking Acupoint Divine Skill" to unblock Gu Zhihua's acupoints. Although it didn't have an immediate effect,
it stimulated her nerves, giving her a sliver of consciousness in her previously unconscious state, plunging her into a hazy, dreamlike state
. In her dream, she seemed to grow two wings and fly through the clouds.
Suddenly, Gu Zhihua felt as if Jin Shiyi had walked to her side, gently stroking her. An
indescribable blood and energy flowed smoothly, her limbs and bones seemingly relaxing effortlessly. Gu Zhihua, whether awake or dreaming, thought of
Jin Shiyi. Now, with her senses restored, she naturally, without opening her eyes, whispered, "Shiyi! Shiyi
!"
Suddenly, she heard a very familiar voice calling in her ear, "Zhihua, yes, it's me!"
Gu Zhihua's heart skipped a beat, and she opened her eyes. Before her stood Jin Shiyi. For a moment, she didn't know if
it was a dream, but she felt Jin Shiyi holding her hand tightly, softly saying, "Don't be afraid, it's me, I'm not dead!"
Gu Zhihua unconsciously gripped his hand tightly as well. Yes, she was indeed afraid, not of Jin Shiyi being
a ghost, but of the illusion before her, wondering if she was still in a nightmare! Gradually, she felt
the warmth of Jin Shiyi's palm and heard his heartbeat. She realized she was touching a real person, neither a dream
nor an illusion! Gu Zhihua was bewildered and asked in a low voice, "Where is this? How did you get to me? Where are they?
Where did they all go? Why are there only the two of us?"
Jin Shiyi said, "This is a cave. You immobilized Meng Shentong's acupoints, and they sent you back to the Xuan Nu Temple for treatment. I secretly
brought you out; none of them knew."
Gu Zhihua regained her composure, and her mind gradually cleared. The scene from earlier flashed through her mind! Before her
eyes appeared the scene of the fierce battle, her father looking like a ferocious demon about to harm her sect leader sister, in the most tense moment...
At the critical moment, she jumped out and stopped her father. She remembered her conversation with him; he had refused her mediation, and his
once kind eyes were now filled with murderous intent again… She remembered drawing her sword to commit suicide; the last scene was Li Qinmei
screaming and rushing towards her.
Gu Zhihua thought to herself, “Ah! So I didn’t die. I… I sealed his pressure points. Oh, God,
why let me die?” In an instant, she felt her heart in turmoil, her liver and intestines breaking! Jin Shiyi suddenly felt her palm was icy cold and
hurriedly comforted her, “Zhihua, it’s all over now. Consider it a nightmare. Heaven has mercy, allowing us to meet again today. From
now on, we will never be separated. We don’t need to pay attention to those irrelevant people anymore.”
Just then, a whistling sound came from afar, and Gu Zhihua couldn’t help but tremble again. It was her father’s whistling sound. It turned out that
at this moment, Meng Shentong had broken through the encirclement and escaped from Mangchu. He used the whistling sound to contact his disciple.
Jin Shiyi was startled by Meng Shentong's howl. From it, he knew Meng Shentong's vital energy was damaged,
but not severely. In that instant, Li Shengnan's image flashed into his mind.
If what about Li Shengnan? Would they both be severely injured?
However, at this moment, Jin Shiyi couldn't afford to worry about Li Shengnan. He held Gu Zhihua's hand and suddenly felt her
fingers trembling. He was startled, but Gu Zhihua had already pulled away from him. Jin Shiyi stared at her in astonishment, only to see her face deathly
pale ! Gu Zhihua had come up the mountain with high hopes for her father, hoping to move Meng Shentong's
heart of stone with their father-daughter bond. She never expected such an outcome! Meng Shentong's howl was no longer audible, but it seemed to have stirred up a raging storm, making
her already restless heart even more turbulent.
Jin Shiyi advised her to treat the past as a nightmare, but the nightmare was far from over. Although the cave was peaceful,
one could imagine that Mangshan was still rife with bloodshed! The most painful thing was that she couldn't predict
how end. What would become of her sect leader? What kind of torture would the various masters suffer?
What would become of her father? Mediation had failed, the calamity in the martial world was irreversible, and she dared not imagine the consequences. There was only one thing she
could under these circumstances, whatever the outcome, it would leave her with lifelong regret! Gu Zhihua
awoke from her unconsciousness, and now, from that clarity, she was plunged into chaos. She was already stronger than most women, but no matter
how strong she was, she couldn't withstand such a heavy blow! The initial joy of meeting Jin Shijin couldn't mask the pain in her heart. Her passionate feelings cooled
, growing colder and colder until she almost lost all feeling for love. Imagine, under such circumstances
, how could Gu Zhihua possibly confide in Jin Shiyi and accept his tender affection?
The two remained silent. Jin Shiyi sensed her sorrow in her eyes, but what words could he use to comfort her
?
Moonlight streamed into the cave; the night was deep, and the midnight chill intensified the coldness in her heart. Gu Zhihua gritted her teeth, thinking
,
"I'm lucky I didn't die today, but I consider myself dead. I will choose a
place where , and see no one."
Jin Shiyi grasped her trembling hand again and said in a deep voice, "Zhihua, I know everything you've done today
. You've done your best. The calamity of the martial world cannot be averted, but this is not your fault." He wanted to say, "What you
couldn't do , I will do for you." But then he thought, what could he possibly do? At most, he could help Li Shengnan kill Meng Shentong,
something he could do in secret. But how could he say it to Gu Zhihua's face, causing her already wounded heart to suffer another
blow? But if he did that, his attempt to comfort Gu Zhihua would become empty and powerless.
Gu Zhihua slowly raised her head and said, "Shiyi, thank you for saving me today. Perhaps it would have been
better . I am still grateful to you. You have your path, and I have mine. I am already content to have seen you today, and I
dare not and do not want to ask for anything more. Well, you can go now!"
Jin Shiyi blocked the cave entrance and said in a trembling voice, "Zhihua, where are you going? Do you remember that before your master died, she solemnly entrusted
the Xuan Nu Sword Manual to you, asking you to inherit her mantle? This is something she once told me. You also once said that no matter
what grievances you suffered, you could not betray your master's ten years of hard work in cultivating you!"
Gu Zhihua's heart trembled. Of course she remembered. These words were spoken to Jin Shiyi at the last Mangshan Conference
after , in order to express her feelings. But the grievances she suffered then
were nothing compared to what she was going through today. She was unaware of the commotion outside, nor did she know that while she was unconscious, Cao Jin'er had publicly announced her
permission to rejoin the sect. All she could think was, "This time, countless disciples from various sects will die at my father's hands. The Mangshan
Sect has the deepest grudge against them, and their casualties will surely be the greatest. Although I'm lucky to have survived, how can I face my fellow disciples again?"
However, Jin Shiyi's words also affected her. After a long while, she whispered, "Shiyi,
thank you for reminding me. Don't worry, for Master's sake, I will survive. Alright, if you won't leave, then let me go!"
Jin Shiyi was extremely agitated and shouted, "Why should we..." "Can't we be together? If you don't want to get involved in
this vortex , I'll go with you to a deserted island. There, we won't see anyone or care about anything. We can
dedicate our lives to organizing and promoting the martial arts passed down by the master. In our old age, we can choose disciples who are destined to succeed us. Wouldn't that be better?"
Jin Shiyi's words were exactly what she was thinking. Her heart stirred, and she unconsciously stopped in her tracks. But in an instant, another
thought arose. She thought of Li Qinmei. "I'm already completely disillusioned. I only survived for my master. Why should I
become a hindrance to them?"
