[Wuxia] The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea (Complete) - 3

In Chapter Four of Liang Yusheng's *The Jade Bow and the Clouds*,
a strange tale from beyond Egypt is told, revealing secrets of the martial arts world and stirring ambition. Jiang Nan,

overjoyed, exclaimed, "Is it really the Jade Spirit Pill?" Yang Liuqing laughed, "Would I lie to you? Quickly
take it ; three Jade Spirit Pills are equivalent to at least three years of internal energy!" Jiang Nan danced with glee, laughing, "I don't need to travel tomorrow
!" Zou Jiangxia, puzzled, asked with a slight reproach, "Traveling what? Humph, so you're planning to leave immediately after helping out
? We haven't seen each other for years, can't you stay a couple more days?"
Jiang Nan stuck out his tongue, made a face, and said, "Your temperament is more..." "You're in such a hurry! You didn't even ask clearly. I only said
one sentence, and you've already launched into a barrage of complaints." Zou Jiangxia pouted and said, "Fine, then let me
ask going?" Jiang Nan replied, "To ask Tang Jingtian for a Tianshan Snow Lotus." Zou Jiangxia laughed, "You really
have a wild idea. Although Brother Tang is generous, he won't just give you a Tianshan Snow Lotus so easily. Alright, alright, now you have these three Jade
Spirit Pills without even asking, quickly take them."
Jiang Nan said, "No, I want to take them home. I'm saving these three Jade Spirit Pills for my sister-in-law." Zou Jiangxia said:
"Hey, where did you get your sister-in-law from?" Jiang Nan said, "I call my young master my elder brother, so isn't his wife my sister-in-law
?" Zou Jiangxia said, "Oh, I remember now, isn't your young master that Chen Tianyu, the one surnamed Chen?"
Jiang Nan said, "That's right, that's right, we've already sworn brotherhood."
Zou Jiangxia said, "Ha, so you're going to honor your sworn brother and sister-in-law as well, but you don't need to send such a rare elixir
!" Jiang Nan said, "You don't understand, I can't not send it! She can't live without the Heavenly Snow Lotus!" Seeing that they
were getting more and more entangled, Yang Liuqing laughed and said, "Jiang Nan, please speak properly, Xia'er, let's not interrupt."
Jiang Nan spoke for a long time before finally explaining the matter clearly. Zou Jiangxia then learned that Chen Tianzi's wife had been poisoned by an arrow, which was why
Jiang Nan was going to seek
the Tianshan Snow Lotus. She felt a pang of pity for him, but upon further reflection, she admired Jiang Nan's loyalty even more. So she smiled and said, "Then, you can have the three Jade Spirit Pills if you don't like it. Martial arts are learned through practice. Tang Jingtian's father, Tang Xiaolan, was once my
maternal grandfather 's disciple. Although our Yang family's martial arts are far inferior to the Tianshan Sect's, our path to internal energy cultivation
is the same as theirs—both are authentic internal energy techniques. If you're willing to learn, I'll teach you from the beginning." Yang Liuqing laughed, "Xia'er , aren't you ashamed? Jiang Nan's skills are far superior to yours. You want to take him as your disciple?" Jiang Nan, however, bowed
solemnly to Zou Jiangxia and said...
"Master," he said, "What I lack is a solid foundation in martial arts. It would be
best !" Zou Jiangxia smiled and avoided his deep bow. In the moonlight, only a faint blush could be seen on her almond-shaped face.
Zou Xijiu walked out of the courtyard and called out, "Hey, what are you all still doing up there? Come down and see the guests off."
Yang Liuqing laughed and said, "Jiangnan, you outshone everyone tonight. They all want to see you. Let me introduce you to them one by one." Jiangnan
said, "No, I'm not going down." Yang Liuqing asked in surprise, "What, such a big child is still shy?"
Jiangnan said, "No, it wasn't me who defeated the enemy for you tonight. If I go down there and hear people praising me
, calling me a hero and a good man, do you think I won't blush? No, no, I'm not going down!"
Yang Liuqing laughed and said, "Don't be childish." Jiangnan shook his head repeatedly and said, "No, no! I want to find Jin Shiyi. At least..." " I must
see him too," Yang Liuqing said. "He's like a ghost, appearing and disappearing without a trace. Where are you going to find him?" Jiangnan said, "You
don't know Jin Shiyi's temper. If he knows
I'm sincerely looking for him, maybe he'll follow me behind, quietly tap me on the shoulder, give me a fright, and then we'll have a good laugh!" Zou Jiangxia laughed, "Good, you make it sound so interesting. I'll go with you and see
this strange beggar that everyone fears and curses, but only you praise."
Yang Liuqing shook her head and said, "You two children are really willful and reckless, just like I was when I was young.
Alright , anyway, it's almost dawn. If you can't find that mad beggar after dawn, come back quickly!"
Jiang Nan spoke with such confidence, but deep down he was quite uncertain. He and Zou Jiangxia slipped out from behind the house into the mountains,
shouting and yelling in the woods, but they heard no echo. Jiang Nan gradually became discouraged. Zou Jiangxia laughed, "You should save your energy.
Jin Shiyi is far enough away; he can't hear you." Jiang Nan said, "Maybe he's right behind me. He'll hear
me calling him." Zou Jiangxia said, "If he's behind you, you don't need to call him to know." Jiang Nan's voice was
hoarse . Hearing Zou Jiangxia's reasoning, he stopped shouting, thinking to himself, "Has Jin Shiyi really gone so far that he can't hear me calling
him?"
Jin Shiyi hadn't gone far, but he hadn't heard Jiang Nan calling him either. At that moment, he was standing on the highest
peak , letting out a long howl! Jiang Nan's skill was too shallow; his shouts didn't reach the peak, but Jin Shiyi's howl did reach
below. Unfortunately, the night wind was howling, and Jiang Nan couldn't hear it at all.
Jin Shiyi secretly aided Jiang Nan, giving Hao Haochang and his gang a thorough dressing-down, filling him with immense satisfaction. His greatest triumph
was giving Jiang Nan the three Jade Spirit Pills. These pills were secretly left to him by the Ice River Fairy Maiden through Tang Jingtian years ago
. For years, he had wanted to return them to Tang Jingtian, but he feared seeing the Ice River Fairy Maiden, whom he considered
his only true confidante, yet she had already married Tang Jingtian.
Now, having given the pills to Jiang Nan, knowing that Jiang Nan originally intended to go to Tianshan to obtain the Snow Lotus to save
Chen Tianyu 's wife, he thought, "I used your pills to save your friend, haha, Tang Jingtian, at least I haven't
received any favors from you!"
Another source of satisfaction was making Jiang Nan the center of attention and winning Zou Jiangxia's heart. However, amidst his triumph
, he couldn't help but feel a pang of melancholy.
Tang Jingtian had a glacier fairy, Chen Tianyu had a secluded beauty. Even Jiangnan had Zou Jiangxia. And what about himself?
He still wanders alone, searching for a soulmate in the vast sea of people! For a fleeting moment, Li Qinmei's image
flashed through his mind. He knew Li Qinmei was searching for him. He compared Li Qinmei to the floating clouds in the sky, and himself to the surging
sea . He grew up on an island, where the sea stretched endlessly, its horizon merging with the sky. Only where the sea and sky met did the white clouds
grasp the green waves, spreading them like brocade across the surging waves. The sea and the clouds have two different personalities. Clouds appear to move but are actually still,
while the sea, even when its surface is still, is in a ceaseless torrent of turmoil. Clouds are simple, while the sea is complex.
Although often patiently listen to the roar of the sea, do they understand its secrets? Do they understand its feelings?
