[Wuxia] The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea (Complete) - 10

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

Gu Zhihua awoke to find herself in a stone chamber. Xiang Hong and Qu Xiu stood guard at the door.
Gu Zhihua struggled to get up, but her limbs were weak and unresponsive. Xiang Hong sneered, "Trying to escape now?" Just
then, she heard intermittent coughing. Moments later, footsteps reached the door, and Qu Xiu called out,
"Alright, Master's here!"
A thunderclap seemed to strike Gu Zhihua's head. In her dazed state, she saw a tall, slightly hunched,
red-faced old man enter. This old man was none other than her biological father, whom she had never met before, and Meng Shentong, the sworn enemy of the Mangshan Sect!
Xiang Hong asked, "Master, are you alright?" Meng Shentong snorted and said, "Jin Shiyi's poisoned needles can hurt
others, but not me. You don't need to worry about me! How's the task I gave you? Haven't you found out Li Qinmei's whereabouts yet
?" After saying this, he coughed several times, clearly indicating that his injuries had not yet healed.
Xiang Hong said, "Although we haven't found out Li Qinmei's whereabouts, we are glad to have captured this woman. She can resist
the Asura Yin Sha Gong If my uncle hadn't arrived in time, I would have almost been injured by her." Xiang Hong's words were partly to express his
merit, and partly to get his master to interrogate the woman severely. He knew that his master was most afraid of anyone being able to counter his
Asura Yin Sha Gong .
Meng Shentong snorted again and said, "You good-for-nothing! You can't even beat a little girl, and you dare to face
me?" Despite his words, he was not without fear in his heart, thinking, "Xiang Hong's Asura Yin Sha Technique is only at the second level, so it's understandable that he lost to her.
But Junior Brother Yang has already reached the fifth level, yet he can only subdue her and cannot inflict internal injuries on her. That's
a bit strange. She's still young, and she can already withstand the fifth level of the Asura Yin Sha Technique.
What ?"
Meng Shentong opened his eyes wide, looked at Gu Zhihua, and said coldly, "I heard that Lü Siniang has taken on a closed-door disciple. Is that you
?"
Gu Zhihua's face turned ashen, and he remained silent. Meng Shentong exclaimed, "Eh?" and said, "You call yourself Lü Siniang's disciple,
yet you have no courage at all! As long as you tell the truth, I won't kill you. What are you afraid of?"
Gu Zhihua suddenly opened her eyes and said, "I'm not afraid for myself, I'm afraid for you!" Meng Shentong said, "Eh,
that's even stranger. You're actually so kind, afraid for me. What are you afraid of for me?" Gu Zhihua said, "You have such great martial arts
skills , yet you never do anything good. You, you..." Meng Shentong burst into laughter, interrupting her, and said, "You might as well just say I
'm a wicked and wicked demon. Why beat around the bush like this?" Gu Zhihua felt a pang of heartache and continued,
"You already know you're wicked and shameless. Aren't you afraid of retribution in the future? I, I'm afraid for you, afraid you won't have a good
end!"
Meng Shentong laughed loudly, "I've never believed in retribution in my life. You don't need to worry about me." After laughing, he suddenly felt
very strange, because in his entire life, no one had ever spoken to him in such a tone! Despite being his enemy, she
seemed quite concerned for him.
Meng Shentong looked Gu Zhihua up and down and said, "You little girl are a bit strange. Hmph, hmph,
you're worried about my fate? Let me tell you, with my current martial arts, there are probably two or three people who can defeat
me; when I reach the ninth level of my Asura Yin Sha Gong, no matter how vast the world is, no one will be my match! What do I have to fear?"
Gu Zhihua said, "Can you really dominate the world just by relying on martial arts? Have you ever heard the old saying that those who do many evil deeds will surely perish? Besides, the world
is so vast, how do you know there isn't a way to counter your Asura Yin Sha Gong? I don't know about others, but my master left me
a way to counter you!"
Meng Shentong sneered, "I've lived in seclusion in the Taihang Mountains for over ten years, never daring to offend her, yet she's been secretly plotting against me:
But, Lü Siniang, Lü Siniang..." "You underestimate me! You didn't fight me when you were alive, but now you send a little brat
to oppose me after you're dead. How could she possibly harm me!" Gu Zhihua said coldly. "I am no match for you now. But
someone will master the skill my master left behind to restrain you within five years and come looking for you! If you repent and do good from now on, and
accumulate some merit within five years, your enemies might forgive you then."
Meng Shentong laughed loudly. "For decades, only people have begged me for mercy. Why would I kneel before anyone? Your master
didn't dare , so I don't believe she could leave behind any powerful skills after she's dead! You make it sound so powerful, try reciting the incantation to me
." Gu Zhihua said, "Since you're not afraid, why do you need me to recite it?" Meng Shentong blushed, coughed, and said:
"You little brat, you really don't know your place! Do you think I made you carry it because I'm afraid of it? I wanted to point out
the , to broaden your horizons, you frog in a well: to show you the wonders of the Asura Yin Sha Gong, which your master could never have imagined
!" Gu Zhihua sneered, "I say you're the frog in the well. How could you possibly imagine my master's martial arts? But
actually, even if you didn't say it, I know what you're thinking. You're really afraid of my master, and also afraid that someone can counter your Asura Yin Sha Gong.
That's why you're trying to provoke me ..." "I'll tell you the secret of this skill so you can be on your guard!"
Meng Shentong, exposed by her words, turned pale and sneered, "You're under my control now,
yet you dare to speak nonsense and disrespect me. Do you think I'm really afraid of your Mangshan Sect and dare not punish you? Quickly recite the incantation, or I might be
lenient ." Gu Zhihua said, "Even if you beg me ten thousand times, I won't recite it to you." Meng Shentong was furious
and roared, "Do you want your life?" Gu Zhihua suddenly raised her head and said, "I know you are a ruthless demon king who kills without blinking an eye.
I feel indignant for those who died unjustly at your hands, but if you ask me to die at your hands, I would do so willingly." These words
truly came from her heart; she was thinking, "You gave me life, and you will kill me. This will perfectly end my father-daughter relationship with you. I
never wanted this father, and I don't want you to know that I am your daughter!"
Gu Zhihua's expression was calm as she awaited her father's execution. But Meng Shentong found her words quite
strange !
Suddenly, a bizarre feeling arose in his heart. He stared at Gu Zhihua and felt a sudden
sense of familiarity with , especially her expression—a mixture of concern and resentment—that seemed to belong to someone he knew well.
Ah!
Who was she?
Xiang Hong had been slapped by Gu Zhihua during their fight at the inn, and hated her intensely. Now, he seized the opportunity to retaliate…
"Master," Meng Shentong stepped forward and said, "this kind of spineless person won't talk unless she's beaten. To kill her immediately would be too lenient. I'll fetch
the White Dragon Whip for you and give her a severe beating, see if her bones can withstand its force!"
Meng Shentong rolled his eyes and suddenly shouted, "Who asked you to interfere? Get out of here!" Xiang Hong, trying to flatter him
, had his blunder backfired. He stammered and hastily withdrew, feeling extremely puzzled. This woman had been so defiant towards his master,
yet seemed to show her some pity.
Xiang Hong couldn't fathom what his master was thinking. At that moment, Meng Shentong suddenly thought of his wife,
thinking "That's it, that's it! Whenever I did something wrong, she looked at
me like that. Hmm, she's been dead for twenty years, I'd almost forgotten her, but I never expected to see such a similar expression again today."
Meng Shentong had never been afraid of anything in his life, yet somehow... He suddenly trembled, avoiding
Gu Zhihua 's gaze, and hurriedly asked, "Who...who are you?" Gu Zhihua asked. "Didn't you already know this? I am
a disciple of Lü Siniang of the Mangshan Sect," Meng Shentong said. "I asked you your name?" Gu Zhihua felt a pang of sorrow in her heart, and with great effort, she
suppressed it whispered, "My name is Gu Zhihua," Meng Shentong said. "Who is your father?" Gu Zhihua asked. "My...my
father is...is..." Meng Shentong shouted. "Say it quickly, who is he?" Gu Zhihua said haltingly. "It is...it is...
it is the great hero of the Two Lakes, Gu Zhengpeng," Meng Shentong said with a sigh of relief. "So you are Gu Zhengpeng's daughter: Eh,
why are you crying?" Gu Zhihua could no longer hold back and choked out. "I remembered my father, he...he
...he is dead. How could he know the suffering I am enduring today?" Indeed, in Gu Zhihua's heart, she had already considered
her biological father dead.
Meng Shentong frowned and said, "Don't cry, don't cry. If you won't talk, that's fine. I won't kill you or hit you.
Don't be afraid." After saying this, he himself felt strange; this was something unprecedented in his life—he had
shown such compassion to a woman he "didn't know." Gu Zhihua wiped her tears with her sleeve and said, "Let me go!" Meng Shentong shook his head
and said, "That won't do!"
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he asked loudly, "How old are you this year?" Gu Zhihua replied, "Twenty-one." Meng Shentong
swayed, as if he couldn't stand steadily, but then he thought to himself, "There's no such coincidence in the world. That
year, I couldn't save her in time. She was seriously injured, and the mother and daughter were abandoned in the wilderness. A one-year-old baby, with no one to care for her, how could she survive
? But why does she look at me like that? And she happens to be twenty-one!"
