[Wuxia] The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea (Complete) - 15

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

In Chapter 21 of Liang Yusheng's *The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea* ,

Jin Shiyi leads Li Shengnan toward the center of the island. Li Shengnan, no longer afraid of the poisonous snakes, finds
peace in . The island is covered with trees, but most are bare, some even just charred
trunks, as if scorched by fire. Fortunately, the strange, snake-shaped trees are lush with flowers and leaves. However, Li Shengnan is not yet accustomed to
their peculiar fragrance; inhaling it makes her feel dizzy, but she has no choice but to seek
shade under the trees. Jin Shiyi laughed, "Don't dislike this strange tree. It's called the Leprosy Tree, a sacred tree for curing leprosy." Li Shengnan exclaimed,
"Leprosy Tree! How terrifying!" Jin Shiyi coldly replied, "My master was a leper, and he was
cured thanks to this snake-bird that ate the leaves of this tree. My master named both the Leprosy Tree and Snake Island."
Li Shengnan grew increasingly frightened and said, "Let's go back to the ship. Although the sea is treacherous, it's still
much better than staying on this island." Jin Shiyi said, "Should I stay on this seabird?" Wan Shengnan exclaimed, "What? You're going
to stay ? For how long?" Jin Shiyi replied, "At least ten days to half a month, maybe even half a year or a year." Li Shengnan was so anxious she almost
cried, saying, "So you were lying to me! You hate me for playing tricks on you, so you brought me here. Humph, your revenge methods
are truly impressive. Why didn't you just stab me to death?" Jin Shiyi said, "I'm not lying to you." Li Shengnan said, "You still say you're not
lying to me? You promised to help me find Qiao Beiming's martial arts secrets." Jin Shiyi said, "I am going to help you find them. But
it doesn't matter if it takes a year or two." Li Shengnan said angrily, "My revenge is not important, but you want to stay on this
island . Fine, is your investigation of these poisonous snakes more important than my matter?" Jin Shiyi
said seriously, "That's right, it is indeed much more important than your revenge." Li Shengnan was taken aback by his serious expression and
dared not scold him. Jin Shiyi said, "Let's eat first. After we're full, I still need to patrol the island
." Li Shengnan said, "What exactly happened? I can't eat if you don't tell me."
Jin Shiyi gathered some dry branches to start a fire. He had brought a bag of rice, so he asked Li Shengnan to cook. He then caught a few wild birds
and, while helping Li Shengnan prepare the food, said, "When my master first came to this island, the weather was very cold, and it got colder
year by year . When I came, the climate was the best, with flowers that never faded and grass that remained green year-round. Poisonous snakes wouldn't harm us
then; it was truly like a fairyland. Now the climate is unbearably hot. Alas, do you know why?" Li Shengnan said:
“How would I know? Stop talking nonsense and tell me quickly.” Jin Shiyi said, “Because there is an underwater
volcano .” Li Shengnan exclaimed, “There are underwater volcanoes?” Jin Shiyi said, “That’s right, there are many underwater volcanoes. However, if
a volcano in the middle of the ocean erupts, it will at most cause a tsunami, affecting fish and salt. This island is only a few days’ voyage from the coast. If the volcano
under erupts, the consequences will be unimaginable.”
Li Shengnan was half-convinced and asked, “How do you know there is a volcano under this island?” Jin Shiyi said, “I
’ll take you to see it.” After eating, Jin Shiyi led her through a forest full of strange trees to the center of Snake Island. There
, they saw a cave under a dark mountain. The cave was bare, and the large area around it was also barren. What was even more
frightening was that countless poisonous snakes lay dead beside the cave, emitting a burnt smell. Li Shengnan covered her nose and said, "I
don't want to look anymore, let's go." Jin Shiyi took out two fresh flowers he had picked from the leper colony. The strong
, pungent scent of these flowers was excellent for repelling foul odors, and Li Shengnan immediately felt refreshed after smelling them. Jin Shiyi said, "You keep looking." He pulled her to the cave entrance
, where the rock strata below emitted a dark red glow, and countless dead snakes littered the stone walls. Although Li Shengnan was no longer bothered by
the stench , the heat emanating from the broken cave almost made her faint. Jin Shiyi then hurriedly pulled her away.
There was a small lake in the woods, the coolest spot on the island. Li Shengnan bent down and let the cool lake water soak her for a moment before she
could speak, exclaiming, "How terrifying, how terrifying!"
Jin Shiyi said, "I didn't know there was a volcano beneath Snake Island. My master lived here for decades. Through his
meticulous investigation and survey of the entire island, he finally discovered the secret beneath the earth. The crater is below the cave we just saw.
There were tens of thousands of poisonous snakes in the cave, but they are probably all dead now. Before my master died, he went down to investigate and calculated that the eruption of this underground
volcano would occur about ten years after his death..." Li Shengnan hurriedly asked, "How many years has your master been dead?" Jin Shiyi
said, "It will be ten years in a few months!" Li Shengnan was greatly surprised. Jin Shiyi laughed, "Fortunately, it hasn't erupted yet. If it's
like , it will take at least another year and a half before it spews out." Li Shengnan said, "Even so, staying here
is still extremely dangerous!"
Jin Shiyi said, " "That's right, I came here because of the danger." After a short rest, she continued, "
Below , there's a small pool formed by the saliva of venomous snakes. If the volcano were to erupt daily, the entire Snake Island would likely be reduced to ashes,
and the land along the Yellow Sea coast might also be affected. Marine life would suffer a catastrophe. Moreover, if such a large amount of venomous snake saliva flows into the sea
, even if any creatures survive, the consequences of being poisoned would be endless. My master will devise a plan. If someone is
unafraid of snake venom, several months before the eruption, they could venture deep into the cave, carve a passage to bring in seawater, and then
carve a small hole in the crater, which is about to erupt but hasn't yet, allowing the fire to slowly seep out. In this way, amidst the raging seawater, the venomous fire
might erupt without causing much harm. The timing must be precisely several months before the eruption because at this time the rock layers are softened by the subterranean fire,
making them easier to carve through. On this island, asbestos can also be collected to make fireproof clothing." Li Shengnan exclaimed in disbelief.