Li Qinmei grew up spoiled by her parents; she had never seen the ugliness or bitterness of the world. She
was still a young girl just beginning to understand love. Jin Shiyi, on the other hand, though only five or six years older than her, had experienced
the vicissitudes of life. He was grateful for Li Qinmei's care, and out of pity for her, he avoided her.
He was willing to wander the world for the rest of his life, like the endless waves of the sea. To have Li Qinmei accompany him for life
felt like a sin.
Dawn broke, mist shrouded the mountains, and wisps of cloud floated. The mountain where Jin Shiyi stood resembled
an isolated island surrounded by clouds. He couldn't help but let out another long howl. The clouds above his head seemed startled by his cry, drifting away one by one
.
Suddenly, a red shadow flashed through the light clouds and thick fog—it was the crimson robe of the Hidden Spirit Master. Jin Shiyi abruptly stopped his wandering
thoughts, and in the blink of an eye, Venerable Zangling appeared before him.
Jin Shiyi couldn't help but burst into laughter, and Venerable Zangling unfurled his robe and laughed along with Jin Shiyi. Jin Shiyi stopped Tieguai
and coldly said, "What are you laughing at?" Venerable Zangling replied, "And what are you laughing at again?" Jin Shiyi said, "I'm laughing because you
didn't dare to fight me earlier, but now you've come after me. Are you afraid of being defeated in front of everyone?"
Venerable Zangling said, "I'm laughing because you're facing imminent disaster, yet you don't even realize it!"
Jin Shiyi said, "I only knew you were the foremost master of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, but it turns out you can also tell fortunes and read faces?"
Venerable Zangling said, "Does your fate even need telling? You are destined to suffer a fatal disaster. Who told you to carry
the will ? Once your whereabouts are revealed, I'm afraid there will be a vengeful spirit chasing after you." "The evil spirits have followed!" Jin Shiyi sneered. "You want to chase my soul
? To take my life? Very well, very well! I'm tired of living, why don't you come and try?" Cangling Shangren said, "I
am not an evil spirit, I am someone who will help you get rid of disasters. Not only can I help you turn bad luck into good, but I can also make you the patriarch of a
sect, a martial arts grandmaster that no one in history can match. Whether it brings misfortune or fortune, it all depends on you." Jin Shiyi had already guessed
what , but he didn't expect that after hearing these strange and bizarre words, Jin Shiyi only guessed half of what he was going to say, and the other half was still a mystery to
him.
Jin Shiyi knew that in recent years, several extremely powerful demons from evil sects had been secretly tracking him. It turned out that
the distinction between based on judgment of behavior, but in the cultivation of internal energy, the paths set by the two sects were also very different.
The internal energy of the righteous sects emphasized purity and peace, and the deeper the internal energy, the greater the benefit to oneself. The internal energy cultivation techniques of unorthodox schools emphasize ferocity and
ruthlessness
. "Cruel" means that a single movement can cripple or maim; "ruthless" means that harm is inflicted silently and without warning, like a ghost possessing the victim, from which there is no escape. Therefore, unorthodox internal energy cultivation is often easier to master than orthodox internal energy cultivation. However, the more profound the cultivation, the more harmful it becomes,
with "qi deviation" being one such consequence. Jin Shiyi originally practiced unorthodox internal energy cultivation. Fortunately, when he was about to "
go astray ," Tang Xiaolan saved him with orthodox internal energy cultivation from the Tianshan Mountains and gave him five Biling Pills. At that time
, he was unconscious at the foot of Mount Everest. After waking up, although he knew that Tang Xiaolan had saved him, he was unaware that he had taken five
Biling Pills. Therefore, in the past few years, he not only has not noticed any signs of "qi deviation" again, but also feels that his internal energy is becoming more refined
day by day , which even he finds somewhat strange.
However, those extremely powerful evil sect leaders were unaware of the cause and effect. They had learned that the Poison Dragon Venerable had
left Jin Shiyi a "Poison Dragon Manual," which contained a method to counteract the calamities left by the evil sect's internal energy cultivation. These calamities could be fatal or,
at worst, crippling—the greatest fear of every member of an evil sect who had reached a high level of internal energy cultivation. Their pursuit of
Jin Shiyi was solely for this "Poison Dragon Manual." Little did they know that even the Poison Dragon Venerable had died from "qi deviation,"
and while the martial arts contained in the "Poison Dragon Manual" were extremely powerful, they lacked a method to counteract these calamities.
Jin Shiyi assumed that the Hidden Spirit Master was one of the powerful evil sect leaders secretly tracking him, but unexpectedly, the Hidden Spirit Master offered to help him become
a grandmaster of a sect. This greatly surprised him.
Master Zangling glanced at him and said, "You don't believe me? Let me ask you, throughout history,
who has achieved the highest level of martial arts without being from a prestigious or righteous sect?" Jin Shiyi burst into laughter. Master Zangling said, "I know what you're laughing at. Do you think I'm
talking about your master, Venerable Poison Dragon? If I were talking about your master, you wouldn't need my help." Jin Shiyi
snorted said arrogantly, "If not my master, then who?" Master Zangling said, "Although your master's martial arts are powerful, he
can at most eliminate the harm left by evil internal energy. Can he truly integrate the righteous and evil schools, cultivating an internal energy that is neither righteous nor evil,
yet surpasses both?" Jin Shiyi sneered. He said, "If one cultivates to this level, one will be transcendent and saintly,
surpassing any martial arts master throughout history!" Venerable Zangling said, "That's right, I want you to become such a grandmaster, unmatched
throughout history ! I know of such a person; would you like to go with me to become his disciple?"
Jin Shiyi sneered, "You agree to a regular duel with him. If he can withstand my three hundred canes, I'll willingly become his disciple!"
Venerable Zangling laughed, "You want to hit him three hundred times with canes? But unfortunately, he's been dead for nearly three hundred years!" Jin Shiyi angrily
said, "You traveled all the way from Tibet just to play this joke?" Venerable Zangling said, "No, no, this is
absolutely "Just kidding. Have you heard of Qiao Beiming? He lived during the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty. He was the leader of an evil sect at the time,
and even Huo Tiandu, the master of the founder of the Tianshan Sect, Master Huiming, was defeated by him. His strange deeds and eccentricities, though from a distant era,
are still talked about today!" Jin Shiyi said, "He once opposed the disciple of the great hero Zhang Danfeng, causing a huge uproar.
Later, was attacked by all the righteous sects of the martial arts world and finally died by Zhang Danfeng's sword. Huo Tiandu was the founder of the Tianshan Sect's swordsmanship, and it
was Master Huiming who formally established the sect. As for Qiao Beiming's martial arts, they have long been lost. Do you want me to take a dead man as my master?
To be honest , even if Qiao Beiming were to come back to life, I wouldn't admire him!"
Cang Ling said. The man said, “You only know one side of the story. Qiao Beiming didn’t die by Zhang Danfeng’s sword; he was only
seriously injured and later escaped to a small island in the East China Sea. Whether you admire him or not, his unparalleled martial arts, which combines the best of both righteous and evil schools,
are of great benefit to you, to me, and to everyone who doesn’t come from the righteous path!” The “
people who don’t come from the righteous path” that the Venerable Cangling mentioned actually referred to members of the evil sects. Jin Shiyi’s heart stirred upon hearing this, and he couldn’t help but ask, “How do you know he later
escaped to the island? It happened three hundred years ago; how can you be so certain?”
The Venerable Cangling said, “Later, a sea traveler encountered a storm at sea and drifted to that island. At that time, Qiao Beiming had already passed away…”
At the age of one hundred, knowing his death was near, he made a thick wooden coffin filled with the finest spices to ensure his immortality after death.