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but tremble all over. Gu Zhihua said, "You won't kill me, but you won't let me go either. What do you want me to do here?"
Meng Shentong suddenly remembered that she was Lü Siniang's disciple, and his mind cleared up instantly. He thought, "Lü Siniang has left me with
a skill . How can I easily let her disciple go? Hmm, perhaps it's because I miss my deceased wife too much. Seeing her similar expression has stirred up
my old feelings, making me suspicious of everything. In fact, there are countless twenty-one-year-old girls in the world. How could it be such a coincidence that it happens to be my
daughter?"
But when he met Gu Zhihua's gaze, he couldn't help but tremble. Meng Shentong avoided Gu Zhihua's
gaze and said in a deep voice, "I want you to stay by my side and be with me for the rest of my life!" Gu Zhihua's heart trembled, and she murmured, "Be with
you for the rest of my life, for the rest of my life? I'd rather you kill me!" Meng Shentong said, "Otherwise, you can
write down ." Gu Zhihua's heart was heavy. The "Shaoyang Divine Skill" left by her master was originally meant to restrain Meng Shentong. If
she told him, it would be the same as saving his life. Although Meng Shentong was a great demon, he was still her father. Could
she bear to let him be killed in the future? But if she told him, how could she face her deceased master? How could she face
her former fellow disciples? This would be betraying her sect, a heinous crime! Gu Zhihua thought to herself, "No, no, I absolutely
cannot tell him. Although I haven't told my fellow disciples outright, I have already sworn at my master's grave that I will no longer consider him
my father!" Her heart ached terribly, and tears streamed down her face.
Meng Shentong said, "Oh, why are you crying again? I kept you with me because I wanted to pass on my unparalleled martial arts to you
. Wouldn't it be better if you became my disciple? Others would be eager to do so!" Gu Zhihua couldn't speak, she just shook her head.
Seeing her strange expression, Meng Shentong became suspicious again. Just as he was about to ask again, his second disciple, Wu Meng, suddenly came in and reported, "
The Thousand-Handed Thief Ji Xiaofeng requests an audience with you, sir." Meng Shentong shouted, "Tell him to get out! I won't see anyone today!" Wu Meng
said, "He said he has something very important to discuss. He came to see you severely injured." Meng Shentong said, "
What ? I don't care what important it is!"
Suddenly, a hoarse voice was heard outside the door saying, "Meng Shentong, do you know why I was injured? I was injured for you
! If you don't let me go today, you will surely die at the hands of the Mangshan Sect disciples one day!" Meng Shentong was stunned. He shouted, "Well,
you Thousand-Handed Thief, how dare you barge in! I'll let you in, but if you utter a single lie, I'll beat you half to death first."
With that, he locked Gu Zhihua in the side room, then opened the door to let Ji Xiaofeng in. Ji Xiaofeng was covered in blood, and his right
arm was in a sling. Meng Shentong glanced at him and said, "That's right, you were injured by Cao Jin'er's Iron Pipa Palm. Why did you
oppose her?" Ji Xiaofeng replied, "I learned from the Mangshan Conference that Cao Jin'er and Yi Zhongmou will
kill you in five years. I risked my life to steal their things because of you!" Meng Shentong said, "Wait, wait!
With your status, do you even deserve to attend the Mangshan Conference?!"
Ji Xiaofeng retorted! "Wouldn't I ask around? Jiang Luqiao is my sworn brother, and
he was present at the entire Mangshan gathering. I know everything that happened there from him!"
Gu Zhihua, locked in the side room, heard everything he said, and was utterly shocked! This meant
he would find out I was his daughter! But Jiang Luqiao was a renowned righteous swordsman from Henan, while Ji Xiaofeng was a disgraceful
thief in the martial arts world. How could they have become sworn brothers? Could he be lying to Meng Shentong on purpose? Meng Shentong said, "Ha,
so Jiang Luqiao also attended the Mangshan gathering, that makes sense! Hey, why don't you continue?" Hearing Meng Shentong's
tone was now completely convinced of Ji Xiaofeng's identity, and was deeply shocked.
It turned out that Jiang Luqiao and Ji Xiaofeng had a life-or-death bond; once, Jiang Luqiao, in order to help a镖局 (bodyguard agency) obtain a镖 (bodyguard supplies),...
In a fierce battle, Fang Junxiong, the one-legged bandit from Henan, lost an arm, while Jiang Luqiao was also
severely .
It was Ji Xiaofeng who stole a thousand-year-old He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) from the Prince of Su's mansion, which cured him. This is why Jiang Luqiao
was willing to humble himself and become sworn brothers with him. Few in the martial arts world knew this secret, but Meng Shentong already knew
.
Suddenly, a "crack" was heard, and Ji Xiaofeng swayed, hurriedly grabbing the wall for support, but his head hit the wall with
a sound . Meng Shentong pulled him over
, sealed seven major acupoints on his body—Xuanji, Yuheng, Fengfu, Guicang, Weidao, Jumiu, and Fengwei—to stop the bleeding, and instructed his second disciple, Wu Meng, to... "Get me two Lesser Rejuvenation Pills, and also get the Healing Glue
to set his broken bones."
Meng Shentong examined his injury and laughed, "Fortunately, Cao Jin'er passed on her Iron Pipa to my junior brother Lu Daolin, but her
Iron Palm skill is not yet fully developed. Otherwise, if you had been injured by her weapon, how could you still be alive?"
After a while, Wu Meng brought the Lesser Rejuvenation Pills and gave them to him. Among the various healing medicines refined by Meng Shentong
, the Lesser Rejuvenation Pills were the fastest to take effect and also had the ability to nourish the body's vital energy. After Ji Xiaofeng took them, his complexion gradually became
rosy . At this time, Wu Meng had already used the Healing Glue to set his broken bones. Ji Xiaofeng stood up, but instead of thanking Meng Shentong,
Meng Shentong thanked him, saying, "Good, you really risked your life to do this for me. What reward do you want?"
Ji Xiaofeng said, "Gold and silver treasures are readily available; you don't need to give them to me. I only ask that you take me as your disciple."
Meng Shentong asked, "Why do you want to be my disciple?" Ji Xiaofeng said, "What I lack now is superior martial arts. If I can
learn some of your skills, I'll be safe from getting hurt when I steal things. Ha, ha, then
I can even steal the most precious treasures from the imperial palace to offer to my master!"
Meng Shentong laughed heartily and said, "Good, you're quite straightforward. I'll... " "I'll take you as a disciple." Ji Xiaofeng
kowtowed three times and called out, "Master." She said happily, "Although I got
a beating from Cao Jin'er for stealing things for Master this time, it was all worth it."
Meng Shentong said, "Tell me about the Mangshan Gathering, and what you stole, don't leave anything out." Ji Xiaofeng
said, "Alright, I'll start from the beginning. Did you know that Lü Siniang had a closed-door disciple?" Gu Zhihua's heart
pounded wildly. She heard Meng Shentong's voice tremble slightly as he asked, "Um, what's her name?" Ji Xiaofeng said, "Her name is
Gu Zhihua." Meng Shentong asked, "Do you know who her parents are?" Ji Xiaofeng asked... "I heard she's
the daughter ." Meng Shentong breathed a sigh of relief. "This little girl didn't lie to me."
Gu Zhihua also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to herself, "Ji Xiaofeng's sworn brother attended the Mangshan Gathering. How could
he not know that I am Meng Shentong's daughter? Could it be that he's actually hiding it for me? I don't know him at all, so why would he hide it for me? Could it be that he's
saving it for last?"
Gu Zhihua was filled with anxiety when she heard Ji Xiaofeng continue, "Lu Siniang actually already knew that you were living in seclusion in the Taihang Mountains.
The reason she didn't come looking for trouble was because she wasn't confident of victory. Later, she used ten lifetimes
of skill to cultivate a Shaoyang Divine Skill, which is said to be the very skill you practiced." "The nemesis of Luo Yin Sha Gong." Meng Shentong asked, "
How do you know the secret of Lü Siniang's training?" Ji Xiaofeng replied, "It was Lü Siniang's disciple who
told her personally to her senior sister, the sect leader, at the Mangshan Assembly." Meng Shentong said, "Why would she reveal such a secret about our sect's martial arts in front of
so many outsiders at the assembly? This is too unreasonable." Ji Xiaofeng said, "I don't know, but my
sworn brother never lies, and he has no reason to lie to me!"
Little did Meng Shentong know that Gu Zhihua was forced by her senior sister that day. She had revealed the secret of her background and was then
immediately expelled from the Mangshan Sect. Under such circumstances, Gu Zhihua was extremely agitated and had no time
to think things through. Moreover, she was following her master's dying wish to pass on the Shaoyang Divine Skill to her senior sister. If she hadn't done so then and had been expelled from the sect,
she might never have had the chance to see her senior sister again. Hearing Meng Shentong question Ji Xiaofeng, she secretly regretted her lack of experience
in the martial world , which had led her to reveal her sect's secret to an outsider. But she wondered, "Why hasn't Ji Xiaofeng
revealed my secret yet? Does he really not know? If he knows what I told my senior sister, how could he not know
I'm Meng Shentong's daughter?"
