[Wuxia] The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea (Complete) - Chapter 18

In Chapter 25 of Liang Yusheng's *The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea*

, it says: "You roughly know the story of Qiao Beiming. He was defeated by Zhang Danfeng's sword and seriously injured
. Everyone thought he was dead, but he escaped overseas and hid on a deserted island. This secret was known only to my family. Therefore
, for generations, my family has wanted to find the island where Qiao Beiming lived and retrieve the martial arts manuals he buried there. For over two hundred
years , one group after another went to sea to search for the manuals, but they all disappeared without a trace. After many attempts
, gradually no one dared to go anymore.
"Until sixty years ago, two outstanding young brothers from the Wan family went to sea together. They were my
great . They drifted at sea for several years and finally found the cave where Qiao Beiming had lived on this island."
"But they still hadn't found where Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual was hidden. So they
settled , repairing the caves. To protect themselves from monsters and to prevent others from finding the manual, they
blocked the original exit and dug a new tunnel through a unique giant tree on the island—this is
the tunnel we've chosen now.
Year after year, they dug through the caves where Qiao Beiming had lived and traversed the entire island, but still couldn't find the manual. More than ten years passed
in the blink of an eye , and the two brothers had gone from middle age to old age.
Realizing this wasn't a sustainable solution, after much discussion, they decided that the younger brother would stay behind while the older brother returned to report the news, allowing
the younger generation to search for the manual.
On his journey home, the older brother encountered a giant whale capsizing his ship, was robbed by pirates, and suffered all sorts of hardships—the details of which need not
be elaborated . He drifted at sea for nearly ten more years before finally returning home." When he left home, he was a young man not yet thirty;
when he returned, he was an old man with white hair.
"With his superhuman memory, he drew a detailed map of the island, meticulously noting the various
secrets . At that time, my father had just come of age; he was exceptionally intelligent, and his martial arts skills surpassed those of his peers.
He took possession of the map, intending to continue his ancestors' work after learning navigation techniques, to come to this island to seek martial arts manuals,
and to find his own way.
However, when my great-uncle returned, somehow, a little word leaked out, and they discovered one or two secret
individuals secretly observing our family's movements. My father dared not openly learn navigation, so the voyage was delayed again. Nearly ten years passed
in the blink of an eye, and my father also got married." "
At this point, Li Shengnan suddenly burst into tears.
Although Jin Shiyi had already guessed that Li Shengnan was closely related to this strange man, he was not yet certain. He had to be
careful and wary of the strange man, fearing that Li Shengnan's crying would alert him and that he might suddenly emerge from the hidden tunnel to attack. He worried that
Li Shengnan might die before she could explain herself, so he hurriedly comforted her, saying, "The past is the past
. Tell me slowly what's making you sad."
Li Shengnan wiped away her tears, leaned against Jin Shiyi, and continued, "I never imagined that in the year I was born, my family
would suffer a tragedy. My entire family was killed by Meng Shentong. Only my mother escaped. I am her posthumous daughter. She
placed all her hopes for revenge on me. From the time I could read, she taught me to look at that map. I looked at it day and night
until I had memorized it so well that I could see it with my eyes closed. Then she burned that map." She said to me,
“Now you are the only one in the world who knows the secret of that island. The map has been burned. As long as you keep quiet,
no one will know in the future. You must go to that island to visit your great-uncle. If he is dead, go in through the tunnel and
live in that cave. You must learn Qiao Beiming’s martial arts manual and avenge this blood feud!” After saying these words, she
died soon after. I was seventeen years old that year.
“I originally wanted to join a pirate gang to learn the skills of navigation, but as a lone woman, it wasn’t convenient for me
to do so. So I had to drift along the seas for about three years. Fortunately, I met you, and today my wish has finally come true, and I’ve arrived
here . Alright, now I’ve told you everything. Do you still have any doubts?”
Jin Shiyi thought to himself, “No wonder she’s never been to this island before, yet she’s so familiar with the terrain.” Thinking of her trust in
him , he couldn’t help but feel deeply moved and said, “No matter what dangers lie ahead, Shengnan, I will definitely go with you.”
Li Shengnan held his hands tightly and whispered, “Brother Shiyi, you’re so good to me!”
Jin Shiyi’s heart stirred, and he suddenly asked, “According to what you’re saying, if your great-uncle were alive—” Li Shengnan said,
“Then he would be over ninety years old.” Jin Shiyi said, “That strange man looks to be no more than fifty
years old …”
Li Shengnan said, “Yes, that’s why I don’t dare to recognize him.” That strange man was clearly not Li Shengnan’s great-uncle, so who was he
? How could he know this hidden location? Therefore, although Jin Shiyi dispelled his suspicions about Li Shengnan, he felt
the matter mysterious!
After walking for a while, they found a stone door ahead. Li Shengnan said, "In a little while, once we enter this door, perhaps we can
find out the truth." As she was feeling for the mechanism, she suddenly heard a creaking sound, and the stone door opened by itself. Li Shengnan
was greatly surprised when, with a "whoosh" in the darkness, a long whip suddenly came towards her!
Jin Shiyi hurriedly pounced, grabbing the whip tip with one hand. Unexpectedly, the opponent's strength was extremely strong, and the sudden
whip strike in the darkness was completely unexpected. Although he was holding onto the whip tip, he was caught by the long whip and dragged into
the house. Just then, with a "bang," the stone door closed again, leaving Li Shengnan outside.
Jin Shiyi was pulled in by the man. Although he felt the man's strength was extremely powerful, his heart didn't tremble. He immediately knew
it wasn't the strange man. Although his skill was strong, it wasn't necessarily superior to his own. He used the "Thousand-Pound Drop" technique to stabilize himself, untied
his long whip , and shouted, "Who are you?"
In the darkness, he heard a sinister laugh: "I'm right here. Are you blind too?" The voice sounded
like an old woman. Strangely, although she also spoke with a Shaanxi accent, it sounded very stiff and
different from the strange man's. It sounded very grating.
Jin Shiyi steadied himself. He had been in the tunnel for a while, and his eyes were gradually adjusting. There was some light in the stone chamber. He
looked and realized that the stone chamber was several feet deep. The old woman sat in a corner, leaning against the wall, her long hair falling to her shoulders, with a high nose.
Its eyes glowed green; its race was unknown, but it was certain it wasn't a Han Chinese!
Things were getting stranger and stranger, something Jin Shiyi hadn't anticipated, besides that strange person. Then came another strange person. The old woman
suddenly shouted, "Will you let go or not?" With a flick of her whip, her power was equal to his, and Jin Shiyi couldn't hold on. She broke free,
the whip whistling through the air as it swept towards him!
Jin Shiyi drew his sword and cried out, "Senior, we have no ill intentions!" The old woman wouldn't listen to his explanation,
her whip lashing out harder and harder. Jin Shiyi had no choice but to defend himself with his sword. After a while, the old woman remained seated, wielding her whip. Jin Shiyi was greatly
puzzled: "Why doesn't she stand up?" "
Although the old woman's whip technique was fierce, because she was sitting on the ground, her long whip mainly threatened Jin Shiyi's
lower body , making it easy to defend against. Jin Shiyi's mind raced, and he spun around several times with incredible speed. Suddenly, he stopped, holding
his breath. The old woman seemed to sense her enemy's sudden disappearance, losing her bearings and striking several times without hitting Jin Shiyi.
Jin Shiyi thought, 'So she's blind. No wonder she asked me if I was blind too!'
Li Shengnan hadn't entered yet, and he couldn't hear her calling from outside. Jin Shiyi thought that either the stone door had some kind of mechanism, or
Li Shengnan was in danger outside. He became very anxious. Just then, the old woman suddenly lashed out with her whip, striking him right in front of her.
It turned out that blind people have exceptionally keen hearing, and she had already heard Jin Shiyi's breathing. Jin Shiyi cried out, 'I have no
ill intentions . Why are you pressing me so hard?'