"So you came to avert this calamity on your master's dying wish?" Jin Shiyi replied, "I did want to avert this disaster, but
not on my master's orders. Alas, my master loved me dearly; he never let me know any of
the secrets ."
It turned out that the Poison Dragon Venerable had meticulously recorded all his observations of the Snake Island volcano in his diary over the years
. The last page of the diary contained his predictions about the volcanic eruption and his proposed methods to avert the catastrophe. He had
considered having Jin Shiyi go and save the volcano in the future, but it was far too dangerous. He loved Jin Shiyi more than his own son and
couldn't bear to let him take such a perilous risk. Therefore, not only did he not let Jin Shiyi know the secret, but before his death, he also ordered Jin Shiyi to act immediately.
They left Snake Island. Later, this diary was found on Snake Island by Dong Taiqing, a disciple of the Eight-Armed Demon God Sa Tianla, a friend of the Poison Dragon Venerable
. After many twists and turns, it finally ended up in Jin Shiyi's hands. A large part of the reason Jin Shiyi agreed to go to sea with Li Shengnan this time
was because the volcanic eruption was approaching, and he wanted to take the opportunity to visit Snake Island.
After listening to his story, even Li Shengnan, who was full of evil spirits, couldn't help but tremble with fear. Jin Shiyi solemnly said, "I
asked you a long time ago if you were afraid of death. You said you weren't, so I brought you here. If you regret it now, I will repair the ship tomorrow and you
can go back ." Li Shengnan said, "If I go back and encounter Meng Shentong, I will die anyway. I swore on this voyage that
I would not go back until I found Qiao Beiming's martial arts secrets." After thinking for a moment, she asked Jin Shiyi, "Didn't you just say that the volcanic eruption is
at a year and a half away?" Upon hearing her words, Jin Shiyi agreed. He chuckled, "You want to find Qiao Beiming's martial arts secrets
and then return to Snake Island?" Li Shengnan nodded, and fearing he might misunderstand, added, "Even if I find the martial arts secrets, I
will never abandon you and let you risk your life alone." Jin Shiyi thought to himself, "If you abandon me, I would be more than
happy to accept it ." But he shook his head and said, "No."
Li Shengnan asked, "Why not?" Jin Shiyi replied, "If I send you back, it's at most a ten-day round trip,
and I'm not worried about delaying important matters. That's fine. But if you go to find Qiao Beiming's martial arts secrets, the sea is vast, and there are unpredictable
dangers of wind and waves. Within half a year, it's uncertain whether you can return to Snake Island. There's another reason. When I was a child, my master and I passed by that strange island where Qiao Beiming lived
, and my master absolutely forbade me to go up there. From what he said..." " The air is thick with danger, and there seems to be some strange peril in the journey. I'm not afraid, but if I
were die on that strange island, it would be the same as dying here, at least there's hope of averting this calamity." Li Shengnan said, "No matter how strange
the danger, it can't be as terrifying as an underground volcano and countless poisonous snakes on the surface, can it?" Jin Shiyi thought for a moment and said, "
Since you're so eager to obtain the secret and so unwilling to live here, I have a solution that satisfies both of you." Li Shengnan asked, "What is it?"
Jin Shiyi said, "Within ten days to half a month, I guarantee I'll teach you how to sail a sea vessel. You also need to work hard to become familiar with the water. I'll give you
this sea vessel. If you're not afraid of the risks, you can go find that island yourself. I remember the direction of that island is
due north of Snake Island. If the winds are favorable and it's safe, it'll be about a forty or fifty-day voyage." Li Shengnan didn't wait for him to finish speaking before she laughed:
"You don't need to send me away. If you're determined to stay here, then I'm determined to stay with you!"
Jin Shiyi said coldly. "Don't you hate this place?" Li Shengnan smiled and said, "I hate this place, but
I don't hate you." After pausing, she added, "Since I was born, although I haven't done anything particularly evil, I haven't
done anything particularly good either. If I can lend you a hand this time and avert this catastrophe, then even death would be worthwhile." She spoke
very solemnly, but in reality, she was trying to understand Jin Shiyi's thoughts. Jin Shiyi was both happy and troubled upon hearing this. Li Shengnan
was like his shadow; now, it was even harder to get rid of her.
Li Shengnan suddenly laughed, "You go over there." Jin Shiyi was taken aback and asked, "What are you going to do?" Li Shengnan
laughed , "Hmm, you really care about me. Do I have to tell you everything I do?" As she spoke, she
unbuttoned her clothes, and Jin Shiyi realized she wanted to take a bath. His face flushed, and he quickly turned away and walked into the woods. With a "
splash ," Li Shengnan jumped into the lake, giggling, "Great! Wonderful! The lake water is so refreshing. Jin Shiyi, you're so strange,
you seem to be immune to the heat."
Li Shengnan was unrestrained and disregarded the rules of propriety between men and women. Compared to Gu Zhihua's dignified reserve and Li Qinmei's innocent charm,
she was to Jin Shiyi's wild personality. But for some reason, Jin Shiyi felt a little afraid of her.
That night, Jin Shiyi set up two tents by the lake. In the middle of the night, as Jin Shiyi was drifting off to sleep,
he suddenly heard rustling sounds. Jin Shiyi was startled and suddenly someone grabbed him. He heard Li Shengnan's voice crying out,
"You scared me to death! Quickly, get rid of these poisonous snakes!" It turned out that snakes had slithered into Li Shengnan's tent, and she had hidden in Jin Shiyi's
tent in fright.