Why did he value this wretched body so much? Jin Shiyi said, “Because he had lived on this deserted island for too long,
his longing for his homeland was extremely strong.” This was precisely the feeling he had experienced when he lived on Snake Island with the Venerable Poison Dragon as a child, understanding
his master's feelings. The Hidden Spirit Master said, “Indeed, unable to return to the Central Plains in life, he hoped to return even in death.
At that time he had already combined the internal energy of both the righteous and evil schools, unmatched throughout history, but unfortunately, he had no successor.
Limited by the natural lifespan of a human, he was already old and frail, knowing he could no longer cross the ocean to return to the Central Plains. Therefore, he made a vow: whoever
could transport his coffin back to the Central Plains for burial would be his disciple in a future life and would receive his unparalleled martial arts.” Unfortunately, the merchant was
a businessman who knew nothing about martial arts and had no intention of learning them. However, he lived with Qiao Beiming on the island for three months, listening to Qiao
Beiming talk about strange tales and unusual events in the martial arts world, as well as several unsolvable problems in martial arts since ancient times, such as the insurmountable harm
left by . According to Qiao Beiming, he had solved these major problems in martial arts. The
merchant listened to him with great interest and remembered much of what he said, but this only meant that he had memorized the words, not
that he had understood the mysteries. Jin Shiyi listened to him as his story became more and more fantastical, but judging from his expression, he did not seem to be
talking nonsense .
Jin Shiyi was half-convinced and asked, "What happened to the merchant after that?" Master Cangling said, "Qiao Beiming helped him cut wood and build a raft.
The following spring, when the monsoon winds came, he returned to his country. " Jin Shiyi sneered, “Your story is well-crafted, but unfortunately, it has
finally revealed a flaw.” Cangling Shangren asked, “What flaw?” Jin Shiyi replied, “If the seafarer
had sunk en route back to China, the secret would have been lost forever. Even if he were incredibly lucky and his raft managed to cross the sea and return to China, that would have been
only a few decades after Qiao Beiming’s disappearance. If he had revealed his experiences on the island, the martial arts world would have been drawn to him. How could it be that over
three hundred years later, no one still knew?”
Cangling Shangren said, “You’re right. But this seafarer never returned to China; he drifted to the Persian Gulf
. Later, he married and had children in Persia, and his descendants became Persians and never returned home.” Jin Shiyi asked,
“If that’s the case, how do you know?” Master Zangling said, “Thirty years ago, I was invited by the King of Nepal to attend
the Great Assembly of the Buddha. During the assembly, I met a Persian warrior. After the assembly, we traveled through Afghanistan and stopped in Persia for a
visit. As fate would have it, in Persia I met the descendant of this seafarer. His family had long forgotten Chinese,
and couldn't read or write Chinese characters.” Jin Shiyi said, “He can't even speak Chinese anymore, yet he still remembers that his ancestor once met a man named Qiao Beiming on
a deserted island?”
Master Zangling said, “That seafarer wrote a nautical log, and later added his experience on the deserted
island . His descendant met me in Persia and was very happy to hear that I came from China.” Jin Shiyi said,
“So, he mentioned that his ancestor was also Chinese and showed you his ancestor's nautical log?” Master Zangling
said, “You guessed right. Now you believe me, right?” Jin Shiyi said, “So
what ?” "Master Cangling said, 'Since Qiao Beiming left a promise that whoever could transport his coffin back to the Central Plains would be his
disciple from another life, then his coffin must contain a secret, most likely the culmination of a lifetime of research, written
down and left inside. Otherwise, how could he pass it on to his disciples after his death?'
Jin Shiyi sneered, 'Since you know this secret, why don't you go find it yourself instead of sharing it with me?
What relationship do we have?' Master Cangling said, 'There are three reasons why I want to partner with you. First, I cannot sail, while you
grew up on Snake Island in the East China Sea; second, you know that my internal energy cultivation is not done through proper means, and there are already signs that I
could suffer a qi deviation at any time within the next three years. Since you were able to avoid this calamity, your master's last words must
contain a method of salvation. I dare not borrow the book from you, but I hope you can guide me to escape this calamity.'" Otherwise, perhaps I would have
been in my own coffin before I even found Qiao Beiming's.”
Jin Shiyi said, “How did you know there was a will left for me?” Cangling Shangren said, “To tell you the truth, it was Dong Taiqing who
told me before he died.”
Jin Shiyi suddenly realized and laughed, “So you were helping Hao Haochang because you wanted to know about Dong Taiqing’s life and death.” Cangling
Shangren said, “If it weren’t for that, would I really want to go against a woman like Yang Liuqing? Dong Taiqing told me before he died that
he found a will of his master on Snake Island and later gave it to you. According to him, the ‘Poison Dragon Manual’ contains the martial arts created by his master throughout his life
, and the will he gave you is the secret method to break the demonic possession.” Jin Shiyi
chuckled . It turned out that what Dong Taiqing had found on Snake Island was merely his master's diary. The most important page predicted
the island's volcano would erupt about ten years after his death and included a method to avert this calamity. It didn't touch upon
the mysteries of martial arts at all. Moreover, the diary wasn't given to him by Dong Taiqing himself; Feng Lin had snatched it from him and later
gave it to Tang Xiaolan. Tang Xiaolan met Jin Shiyi in the Himalayas and returned it to him. Dong Taiqing's lie to his
fellow was likely an attempt to incite several powerful figures from evil sects against him. Jin Shiyi, having seen through the deception, didn't expose
Dong Taiqing's lie but instead coldly laughed at Cangling Shangren: "So that's what you were planning. If Dong Taiqing hadn't died,
you probably would have sought him
out ." He paused, then continued, "Jin Shiyi, why are you so suspicious? This deal benefits both of us. You help me
overcome the calamity of 'qi deviation,' and I'll help you uncover the secrets within Qiao Beiming's coffin. Perhaps you can even become
a martial arts master unmatched throughout history!"
Jin Shiyi laughed heartily, "Thank you for your kindness. In that case, I'll benefit more than you." Cangling Shangren said,
"Isn't that right?" Jin Shiyi said, "You've given two reasons. What's the third?" Cangling Shangren said, "If the two of us
join forces , who in the world can stand against us? That's the third reason I'm seeking your partnership." Jin Shiyi said, "So you're afraid someone
will find out and want me to be your accomplice." Cangling Shangren said, "Don't forget, there are currently several powerful demons secretly
tracking you. Your desire for me to be your accomplice is more urgent than your desire for me to be your accomplice."
Jin Shiyi laughed again. Cangling Shangren said, "Hey, what's your intention?" Jin Shiyi said, "You've been so
kind to me, how could I refuse? Alright, I'll help you overcome the danger of qi deviation right now!" Cangling Shangren was overjoyed and
asked , "Is there any secret technique you'll teach me?" Jin Shiyi said, "No need, just kneel down." Cangling Shangren said, "What for?"
Jin Shiyi said, "I'm going to spank you three times!" Cangling Shangren was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage. Before he could react,
Jin Shiyi said, "Cangling Shangren, why are you so suspicious? You don't know the mysteries of my master's martial arts. These three spanks
will open up all your acupoints, allowing your true qi to flow from your tailbone to your head, dispelling all the hidden dangers within you!" Cangling Shangren
was half-convinced and said, "You're not joking, are you?" Jin Shiyi said, "If you don't believe me, then forget it." Cangling Shangren had no choice
but to kneel down and let him spank him three times.