Ji Xiaofeng continued, "Master, if you don't believe me, I have solid evidence. Gu Zhihua gave Cao Jin'er the three chapters of the Shaoyang Divine Skill
written by I've already stolen these three manuals." Meng Shentong's eyebrows furrowed, and he said,
"Show them to me. Hmph, I want to see if Lü Si's daughter really possesses such supernatural abilities!"
Gu Zhihua secretly groaned, thinking that although the three chapters of the Shaoyang Divine Skill were lost to Cao Jin'er, if she hadn't revealed
her sect's secret and given them to Cao Jin'er in front of everyone, how could the Thousand-Handed Thief have stolen them from her? Tracing the source of the disaster,
it was all his own fault. He was filled with remorse.
Meng Shentong carefully read the three chapters of the "Lesser Yang Divine Skill." At first, all he heard was Meng Shentong's constant cold laughter. The Thousand-Handed Thief
Ji Xiaofeng thought, "Could it be that Lü Siniang exaggerated, and these three chapters of the Lesser Yang Divine Skill are actually useless, which is why Meng Shentong looks down on them?
Ah, if I had known this, I wouldn't have risked my life to steal them." After a while, Meng Shentong stopped laughing,
and his expression became increasingly grave. Ji Xiaofeng, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief.
It turned out that Meng Shentong's "Asura Yin Sha Skill" was the highest-ranking skill among the evil sects, and it had been lost for a long time.
Although Lü Siniang's martial arts skills were the best in the world, and she had even discerned the symptoms of the victims' deaths,
she couldn't fully grasp the subtleties of the Asura Yin Sha Skill. Therefore, her "Lesser Yang Divine Skill" could only defend against the "Asura Yin Sha Skill," not
break it . Of course, there were also shortcomings in its application. Therefore, Meng Shentong initially underestimated it after flipping through a few pages.
However, after reading the third chapter, "The Lesser Yang Divine Skill," he couldn't help but be startled. The "Lesser Yang Divine Skill" emphasized
strengthening one's own internal energy to resist external evils, progressing gradually from shallow to deep, thus becoming increasingly profound as it progressed. Meng Shentong
thought to himself, "Lu Siniang's martial arts skills are indeed far superior to mine. She hasn't practiced the Asura Yin Sha Skill yet, but she's come up with a way to resist it
—truly admirable! Although her Lesser Yang Divine Skill hasn't yet broken my technique, if someone
of equal strength as me practices this Lesser Yang Divine Skill, then my Asura Yin Sha Skill won't be able to harm them. Or, if someone from Mang..."
"If three or four top-tier masters from the mountain sect all practice this kind of skill, it wouldn't be difficult for them to kill me!" Thinking of this, how could he still laugh out loud
?
Ji Xiaofeng said, "Master, do you think Lü Siniang's three chapters of the Shaoyang Divine Skill make any sense?" Meng Shentong, remembering
how he hadn't been able to get a single word from Gu Zhihua no matter how hard he tried, now obtained it effortlessly, laughed again and said, "It
's worth stealing!" At this moment, he had memorized the essence of the Shaoyang Divine Skill, so he placed the three chapters of training
secrets in his palm, clapped his hands together, and lightly slapped them, scattering scraps of paper all over the ground. He laughed loudly, "Lü Sigen still wants to
oppose me after death, humph, humph! I'll teach her a lesson she won't rest in peace!"
These words pierced Gu Zhihua's heart like sharp needles. The destruction of the three chapters of the Shaoyang Divine Skill handwritten by her master by Meng Shentong was already
heartbreaking enough, but what saddened her even more was the sudden realization that from now on, she would be the only
one subdue Meng Shentong in the future, she would either have to rewrite the Shaoyang Divine Skill from memory and give it to her senior sister, or she would have
to fight Meng Shentong herself. In short, whether directly or indirectly, she would have to become an enemy of her own father. Alas, how could she be so ruthless? How could she possibly
be so cruel to her own father, Feng...?
Suddenly, Gu Zhihua had suicidal thoughts. Although her sword had long been taken by Meng Shentong, she could still
use her internal energy to sever her meridians and end her life. However, she was someone who had been taught by Lü Siniang for over ten years. As soon as the thought of death arose, she
immediately thought of her master. "My master only has me as her disciple. She spent over ten years raising me and
passing on all her skills to me, hoping that I would inherit her mantle. Even if I cannot drive out the Tartars, I should at least be a chivalrous
person. How can I fail her expectations and die so easily?" Then, the image of Jin Shiyi also appeared in her mind
. Jin Shiyi's voice seemed to be saying in her ear: "The lotus rises from the mud unsullied. The pure are pure, and the impure are impure. He is
him, and you are you. What does he have to do with you? Just pretend that you never had this father. Why suffer for him for a lifetime?"
Thinking of her master's teachings and Jin Shiyi's advice, Gu Zhihua's spirits lifted again, and she thought, "That's right." " Unless
he wants to kill me with his own hands, then I have no choice but to accept it. I absolutely cannot end my own life with my own hands." However, although
Gu Zhihua had abandoned her suicidal thoughts, the torment in her heart remained.
Meng Shentong continued to ask Ji Xiaofeng, "Is there any other news about the Mangshan Conference?" Ji Xiaofeng said, "There is
another major event. The disciple of Monk Liaoyin, Monk Miefa, has reappeared." Meng Shentong said, "Oh, he disappeared for decades
and has reappeared? I suppose he knows that Lü Siniang is dead, so he dares to come out without worry." Ji Xiaofeng said, "That's right. He caused
a great disturbance at Mangshan. I heard it was to compete with Cao Jin'er for the position of sect leader. However, he was eventually driven away by Jin Shiyi and Gu Zhihua."
In fact, Jin Shiyi did not make a move. Jiang Luqiao did not tell him clearly enough, so he spread the rumor.
Meng Shentong was surprised and said, "Jin Shiyi actually came to Mangshan, and he was even able to help the Mangshan Sect defeat Monk
Miefa ?" "In his mind, Jin Shiyi was believed to have been injured by his Asura Yin Sha Skill, and would be crippled even if he didn't die.
How could he not be horrified upon hearing this news?
Gu Zhihua was also puzzled as to why Ji Xiaofeng had never revealed that she was Meng Shentong's daughter. Little did she know, Jiang
Luqiao was a righteous swordsman who sympathized with Gu Zhihua's plight. Although he had leaked a lot of information about the Mangshan Conference to
Ji Xiaofeng, he was unwilling to expose others' secrets, so he concealed the fact that Gu Zhihua had a relationship with Meng Shentong.
Gu Zhihua was in a state of utter confusion when she heard Meng Shentong laughing outside again: 'Xiaofeng, you have already made
a contribution . I will certainly not treat you unfairly. Go and practice some foundational skills with your senior brother. Three days later, I will
personally teach you the Asura Yin Sha Skill. Ha! Ha! In a few years, when I have mastered the ninth level of the Asura Yin Sha Skill, I will
be invincible, and you will be the number one master thief in the world.'" Ji
Xiaofeng kowtowed several times and left the stone chamber. Meng Shentong, his laughter still ringing, opened the door to the side room. He glanced
at Gu Zhihua and saw her face was ashen, and couldn't help but laugh smugly, "Did you hear that? Are you scared now? I
wanted you to know that your master's Shaoyang Divine Skill is now known only to you and me." Gu Zhihua, seeing his expression,
felt a chill run down her spine: "This time he's probably really going to use his poison!" Sure enough, Meng Shentong continued, "You should be smug,
right? In this world, besides you, no one else can use the Shaoyang Divine Skill to make things difficult for me."
At this point, a fierce glint appeared in his eyes, and he coldly said, "Now you only have two paths to choose from. One is to join
my sect and willingly become my disciple. As long as I live, you cannot leave me. If you still want to avenge the Mangshan Sect,
then the other path is death. I will make you suffer endless torment, be poisoned by the Yin Cold, and die slowly." "Don't blame me for being ruthless. Who told you
to be Lü Siniang's disciple, and now the only one besides me who knows the Shaoyang Divine Skill? Fine, I'll give you one day
. Think it over yourself, and you must answer by this time tomorrow. Heh, did you hear me clearly?"
Meng Shentong had just heard Ji Xiaofeng's words, and Ji Xiaofeng also said that He Zhihua was the daughter of Gu Zhengpeng, the great hero of Lianghu, which
perfectly matched Gu Zhihua's own account. At this moment, he no longer doubted that Gu Zhihua was his daughter, and he made up his mind that if Gu Zhihua refused
to submit, he would really put her to death!
Gu Zhihua tried her best to suppress the grief and indignation in her heart, met her father's gaze, and said proudly, "Why wait until tomorrow? You can do it
now !" Meng Shentong shouted, "What? What are you planning?" Gu Zhihua said, "I would rather die than
be your disciple!" Meng Shentong said, "You are so young, yet you are not afraid of death?" "Gu Zhihua said, 'No, it's not that I
'm not afraid of death, but to become your disciple is far more terrifying than death!'
Meng Shentong was furious. He sneered, 'You think you can look down on me like this just because you're a disciple of a prestigious sect
? Fine, since you want to die, I'll grant your wish!' He raised his palm, secretly channeling his Asura Yin Sha Technique, instantly turning his palm as black
as ink, and slowly struck down at the top of Gu Zhihua's head.
