A Thousand Years of Elegance Discussed in Laughter (Complete) - 4

Volume 5: The Beloved Daughter Protects Her Father, Suffers from a Strange Poison; Chapter 6: The Divine Weapon Appears.

"Xiaoyao, is Fengzi alright?" Nangong Fengyi, still several feet away, asked with deep concern. A gentle breeze blew, causing her clothes to flutter and her hair to flow, making her appear like a fairy on water, breathtakingly beautiful. Her bright, captivating eyes, her fair and delicate neck, and her slender waist were so endearing.
But Ren Xiaoyao knew even better that Nangong Fengyi's outward appearance of fragility and delicate beauty was merely a facade. Her very being revealed a resistance against worldly conventions and a challenge to fate. She was no ordinary noblewoman, but a peerless beauty with a beautiful heart and a wise mind.
"Sister, I'm alright," Nangong Fengzi rushed forward, responding with a sob.
Ren Xiaoyao leaped from mid-air, and Nangong Fengyi immediately threw herself into his arms, a fragrant breeze wafting through the air. Compared to her usual quiet elegance and self-restraint, her current passion was truly unexpected for Ren Xiaoyao.
"Hold me tight, don't let go," Ren Xiaoyao kissed her cherry lips lightly, then soared into the clouds.
Only ten feet from the summit, the suspension bridge spanning the ravine was clearly visible.
"Clang, clang, clang!" The sounds of clashing weapons suddenly reached the ears of the three.
"Nangong Bubai, today you have finally been defeated, hahaha!" A familiar voice shouted arrogantly.
"Father!" Nangong Fengyi cried out in fright, her face pale.
"Silence." Ren Xiaoyao covered her cherry lips with his hand, his expression serious.
"It's...it's the person who attacked us that night." Nangong Fengyi trembled slightly, her resentful voice whispering in his ear.
"The sect leader must have encountered danger up there," Ren Xiaoyao said in a deep voice.
"What should we do?" Nangong Fengzi asked anxiously.
"Judging from the direction of the sound, it seems to be coming from near Tongtian Cave," Ren Xiaoyao analyzed calmly. "I'll go up the suspension bridge to draw their attention, and you two will flank them from the left to rescue the sect leader directly." After saying that, Ren Xiaoyao began to lay ropes and circle around the stone wall towards Tongtian Cave.
"Soul Stealer, tell him that even in death, he should die knowing why."
"Soul Stealer! You...you are..."
Voices came one after another. Ren Xiaoyao estimated that the other side would make a move soon, so he hurriedly gathered his strength and shouted, "Decisive Kill!" Sure
enough, the formation above was thrown into chaos. Ren Xiaoyao seized the time to complete his "task" and flew down to the bottom of the suspension bridge, shouting loudly, "Planting spies, kidnapping the young lady, setting up an ambush, do you really think these petty tricks can fool Mr. Zhuge?"
While the other side was searching the mountaintop, he quickly gestured to the Nangong sisters to move towards Tongtian Cave.
"Who are you?" A sharp, piercing voice rang out, like a nightingale's song, each word and breath carrying an alluring rhythm.
"So it's her." Ren Xiaoyao's mind raced, recalling the graceful, ethereal figure of the masked woman he had "tempered" on the suspension bridge that night.
"The dashing thief Ren Xiaoyao." With this thunderous roar, Ren Xiaoyao's handsome face finally appeared at the head of the suspension bridge.
"It...it's you." The masked woman trembled in shock.
Everyone was taken aback, except for the masked man who roared, "Beast, prepare to die!" With that, he leaped forward, drawing his sword.
Ren Xiaoyao, enraged that the man had nearly killed him with his wickedness, immediately unleashed the fourth move of the Lingxiao Sword Technique, "The Rising Clouds and Setting Sun," drawing a beautiful arc embodying the principles of heaven and earth, and swiftly striking towards the man's chest.
"Ice...ice...Ice Soul Frost! Chen Yixi, get out of the way!" Jueyue suddenly recognized the peerless divine weapon wreathed in azure light in Ren Xiaoyao's hand, gasped, and exclaimed in shock.
The masked man, Chen Yixi, was instantly trapped in the perfectly rounded force field created by the Lingxiao Sword Technique. He felt the opponent's continuous sword energy surging towards him like waves. As the personal disciple of the Ghost Netherworld God Lord, he naturally knew how formidable this divine sword, which had caused his master's defeat several times, was. In the nick of time, he shrank his body, rolled on the ground, and barely escaped the force field, dodging to the side.
"Qin Shang, kill Nangong Bubai!" Duohun immediately shouted.
"Don't hurt my father!" The Nangong sisters leaped to the peak and charged out side by side. Before the group of black-clad assassins could react, most of them were unexpectedly taken down by the two of them.
Upon seeing his daughter unharmed, Nangong Bubai's spirits soared. His longsword unleashed a torrent of sword shadows, surging towards Qin Shang like a tidal wave.
Nangong Fengyi and Nangong Fengzi, understanding the situation, quickly picked up their weapons, one wielding the Blazing Sky-Piercing Sword, the other the Snow-Reflecting Red Dust Sword, their combined blades protecting Nangong Tiankuo and Liu Xianzong.
"Everyone, let's join forces and kill Ren Xiaoyao first!" Jueyue decisively ordered in a deep voice. Nangong Bubai, now reignited in fighting spirit, couldn't be easily subdued. Besides, he didn't possess much fighting power and posed little threat. Leaving Qin Shang to hold him back was sufficient. However, Ren Xiaoyao, who had somehow acquired the Ice Soul Frost Sword and mastered the Soaring Sky Sword Technique, required a concerted effort to deal with.
"Don't even think about it!" Ren Xiaoyao coldly sneered, sword held horizontally, slowly raising his power to its peak.
As he gathered his energy, the four opponents launched their attacks simultaneously. The first to strike, using Soul-Snatching Techniques, was imbued with true power, yet its intensity shifted unpredictably, making it impossible to discern its attack's direction.
Chen Yixi instantly shifted to Ren Xiaoyao's left rear, unleashing a torrent of powerful sword energy that pierced the air.
The masked woman descended from the sky, her longsword transforming into countless crystalline points of light, sweeping past Ren Xiaoyao like a storm—a sight both beautiful and terrifying.
Behind him, Jueyue unleashed a barrage of palm shadows, carrying astonishingly fierce energy, aimed directly at his back.
None of the four were inferior to him in skill, and their combined power was even greater; their actions were swift and deadly.
Ren Xiaoyao's mind entered a state of perfect clarity, as still as a mirror, undisturbed by any ripple. The usually lazy and carefree Ren Xiaoyao instantly became focused and imposing, his physical and mental acuity naturally reaching its peak.
His handsome, godlike body soared into the air, seemingly ascending to heaven with effortless grace. However, this was no ordinary leap; it was the culmination of over a decade of arduous training on Coconut Island, and the unreserved, profound teachings of the Four Sages of Music, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting.

(Volume 5, "The Beloved Daughter Protects Her Father, Suffers from a Strange Poison," Chapter 7, "A Charming Smile")