Jin Shiyi picked up his cane and slapped him three times on the buttocks, then suddenly laughed, "I was
really just
, enraged, leaped up and swiftly produced a large bronze cymbal. The two cymbals clashed, creating a deafening roar, and he
immediately unleashed a "Double Wind Piercing the Ears" attack on Jin Shiyi. Jin Shiyi jumped away, shouting, "Aren't you going to team up with me anymore?" The Venerable Cangling
angrily retorted, "Outrageous! I have a heart of compassion, yet you've mocked me!" Jin Shiyi sneered, "If you have
the heart of a Bodhisattva, then I am the merciful Buddha. I slapped your butt three times without killing you. Isn't that
merciful ? Hmph, hmph, I, Jin Shiyi, am a loner. Why would I associate with a villain like you!"
The Venerable Cangling was enraged, his cymbals swirling and flying as he attacked fiercely. Seeing the Venerable's powerful and unpredictable attacks, Jin Shiyi
dared not underestimate him. After dodging three of his blows, Jin Shiyi shouted, "I slapped your butt three times and spared you three moves!" "
If you hit me again, I won't hold back!" The Venerable Cangling clashed his two cymbals, creating a deafening roar, and pressed down
on . Jin Shiyi said, "Although you have done nothing wrong, your face is repulsive, and the sound of your cymbals is especially annoying!" He raised his iron crutch
and struck it heavily. The clanging of metal echoed through the mountains, making eardrums feel like they were about to burst. The Venerable Cangling took several steps back, then suddenly leaped into the air,
his two cymbals spreading out a cold light covering an area of several feet, completely enveloping Jin Shiyi. Jin Shiyi sneered, "You..." " Are you really going to fight me
to the death?" He pulled out his iron crutch and then drew an iron
sword
. With his left hand wielding the crutch and his right hand wielding the sword, he launched a fierce attack that shook the mountains and the stars and moon. In a short while, the sound of Cangling Shangren's cymbals gradually became hoarse, and the cold light of his cymbals was shattered and scattered. Jin Shiyi suddenly shouted and raised his iron crutch. With a move called "Five Ding Opening the Mountain," he struck the cymbals heavily, which immediately produced an extremely unpleasant
loud noise . Cangling Shangren's pair of bronze cymbals were shattered into four pieces, and blood flowed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth!
The Venerable Zangling was truly remarkable. Despite his internal injuries, he could still move with incredible speed, cursing as he fled: "Jin Shiyi, you unreasonable
monster! You're about to die, yet you don't even realize it! I don't need to avenge you myself; when your enemies arrive, they'll turn you
to dust!" Jin Shiyi laughed heartily: "Stay alive and see! If you get angry again, you'll be
reporting , before you can even see me reduced to ashes!"
The Venerable Zangling indeed dared not curse any further and vanished in the blink of an eye. Jin Shiyi laughed wildly for a while, then suddenly remembered
the martial arts secret the Venerable Zangling had spoken of. His heart pounded, and he hurriedly chased after him down the mountain. Indeed: Where can one find unparalleled martial arts? Behold,
the East Sea is once again ablaze with waves.
To find out what happens next, please turn to the next chapter. (From

Liang Yusheng's *The Jade Bow
and the Cloud Sea*, Chapter 5)

Jiangnan walked through the woods for half the night, but could not find Jin Shiyi anywhere. The last stars flickered, and
dawn was breaking in the eastern sky. Zou Jiangxia said, "If Jin Shiyi wanted to see you, he should have come long ago. It's almost daylight. Let's go back." Jiangnan,
still undeterred, said, "Perhaps Master Jin is testing my sincerity? Let's wait a little longer. If he still hasn't appeared by daybreak, I
'll go back with you."
Zou Jiangxia said, "Oh, you're really a bit silly!" Jiangnan chuckled, "If you're afraid your mother will scold you, then
go back first."
Zou Jiangxia pouted and said, "If I leave you here alone, who knows what trouble you'll cause? I have no choice
but to stay with you a little longer. Come on, let's go find your Jin Shiyi!" Jiangnan laughed, "My dear sister, I knew you would
stay with me, just as I knew Master Jin would see me!" Zou Jiangxia blushed and feigned annoyance, saying, "Don't be shy, who
's your dear sister?"
Jiangnan stuck out his tongue, about to joke with her, when suddenly someone patted his shoulder. Jiangnan was overjoyed and exclaimed:
“Master Jin, you really came! Thank you so much… thank you…” Turning around, before she could finish her words of thanks, she was suddenly
startled and screamed, “My God! Who… who are you?”
This person was no Jin Shiyi at all. His face was covered in blood, and blood was still flowing from his eyes and nose. After a while, Jiangnan
recognized him as the red-robed Tibetan monk.
In that instant, Zou Jiangxia was also stunned with fear. As she drew her sword, the red-robed monk had already firmly grasped Jiang Nan
's collarbone and shouted in a deep voice, "Put your sword away! If you dare to move, I'll take his life!"
Jiang Nan couldn't move and cried out, "Hey, I didn't offend you! I don't dare to fight you, can I
just ?" Venerable Cangling paused for a moment and said, "No!" Jiang Nan said, "Although I defeated your good friend just now,
it was actually Jin Shiyi who helped me. You can't seek revenge on me. According to the rules of the martial world, you should seek revenge on Jin Shiyi." Venerable Cangling
's anger flared up, and he shouted, "Who's talking to you?" "The rules of the martial world? If you say another word, I'll crush your collarbones and gouge out your
eyes!"
Jiang Nan was terrified. Zou Jiangxia, regaining her composure, said, "Master Cangling, I've heard my father say you're
one of the most renowned martial arts masters of our time. Why are you making things difficult for a junior?" Master Cangling said, "Since you know my identity, you should listen to me
!" Jiang Nan asked, "What do you want?" Master Cangling said, "Follow me!" He dragged Jiang Nan into a nearby cave.
Zou Jiangxia followed closely behind, gripping her sword hilt tightly. Master Cangling was panting heavily, seemingly suffering from severe
internal injuries.
Inside the cave, it was already broad daylight. A few rays of light pierced the gloomy cave, illuminating Master Cangling's ferocious
face , making him appear even more menacing! He took a few breaths and suddenly raised his voice, saying, "Take out the Jade Spirit Pill!" Jiang Nan
was taken aback and asked, "What?" Venerable Cang Ling said, "You dare to play dumb? The
bottle contained the Jade Spirit Pill, didn't it?"
Jiang Nan said, "Oh dear, I can't give you this Jade Spirit Pill!" The Venerable Cangling clenched his fists, furious, and said, "Give me
the pill , or I'll give you my life! Which do you want?" Jiang Nan, gripped tightly by the Venerable Cangling's hand, was in so much pain that cold sweat poured down his face. Suddenly, he shouted,
"If you force me any further, I'll smash this bottle! The Jade Spirit Pill will dissolve in the wind. Even if you kill me, he won't get the pill!" It turned out that
he still had one hand that could move, and while the Venerable Cangling was speaking, he had already secretly slipped the small silver bottle into his hand.
The Venerable Cangling was startled, not expecting Jiang Nan to dare threaten him with death. He was now at a loss, though he glared fiercely at
Jiang Nan, his grip involuntarily loosened slightly.
Jiang Nan said, "I'm taking this elixir to save my sworn sister-in-law's life. Now I can see that you're also
seriously injured and desperately need the elixir to survive. If you weren't so fierce towards me, we could talk."
Master Zangling said, "Give me the Jade Elixir, and I will pass on all my skills to you." Jiang Nan said, "I don't care about your
martial arts." Master Zangling said, "Then what do you want?"
Jiang Nan said, "I don't want anything. I pity you!" Master Zangling was greatly surprised and said, "You pity me?"