The two faced each other. Meng Shentong suddenly saw tears rolling down Gu Zhihua's eyes. Little did Meng Shentong know that this wasn't because
Gu Zhihua was afraid of death, but because she was heartbroken by this tragic human tragedy. Her biological father hadn't even known she was his
daughter when he killed her.
Although Meng Shentong no longer doubted that Gu Zhihua was his daughter, for some reason, seeing her tears
softened ! He had killed people like grass in his life, never blinking an eye, but this time he had softened his hand—truly unprecedented. Gu Zhihua closed her eyes and waited..."
She felt a chill on her head, as if a large block of ice was slowly pressing down, but Meng Shentong's hand never touched
her. Gu Zhihua couldn't help but open her eyes and scream, "Kill me if you want, why hesitate?"
Meng Shentong gritted his teeth and pressed his palm down another inch, but it felt as if a thousand pounds were supporting him. When his palm was three inches away from the top of her head,
he couldn't press down any further. Just then, his second disciple, Wu Meng, suddenly came in to report, "A very strange
old monk has been found at the entrance of the valley. He specifically asked you to go and greet him." Meng Shentong took the opportunity to withdraw his palm and said, "You say you're not afraid, but
you're still afraid in your heart. There's no need to hide it from me anymore. I'll show mercy once more and, as before, let you think about it for another day."
Gu Zhihua cried out! "Why do you want me to suffer another day of torment? My answer tomorrow will not change in the slightest. If you want to kill me,
then kill me quickly." But Meng Shentong had already walked out of the stone chamber, pretending not to hear her words. With a loud bang, the two
thick stone doors slammed shut, plunging the room into darkness.
Meng Shentong's footsteps faded into the distance, but Gu Zhihua could still faintly hear his roar: "Who dares to be so
bold to make me go out to meet him?"
Meng Shentong's disciple replied tremblingly, "We didn't dare disturb you, but that strange monk seems to have some
influence ; we couldn't stop him." Before he finished speaking, the sound of an iron staff striking the ground echoed. Meng Shentong, with
his keen hearing, knew they were still a mile away, yet in a short while, they seemed to have arrived at the door! Meng Shentong's heart skipped a beat. He said, "
Indeed , he has some influence. No wonder you couldn't stop him."
He went out to look. In the moonlight, he saw a burly monk with white hair and beard, but a ruddy complexion. In
Meng Shentong's eyes, he appeared at a glance to be a master who had studied orthodox Xuanmen internal martial arts and possessed a profound foundation. Meng Shentong was
taken aback , thinking, "I've never heard of such a person among the righteous sects. Could it be some elder from the Bodhidharma Hall of Shaolin Temple?" Even
if Meng Shentong had never fought any of the top figures in the martial arts world, he had at least heard of them and knew roughly what they were like
. Only the elders of the Bodhidharma Hall of Shaolin Temple, some of whom were high-ranking monks who had been in seclusion for decades, were beyond the comprehension of the martial arts world.
However, this old monk didn't seem like a virtuous high-ranking monk. His face was fleshy and rugged, with a hint of menace between his brows. His attire
was also strange; he carried an enormous cloth bag on his back and a staff as thick as a bowl.
Meng Shentong sized up the strange monk and asked, "Master, what brings you here so late at night?" The monk
laughed , "No one comes to the Three Treasures Hall without a reason. Of course, I have come for a reason. Old Meng, I have long admired your name. Let's get to know
each other!" He put down his cloth bag, strode forward, and extended his enormous, fan-like hand. He then tried to shake hands with Meng Shentong as a gesture of respect.
Meng Shentong, being a seasoned veteran, naturally knew that he was deliberately trying to challenge him. He was furious. He thought, "Do you think
I'm afraid of you just because you've practiced the orthodox internal energy of the Xuanmen?" But he didn't dare to underestimate his opponent, so he unleashed his seventh level of the Asura Yin Sha Gong. As soon as
they shook hands, he felt a great force coming from him, and both of them took three steps back. However, even after taking three steps back, the strange monk's body was
still , and he couldn't help but shiver. It was clear that he had lost. Just as Meng Shentong was about to speak, the strange monk
laughed heartily, "Old Monster Meng, you truly live up to your reputation! You deserve a special gift from me!"
Seeing that this strange monk had dared to take a blow from him head-on without injury, Meng Shentong was quite impressed. He immediately said, "
There are few in the world who can withstand my Asura Yin Sha Gong. You deserve my personal greeting. Please, Master, bestow upon me your Dharma name." The strange
monk laughed again, "You want to know my Dharma name? I am called the Subtraction Monk!" Meng Shentong was taken aback, then exclaimed, "
So you are the Subtraction Monk! No wonder I didn't recognize you! We have truly heard of each other for a long time."
It turned out that after his master, Liaoyin, died, the Subtraction Monk had vanished from the martial world, and Meng Shentong had been unable to find him.
The Subtraction Monk said, "You're right, we've heard so much about each other, and I've been wanting to find you for a long time. Today, I've brought you a
generous gift to start our meeting, guaranteed to please you!" The person giving the gift boasted of its lavishness, a rare occurrence
even . Meng Shentong thought to himself, "Let's see what he's bringing. Could it be even better than
the Lesser Yang Divine Skill handwritten by Lü Siniang that Ji Xiaofeng gave me?"
Then, the Subtraction Monk picked up the large cloth bag that had been placed on the ground earlier, and with a sudden rip, tore it open. With a "thud,"
a —it was a young girl. The Subtraction Monk poked her with his fingers, and the girl did a "carp leap" and
jumped up from the ground. He cursed, "Bald monk, I have no grudge against you, why are you bullying me?" He drew his sword, ready to fight the monk Jianfa
to the death. The monk Jianfa laughed, "Look at who's standing in front of you!" The girl glanced at Meng Shentong and
screamed as if she had seen a ghost. Taking advantage of her sudden fright, the monk Jianfa pointed a finger and sealed the girl's acupoints.
Meng Shentong was both surprised and delighted. Who was this girl? It turned out to be Li Qinmei! Meng Shentong had sent his
junior brother and many disciples to capture Li Qinmei from all directions, but unexpectedly, the monk Jianfa had delivered her to his door as a "
gift ."
Meng Shentong laughed heartily, "Indeed, it's my favorite gift! How did you know I wanted her?" The monk Jianfa replied, "I
ran into one of your disciples near Mangshan. He asked me if I'd ever seen a woman like that. I knew immediately that you
were looking for Feng Lin's daughter." Meng Shentong frowned, inwardly annoyed at his disciple's stupidity in
asking around. "Luckily, it was the monk Jianfa. If it had been another expert from a righteous sect, wouldn't the news have leaked out?"
The monk Jianfa continued, "This young girl is truly audacious. I already knew about her when she roamed the martial world alone a couple of years ago. Back
then, she had no enemies, and roaming the martial world alone wasn't anything special. I never imagined she'd make such a powerful enemy as you, yet she still
wants to attend the Mangshan Gathering." It turned out that Li Qinmei had intended to go to Mangshan to investigate Jin Shiyi, but before even reaching Mangshan, she encountered
the monk Jianfa and was captured by him. Truly: Having just escaped the tiger's den and dragon's pool, she encountered another wandering soul. In Chapter Fifteen of

Liang Yusheng's *The Jade Bow and the Cloud Sea*,
a woman laments her fate and hates the two demons who join forces to practice divine skills

. Meng Shentong summoned his second disciple and instructed him, "Wu Meng, lock this girl up first." Wu Meng asked, "Should I
lock her up in that stone chamber too?" Meng Shentong thought for a moment and said, "Alright, lock her up in that stone chamber, let the two of them
be together . You must guard her strictly and not let her escape again." Wu Meng said, "Master, don't worry, this time she won't be able to escape."
Meng Shentong had already received the "Shaoyang Divine Skill" stolen for him by Ji Xiaofeng, and now the Subtraction Monk had captured Li Qinmei for him—
truly adding flowers to brocade, a double blessing. Suddenly, he thought, "Ji Xiaofeng risked everything to get me to teach him his martial arts."
" You're risking your life to steal Cao Jin'er's things; the Subtraction Monk has already entered the ranks of first-rate masters, so why is he also trying to curry favor with me, even at the
cost of making an enemy of the Tianshan Sect?"
The Subtraction Monk had already anticipated his suspicions, and before he could speak, he said, "This old monk
has come , and wishes to have a long talk with Layman Meng." Meng Shentong said, "Excellent, excellent, please come inside."
Meng Shentong invited the Subtraction Monk into the quiet room, and asked his disciple to brew a pot of fine Wuyi tea. After the host and guest were seated, Meng Shentong asked,
"May I ask what the three matters are?" The Subtraction Monk said, "The first is to give you a greeting gift, please accept this gift."
Meng Shentong said, "I am deeply grateful for the Master's generous gift, I do not know how to repay it." The Subtraction Monk said, "I know you have many enemies, and
to be honest, among your enemies, there are two who are my enemies, one is Cao Jin'er, and the other is Jin Shiyi." Meng Shentong had just
heard Ji Xiaofeng recount the story of the monk Miefa causing havoc on Mangshan Mountain. He thought to himself, "Could it be that he's come to ask me to join forces with him?" Sure
enough, the monk Miefa said, "We share a common hatred and should help each other. There's no need to mention repayment."