She kept her lips tightly closed, her expression extremely cold. She gently pushed Jin Shiyi away and walked out of the cave. She didn't say another
word . Jin Shiyi already knew that her mind was made up and there was no going back. He was frightened by her cold expression and involuntarily
moved aside, letting Gu Zhihua slip past him. He couldn't persuade her heart. What use was it to keep her body even if he forced her to stay
?
Gu Zhihua emerged from the cave, utterly lost, her mind constantly asking herself, "Where should I go?"
Tears she had held back for so long suddenly streamed down her face. Jin Shiyi, hearing her choked sobs, chased after her, calling out, "Sister Gu,
wait a minute ! This won't do! Are we really going to break up like this forever? Ah, let me think about it, I have something to
tell you!"
He was just one step away from catching up with Gu Zhihua when he suddenly heard a shrill scream, as if someone was calling his name. He
looked up and saw a woman in black with disheveled hair, staring at him with wide eyes, like
a ghost! Jin Shiyi was shocked. He was just one step away from catching up with Gu Zhihua, his heel already off the ground, but that step seemed
to be blocked by an invisible force, and he couldn't take it! This woman in black was none other than Li Shengnan!
Her eyes were wide open, and drops of blood were flowing from the corners of her mouth. The muscles on her face were so taut that they were almost deformed. She was obviously
seriously injured and enduring great pain! This was truly unexpected. Li Shengnan suddenly
appeared like a ghost at this critical moment, and she was seriously injured. When Meng Shentong was competing with the masters of various schools, Jin Shiyi was originally
lying in ambush with Li Shengnan on the summit of Mangshan Mountain, waiting for an opportunity to take revenge.
He felt comfortable leaving Li Shengnan alone to settle scores with Meng Shentong for two reasons: firstly,
Meng Shentong was currently battling Master Jin Guang in internal energy; secondly, Li Shengnan already possessed two of the three treasures left behind by Qiao Beiming—she wore
coral armor and wielded a sword capable of cutting through gold and jade. Jin Shiyi was certain that even if her sneak attack wasn't
entirely successful , it wouldn't pose any real danger. Moreover, there were martial arts masters like Master Tongchan and Master Jin Guang present. He was in a hurry to
rescue Gu Zhihua, so after handing the sword to Li Shengnan, he left her without worry.
Unexpectedly, what appeared before him now was Li Shengnan, severely wounded and covered in blood! In that instant, Jin Shiyi
suddenly felt a pang of guilt, regretting his rash decision to leave her alone to fight that peerless demon!
Ahead lay Gu Zhihua, whom he was chasing; behind him was the critically injured Li Shengnan, awaiting rescue. Caught between these two, Jin Shiyi was
utterly confused , unsure of which path to take. At this moment, he could not afford to hesitate. In that brief instant, Gu Zhihua had already rounded the hillside and disappeared
into the forest, his figure vanishing completely.
Jin Shiyi sighed. He knew that once Gu Zhihua left, there would be no chance of ever seeing her again! He turned
back walked to Li Shengnan, only to hear her say bitterly, "I thought you had found someone else and would never speak to me again
!" Before she finished speaking, she coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Jin Shiyi said, "Don't get angry, let's talk after you're healed." He checked her pulse and was initially startled, then furious and angry,
exclaiming,
"You, how could you deceive me with such a trick?"
Li Shengnan smiled coldly, shoving Jin Shiyi's hand away, and said indifferently, "Fine, I lied to you. You don't need to pay any attention to me.
Go chase after your Sister Gu, go, go!"
It turned out that Li Shengnan's injury wasn't fake, but it wasn't Meng Shentong who injured her; she had injured herself.
It turned out that in order to stop Jin Shiyi from chasing Gu Zhihua, she had actually used a heretical martial art she learned from Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual, injuring
her own Triple Burner meridian! The Triple Burner Meridian originates at the tip of the ring finger, emerges between the two fingers, runs along the back of the hand to the wrist
, passes between the two bones on the outer side of the forearm, passes through the elbow, runs along the outer side of the upper arm to the eyebrow, intersects with the Foot Shaoyang Meridian, then descends through the supraclavicular fossa, distributing to the
"middle part" between the breasts, connecting with the heart. If damaged, severe damage can cause immediate cardiac rupture and death
,
while milder damage can lead to coughing up blood, resulting in lethargy and disability. Imagine if such a vital Triple Burner Meridian were ruptured by an enemy; how could Li Shengnan have walked seven or eight miles from the
martial arts arena back to the mountain near the Xuan Nu Temple? Furthermore, the signs of self-inflicted meridian rupture differ from those caused by external force. Therefore,
when Jin Shiyi examined her pulse, he immediately discovered that Li Shengnan had harmed herself! Jin Shiyi was both shocked and furious. Even though
he had known Li Shengnan for three years and understood her personality, he was still quite surprised by the wickedness of her actions this time! Although
Li Shengnan claimed that her meridians had been ruptured by her own actions, her injuries were genuine. The situation was urgent; if Jin Shiyi didn't act immediately, he would
only watch Li Shengnan die or become crippled. Under these circumstances, how could Jin Shiyi dare to blame her again?
Fortunately, this was her "self-inflicted injury," unlike a forced rupture, and it was somewhat restrained, not too severe.
Jin Shiyi used his profound skill to treat the acupoints along her triple burner meridian, stopping the bleeding and healing her wounds. She took three Biling
Pills, and he used his own true energy to help her recover. After an hour of this, color gradually returned to Li Shengnan's face,
and her spirits slowly returned.
Jin Shiyi shook his head and said, "Shengnan, I give up. How can you be so willful and reckless? You can
talk to me properly if you have something to say!"
Li Shengnan sneered, "I haven't even scolded you for betraying Ye Yi, yet you're accusing me of being willful and reckless? Humph, talk to you
properly ? With your Sister Gu and Sister Li by your side, do you still listen to me? I'm afraid that by the time I want to talk to you, you
and your Sister Gu will have already gone somewhere!"
Jin Shiyi blushed, thinking: If he hadn't seen Li Shengnan injured, he would have indeed gone with Gu Zhihua just now. Li Shenghu
sneered again: "What? Did I hit the nail on the head? You can still pursue your Sister Gu!
Go! Why don't you go?"
Jin Shiyi raised his head, looked at Li Shenghu, and said: "What are you talking about? I don't want to argue with you now. Just ask me:
how have I betrayed Ye Yi?" He thought to himself: "Although on the deserted island, under the threat of your uncle, I impersonated you and your
wife, I didn't promise you anything. In the past three years, we've treated each other with courtesy. How can you say I betrayed Ye
Yi?"
Before he could finish his thought, Li Shenghu sneered and said: "Three years ago on the summit of Golden Rooster Peak, what did you promise me?"
Jin Shiyi said: "I promised to go to sea with you to find Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual, this... " " Hasn't that been done
?"
Li Shengnan said, "That's right, that's been done. What's the other one?"
Jin Shiyi's heart skipped a beat, and he said awkwardly, "The other one is to help you take revenge, this, this---"
Li Shengnan sneered, "It's kind of you to remember. Did you do that?"
Jin Shiyi could only say, "I thought you could take revenge today, but who knew, who knew, that demon still escaped
."
Li Shengnan said, "So you also knew that Meng Shentong had escaped? Since you didn't help me take revenge, do you
want to ignore me from now on? Isn't this breaking your promise to Ye Yi? Do you keep your word?"
Jin Shiyi was speechless after her rebuke. He had indeed promised Li Shengnan that he would not leave her until he helped her take revenge
. Jin Shiyi sighed inwardly, thinking, "So she's using this to restrain me. Today was the best day to help her take revenge."
"The opportunity is fleeting, a week is too short, and who knows when it will finally come? Ah, she's truly my nemesis."
Jin Shiyi had promised to help Li Shengnan avenge herself, agreeing that she would personally kill her enemy, not simply do
it .