Jiang Nan said, "I heard you are the number one master in Tibet, yet you were injured like this and will die alone in a foreign land. Only I,
Jiang Nan, will come to bury you. Isn't that pitiful enough?" Jiang Nan did indeed have feelings of pity for him, and his words were particularly
mournful.
Master Zangling cried out, "Stop talking!" Jiangnan said, "No, listen to me. I pity you, so I really want to
save your life." Master Zangling said, "Since that's the case, why say any more? Just hand over the silver bottle." Jiangnan said:
"No, you still have to listen to me..." Venerable Cangling cried out, "Alright, speak, speak!" Jiang Nan said, "You're
scaring me with your loud voice, I can't say anything now." Venerable Cangling was both amused and exasperated, and lowered his voice, saying, "My dear young master,
speak ."
Jiang Nan said, "I heard Master Tang say that no matter how severe the internal injury, unless it's due to a qi deviation, three
Biling Pills can save the life. My sworn sister-in-law has profound internal strength, two Biling Pills should be enough. Your internal strength
is much higher than my sworn sister-in-law's, one Biling Pill should be enough to save your life." Venerable Cangling said, "Alright, one is better than
nothing. Give me the bottle, I'll only take one." Jiang Nan said, "You were too fierce to me just now, I don't trust you. Sister Xia,
come and take this bottle, take out one pill, and put it into his mouth immediately." Venerable Cangling secretly plotted that when they
handed over the bottle, he would seize the opportunity to snatch the bottle first and then kill them.
Zou Jiangxia walked to Jiang Nan's side, about to reach for the bottle, when suddenly a piercing scream
came . Zou Jiangxia felt the scream was extremely unpleasant and piercing to the ear! Jiang Nan, however, recognized the voice as someone calling for the Tibetan Master Zangling in Tibetan.
The voice wasn't Jin Shiyi's, but the superior internal skill of transmitting sound was no less than Jin Shiyi's. The Tibetan Master Zangling's eyes
snapped open , revealing boundless terror, and he suddenly shouted, "I'll take your life!" He immediately reached for Jiang Nan!
Jiang Nan, noticing his unusual expression, had been secretly on guard. Taking advantage of Jiang Nan's slight distraction due to the call from outside, he suddenly hunched his shoulders and lowered his waist, escaping the Tibetan Master Zangling's grasp. He rolled on the ground, and the Tibetan Master Zangling, unable to catch him, cracked a rock
with a snap . Master Cangling shouted, "You little brat, where do you think you're going? Humph, humph! Where do you think you're going?" His hands flailed wildly , and Jiang Nan, terrified, cowered in a corner. Strangely, Master Cangling seemed not to see him. It turned out that Master Cangling had been severely injured by Jin Shiyi's powerful internal energy; blood was flowing from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, and his eyeballs had ruptured , rendering him blind. Coupled with the strange cry from outside, it was the voice of the person he had been wary of for years. With his martial arts gone, the sudden sound drove him mad, unleashing his ferocity. Suddenly, a loud "bang" was heard as Master Cangling crashed into the stone wall and fell to the ground, screaming, "You brat, you dare to take my life!" His cry was shrill, like the howl of a wounded wild beast. Jiang Nan was both frightened and bewildered, thinking, "I wanted to save your life, so why do you say I wanted to take yours?" But he was utterly terrified of Master Cangling's ferocious appearance, too frightened to utter a sound. The cries of the Venerable Zangling grew weaker and weaker. He struggled and rolled on the ground, tearing his robes . After a while, the cries stopped, and the Venerable Zangling lay motionless on the ground. Zou Jiangxia, having regained her composure, rested for a moment and whispered in Jiang Nan's ear, "Is he dead?" Jiang Nan , called out, "Venerable Zangling," but received no response. He called again, still no response. Jiang Nan sighed and said, "Ah, he really is dead." Zou Jiangxia said, "I'm terrified. Let's leave this cave quickly and go home." Jiang Nan said, "No, I promised to bury him. A gentleman cannot break his promise!" He tiptoed to the Venerable Zangling's side, checked his breath, and felt that it was ice-cold to the touch. This foremost master of Tibet had indeed passed away. Jiang Nan turned his head...? Suddenly, Jiang Nan heard Zou Jiangxia exclaim, "Hey, what's this?" Looking over, Jiang Nan saw Zou Jiangxia picking up a scroll from the ground. Opening it, he saw a painting. Looking closer in the light, he saw a solitary island in the sea, with a volcano on it, its crater spewing thick smoke. Zou Jiangxia said, "Hey, can mountains spew fire?" Jiang Nan replied, "Yes, yes, I've seen fire-breathing mountains in Turpan. Haven't you read Journey to the West? Sun Wukong borrowed Princess Iron Fan's banana leaf fan and managed to extinguish the eight-hundred-mile-long Flaming Mountain." Zou Jiangxia said, "That's idle reading; my parents don't allow it." Jiang Nan said, "You're so silly. Idle reading is more interesting. You can read it secretly." Zou Jiangxia said, "Let's look at this painting instead. What does this person with a bow and arrow mean?" In the painting, a person dressed in Ming Dynasty attire , holding a large bow, stood at the foot of the volcano, drawing the bow and nocking an arrow, ready to shoot but not yet. Jiang Nan said, "I don't know either. Maybe he hates this volcano and wants to shoot an arrow at it." Zou Jiangxia said, "Nonsense. Hmm, this is an ancient painting." Jiang Nan said, "I didn't expect this Tibetan monk to be so cultured, carrying an ancient painting with him. I heard my sworn brother say that if an ancient painting is by a famous artist, it's a very valuable item. We can't take it without permission; let this painting be buried with him ." Zou Jiangxia looked at it and said, "It's not that ancient. The paper has been smoked. My maternal grandfather , about three hundred years old." Jiang Nan said, "Whether it's ancient or not, it's something from the Venerable Zangling's person, so it carries bad luck. I don't want it." Zou Jiangxia said, "I don't want it either, but this painting is too extraordinary."

"A giant is drawing his bow and arrow, about to shoot a volcano. What does this mean? I won't feel comfortable if I don't understand." Jiang Nan said,
"Now that you've said that, my curiosity has been piqued too. Alright, let me take this back to my sworn brother. He's
very and has many books and paintings; perhaps he can understand it. He can tell me, and then I'll tell you." After saying this, he muttered to himself,
"Master Cangling, Master Cangling, I'll dig a hole for you to bury, and I'll take this day as payment. I don't think you'll be reluctant to part with it."
Zou Jiangxia chuckled and said, "Be careful, be careful. Maybe he'll curse you from the afterlife. Bah, Jiang Nan
, why are you always so silly, talking nonsense? Quickly bury him, let's go home! In this gloomy cave,
facing a dead body... I wonder how you feel? I'm really a little scared!"
Jiang Nan said, "I'm scared too! Oh, help me dig the hole." The two men unsheathed their swords and were digging when they suddenly heard a strange howling
sound again, growing closer and closer. From behind the ravine, a voice rang out: "Master Zangling must have been murdered
! Look at all the blood flowing down this path!" Another said, "I wonder if his painting was taken? Hmph, whoever it was
, the three of us will skin him alive!" The two men were speaking Tibetan, which Zou Jiangxia didn't understand at all,
but she found the voice extremely grating and unpleasant.
Jiang Nan, having grown up in Tibet, heard these words clearly. A jolt went through him; he thought, "This is bad! This is bad! These
men are so vicious. If they find me, they'll probably skin me alive before I can even explain myself." He quickly
shushed Zou Jiangxia, telling her not to speak loudly, and the two of them together pushed a large rock to the edge of the cave.