Jin Shiyi quickly pushed her away, laughing, "What's so scary about snakes?" Li Shengnan said, "They're your good friends,
of course you're not afraid, but I am." Jin Shiyi said, "Alright, tomorrow I'll gather some herbs for you, grind them into powder, and
sprinkle it around the tent. The snakes won't dare come in." Li Shengnan said, "What about tonight? I'm terrified." Jin Shiyi had no choice
but to say, "Fine, you sleep here tonight, I'll keep watch for you." That night he sat outside the tent until dawn, while
Li Shengnan slept very comfortably. Jin Shiyi looked at her twice, and saw that she was still smiling in her dreams.
The next day, Jin Shiyi went to collect asbestos and asked Li Shengnan to go to the boat to get some food and supplies. Jin Shiyi retraced his old steps
, recalling the various scenes of learning skills with his master on the island, and couldn't help but feel deeply moved. Remembering his master's daring exploration of the volcano's
secrets , and how, before their lovemaking, he worried about the catastrophe that would erupt after his death, he vowed, "Even if I turn to ashes, I
will fulfill my master's wish. It's a pity that on this island, the one who shares life and death with me is not Gu Zhihua, but Li Shengnan." However, thinking of how
Li Shengnan was willing to risk such great danger with him for its sake, he couldn't help but feel a little more affection for her.
Just then, he suddenly heard Li Shengnan's terrified screams coming from afar again. Jin Shiyi thought, "Could it be that she's
been frightened by the poisonous snake again?" Unable to rest easy, he had no choice but to rush to the beach to find her.
Emerging from the woods, he immediately saw a wrecked boat on the beach, presumably swept ashore by a large wave and stranded after the tide receded.
Jin Shiyi was startled to find another boat on the beach. Of course, someone else had come to this island.
Jin Shiyi hurriedly ran to the beach and saw Li Shengnan, disheveled, screaming and running wildly, followed by four strangely shaped
men and women. Just as they were about to catch up with her, Li Shengnan unleashed her hidden weapon, the "Poisonous Mist Golden Needle Fireball." Upon
exploding, the weapon immediately filled the air with mist and sparks, the mist also containing many fine, hair-like plum blossom needles. It was an extremely
insidious weapon, one that even Meng Shentong feared. Unexpectedly, the four men's martial arts were extraordinary. They
moved in a crisscross pattern, and as soon as Li Shengnan's weapon was launched, they split into four corners, each unleashing a palm strike, creating a "wind" that lifted
Li Shengnan 's weapon high into the air before it exploded with a "bang." This had no effect on them; instead, Li Shengnan
was struck by their palm strikes, unable to recover her momentum, and tripped over a stone, falling to the ground. One of the men, an old man with red hair
, laughed loudly and stretched out his long arm, grabbing at Li Shengnan's back!
At this time, Jin Shiyi was still about ten feet away from them. He had already placed a pebble in his palm, and upon seeing Li Shengnan...
Danger loomed, and unable to intervene in time, he gathered his inner strength in his palm and launched a pebble. Although it couldn't match Feng Lin's skill of "flying flowers and plucking leaves," this pebble,
launched with internal energy, possessed a force no less than a lead bullet fired from a small gun!
The red-haired old man, skilled in the Iron Shirt and Golden Bell techniques, heard the sound of the hidden weapon piercing the air. Unaware of its power, he reached out to catch it, only to
feel a sharp pain in his palm, his tiger's mouth split open. Shocked and enraged, he hastily released Li Shengnan and turned to face his opponent. Jin Shiyi, seeing that
he dared to take the pebble
head-on, couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. After exchanging glances, Jin Shiyi snorted and said, "So it's you bunch of reckless
devils !" Of the four, he recognized two: Kunlun Sanren and Sangmu Lao, whom he had fought before
. He didn't recognize the red-haired old man or the old woman with a blue face and disheveled hair.
The woman with the blue face and flowing hair said, "Sister, is this boy Jin Shiyi?" Before Sang Muxiong could answer, Jin Shiyi
laughed loudly, "I am Jin Shiyi, and I will never change my name or surname. If you are afraid, quickly kowtow to me and
apologize ." The old man sneered three times and said, "You were lucky that we didn't find you in Tibet back then, allowing you
to live a few more years." The red-haired old man said, "Sister Qing, wait. Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life. If you hand
over , I am willing to plead with those two on your behalf and spare your life." Jin Shiyi sneered, "Nonsense, what are you?
Let's see who begs whom for mercy." He picked up his iron crutch and shouted, "Are you four coming at me all at once?" The woman with the blue face angrily said, "What
an arrogant brat!" She untied a red silk ribbon, shook it in the wind, and it immediately flew down like a rainbow, sweeping towards Jin Shiyi's waist
.
The silk ribbon, when she wielded it, resembled a soft whip. Jin Shiyi tried to grab it, but it slipped away unnoticed. The moment his fingertips
touched it , the ribbon darted to the side, spinning swiftly in a circle, creating a powerful gust of wind that seemed to pierce Jin Shiyi's eyes.
Jin Shiyi couldn't help but feel a chill, thinking, "This vixen can handle the silk ribbon with such perfect balance of softness and strength; no wonder she speaks so arrogantly."
It turned out that this woman with flowing hair and a blue face was Sang Mulao's younger sister, Sang Qingniang, and her husband was Yun Wuzi, the leader of the Lingshan Sect.
Years ago in Tibet, the couple had clashed with Tang Jingtian several times. On one occasion, the Ice-Breaking Celestial Maiden and Tang Jingtian joined forces and utterly defeated
them . Therefore, they hid for many years, afraid to show their faces. Sang Qingniang practiced the "soft kung fu" of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, and her skills
surpassed even her sister's.