First and foremost, he had to avoid the unpredictable sharpness of the Soul-Stealing Blade. Its moves were both unpredictable and deadly; a slight miscalculation would result in a fatal blow
, piercing his guts and leaving him with no place to bury his body. If it were only a two-on-one duel, he could easily retreat and seize an opportunity to counterattack. However, Jueyue and the others were attacking from behind and above. When he was forced to take to the air or retreat to evade the Soul-Stealing Blade's attacks, that would be the moment of his demise; there would be no other possibility.
Chen Yixi's sword energy was incredibly swift, seemingly transforming into incredibly resilient, sticky spider silk that tightly bound any prey caught in its web. Despite his struggles, he couldn't break free of the web's confinement, and even felt a terrifying urge to pull him back.
Five inches, just five inches away, the longsword was about to pierce his chest. Ren Xiaoyao accelerated with lightning speed, the Ice Soul Frost Sword emitting a clear, resonant ringing in his ears, instantly making his senses crystal clear, leaving no gaps, and meeting the Soul-Stealing Sword's illusory yet radiant display perfectly.
Soul-Stealing knew his ordinary iron weapon couldn't compete with the divine weapon that could cut through jade like mud, yet he couldn't back down. He could only muster all his strength to fight head-on, attempting to rely on the refined internal energy honed through forty years of diligent practice to regain some of his disadvantage.
A leap occurred; before the two swords clashed, Ren Xiaoyao first retreated a foot, then immediately leaped forward, his two seamless turns flowing like a tide, leaving no trace and evoking an indescribable, peculiar feeling.
Most of the Soul-Stealing Technique's power was poured into the sword's edge, unstoppable, piercing straight into the core of Chen Yixi's sword net.
"Boom!" Both men trembled violently, their blood surging simultaneously.
Ren Xiaoyao revealed a carefree smile, then suddenly shifted to the side, his Ice Soul Frost Sword flashing back, aimed directly at Jueyue, displaying a heroic stance of dying alongside his enemy.
Jueyue had suffered countless torments under Ren Xiaoyao's sword in the past; even if he had the courage, he wouldn't dare to directly confront the Ice Soul Frost Sword's invincible and unbreakable sharpness. His previous confident demeanor vanished, and he swiftly retreated.
Ren Xiaoyao's true intentions were not what they seemed. Seeing Jueyue's tactful avoidance, he didn't pursue. His fourth ascent arrived as expected, his energy surging forth from the blade, a chilling aura gripping the masked woman in mid-air. The fierce killing intent completely enveloped her, leaving her with no choice but to withstand the sword's attack.
The masked woman, having mastered the true teachings of the Ghostly Netherworld Lord, was not one to easily admit defeat. She slightly bent her slender legs, her movements instantly changing, her longsword slashing towards Ren Xiaoyao's face with a beautiful yet sinister grace.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!" In a flash, the two exchanged three blows. The masked woman's weapon, "Cheng Ying," was incredibly sharp, and the Ice Soul Frost Sword couldn't even scratch it.
A fierce storm raged, and energy surged through the air.
Ren Xiaoyao plummeted, while the masked woman's body was propelled upwards by the recoil.
Anyone else would have seized the opportunity to dodge aside and avoid another fight, but she had no such thought. With a sharp cry, her sword flashed with a blue light, and she somersaulted, chasing straight after the rapidly falling Ren Xiaoyao.
Ren Xiaoyao revealed a smug, mischievous smile. He gripped his sword with both hands, raised it high above his head, and leaped five times with ghostly speed.
The two swords clashed twice, yet there was no sound. Suddenly, the masked woman's Cheng Ying softened, and the Ice Soul Frost Sword couldn't parry it, allowing it to slip past like an eel beneath the blade, nearly striking his forehead.
Ren Xiaoyao reacted swiftly, immediately slashing upwards with his sword.
The masked woman's robes fluttered, her aura surging through Cheng Ying. Her previously curved, soft sword suddenly straightened abruptly, forcefully pressing down the Ice Soul Frost Sword, and she thrust at Ren Xiaoyao with the same momentum.
Unbeknownst to her, Ren Xiaoyao used a perfectly rounded, boundless soft force with immense suction. Although the Ice Soul Frost Sword was knocked from its feet, it still significantly affected Cheng Ying, causing the masked woman's attack to falter as expected.
It was this slight delay that allowed her plan to succeed.
"Boom!" The masked woman suddenly felt a violent jolt, as if Cheng Ying had been slammed upwards by a surging wave, throwing her and her sword into the air. It turned out that Ren Xiaoyao had leaped six times, executing the "There Will Be Times When the Wind Breaks the Waves" technique, striking her precisely.
"Oh no!" Jue Yue exclaimed in shock, realizing what had happened. It turned out that Ren Xiaoyao and Nangong Bubai had both coincidentally focused their attacks on the masked woman. Moreover, Ren Xiaoyao's tactics were superior; instead of relentlessly pursuing her, he used the wondrous combination of his Flying Immortal Transformation technique and the Lingxiao Sword Art to halt her in mid-air, completely cutting off any possibility of Duohun and the others providing assistance. With
seven leaps and bounds,
their "stage" for another clash was set high on the distant "clouds" of the mountain peak.
The Ice Soul Frost Sword intertwined, its sharp, lightning-like blades forming a dense, unyielding net. As the two closed the distance, it seemed to transform into an endless sandstorm in the desert, striking the masked woman with overwhelming force.
The energy surged, the spray flying everywhere. Jueyue, Duohun, and Chen Yixi all felt Ren Xiaoyao firmly at the heart of this sword storm, his sharp edge radiating an invincible, domineering aura.
The clanging sounds were incessant. In the blink of an eye, the masked woman unleashed the Blood-Eating Heart-Shattering Sword, the most prized weapon of the Ghostly Netherworld Lord
. The shadowy figure materialized into an ethereal, layered mass of eerie killing intent, unleashing eighteen consecutive strikes from ever-changing angles and positions. Like an ant trying to shake a tree, or a mantis
trying to stop a chariot, the boundless sword net woven by the Ice Soul Frost Sword surged like a tsunami, instantly engulfing the killing intent. At this moment, the Soaring Sky Sword Technique was not only the culmination of Ren Qiaocui's life's work, but also contained the courage and determination of Ren Xiaoyao, who disregarded life and death, a hero going forth never to return.
"Bang!" The shadowy figure shattered, its life cut short, instantly transforming into scattered blue specks of light, like fireworks bursting forth, a beauty beyond description.
"Junior Sister!" Chen Yixi cried out in anguish.
The Ice Soul Frost Sword was about to pierce the masked woman's chest when Ren Xiaoyao suddenly noticed a glistening, pitiful tear in the corner of her smiling eyes.
It seemed to speak of her attachment to the mortal world, her reluctance to leave life, and her yearning for the future. Her
peerless gaze shook Ren Xiaoyao's proud, untamed heart.
At the last moment, he stopped.

(Volume 5: The Beloved Daughter Protects Her Father, Poisoned, Chapter 8: Soul

-Stirring and Devastating) The sword spun swiftly, shifting in an instant, the two brushing past each other.
A strand of the masked woman's flowing hair brushed against Ren Xiaoyao's nose, and inhaling her delicate, pleasant fragrance, Ren Xiaoyao was captivated, his soul swaying and his spirit captivated.
He landed on all fours.
"Ren Xiaoyao!" The masked woman turned her delicate body, looking at him, her beautiful eyes veiled in mist, calling out softly, with a mournful, pitiful tone.
Driven by an unprecedented passion, Ren Xiaoyao leaped forward, closing the distance to within three steps of the masked woman. Their gazes were drawn to each other like magnets, unable to look away.
Two complete strangers suddenly found themselves sparking a flame of love. The masked woman's beautiful eyes, initially filled with melancholy, were replaced by a deep, unwavering affection as she gazed at him. Ren Xiaoyao returned her gaze with equal fervor. They poured out their deepest feelings for each other, surpassing any words or tender whispers.
In that instant of soul connection, Chen Yixi's sword silently pierced from behind, aimed directly at Ren Xiaoyao's back.
Unaware, Ren Xiaoyao's protective inner energy remained intact, generating a counter-force that deflected Chen Yixi's sword.
A sharp blade pierced through his body, missing a vital spot but exiting through his left rib.
Ren Xiaoyao roared and slashed back with his palm. Chen Yixi immediately dropped his sword and rolled away.
Ren Xiaoyao used his strength to knock the sword away, staggering back towards the masked woman. Blood splattered, flowing from the wound, and his face instantly turned deathly pale. However, his right hand, gripping the Ice Soul Frost Sword, remained as steady as a rock, pointing at his opponent.
"Are you... are you alright?" The masked woman's beautiful eyes flashed with a complex expression. After hesitating for a moment, she finally helped him up and asked with concern.
"Don't worry, I won't die." Ren Xiaoyao gave a bitter smile and said solemnly. Although Chen Yixi's sword hadn't hit any vital points, the nearby meridians had been severely damaged by the sword energy, causing half of his body to immediately become numb and weak.
Chen Yixi gave a wink, signaling Jueyue and Duohun to seize the opportunity to attack. The masked woman immediately shielded Ren Xiaoyao, crying out, "Stop! Don't fight!"
"Junior sister, step aside!" Chen Yixi, seeing her concern for Ren Xiaoyao, grew even more jealous. He bent down, picked up a long sword, and approached step by step, shouting in a deep voice,
"I won't allow you to hurt him!" The masked woman spread her arms, blocking him, and said sorrowfully.
"Have you fallen for this boy?" Chen Yixi revealed a cruel smile, saying fiercely, "Fine, I'll make him lie dead on the peak, without a burial place."
The masked woman's body trembled violently. Just as she was about to speak, Ren Xiaoyao slowly raised his Ice Soul Frost Sword, meeting Chen Yixi's almost frenzied, sharp killing intent.
He had climbed from the valley to the cliff, his strength already almost completely depleted. Coupled with the serious injury to his left arm, an ordinary person would have given up long ago. But for him, who had endured countless trials, in a battle between masters, the key to victory or defeat was not the level of swordsmanship or the abundance of physical strength, but rather resilience and willpower—the decisive factors in the outcome of the battle.
Jueyue stood still and observed, without making a move.
Long ago, Ren Qiaocui, from almost the same spot, unleashed that earth-shattering, awe-inspiring, thunderous, and dazzling "Eternal Elegance in a Laugh," instantly killing Soul-Stealing and Life-Chasing, severely injuring the Wind and Thunder Envoy, and leaving the Ghostly Lord filled with inexplicable hatred. For eighteen years, the scene atop Cloud Peak had haunted him like a nightmare. Even today, when he saw Ren Xiaoyao appear at the suspension bridgehead wielding the Ice Soul Frost Sword, he still felt a chill run down his spine and his heart pound with fear.
Heaven knows if the same move would erupt again in Ren Xiaoyao's hands.
Soul-Stealing didn't move either. His thoughts were almost identical to Jueyue's. Although he hadn't experienced the fierce battle of that year, he knew very well that his "predecessor" had died here. If Ren Xiaoyao, in a moment of desperation, risked his life, this day next year might be his death anniversary.
A chilling sword aura permeated the peak.
The masked man roared, and thousands of sword beams instantly coalesced into rings of varying sizes and angles, spinning at an astonishing speed as they attacked Ren Xiaoyao. A sudden gust of wind and a howling sound arose.
Ren Xiaoyao remained calm and composed, his Ice Soul Frost Sword becoming one with him, following an arc perfectly aligned with the laws of nature, accurately striking the rings. The
sounds of clashing sword energies rang out like firecrackers!
Ren Xiaoyao's robes billowed, moving faster than a flying bird, moving freely and effortlessly within the rings of energy.
The wondrous moves of the Lingxiao Sword Technique rose and fell like the tide, sometimes strong, sometimes weak, causing the rings to surge, sometimes strong, forcing them to contract. The masked man's expression grew slightly grave, while Ren Xiaoyao remained relaxed and carefree.
"Boom!" The sword energy unleashed by the masked man vanished completely, the Ice Soul Frost Sword colliding head-on with his weapon, the impact precise and accurate. With a clang,
the masked man's longsword snapped in two, terrifying him so much that he retreated hastily.
Ren Xiaoyao, like a shadow, relentlessly pursued him, the sharp, clear sound of his Ice Soul Frost Sword carrying boundless, cosmic variations, chasing after Chen Yixi relentlessly.
Everyone knew he wouldn't last long.
Jueyue and Duohun leaped into action, their targets both aimed at Nangong Bubai outside the Tongtian Cave. These two cunning veterans knew Ren Xiaoyao was burning with fighting spirit and unstoppable momentum; they dared not provoke him further and resorted to a diversionary tactic.
Unexpectedly, Ren Xiaoyao didn't abandon Chen Yixi and rushed back to her aid. It turned out that since his debut, he had never suffered a serious injury from a weapon, especially not from a sneak attack. Enraged, he was determined to kill Chen Yixi.
"Father, be careful!" The Nangong sisters exclaimed simultaneously. Although they wanted to help, they were powerless to do so. Firstly, Nangong Fengyi was in pain in her lower abdomen and could not continuously exert her strength; secondly, they had to take care of Nangong Tiankuo and Liu Xianzong, and dared not be distracted.
"Father can hold on!" Nangong Bubai roared, gathering his strength, and charged out with his sword. Although his injuries were not light, Jueyue and Duohun were not at their peak either, so holding out for half an hour should not be a problem.
The key to victory lay in whether he would fall first under the combined attack of Qin Shang, Jueyue, and Duohun, or whether Ren Xiaoyao would kill Chen Yixi before the three of them.