The old woman coldly replied, 'Then what are you doing here?' " Jin Shiyi said, "I've come to visit a friend." The old woman
snorted and said, "Do you know who I am?" Jin Shiyi said, "I was just about to ask." The old woman sneered,
"You don't even know me, yet you dare to come here? You're not visiting any friend; I bet you're here for Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual, aren't you
?" Jin Shiyi said, "That's right, but I'm not the one who wants the martial arts manual. I'm just accompanying the main character." He was about to
mention Li Shengnan's name and test whether the old woman had any connection with the Wan family when, before he could finish speaking, the old woman flew into a rage
and shouted, "I knew you were no good! Now that you've entered this sect, I will never let you leave alive!" She
lashed out with her whip, and without warning, launched another fierce attack!
Jin Shiyi thought, "This matter can't be explained in a short time. I'll just have to subdue her first." "The old woman was highly skilled in martial arts
, but she was disadvantaged by being blind and partially paralyzed, unable to move. Jin Shiyi, with his unparalleled speed and agility, attacked
from all directions, making it impossible for her to discern his direction of attack. Soon, he had penetrated the inner perimeter, and the distance between him and the old woman was less than ten feet.
The old woman let out a long howl, followed by the roar of the Golden-haired Shuttle. Jin Shiyi was startled; with the old woman and the Golden-haired Shuttle combined
, it would be difficult to deal with. In the blink of an eye, the Golden-haired Shuttle had pounced in. Jin Shiyi swung his longsword,
ready to the attack, but strangely enough, the Golden-haired Shuttle suddenly crouched down, and its roar ceased. It turned out that the Golden-haired Shuttle recognized Jin Shiyi. That
day, Jin Shiyi could have killed it but he didn't. The golden-haired Shuttle was very intelligent; recognizing Jin Shiyi, it no longer wanted to harm him.
The old woman shouted, 'Beast!'" "Go bite him to death!" The golden-haired shuttle whimpered twice, but instead of biting Jin Shiyi,
it tucked its tail between its legs and walked away. Jin Shiyi laughed, "Look, even the fierce golden-haired shuttle is willing to be my friend, why
won't a proper talk with me?" The old woman heard his voice and immediately lashed out with her whip. Jin Shiyi leaped
into the air, and the old woman, sitting on the ground, couldn't reach him with her whip. Jin Shiyi's lightness skill was almost perfect; his leap
was like a willow catkin in the wind, swift and silent. The old woman lost her bearings, her whip swirling
wildly. Jin Shiyi turned in mid-air and, with lightning speed, pounced down. He flicked at the old woman's pulse point and snatched her whip away.
Just as he was about to strike her pressure points again, he suddenly felt an extremely strong force pushing him. Jin Shiyi felt a chill run through his body and quickly somersaulted
backward. He heard the strange woman's voice ask, "Mom, what's wrong with you?" "The old woman said, 'He almost killed me.
This brat bullied me, you kill him for me!' Her voice was chillingly cold as she said 'kill him.'
The strange man roared, wielding a gleaming yellow weapon, and charged at Jin Shiyi, bringing down a powerful '
Mount Tai Pressing !
Jin Shiyi was startled. 'This guy can actually use the One-Legged Bronze Man!' It turned out that the One-Legged Bronze Man was the most difficult weapon to use. It
was heavy and could be used as a bronze staff or a shield. Moreover, a true master could use it for
pressure point strikes. The weakness of heavy weapons is their lack of agility; therefore, someone who could use the bronze man for pressure point strikes needed
extremely deep mastery of internal energy and lightness skills to wield it with ease. This was the first time Jin Shiyi had encountered such a strange weapon since he began his adventures in the martial world. The bronze man was already heavy enough, but combined with the strange man's superhuman strength, it was unstoppable. Jin Shiyi, with his light and agile movements..." The strange man, with his superb swordsmanship , unleashed over a dozen strikes in a flash. A cacophony of metal clashing filled the air, making his eardrums throb. He felt waves of internal force surging through him , and one of Jin Shiyi's arms went numb. Jin Shiyi had used such swift and agile swordsmanship precisely because he anticipated his opponent's superior skill and thus avoided direct confrontation. Yet, even though the opponent's sword strikes were as swift as a dragonfly skimming the water, he was still shaken! Jin Shiyi cried out, "Please let me explain myself before we fight!" The strange man roared, "You sneaked into the tunnel; I will not forgive you!" "As he spoke, his hands moved with unwavering speed. With a flick of his wrist, the bronze figure activated a mechanism, its ten fingers suddenly moving, simultaneously striking ten pressure points on Jin Shiyi. Forced to retreat repeatedly, Jin Shiyi could no longer concentrate on speaking . He used all his strength to desperately defend himself, thinking, 'So this foreign woman is its mother. Then I can be even more certain that he's not Li Shengnan's great-uncle. I wonder how they, mother and son, came to this island?' Another strange thing was that the son's skill was far superior to his mother's; if it were family martial arts, this shouldn't be the case. With Jin Shiyi's abilities, if the strange man attacked unarmed, he could probably hold out for over a hundred moves with his sword. But now defending against his one-legged bronze figure, he found it difficult to handle in less than fifty moves."

After a while, another strange phenomenon occurred. Jin Shiyi's longsword gradually became as cold as ice, and the chilling
aura it once possessed had long since died. The grave in the forest was his.
Jin Shiyi regulated his breathing and, seeing that the uncle and nephew had recognized each other, walked over. Just as he was about to greet Li Pangui with courtesy, Li Pangui
suddenly opened his strange eyes and said, "Is he also from the Wan family?" Li Shengnan said, "No, he, he---" Before she could finish speaking
, Li Pangui shouted, "Why did you bring an outsider in?" With a roar, she stretched out her large, fan-like hand and
grabbed at Jin Shiyi again.
Li Shengnan hurriedly stepped between them, but Li Pangui's technique was so swift that, although she blocked him, she still managed to dodge and
tear Jin Shiyi's clothes. Fortunately, Li Shengnan had slightly hindered him, otherwise, Jin Shiyi would have been caught off guard
and his ribs might have been broken!
Li Shengnan cried out, "Uncle, he is my best friend!" "Li Pangui angrily said, "Even my best friend is forbidden! Have you forgotten
our ancestors' dying wish? Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual must not be coveted by outsiders, and no one of the same surname is allowed to set foot on this island.
Since he has no relation to the Wan family, I absolutely cannot let him leave alive!"