Having suffered a major defeat at the hands of Jin Shiyi in Dongping County, Shandong, and later learning of the death of Zangling Shangren, Sangmu Granny and Kunlun Sanren
suspected that Zangling Shangren's strange painting had fallen into the hands of Jin Shiyi or Gu Zhihua. Therefore, they kept a close watch on the movements of Jin and Gu,
and Sangmu Granny invited her sister and brother-in-law to come out of the mountains to follow Gu Zhihua all the way to the foot of Laoshan Mountain. Gu Zhihua was
ambushed by Sangmu Granny and Kunlun Sanren along the way, but was fortunately rescued by Feng Lin, who scared them away.
Because Feng Lin was present, they dared not openly show themselves. Later, they witnessed Jin Shiyi leading Li Shengnan to sea,
and the next day they hijacked a ship to follow him. However, they lacked navigation skills, and although
they they refused to work for them under duress. On the seventh day at sea, they encountered a great storm, and the two
sailors escaped in a small boat. Their ship was damaged by huge waves and drifted for two days and two nights, nearly becoming drowned.
Fortunately, a strong wind blew them to Snake Island. Their ship was completely destroyed and unusable. They also
discovered Jin Shiyi's wrecked ship, but did not know it belonged to him. They hoped to encounter another group of seafarers to
plunder sailors and provisions, so they landed to search, unexpectedly encountering Jin Shiyi.
Sang Qingniang, confident in her martial arts, challenged Jin Shiyi to a duel. Initially, seeing that she only used a silk ribbon, Jin Shiyi did not want to
gain an advantage in weaponry, so he did not use his iron crutch. After a few moves, Jin Shiyi could not disarm her with his left hand alone, so he became less
polite and swung his iron crutch to strike back!
This strike was accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder. Sang Qingniang did not expect Jin Shiyi's profound skill and was frightened,
retreating . Although she was skilled at using softness to overcome hardness, she hadn't yet reached the highest level. How could she dare to directly block Jin Shiyi's powerful and fierce
attack? Yun Lingzi sensed danger and took out a pair of judge's pens to help his wife. Jin Shiyi roared and unleashed a move called "Thunder and Lightning Clash
," striking east and west with his iron crutch,
then south and north. Yun Lingzi tapped his crutch with her pens, intending to seize the opportunity to strike his "Guanyuan" acupoint on his wrist. However, upon contact, the recoil from the iron crutch almost sent her pens flying. Fortunately, Yun Lingzi was also a grandmaster, and
her martial arts were indeed impressive. She remained calm in the face of danger, and with a swift turn, she
managed to neutralize Jin Shiyi's fierce recoil.
Jin Shiyi snorted and laughed loudly, "So it's the Grand Master of the Misty Mountain Sect! Truly,
seeing meeting is even better than hearing." These two sentences were actually sarcastic, and Yun Wuzi, of course, understood the mockery. His
face flushed red, and he shouted, "Jin Shiyi, stop your arrogance! Take another move!" With a swirling motion of his two pens, he swept them horizontally,
his left pen striking seven acupoints on Jin Shiyi's Ren meridian, and his right pen striking seven acupoints on his Du meridian. His technique was fast, skillful, precise, and accurate—everything was exquisitely executed.
His wife, Sang Qingniang, immediately unfurled her red silk, creating a sky full of crimson clouds, blocking Jin Shiyi's retreat. The couple
were used to , and this move was their most prized and decisive technique. They expected Jin Shiyi to leap backward to dodge, and Sang Qingniang
's silk would surely trip him up.
Unexpectedly, Jin Shiyi's body swayed... Instead of retreating, he advanced, laughing heartily, "The old man's showing off his skills too!
Let me show you!" His left hand flicked swiftly, striking five major acupoints in an instant: "Jiangtai," "Mingmen," "Xuanshu
," "Yangbai," and "Weizhong." Jin Shiyi's acupoint striking technique was the "Probing Finger
Method , strange and unique, forming its own school. Although he struck nine fewer acupoints than Yun Lingzi, those
would be impossible to cure unless one had cultivated an indestructible body. In that split second, both retreated immediately upon contact. Yun Lingzi
flew into the air, and Jin Shiyi swung his crutch in a backhand motion, creating an arc. Sang Qingniang's red silk wrapped around the crutch once.
It turned out that if neither had yielded, Jin Shiyi would have had at least a dozen acupoints struck, while Yun Lingzi would have been
certain . Yun Lingzi dared not fight him head-on. His two pens swept across Yun Lingzi's acupoints, barely touching them, before leaping away. Fortunately, he
reacted quickly; Jin Shiyi's fingertips missed by a hair's breadth, failing to strike his vital points.
In , both were in dire straits!
Jin Shiyi, having forced Yun Lingzi back, focused all his efforts on Sang Qingniang. Sang Qingniang, however, was not so lucky; her red silk was entangled...
Jin Shiyi stood firm as a mountain, his iron crutch held, yet Sang Qingniang managed to drag him a few steps. Realizing the situation was dire, Sang Qingniang quickly slashed down
with her palm , cutting the red silk in half. She kept one half, using the other as an ornament for Jin Shiyi's crutch.
Yun Lingzi was greatly surprised and whispered, "Could Jin Shiyi be even more powerful than Tang Jingtian?" They had
fought Tang Jingtian several times in Tibet. In a one-on-one fight, Tang Jingtian had the upper hand; in a two-on-one fight, the couple was certain to win. Ultimately,
they were defeated by the combined swords of Tang Jingtian and the Ice River Fairy.
In truth, Jin Shiyi's martial arts skills had always been roughly equal to Tang Jingtian's. However, when Tang Jingtian fought Yun Wuzi,
he was still young and his internal energy cultivation was not yet very deep. If they were to fight again now, Yun Lingzi and her husband could at most only manage a draw.