Volume 5: The Beloved Daughter Protects Her Father, Chapter 9: Poisoned by a Strange Poison Jueyue

saw that his opponent was not falling for the trap, and he became extremely anxious. He knew Chen Yixi's condition all too well. Even if his swordsmanship and internal strength were comparable to Ren Xiaoyao's, the disadvantage of his weapon was insurmountable. He should be grateful if he could withstand a few dozen more moves.
Suddenly, an idea struck him, and a poisonous scheme was hatched.
"Little pump girl, prepare to die!" Jueyue roared, plummeting from mid-air. Just inches from the ground, he unleashed a barrage of palm strikes, aimed directly at Nangong Fengzi.
Nangong Fengzi's martial arts were not weak, but she was too timid. The sudden, powerful palm strike from Jueyue terrified her, and she shakily raised her sword to parry, but the weapon was immediately snatched away.
Nangong Fengyi wanted to help, but a dull pain in her lower abdomen prevented her from gathering her inner energy.
Nangong Bubai, anxious for his daughter, used three powerful strikes of the Fiery Sky-Piercing Sword to force back Duohun and Qin Shang, then swayed forward like a roc spreading its wings.
Jueyue's hands shot out, then swiftly closed, each palm releasing a burst of energy that coalesced into a highly concentrated sphere, aiming for Nangong Fengzi's face.
Nangong Bubai arrived with lightning speed, his longsword transforming into countless streaks of light, piercing towards the sphere.
Jueyue Qi flowed from her fingertips, causing the sphere to flip upwards, barely dodging the sword's edge, before curving towards Nangong Fengzi again—truly a divine skill.
Nangong Bubai coldly snorted, maintaining a serene and unwavering state, and with a backhand slash, an incomparably fierce sword aura burst forth, instantly engulfing the sphere.
Just then, a silver glint suddenly shot out from Jueyue's sleeve, like a leech clinging to bone, striking directly at Nangong Bubai's chest.
Normally, Nangong Bubai would not be afraid, but at this moment, the wispy energy net stirred up by the Xueying Hongchen sword completely protected his daughter, leaving his own body like a shrimp without its shell, utterly powerless to resist.
"Father—" In a split second, Nangong Fengyi rushed forward, using her peerless beauty to shield her father from the potentially fatal hidden weapon.
"Fengyi!" Nangong Bubai roared to the sky, meeting the attack head-on with a heavy slash of his sword.
His concern and love for his daughter surged like a tsunami, a torrent of water, unleashing an immense power that even gods and demons could not withstand.
"Ah!" Jueyue, struck in the right rib by a sword, let out a piercing scream. She was thrown into the air like a rag doll before crashing heavily to the ground, landing amidst a pile of boulders.
"Brother Xiaoyao, come quick! Sister is dying!" Ren Xiaoyao, having nearly killed Chen Yixi, was suddenly struck by Nangong Fengzi's cry of alarm.
"Fengyi is injured?" Hearing this, Ren Xiaoyao's heart clenched. Without hesitation, he abandoned Chen Yixi and flew towards her.
Duohun and Qin Shang, no longer willing to fight, hurriedly helped Jueyue up and turned to descend the mountain.
Chen Yixi, having escaped death, was too grateful to continue fighting. She glared at Ren Xiaoyao's retreating figure, gave a cold snort, and followed the three away.
The masked woman remained standing, her beautiful eyes filled with sorrow.
When Ren Xiaoyao arrived, Nangong Fengyi was already unconscious, a silver needle piercing her left arm, which was beginning to turn black.
"Sister, you can't die!" Nangong Fengyi sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
"The silver needle is poisonous," Ren Xiaoyao said in a low voice, trying to calm his emotions.
"Yes," Nangong Bubai nodded slightly, saying softly, "I've sealed several acupoints on her body—'Quze,' 'Shaohai,' and 'Jugu'—to stop the poison from rising, but..." He choked up, clearly the silver needle's toxicity was too potent; simply sealing the acupoints was insufficient.
Ren Xiaoyao reached into his robes and pulled out a finely crafted small porcelain bottle, handing it to Nangong Bubai. He said solemnly, "Quickly give it to Fengyi; any later and it might be too late."
Nangong Bubai hurriedly opened the bottle, and a fragrant aroma immediately wafted out, like fine wine, giving one a blissful, invigorating feeling, making every part of their body feel comfortable.
"This...this is..." Nangong Tiankuo exclaimed in surprise.
"Life-Restoring Pills," Ren Xiaoyao replied naturally.
Years ago, Meng Fei brought back six snow lotuses from the summit of Tianshan Mountain. He consumed three of them during his escape, keeping the rest with him. After settling on Coconut Island, Qin Huaiqing, who was well-versed in medicine, learned of this and was overjoyed. Using the island's unique immortal herb, Lingzhi, as an adjunct, combined with the Tianshan snow lotuses, he concocted three Life-Restoring Pills and instructed Ren Xiaoyao to keep them safe, as they would be a good medicine for expelling poison, warding off evil spirits, preserving life, and healing injuries.
Nangong Bubai cast a grateful glance at Ren Xiaoyao, then gave the Life-Restoring Pills to Nangong Fengyi. Before long, she slowly woke up, and her pale face began to regain color.
"That's great, sister is alright!" Nangong Fengzi cried tears of joy.
“Ren…Ren Xiaoyao.” The masked woman hesitated several times before finally walking to the group's side, her face showing exhaustion. She glanced at Nangong Fengyi and said sadly, “She’s been poisoned by the Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison. Ordinary medicines can’t cure it. We need…we need the Azure Blood Pearl from the East Sea.” With that, she gently closed her beautiful eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, giving her a captivatingly alluring appearance.
“Witch, get out of my way!” Liu Xianzong shouted angrily. If he hadn’t been seriously injured and unable to muster his inner strength, he probably would have rushed forward and fought her to the death.
Ren Xiaoyao looked down and saw that the black aura on Nangong Fengyi’s left arm had not yet dissipated. He immediately knew that what she said was true. He immediately gave Liu Xianzong a look and sincerely asked, “May I ask, miss, how do you obtain the Azure Blood Pearl?”
“I…I don’t know either. Anyway, you have to go to the Wenzhou area…” The masked woman said, then suddenly turned and left, seemingly having some urgent business to attend to and not daring to linger.
Gazing at her alluring, ethereal silhouette, Ren Xiaoyao's heart stirred once more.
"Sect Master, should we capture her?" Nangong Tiankuo cautiously inquired.
"Alas, no need," Nangong Bubai sighed, shaking his head. His six companions were utterly exhausted; they were already grateful the enemy hadn't made a move.
"Father, what should we do about Sister's poisoning?" Nangong Fengzi, her pretty face still wet with tears, asked anxiously.
"Return to the manor first, and have Doctor Guo examine her," Nangong Bubai said solemnly, his voice heavy with emotion. The Doctor Guo he spoke of was Guo Ming, a renowned physician from Jiangzhe, known for his "miraculous healing hands."
"Yes."