Li Shengnan was extremely anxious and blurted out, "Uncle, he's your nephew-in-law!" Li Pangui was taken aback and
stammered, "Why didn't you say so earlier? I almost hurt him." Li Shengnan's cheeks flushed, and she feigned shyness,
laughing, "Didn't I already say he's my best friend? How could you not feel bad?" Li Pangui thought
to himself, "I might not be able to get my wife in this lifetime, and I don't know when I'll be able to get Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual. It would be better to let the couple stay. If my niece has a son in the future, he will at least be a grandson of the Li family, and he can continue the search for martial arts manuals
." So he laughed and said, "In that case, he's not an outsider. Good nephew-in-law, come here. I scared you just now!" Jin Shiyi was extremely embarrassed. Admitting it or not was not an option, but compared to that, if he didn't admit it, he would be killed by this strange man. So he kept silent and gave him a tacit agreement. Li Pangui laughed and said, "How long have you been married?" Li Shengnan said, "One year and thirteen days." Jin Shiyi calculated that from the day he first met Li Shengnan, it was indeed one year and thirteen days. He thought to himself, "She remembers so clearly. I thought she was just making things up. It turns out she took the day we met as our wedding day." "Actually, Jin Shiyi remembered that day very clearly, otherwise he wouldn't have immediately made the connection when Li Shengnan mentioned it. Li Pangui laughed and said, 'A year has thirteen days, which isn't a short time, why are you still so shy?' Jin Shiyi had no choice but to bite the bullet and come over, calling him 'Uncle.' Then, he bowed deeply to the old woman. The old woman was so happy that she smiled broadly, and her hostility towards Jin Shiyi naturally vanished. Jin Shiyi asked, 'Grandma, did you suffer a qi deviation while practicing your skills, leading to a qi deviation?' The old woman said, 'That's right, how did you know?' Jin Shiyi said, 'I almost suffered a qi deviation myself before, but fortunately, a master saved me and taught me the authentic internal energy cultivation method, which saved me from danger. Although you are paralyzed due to a qi deviation, it's not too serious. You can try my breathing technique.'" "Li Zhongzi had never mastered the secrets of martial arts and did not understand the method of 'unifying good and evil' in internal energy cultivation. Therefore, his son, Pan Gui, could only cultivate the Asura Yin Sha Gong to the seventh level. His wife, because she became a nun halfway through her life, had an even weaker foundation and suffered a qi deviation as soon as she began practicing internal energy. Li Pan Gui and his mother were overjoyed to receive the authentic internal energy cultivation method from Jin Shiji. Li Pan Gui immediately agreed to discuss with the Wan family how to learn the martial arts secrets." Li Pan Gui then realized that he might not be able to avenge his mother alone and said, "Once Mother recovers, capturing these villains will be a piece of cake. However, I am really angry with these villains. In a few days, after I have recovered from these two Golden-Haired Shuttles, I will teach them a lesson." The wife... The old woman smiled and said, "The two of them have been through a lot of fright; you should let them rest early." Li Pangui struck a flint and lit a huge candle, saying, "Shengnan, the Li family only has you and me left. Our old home is gone. From now on , this is your home. Let me show you around." The huge candle was made from wild ox fat and burned very brightly. Jin Shiyi and Li Shengnan followed behind him and saw that the tunnels were crisscrossed, with traps and ambushes everywhere. These were all designed by Qiao Beiming and improved by the Li brothers, Bozi and Zhongzi. Jin Shiyi then realized that if it weren't for Li Shengnan's guidance , he wouldn't have been able to find this cave; even if he had accidentally wandered in, he would definitely not have been able to get out and would have been trapped and died inside. The cave was very spacious, with several stone chambers. After decades of management by the Li family father and son, the daily necessities, some made of stone and some self-fired ceramics, were all available. Li Pangui gave them the quiet practice room that Qiao Beiming had once used. After tidying it up, he laid animal hides on the kang ( a heated brick bed), placed wildflowers in a ceramic vase, and lit a few red candles, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a newlywed's room. Li Pangui took out his homemade fruit wine and meat, and said with a smile, "You're newlyweds on your first homecoming. We should congratulate you." Jin Shiyi couldn't refuse his hospitality and could only raise a glass and drink with him. Li Pangui, slightly tipsy, laughed and said, "I won't disturb you any longer. I hope you have a comfortable stay and that you'll have a son soon!" He was a true "mountain hermit," straightforward and outspoken, saying whatever came to mind, which immediately made Jin and Li blush. Li Pangui walked out of the stone chamber, closing the door behind him. Li Shengnan, her cheeks flushed, turned away from the candlelight and whispered, "Brother Shiyi, are you blaming me?" Jin Shiyi smiled bitterly, "I didn't know your Wan family had such a taboo. If I had known, I wouldn't have come to this island ." Li Shengnan, who had been gazing at Jin Shiyi with affection, turned pale upon hearing his words, tears She whispered with deep resentment, "I know I'm not good enough for you. Oh, you...you...you must be cursing me for being shameless in your heart." Seeing her pitiful state, Jin Shiyi almost instinctively reached out to help her, but quickly composed himself and said seriously, " Shengnan... "That's not how it works. Before I met you, I already had someone else in my heart. You are as beautiful as a flower and exceptionally . In the future, there will surely be people ten or a hundred times better than me vying for your attention, just hoping for your glance. Why do you need to care about me?" Li Shengnan's eyes welled up with tears as she said, "I know you already have someone in your heart. But I was forced to say that to Uncle. What should I do now?" Jin Shiyi said, "I appreciate your kindness. If you don't mind me :..." Wan Shengnan raised her eyes and asked, "What?" Jin Shiyi said, "I'm a few years older than you. If you don't mind me..."

"Let's address each other as brother and sister, what do you think?" Li Shengnan asked. "Should we address each other like this in front of Uncle?" Jin Shiyi replied,
"Before we leave this island, let's temporarily be a couple in name only, secretly treating each other as brother and sister, and
addressing each other . Shengnan, I know this is unfair to you, but this is the only way now. I hope you can forgive me." Li Shengnan held back
her tears, bowed gracefully, and softly called out, "Brother." Only then did Jin Shiyi dare to help her up, and called out,
"Sister!" Li Shengnan said, "Brother, you've been so good to me. From now on, I will wholeheartedly be your good sister, and I won't even glance at
any other man." "
Is this an answer to Jin Shiyi's earlier question, or is she truly content with being just a brother and sister? Jin Shiyi isn't stupid; he naturally suspects
that without an heir, the hard work of two generations of father and son in guarding this island will be in vain. Therefore, when he
discovered Li Shengnan was a woman during his fierce battle with Jin Shiyi, he was overjoyed and immediately abandoned Jin Shiyi
to capture . However, upon holding her, he discovered the gold plaque hanging above her, and felt utterly ashamed, quickly retreating.
At this moment, Li Pangui recognized his niece; he had finally found his family, and his heart was filled with both joy and sorrow. He said..."
She taught the old
woman her family's martial arts to Jin Shiyi. Jin Shiyi's reason for teaching the old woman her internal energy wasn't just to win her favor, but more importantly, to give Li Shenggui another ally to deal with Meng Shentong once she regained her mobility. He estimated that
after three months of practice, she would be able to walk with a cane.
Sure enough, Li Shenggui soon inquired about Meng Shentong and the monk Jianfa, asking if they were Li Shengnan's friends.
Li Shengnan cried, "Not only are they not friends, that old man is our Li family's mortal enemy! He
killed dozens of members of the Wan family, and only I escaped by sheer luck!" Li Shenggui angrily asked, "Then why did you come with him?" Li Shengnan recounted her
ordeal on Snake Island, how she was held hostage, and how she had no choice but to rely on them for survival. Li Shenggui
said , "This villain is so despicable! He almost made me never see my family again! Fine, I'll go and kill him tomorrow!"
Jin Shiyi said, “Old thief Meng is trapped on this island, like a chicken with wings that can fly away.
It’s not too late . ” "Li Shengnan, being so clever, immediately guessed his intentions. Meng Shentong was the Wan family's greatest enemy, and
it was only reasonable for the Wan family to take revenge themselves. Jin Shiyi had previously agreed to help Li Shengnan with her revenge partly because of her kindness, and partly because he sympathized with her
because she was isolated and helpless. Now that their family was reunited, revenge was no longer difficult, and Jin Shiyi didn't
want to interfere further, thus deepening his relationship with the Wan family. However, Meng Shentong's martial arts were only slightly inferior to Li Pangui's, and with the addition
of the Subtraction Monk, it was two against one, and Li Pangui might not necessarily win. Li Shengnan's martial arts were far inferior to theirs, and she
couldn't be . Therefore, only after Li Pangui's mother was able to move could they be
certain of victory. Li Shengnan, sensing Jin Shiyi's intentions, immediately agreed, saying, 'Alright, let him live a few more days.'" Our
little sister tomorrow, although he and Li Shengnan are now "brother and sister",
the feelings these two "sisters" evoke in his heart are completely different!
That night, Jin Shiyi was lost in thought, his mind wandering. It wasn't until Li Shengnan woke him that he noticed sunlight filtering through
the cracks . Li Shengnan smiled and said, "You slept so soundly; it's already dawn. I wanted you to sleep a little longer, but today is
our first 'homecoming,' so we should get up and greet the old lady." Jin Shiyi thought to himself, "How could you know I haven't
slept a wink all night!"