There were only two ways to achieve this: one was to help her master the ultimate martial arts of Qiao Beiming's manual, making her
truly superior to Meng Shentong; the other was to weaken Meng Shentong's power so that Li Shengnan could succeed in one strike. He had chosen
the second method today, but since Li Qinmei and Gu Zhihua were present, he didn't want to show himself. Therefore, he intended to use the help of Master Jin Guang, Master Tong Chan,
and others to weaken Meng Shentong's power first. However, Li Shengnan still couldn't avenge herself.
This opportunity had been missed; Meng Shentong had already fled, and even if he were found, revenge wouldn't be easy. Jin Shiyi, having witnessed Meng Shentong's abilities
today , knew that if Li Shengnan relied solely on her own skills, even if she mastered Qiao Beiming's manual...
Even
with the supreme martial arts of the Ming Secret Manual , Jin Shiyi was still no match for Meng Shentong. Moreover, not only that, Jin Shiyi himself didn't have the confidence to defeat Meng Shentong, because even if they each possessed half of the manual and reached the highest level, they would only be roughly equal. Besides, Meng Shentong possessed the second half,
which focused more on martial arts for defeating enemies, so Meng Shentong had a slight advantage. In short, if he followed his promise and waited until Li
Shengnan avenged herself before he could be free, he really didn't know when he would be able to get rid of her!
Jin Shiyi was already in a state of turmoil when he glanced at Li Shengnan and saw tears welling up in her eyes. He choked out, "Shiyi, I've burdened you enough over the years. Now I'm using
your promise to bind you. You must resent and hate me. Let it go. If you're not willing, let's break up.
From now on whether I live or die is none of your business." "Shiyi, I promise you, I'll make you erase your promise, and I won't accuse
you of betraying Ye Yi anymore." She said these words with a sob in her throat, making her appear even more pitiful, completely
different ! Strangely enough, just a moment ago, Jin Shiyi was still troubled by his inability to get rid of her, but now, hearing Li Shengnan's
words, spoken with such resentment and longing, sobbing and choking, he suddenly felt ashamed and couldn't help but think: "She
severed her own meridians, although it was extremely evil and beyond reason, wasn't it all for me?" She risked her life to keep me here, yet I always tried to
get rid of her. No wonder she scolded me
for being heartless and ungrateful. Thinking about it this way, even though Jin Shiyi had feelings for Gu Zhihua, he couldn't help but be deeply
moved ! Besides, they had spent three years together on the deserted island, spending every day together. Perhaps he didn't feel anything then, but if they were to suddenly
part ways, Jin Shiyi would find it hard to bear.
Li Shengnan's tears softened Jin Shiyi's heart. He unconsciously took her hand and gently wiped away her tears,
resolutely saying, "A true man's word is his bond! Don't worry, no matter what, I will help you avenge your
blood feud !"
Li Shengnan wiped away her tears, smiled sweetly, and looked up at him, asking, "What if I can't avenge you in ten years?" Jin Shiyi said, "I
will not leave you for ten years!" Li Shengnan said, "What if I can't avenge you in my lifetime?" Jin Shiyi said, "I will not leave
you for my entire life!" "Li Shengnan said,
"Hmm, isn't this too much of a burden to you? Oh, Shiyi, you've been so good to me, I really don't know how to thank you!"
As she spoke, tears fell again. These words were spoken with infinite tenderness, and Jin Shiyi felt a surge of emotion. Suddenly,
the image of Gu Zhihua seemed to appear in Li Shengnan's tearful eyes. Jin Shiyi's face flushed, and he felt a sense of bewilderment, his heart trembling. He gently
released Li Shengnan's hand.
Li Shengnan said, "I don't just have one enemy, there's another, perhaps even more difficult to deal with than Meng Shentong." Jin Shiyi said,
"How come I've never heard you mention him?" Li Shengnan said, "I only found out today." "Then
she recounted how
, after Jin Shiyi left, Ximen Muye and the group of yellow-clad men arrived and disrupted the Mangshan Gathering. She also mentioned Ximen Muye's background and his feud with the Li family.
Jin Shiyi said, 'No wonder Meng Shentong fled wounded; it wasn't defeated by Master Jin Guang.' He thought to himself, '
Ximen Muye is the world's number one poison master, and his thirteen yellow-clad men are all exceptionally skilled. They are indeed more
troublesome than dealing with Meng Shentong.' But he still said, 'No matter how many enemies you have, or how difficult you are to deal with, I will never
leave yourself!'
Li Shengnan bowed deeply and said, 'It seems I can never repay your kindness in this life, but in the next life, even if I become a cow or a horse, I will repay your
great kindness !'" "
Her words had a double meaning: she originally intended to repay this great kindness with her own body, but since Jin Shiyi had fallen for someone else, she could never repay this favor in
this lifetime. Jin Shiyi quickly helped her up, pretending not to understand her meaning, and said softly, '
If that's what you mean, then wasn't it you who healed me when I was injured by Meng Shentong? Alright, you've just recovered from your serious injuries, so don't
think Just rest well in this cave for the night. Huh... how come you have an extra sword?'
When Li Shengnan bowed earlier, the long sword touched the ground with a clanging sound, and Jin Shiyi noticed that this was not
the sword left behind by Qiao Beiming. But seeing the faint light shining through the hilt, it was no ordinary item. What was even stranger was that he seemed to have seen it somewhere before. Jin Shiyi was greatly
surprised , so after helping her up, he immediately asked her.
Li Shengnan smiled and said, 'This is your good friend's family heirloom. Don't you recognize it?'" Jin Shiyi examined it carefully, then laughed
and said, "So it's Tang Jingtian's Youlong Sword. No wonder it seemed familiar. Your joke has gone too far." Tang
Jingtian was a descendant of the righteous Yashe Sect, and his personality was both elegant and dignified, quite different from Jin Shiyi's wild and unruly nature.
Moreover, because of his past relationship with the Ice River Fairy, Jin Shiyi had never been particularly fond of him. He thought to himself, "That brat Tang Jingtian,
it's good to let him suffer a bit. But this will inevitably cause more trouble!" "
You must know that the Youlong Sword is the most prized treasure of the Tianshan Sect, and Tang Xiaolan is widely recognized as the number one martial artist in the world. Losing this sword
would be a great disgrace to the Tianshan Sect. No matter how magnanimous Tang
Xiaolan
is, if she knew about this, she would definitely pursue the matter. According to the rules of the martial arts world, such a thing cannot be laughed off. That's why Jin Shiyi felt that her joke went too far. Li Shengnan, however, didn't take it seriously at all and said, "I'm not joking! Have you forgotten that my ancestor was
a disciple of Master Qiao, and that I myself kowtowed before Master Qiao's remains, promising to follow his last instructions and become his successor in the next generation?"
One of
Master Qiao 's last instructions was that whoever obtained his martial arts manual must avenge his defeat at the hands of Zhang Danfeng. If Zhang Danfeng was already dead, Jin Shiyi laughed, "When Qiao Beiming wrote this will, it was at least two hundred years ago. He probably
couldn't have imagined that we would find his descendants and successors, and in short, we must utterly defeat them, so as not to betray Master Qiao's original intention of practicing martial arts arduously on the deserted island."