(Volume 5, Chapter 10: The Divine Physician Protects His Father)

The group, supporting each other, entered the city. Along the way, Ren Xiaoyao briefly recounted the shocking conspiracy behind the assassination attempt and their wondrous encounter in the valley, leaving Nangong Bubai and the others speechless with astonishment.
Of course, his one-night stand with Nangong Fengyi was omitted from the story.
As the gates of Tingyu Pavilion came into view, Zhuge Wenjie, having received the news, led the group out to greet them, along with Nangong Wushang, whose injuries were just beginning to heal.
"Sect Master, this…this is…" Nangong Wushang asked blankly, seeing everyone injured and glancing at the grave-faced Ren Xiaoyao.
"Fengyi and Fengzi were kidnapped by Juesha, and we were also ambushed. Thanks to Young Hero Ren's righteous rescue, the events of the past few days were entirely a misunderstanding," Nangong Bubai explained briefly, then called over Zhuge Wenjie and whispered a few instructions.
"Wushang, quickly summon Doctor Guo to Wuyou Pavilion," Nangong Bubai instructed before entering.
A short while later, Guo Ming arrived hurriedly with his medicine chest. Upon seeing the injuries on everyone's bodies, he was immediately shocked.
"Doctor Guo, my daughter has been poisoned by a strange toxin. Please treat her," Nangong Bubai said in a deep voice, suppressing his emotions.
Guo Ming dared not delay and quickly went to Nangong Fengyi's side. Before even taking her pulse, he exclaimed in horror, "Her lips are bluish-purple, her cheeks are pale, and her arms are shrouded in poisonous aura. It's a very potent cold poison!"
"Is there any way to counteract it?" Nangong Bubai leaned forward and asked anxiously.
"It's hard to say for now." Guo Ming frowned slightly, reached out and placed his hand on Nangong Fengyi's fair wrist. He felt that her pulse was sometimes fast and sometimes slow, sometimes faint, sometimes intermittent, with no clear boundary. He said calmly, "Sect Master, don't worry. Although the cold poison that the young lady has been afflicted with is fierce, she has already neutralized a lot of it with her own strength. I think that as long as she takes good care of herself, she should recover without difficulty."
"That's right, I told you we shouldn't trust that witch." Nangong Tiankuo said happily.
"Yes, what kind of Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison is that? It's just a lie to fool us." Liu Xianzong said indignantly.
"Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison? I've never heard of it." Guo Ming suddenly paused, muttering to himself.
"Doctor Guo, are you sure you saw it clearly?" Nangong Bubai asked seriously.
"Sect Master, rest assured, with my forty years of medical experience, I am certain I am not wrong." Guo Ming's tone was very calm, clearly confident in himself.
"Doctor Guo, is Fengyi's injury really not serious?" Murong Ruorong, dressed in a magnificent palace gown, gracefully entered the hall and asked softly.
Guo Ming pondered for a moment, then added, "Unless the young lady took the Tianshan Snow Lotus before her current condition, otherwise..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ren Xiaoyao fell off his chair with a "thud," his newly bandaged left arm hitting the table leg, and blood gushed out immediately.
"The... the main ingredient of the Resurrection and Life-Sustaining Pill is... is indeed the Tianshan Snow Lotus." Ren Xiaoyao gasped for breath, trembling as he said.
"What?" Guo Ming stared at Nangong Fengyi in disbelief, his face shifting between light and shadow, and exclaimed.
Nangong Bubai, Murong Ruorong, Nangong Tiankuo, and Liu Xianzong exchanged bewildered glances.
Guo Ming took a step forward and checked Nangong Fengyi's pulse again. His expression gradually turned dejected and listless. He muttered to himself, "Strange...no wonder there was a chill in the young lady's body; it was the Tianshan Snow Lotus."
"Doctor Guo, Fengyi..." Nangong Bubai trembled violently, struggling to suppress his grief, and choked out.
"The Tianshan Snow Lotus is the nemesis of all poisons, but even after taking it, it can only barely block the toxicity. It seems...sigh..." Guo Ming couldn't bear to say more and could only sigh deeply.
Ren Xiaoyao gasped upon hearing this, asking in horror, "Then...would taking more Tianshan Snow Lotus be effective?"
Guo Ming slowly shook his head, answering with difficulty, "It can only sustain life, but it cannot cure the disease, and..."
"And what?" Nangong Bubai's already pale face was completely devoid of color, his lips trembling as he asked.
"And with each additional dose, its effect will gradually weaken until it finally becomes completely ineffective." Guo Ming slumped down, sighing again.
"It seems that what that witch said was true," Nangong Bubai murmured.
"Mother, sister, she..." Nangong Fengzi threw herself into Murong Ruorong's arms, burying her face in her hands and weeping.
"Is there any other medicine that can cure this poison?" Nangong Tiankuo asked solemnly.
"Yes, as long as you tell us, we will immediately send people to find it," Nangong Wushang said in a deep voice. With the wealth of Tingyuxuan, which was comparable to that
of a country, there was really nothing they couldn't get. "This student is dull-witted and cannot identify the poison that the young lady has been afflicted with," Guo Ming said after thinking for a while, shaking his head.
"Heavens, how could this be?" Murong Ruorong said blankly, like a helpless child.
"Doctor Guo, do you know anyone who can cure this poison?" Nangong Bubai asked slowly, with a tentative mindset.
"A skilled healer cures all diseases, a doctor's heart is like a parent's," Guo Ming nodded unexpectedly and recited loudly.
"'Divine Healer' Wu Hanyu?" Nangong Bubai said in a deep voice.
"The sect leader knows my master?" Guo Ming was shocked and exclaimed.
“I heard my father mention him thirty years ago. It’s said there’s no disease in the world he can’t cure,” Nangong Bubai recalled. “What, are you a disciple of the Divine Physician Wu?”
“Alas, I only studied with him for ten days, barely qualifying as an apprentice,” Guo Ming said with a wry smile.
Everyone looked at each other in astonishment. Ten days, a mere ten days, and he had created a Guo Ming who roamed freely throughout Jiangzuo. The level of Wu Hanyu’s medical skills was unimaginable.
“Where is the Divine Physician now?” Nangong Bubai asked impatiently.
“Hua’e Valley, thirty miles north of the city,” Guo Ming replied solemnly.
“I will go and invite him immediately,” Nangong Wushang stood up and said loudly.
“Wait,” Guo Ming stopped him. “Master once swore an oath never to leave Hua’e Valley for the rest of his life.”
“For the sake of the young lady, we must bring him here even if we have to tie him up,” Nangong Wushang said resolutely.
“Absolutely not. Master is stubborn. If we anger him, how could he possibly cure the young lady’s poison?” Guo Ming said seriously.
"It seems we have no choice but to send Fengyi to Flower Calyx Valley." Nangong Bubai suppressed his emotional turmoil and said loudly.
"Wushang, have someone prepare a carriage. Bubai and I will go ourselves." Murong Ruorong revealed her maternal nature and made a decisive decision.
"I'll go too." Ren Xiaoyao and Nangong Fengzi said in unison.

Volume 5: The Beloved Daughter Protects Her Father and Suffers from a Strange Poison Chapter 11: The Pearl of Jade Blood