Jin Shiyi, on the other hand, had improved his martial arts since overcoming the threat of qi deviation and had begun to integrate the internal energy of both the righteous and evil schools. In addition,
his acupoint striking technique was Yun Lingzi's nemesis, so he still maintained the upper hand even when fighting two opponents.
In the midst of the fierce battle, a "sizzle" was heard, and Jin Shiyi tore off another piece of Sang Qingniang's red silk. Jin Shiyi
was not his iron crutch in a circular motion, using the move "pointing to the sky and cutting the earth." Holding the center of the iron crutch, he pointed the tip at Yun Wuzi's vital point,
but with a sudden thrust of the end, he pierced Sang Qingniang's chest. This move was incredibly strange and unpredictable, and it seemed that Sang Qingniang was about to be injured by his crutch. Suddenly
, the sound of rain pattering filled the air. Two golden rings appeared on Jin Shiyi's iron crutch—Sangmu Lao's hidden weapon, prepared beforehand.
Seeing her sister in dire straits, she immediately launched the weapon. The force of the golden rings spinning on the crutch slightly
deflected Jin Shiyi's crutch, allowing Sang Qingniang to escape death.
Jin Shiyi laughed, "Thank you, thank you, thank you for the gold. It's a pity that on this deserted island, there's nowhere
to use the money." Before he finished speaking, Sangmu Lao pounced. Jin Shiyi laughed again, "Reluctant to part with it?" Sangmu Lao spread her ten fingers,
each fingernail about fifty years long. With a thousand swift fingers, a clear, ringing sound rang out. Jin Shiyi, slightly underestimating her, was almost scratched by her sharp claws.
Even though he dodged skillfully, his clothes were torn in two places. He felt a foul gust of wind, and Sangmu Lao was already chasing
after that her fingernails contained potent poison.
The three opponents coordinated their attacks, immediately suppressing Jin Shiyi's offensive. Kunlun Sanren shouted, "Jin Shiyi, if you
still won't admit defeat, this day next year will be your death anniversary!" He drew his longsword and charged forward, but a cacophony of metal clanging filled the air, deafening everyone present. Jin Shiyi had also drawn his iron sword from his crutch, and both sides exchanged blows
with lightning speed in the blink of an eye . Jin Shiyi, with his left crutch and right sword, fought the four demons. Yun Lingzi's brushstrokes were like dragons and snakes, each stroke aimed at a vital point; Sang Qingniang displayed the soft power of Tibetan Tantric martial arts, using half a red silk cloth as a soft whip; Kunlun Sanren used both sword and palm techniques, his palm strikes followed by a gentle ; and Sang Mu Lao used her unique "Ghost Claw" technique, specifically targeting Jin Shiyi with sneak attacks when he was vulnerable. Even with Jin Shiyi's superb martial arts, after about thirty moves, he could only parry, utterly powerless to retaliate. Kunlun Hermit shouted, " Jin Shiyi , if you want my life, quickly hand over the scroll of paintings by Cangling Shangren!" Li Shengnan was terrified and was about to step forward to help when she suddenly heard Jin Shiyi laugh loudly, "How pitiful, how pitiful! You're about to die, and you still don't know it!" Before the laughter ended, a rustling sound was heard, and countless poisonous snakes darted out of the forest. In a moment, the snakes formed a circle, trapping the four demons inside. Jin Shiyi nimbly jumped out of the circle, pulling Li Shengnan out of the snake formation. Wherever they went, the snakes parted, but as soon as Jin Shiyi passed, the snakes surged back like a tide. Even the four demons, with all their might, dared not break out of the snake formation. Jin Shiyi laughed, "I told you these snakes are good friends, but you didn't believe me. Now you should, right?" Li Shengnan opened her eyes and said, "Brother Shiyi, wait until the snakes have bitten them to death before you let me open my eyes. I can't bear to see the horrific sight of snakes biting people." Jin Shiyi whistled a rain-sounding whistle and laughed, "Ha, so your heart isn't so bad after all." As soon as the whistle sounded, four giant snakes suddenly sprang out, each two or three zhang long, and coiled around the four demons. The four demons were terrified and desperately held onto the snakes' heads , trying to prevent them from biting them off. The four giant snakes were incredibly strong, with thick scales. Sangmu Lao's fingernails were like sharp blades, tearing and scratching wildly at the snakes' bodies, but she couldn't even tear the half-moon snake skin. Instead, she angered the giant snakes. The snakes raised their heads and immediately spat out a red tongue about a foot long, almost ...? When the snakes reached Sangmu's face, she screamed and fainted. Strangely enough, the four giant snakes didn't bite them; instead, they tightly coiled around them, as if binding them with iron hoops, making it hard for them to breathe. It turned out that these four giant snakes were creatures Jin Shiyi had played with in his childhood, and they obeyed his commands. Jin Shiyi often took them to hunt wild animals, only allowing them to strangle the beasts, not to kill them. The whistling Jin Shiyi had just given was the signal to command the four giant snakes. Jin Shiyi was using the methods he used to deal with wild animals to deal with these four demons. Jin Shiyi laughed heartily, "Now let's see who's begging for mercy!" Apart from Granny Sangmu, who had already fainted, the other two demons were resigned to their fate. Hearing Jin Shiyi's words, it seemed like a glimmer of hope had appeared. They no longer cared about their status and immediately cried out, "Great Hero Jin, spare us! Spare us!" Jin Shiyi laughed, "I'll spare you, but you must obey my orders." The three demons replied in unison, "If you spare our lives, we will obey your every command, even unto death." Jin Shiyi then whistled, and the four giant snakes immediately released their grip. However, these demons were now like lumps of mud, slumped on the ground, their strength completely exhausted. Jin Shiyi dismissed the serpent, and Li Shengnan opened her eyes, laughing, "So your heart is even more compassionate than mine. I only couldn't bear to see them bitten to death by poisonous snakes, but you spared them." Jin Shiyi said, "I was just short of servants, and Heaven sent them to me. Keeping them is much more useful than the serpent." Kunlun Sanren massaged Sangmu Lao a few times, and Sangmu Lao gradually woke up. The four demons, their shock subsided, saw Jin Shiyi standing before them, saying, "I'll do a good deed to the end, first heal your wounds, then let you eat your fill." Li Shengnan suddenly said: "Give me the medicine while I treat their wounds." Jin Shiyi was about to ask her intentions when Li Shengnan spoke first: "I don't trust them. If they suddenly poison you while you're treating them, I won't command your venomous snakes." Kunlun Sanren forced a smile : "Miss, you're too suspicious." Li Shengnan ignored them, took the medicine from Jin Shiyi's hand, and asked, "How do I use it?" Jin Shiyi said, "Just apply it to the bruises on their bodies." Li Shengnan finished treating their wounds and laughed heartily: "From now on, you won't have to worry about them not obeying you. Alright, now give them your orders !"