After a while, the footsteps grew closer and then stopped. Jiang Nan peeked out from the crevice and saw three
strangely shaped people approaching. One was tall and thin, dressed in Tibetan clothing, with long red hair and upturned nose. Another was burly, seemingly
a herdsman from Xinjiang, with hands and feet much longer than normal, walking with a swaying gait, his fingers reaching past his knees. The third was a withered
and thin old woman, with a string of earrings hanging from both ears, jingling, and also dressed in Tibetan clothing. The three people walked to the front of
the cave , looking around. The red-haired Tibetan said, "Hey, where did the Tibetan Master go?" The long-armed Japanese man
said, "Look, the bloodstains stop at the mountainside. Did he climb up the mountain?" The old woman snorted and suddenly
said , "He's right here. How come you can't smell it?"
Jiang Nan was startled, thinking, "This old hag has a very keen nose!" He then heard the old woman say, "I can smell the scent of the Tibetan Master Zangling ;
he must be hiding nearby." The red-haired Tibetan shouted in Tibetan, "Tibetan Master Zangling, we
mean no harm, please come and see us!" He called several times, but there was no response. The long-limbed Hui man said, "Huh,
there are no , where is he hiding?"
The old woman cried out, "Tibetan Master Zangling, if you don't come out soon, we'll be in big trouble!" Turning to the two men,
she said , "He must be hiding in a crevice in the rocks; let's pull him out!" With a swift movement, a rock she grasped
cracked open. Jiang Nan was shocked, thinking, "If she had scratched me with her ghostly claws, what would have happened?" "But then he felt Zou Jiangxia close to
him, her body slightly bowed. Jiang Nan reached out and tightly grasped her hand, whispering to comfort her, 'Don't be afraid. With them making such a fuss,
Master Jin will definitely come.' Zou Jiangxia's palms were sweaty, and she softly 'humphed,' saying, 'By the time your Master Jin arrives, we'll already be in
their hands.'
The long-armed Hui man said, 'Alright, let's all make our move!' He raised his hand and unleashed a palm strike, and with
a loud 'boom,' a boulder rolled down. The red-haired Tibetan man said, 'It's not here!' He struck out with his palm, making another
large boulder teeter on the verge of collapse. The Hui man added another palm strike, and with a deafening roar, a large rock
was uprooted and flew down, shaking Jiang Nan and Zou Jiangxia so much that they almost lost their footing.
The Hui man shouted, 'Are you seriously injured? Speak up quickly, lest we delay you!' The old woman said, 'Oh, I can still
smell the scent of living people.'" Could it be that he was being held hostage by someone after being injured? Suddenly, he switched to Chinese and shouted, "Jin Shiyi,
come out if you dare!" The three of them all had the same thought: besides Jin Shiyi, there was probably no one else who could have injured the Hidden Spirit Master,
so they all shouted and cursed, trying to provoke Jin Shiyi out.
Jiang Nan secretly prayed, hoping that Jin Shiyi would hear their curses, and whispered, "The more you curse, the better!" The
three demons cursed for a while, but received no response.
They chattered amongst themselves for a bit, then unleashed their aerial palm strikes again. A deafening boom echoed, sending rocks raining down from the hillside!
Jiang Nan was terrified when suddenly a powerful force pushed against the boulder facing the cave entrance, causing it to shake. Jiang Nan cried out,
"Oh no!" and dragged Zou Jiangxia down with him. Just as they dodged to the side, a deafening crash followed as the boulder, shaken by
their aerial palm strikes, toppled over and rolled into the cave, crushing the body of the Hidden Spirit Master. The old woman laughed loudly, "
Here they are! Here they are! Hidden Spirit Master, aren't you coming out?"
Jiang Nan and Zou Jiangxia were terrified. The three demons approached step by step. The old woman, with sharp eyes, immediately
noticed that the people hiding in the cave were actually a young boy and girl. She was greatly surprised and shouted, "
Who are you?" Before she could finish speaking, the old woman suddenly leaped up, jumping more than ten feet into the air. She cried out, "Don't be so cunning, Jin Shiyi! You're hiding
in the cave plotting against us! What kind of hero are you?" Jiang Nan was overjoyed, and even Zou Jiangxia thought it was Jin Shiyi. In that
instant, the words "Great Hero Jin" were still on Jiang Nan's tongue, not yet uttered, when suddenly a string of silvery laughter
drifted down from the mountain. Immediately afterward, a delicate voice scolded, "Are you all blind? I'm clearly right here! Who's hiding in the cave
plotting against you?" Jiangnan
was utterly astonished. It wasn't Jin Shiyi who had arrived, but a young girl. This girl stood
on a rock on the opposite hillside, her clothes fluttering as if she were about to descend on the wind.
The three demons were even more horrified than Jiangnan. They all possessed extremely powerful martial arts skills, and their senses
were ten or even a hundred times sharper than ordinary people. Yet, they couldn't see how this woman had arrived. The long-limbed Hui man roared angrily, flicking his wrist
, and an arrow-shaped object flew out swiftly. It turned out this was the withered branch the girl had secretly shot at him earlier, which he
caught and used to strike back. The red-haired Tibetan and the old woman followed immediately with a powerful palm strike. A gust of wind arose, sand and
stones flew everywhere, and the girl in green and yellow robes leaped down amidst the flying sand and stones. The three demons couldn't stop her;
in the blink of an eye, she had reached the front of the cave.
The young girl's eyes darted around, her sharp gaze sweeping over the three demons. She smiled and said, "You want to make a move
? I'll gladly oblige!" The red-haired Tibetan was startled and asked, "Who is your master? Did you come here specifically to
oppose us?"
The girl replied, "Kunlun Sanren, I advise you three to go back. Have you forgotten
the vow you made thirty years ago with a martial arts senior? Granny Sangmu, at your age, why bother coming to the Central Plains to cause trouble? And you, Jin Ri?? With your
own cultivation, you could easily establish your own sect. Why covet the martial arts in someone else's coffin?"
The three demons were greatly surprised. It turned out that the red-haired Tibetan was named Kunlun Sanren. Thirty years ago, he came to the Central Plains to stir
up trouble , fought Lü Siniang, and was defeated. Lü Siniang forced him to swear an oath never to cross
the southern side of Kunlun Mountain in his lifetime. He had only dared to come because he heard that Lü Siniang had died two years ago. The old woman was called Granny Sangmu. She had a younger sister
named Sang Qingniang, the wife of Elder Yun Lingzi of the Lingshan Sect. She had originally invited Yun Lingzi and his wife to come along,
but they were currently in seclusion practicing a powerful martial art, so she opted to join forces with them instead. As for the long-limbed Hui man, his name was
Jin Ri?? He was exceptionally talented, having practiced martial arts from various schools in the Western Regions, and was indeed qualified to create his own unique style.
Kunlun Sanren opened his eyes wide and asked, "What is your relationship to Lü Siniang?" The young woman replied, "How dare
you call my master's name like that!" Granny Sangmu laughed loudly, "I have never heard of Lü Siniang taking any disciples. Do you think you
can ? Humph! Even if Lü Siniang were to be resurrected, I would not be afraid!"
It was common knowledge in the martial arts world that Lü Siniang had never taken any disciples, which explained Granny Sangmu's disbelief. However, Kunlun Sanren secretly became suspicious, thinking to himself, "How does she
know the vow I made to Lü Siniang thirty years ago? Could she really be Lü Siniang's last disciple?"