Nangong Bubai, Murong Ruorong, Nangong Wushang, Nangong Fengyi, Nangong Fengzi, Ren Xiaoyao, Guo Ming, and the other four entered Flower Calyx Valley.
Ren Xiaoyao had imagined for a long time what kind of beautiful, picturesque paradise Flower Calyx Valley would be, the place that made the "Divine Physician" Wu Hanyu swear never to leave. But now that he was there, he realized that it was impossible to imagine it out of thin air.
Flower Calyx Valley is located on the northern slope of Qixia Ridge, surrounded by rolling hills and verdant mountains.
The valley is densely forested with pines, cypresses, poplars, camphor trees, and spruces, their canopies
blocking out the sun, lush and verdant. Clouds drift like ribbons across the mountainsides, shrouding the valley in mist and haze. As the sun sets, the valley is bathed in its slanting rays. In the distance, stone peaks resemble a forest, layer upon layer of verdant mountains; up close, the landscape is intricate and ethereal, possessing both grandeur and elegance, its refreshing air invigorating the senses—a natural beauty beyond compare
. In this transition from autumn to summer, the valley is adorned with wildflowers of red, white, yellow, and purple, its scenery exquisite and unparalleled. Sika deer, golden monkeys, and various birds inhabit and breed here, filling the valley with natural charm and vitality.
Hidden among the dense forest and bamboo groves are several small stone houses, presumably the residence of the "Divine Healer" Wu Hanyu.
"Master, are you inside?" Guo Ming asked loudly as he walked around the flower-lined path.
“Guo Zixiao, I have never acknowledged you as my disciple.” A clear and vigorous voice came from inside the house.
“Although Zixiao and my master have no formal master-disciple relationship, we are in fact master and disciple. I will never forget this in this life. I beg my master to grant me an audience.” Guo Ming pleaded.
“Alright, alright, come in.” As soon as the words were spoken, the door creaked open. Everyone entered one by one, and in the center sat an old man with simple and unadorned features, aloof and unconventional. Although he was old, he still exuded a sense of inner strength and vitality.
“Master, this is Sect Master Nangong of Tingyu Pavilion.” Guo Ming respectfully bowed and introduced him.
“Are you Nangong Feichen’s only son?” Wu Hanyu looked Nangong Bubai up and down and asked with delight.
"Indeed," Nangong Bubai said, cupping his hands. "My daughter, Fengyi, is poisoned and we hope you can help her."
"What? You can't cure this poison?" Wu Hanyu glanced at Nangong Fengyi, frowned slightly, and turned to Guo Ming, asking in confusion.
"This disciple's skills are still lacking; please forgive me for forgetting my master," Guo Ming said apologetically.
"Tell me, what kind of poison?" Wu Hanyu asked calmly.
"This disciple doesn't know," Guo Ming answered truthfully.
"Oh," Wu Hanyu was slightly taken aback, and immediately stepped forward to take Nangong Fengyi's pulse.
Gradually, his originally confident gaze became serious, and he murmured, "Strange, how can this poison be so potent? It's like the Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison... No, if it were the Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison, she would die in an instant. How could she have lasted this long?"
Everyone was overjoyed to hear that his description matched the masked woman perfectly. Now that they knew what kind of poison she had been poisoned with, they believed they could cure her.
"Yes, the Resurrection Pill! You gave her the Resurrection Pill!" Wu Hanyu exclaimed after a moment's thought.
"How did you know, Senior..." Ren Xiaoyao's heart skipped a beat.
"Besides the unique elixir secretly concocted by Qin Huaiqing, the Qin Saint, seventy years ago, there is nothing else in the world that can temporarily suppress the extremely potent toxicity of the Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison." Wu Hanyu smiled slightly, then asked doubtfully, "But Qin Huaiqing and Nangong Feichen have a long-standing feud. How could he be willing to give her the Resurrection Pill, especially one that has been preserved until now?" "
The Resurrection Pill belongs to Brother Xiaoyao," Nangong Fengzi interjected.
"The Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison is one of the four most rare poisons in the world. While the antidote is not difficult to prepare, the medicinal guide is extremely hard to find." Wu Hanyu turned his gaze to the window, hands behind his back, a thoughtful expression on his face, and slowly said.
"Is the medicinal guide the Jade Blood Pearl?" Ren Xiaoyao asked casually.
“That’s right, the Crimson Pearl comes from the East Sea, and it’s said to appear only once every thirty years.” Wu Hanyu said, then turned to Ren Xiaoyao, staring at him intently, his expression turning serious and tense. He slowly said, word by word, “By the way, how many Life-Extending Pills are left?”
“Two.” Ren Xiaoyao answered, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.
“Alas, everyone, please leave. This old man is powerless.” Wu Hanyu sighed.
“Senior…” Nangong Bubai suddenly seemed to have aged more than ten years, his face drained of color, and he exclaimed in a trembling voice.
“Two Life-Extending Pills plus the medicine I concocted can only extend her life by three months at most.” Wu Hanyu pointed at Nangong Fengyi, a look of regret on his face, and shook his head. “Three months? To think you can find the Crimson Pearl in three months? That’s just wishful thinking.”
“Tingyuxuan is richer than a country, I don’t believe it…” Nangong Wushang said loudly.
“Do you know how long the founding emperor spent searching for the Crimson Pearl?” Wu Hanyu interrupted.
Everyone fell silent.
“Three years!” Wu Hanyu coldly uttered two words.
“That year, Emperor Taizu conquered Later Shu and forcibly took Lady Huarui as his concubine. But Lady Huarui did not forget the kindness she had shown to Meng Chang, the ruler of Shu, and was often depressed. Soon she contracted an illness that no medicine could cure.” Wu Hanyu seemed to have been awakened by a long-forgotten memory and said frankly, “At that time, I was traveling in the capital and was summoned to the palace to treat her.
” “Could it be that she was also poisoned by the Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison?” Nangong Fengzi asked.
“No, it was just a common cold, but because Lady Huarui was determined to die and refused to take medicine, her illness became incurable. To cure her completely, only the Jade Blood Pearl could cure her.” Wu Hanyu recalled, “When Emperor Taizu heard of this, he immediately ordered the entire country to search for her. Three years later, she was finally found in Wenzhou.” "
A round trip to Wenzhou will take a month, I'm afraid..." Murong Ruorong murmured, her face showing signs of exhaustion. "That's why I said I was powerless." Wu Hanyu sighed.
"We must not give up as long as there is a glimmer of hope." Ren Xiaoyao gazed at Nangong Fengyi with deep affection, his eyes filled with reluctance, and said resolutely.
"Yes, we cannot give up." Nangong Fengyi's beautiful eyes were clear as water, showing exceptional determination.
Nangong Bubai stood up gladly, bowed deeply to Wu Hanyu, and said solemnly, "When the Jade Blood Pearl is delivered, we hope that Senior will lend a helping hand."
"You...you...you really want to go find her." Wu Hanyu was clearly shocked by everyone's perseverance.
"Yes, for Fengyi, everyone in Tingyuxuan is going all out." Nangong Bubai said solemnly, each word uttered with unprecedented gravity.
"Alright, I will help you." "Wu Hanyu's eyes gleamed, and he said seriously.

Volume 5, The Beloved Daughter Protects Her Father,

Suffers from a Strange Poison, Chapter 12, We Must Go. Nangong Bubai and the others then took their leave and returned to Tingyu Pavilion to arrange various matters. In addition to Nangong Fengyi, Wu Hanyu also kept Ren Xiaoyao behind, saying that he would treat his left rib.
Ren Xiaoyao was as clever as he was, and naturally knew that Wu Hanyu had other intentions. Otherwise, why would a mere sword wound require the help of a divine physician like him ?
Sure enough, less than half an hour after the meal, Wu Hanyu pulled him out under a pretext.
"Huai... is Huaiqing alright?" Wu Hanyu asked cautiously, like a thief.
"Ah." Ren Xiaoyao pretended to be stunned.
"Boy, don't pretend. Your Life-Sustaining Pill will take at most two years to complete. Do you think I don't know?" Wu Hanyu leaned closer and whispered.
"Senior...Senior..." Ren Xiaoyao scratched his head.
"Qi Wendong, Shu Zhenpeng, and Hua Tianzhao are still alive, aren't they?" Wu Hanyu asked with a smile.
Ren Xiaoyao didn't know whether to answer or not, so he remained silent.
"Alas, I'm an old friend of the Four Sages, what's there to hide?" Wu Hanyu chuckled.
"May I...may I ask your age, Senior?" Ren Xiaoyao stared at Wu Hanyu in disbelief and asked respectfully. He looked to be only a little over sixty, but the Four Sages had been living in seclusion on Coconut Island for nearly seventy years. How could they be old acquaintances? "
I am eighty-nine years old this year, a few months older than Hua Tianzhao. It's just that I've eaten a lot of Ganoderma lucidum and Polygonum multiflorum, so I look a little younger." Wu Hanyu stroked his beard and smiled. "By the way, you must have heard of Huaiqing's 'High Mountains and Flowing Water'."
Seeing that what he said was true, Ren Xiaoyao had no choice but to explain everything that had happened on Coconut Island.
"Well, those guys have quite a leisurely life." Wu Hanyu smiled calmly after hearing this.
"Could it be that you, senior, have some connection with Aunt Qin?" Recalling Wu Hanyu's thieving expression earlier, Ren Xiaoyao couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Ever since Qin Huaiqing allowed Meng Ruyan to call him "aunt," he'd followed suit. Since the Four Saints treated him like a treasure, a slight reversal of seniority didn't bother him.
"This...this...it's...anyway..." Wu Hanyu immediately became embarrassed, stammering and giving vague answers.
Ren Xiaoyao pressed his advantage, about to continue his "interrogation," when Wu Hanyu suddenly smiled mysteriously and lowered his voice, "Hey, tell me honestly, has Nangong Fengyi already...done that with you?"
This time, Ren Xiaoyao blushed deeply, unable to answer for a long time.
"Hahaha, a man who isn't a bit of a playboy in his youth is wasting his life, very good, very good indeed." Wu Hanyu adopted the air of an experienced man, laughing heartily.
"This junior truly likes Miss Fengyi," Ren Xiaoyao said seriously.
"Hehe, if you hadn't been the first to taste her poison, she would be dead by now," Wu Hanyu said slowly.
"No...no way," Ren Xiaoyao said embarrassedly.
"The world's poisons are divided into five categories: cold, hot, heavy, turbid, and clear. The Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison is the coldest of the cold poisons, and the Heavenly Snow Lotus is also extremely cold. If Nangong Fengyi was still of pure Yin constitution when she was poisoned, hmph, even a Great Luo Golden Immortal wouldn't be able to save her." Wu Hanyu finished speaking with a solemn expression, then laughed heartily, "You, you, you got a good deal and saved a life at the same time. Truly a miracle."
"Senior, Fengyi's poison..." Ren Xiaoyao's heart ached, and he immediately became worried again.
"I said before, as long as we find the Jade Blood Pearl, the Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison can be cured immediately. There is no other way," Wu Hanyu said decisively.
"Can't we use internal energy to force the poison out?" Ren Xiaoyao voiced the doubt that had been suppressed in his heart for a long time.
“Yes, the problem is that the top martial arts masters of today, Dugu Yu, Xiao Chen, and Long Yin Xiao, all follow the orthodox Xuanmen school, not a single type of potent internal energy. They are completely ineffective against the Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison. As for Xiong Lei and Yi Tianhan, who possess such skills, one is already deceased, and the other is missing. As for the others… sigh, they'd only make things worse.” Wu Hanyu analyzed as he answered.
“Then why didn’t you let Sect Leader Nangong go find ‘Defying Heaven’ Yi Tianhan,’?” Ren Xiaoyao asked again.
“Forcing the poison out of Nangong Fengyi would require at least ten years of internal energy. Yi Tianhan is a martial arts fanatic, known throughout the world. How could he possibly sacrifice his cultivation for a complete stranger?” Wu Hanyu said with a wry smile.
“May I ask, Senior, how do you distinguish the Jade Blood Pearl?” Ren Xiaoyao asked intently in a deep voice.
“Didn’t I already tell you before Nangong Bubai left… What, you also want to go find it?” Wu Hanyu asked in surprise.
“Yes, I want to personally rescue Fengyi,” Ren Xiaoyao said slowly.
"I advise you not to go," Wu Hanyu said calmly after scrutinizing him for a long while.
"Why?" Ren Xiaoyao asked, puzzled.
"First, your sword wound will take a long time to heal, and you shouldn't overexert yourself; second, given Tingyuxuan's influence in the martial world, one more or one less person won't make a difference in the search for the pearl." Wu Hanyu explained carefully.
"But..." Ren Xiaoyao turned back to gaze at the stone house not far away, his deep eyes gleaming, and slowly said, word by word, "Protecting the woman you love is the duty of every man, every hero. Fengyi... since Fengyi has given herself to me, how can Ren Xiaoyao sit idly in the valley, ignoring the search for the pearl?"
"Are you really going?" Wu Hanyu was speechless, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty, before finally asking after a long while.
"I must go!" Ren Xiaoyao said in a long voice, his eyes shining brightly.
"Common pearls come in six colors: white, pink, yellow, red, purple, and blue. The best are pure white with a slight pink tinge, commonly known as 'the most beautiful.' As for size, there's a saying: 'Seven parts pearl, eight parts treasure,' meaning a pearl weighing seven parts is called a pearl, while one weighing eight parts can be called a treasure," Wu Hanyu explained solemnly. "The Blood Pearl is twice the size of a common pearl, entirely emerald green, radiating a lustrous glow, crystal clear like dewdrops scattered on a lotus leaf in the morning, displaying iridescent colors. Most remarkably, holding it in your hand gives you an unusual burning sensation, like…like a red-hot iron."
"Thank you for your guidance, senior," Ren Xiaoyao said, bowing deeply after memorizing Wu Hanyu's description.
"When are you leaving?" Wu Hanyu asked softly with a "no need to thank me" smile.
"Tomorrow," Ren Xiaoyao replied without hesitation.
"Good, quick-witted, wise, resolute, and decisive. Truly a young hero trained by the Four Sages of Music, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting," Wu Hanyu praised, giving a thumbs-up.