Meng Shentong continued, "Of the three from the Mangshan Sect—Cao Jin'er, Yi Zhongmou, and that Poisonous Hand Mad Beggar Jin Shiyi—only
Jin Shiyi is a match for me. The other two are nothing. If I join forces with you, Master, killing these three would be very easy
. However, I have my reasons and don't want to show my face yet. Please, Master, wait five lifetimes
. After I've mastered the Asura Yin Sha Gong, I will then help you take revenge." "It turns out that Meng Shentong was still worried
about Tang Xiaolan and his wife from the Tianshan Sect and Master Baizhuo from Shaolin Temple. Moreover, he had too many enemies, and he was afraid that if he
showed , he would be besieged. He had not yet mastered the Asura Yin Sha Skill and was not confident of victory.
The monk Miefa laughed and said, "A gentleman takes revenge even after ten years. But I'm afraid you may not have mastered the ninth
level of your Asura Yin Sha Skill." Meng Shentong's heart skipped a beat. This was exactly what he had been thinking about day and night without finding a solution. But he didn't understand how the monk Miefa knew
the secret of his training, so he deliberately asked, "Master, does this mean that my Asura Yin Sha Skill is still lacking?" The monk
Miefa said, "No, your Asura Yin Sha Skill is already unparalleled in the world. I guess you probably fought with a master not long ago
and suffered some internal injuries. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to withstand it just now."
Meng Shentong thought to himself, "Although this monk's skill is slightly inferior to mine, his insight is quite sharp!" He then frankly told him, "
That's right, I was injured by Jin Shiyi's poisoned needles, and it will take two more days to recover." When the monk Miefa heard that he had been injured by
Jin Shiyi 's poisoned needles, he was also somewhat shocked, thinking to himself, "Even Old Monster Meng was injured by Jin Shiyi. Fortunately, I
didn't fight him on Mangshan."
Meng Shentong asked, "Master just said that I'm afraid I won't be able to reach the ninth level of the Asura Yin Sha Gong. What did you see that made you say
that?" The monk Miefa said, "Although I have never practiced the Asura Yin Sha Gong, my master once told me about this skill. My master
said that although this skill is extremely powerful, once you reach the eighth level, you will inevitably suffer from the danger of going into qi deviation. According to him,
throughout history , only Qiao Beiming from two hundred years ago has reached the ninth level, and his secret method of practice has long been lost." So, although I was once tempted to find my master
back then , and even considered visiting the White Sect lamas in Qinghai to seek the secrets of the Asura Yin Sha Gong, I ultimately
didn't go. I wonder what level of the Asura Yin Sha Gong you've reached, Layman Meng?"
Meng Shentong sighed and said, "I was born too late, it's a pity I didn't have the chance to meet your master when I was young, otherwise I could have asked him
for guidance .
To be honest, I've already reached the seventh level of the Asura Yin Sha Gong." The monk Miefa laughed and said, "Then I've come at just the right time! To be honest, in my later years, my master once told me that
although he didn't know Qiao Beiming's secret method of cultivation, given his internal strength at the time, he thought that even if he practiced the Asura Yin Sha Gong, he wouldn't have
suffered a qi deviation." At this point, his smile suddenly disappeared, and he continued, "Unfortunately, not long after he said this, a great change occurred in our sect.
He actually died at the hands of that vile maid Lü Siniang. I think you already know about this, so I don't need to say it again." "
Originally, when the monk Mifa mentioned his master's tragic death, Meng Shentong should have expressed some sorrow. However, after hearing the first half of his
words, he was already overjoyed. Before the monk finished speaking, he jumped up, slapped his head, and said, 'Look how
foolish I was! Your master was the chief disciple of the One-Armed Nun, and what she learned was authentic internal energy, absolutely no less than the Tang couple of the Tianshan Sect. Why should I
have gone to such lengths? I should have come to you long ago!' In fact, at that time, Lü Siniang was still alive, so how could the monk Mifa dare to show his face? Even if
Meng Shentong found him, he was afraid that Lü Siniang would find out and perhaps kill him before he could master his skills. How could he
dare to collude with Meng Shentong?
The monk Mifa laughed and said, 'Now it's me who's coming to find you, not you. I'll pass on the authentic internal energy formula
to you, and you'll pass on the Asura Yin Sha Gong to me. We'll both benefit greatly, Old Monster Meng. Are you willing to make this deal? This is
the second thing I've come to you for. '" Meng Shentong was overjoyed, gripping the hands of the monk Miefa tightly, laughing triumphantly. Without him needing
to say , the monk Miefa already knew he was a thousand times, ten thousand times willing.
In his ecstasy, Meng Shentong suddenly thought, "His willingness to exchange the authentic internal energy cultivation method with me is beneficial to
both of us . However, this also means I'll have to pass on my best skills to him. His internal energy is purer than mine; I'm afraid
he'll surpass me. Even if I cultivate my Asura Yin Sha Technique to the ninth level, I might not be invincible!" But then he thought,
"I absolutely cannot miss this opportunity. The Asura Yin Sha Technique is profound and wondrous. If I only slightly modify and add to its essence,
how could he possibly know? Yes, that's the idea! No matter what, I cannot let his skills surpass mine." "
Meng Shentong, cunning and shrewd, pondered in his heart, but his face remained impassive. Before his laughter subsided, he heard the monk Miefa say again
, 'Brother Meng, there's a third thing, guaranteed to make you extremely happy!' His address to Meng Shentong had become increasingly intimate, from '
Layman Meng ' to 'Old Monster Meng' to 'Brother Meng.
' Meng Shentong was taken aback, thinking, 'What could be more exciting?' He had spent his entire life pondering
how to cultivate the Asura Yin Sha Technique to the ninth level. Now, suddenly, the monk Miefa was willing to exchange the authentic
internal energy cultivation method with him—this was already a tremendous joy. He couldn't imagine anything more
important than this.
The monk Miefa said, 'Brother Meng, let me congratulate you first!' Meng Shentong asked, 'What brings you joy?' The monk Miefa didn't
answer immediately, but slowly and deliberately said, 'I recently caused quite a ruckus on Mount Mang, which I suppose you already know?'"
Meng Shentong had just heard Ji Xiaofeng say that he was driven off Mangshan by the combined forces of the Mangshan Sect and Jin Shiyi, and thought to himself, "This is him... "
"What's there to be happy about in losing face?" He nodded and said, "Someone told me that you're going to compete with Cao Jin'er for the
position of sect leader. Actually, as long as we work together and train hard for a few years, who in the world can rival us? What's a mere sect leader position
?" He wanted to comfort Monk Miefa, but Monk Miefa said, "I don't care about a sect leader position. I
suffered a defeat , but I'm actually quite happy. Guess who I lost to?" Meng Shentong feigned surprise and said, "Who has
the ability to defeat you? Was it Master Baizhuo of Shaolin Temple who also came to Mangshan? Hmm, no, then I really can't guess!"
Actually, he was embarrassed to mention Jin Shiyi's name, because although Jin Shiyi had become famous in the martial arts world for the past ten years, he was still Monk Miefa
's junior.
Monk Miefa said, "If it was Master Baizhuo of Shaolin Temple, then it wouldn't be surprising. You would never guess that it was actually
Lü Siniang disciple!"
Meng Shentong was indeed greatly surprised and asked, "Is it that Gu Zhihua? She... she actually has such abilities?" The monk Miefa laughed
heartily, "That's why I have to congratulate you!"
Meng Shentong was completely bewildered and asked, "Brother, what do you mean?" The monk Miefa said, "Don't you know
? Lü Siniang's closed-door disciple is none other than your own daughter... She's so young, yet she's already mastered such skills.
Isn't that be overjoyed about?"
The monk Miefa's words were like a bolt from the blue. Even though Meng Shentong had experienced countless storms in his life, he had never been so shaken. His body trembled,
and he immediately jumped up, saying, "Are you serious?" The monk Miefa laughed heartily, "Brother Meng, look
how happy you are! I wouldn't flatter you. Lü Siniang's disciple is indeed your own daughter!" Meng Shentong composed
himself and hurriedly asked, "How do you know?" "The monk Miefa said, 'When I arrived at Mangshan, I happened to witness Cao Jin'er handling your
father-daughter case!' Meng Shentong asked, 'How did she handle it?' The monk Miefa replied, 'Just because she is your daughter,
Cao Jin'er expelled her from the Mangshan Sect!' Meng Shentong said 'Oh,' thinking to himself, 'So she was driven off Mangshan by Cao
Jin'er !'
Since the monk Miefa had heard it with his own ears, and Cao Jin'er had expelled Gu Zhihua from the sect because of it, it couldn't be false.