Among the three demons, Jin Rihui was the youngest and the most arrogant. He had long heard that Lü Siniang and Mao Chuansheng were
martial arts , and often lamented that he had never had the chance to meet them and witness their martial arts skills, and that they were both dead. Now, hearing this green-clad
girl claim to be Lü Siniang's disciple, Kunlun Sanren's face showed surprise and doubt. Unable to contain himself, he
glanced at and said to Kunlun Sanren, "You must recognize Lü Siniang's martial arts style. I'll test her on you!"
Before he finished speaking, a "bang" was heard, and a bolt of lightning suddenly flew from his hand. Jiang Nan, hiding in the cave, was
startled by the light and muttered, "What kind of sorcery is this? Could it be the Palm Lightning Technique?" Just as the thought crossed his mind, he saw
the girl fly into the air, transforming into a streak of emerald light along with her sword. Before Jiang Nan could see clearly, he heard a dense,
intricate sound, like percussion instruments. Jin Ri? shouted "Good!" and flipped his hand, producing another "bang,"
sending sand and gravel flying into the cave.
Jiang Nan rubbed his eyes. After watching for a while, he could finally see clearly. It was Jin Ri? He held an extremely strange
weapon , a grotesque club made of some unknown metal. When swung, it emitted flashes of red, white, and yellow light, and the "bang bang"
sounds were from the force of his palm strikes. Because his attacks were so fast, to onlookers it sounded like thunder!
Jin Ri? He was proficient in the martial arts of various schools in the Western Regions, and had mastered the "Thunder and Lightning Club Technique." He had long yearned to compete
in the Central , but on his first visit, he encountered this young girl. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged twenty or thirty blows, yet he couldn't gain
the slightest advantage. He was secretly astonished, fearing he would lose face in front of his companions. He had initially only intended to test the girl's
martial arts , and hadn't yet unleashed his full power. Now, he dared not treat it as a mere test. His tactics changed abruptly; with a sudden shout, he unleashed the move "Thunder
Mother Reflecting in the Mirror," the strange club flashing with lightning. With a series of thunderous cracks, the tip of the staff struck the girl's "Xuanji" acupoint on her chest.
Jiang Nan couldn't discern the strangeness of the staff technique, but its sheer force terrified him.
Suddenly, Zou Jiangxia cried out, "Look! Look! Wonderful! Wonderful!" The girl brandished her longsword, and the sounds of wind and thunder
instantly ceased. The girl's longsword, clashing with the strange staff, twisted a few times, then the hilt flipped, and a golden sun suddenly shone. She
staggered back a few steps, her sword flashing. The sword and staff clashed again, producing another cacophony of metal and jade, making everyone's eardrums
ring. Kunlun Sanren watched with increasing astonishment. The girl was using Lü Siniang's "Mysterious Maiden Sword Technique," its variations exquisite and
its power profound. It seemed she had fully received Lü Siniang's teachings. He thought to himself, "If I give her another ten years, won't another
'Lü Siniang' appear? Where will I ever have a chance to rise?" "Kunlun Sanren, realizing this, was suddenly filled with murderous intent. Disregarding his status as a
martial arts master, he leaped forward, his hand flashing as he struck down at the girl's head. Kunlun Sanren practiced
the 'Great Handprint' technique of the Tibetan Red Sect,
far This sudden attack, which he expected to be fatal, was met with a surprising turn of events. The girl, as if she had eyes in the back of her head, swiftly executed a 'Phoenix
Nod,' striking back with her sword. A shimmering emerald light met Kunlun Sanren's palm. Kunlun Sanren recognized it as the sword
used by Lü Siniang in her lifetime." The "Frostflower Sword" possessed the power to cut through gold and jade. Kunlun Sanren wasn't afraid of the sword alone, but the girl
wielding it with authentic internal energy was the nemesis of "physical martial arts" like the Golden Bell Cover and Iron Shirt. How could Kunlun Sanren dare risk
trying ? He hurriedly withdrew his large handprint, but with a "boom," the large rock blocking the cave entrance,
shaken by his palm force, rolled more than ten feet further in, completely opening the cave entrance. Jiang Nan tightly gripped Zou Jiangxia's
hand ; both their palms were constantly sweating, cold and damp. But Jiang Nan's heart... It was a warm place, and he no longer felt
as afraid as before. Just then, several loud bangs were heard, and several fist-sized pebbles were
sent flying into the cave by the Kunlun Hermit's palm strike, hitting the stone wall behind Jiang Nan. The Kunlun Hermit's two consecutive palm strikes were easily
dodged by the girl, and his anger flared. He was determined to kill her, so he concentrated all his inner strength in his palm and, with a whoosh, pressed down with
another "Great Handprint." At this moment, Jin Ri's strange staff was using the move "Eight Directions Wind and Rain," and the staff's shadows
blocked all the girl's escape routes in front, behind, left, and right. The Kunlun Hermit... Yi Wang laughed, seeing that she was completely enveloped by his palm strike, and even with the greatest supernatural
powers, she would have no chance of escape. But this girl was not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also incredibly clever. At this critical moment, she used an
extremely ingenious sword technique, the tip of her sword drawing away Jin Ri's staff, while she herself flashed
behind Jin Ri with unparalleled speed, turning Jin Ri into her shield. With a series of "bangs," the Kunlun Sanren's palm strike
had forced Jin Ri back three steps, but he himself was also nearly knocked off his feet by Jin Ri's strange staff! How agile was this girl!
Min immediately thrust her sword forward. With a sharp "snap," a patch of Kunlun Sanren's disheveled hair was sliced
off
by the sword tip. But then, with another "snap," the girl's Frostflower Sword was also sliced open by Jin Ri's strange staff. This girl's martial arts, in a one-on-one fight, were slightly superior to both Jin Ri and Kunlun Sanren. However, against two opponents, she could only withstand fifty or
sixty moves at most. Fortunately, she had been incredibly clever, causing their internal energies to clash. Thus, relying on her superb lightness skill
and superior swordsmanship, she managed to fight these two great demons to a draw. Jiang Nan, lying in the cave, felt the wind howling, as if he were on
a stormy sea , tossed about by raging waves. Looking out, he saw a blinding red light and a cold, azure light
intertwined—it was Jin Ri. The light emanating from the strange staff and the girl's sword enveloped the figures,
making it impossible for Jiang Nan to discern who was in control. After watching for a while, he watched as the sphere of light seemed to draw ever closer, his heart pounding
with anxiety. Suddenly, Zou Jiangxia whispered, "There's a figure coming towards our cave.
Who do you think it is?"
Jiang Nan's eyes were stung by the light, but he could bear it somewhat. Braving the intense light, he opened his eyes and
thought to himself, "I hope it's Jin Shiyi." But when he saw clearly, it wasn't Jin Shiyi, but the old woman.
Jiang Nan was greatly alarmed, thinking, "Oh no, oh no! This old witch is the most vicious. Once she's in, I wonder how
she'll deal with us." Zou Jiangxia heard Jiang Nan's teeth chattering, and suddenly a pair of hands tightly embraced her. Zou Jiangxia didn't know
what was happening; her face turned bright red, and she wanted to push Jiang Nan away but had no strength. For a moment, she forgot her perilous situation and
even forgot what she had just asked Jiang Nan to do.
It turned out that Granny Sangmu, seeing Jin Ri and Kunlun Sanren fighting the girl to a standstill, suddenly had an idea: "
Why don't I let them both be wounded, and then I can reap the benefits? Yes, that's the idea. I'll go into the cave first and retrieve
the painting from Cangling Shangren."
Taking advantage of their fierce battle, Granny Sangmu tiptoed behind them, about to enter the cave, when Jin Ri…
Suddenly, he shouted, "Yes, let's use a wheel battle to trap this demoness! Kunlun Sanren, do you want to rest for a while?" He
assumed Sangmu Lao had come to help, and his words exposed her intentions. Kunlun Sanren, more shrewd than him, felt a
chill upon hearing this, suspecting Sangmu Lao's ill intentions. He seized the opportunity and said, "Alright, I'll rest for a while." He leaped out of the circle and
rushed towards the cave.