"I understand ." "
When his martial arts manual was discovered, not only had Zhang Danfeng's tomb long since vanished, but even his descendants were nowhere to be found,
right?" Li Shengnan said, "No, although Zhang Danfeng's descendants are nowhere to be found, as far as I know, Huo Tiandu, the founder of the Tianshan Sect, received guidance from Zhang Danfeng, and can be considered half of Zhang Danfeng's successor. Today, I took Tang Jingtian's Youlong Sword, merely to avenge Master Qiao's past grievances; it's not enough. However, I haven't yet avenged my revenge!" Shi Yi was surprised, not expecting Li Shengnan to take Qiao Beiming's dying words so seriously. He then heard Li Shengnan softly say: "Shiyi, you too have received a favor from Master Qiao. If you help me avenge myself and retrieve the second half of the martial arts manual, we can both become invincible. At that time, not only will the Tianshan Sect submit, but all sects in the world will recognize Master Qiao 's unparalleled martial arts and bow down to us. Only then will we not have failed Master Qiao's arduous training on the deserted island and the grievances !" Jin Shiyi said with a bitter smile, "According to you, aren't we just exchanging violence for violence? We killed one Meng Shentong, but we gained two more Meng Shentongs ?" Li Shengnan said, "Meng Shentong slaughtered innocent people, which aroused public outrage in the martial arts world. We have mastered all of Master Qiao's martial arts..." "After mastering the secret manual , you can subdue all sects without killing a single person! To be honest, during these years on Volcano Island, what I 've thought about how to clear the name of my Li family and restore its glory after returning to the Central Plains. I already have a detailed plan on how to make the martial arts world submit." Jin Shiyi was stunned, never dreaming that Li Shengnan had such ambitions. He paused for a moment and slowly said, "What plan? I'd like to hear it." Li Shengnan said excitedly, "For example, we can defeat Tang Xiaolan in swordsmanship and defeat Master Tongchan and Master Jinguang in internal energy cultivation. In this way, the world will be..." "Who dares to challenge us?" Jin Shiyi laughed, "You underestimate the martial arts world. Although I left behind various demons in my early years, I know that the martial arts world values winning people over with virtue, not by relying on force." Li Shengnan said, "What I just said was only part of the plan, and I can't explain everything at once. In short, as long as you agree to my words, I have my own methods to make all the martial arts practitioners in the world willingly submit without killing a single person!" Jin Shiyi thought to himself, "No matter what methods I use, it's only different in degree from Meng Shentong's. With such ambition , the goal is to ensure that the martial arts world will never have peace." Then he heard... Li Shengnan continued, "Since Master Qiao fled overseas, my Li family has disappeared for two hundred years, never daring to show our faces in the martial arts world. Therefore, generation after generation, my family has been searching for Master Qiao's martial arts manuals, all for the sake of raising our heads high and restoring our family's reputation. Now, I am the only one left in the Li family. How can I fail the expectations of my ancestors?" Jin Shiyi had never been afraid of anything, but upon hearing her words, he couldn't help but tremble. He thought to himself, "She has received . No wonder she has such thoughts!" He knew that Li Shengnan was extremely persistent. If she wanted to do something, she would do it no matter what means she used. A single question couldn't dissuade her from her decision, so he could only say, "We can discuss such important matters later. You've just recovered from your serious injuries, so you shouldn't be too excited. It's best to rest early." Having used both soft and hard tactics to keep Jin Shiyi with her, Li Shengnan was full of confidence, believing that Jin Shiyi would definitely obey her from now on. Hearing Jin Shiyi's words now, although she was somewhat dissatisfied, Jin Shiyi didn't refute her. She thought that as long as Jin Shiyi didn't leave her, she would always find a way to make him submit. Besides, she was truly exhausted and needed rest, so she stopped talking, filled with hope, and fell into a deep sleep. Jin Shiyi guarded her side, his thoughts surging like a tide, and for some reason, he felt a chill penetrate to his heart! Moonlight shone in through the cracks above the cave. Li Shengnan was fast asleep, her cherry lips slightly parted, a faint smile on her face. One could imagine she was having a triumphant dream. Sleeping beauties are already exceptionally charming, and under the moonlight, Li Shengnan's radiant smile made her even more captivating. Jin Shiyi had seen Li Shengnan's sleeping face countless times in the past three years, but never before had he seen her as adorable as tonight. Yet, facing such a charming sleeping beauty, he felt a vague sense of fear. This fear wasn't new; for the past three years, whenever he faced Li Shengnan alone by candlelight, he would feel an inexplicable dread. But this feeling was the strongest , making him almost afraid to look at Li Shengnan's dreamlike smile! "From the day I met her, she's been haunting me like a shadow, impossible to shake off. Is her love for me genuine, or does she have ulterior motives? Does she want me to help her obtain Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual, to help her master the superior techniques within, and then to help her restore her family's glory and dominate the world ?" Jin Shiyi's thoughts surged like a tide, and he couldn't help but glance at her again. There were still specks of blood on her clothes, the blood she coughed up after shattering her own meridians. Jin Shiyi couldn't help but shudder again, a mixture of fear and a touch of emotion. Yes, even if she had ulterior motives, he couldn't deny that she truly loved him. The moon outside seemed to be suddenly obscured by dark clouds, plunging the cave into complete darkness. Jin Shiyi suddenly had a strange feeling, as if Li Shengnan was dragging him down into that bottomless abyss of darkness! In that moment, he couldn't help but think of Gu Zhihua . These two equally beautiful young women were so different! Gu Zhihua was like the morning sun; even in her most sorrowful and dejected moments, she radiated an upward hope, kindness, justice, and compassion! In Li Shengnan, however, he only felt narrow-mindedness, evil, and ambition! "Gu Zhihua has suffered so much today; where is she now weeping in sorrow? Ah, must I spend my whole life accompanying Li Shengnan, falling into the abyss of darkness with her?" Thinking this, Jin Shiyi suddenly steeled his resolve, stepped over Li Shengnan, and tried to quietly leave her. But in that instant, moonlight shone in again, and Li Shengnan suddenly turned around. The smile on her face was gone; had she encountered something unpleasant in her dream? Her cherry lips were tightly closed, seemingly carrying a hint of resentment and sorrow. Jin Shiyi stopped in his tracks, inwardly blaming himself: "How can I go back on my word? She carries a deep-seated hatred, all alone and helpless. How can I bear to let her be harmed by Meng Shentong and do nothing? Ah, I've been thinking too evilly. Even if she has some evil tendencies, it's because of the kind of upbringing she received. It will take time for her to change. If I ignore her, won't go even further down the wrong path?" Thus, Jin Shiyi, unable to travel far, spent the entire night sitting fully clothed beside Li Shengnan until dawn!

It is said: Entangled in the web of love, difficult to unravel, several times wanting to leave yet lingering.

To know what happens next, please read the next chapter.

(From Liang Yusheng's *
The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea*, Chapter 37)

After a good night's sleep, Li Shengnan woke up the next morning not only with her complexion restored to a rosy glow, but also with abundant energy and her martial
arts skills recovered to seventy or eighty percent. Upon waking, she saw Jin Shiyi sleeping fully clothed beside her and giggled, urging
him to get up, laughing at his oversleeping. She seemed unaware that Jin Shiyi hadn't slept at all, having entertained
countless , and at one point almost leaving her.
The two surveyed yesterday's battlefield, finding it littered with corpses and utterly devastated. Li Shengnan said, "If we miss this opportunity,
we'll have to find another. Should we go find Meng Shentong or Ximen Muye first?"
Jin Shiyi replied, "Neither of them can be found in a short time. Your revenge can't be rushed. I have
something I need to do immediately."
Li Shengnan smiled, "I know you're going to rescue your sister from the Li family. I don't understand why you
let her be captured by the enemy after you've already arrived at the Xuan Nu Temple?"
Jin Shiyi asked, "Huh? How did you know?"
Li Shengnan said, "I saw Bai Liangji using..." " There's a person inside the battle robe. I didn't know whose it was at first, but his robe
wasn't big enough. Although it covered her body, her beautiful hair was showing. So, I knew at a glance that it was your sister from the Li family
."
Jin Shiyi said, "How do you know it's definitely her?"