Li Shengnan was a little embarrassed, and with a slight chuckle, she said softly, "Behind us, we'll call each other brother and sister. But in front of your uncle, you
must be more affectionate towards me, act like husband and wife, lest he notice something amiss."
The two left the stone chamber but couldn't find Li Pangui. They went to greet the old woman and learned that Li Pangui had taken
the male golden-haired shuttle out early that morning. The female golden-haired shuttle, injured by Meng Shentong's Asura Hidden Fiend Technique, would need several more days to
recover .
Around noon, Li Pangui returned with the golden-haired shuttle. Upon seeing him, she exclaimed, "Where have you two, that old scoundrel Meng, and those two
disappeared to? Didn't you say yesterday you'd set up tents by the small lake in the woods? I went to check, and
nothing was there . Not even a footprint!"
It turned out that Meng Shentong was extremely astute. After discovering Jin Shiyi and Wan Shengnan's escape, he immediately connected it to the strange man's peculiar attitude towards
Li Shengnan . Although he never dreamed that Li Shengnan was the strange man's niece, a suspicion had already begun to form in his heart
. He thought, "Could it be that Jin Shiyi and Li Shengnan are joining forces with the strange man to deal with me?" The thought sent a chill down his spine. "
Of the thirty-six stratagems , running away is the best." "Then, in the dead of night, he, along with the Subtraction Monk and the Kunlun Hermit, quietly slipped away. Their
experience in the martial world was extremely rich; they took off their shoes, wrapped their feet in thick cloth, and deliberately chose to step in places with dense grass. Using their light-footed skills, they left not
a single footprint.
Hearing her uncle's words, Li Shengnan's heart skipped a beat. She said, 'This old devil is truly cunning: after this
attack that alerted him, he will definitely be more wary of us in the future. This island is teeming with beasts; if he wants to avoid us,
it won't be easy.' Jin Shiyi laughed, 'Even if they have extraordinary abilities, they can't escape this island. Let's learn
the martial arts , and then slowly deal with them.'" Li Shengnan thought for a moment. Apart from Meng Shentong, who knew a little about sailing, the other two were completely unable to
swim. Moreover, the boat had been damaged by the monk Jianfa. Even if they knew how to repair it, it would
take . If they dared to come out to repair it, their tracks would be impossible to conceal. Reassured, she said, "Yes, the most important thing
is to learn the martial arts manual first, before Meng Shentong gets there first!"
Li Pangui frowned and said, "Father and I have been learning for decades and still haven't found any clues; you've just arrived and
you want to learn the martial arts manual?" Li Shengnan said, "Shiyi, bring out that strange painting." Li Pangui asked, "What strange painting?"
Li Shengnan said, "A painting personally painted by Qiao Beiming. It is said that the secret of his hidden books can be deciphered from the painting. However, none
of us understand its meaning. Uncle, you have lived on this island for decades and are familiar with every blade of grass and every tree. Perhaps you can see
some of the meaning."
Jin Shiyi unfolded the strange painting. Li Pangui initially looked at it with disappointment, shook his head, and said, " What does this
mean? I don't understand at all!" But soon he picked up the painting again, concentrating intently, head bowed in thought. Li Shengnan asked, "
Uncle , have you figured anything out?" Li Pangui replied, "This giant is a bit strange. I don't know if my thinking is right or wrong. Let me take
you to see a place first."
Li Pangui led them out of the tunnel and up the volcano. The higher they went, the fewer trees there were. After walking for two hours, Li Pangui stopped at a mountain pass on
the west side . Looking at the bare mountain chamber above, he said, "What does this look like?" Jin Shiyi was
thinking when Li Shengnan exclaimed, "It looks like a person!"
Jin Shiyi's mind raced, and he exclaimed, "Could the giant in the painting refer to this mountain chamber?" Li Pangui said, "
That's why I've been here with you all. But I've climbed this mountain several times, and there are no caves at all. The entire chamber is like
a stone statue carved from a single rock. Could Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual be hidden inside the mountain? Another perplexing thing is:
the giant is holding a bow in both hands. The protruding parts on both sides of this Wushan chamber do resemble human hands, but where is the large bow?
There's no terrain resembling a bow and arrow."
Li Pangui spread out the strange painting, and the three of them gathered around to examine it carefully, discussing it amongst themselves. At this moment, Li Pangui had learned from
Jin Shiyi how the painting was obtained, and he pondered, "Since this painting was created by Qiao Beiming himself, and
he solemnly entrusted it to a sea traveler before his death, leaving it to someone with a special destiny..." "There must be a deeper meaning in the painting. Now that we have discovered this Giant Peak, there
must be some reason behind it." Li Shengnan, meticulous as ever, pondered for a while before suddenly saying, "You said there are no
caves , but the mouth of the figure in the painting is open." Li Pangui said, "Those are two large rocks, joined together,
with a gap in the middle that can't even fit a fist. It's not a cave." Li Shengnan said, "Let's go up and take a look, no matter what."
This Wushan Chamber was barren and extremely difficult to find a foothold in. Fortunately, Li Pangui had prepared a long rope and an axe. He
and Jin Shiyi used their gecko-like wall-climbing skills to climb several feet, chiseled a small hole in the upper right corner, inserted an iron nail
, and used the long rope to lower Li Shengnan
down . The terrain here was slightly concave, and the three of them found a foothold and looked up at the giant's mouth.
The two enormous boulders, one above the other, indeed resembled the lips of a giant, with a narrow gap between them, just wide enough to
fit a hand. Moving these two boulders would be impossible, even for a reincarnated overlord. Li Pangui smiled wryly, "We've found the mouth
, but how do we get in?"
Li Shengnan suddenly said, "Look at those teeth inside the mouth." Several jagged stalagmites, resembling
teeth . Li Pangui asked, "What's so strange about these stalagmites?" Li Shengnan took out the boulders and said, "Qiao Beiming
marked this place." Jin Shiyi followed her gaze and saw that, counting from the left, the gap between the second and third teeth in the mouth of the evil minister on the
boulders was wider, and indeed, the stalagmites in the gap were the same.
Li Pan's wife said, "Alright. Let me test him." She inserted the clapper, holding the second stalagmite in her left hand and
the third , and with a mighty shake, the two stalagmites split apart with a cracking sound. Instantly, fragments of stone rained down,
creating a relatively wide crevice large enough for a person to crawl inside. It was truly a case of:
Exhausting all efforts to unravel the mystery, now the giant's chamber is revealed.
To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter.

(From Liang Yusheng's *The
Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea*, Chapter 26)

Li Shengnan, petite in stature, was the first to crawl inside. Jin Shiyi thought, "I could barely fit, but her uncle is broad-shouldered
and thick-waisted; it will be difficult." Before he could finish his thought, Li Pan stretched, took a deep breath, and his bones cracked
like popping beans. Instantly, his body shrank considerably, and he crawled inside. Jin Shiyi was taken aback. He already knew of a
skill called "Bone Shrinking Skill," but this was the first time he had ever seen it. He couldn't help but think, "The Wan family's skills
were passed down from Qiao Beiming. At that time, Qiao Beiming hadn't yet fled overseas, and his martial arts hadn't reached their peak. What he passed on to Li Kangtian wasn't
all of his skills, but the skills Li Pangui already knew were so profound. If he really obtained his martial arts manual,
who knows ? After mastering it, who in the world could rival him?"
Jin Shiyi went in last. He was very cautious, but he still inevitably suffered some minor scrapes. Li Pangui laughed and said, "If I had known this,
I should have taught you the Bone Shrinking Skill first. With your internal strength, I guarantee you'd learn it in three days at most." The entrance to this cave was very
narrow , but the inside was quite spacious. Li Pangui lit a bundle of pine branches, and the three of them carefully walked step by step. They had thought
there might be some strange things inside the cave, but they entered without any obstacles, which was quite unexpected.
After walking for a while, Li Pangui suddenly noticed something and shouted, "I've got the bow and arrow!" Li Shengnan exclaimed, "Huh?"
and said , "What is this bow made of? It's incredibly large. Brother Shiyi, have you ever seen such a large bow?"