Fortunately, these two demons each had their own agendas; otherwise, if Sangmu Lao had attempted a sneak attack, the girl,
focused on wouldn't have noticed her at all. With Kunlun Sanren gone, the pressure on her immediately lessened. She swung her longsword, forcing Jin Ri
back two steps, then suddenly leaped back, unleashing the move "Desert Lone Smoke," her sword light shooting straight towards Sangmu Lao's chest!
Granny Sangmu, filled with rage and resentment, darted forward, removing two strings of earrings and launching them at the girl. These earrings were her unique
hidden weapons , ten in total, whistling as they scattered through the air, one after the other, colliding with each other. Some flew diagonally, some
shot straight, and some, after colliding, even veered off course!
And whether intentionally or unintentionally, both strings of earrings were positioned in front of the cave, blocking the girl
and also hindering the Kunlun Hermit from entering the cave before her.
The girl, still in mid-air, saw the earrings attacking in a crisscross pattern. With a swift "flip," her Frostflower Sword flashed, shimmering with cold light.
Four earrings were instantly pulverized by her sword light, shattering into pieces... something like...? A shower of flower petals rained down. Kunlun Hermit swung
his palms simultaneously, unleashing two massive handprints. The wind from his palms surged,
scattering the remaining six earrings and the scattered fragments several feet away. However, this slight obstruction allowed Granny Sangmu to reach the cave entrance first.
Suddenly, the girl's sweet voice rang out, "An eye for an eye! You take this too!" With a clang, a streak of silver light
flew towards Granny Sangmu. She flicked her long sleeves, employing her Iron Sleeve Technique to try and catch the hidden weapon. But the girl's strength was surprisingly great
. With a "whoosh," the weapon pierced through her sleeve, shooting upwards and shaving off half of her ear. It turned out the weapon was
the girl's hairpin. Granny Sangmu lost half an ear, but it wasn't a serious injury. However, the hidden weapon on her earring would never be able to be
attached again.
Granny Sangmu, of high seniority, considered it a great humiliation to have half her ear chopped off by a junior. She untied a belt,
flicked it in , and used it as a whip, sweeping it across the cave with the girl. At the same time, she shouted, "This witch is too rude! Why bother with
martial arts rules? Let's just kill her first, no need for a tag-team
fight
. After killing her, we can all go into this cave to search for Master Cangling!" Jin Ri, though straightforward, wasn't stupid. Seeing Granny Sangmu and Kunlun Sanren seem to be vying to enter the cave first, he suddenly realized their intentions. He thought, "The three of us working together to kill this girl, though not very honorable, can
prevent internal strife." So he was the first to respond, swinging his strange staff and attacking swiftly, shouting, "Yes, yes!
We share the good times and the bad! Kill her and then go into the cave to search for treasure!" Kunlun Sanren, seeing that they had already spoken openly, naturally felt embarrassed
to enter the cave. Thus, these three villains abandoned all pretense of respectability and martial arts status, joining forces to deal with an unknown, inexperienced
young girl.
The Sangmu sisters practiced the "soft kung fu" of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism. The younger sister, Sang Qingniang, had once fought a fierce battle against
the Ice River Goddess though defeated by the Ice River Goddess's sword, they had fought for over a hundred moves. Sangmu's skill was far superior to her sister's;
this belt, when wielded, possessed eight techniques: entangling, striking, circling, sweeping, binding, coiling, sticking, and dragging—capable of both softness and hardness,
far more powerful than an ordinary soft whip!
This young girl could easily handle one person; she could barely hold her own against two; but against three, she was already
overwhelmed parry, utterly powerless to retaliate!
In the midst of the fierce battle, Kunlun Sanren's "Great Handprint" deflected the tip of the girl's sword. Sangmu Lao's belt slipped
through the gap, like a venomous snake's tongue, and suddenly coiled around the girl's wrist. Although it wasn't the hand holding the sword,
the girl's movements were immediately slowed and sluggish. Jin Ri? His strange staff swung, deflecting her sword outwards. Kunlun Sanren let out a
strange laugh and immediately struck her forehead with a palm!
The girl swiftly made a "Phoenix Nod," and a silver hairpin on her head flew up. Kunlun Sanren had seen her
use before and was prepared. With a flick of his left hand, he unleashed a soft, feminine palm strike, while his right hand continued its powerful "
Great Handprint," striking directly down at the girl's head.
Given Kunlun Sanren's skill, his soft, yin-like palm strike should have been able to deflect the silver hairpin's trajectory and
draw it into his hand. However, in that instant, his left wrist felt as if pricked by a needle, causing his palm strike to veer off course and its power
to be halved. The silver hairpin flew up, meeting his descending right palm with a "whoosh," piercing his
palm His strike was not only off-target but also significantly weakened. The girl, incredibly clever, used a "coiling dragon step" to dodge
, and with a swift sword stroke, first severed the belt binding Sangmu Lao's left hand. Then, with a move called "pushing open the window to gaze at the moon," she disarmed
Jin Ri's strange staff.
The two demons, unaware that Kunlun Sanren had been ambushed, were caught off guard by the girl's rapid, unexpected attacks, nearly suffering a major loss and
left completely bewildered. Blood gushed from Kunlun Sanren's palm as he roared in fury, "You vile witch! What vicious weapon did you use?
I'll take your life today!" Gritting his teeth and enduring the pain, he pulled out the silver hairpin from his palm and retrieved a pair of judge's pens.
The right pen swirled and danced, aiming for vital points like the chest and throat, while the left pen immediately plunged in, stabbing the girl's life-threatening acupoint.
Just then, a loud laugh was heard from the hillside, a voice saying, "Blind old monster! I didn't hit
you earlier, yet you blamed it on me. Now it's clearly me who hit you, yet you're blaming someone else. How laughable! How laughable! A fool like you,
blind and senile , dares to make a fool of yourself here!"
Jiangnan was overjoyed, instantly forgetting his fear, and grabbed Zou Jiangxia's hand, saying, "I told you he would come! Look,
he's here!" He was about to climb to the cave entrance to see, but... A blow struck the rocks in the cave, shattering them like rain.
Jiang Nan's clothes were torn in several places by the shards, and he quickly ducked back inside. Zou Jiangxia laughed, "Behave yourself.
It's not too late to go out and see him after your hero Jin has won." Jin Shiyi's voice drifted in from outside, "Jiang Nan, you
little rascal, you've got a conscience! You still remember me. Fine, for your sake, I'll make those three bastards
get !" Zou Jiangxia laughed, whispering, "Father and Mother described Jin Shiyi as so terrifying, but he's actually such an interesting
person." Jiang Nan was even more amused, pointing to his nose at Zou Jiangxia, as if to say, "See? I wasn't bragging
! Jin Shiyi only came because of me!"
Actually, Jin Shiyi had come for the girl. He had arrived when those demons were cursing him. He discovered the girl
hiding and he hid behind her. The demons didn't notice the girl; and the girl, completely focused on the three
demons also didn't notice Jin Shiyi. Jin Shiyi wanted to see the girl's martial arts skills, so he deliberately remained silent. Later, seeing that her
martial arts were exceptionally good, he was greatly surprised, and therefore waited until she was in the most danger before revealing himself. Indeed: Fighting three demons alone, unrecognized by others;
a strange traveler from the dust, leaving everyone guessing.
To find out what happens next, please listen to the next chapter.

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