Li Shengnan said, "Isn't it easy to guess? There are only three women in the Xuan Nu Temple. Feng Lin wouldn't have been captured by him. Since it's not
Gu Zhihua, then it must be Li Qinmei."
Jin Shiyi calculated the time. It turned out that when he carried Gu Zhihua to this cave yesterday, Li Shengnan had already returned to
the vicinity of the Xuan Nu Temple. Li Shengnan must have heard everything he and Gu Zhihua said. It seemed that his every move
was exactly as it expected.
Li Shengnan asked, "Alright, it's your turn to answer me. Why did you deliberately let her be captured by the enemy back then, but now you're rushing to rescue
her?"
Jin Shiyi said, "Besides Bai Liangji, who else did you see yesterday?"
Li Shengnan said, "I also saw a man in yellow, who, like Bai Liangji, was hiding a prisoner under his battle robe. I could tell the
prisoner was a man, but I didn't know who he was."
Jin Shiyi said, "It was Zhong Zhan, Tang Xiaolan's disciple."
Li Shengnan paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "Alright, you don't need to say anymore. I know your intention."
It turned out that Jin Shiyi had overheard Li Qinmei and Zhong Zhan's conversation and knew that Li Qinmei had good feelings for Zhong Zhan, but it wasn't time for
things to progress . He also knew that after Bai Liangji captured Zhong Zhan and Li Qinmei, he would definitely keep them as hostages to blackmail
Tang Xiaolan in the future. Therefore, he trusted Bai Liangji and the man in yellow to capture them, and then secretly arranged a clever plan to make their
marriage happen .
Jin Shiyi's plan was to rescue Zhong Zhan and Li Qinmei after their capture. He would first revive Zhong Zhan and
restore his martial arts skills, then secretly help him defeat the enemy. Given his superior abilities, he could accomplish these tasks
effortlessly and without revealing his identity.
This would appear as if Zhong Zhan had released Li Qinmei, and their shared ordeal would strengthen
their bond .
Furthermore, this would allow them to spend time alone, making it easier for them to grow closer.
Li Shengnan, quick-witted and perceptive, immediately understood Jin Shiyi's intentions. She knew he had
arranged was secretly pleased, thinking, "Giving Li Qinmei a place to belong reduces one of my rivals, and
Gu Zhihua will be easier to deal with."
Bai Liangji was the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard. Jin Shiyi anticipated that after capturing Li Qinmei... They were definitely being escorted to the capital,
so after descending Mangshan Mountain, he and Li Shengnan immediately set off north.
Along the way, Li Shengnan only inquired about the secrets of superior martial arts from Jin Shiyi, without mentioning her
future plans. In her mind, Jin Shiyi was already like Sun Wukong, unable to escape the Buddha's palm, and she wasn't worried about him disobeying her.
Jin Shiyi also wanted to wait until he helped her avenge herself before dissuading her from her ambition to subdue the various sects. Since Li Shengnan didn't continue the topic,
he was happy to leave it alone for now to avoid arguments.
Their pace was naturally much faster than ordinary people; they only rested for a few hours each day, even traveling at night. Three days
later , they reached a small town called Longyao and discovered Bai Liangji's trail. Bai Liangji and the man in yellow were riding in the same
carriage. There was also a coachman. Jin Shiyi secretly followed, observing which inn the carriage went to before the two of them
lodged at another inn.
After midnight, Jin Shiyi and Li Shengnan changed into their night clothes and headed to the inn to rescue the people. They found Bai Liangji's
room and overheard him whispering with the man in yellow.
Jin Shiyi's eyesight had improved to the point where he could see in the dark. He peeked through the crack in the door and saw Bai Liangji and the man in yellow
asleep in bed, but Zhong Zhan and Li Qinmei were nowhere to be seen, nor were the two large bags that Li Shengnan had mentioned.
Jin Shiyi paused, realizing he was a man of considerable experience in the martial world. He immediately guessed Bai Liangji's scheme. He must have been
afraid of being discovered and dared not bring the unconscious Zhong Zhan and Li Qinmei into the inn, instead hiding them in the carriage and entrusting them to
the driver .
The driver was, of course, also an Imperial Guard leader in disguise. In any case, Zhong and Li had been acupunctured and wouldn't be able to escape.
Jin Shiyi thought to himself, "Let's hear what they're saying first."
He then heard Bai Liangji say, "Brother Han, this is really strange. Today is the fourth day,
and we haven't seen a single one of them. Brother Han, you're experienced and knowledgeable, can you help me figure this out? Could something unexpected have happened?" "
Brother Han"
pondered for a while and said, "Logically, Yi Daoan and Gui Lingzi should be able to handle Feng Lin. And even if
something , Ximen Muye and his group have thirteen people in total. Any one of them..." Their martial arts skills are enough to
rival those so-called martial arts masters. Could it be that they too have met with misfortune? They clearly told us that after we succeeded, we should leave immediately and
would naturally meet them on this road. But we haven't met them yet. This is too illogical, and I can't understand it at all.
Fortunately, it's only a three or four-day journey to the capital. We'll find out when we get there.”
Bai Liangji said, “I'm a little worried…” “Brother Han” said, “Are you worried that Meng Shentong killed them all?”
Bai Liangji laughed, "No matter how powerful Meng Shentong is, he can't kill them all. Besides, that old man Ximen has already
planted Asura flowers near the arena. I think if Meng Shentong can escape with his life this time, it will be a stroke of luck."
The "Brother Han" asked in a sinister voice, "Then what are you worried about?" Bai Liangji said, "I'm worried that they're deliberately trying
to shake us off. Perhaps Ximen Muye is secretly hoping that something bad will happen to us. At the very least, I'm worried that they'll erase our
achievements. Think about it, what good intentions could someone like Ximen Muye have? He's ambitious and wants to kill all the martial arts figures in the world to get
the emperor's reward. In the future, he not only wants to be the emperor's supreme martial arts master, but also the imperial guard and the emperor's..." " Even the commanders of the Lin army will all be under his command.
Wouldn't he want to place his own people there? Our relationship with him is rather distant; I'm afraid we'll inevitably face his exclusion in the future."
"Brother Han" said, "Your concerns are quite insightful. No wonder he rejected Qin Dai and Geng Chun's requests, and even wanted to kill
Meng Shentong . I think this isn't just about settling personal scores; more importantly, he's jealous of Meng Shentong's abilities and fears that if he allies with
Meng Shentong, Meng Shentong will be even more favored by the Emperor."
Bai Liangji said, "Ximen Muye certainly has this thought, but Qin Dai and Geng Chun's attempt to get Meng Shentong to serve the Emperor
is a waste of time. Meng Shentong is truly the most arrogant and conceited person in the world. Although he wholeheartedly wants to become..." He may dominate the martial arts world, but
he won't rely on the court's power. I doubt he even values the Emperor's reward. If he were so easily won over
, I would have already invited him on behalf of the Emperor.”
“Brother Han” said, “Regardless, our mission went smoothly and was accomplished easily. What can
Ximen Muye say about us? He can't erase our achievements! Unless he dares to assassinate us.”
Bai Liangji said, “He wouldn't be that bold. However, we still have four days to go to the capital. The Tianshan Sect has the widest network of connections, so
we still need to be careful.” “Brother Han” laughed, “Don't worry, the carriage is parked in the courtyard outside. I've already
made arrangements, even if there are…” "No matter how small the breeze or the grass rustles, it won't escape our notice."
Jin Shiyi overheard their conversation and had a clear understanding of the group's background. He was secretly astonished,
thinking, "So there's someone else behind Ximen Muye, and that person is none other than the current emperor. It seems that Qianlong is far more powerful than his
father Yongzheng! Yongzheng only managed to burn down the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song, but he wants to exterminate all the martial arts figures in the world!"