Jin Shiyi walked closer and saw a stalagmite growing horizontally on the rock wall, with a large bow hanging from it—truly the largest bow he had ever seen.
Li Pangui, holding a torch, said, "Shengnan is afraid she can't lift such a large bow. Shiyi, take it down and let me see." Jin Shiyi picked it up with
both hands and was greatly surprised. He hadn't expected the bow to be very heavy, but he hadn't imagined it would be so heavy that he could barely
lift it. He used all his strength to finally take the large bow down, and felt a cool touch. He exclaimed, "Huh, this seems to be made of
white jade ."
Li Pangui touched it and smiled, "It is jade, but it's not ordinary jade. This is a precious jade from the seabed. My father
once dived into the deep sea and accidentally obtained it." "Two small pieces of jade like this are more than twice as heavy as stones of the same size! The bowstring
is made of dragon sinew, which is also extremely rare." Li Shengnan exclaimed in admiration, "Such a large jade bow is truly a
rare . If we were to bring it back to the country, it would surely cause a sensation in the martial arts world!" Jin Shiyi laughed, "Who has the ability to wield this bow? If I were
to carry it, I'm afraid my back would be flattened before I could even walk ten miles." He tried to pull the bowstring, using all his strength, but could only draw it
into a semi-circular crescent shape. To draw it to a full moon was impossible.
Li Pangui laughed, "Let me try." He handed the torch to Li Shengnan, took the jade bow from Jin Shiyi, and pulled it with all his might
, drawing the large bow to its full extent. Jin Shiyi praised, "Uncle, you are truly born with superhuman strength!" Li Pangui pulled it twice, slightly
out of breath , and was also quite amazed by the weight of the large bow.
Beneath the stalagmite where the bow had once hung, three long arrows lay side by side. Li Pangui put down the bow and picked up one of the arrows
. Its shape was quite peculiar; the arrowhead was forked, unlike ordinary arrowheads. The second arrow was similar, though
the fork was slightly different. He was quite astonished: "What did Master Qiao intend to use this great bow for?
With his unparalleled martial arts skills, even if there were many ferocious beasts on the island, they wouldn't be a match for him. Why would he need this bow and arrows?"
Li Shengnan suddenly exclaimed, "Come and look! There's another treasure here!" Jin Shiyi looked in the direction she pointed and
saw a cluster of bluish light on the ground. It was quite eye-catching, but everyone had been focused on the jade bow and hadn't
noticed it. Jin Shiyi approached and realized it was a precious sword.
Having learned his lesson earlier, Jin Shiyi dared not be careless. He used all his strength to lift the sword
, and was immediately startled. It wasn't too heavy, but too light; it felt as light as a cicada's wing in his hand. He had used
too much force and hadn't expected the sword to be so light. He couldn't stop himself and stumbled forward two steps before regaining his balance.
Li Shengnan rushed over and asked, "What's wrong?" Jin Shiyi replied, "Nothing, it's just that this sword is
unexpectedly !" He drew the sword, and instantly a bluish light appeared in the dark cave, illuminating a radius of three zhang. Needless to say,
this was another rare treasure. This time, even Li Pangui didn't know what metal it was made of.
Jin Shiyi casually swung his hand, and with a sharp crack, sliced off a stalagmite. He then thrust it into the rock face, sending shards of stone flying. The sword penetrated several
inches deep, and when he pulled it out, the blade was undamaged. Jin Shiyi exclaimed with delight, "This is truly a treasured sword
! It's probably much sharper than Tang Jingtian's Youlong Sword!"
Li Shengnan laughed, "Your crutch sword was lost in the sea. This treasured sword is perfect for you." Jin Shiyi said, "This is your family's
property. How can I use it?" He then tried to hand it over to Li Pangui. Li Pangui's eyes widened, and he said with slight trepidation, "Shiyi, you are my
nephew-in-law, so you are considered a member of the Li family. Why distinguish between yours and mine? I have a family heirloom, the One-Legged Bronze Man. I don't need this
sword. You can keep it." Jin Shiyi really didn't want to accept any more favors from the Li family, but after Li Pangui's words, he feared that further refusal would
arouse his suspicion, so he had no choice but to accept it.
Li Pangui said, "Master Qiao hid both treasures here, so the martial arts manual must also be hidden here. Let's
continue searching."
Jin Shiyi thought that if they found Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual, it would be a hundred or even a thousand times better than these two treasures.
Everyone perked up and continued searching, almost turning the entire cave upside down, but they still couldn't find even a trace of the buried manual. Jin Shiyi drew his sword
and thrust it at the stone walls on both sides, probing dozens of places, but found no hollow spots. Li Shengnan said, "There's no need to try anymore. If Master Qiao
buried the martial arts manual here, he certainly wouldn't let us grope around aimlessly and waste our efforts." Li Pangui said, "That's right. Master Qiao
left a map to guide us into this cave. He was willing to let us obtain these two treasures so easily. If
the martial arts manual is buried here, he must have left a mark on the map." He took out the map and
studied it carefully, turning it over and over for a long time, but he couldn't find any marks or make any sense of it.
Jin Shiyi said, "It is said that Qiao Beiming once made a vow to the seafarer who accidentally drifted to this island: whoever could bring
his remains back to his homeland, he would take that person as his disciple in a future life. Venerable Cangling obtained this seafarer's diary in Persia, which is why
he came to learn from me and partner with him. Judging from this, if there were any martial arts manuals, they might be buried with his remains. Logically
speaking , he was all alone on this island back then. If he died in this cave, there would be no one else to bury him
. Poisonous snakes and wild beasts could not enter this cave. Although more than two hundred years have passed, there should at least be some remains, bones, or other relics.
Now this cave is clean, not even a single bone can be found. His remains must not be buried here."
Li Pangui was greatly disappointed. He had just started to get a clue after decades of searching, and now he had to go through all the trouble of finding Qiao Beiming's
remains again. Li Shengnan comforted him, saying, "Although we didn't find any martial arts manuals, we did find these two rare treasures, so the trip
wasn't in vain ."
Night had fallen, and they spent the night in the cave. Around midnight, they faintly heard the roar of the Golden-Haired Shuttle. Li Panggui worried that
they had encountered Meng Shentong in the forest and hadn't slept well all night. As soon as dawn broke through the cave, they rushed home.
On a hillside not far from home, they found a dead tiger. Li Shengnan laughed, "So it was the Golden-Haired Shuttle who came out
to hunt . Look, he's sucked all the brains out of this tiger." Li Panggui shook his head, saying, "The Golden-Haired Shuttle
's roar last night was very strange, seemingly carrying some fear. This tiger would never frighten him." After walking a while longer,
they found a lion in the grass. Its head was intact, but its neck was broken, clearly severed by a martial arts master.
There was no one else on the island
Li Pangui angrily said, "That old scoundrel Meng has some nerve, daring to come here!" Li Shengnan, being the most astute, thought to herself
, "Could it be that he has already discovered our hiding place? And he has been secretly watching us, knowing that we have left home,
otherwise why would he dare to lurk around here? This scoundrel will always be a scourge if he is not eliminated!" She shared this thought with Jin Shiyi,
who also felt it was somewhat worrying. But considering that the situation had now reversed, and that their side was far stronger and more familiar
with , they figured the other side couldn't do anything.
The three slid down the tunnel from the hollow tree and returned to the cave. Li Pangui carefully examined the area and found no signs of anyone else having been there.
He laughed, "Perhaps he stumbled upon this place by chance. If he dared to barge in, I'd be more than happy. Even if I wasn't home
, the mechanisms in the tunnel would trap him."
Back in the cave, they met Li Pangui's mother. She was blind but had exceptionally good hearing. She said that last night she only heard
the sound of the golden-haired shuttle chasing wild animals and didn't hear anyone approaching the tree. Li Pangui then brought out the two golden-haired shuttles to check; neither was
injured. He deduced that even if Meng Shentong had come, he would have been frightened away by the golden-haired shuttles.