Volume Five: The Beloved Daughter Protects Her Father, Suffers from a Strange Poison, Chapter Thirteen: A Clever Plan

. The next day, Ren Xiaoyao reluctantly bid farewell to Nangong Fengyi and returned to Tingyu Pavilion alone.
He was determined that no matter how Nangong Bubai tried to persuade him to stay, his journey to Wenzhou was inevitable.
Upon entering the city, he saw notices plastered everywhere, reading: "Our manor urgently seeks the Jade Blood Pearl; anyone who offers it will be rewarded with a thousand yi of gold—Tingyu Pavilion.
" "A thousand yi of gold is equivalent to two hundred thousand taels of silver. It seems Sect Leader Nangong is truly willing to sacrifice everything for Fengyi," Ren Xiaoyao thought to himself.
"Brother, stop!" A calm voice suddenly sounded behind him.
Ren Xiaoyao turned around in surprise, only to see a handsome young man with refined features and composed demeanor. He was momentarily stunned.
"May I ask if you are the dashing and chivalrous thief Ren Xiaoyao?" the young man asked, clasping his hands in greeting.
"Hehe, I dare not accept the title 'dashing and chivalrous'," Ren Xiaoyao replied casually with a shrug. His gaze then lingered on the young man's deep blue brocade robe and the two ancient-looking swords on his back, before he exclaimed with admiration, "So you are 'Iron Sword Autumn Frost' Xiao Xingchen! I have long admired you."
"Likewise," Xiao Xingchen replied with a smile, his handsome eyes shining brightly.
Both were renowned young heroes in the martial world, and both were among the Four Heroes of the Martial World. Meeting today, they both felt a sense of regret for not having met sooner.
"Young Hero Xiao, what brings you to Hangzhou?" Ren Xiaoyao asked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Young Hero, calling me 'Young Hero' is too formal," Xiao Xingchen said with a slight smile, completely at ease.
"Brother Xiao, I greet you." Ren Xiaoyao chuckled and bowed.
"Brother Ren, you flatter me." Xiao Xingchen replied.
"Hahaha," the two laughed at each other, instantly feeling the distance between them shrink considerably.
"May I ask, Brother Ren, did you come to the city today specifically to bid farewell to Sect Leader Nangong, preparing to travel to Wenzhou alone?" Xiao Xingchen asked in a low, mysterious voice.
Ren Xiaoyao was taken aback and exclaimed, "Brother Xiao, how did you know... Ah, you've been to Tingyu Pavilion." Who else in the world could understand his thoughts besides Zhuge Wenjie?
"Not only did I go, but I also stayed overnight," Xiao Xingchen said calmly.
"Last night?" Ren Xiaoyao's mind raced, and he pressed for more information.
"Yes, Brother Ren, you bravely entered the tiger's den to rescue the hostages; you single-handedly repelled a deadly attack—Sect Leader Nangong has already recounted all of that to me," Xiao Xingchen sighed with delight. "The 'Romantic Thief' truly lives up to his name."
"So, you also know about Fengyi's poisoning?" Ren Xiaoyao asked in a deep voice.
"Yes, I was just about to go to the East Sea with Brother Ren to search for the Jade Blood Pearl," Xiao Xingchen nodded frankly and said seriously.
Ren Xiaoyao remained silent for a moment, then said calmly, "If I remember correctly, all disciples of the Mount Tai Sect who go out for training must complete..."
"To be honest, Brother Ren, the task my master entrusted to me is to befriend the 'Nine Provinces Divine Beggar' and the 'Romantic Thief'," Xiao Xingchen interrupted with a hearty laugh. "
Brother Xiao, you're willing to travel thousands of miles with me to Wenzhou; I suppose you have other motives as well," Ren Xiaoyao said with a meaningful smile, his gaze fixed intently on Xiao Xingchen.
"I dare not say my motives, but I simply wish to find an opportunity to spar with Brother Ren," Xiao Xingchen said, his eyebrows twitching as he looked at him, his eyes burning with a fervent hope. "I hope to find out who among the Four Heroes of the Martial World is superior."
"Brother Xiao is indeed straightforward, but unfortunately..." Ren Xiaoyao sighed softly, looking at his left arm, which was wrapped in bandages.
“That’s the real reason I absolutely must go.” Xiao Xingchen revealed a profound yet confident smile, and said solemnly, “Until Brother Ren recovers, someone must take on the responsibility of protecting… no, assisting him.”
“I thank Brother Xiao on behalf of Fengyi.” Ren Xiaoyao finally relented and said solemnly.
Xiao Xingchen put his hands behind his back, looked up into the distance, his eyes shining with admiration, and said with feeling, “This morning, Master Zhuge predicted that Brother Ren would definitely enter the city through the North Gate before 9:00 AM. At first, I secretly doubted whether there was any error, but who would have thought that it was indeed true.”
“Master Zhuge’s calculations are flawless, and his predictions are like those of a god. How can you and I compare?” Ren Xiaoyao’s eyes shone brightly as he sighed.
“The Sect Master has prepared provisions and horses in the manor. Let’s hurry and prepare to set off.” Xiao Xingchen gestured for him to go and said with a smile.
"Judging from the time Brother Xiao left Mount Tai, you must have already reached the Beggars' Sect's headquarters at Junshan," Ren Xiaoyao asked as he walked away.
"Hehe, Chief Xiong's Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms and Dog-Beating Staff Technique truly broadened my horizons," Xiao Xingchen replied tactfully, knowing Ren Xiaoyao wanted to inquire about his sparring with Xiong Xiaotian. "By the way, I heard Brother Ren has learned a set of Lingxiao Sword Techniques. When will you be able to teach me?"
"Hahaha, I have long admired the Three Forms of Heavenly Annihilation," Ren Xiaoyao laughed heartily, filled with mutual respect, expressing the heroic ambition hidden in his heart.
"By the way, Brother Ren, have you met Ye Zhi Qiu?" Xiao Xingchen asked casually.
"I have only heard of the name 'Proud Snow Cold Sword,' but I haven't met him yet," Ren Xiaoyao said with a wry smile, his eyes gleaming with longing. Among the four martial arts masters, Xiong Xiaotian was known for his boldness, composure, and calmness; Xiao Xingchen was knowledgeable, reasonable, and generous; only Ye Zhi Qiu was unrestrained, young, and impetuous, most similar to himself. It would be a lifelong regret if he couldn't become close friends with him.
"Alas, Ye Zhi Qiu's whereabouts are elusive, his residence is uncertain, I've been searching for him for a long time," Xiao Xingchen sighed.
The two went straight to the Forget-Worry Pavilion without announcing themselves.
Upon entering, everyone was surprised, except for Zhuge Wenjie, who calmly waved his feather fan, stroked his beard, and sat quietly, seemingly confident in his judgment.
"Young Master Ren has indeed arrived," Murong Ruorong said happily.
"Of course, saving Fengyi is my responsibility," Ren Xiaoyao said solemnly, enunciating each word clearly.
"When do we depart?" Nangong Bubai asked sternly.
"Now!" Ren Xiaoyao's handsome face was filled with confidence and determination as he declared loudly.
"On your return journey, be sure to guard against deadly attacks." Zhuge Wenjie stood up and handed two brocade pouches, one red and one blue, to the two men, instructing them, "Remember, after finding the Jade Blood Pearl, open the red pouch; if you encounter danger along the way, open the blue pouch."
"We will certainly keep your teachings in mind, sir," the two men replied in unison.