Jin Shiyi wasn't afraid of the emperor's authority, but he couldn't help but worry about the righteous martial arts figures, especially since Gu Zhihua was Lü Siniang's
only disciple, and Lü Siniang was the greatest enemy of the Manchu imperial family. He feared that even if Gu Zhihua wanted to hide in the mountains, Ximen Muye and his group
wouldn't respect her.
Li Shengnan scratched his palm and whispered, "Although I've brought you another group of powerful enemies, you've avenged me, which means
you've helped your sister Gu. You shouldn't have any complaints, right?" She used "Heavenly Escape Transmission," and although her skill wasn't as
profound as Meng Shentong's or Jin Shiyi's, even the most renowned martial arts masters of the time couldn't hear
what she was saying within a few meters.
Jin Shiyi blushed, realizing that Li Shengnan could immediately guess what he was thinking. In fact, Li Shengnan had only
guessed half of it; Jin Shiyi wasn't solely concerned with Gu Zhihua.
The voices in the room grew softer and softer. The two men were talking about Ximen Muye's ambition, their voices filled with fear, as if they were
whispering in each other's ears. Jin Shiyi held his breath and listened intently. Suddenly, he heard a very faint sound outside. Jin Shiyi felt
a chill in his heart. He realized that two people with extremely high martial arts skills were entering the inn. He thought to himself, "Could it be Feng Lin?"
Then he heard heavier footsteps. Jin Shiyi knew something was wrong! He recognized the two men carrying heavy loads
as they . He immediately thought of Zhong Zhan and Li Qinhui, who were hiding in the carriage. He thought, "If it's Feng Lin, that's one thing, but
if it's someone else, it's terrible!" He greeted Li Shengnan and used his "Heavenly Transmission" technique to tell her, "You
stay here and listen to what they're saying. I'll go out and keep watch." Li Shengnan replied, "I understand. Go out and rescue them."
Although the footsteps of the two midnight visitors were heavier than before, they were still much lighter than those of ordinary night travelers. Only an
expert like Jin Shiyi could distinguish the difference. Bai Liangji and the "Brother Han" inside the room seemed
oblivious.
Jin Shiyi walked out of the courtyard. Several carriages were parked there, but he had already
memorized , so he found it without difficulty. However, what he saw when he opened the carriage door shocked him greatly! The coachman was
leaning against the seat, his face pale and purplish, his mouth agape, as if he had been caught off guard and was trying to scream but hadn't managed to.
Jin Shiyi pulled him away, finding his body stiff but without any visible injuries, and his pulse much faster than normal. Even with
Jin Shiyi's extensive experience, he couldn't immediately discern the nature of the injury. A chill ran through him as he thought,
"This man's body is stiff, yet his pulse is still strong, indicating considerable internal strength, at least on par with Bai Liangji. And
judging , it doesn't seem like his acupoints have been sealed. Hmm, where did this expert come from, inflicting such a
mysterious injury in an instant?"
Jin Shiyi was devoted to martial arts; normally, he would investigate thoroughly, deduce the attacker's skill from the man's injuries
. But at this moment, he had no time for such thoughts. He jumped onto the carriage and saw a five-foot-tall iron box.
The lid had many small, honeycomb-like holes around its edges. Jin Shiyi easily lifted it, but it
was empty. He only smelled a faint, fishy, devilish fragrance. Jin Shiyi searched the entire carriage but couldn't find Zhong Zhan and Li
Qinmei .
Jin Shiyi was a master of the martial arts world. Seeing this, he knew: "Bai Liangji must have put them in this box.
Those two couldn't open it. I don't know what method they used, but they created many holes around the lid to open it.
These honeycomb-like holes seem to be the work of a master of the Golden Bronze Finger technique, but who in the world has such profound skill to pierce iron with a single finger
?"
Jin Shiyi was puzzled and knelt down to listen. The footsteps of the two people had already reached a distance of about ten feet. Jin Shiyi thought to himself,
"No matter who they are, I'll chase after them and see what happens." He immediately used his superb lightness skill, and in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he
caught up with the two people on a desolate hill in the suburbs. Upon seeing the two people, Jin Shiyi couldn't help but chuckle. He had initially made wild
guesses , wondering who these experts were, but it turned out to be his old friends—the Ice River Fairy and her husband, Tang Jingtian. His previous doubts
were now answered one by one. It seemed that the "driver" must have sensed someone's arrival and was about to shout when the Ice River Fairy...
The Ice Soul Divine Bullet struck his mouth, stiffening his entire body. The numerous small holes in the iron box were, of course, pierced by Tang Jingtian using
the Heavenly Mountain Divine Light .
Tang Jingtian, carrying Zhong Zhan on his back, and the Ice River Fairy, carrying Li Qinmei, sped forward. Jin Shiyi thought to himself, "Although they don't
possess the extraordinary skills I initially imagined, they are indeed much stronger than they were three years ago!"
Logically, Jin Shiyi should have stopped once he discovered it was the two of them, but he was determined to bring Zhong Zhan and Li Qinmei together.
Stopping would contradict his original plan. After a moment's hesitation, he decided to play a joke on Tang Jingtian and his wife. He grabbed
a piece of soil, crushed it into powder, and blew on it, causing the powder to fall like rain over their heads! Tang Jingtian, already
expecting enemies to pursue him, kept his eyes peeled. Hearing from all directions, Tang Jingtian noticed that even though Jin Shiyi's handful of mud was extremely light, it made a soft
, squelching sound
. Sensing something amiss, Tang Jingtian immediately unleashed a palm strike, sending mud flying everywhere. However, a grain of sand the size of a soybean grazed the back of Tang Jingtian's hand, causing a slight stinging pain despite not drawing blood.
Tang Jingtian was startled. He put down Zhong Zhan and looked around, searching for any sign of the enemy. Jin Shiyi's lightness skill far surpassed his own, and he
had already hidden in the woods. Tang Jingtian couldn't see the enemy and was even more surprised, thinking, "Could it be Meng Shentong who has caught up with us?"
At this moment, Bingchuan Tiannu also put down Li Qinmei. The couple stood with their swords drawn, ready to face their formidable foe. If Jin Shiyi only wanted to take
Zhong and Li away, it would be easy. The difficulty lay in not letting them discover his true identity and silently abducting them.