The next day, they studied the drawing again for a day but still couldn't figure it out. On the third day, Li Pangui took Jin Maosuo to visit
Meng Shentong again, while Jin Shiyi stayed home to practice the Bone Shrinking Technique. Li Pangui had already passed on the incantation to him, and after only two days of practice, he had completely mastered it when Li Pangui returned that
day
. Seeing her uncle's joyful expression, Li Shengnan asked, "Did you find where that old scoundrel Meng was hiding?" Li Pangui replied,
"That old scoundrel is very cunning. I don't know what method he used, but even Jin Maosuo couldn't smell his scent. However, although I didn't find
that old scoundrel Meng, I discovered something else worth noting." Li Shengnan asked, "What?" Li Pangui said, "Shiyi,
take that painting out again and let me see it."
Li Pangui pointed to the painting and said, "The giant in the painting is shooting at the volcano with a large bow. I guessed that the location of the martial arts manual
might be related to the direction the arrow was pointing. Today, I went to examine the volcanic wall opposite Giant Peak, and there was a strangely shaped rock
that seemed similar to the rock pointed to by the arrow in the painting. Now that I've looked closely, it is indeed very similar, down to the smallest detail."
That night, everyone was so excited they couldn't sleep. But the next morning, Li Shengnan, while happy, seemed somewhat
worried . Jin Shiyi laughed, "Heaven rewards those who persevere; this time we'll definitely get the manual." Li Shengnan sighed and said,
"I also hope we can get the manual smoothly this time, but the official is afraid, even more afraid—" Jin Shiyi asked, "Afraid of what?" Li Shengnan said
softly , "Afraid that after we get the martial arts manual, you and I will have to part ways. Thinking of that, I'd rather not have the martial arts
manual at all!"
Jin Shiyi's heart skipped a beat; he realized that Li Shengnan was so devoted to him! He even made himself seem more like a child than Qiao Beiming's martial arts
secrets. Jin Shiyi couldn't help but feel a little moved, but at the same time, the shadow in his heart widened. He thought, "If we keep going like this,
even if we get the martial arts secrets, even if we return to the mainland, we may not be able to escape." He could only force a smile and say, "What nonsense
! Your whole family has been studying these martial arts secrets for over two hundred years. Now that there is hope, aren't you happy? Instead, you're thinking about the
future ? We don't even know when we can go back."
At this time, Li Panggui was already fully prepared to leave. Fortunately, he came in to urge them, so Li Shengnan didn't linger any longer. Li Panggui left
two golden-haired dogs to guard the house and checked the mechanisms of the tunnel. His mother stayed in the central area of the mechanism to guard it. After making
proper , he figured that even if Meng Shentong and his group broke in, it wouldn't be a problem. Only then did he leave with peace of mind.
The volcano on the island was a "dormant volcano," no longer erupting. The lava solidified into rocks on the volcanic walls, forming
all sorts of strange shapes . Li Pangui arrived at the triangular rock with a crack and compared it to the drawing; it was exactly the same, but he couldn't open it
, and there were no special markings on the drawing. Jin Shiyi drew his sword and laughed, "Let me make this opening
bigger ." Li Shengnan hurriedly took it, crying, "No! No!"
Jin Shiyi said, "What? Do you have another way to open it?" Li Shengnan said, "Look at the shape of this crack; it looks like a keyhole
. It might be a stone door with a mechanism inside. If it's damaged, it will be even harder to open." Li Shengnan looked at it for a while and suddenly exclaimed,
"Yes, this crack seems to match the forked arrow. Let me try it!"
The large bow, along with the three long arrows, was still left in the opposite cave because it was too heavy. Li Pangui carried the bow and arrows
out and tried them again and again. One arrow could indeed be inserted into the crack just right, like a key falling into a keyhole. But after inserting it and
turning it twice, it still wouldn't budge. Li Pangui was greatly discouraged and said, "Perhaps we were being too wishful!"
Jin Shiyi said, "Don't damage the crack, try somewhere else." He climbed up the volcanic wall and
stabbed the top of a rock with his knife. The rock layer was extremely thick, and the impact made his hand bleed, almost causing him to fall. He pulled out his sword and saw that although it was
incredibly sharp, it had only pierced a few inches. It seemed that even with Li Pangui's divine strength, it was absolutely impossible to penetrate the rock wall!
While they were at a loss, Li Shengnan, who had been pondering the drawing, suddenly exclaimed, "This drawing
depicts a giant shooting at a volcano! Uncle, why don't you try shooting it with that long arrow?" At this suggestion, Li Pangui happily
picked up the jade bow and said, "That makes sense, that makes sense: you're so clever!"
Li Pangui stepped a hundred paces away, aimed carefully, and with his right hand as if supporting a mountain and his left hand as if cradling a baby, the bow was drawn
full , and the arrow flew like a shooting star. With a whoosh, the long arrow struck the crevice in the rock, instantly opening a stone door on the volcano. It turned out that these
two stone doors weighed tens of thousands of pounds, requiring such a powerful impact to activate the mechanism and open them. Li Pangui's earlier
attempt to open the door with the arrow relied entirely on wrist strength, which was certainly not as strong as the arrow shot from the large bow; the force was insufficient, and therefore it could not be opened.
The moment the stone gate opened, Li Pangui and Li Shengnan were overjoyed. Li Shengnan exclaimed, "Uncle, the gate is open
! Today we will surely obtain the martial arts manual and be able to comfort our ancestors!" Li Pangui thought of his father and son,
his father dying on a deserted island, and himself guarding this place for decades, isolated from the world, and now he was also getting old! He also thought of the Wan family,
who had sacrificed countless lives for this martial arts manual. Amidst his joy, he couldn't help but feel heartbroken. He raised his head,
laughed heartily, and his eyes were full of tears!
After the excitement, Li Pangui suddenly felt weak in his limbs, short of breath, and his heart was pounding. It turned out that he had exhausted
all his . Jin Shiyi carried the large bow on his back, thinking, "It's fortunate that we met Li Pangui on this island.
Without his divine power, even with the bow and arrow, we wouldn't be able to open these two stone doors."
The three of them filed in. Inside the stone doors was a long, winding path. At the end, there was another stone door. Li Pangui
cried out , "Oh no!" He was still exhausted; how could he possibly move that large bow?
Li Shengnan shone a torch and called out, "Uncle, come quickly! There are some handwritings left by Master Qiao here." Li Pangui looked
and saw more than a dozen lines of writing on the stone wall, each line distinct from the stone, powerful and vigorous. It was likely written by Qiao Beiming using his Vajra Finger technique
. Upon closer inspection, it was the "Great Circulation Breathing Exercise," a method of cultivation that he had longed to practice but had yet to master. This method of cultivating qi
could restore one's true strength in the shortest amount of time. Among the martial arts techniques possessed by the Wan family, there was originally a method for cultivating internal energy, but unfortunately it was incomplete, only containing
some preliminary skills. Now, the cultivation secrets written on this stone wall could perfectly complement it. Li Pangui, who already had
a foundation , practiced it once, and his energy was immediately restored, seemingly even stronger than before.
Li Pangui exclaimed happily, "Master Qiao is truly a divine being! It seems that more than two hundred years ago, he foresaw that I would be unable to
shoot a second arrow after entering this gate, so he first taught me this Great Circulation Breathing Technique."
This stone gate, like the one outside, had a crack, providing a perfect match for an arrow.
Li Pangui told Li Shengnan to hold a torch and stand beside the stone gate. He went to the other end of the path, aimed, drew his
large bow, and shot an arrow. The long arrow pierced the crack, making a rattling sound, and the two stone gates indeed opened again.