However Meng Shentong still couldn't believe it and asked, 'I heard that Lü Siniang, this closed-door disciple, is
the daughter of Gu Zhengpeng, the great hero of the Two Lakes. Is that true?' The monk Miefa said, 'Gu Zhengpeng is the one who adopted your daughter. I ask you, after you killed
Zhou Ji, the leader of the Beggars' Sect, were you besieged?' Meng Shentong said, 'That's right, that happened.'" "The monk Miefa asked,
"Later, you and your wife were relentlessly pursued and lost yourselves in the wilderness near Qingyun River?" Meng Shentong recalled the past and
said through gritted teeth, "My wife was seriously injured at that time, and I was unable to take care of her and our daughter. I still hold a deep grudge against her! My daughter was only one year old then,
with her mother. I thought they were long dead." The monk Miefa asked, "Were Gu Zhengpeng and his disciple Liu Xingsen also among
those who pursued you?" Meng Shentong replied, "Yes, I knew of them, but I never encountered them." The monk Miefa said, "Then it's
absolutely true. These things were told to Cao Jin'er by Liu Xingsen on Mangshan Mountain!"
The evidence was conclusive and undeniable. Meng Shentong was both surprised and delighted, but his long beard trembled, and he couldn't speak for a long, long time.
The monk Miefa was secretly puzzled. He could tell from Meng Shentong's expression that Meng Shentong seemed to have a hint of fear amidst his joy.
The monk Mifa was unaware that Gu Zhihua had also fallen into Meng Shentong's hands. At that moment, Meng Shentong was recalling the scene from earlier. He
understood why Gu Zhihua had looked at him that way. "So she really is my daughter!" he exclaimed. "She would rather I kill her
than stay by my side! Ah! Do you truly hate your own father so much?" Thinking of this, Meng Shentong couldn't help but
shed tears . This was only the second time in his life he had cried; the first time was twenty years ago when he lost his wife.
The monk Mifa asked, "Brother Meng, what's wrong?" Meng Shentong didn't want to tell him immediately. Composing himself, he forced a smile and said:
"I was truly overjoyed to tears. Thank you for telling me this news." Suddenly remembering something, he asked, "Did Cao Jin'er make
things difficult for her?" Monk Miefa replied, "Cao Jin'er originally wanted to confiscate her sword manual, but I heard that she was spared because of her
contributions . However, publicly expelling her from the sect was already enough to make Ai very upset!"
Meng Shentong was taken aback at first, then realized, "That's right, Monk Miefa was defeated by her, which is certainly
a great contribution . But how could she possibly defeat Miefa?" "Where is the Dharma Monk?"
The Dharma Monk laughed heartily, "Brother Meng, congratulations on having such a capable daughter! Now it's my turn to ask you for a favor
."
Meng Shentong asked, "What is it?" The Dharma Monk said, "For your sake, and for mine, I long for your reunion as father and daughter
. Old Meng, I beg you to find your daughter immediately."
Meng Shentong said, "Hmm, of course I must find her. But I still don't understand what you mean. Why do you say it's for your sake and
for mine?" The Dharma Monk said, "Lü Siniang left behind three..." "The Lesser Yang Divine Skill was meant to be used against you. Lü Siniang's
Mysterious Maiden Swordplay was meant to be used against my late master. Since my master was tragically killed, this swordplay has become my greatest threat.
Fortunately, man proposes, God disposes; Lü Siniang's successor is actually your daughter!" Meng Shentong suddenly realized, saying, "You want me to
find , to have her give me the three Lesser Yang Divine Skills and the Mysterious Maiden Swordplay?" The monk Miefa said, "Your daughter has been
expelled from the Mangshan Sect. If you bring her here, appeal to your father-daughter bond, and she will understand." "There's no reason not to agree. Just lend me a copy of that Xuan Nu Sword Manual
."
Meng Shentong thought to himself, "You've got a good plan. It seems your purpose in coming to curry favor with me
is secondary; more importantly, you want to use me to steal my daughter's sword manual!" Meng Shentong's guess was correct.
The master of the monk Miefa, Liaoyin, had followed the One-Armed Nun the longest and was proficient in all kinds of martial arts of the Mangshan Sect. However,
he hadn't obtained the Xuan Nu Sword Manual because it was created by the One-Armed Nun in her later years. Since the monk Miefa wanted to become the head of the Mangshan Sect, this sword manual was indeed
more important to him than the Shura Yin Sha Technique.
Meng Shentong thought, "Whether she'll acknowledge me as her father is still unknown! You want me to use our father-daughter relationship to trick her into giving you
the sword manual? That's wishful thinking!" In fact, even if Meng Shentong could obtain the sword manual from his daughter, he would never hand it over to the monk
Miefa.
Since the "Shaoyang Divine Skill" was already in his hands, why should he serve the monk Miefa and let his skills surpass his own?
Therefore after much hesitation, he finally concealed the fact that he and his daughter had already met.
However, in order to obtain the authentic internal energy cultivation method, he still had to appease the monk Miefa and readily agreed, saying:
"In short, from now on we'll be like one body. Brother, rest assured, I won't treat you unfairly if I benefit from it. Let's
talk more about it tomorrow!"
The monk Miefa had only received a verbal guarantee after talking for so long, so he wasn't very happy. However, he figured there was still plenty of time, so he
shouldn't rush things.
Meanwhile, Gu Zhihua was in the stone chamber, half-asleep, when she suddenly felt the presence of a living person beside her.
Startled , she jumped up and reached out to touch a head of soft hair, immediately realizing it was a woman.
Gu Zhihua removed the jade hairpin from her hair; a luminous pearl was inlaid on it, emitting a faint light in the dark stone chamber.
She saw that the woman was even younger than her, with a slender, oval face, and was extremely charming and endearing. Gu Zhihua helped her up and, seeing that she was
unresponsive , knew that she must have been acupunctured. Upon inspection, he was shocked to find that the two acupuncture points on the girl's back were
the "Quepen" point and the "Baihui" point on the top of her head. These two acupuncture points are "death points," and only the unique acupuncture technique of the Mangshan School
can strike these "death points" without causing the victim's death. Moreover, because they are "death points," no matter how
good internal strength is, she cannot circulate her energy to break through the barrier on her own. Only the unique acupuncture release technique of the Mangshan School can save her.
Upon inspection, Gu Zhihua was filled with astonishment and doubt, thinking to himself, "Which disciple of our sect harmed her? Judging from
the skill , only Cao Jin'er and Yi Zhongnian possess such abilities. But if it was them who struck her, why did this woman fall into
the hands of Meng Shentong?"
Li Qinmei was also filled with astonishment and doubt. As soon as her acupoints were released, she immediately asked, "Hey, what are you to that old thief Meng?" Gu Zhihua
felt a pang of sorrow and replied, "I am also someone imprisoned in this stone chamber by him, just like you." "Who are you?" "Who are you?"
These questions came from both of their mouths at the same time.
Li Qinmei answered first, "My name is Li Qinmei, and I'm from the Tianshan Sect. And you?" Gu Zhihua was shocked and exclaimed,
"How did you end up in his hands again?" Li Qinmei said, "Huh! How do you know I was once imprisoned by that old scoundrel Meng?"
Gu Zhihua said, "My name is Gu Zhihua, and I'm from the Mangshan Sect." Li Qinmei said, "Ah, that must have been told to you by Yi Zhongmou. Last time
, a woman surnamed Li rescued me. According to her, that old scoundrel Meng has a deep grudge against your Mangshan Sect.
On the very night she rescued me, Yi Zhongmou and Xie Yunzhen had a big fight at Meng Family Village. Unfortunately, I didn't see them." Actually, Jin
Shiyi had told Gu Zhihua about Li Qinmei's imprisonment, but Gu Zhihua didn't want to tell her right away.
After she finished speaking, Gu Zhihua hurriedly asked, "Who captured you?" Li Qinmei said, "It was an old monk,
carrying a staff as big as a bowl. He looked very fierce and was very fat!" Gu Zhihua was even more shocked! With a trembling voice, she said, "So it's the monk who destroys the Dharma
! Has he, he, he, he come here?" Li Qinmei said, "Do you know where this evil monk comes from? He's the
one who sent me here to that old scoundrel Meng. Eh, sister, why are you so afraid of him? Although he's fierce, isn't that old scoundrel Meng
even more terrifying? We're already in the hands of a demon. One demon or two demons are the same; at worst, we'll
die."
Little did she know that what Gu Zhihua feared was something far more terrifying than death! She couldn't hear a word Li Qinmei said;
her mind was only thinking, "The monk who destroys the Dharma is here, the monk who destroys the Dharma is here! Oh dear, he must have
told me about my origins, about my father whom I don't want to acknowledge!" Suddenly, she felt Li Qinmei's warm hand tightly gripping hers, while Li Qinmei
felt her palm was unbearably cold!
Li Qinmei asked, "Oh, sister, what's wrong?" Gu Zhihua replied, "Nothing. I'm not scared, you don't need to
worry about me."
Li Qinmei said, "Your hands and feet are cold, are you not wearing enough clothes? This cave is chilly, do you want to put on
another layer?"
As she spoke, she tried to take off a piece of clothing for Gu Zhihua. Gu Zhihua, who had been feeling heartbroken, couldn't help but
chuckle and stopped her, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, I'm not cold." After she laughed, her mood improved considerably, and her hands and feet gradually
warmed up, which reassured Li Qinmei.