Tang Jingtian laughed loudly, "These two are my junior brothers and sisters. Since you captured them, I cannot stand idly by. Judging
by your skill, you are no petty thieves. If you have any grudge against my Tianshan Sect, my wife and I are willing to take you on! Why make things
difficult for juniors, and why resort to such sneaky tricks?" In Tang Jingtian's mind, he assumed the person who had tricked him was
the one who had captured his junior brothers and sisters, hence his words. Tang Jingtian's words were neither arrogant nor humble, quite appropriate. Jin Shiyi, upon hearing this, covered his mouth, almost unable to suppress a laugh. Suddenly, a soft "plop"
was heard , and someone else laughed first. A figure flashed by at the edge of the woods, and Li Shengnan appeared. In her hand, she held a precious sword, which, under the hazy moonlight, emitted a cold, emerald-green light—it was Tang Jingtian's Youlong Sword. Li Shengnan chuckled, "I wouldn't dare! Young Master Tang, how dare you call yourself a junior to me?" Tang Jingtian was furious. With a "whoosh," a Heavenly Mountain Divine Light shot out. Li Shengnan slashed it with her sword, cutting it in two. She chuckled again, "Indeed, a treasured sword! I've long heard of the three treasures of Heavenly Mountain: the divine light is harder than metal , and the sword is sharp enough to cut through metal. Now it seems the sword is indeed superior!" As she spoke, the Ice River Celestial Maiden had already launched three Ice Soul Divine Bullets. Li Shengnan's figure flickered, moving east and west, the three ice bullets whizzing past her. In the blink of an eye, she was in front of Tang Jingtian, less than ten feet away. Fearing her husband would be at a disadvantage, the Ice River Celestial Maiden drew her Ice Soul Cold Light Sword and immediately unleashed the move "Ice River Thawing." The sword tip trembled, and countless points of cold light fell like hailstones! Tang Jingtian wielded an ordinary bronze sword, but he unleashed the Eight Styles of Chasing the Wind, each style following the last, like the mighty Yangtze River, surging forth with astonishing power. Under the combined sword attack of the couple, Li Shengnan dared not meet their sword moves head-on, relying only on her agile movements to weave in and out between the two swords! Tang Jingtian, fearing that Li Shengnan would abduct Zhong and Li, used the Chasing the Wind sword technique to tightly restrain her, preventing her from getting close to them. Jin Shiyi immediately seized the opportunity, displaying his superb lightness skill, leaping out of the woods. He grabbed Li Qinhui with his left hand and Zhong Zhan with his right, and in the blink of an eye, he had retreated into the forest. Simultaneously, using the "Heavenly Escape Sound Transmission" technique, he told Li Shengnan, "You must not act recklessly; just lure them away. We'll meet on that mountain ten miles away." Li Shengnan replied, "I understand, don't worry!" Only Li Shengnan heard Jin Shiyi's words, but her lips parted slightly... Tian, who was opposite her, noticed her and quickly looked back. Zhong and Li were gone. Tang Jingtian was shocked and cried out, " Oh no! We've fallen for her trick! This little vixen has accomplices with her!" Li Shengnan chuckled and said, "Young Master Tang, you've really met your match today!" The Youlong Sword flashed in the air, and the move "Jade Maiden Threading the Needle" was as fast as lightning. Tang Jingtian was momentarily distracted, and with a "whoosh," his clothes were pierced through by her sword! Tang Jingtian was furious and shouted, "Fine, I'll just ask you, this vixen, for your man!" The Eight Styles of Chasing the Wind were as fast as the wind, and the Ice Glacier Heavenly Maiden's Ice Soul Cold Light was even more powerful. It swirled and danced, turning into a ball of cold light, and immediately enveloped Li Shengnan. Li Shengnan laughed, "If you want to fight, I'll have to excuse myself!" Before her laughter subsided, she tumbled over graceful movement. Despite her exceptional lightness skill, Tang Jingtian's sword flashed like lightning, slicing through her shoulder pad with a "whoosh." Fortunately, she was wearing jade armor underneath, otherwise, the sword strike would have been enough to seriously injure her. If Li Shengnan were to fight two against one, she would certainly be no match for Tang Jingtian and his wife, but her lightness skill was slightly superior to theirs. Once she escaped the range of the sword light, she instantly traversed the hillside. Tang Jingtian, driven by both a desire to rescue people and a desire to reclaim the sword, naturally gave chase. In no time, the three of them were far away. Jin Shiyi found an open space in the woods and placed Zhong and Li on the grass. They appeared to be fast asleep, their breathing even, their breath carrying a faint scent of snow lotus. Jin Shiyi knew that Tang Jingtian had already put the Jade Spirit Pill into their mouths, and the Devil Flower's intoxicating fragrance had long since dissipated, yet they remained unconscious, clearly having had their acupoints . Jin Shiyi murmured, "Whose acupoint technique is this? Why couldn't Tang Jingtian undo it?" Examining them carefully, Jin Shiyi suddenly had an idea. He tore a piece of clothing from their backs, revealing a red mark the size of a coin below . Jin Shiyi's heart skipped a beat . He said, "So that Brother Han is from the Han family of Zhengdu ." The Han family's acupressure technique was unique, called "Acupressure Pressing." It used the "Red Sand Hand" skill to press on the enemy's vital acupoints, and only their family could undo it. Moreover, because this "Acupressure Pressing" used the palm force of the "Red Sand Hand," even if the acupoint was released after a while, the internal energy could not restored immediately. Jin Shiyi muttered, "Their methods are truly ruthless. Luckily, I ran into them." It turned out that Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual incorporated the strengths of both righteous and evil schools, and the first half that Jin Shiyi obtained happened to contain a chapter specifically about acupressure techniques to counter various insidious poisons.

If Tang Jingtian hadn't encountered Jin Shiyi, he would have been helpless. His only option would have been to take them back to Shaolin Temple on Mount Song and ask Master Tongchan to use his supreme
martial arts to unblock their meridians. That would inevitably delay them for several days, and while Master Tongchan could save them, it would likely take at least
three years of his own cultivation.
Jin Shiyi was most concerned about Li Qinmei. He carefully examined her pulse and knew she hadn't suffered any further injuries, which put his
mind at ease. However, he suddenly felt a pang of sadness, recalling the days he had spent with Li Qinmei and her sincere
affection . Although he didn't want to transform this affection into marital love, the pure and innocent affection of this young girl was enough to make him
unforgettable for a lifetime.
Jin Shiyi bent down and saw that Li Qinmei seemed to be fast asleep, her expression
serene
. Jin Shiyi murmured, "She would never dream that I am right beside her!" Remembering that he would have to deceive her for a lifetime, not letting her know he was still alive, he suddenly felt guilty and unconsciously sighed softly.
In the silence, Jin Shiyi heard footsteps in the distance. Startled, he thought, "I have to wake them up quickly
. Otherwise, what's the point if I have to deal with those two when they catch up?" Following his plan, Jin Shiyi
first used his magic on Zhong Zhan. Zhong Zhan also had a pure and innocent childlike face. Jin Shiyi sighed and whispered, "Those
two are a match made in heaven. I've played matchmaker; what regrets could I possibly have? Qinmei's life will surely be much happier than mine.
As long as she's happy, why should I be sad?"
Immediately, Jin Shiyi used his profound skill to open Zhong Zhan's acupoints. He deliberately used less internal energy, allowing him
to wake up , but his power would be immediately restored upon waking.
He then used the same method to release Li Qinmei's acupoints, again using less internal energy, so that Li Qinmei would wake up a little later than Zhong Zhan.
After , he noticed that Li Qinmei's hair was a little disheveled, so he gently straightened it for her. Although Jin Shiyi told himself, "Don't
be sad anymore, don't be sad anymore!" for some reason, two tears suddenly fell, dripping onto Li Qinmei's face.
Jin Shiyi hid under a large, leafy tree. He heard footsteps getting closer and closer. Looking up, he saw Bai Liangji
and that "Brother Han." At that moment, Zhong Zhan woke up and looked around. Extremely puzzled
,
he cried out, "Qinmei, get up and look! Where are we?" Li Qinmei didn't answer, but Bai Liangji shouted, "Ha, so you were hiding here!"
Zhong Zhan jumped up abruptly, drawing his sword. He then discovered Li Qinmei lying beside him, still unconscious. Zhong Zhan
was both fierce and furious, thinking to himself, "No matter what, I must risk my life to prevent them from harming Qinmei!" He brandished his longsword and
charged forward before they even arrived.
Jin Shiyi secretly praised, "This kid isn't bad; it's worth entrusting Qinmei to him!" It should be known that although Zhong Zhan had received the true teachings of the Tianshan
Sword Technique , his skill was still shallow. He was only capable of fighting one-on-one, but against two, he was no
match for Bai Liangji and that man surnamed Han. Jin Shiyi knew this, and Zhong Zhan himself knew it too. Jin Shiyi hid in a tree, observing coldly. If Zhong Zhan tried to flee out of fear
, he would rescue Li Qinmei alone. As for whether Zhong Zhan would fall into the enemy's hands, he didn't care at all. Bai Liangji
was about ten paces away from making contact with Zhong Zhan when suddenly, with a loud "whoosh," he vomited up even the food and wine he had eaten the night before. The man surnamed Han
was greatly startled and hurriedly asked, "You, what's wrong with you..." Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach, his belly gurgling.