Volume Six: A Righteous Journey to the East Sea to Find the Pearl Chapter One: First Arrival at the East Sea

The four golden characters of "East Sea Sect," written in a flamboyant style, shone brightly in the sunlight. This was the most powerful, prestigious, and influential martial arts organization in southern Zhejiang.
At present, Jiang Heting, the leader of the East Sea Sword Sect, known as the "Soul-Chasing Deadly Sword," was holding a meeting in the inner hall. Outside the hall stood a large number of East Sea Sect disciples, each holding a sharp blade and with a serious expression, truly on high alert.
At this moment, two fine horses galloped in, neighing.
"Halt! Who goes there?" the disciples shouted in unison.
Before the words were finished, the charioteer dismounted and stepped forward. The first man, dressed in a plain white brocade robe, stood tall and elegant, exuding a refined air, a gleaming sword at his waist. Behind him, a young man in Taoist attire walked with a steady gait and handsome features; they were none other than Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen.
It turned out that the two were so eager to find the pearl that they had been traveling non-stop to Wenzhou, neglecting rest during the day and even sleeping in the wilderness at night. Fortunately, both were martial arts masters with superb internal energy, so they didn't feel tired along the way, though they had needlessly exhausted over a dozen of Tingyuxuan's fine horses.
"Blind fools, daring to trespass on our sect's territory!" the leading gray-robed disciple shouted. The Donghai Sect had dominated southern Zhejiang for nearly a century, and its disciples were accustomed to arrogance and domineering behavior, unaware of the proper etiquette for guests.
Having cultivated for many years, Xiao Xingchen was humble and magnanimous, and naturally didn't take it to heart. He simply smiled faintly, cupped his hands, and said, "Please inform Sect Leader Jiang that..." "The
Sect Leader is not receiving guests today," another disciple interrupted.
"Why not?" Ren Xiaoyao questioned.
"Hmph, no means no," the gray-robed disciple rolled his eyes and snorted coldly.
"Boy, speaking so impulsively, you're asking for trouble," Ren Xiaoyao frowned. With his and Xiao Xingchen's reputation, let alone a few disciples of the East Sea Sect, even Jiang Heting would have to respectfully address him as "Young Hero."
"How dare you!" the gray-robed disciple roared, drawing his longsword and thrusting it at Ren Xiaoyao.
Ren Xiaoyao laughed loudly, deflecting the weapon with a flick of his right hand, and with a gentle sweep, the gray-robed disciple stumbled and fell to the ground, crying out in pain.
Seeing this, the other disciples drew their swords and surrounded them, but dared not approach, fearing they would be injured by the two.
"We have no ill intentions, we only wish to see Sect Leader Jiang." Xiao Xingchen winked, signaling Ren Xiaoyao not to be violent
, and clasped his hands in greeting. "Young heroes, my master is entertaining guests. If you have important business, please come again tomorrow." A man stepped out from inside the door and said loudly. He was tall and had long hair, and was none other than Fan Jun, the first disciple of Jiang Heting, known as "Eastern Sea Wrathful Dragon.
" "This matter cannot be delayed. I hope you can do me a favor." Xiao Xingchen stepped forward and said solemnly.
"This...this..." Fan Jun seemed a little embarrassed and hesitated, "Please state your names so I can announce them."
"Just say Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen are requesting an audience." Xiao Xingchen said calmly.
"'Romantic Thief' Ren Xiaoyao, 'Iron Sword Autumn Frost' Xiao Xingchen?" Fan Jun was stunned and murmured.
"That's right." Xiao Xingchen said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, everyone was greatly shocked. The timid ones even dropped their weapons in fear. They truly couldn't have imagined that the two handsome young men before them were actually among the four most renowned martial arts masters in the world. If they had actually fought, they would have suffered a crushing defeat, utterly disgracing the East Sea Sect.
Fan Jun, being Jiang Heting's eldest disciple, quickly regained his composure and said solemnly in an admiring tone, "Please wait a moment, gentlemen. I will immediately inform my master." With that, he turned and went inside.
A short while later, he returned from the inner hall with a swift movement, his attitude completely changed. He bowed respectfully to the two men and said, "Young Master Ren, Young Master Xiao, please come in. My master is waiting for you in the main hall."
"Thank you for your trouble," Xiao Xingchen replied with a clasped fist.
Inside the main hall, a dozen or so people sat busily, all seemingly renowned martial arts figures from the East Sea region.
Before the two could speak, Jiang Heting, dressed in green, greeted them with a smile, saying, "Young Hero Ren, Young Hero Xiao, you've come at just the right time. We were just discussing the search for the Azure Blood Pearl."
Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen were both surprised. They had come to Jiang Heting precisely to seek help from the East Sea Sect's influence in Wenzhou, but how did he know before they even spoke?
Jiang Heting seemed to see through their thoughts and chuckled, "Young heroes, there's no need to worry. Please take a look." He then handed them a short note. It read: "Brother Heting, my daughter Fengyi is suffering from a strange poison and can only be cured by the Azure Blood Pearl. I've heard that this substance is produced near Wenzhou, within the East Sea Sect's territory. I hope you will assist me out of respect for my sake.
" "How did Sect Leader Jiang know we came for the Azure Blood Pearl?" Ren Xiaoyao asked, puzzled, seeing that Nangong Bubai hadn't mentioned him in the letter.
"Haha, the romantic escapades between Young Master Ren and the two young ladies of Tingyuxuan have long been the talk of the martial world. How could I not guess that you've come for the Jade Blood Pearl?" Jiang Heting chuckled, then turned to Xiao Xingchen and said casually, "As for Young Master Xiao, you must have come to help out of loyalty among the Four Heroes of the Martial World."
The two men understood. Xiao Xingchen clasped his hands and said, "We were unaware of the situation just now and clashed with your disciples. We hope you will forgive our offense, Sect Leader Jiang."
"Young Master Xiao, you flatter me. It's only because my worthless disciples were blind and didn't recognize you two." Jiang Heting smiled amiably and gestured to Fan Jun, "Jun'er, Wen Cheng is the one who started the trouble. Go tell him to come and apologize to the two young masters later."
"How dare I, how dare I," Ren Xiaoyao hurriedly stopped him. "Wencheng's mistake was unintentional, Sect Leader Jiang need not pursue it. Since we need the help of the East Sea Sect, we should naturally give each other face. Otherwise, given his usual temperament, he would surely teach such an arrogant and domineering person a lesson.
" "Since Young Hero Ren has spoken, then let it be." Jiang Heting nodded with a smile, quickly invited the two to sit down, and said seriously, "Time is of the essence, let's discuss how to find the Jade Blood Pearl as soon as possible."

Volume Six: Righteous Journey to the East Sea to Find the Pearl, Chapter Two: Heroes of the East Sea.