Gu Zhihua thought to herself, "No wonder Jin Shiyi likes her; she's truly kind-hearted, innocent, and adorable." Just as she was considering whether to
tell her about Jin Shiyi, Li Qinmei asked first, "I heard from my mother that Aunt Lü had a closed-door disciple, the daughter of the great hero Gu Zhengpeng
of the Two Lakes . Could that be you, sister?" Gu Zhihua replied, "That's right. I've also heard my master mention you, praising
your intelligence and wit." Li Qinmei exclaimed with delight, "I never expected to meet you here! Your master was very close to my mother, so you're
like an older sister to me. Would you like me to be your younger sister? How old are you this year?" Gu Zhihua said, "Twenty-one." Li Qinmei
said, "I'm two years younger than you, so I should call you older sister." Gu Zhihua smiled and hugged her, saying, "Little sister, I like
you very much too. Let's be sworn sisters from now on." The two then used soil as incense in the stone chamber and swore an oath of sisterhood.
Li Qinmei asked, "When were you captured by that old scoundrel Meng?" Gu Zhihua replied, "Today too." Li Qinmei said:
“It seems that old scoundrel Meng is trying to force you to tell him the authentic internal energy cultivation method. He forced me the same way before. We
can't helping the wicked, sister, don't you think?” Gu Zhihua said, “You’re absolutely right.” Li Qinmei said, “Since you
were only captured by him today, did you attend the Mangshan Gathering?” Gu Zhihua’s heart skipped a beat, and she said, “Are you going to
ask someone?”
Li Qinmei jumped up and exclaimed, “Sister, how did you know beforehand? You guessed my intentions immediately!”
Gu Zhihua smiled and asked, “Who are you going to ask about?” Li Qinmei was a little embarrassed and said, “This person
doesn’t have a good reputation in the martial arts world. He has a very unpleasant nickname, Poisonous Hand Mad Beggar, but he’s actually a very kind person. He…”
Gu Zhihua smiled. "So you're asking about Jin Shiyi," said Gu Zhihua. Li Qinmei quickly asked, "You've seen him?" Gu Zhihua replied, "He even
talked to me for quite a while." Li Qinmei asked, "What did he say?" Gu Zhihua said, "He was talking about you. He asked me to help him
find you." Li Qinmei said, "Ah, so he knows I'm looking for him. It's a pity we're imprisoned here by that old scoundrel Meng
. Is there any way to let him know?"
Gu Zhihua asked, "Do you miss Jin Shiyi very much?" Li Qinmei said, "Sister, I don't want to hide it from you, I really miss
him. I think he's very pitiful. He has no parents, no relatives, not even a close friend. So, I'm willing
to stay with him, even if others laugh at me, I'm not afraid." At that moment, Gu Zhihua suddenly felt a pang of sadness for her, thinking,
"Actually, you haven't understood Jin Shiyi's heart yet." She said, "Little sister, don't worry, as long as we can escape danger, I..."
"I'll definitely help you find him."
Li Qinmei held her hands tightly and said, "Sister, you're so kind!" Then she asked, "I heard that Jin Shiyi
was injured by that old scoundrel Meng. I wonder if his injury has healed?" Gu Zhihua asked in surprise, "When I saw him, he was perfectly fine and didn't look like
he had just recovered from an injury at all. He even beat up two of the monk Mifa's disciples in Mangshan. Who told you that he was injured?"
Li Qinmei said, "That girl surnamed Li and Xiao Wu both said so. Could they be lying to me? Xiao Wu is my
junior brother, and he's a bit older than me. He described it more vividly, saying that he personally saw Jin Shiyi being struck by that old scoundrel Meng and
injured by Meng's Asura Yin Sha Gong. Even if he didn't die, he would be crippled." Gu Zhihua thought to herself, "Although Jin Shiyi's internal strength
is deeper than mine, if he were truly injured by the Asura Yin Sha Gong, he wouldn't have recovered so quickly. But why would that
woman Li and that man surnamed Wu fabricate a
story about Li Qinmei?" She felt something was amiss, but since she didn't know the two people Li Qinmei mentioned, and although she and Li Qinmei were sworn sisters, they had only met for the first time, so it wasn't appropriate to question her further.
Li Qinmei then asked, "Did Jin Shiyi tell you where he was going?" Gu Zhihua replied, "He said he was going to
a deserted island overseas to search for the martial arts manual left behind by Qiao Beiming three hundred years ago. It's said that it might contain
a way ." Li Qinmei sighed, "Distant water can't quench a nearby fire. Alas, how could he know we're imprisoned in this stone chamber? I'm afraid
we'll never see him again in this lifetime." Gu Zhihua comforted her, "How can you be sure?" "There are always unexpected things in this world.
Didn't you escape once before?"
Li Qinmei, comforted by his words, quickly cheered up again and laughed, "No matter what, this imprisonment is
much better than the last. Last time I was all alone, but this time you're with me." Gu Zhihua hugged her and said,
"Sister, I like you very much too."
Li Qinmei suddenly asked, "Sister, do you like Jin Shiyi?" Gu Zhihua's heart skipped a beat. Li Qinmei said, "Although he's
cynical and a bit crazy when he's angry, if you're good to him, he'll be good to you. Don't you think?"
Gu Zhihua didn't understand that Li Qinmei wasn't referring to romantic love, and laughed, "I also think he's not a bad person." Li Qinmei
thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "I don't know if you like him or not, but I know he definitely likes you very much!"
Gu Zhihua's heart, which had just calmed down, leaped again upon hearing this. She forced a smile and asked, "How did you know?" Li Qinmei replied
, "He's very proud. He would never easily ask for help from someone he doesn't trust. Now, he's not only told you
many things about himself, but also asked you to help him find me. If he didn't consider you a close friend, he certainly wouldn't
do this. So, I dare say he must be very happy, very happy to see you. I'm happy that he's happy to see me happy. So, I'm even
happier to see you!" Gu Zhihua once again praised in her heart, "What a pure and innocent girl!" She
hugged Li Qinmei even tighter!
Holding Li Qinmei tightly, Gu Zhihua felt a mix of joy and sorrow. She didn't even know whether she
pitied Li Qinmei, or Jin Shiyi, or perhaps she was simply pitying herself. A tear rolled
down her cheek and landed on Li Qinmei's face. Li Qinmei said, "Sister, why are you crying again?" "Gu Zhihua said, 'I don't know
why, I just want to cry.' Li Qinmei said, 'I only want to cry when I'm lonely. Hey, stop crying, listen,
it sounds like something.'
Suddenly, her eyes lit up, the stone door opened abruptly, and light shone in. Li Qinmei jumped up, but before she could even cry out,
she fell back down. The person who suddenly appeared and struck Li Qinmei's pressure points was none other than Meng Shentong!
Gu Zhihua felt the world spinning around her, and she was about to fall. She cried out, 'What are you doing?' Meng Shentong supported her and said, 'Don't
be afraid, I just want her to sleep for an hour, and then we can talk. I don't want any outsiders to disturb us.' Gu Zhihua struggled and
broke free from Meng Shentong's grasp, tears streaming down her face. Meng Shentong said, 'Alright, cry if you want to, have a good cry
, and then we'll talk!'
Gu Zhihua gritted her teeth, thinking to herself, 'I can't show weakness in front of him!' " Suppressing her pain and swallowing her tears,
she said, "Either kill me or let me go. What else is there to talk about?"
Meng Shentong sighed and said, "Even now, you still refuse to acknowledge me as your father?" Gu Zhihua said, "I have no
father . My father died long ago, when I was one year old!" Meng Shentong gently stroked her hair and said, "You
hate me so much? Hmm, it's no wonder you hate me. I was powerless to take care of you, causing your mother's tragic death and leaving you to wander
outside , suffering for twenty years! But all that pain is over now. Thanks to Heaven's blessing, you have finally returned to
my side. You can live happily now."
Gu Zhihua said, "No, I have lived a very fulfilling life for the past twenty years. I haven't experienced any of the suffering you imagine. My adoptive father loved
me, and my master raised me to adulthood. They were both upright people, and I respected and loved them. Although they are dead, they still live in my
heart."
Meng Shentong's face turned pale, and he said in a low voice, "I am alive, but you treat me as if I were dead!" "
Gu Zhihua continued, "I don't know if you've ever done anything good in your life? But
abandoning was truly a good thing. I can't imagine having a father hated by so many; if I were to live with you,
that would be real suffering!"
Meng Shentong said, "Right and wrong are subjective. In my eyes, those self-proclaimed chivalrous figures are all
fools! But we'll talk about that later. In any case, I am still your father!" Gu Zhihua said, "In any case, I
don't want to be with you!" Meng Shentong sneered, "Because I'm your Mangshan Sect's greatest enemy? Do you think Cao Jin'er
is closer than your father?"
Gu Zhihua said, "Whether Cao Jin'er is good to me or not is another matter. Even if she has a bad temper, she's still a decent
person. Besides, although Cao Jin'er isn't good to me, my master, she has been incredibly kind to me!" Meng Shentong sneered
, "So you'd rather have your dead master than your biological father?" " Unfortunately, you're still too young
to your Mangshan Sect. Even if I don't lift a finger, someone will dig up your master's grave, destroy his coffin, and
drag Cao Jin'er down from her position as sect leader!" Gu Zhihua said, "I know this person is the monk who destroys the Dharma. He's currently living in your house. He wants to
destroy my master's grave? That's impossible!" Meng Shentong said, "Do you really think you can defeat him?" Gu...