Following Bai Liangji, he also vomited, tears and snot streaming down his face, looking even more disheveled than Bai Liangji.
Jin Shiyi held two poisoned dragon needles between his fingers, ready to strike Zhong Zhan if he encountered danger. Now, seeing that
Bai Liangji and the man in yellow had suddenly vomited before they even engaged in combat, he was initially startled, then realized what was happening and thought to himself, "Sheng Nan is strange and clever;
I wonder what tricks she's used? This is even better; it's less obvious than using the poisoned dragon needles."
In that instant, Zhong Zhan thrust his sword forward. Before Bai Liangji could straighten his back, he hastily used a "bending low
and slanting willow"
movement, spinning his heel to dodge. He was wielding a dragon-whipping whip, over ten feet long, which
circled with his spin. This move, a victory achieved through defeat, truly demonstrated his skill and was no small feat.
However, his whip strike lacked power; with a sharp crack, the tip was shortened by three inches. The man surnamed Han
fared even worse. He used his Red Sand Hand technique, striking with a palm. With his skill, this palm strike should have at least deflected Zhong Zhan's sword tip
. If Zhong Zhan's sword had been entangled by Bai Liangji's whip, this palm strike could have knocked Zhong Zhan unconscious instantly! But
he hadn't expected that Bai Liangji's long whip would be so easily severed by Zhong Zhan, nor had
he anticipated that his palm strike would be so powerless. A flash of sword light, and two bloody fingers were severed. He was lucky he pulled back quickly; otherwise, Zhong Zhan might have
cut off his entire hand.
It turned out that Li Shengnan had secretly poisoned their teapot, placing a colorless and odorless drug inside. They were lying in bed talking,
the teapot placed near the window. Li Shengnan used a small, needle-sized blowpipe to blow the powder into the teapot, and they were completely
unaware. They had talked until midnight and were naturally thirsty, each drinking a full cup.
After drinking the tea, Bai and Han soon heard strange noises outside. They went out to investigate and found their companion stiff and lifeless
(actually, he wasn't dead, but they had no time to check his pulse). Their prisoner was missing, and they were greatly alarmed. They rushed
out to search, and only when they found that Zhong Zhan had come to fight, with no other experts nearby, did they relax. Although they
didn't know how Zhong Zhan had released his acupoints, they thought that even if he could, his internal energy wouldn't be restored, making it easy
for him to capture the enemy .
However, the drug Li Shengnan had administered took effect at that exact moment.
Before the drug took effect, there was no noticeable discomfort, but once it did, the internal organs churned, causing immense suffering. How could one possibly generate internal energy? Thus, contrary to their
expectations , it wasn't Zhong Zhan whose power was greatly diminished, but theirs.
Fortunately, Bai and Han's internal energy cultivation had reached a considerable level, allowing them to suppress their vomiting temporarily. However, Zhong Zhan,
who was prepared to risk his life, immediately unleashed the Eight Styles of Chasing Wind from the Tianshan Swordplay,
each strike a desperate move. Within just a few moves, Bai and Han were already in dire straits, facing imminent danger.
Bai Liangji cried out, "This isn't right! Have we been poisoned?"
Just then, Li Qinmei rushed over, shouting, "Brother Zhan, what's going on? Ha, so you're
fighting these two villains! Don't panic, I'll help you!"
In truth, Zhong Zhan was in a very good position at this moment; why would he panic? It was Bai Liangji and that "Brother Han" who were panicking, while Li Qinmei...
Before he could even join the battle, he heard the patter of rain, and Bai Liangji's long whip broke in half, leaving a gaping hole in his shoulder
! Bai Liangji could no longer hold back. With a "whoosh," he vomited a large mouthful of filth and coughed up
blood . Bai Liangji turned and ran, but the man surnamed Han was not far behind. He rolled down the hillside, clothes on, even faster than Bai Liangji!
Li Qinmei, afraid of being splashed by the filth, jumped away. Zhong Zhan walked over and laughed, "You're awake too? Are you alright? Those
two villains are both injured, at least they've had their last breath, no need to chase them anymore!"
Li Qinmei opened her eyes wide, looked around, and said with a blank expression, "It's
like . How did we get here? And how did you escape? I'm fine, but what about you?"
Zhong Zhan said, "I don't know what happened either. I woke up here. However, I smell the scent of Biling
Pill , so it seems Senior Brother Tang has come."
Li Qinmei said, "That's what I thought too, but if it's Senior Brother Tang, why isn't he here?"
Jin Shiyi chuckled inwardly, thinking, "He's half right. Once they see Tang Jingtian, they won't suspect
me anymore."
Zhong Zhan said, "When I woke up, I seemed to hear a very powerful sound of hidden weapons cutting through the air from the southwest. It's very
likely that Senior Brother Tang was developing..." "The divine light of Tianshan, let's go take a look later." After resting for a while, he said, "
When , I was on the hillside outside, and there was no one there except you. Not long after, Bai Liangji and those two guys
arrived. Judging from this situation, it seems that after Senior Brother Tang released our acupoints, he encountered another powerful enemy and is now chasing after
him. As for Bai Liangji and those two guys, they arrived later because they couldn't keep up with Senior Brother Tang's pace."
This explanation made sense, and Jin Shiyi nodded secretly, saying, "Although this kid is a newbie, he has
some experience. He can see things as if he saw them with his own eyes. The only thing he lacks is knowing that I am secretly playing tricks on him, otherwise he could have guessed everything
correctly."
Li Qinmei laughed, "Why didn't you wake me up earlier? Instead, you went to fight those two villains by yourself. Look
how !" She thought she was awakened by the sound of fighting and didn't know that Zhong Zhan couldn't wake her up at all.
These words, seemingly reproachful, were actually full of pity. Zhong Zhan felt a sweet warmth in his heart and chuckled foolishly, "I'm not tired, really not
tired, Junior Sister. I was worried about you! Oh, your hair is such a mess, let me fix it for you!"
Zhong Zhan boldly approached his junior sister, Li Qinmei, her face flushed. She lowered her head, not resisting, and let Zhong Zhan fix her
hair .
Jin Shiyi secretly rejoiced for them, but for some reason, a touch of bitterness lingered within his joy. Suddenly, he thought,
"I've done what I needed to do. Sigh, what am I still doing here spying?"
Jin Shiyi hardened his heart and immediately used his unparalleled "Treading Snow Without a Trace" lightness skill, leaping from one tree to another, disappearing from the forest in
a flash . Zhong Zhan and Li Qinmei were completely absorbed in the moment and didn't hear a sound.
Jin Shiyi rushed to the hilltop where he had arranged to meet Li Shengnan. Looking up, he was surprised to find no trace of
her He quickly used his "Listening to Sounds from the Ground" technique, focusing intently. After a moment, he faintly heard
sounds of killing coming from the southwest corner, about six or seven miles away. Jin Shiyi was filled with doubt, thinking, "Shengnan's lightness skill is superior to that of the Tang
couple . How come she hasn't shaken them off yet?"
It turned out that after Li Shengnan lured Tang Jingtian and his wife away, the Ice Maiden constantly harassed her with Ice Soul Divine Bullets. Although Li Shengnan
wasn't afraid , her speed was inevitably hindered. She could have used the Marriage Mist Bullet to obscure the Ice Maiden's vision and then immediately used her superior
lightness skill to escape, but the Ice Maiden's continuous ice bullets chilled her to the bone. Enraged, she even tried to
seize the Ice Maiden's Ice Soul Cold Light Sword!
Truly: Unaware of the immensity of heaven and earth, she tried to take both swords at once.

To find out what happens next, please stay tuned for the next installment.

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