Inside the stone gate was another long passageway, at the end of which was yet another stone gate. On the stone wall was
the second section of the "Great Circulation Breathing Method," handwritten by Qiao Beiming. Everything was exactly the same as before. Li Panggui practiced according to the method, and after recovering his strength,
he fired his last arrow. The stone gate opened, revealing a bright and dazzling scene. Inside the stone chamber was something resembling a divine
pet, inside which sat a skeleton, its hands holding a book. The chamber was filled with jewels; it was
clear this skeleton was Qiao Beiming. He had hidden all the jewels he had accumulated in his life, along with his martial arts manual, along with his own
remains, in this secret stone chamber!
What Li Panggui had longed for suddenly appeared before him; his excitement was beyond words, and for a moment, he was stunned
.
Jin Shiyi glanced at the stone wall and saw several lines of writing: "I have three great regrets in my life, the first being that I cannot be with Zhang Dan..."
" I regret three things: first, that I cannot defeat Zhang Danfeng; second, that I have no successor; and third, that I cannot return to my homeland. Whoever can fulfill these three wishes for me may take
the treasure hidden in the room and the will. This is Qiao Beiming's last words." Jin Shiyi thought to himself, "Even on his
deathbed , he was
still thinking about avenging the great hero Zhang Danfeng. How could he have imagined that more than two hundred years after his death, his will would only be discovered by us? Not only have the great hero Zhang's bones long since turned to ashes, but his descendants have also long since disappeared without a trace. Li Shengnan can fulfill the latter two wishes for him." Before he finished thinking,
he saw Li Pangui rush into the room and take the martial arts book from the skeleton's hand. Li Shengnan suddenly cried out, "Uncle,
be careful !" In that split second, as she finished speaking, a soft "pop" was heard, and Qiao Beiming's skeleton
suddenly collapsed. Immediately afterward, Li Pangui cried out and also fell to the ground. The "Secret Manual of Martial Arts" scattered into pieces. Li Pangui rolled twice on
the ground panting, and cried out, "Don't touch that book! Quickly kowtow to Master Qiao and apologize!"
Li Shengnan went over to look and saw that the pieces of paper were all blank, without a single word! Moreover, after more than two hundred
years , the paper was almost moldy. Li Shengnan was extremely disappointed and cried out, "Uncle, what's wrong?" Li Pangui repeatedly
shouted, "Kowtow! Kowtow quickly!" Li
Shengnan quickly kowtowed three times. Before she could even raise her head, the stone table had already turned,
revealing .
Jin Shiyi and Wan Shengnan went to examine it. Inside the divine pet were several lines of text: "You have obeyed my command and become my
disciple from another life. The book in my hand is poisoned; you must not touch it. The book in the jade box is the genuine text. You can use the Taiyi Sword I left behind to open this
box. I am very pleased that you respect your master. All my belongings are entrusted to you. Your master from another life, Qiao Beiming." "
It turns out that Qiao Beiming was a master of scheming throughout his life. He feared that the visitor's purpose was merely to take his martial arts manual and not to fulfill
his wish. Therefore, he made this arrangement before his death. In the martial arts world, the master-disciple relationship is of utmost importance. Thus, he
set up a trap in front of the divine pet. One must kowtow and turn away to trigger the mechanism and reveal the jade box. If the visitor only wanted the book, he
would be poisoned and die!
In fact, his intentions were already hinted at in his will left on the stone wall. Among the three great
regrets , the second was 'regret for not having a successor.' If the visitor could understand his meaning, he would naturally have to kowtow and become his disciple first."
Unexpectedly , Li Pangui was overjoyed upon discovering the will. Moreover, his ancestor, Li Kangtian, was a disciple of Qiao Beiming, and his family
had regarded Qiao Beiming as their "patriarch" for generations. Therefore, Li Pangui hadn't considered performing the formal apprenticeship ceremony for Qiao Beiming. It
was precisely because of his respect for his ancestors and his "patriarch" Qiao Beiming that he overlooked the rules of the martial arts world, resulting in him being
poisoned !
Li Shengnan took the jade box, but had no choice but to open it first to visit her uncle. Li Pangui was already sitting cross-legged on the ground,
steaming white vapor rising from his head. After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, he finally smiled bitterly and said, "I probably only have three months left to live. Fortunately,
I finally obtained Patriarch Qiao's martial arts manual; even death is worthwhile. After I die, take my remains and Patriarch Qiao
's remains back with you." "
The poison that Qiao Beiming applied to the fake book was painstakingly crafted by him, arguably the most potent poison in the world. Even the most
skilled martial artist would die instantly from a mere touch! Fortunately, after more than two hundred years, its toxicity has greatly diminished. Li Pangui,
having , was able to force the poison down to the Yongquan acupoint on his heel, where it gathered and was temporarily not
fatal.
Li Shengnan, skilled in using poison, examined him and pondered, saying, 'Uncle, don't despair. You're only currently unable to expel the poison from your Yongquan acupoint due to insufficient
internal energy . If you practice this martial arts manual, your power will greatly increase, perhaps even
granting you an indestructible body. What is there to fear?' Li Pangui's eyes lit up, revealing a glimmer of hope. However, after a
moment's thought shook his head, saying, 'You only know one side of the story. Even if the book contains unparalleled martial arts, I'm afraid
it will be of no use to me now. '" "
It turns out this poison is extremely potent. Li Pangui used all the power he had accumulated in his life to chase the poison to the vicinity of the '
Yongquan . Since he has to use all his strength to resist the poison, he obviously can't spare any energy to practice his martial arts. Moreover, his power will only
weaken day by day, and the poison will also invade upwards day by day. It is estimated that in three months at most, it will seep into his heart, and that will be the end of his life
.
" Li Shengnan lowered her head and pondered. After a while, her face suddenly brightened, and she smiled and said, "Uncle, you only know one
side of the story ." Li Pangui said, "What is it?" Li Shengnan said, "We can use our own power to help you heal." Li Pangui
shook his head, glanced at Jin Shiyi, but did not speak. Li Shengnan smiled and said, "With Shiyi's current power, of course, he is still far behind you
, and I am even more powerless. But there are still three months left. In these three months, we can diligently practice Master Qiao's martial arts
manual . Who knows if our power can not greatly increase?"
A spark of hope rekindled in Li Pangui's eyes. His concern stemmed from the fact that Jin Shiyi's skill wasn't yet sufficient to help him heal from the poison .
He had fought Jin Shiyi several times and estimated that Jin Shiyi's skill could at most extend his life by another year, but
Jin Shiyi's power would also be greatly diminished. With Meng Shentong and his group lurking on the island, the danger was too great. That's why he
had hesitated so long before accepting the offer.
Now that Li Shengnan had mentioned the martial arts manual, Li Pangui pondered for a while before saying, "Bring it to me. Is there
a divine skill that can greatly increase one's power in the shortest amount of time?" Li
Shengnan brought over the jade box. Like the jade bow, it was made of the same jade, a small square jar weighing several tens of kilograms. Jin Shiyi
drew his sword and made two shallow cuts, but only managed to open the box. He then concentrated all his inner strength into the sword tip and finally managed
to it open. Jin Shiyi was astonished and muttered, "If it weren't for this sword, I really wouldn't have been able to open it.
I wonder how Qiao Beiming managed to put it in there. If I could bring this jade back to the Central Plains and have a skilled craftsman make a soft armor for it, it would be the best
protective treasure."
Li Pangui carefully read the "Martial Arts Manual" for a full hour, and was overjoyed, praising it endlessly.
She said, "Master Qiao is truly a learned man! After reading this book, many martial arts problems have been solved!" Li Shengnan
hurriedly asked, "Is there any kind of miraculous skill that can produce results in a short time?" "Li Pangui said, 'There's a training
method that combines good and evil. If Shiyi practices it, his power will roughly double within three months!'
Li Shengnan was overjoyed and said, 'That's good! Brother Shiyi, start practicing from tomorrow!' She glanced at
Jin Shiyi and noticed a slight hesitation in his expression, but he quickly replied frankly, 'For Uncle's sake, I will definitely practice diligently.'"