Zhihua said, "I know I won against him by luck last time, but I'm just a low-ranking disciple of the Mangshan Sect. Even if he
defeats , it's nothing." Meng Shentong said, "Not only you, but no one in your Mangshan Sect is his match. How dare you say he
wants to destroy your master's grave? Unless the sun rises in the west, that's impossible!"
Gu Zhihua said, "How can one dominate the world solely based on martial arts? Besides, my master was a leader in life and is still revered by
the martial arts world . If he dares to touch a single blade of grass or tree on my master's grave, I'm afraid that even without the disciples of the Mangshan Sect, someone will surely come out and
kill him. " "Nowhere to bury your dead!"
Meng Shentong was worried about the combined attack from all the righteous masters of the martial arts world, so he hadn't dared to show himself publicly. Hearing Gu Zhihua's
eloquent speech, which, although referring to the monk who destroyed the Dharma, was actually also directed at him, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. However, he immediately sneered, "In this world,
only the strong survive and the weak perish; where is there right and wrong? If one cultivates to the point of being invincible in martial arts, I refuse to believe that one cannot roam the world unchallenged!"
Gu Zhihua said, "By the time you believe that, it will be too late. Fine, let's not talk about anything else, just this one thing: you and the monk who destroyed the Dharma
are in cahoots, how can I stand with you?"
Meng Shentong's eyes darted around, and he suddenly said softly, "If you are willing to acknowledge me as your father and stay by my side, I will
drive away that monk who destroyed the Dharma and will not seek revenge on your Mangshan Sect, how about that?" It should be known that Meng Shentong was currently relying on the monk who destroyed the Dharma, so his words
were already the ultimate act of forbearance towards his daughter.
Gu Zhihua said, "If you really do this, I will treat you better. But I still cannot stay by your side, much less
acknowledge you as my father. Unless you have proof that you have truly reformed, then even if you don't call me, I will come back." Meng Shentong coldly
said, "How do you prove it?" Gu Zhihua said, "At the very least, you must first publicly repent and apologize to the elders of various martial arts sects before
we can talk about anything else."
Meng Shentong laughed loudly, "You want me to apologize to people like Cao Jin'er? You're really dreaming! In just a few years, I'll make them
all bow down at my feet. How can I beg for their mercy?" Gu Zhihua's face turned pale, knowing that getting her father to repent was truly as difficult as
ascending to heaven.
Meng Shentong sneered again, "It seems that although you are my daughter, you are determined to be my enemy. Based on this alone, I cannot
let you go!" Suddenly, a "clink" was heard, and a jade hairpin fell from Gu Zhihua's head. Meng Shentong picked it up and
recognized His anger towards his daughter vanished instantly, replaced by a pang of sorrow.
This jade hairpin, inlaid with a small luminous pearl, was given to Gu Zhihua by Gu Zhengpeng when he sent her up Mangshan Mountain. Gu Zhihua didn't know it
was her mother's keepsake, but seeing her father's expression soften as he picked up the hairpin and placed it back in her hair, Gu Zhihua
thought to herself, "No matter how hard he tries to persuade me, I won't give in."
In that short moment, Meng Shentong had already considered countless things. First, he thought, "My daughter has been missing for twenty years
. Besides her, I have no other relatives. Fortunately, father and daughter have been reunited. How can I let her go again?"
Then he thought, "But she still refuses to obey me. Even if I force her to stay by my side..." "And what's the point? Besides, if the
monk Mifa finds out, he'll definitely demand her sword manual from me. How am I supposed to deal with that? If she recognized me as her father,
it would be worth it for me to drive away the monk Mifa for her. But now she sees me as an enemy. If I break with the monk Mifa for her sake, I'll never be able to reach the ninth level of my
Asura Yin !" Then he thought, "But only Lü Siniang
knows the Shaoyang Divine Skill. If I let her go, there's no guarantee she won't pass on the secret to her senior brothers. Wouldn't that still be a major
concern ?"
Thinking of the pros and cons, Meng Shentong hesitated, unable to decide. Keeping her might lead to the monk Mifa demanding the sword manual; letting her go might lead to the transmission of the Shaoyang
Divine Skill . He was truly caught between two difficult choices! Of course, if it were someone else, the simplest thing to do would be to kill her with a single blow, but she was
his own daughter!
Meng Shentong thought and thought, and finally said, "Zhihua, I know I'm a bad person in your eyes, but even tigers don't eat their
cubs, and children should never harm their parents. If I let you go, and you can be so heartless, then continue to be my enemy!"
Hearing his words, Gu Zhihua felt as if a sharp arrow pierced her heart. She struggled to hold back her tears and replied, "If you let me go, I will hide
forever and never see you again." Meng Shentong asked, "What about the Shaoyang Divine Skill you learned? Will you return it to your
senior sister, the head of the Mangshan Sect?" Gu Zhihua said, "Although I was expelled from the sect, my master is the founder of the Mangshan Sect, and the Shaoyang Divine Skill
was passed down from her. If Cao Jin'er asks me for it back, I'm afraid I will find it difficult to refuse!" Meng Shentong's face darkened, and Gu Zhihua said:
"You said you weren't afraid of the Lesser Yang Divine Skill, are you afraid now?"
Provoked by her, Meng Shentong's arrogance flared, and he laughed loudly, "Since you're willing to tell the truth, I'll tell you the truth too. The Lesser Yang Divine Skill
can indeed resist my Asura Yin Sha Skill, but it can't break through it. With Cao Jin'er and Yi Zhongnian's meager abilities,
even if they practiced the Lesser Yang Divine Skill, it would take them at least five years to achieve some success. By then, my Asura Yin Sha Skill will have reached the ninth
level. What's there to fear from them? Fine, although you have no fatherly affection for me, I still have feelings for you..." "There's a bond between father and daughter: Go!"
Gu Zhihua glanced at her father, her gaze no longer filled with hatred, yet she remained unmoved. Meng Shentong waved
his hand, saying, "I'm letting you go, why aren't you leaving? If you don't leave, and the monk Miefa finds out, it'll be difficult to leave. Go,
go quickly!"
Gu Zhihua helped Li Qinmei up and slowly said, "Since you've let me go, let her go too." Meng Shentong
's acupoint striking technique had another skill: using the Asura Yin Sha Technique to seal the opponent's acupoints, which Gu Zhihua couldn't undo.
Meng Shentong shook his head and said, "No!" Gu Zhihua said, "You already have the monk who destroys the Dharma,
what ?" Meng Shentong coldly said, "You are the first person to have been my enemy and walk out of here alive. Are you
still after more than you can have?" Gu Zhihua said, "This little girl is kind-hearted and never harms others. How could she be your enemy?"
Meng Shentong said, "I captured her twice. She wasn't my enemy, but she has become my enemy." Gu Zhihua said, "That's your
fault. What does it have to do with her?" Meng Shentong sneered, "I'm not arguing with you about right and wrong, but about profit." "Alas, as the saying goes, '
Catching a tiger is easy, but releasing it is difficult.' I may spare her, but the leaders of the Tianshan Sect may not be so forgiving of me." Gu Zhihua said, "If you
release , I guarantee she won't reveal your secret." Meng Shentong sneered again, "Human hearts are unpredictable. Even parents can't guarantee their children's safety,
so how can you guarantee hers? I never trust anyone. You should say more!"
Gu Zhihua said, "I know she's going to sea with Jin Shiyi. It will probably be at least a few years before she returns. Even if you don't believe
her, by then your Asura Yin Sha Gong will have reached the ninth level. Even if she tells the leader of the Tianshan Sect, you don't need to worry."
"That's it." This sentence was originally quite in line with Meng Shentong's temperament, but Gu Zhihua inadvertently mentioned Jin Shiyi's name, which aroused
his suspicion. He laughed and said, "You're right. In a few years, even if Tang Xiaolan and her husband, along with
Feng Lin , don't care about me anymore. But you just said that Jin Shiyi is going to sea and won't be back for several years.
Why does he want to drift overseas?" Gu Zhihua's heart skipped a beat. How could she say that Jin Shiyi was looking for Qiao Beiming's martial arts manual
to provoke him? She could only flatter him and say, "I don't know why Jin Shiyi wants to drift overseas. Perhaps he
offended you and is afraid of your revenge, so he wants to escape overseas."
Meng Shentong laughed loudly, "So you don't know Jin Shiyi's character at all. I've fought with him, and I know that Jin Shiyi is just
like me, a fearless person. He went overseas not to avoid me." " Either you go and practice your own
extraordinary skills , or you find someone to deal with me. Of course, I'm not afraid of him. But I don't want to cause trouble, and this woman
absolutely cannot be released."
Gu Zhihua regretted it greatly and was about to say something more when Meng Shentong said decisively, "You want me to release her? Absolutely not. If you
don't leave now, you won't be able to leave either." Gu Zhihua thought that rather than being imprisoned with Li Qin, it would be better to go out and find a way to rescue her.
So she said, "Alright, then I'll leave now. I only ask two things of you." Meng Shentong said, "Two things?" Gu Zhihua
said, "First, please don't mistreat her; second, please don't do any more evil deeds." Meng Shentong said, "I agree to the first one
, but I disagree with you on the second one, so there's no need to say more. Here's your sword, take it and go."
It was truly a case of: A ruthless nature still showing compassion for a weak woman, a demon's heart softened with mercy.

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