Kunlun Sanren and Yun Lingzi were both grandmasters; how could they willingly become Jin Shiyi's servants? Though they outwardly feigned
obedience , they couldn't conceal the venom in their eyes. Li Shengnan glanced at them and coldly said, "Feel
between the seventh and eighth vertebrae of your spine, then take a breath and see." The four demons did as she instructed, but when their true energy reached
the "central acupoint" near their backs, it seemed to encounter an invisible barrier, unable to flow freely. Where their fingers pressed,
a dull ache ached . Kunlun Sanren, confident in his profound skill, exerted force, but couldn't catch his breath
. Suddenly, it felt as if his internal organs were being pierced by sharp needles, causing him to sweat profusely. He hurriedly dissipated his qi. These demons were experts; they knew that Li Shengnan had secretly
poisoned them.
He wasn't wrong. While applying medicine to them, Li Shengnan deftly inserted
a golden needle into each of their bodies. The needles were hollow and contained her family's secret poison.
Li Shengnan smiled and said, "Have you heard of the Five Poisons Powder? If you're poisoned by this, it won't take effect immediately. But after forty-
nine days, without an antidote, your whole body will fester and you'll die. The pain at the end will probably be
far . Only I have this antidote. If you behave well, I'll give you the antidote when the time comes." The Five Poisons Powder was
made by burning five poisonous substances: Golden Chrysanthemum, Black Lotus, peach blossoms contaminated with poison, purple [unclear] from the Cold Jade Pool in Miao territory, and the Jade Silkworm. Yun Lingzi
, being well-informed, knew that Li Shengnan's words were true. Extremely angry, she could only smile bitterly and say, "Having come to this point, how dare we
disobey Master Jin? Miss, why do you still manipulate us?" Li Shengnan smiled and said, "It's precisely because I don't trust you that I
'd rather you resent me." Yun Lingzi smiled bitterly and said, "How could I resent you, Miss? I only beg you to show mercy." Li Shengnan
said, "That depends on whether you obey." Yun Lingzi said, "What are your orders, Miss?"
Li Shengnan smiled and said, "Brother Shiyi, they are your servants. Would you allow me to use them?" Jin Shiyi smiled and said, "You'd rather
find an official to manage your servants. Fine, I'll let you give them orders." Li Shengnan said, "First, repair this
wrecked boat eaten your fill, start felling trees." The four demons
bowed their heads obediently and, under Li Shengnan's command, unloaded the food and tools, started a fire, and cooked.
After a hearty meal, they began their work. Li Shengnan grabbed a bag of grain and walked back to the woods with Jin Shiyi. Before leaving, Jin Shiyi
instructed the four demons, "Work in peace. You can rest on that large stone platform in the woods tonight. You are now
my servants; my friends won't bite you anymore." The four demons were furious, cursing silently in their hearts, but daring not to
show it.
After walking with Li Shengnan for a while, Jin Shiyi suddenly said, seemingly praising but also mocking, "Everyone in the martial world calls me the Poisonous Hand Mad Beggar, but
compared to you, I concede defeat."
Li Shengnan laughed, "I'm thinking of you. You can't have the poisonous snakes constantly guarding them; that's too much trouble. Besides,
these snakes only obey your commands. If you're not around, they won't know when to go and harass the enemy. These four demons
haven't lost their martial arts skills. Once they've repaired the boat, won't they escape? I've also thought about crippling their martial arts weapons." "But what use are they if you cripple their
martial arts ?"
Jin Shiyi said. "Indeed, you've thought things through much more thoroughly than I have. Your poison needles are far more potent than my venomous snakes, but your methods are
a bit too extreme." Li Shengnan giggled. "Is that so? Then you'd better watch out for Sheng'er. If one day you betray me,
I might secretly and suddenly plunge a poison needle into your back, ha, ha, making you my
servant ." Li Shengnan spoke with great enthusiasm, but Jin Shiyi felt a chill run down his spine. Li Shengnan suddenly sighed again, "It's a pity you're
not like those four demons. Dealing with those four demons, you can do whatever you want, but dealing with you, if you're unwilling,
there's no point in having you as a servant."
Jin Shiyi snorted, his anger showing. Li Shengnan laughed, "I was just joking with you, don't get angry
." Jin Shiyi was both amused and exasperated, suddenly thinking, "Actually, ever since she healed my wounds, I've been completely under her control, which
means I'm practically her servant."
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
That night, Jin Shiyi and Wan Shengnan each slept in a separate tent. Li Shengnan had some snake medicine and no longer bothered Jin Shiyi.
However, Jin Shiyi didn't sleep well all night. As dawn approached, he had a nightmare, dreaming that Li Shengnan had pierced his back with poisoned needles, and
he woke up in a fright. Just then, Li Shengnan's voice chuckled from outside the tent, "Jin Shiyi, what were you dreaming about? Wake up quickly!" Jin Shiyi
jumped , rubbed his eyes, and realizing it wasn't a dream, he pulled back the tent flap and asked, "How did you know I had a nightmare?"