It turned out that Qiao Beiming was a ruthless villain from two hundred years ago. Jin Shiyi really didn't want to be his disciple in this life, but after thinking about
it, he realized that there was no other way to save Li Pangui's life. He had no choice but to compromise and thought to himself, "
Besides , I'm determined not to use the martial arts I learned from Qiao Beiming's will. Anyway, I didn't kowtow to him to become his disciple."
Li Pangui then put Qiao Beiming's remains into a burlap sack. His martial arts skills were still there, but because they needed to be used to resist poison, he
could no carry the large bow and had to leave it in the cave.
Emerging from the cave, he saw the setting sun like blood; it was already dusk. Li Pangui was eager to report the good news to Rixin and traveled through the night, finally returning to his secluded dwelling in the forest near
midnight . The three climbed the large tree. Li Pangui suddenly noticed claw marks on the trunk and his heart
skipped a beat. He thought, "Could it be that Meng Shentong has already been here?"
The three entered the tunnel through the hollow tree. Jin Shiyi led the way with his sword, Li Pangui brought up the rear, and Li Shengnan carried a torch in
the middle. They walked anxiously for a while, and just as they reached the end of the outer tunnel, Jin Shiyi suddenly exclaimed, "Isn't that Kunlun Sanren
?"
There, they saw Kunlun Sanren slumped in a corner, a large hole in his head, and several arrows sticking out of his body. He was already dead. Wan
Cegui said, "He was caught in a trap. He must have been wounded by a hidden crossbow when he touched the stone door, and then his head was crushed by the Golden Hair Shuttle.
I wonder if that old thief Meng has been captured yet!"
Of the four demons from Tibet, Kunlun Sanren was the best. Now he had also died a violent death. Jin Shiyi felt a little
sorry . The death of Kunlun Sanren was gruesome, but the thought that Meng Shentong might still be hiding in the cave made it even more terrifying. Li Pangui took
a breath and cried out, "Mother, Mother!" Only his echo reverberated in the cave; he couldn't hear his mother's reply.
Li Pangui's heart nearly leaped out of his throat, and his heels went numb—a sign of poison gas rising upwards.
Li Pangui regained his composure and hurriedly pushed open the stone door. After walking about ten steps, he found the female Golden-haired Shuttle lying dead on the ground. Upon entering the second
stone door, he also discovered the male Golden-haired Shuttle! It was obvious that only Meng Shentong could kill those two golden-haired men. Li Pangui was increasingly
alarmed , thinking, "How could he have penetrated so deep into the heart of the territory? Even if Mom activated the tunnel's mechanisms, it wouldn't have been able to trap him."
Before he could finish his thought, he suddenly smelled a faint, intoxicating fragrance. Jin Shiyi quickly opened his mouth and whispered, "This is
the 'Rooster Crows at Dawn' Resurrection Incense' from the martial arts world!"
Li Shengnan took out two pills and gave one to Li Pangui and one to Jin Shiyi, saying, "This incense is incredibly potent; it's definitely not
the ordinary 'Rooster Crows at Dawn' Resurrection Incense from the martial arts world." As a single woman venturing into the martial arts world, Li Shengnan always had to be wary of ambushes, so she
always carried antidote pills in her purse, which came in handy now. Li Pangui's internal strength was profound, and even the most potent incense couldn't knock him
out, but because he had been poisoned by the most rare poison in the world left behind by Qiao Beiming, he needed an antidote. Jin Shiyi could have chosen not to use it, but
considering the upcoming fierce battle with Meng Shentong, caution was paramount. Despite the foul odor of the antidote, he had no choice but to keep it in his mouth.
Li Pangui, though highly skilled in martial arts, was now in a state of panic. He called out several times, "Mother," but received
no response. Li Shengnan said, "Uncle, you seem to have gone the wrong way. Why haven't we reached the strange gate yet?" Li Pangui regained his composure and
said with a wry smile, "My eyes are numb. Lead the way!" Fortunately, Li Shengnan knew the tunnel's mechanisms, and soon they reached
the stone chamber in the center of the tunnel. Li Shengnan broke out in a cold sweat, thinking to herself, "Uncle has been poisoned and seems completely disoriented. What if Meng Shentong is really
here…"
Before she could finish her thought, Li Pangui pushed open the stone door with a palm strike. Suddenly, a shout rang out, "Stop!" Meng Shentong was indeed
in !
Meng Shentong stood menacingly in the middle, gripping the old woman's vest. A monk, his body covered in cuts and
bruises, was also there, emitting a chilling, sinister laugh. It turned out Meng Shentong
possessed some knowledge of divination and mystical arts. He had brought with him a potent sleeping incense for this voyage. This incense belonged to his
apprentice , Ji Xiaofeng, known as the world's greatest thief. Ji Xiaofeng's incense could detect enemies from a mile away,
penetrating any opening, and remaining effective for up to twelve hours. Therefore, unless the opponent possessed exceptional internal strength, was immune to all evil, or had taken a potent antidote
beforehand , no one could escape his grasp. After accepting him as a disciple, he had given him several sticks of the incense
as a gift. Meng Shentong initially disdained using incense, but finding it amusing, he casually placed it in his medicine pouch and carried it with him on the voyage.
This time, it proved invaluable.
Meng Shentong was in the shadows; they were in the open. Knowing they had left home to study martial arts manuals, Meng Shentong immediately invited Monk Jianfa and
Kunlun Hermit to the tunnel to carry out their ambush.
As soon as Meng Shentong entered the tunnel entrance, he lit sleeping incense. When Li Pangui's mother sent someone into the tunnel, they had just
activated a mechanism when they were knocked unconscious by the incense. Only Kunlun Hermit was killed by a hidden arrow from the mechanism, while
the wound on Monk Jianfa's face was from a golden-haired dart. Meng Shentong and Monk Jianfa together killed two golden-haired dart users, and with no further obstacles, they entered the stone chamber and captured Li Pangui's mother
effortlessly .
The stone chamber guarded by Li Pangui's mother was the central location of the tunnel's mechanisms. Meng Shentong destroyed all the mechanisms, then
surveyed the cave, scouting for an escape route, before returning to the stone chamber to await Li Pangui and the others' return.
Li Pangui was shocked and furious to see his mother suddenly in Meng Shentong's grasp. Meng Shentong sneered, "If you dare take a step,
I'll shatter your mother's heart!" Li Pangui shouted, "What do you want?" Meng Shentong laughed, "Nothing
much . You should already know why I'm here. As long as you hand over Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual, I won't make things difficult for
your mother."
Li Pangui's face turned ashen. He said, "Let me say a few words to my mother." Meng Shentong smiled, "Your mother is still alive,
don't worry." He put an antidote into his mother's mouth, released her pressure points, and shouted, "Quickly tell your
son to hand over Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual!"
The old woman regained her senses and immediately asked in a trembling voice, "My son, did you really get that martial arts manual?" Her voice
was full of surprise. Li Pangui, having lived in the mortal world, knew nothing of lying and blurted out, "Thanks to your nephew-
in-law for bringing Master Qiao's painting. The martial arts manual has arrived." The old woman said, "My child, your father
died , and you wasted your youth for it. Don't give the martial arts manual to this scoundrel! I am old and my death is nothing to regret,
but you must protect the martial arts manual!" Meng Shentong was furious and immediately pressed the old woman's pressure points again, saying, "Fine, your mother
is willing to die, are you willing to let her die?"
Li Pangui had lived his entire life with his mother, how could he bear to watch her be murdered? Yet this martial arts manual was something his family had sought
for generations sacrificing countless lives in the process!
Meng Shentong shouted, "If you don't agree after I count to ten, I'll kill you and your mother!" He knew that if he killed
Li Pangui 's mother, he himself would have no chance of escape, so he was actually a little afraid.
Tears welled in Li Pangui's eyes, and he immediately said, "No need to count, I'll give it to you!" Meng Shentong laughed heartily and
said , "That's right, you're a wild man, but your filial piety is truly commendable. Take it!" Indeed:
Having endured countless hardships to obtain the manual, how could he willingly give it to his enemy?
To find out what happens next, please turn to the next chapter.

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