Li Shengnan said, "I heard you scream in your dream, calling my name. Did you dream of something terrifying that wanted me
to come and save you?" Jin Shiyi muttered, "The terrifying thing was you!" Of course, he didn't say that aloud, and asked, "
Why did you wake me up so early?" Li Shengnan said, "To see if they've repaired the boat yet." Jin Shiyi said, "Why the
rush ?" "If the ship is repaired, you can instruct them to collect asbestos," Li Shengnan said. Jin Shiyi said, "Huh?
How did you know what I was thinking?" Li Shengnan said, "You took these servants in because you wanted them to help you work and quickly
carve a passage in that cave so that seawater could flow into the volcano below."
Jin Shiyi said, "Exactly right, sigh, you're really clever!"
It turned out that although the method devised by Venerable Poison Dragon was to wait until two or three months before the volcanic eruption to carve out the passage, it was because in its
plan, it only needed the strength of one person, and by then, the rock strata would be loose and easy to carve out. Jin Shiyi
estimated that the volcano would not erupt for about a year. Although the rock was not loose enough at present, with
the help of several top-notch experts, it could be carved out sooner. It was precisely for this reason that he wanted to subdue these four demons. Little did he know that Venerable Poison Dragon and
its plan had a huge mistake, which caused almost all of them to perish on Snake Island. But that's a story for later.
Jin Shiyi and Li Shengnan walked out onto the beach. The four demons were cooling off at the bow of the ship. Upon seeing them, they immediately stood up and
respectfully said, "Reporting to Master Jin, this ship has been repaired and is ready to set sail at any time." Jin Shiyi said, "Come
down, let me inspect it." Kunlun Sanren said, "Master Jin, we don't want any martial arts treasures or secret techniques anymore, but we hope you can take
us away from this island." They didn't know any navigation skills and were afraid that Jin Shiyi would abandon them. Jin Shiyi smiled and said, "I
keep . As long as you are loyal to me, I will certainly take you with me when I leave."
Jin Shiyi and Wan Shengnan boarded the ship and carefully inspected it. They found that all the leaks had been repaired. Li Shengnan said, "They've worked very
hard ." Jin Shiyi smiled and said, "Their intentions are the same as yours; they all want to leave this place as soon as possible.
Of course, they're happy to do it." After the inspection, he stepped off the ship and said to them, "You've done a very good job. There are still a few
tasks to complete. After you finish them, we can set sail." The four demons
were greatly disappointed and they all showed resentful eyes, but they were helpless and dared not resist.
Jin Shiyi said, "The weather is very nice today; you can go and collect asbestos." Asbestos is a fibrous
mineral , long and thin, and flexible. It is composed of amphibole or serpentine
. The mineralogically known as chrysotile is a bright green or olive color with a silky luster. It is much softer than the amphibole type, and this is the type found on
Snake Island . Asbestos is fire-resistant and can be woven into fire-resistant cloth. In modern construction, it can also be used as a firewall.
Venerable Poison Dragon lived on Snake Island for decades and gradually discovered the effects of asbestos. He then thought of using it
to protect himself . They collected asbestos for several days. During this time, Jin Shiyi taught Li Shengnan to weave fire-resistant cloth and also taught her
to swim in the small lake. Li Shengnan wanted to get used to the wind and waves at sea, so she learned to swim quickly. In just a few days, she dared to try swimming in the shallow sea.
The weather was sunny for several days, then it rained heavily for a day. After the rain, the lake was overflowing. By this time, the asbestos had been collected.
Jin Shiyi ordered the four demons to dig a canal to divert the lake water to the cave under the bald mountain. Beneath the cave
lay the crater of a volcano. Although it hadn't yet cracked open, the area around the cave was already barren and extremely hot. These four demons, all
from the snowy mountains of Tibet, already found the tropical climate unbearable; working near the volcano only intensified the heat, making them
suffer terribly . Several times they considered striking back and fighting Jin Shiyi, but the memory of the venomous snakes
and the agony of the five poisons taking effect forced them to endure. During work, Granny Sangmu and Sang Qingniang fainted several times. Jin Shiyi gathered some cooling
herbs brewed them, and worked alongside them, which slightly calmed their resentment. Jin Shiyi knew their
hatred was extreme, but to eliminate the threat of the underground volcano as soon as possible, he couldn't stop them from working. Jin Shiyi was very
worried , fearing that one day they too would erupt like a volcano. After a few days, the irrigation canal finally reached the cave entrance, and lake water flowed into
the snake cave, washing away the dead snakes clinging to the stone walls near the entrance.
Jin Shiyi had prepared fragrant flowers to counteract the stench of the venomous snakes, distributing two to each person, but Sang Qingniang still vomited
twice . It was clear that these four demons harbored even greater resentment towards Jin Shiyi.
Jin Shiyi then ordered them to widen the cave entrance. Sunlight streamed in, reflecting off the crimson stone walls, giving them a blood-
red hue. The intense heat emanating from the cave was extremely uncomfortable. Fortunately, these four demons had been
on Snake Island for over half a month and had been working near the cave for four or five days, gradually becoming accustomed to the heat. Even so, they still felt
suffocated as soon as they approached the entrance.
Jin Shiyi then brought out a human-shaped cloth woven by Li Shengnan, instructing the four demons to wrap their bodies, leaving only their
eyes exposed. He also prepared antidotes to counteract the heat poison, and then ordered them to enter the cave and
carve a passage through the stone walls.
Yun Lingzi flew into a rage, throwing down his hoe and coldly saying, "Jin Shiyi, summon the poisonous snakes!" Jin Shiyi replied,
"What?"
Yun Lingzi said, "I am a grandmaster of a sect; how can I be treated like this?" The four demons glared at Jin Shiyi,
the dangerous situation seemingly on the verge of erupting.
Jin Shiyi remained calm and said indifferently, "I asked you to do this work for everyone's benefit. You probably
don't know that there is a volcano beneath this Snake Island." Kunlun Sanren exclaimed, "What? A volcano?" Jin Shiyi said, "
That's right. The crater is right under this cave, so we need to carve a passage through the rock wall to allow the fire to slowly escape,
surrounded by seawater, so it won't cause a huge disaster. Otherwise, if the volcano erupts, we will all be reduced to ashes." The four demons'
expressions changed. They saw the cave filled with steam, and the rock walls deep inside emitting a dark red glow,
like . These phenomena left them no choice but to believe it.
Kunlun Hermit cried out, "If that's the case, why didn't you leave sooner?" Jin Shiyi replied, "Because I'm determined to eliminate
this calamity! I'll go into the cave and work with you; if we die, we die together." The four demons exchanged glances, then
Jin Shiyi continued, "Actually, although it's unbearably hot in the cave, we have ways to withstand it. With your skills,
you can at least hold your breath for half an hour, right? Even without inhaling the heat, the heat felt on your skin should be enough to sustain you. After half
an hour of the cave to rest. If we can eliminate this calamity, you'll have done a great deed." The four demons
still exchanged glances, remaining silent, but their expressions no longer showed the anger they had before.
Jin Shiyi said, "If you don't want to do it, I won't force you, but the poisonous snakes on the island won't let you go."
Li Shengnan added, "And you won't get my antidote either." The four demons thought that with Jin Shiyi's method, at most they would be
uncomfortable from the heat, but it wouldn't necessarily kill them. If they didn't obey, they would immediately suffer the torment of being bitten by venomous snakes. After thinking for a while, Kunlun Sanren
picked up , followed by the other three demons, and they entered the cave with Jin Shiyi to chisel the stone.
They worked in the cave for several days, carving out a tunnel six or seven zhang deep. Seawater gradually seeped in from the outside, and the breach
gradually widened. Although they were still very far from the center of the volcano, lava had already begun to seep out, and the rising heat filled
the entire cave. Working inside was like being in a furnace. Although these demons had started breathing, were wrapped in fire-resistant cloth,
and had heat-relieving medicine in their mouths, they still felt extremely uncomfortable. After working for several days, everyone turned into black charcoal, and their skin seemed to be
charred . At first, they rested every half hour, but later they had to come out and rest for an hour every incense stick's time.
The demons kept asking when the work would be finished, but Jin Shiyi didn't know and could only answer that it would
be finished . Seeing the exceptionally thick and solid stone wall, the demons realized that it would take hundreds more feet to reach the sea. Anxious, they secretly
plotted that if the seawater didn't flood in within three days, they would rather perish in the cave with Jin Shiyi.
Around noon that day, the group rested in the open space outside the cave. They drew water from the irrigation ditch to quench their thirst,
waiting for Li Shengnan to bring lunch. Just as they were growing impatient, they suddenly saw Li Shengnan running in, looking flustered and empty-handed. Jin...
Jin Shiyi hurriedly asked, "What's going on?" Li Shengnan replied, "A ship has arrived outside!"
Before she finished speaking, a whistling sound shook the forest. Jin Shiyi was startled and quickly sent out a signal to call for the venomous snakes. Hearing the whistling
sound knew that the newcomer's internal strength was profound, far surpassing his own. Not knowing whether they were friend or foe, he had to be cautious.
The whistling sound grew closer and closer, and in the blink of an eye, two figures appeared in the forest. Jin Shiyi was greatly surprised; these two
who had intruded into Snake Island were none other than Meng Shentong and the monk Jianfa. What was even stranger was that Jin Shiyi had already called for the venomous snakes, yet
none of them pursued them.
It turned out that Meng Shentong had discovered that Jin Shiyi and Wan Shengnan had gone to sea. They had waited for two days and had also hijacked a ship to pursue them. Meng Shentong
knew how to sail. However, unfamiliar with the waterways, they wandered aimlessly at sea until Jin Shiyi had been on Snake Island for almost a month before they discovered the
isolated island. Seeing smoke rising from its chimneys, they knew someone lived there and rushed over. By the time Li Shengnan spotted the ship,
they were already hiding in the woods.
Meng Shentong, upon suddenly spotting the group, was also taken aback. Jin Shiyi's face was blackened, and he didn't recognize him at first. Yun Lingzi
suddenly called out, "Is that Old Meng?" Meng Shentong exclaimed joyfully, "Is that Yun Lingzi? Ha, what brings you here?" More than twenty years ago,
Meng Shentong had traveled to Tibet to search for the martial arts of the Red Sect, because the Asura Yin Sha Treasure was something the Red Sect had learned from India
. He wanted to find out if anyone in the Red Sect still knew it. After visiting several Red Sect masters, he learned that the Asura Yin Sha Treasure
had long been lost within the sect. Only then was he relieved. It was during that trip to Tibet that he met Yun Lingzi and her husband.
Just then, Meng Shentong glanced around and spotted Li Shengnan hiding behind Jin Shiyi, then recognized Jin Shiyi himself.
Meng Shentong laughed heartily, "What I've been searching for has come to me without any effort! Ha, Jin Shiyi, Jin Shiyi, let's see how you escape
from !" Indeed: The demons of Snake Island gather. A perilous storm traps heroes.

URL 1:https://www.sexlove5.com/htmlBlog/10171.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=10171&aspx=1

Last access time:

Previous Page : [Wuxia] The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea (Complete) - 16

Next Page : [Wuxia] The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea (Complete) - 13

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

[Wuxia] The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea (Complete) - 15

comment Open a new window to view comments