Jiang Heting said solemnly, "I received a letter from Sect Leader Nangong and was extremely anxious. I immediately summoned martial arts practitioners from the East Sea region, intending to gather everyone's strength to search together."
He pointed to an elderly man with a white beard sitting at the east end and said loudly, "This is Senior Zhang Qingfeng, known in the martial arts world as the 'Thunderbolt Shadowless Sword,' and this is..." Upon
hearing Jiang Heting's introduction, Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen were surprised again. It turned out that those sitting around them were all famous figures in the martial arts world.
Zhang Qingfeng, the "Thunderbolt Shadowless Sword," was already quite famous thirty years ago. He once fought alone against the infamous "Four Fiends of the East Sea" in southern Zhejiang. Although he suffered twenty-five injuries, he still managed to kill all four of them.
Li Ziping, the leader of the Iron Fan Sect, was a master of the Xunfeng Nine Styles, which dominated the Jiangnan region. Back then, when Yang Xin, the bandit leader of Wuyi Mountain, used a vicious scheme to murder the entire family of Zhao Pingfu, a wealthy merchant from Yuzhang, Li Ziping personally led his disciples on a thousand-mile pursuit of the murderer and finally killed him at the border of Hunan and Jiangxi provinces. His fame was unparalleled at the time.
Yan Chenghua, the "Flying Fish Swordsman," was a powerful figure who commanded respect and influence. His Flying Fish Sword, combined with the forty-nine forms of the Flying Fish Sword Technique, instilled fear in countless martial arts heroes. He had even founded the Flying Fish Gang, monopolizing water transport within a three-hundred-mile radius. Other notable figures included Xu Tianping, the "Left-Handed Divine Blade," Feng Yanbei, the "Wind and Thunder Leg," and Wu Zhicheng, the "Mountain-Splitting Force."
Yan Chenghua cleared his throat and declared loudly, "The East China Sea stretches for thousands of miles, from Chuzhou and Haizhou in the north to Wenzhou and Taizhou in the south. Although we are only responsible for Wenzhou and Taizhou, searching for the Azure Blood Pearl in this vast ocean is no easy task. In my humble opinion, it would be better to divide the search area among the various gangs and factions. This would allow us to concentrate our manpower on the search while avoiding unnecessary duplication." "He truly lives up to his reputation as the leader of a gang; his words are reasonable and logical.
" "Yes, without meticulous planning, a great deal of manpower and resources will inevitably be wasted. Of course, that's secondary; the most important thing is that our time is extremely limited. If we can't find anything soon, how can we repay the great kindness that Sect Leader Nangong showed us in the past?" Li Ziping said solemnly. Nangong
Bubai was unparalleled in benevolence and righteousness; most of those present had received his favors. Otherwise, how could so many martial arts masters have gathered with just a short note and Jiang Heting's influence?
Xu Tianping interjected, "Old Li is right. The problem is that our respective spheres of influence overlap. Without a very clear division of labor, unnecessary conflicts are bound to arise during the search for the Jade Blood Pearl."
"Indeed." “Zhang Qingfeng continued, “For example, the Flying Fish Gang’s shipping routes cover the entire East China Sea. Normally, everyone avoids getting involved because of Chief Yan’s influence, but once a large-scale search begins, it’s inevitable…”
“That’s easy to handle. Just take fewer jobs or take a longer route,” Yan Chenghua blurted out.
“How can that be? You have hundreds of brothers under your command…” Jiang Heting said worriedly.
Yan Chenghua immediately interrupted, his face solemn, “If it weren’t for Sect Leader Nangong saving my life that day, how could there be the Flying Fish Gang today? Let alone losing a few taels of silver, I would be willing to give up my entire fortune.”
“There’s no need for that,” Ren Xiaoyao, who had been silent all along, said with a smile, “The routes near the coast only need to be opened one by one, while the longer routes can be handled by the Flying Fish Gang itself.”
“Open them one by one? This… seems a bit difficult to coordinate,” Yan Chenghua said with a wry smile.
“As long as a detailed search plan is drafted as soon as possible, I think it should be possible,” Ren Xiaoyao said seriously.
“Draft it as soon as possible?” Feng Yanbei was taken aback.
"Yes, right now," Ren Xiaoyao said in a long voice.
"Hehe, Young Hero Ren may not be aware of the situation in the East China Sea area," Jiang Heting said with a troubled expression. "That's right, the specific division of labor in the inland areas is indeed easy to arrange, but the search of various waters and islands is really tricky."
"The four major pearl producing areas are Hepu, South China Sea, Dongting Lake, and Taihu Lake. There is no East China Sea among them. Therefore, the imperial court did not set up a co-management office in southern Zhejiang, which led to the extremely chaotic pearl harvesting in Wenzhou and Taizhou," Xu Tianping continued. "To be honest, Young Hero Ren, several of us here are involved in the pearl business, and the pearl farms under our jurisdiction are intertwined, so..."
"May I ask how the pearl farms are distributed?" Ren Xiaoyao asked calmly.
"The east is occupied by Senior Zhang and Brother Wu; the south is occupied by my East China Sea Sect and Brother Xu's Divine Blade Sect; the northwest is occupied by the Flying Fish Gang, the Iron Fan Sect, and Chief Escort Feng's Shuangyi Escort Agency." "Jiang Heting replied.
"Are there mostly two or three overlapping?" Ren Xiaoyao's eyebrows furrowed, a plan forming in his mind.
"Yes." Jiang Heting nodded, adding, "It's just that there are too many interconnected pearl fields, making it difficult to allocate them in a short time.
" Ren Xiaoyao smiled casually and continued leisurely, "This matter does indeed involve the interests of various sects, but I have a way to easily resolve it."
"Please enlighten me, Young Hero Ren," Yan Chenghua inquired.
"Let me give you an example," Ren Xiaoyao said casually, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "If Sect Leader Jiang and Sect Master Xu are about to decide on their respective search areas, Sect Leader Jiang could simply make the decision and divide the south into two parts. However, Sect Master Xu would have to choose first."
"Brilliant!" Xu Tianping exclaimed in admiration. No matter how Jiang Heting allocated the areas, what was left over would always go to him, completely eliminating any possibility of him secretly hoarding anything.
"What do you all think?" Jiang Heting asked loudly.
"Good, let's do it that way."
"No problem."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"I have another suggestion, but I don't know if I should say it," Ren Xiaoyao said with a slight smile.
"Please speak, young hero," Yan Chenghua called out loudly. Ren Xiaoyao's quick wit and exceptional intelligence were evident to everyone; since he was speaking, his suggestion must be very pertinent.
"I believe that this search operation must be overseen by a highly respected person to oversee the overall situation and respond to any emergencies," Ren Xiaoyao replied with his usual nonchalant ease.
"Whom does the young hero favor?" Yan Chenghua asked.
"This junior believes that Sect Leader Jiang is capable of this task," Ren Xiaoyao said solemnly.
Everyone agreed, firstly because the conference was to be presided over by Jiang Heting, and secondly because the prestige of the East Sea Sect was enough to intimidate the entire operation.

Volume Six: A Righteous Journey to the East Sea to Find the Pearl, Chapter Three: The Jade Maiden of the East Sea.

Several dozen days passed quickly. Wenzhou and Taizhou, as well as the surrounding waters and islands within hundreds of miles, had been thoroughly searched. However, not only had they not found anything, but they hadn't even caught a glimpse of the Jade Blood Pearl.
"Could there be any omissions?" Ren Xiaoyao inquired.
"Absolutely not. I've lived in the East Sea for most of my life. What haven't I been to?" Jiang Heting said confidently.
After listening, Zhang Qingfeng pondered for a while, then suddenly asked, "Sect Leader Jiang, have you arranged for anyone to search for Yanxia Island, thirty miles away?"
"Oh dear, I was so anxious that I forgot about that." Jiang Heting seemed to realize at first, then frowned and said, "Yanxia Island, Yanxia Island, I don't think that's very likely."
"Whether it's possible or not, I'll go now." Ren Xiaoyao stood up and said loudly.
"Wait!" Zhang Qingfeng hurriedly stopped him.
"What instructions does Senior Zhang have?" Ren Xiaoyao asked, cupping his hands.
"To be honest, Young Hero Ren," Zhang Qingfeng said with a wry smile, "Yanxia Island is a shark's habitat, extremely dangerous on all sides. If we go there lightly, I'm afraid... I'm afraid our lives will be in danger."
"Yes, in recent years, many pearl divers have been swallowed alive by sharks near Yanxia Island. Even if we really want to go, we must consider it carefully." Wu Zhicheng said solemnly.
"Pearl divers? So Yanxia Island must be rich in pearls?" Xiao Xingchen asked.
"That's right, the Yanxia Pearls produced there are the finest among East China Sea pearls. Coupled with the shark infestation, their production is extremely limited, and their market price is almost the same as genuine Hepu South Sea Pearls," Zhang Qingfeng explained in detail.
Ren Xiaoyao's heart stirred upon hearing this, his eyes gleaming with a strange light.
He smiled and said, "It seems that Yanxia Island is our last hope." Xiao Xingchen pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Time is of the essence, perhaps we
should..." "Absolutely not!" Jiang Heting interrupted, "I know you two young heroes are eager to find the pearls, but the situation on Yanxia Island is far too dangerous. It's neither reasonable nor ethical to venture there without preparation.
" "But..." Xiao Xingchen was about to speak again when Ren Xiaoyao gave him a look that stopped him.
"Alright, since everyone has no objections, let's discuss this matter again tomorrow," Jiang Heting said solemnly.
Upon hearing this, everyone rose to take their leave. Xiao Xingchen secretly pulled Ren Xiaoyao aside and asked, puzzled, "Brother Ren, why did I continue speaking just now?"
Ren Xiaoyao pulled him aside and whispered, "Sect Leader Jiang is mature and prudent, and his word is his bond. Getting him to agree to us venturing into danger alone is harder than climbing to heaven." "
Just... just like that?" Xiao Xingchen said indignantly, "I'm not afraid of mere sharks." "
Hahaha, who can stop us if we go in private? Why waste words here?" Ren Xiaoyao's eyes gleamed, and he smiled.
"Good idea." Xiao Xingchen clapped his hands and said, "Let's set off immediately."
On the vast blue sea, a small warship with its sails billowing, cut through the waves. At
the bow, Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen stood side by side, chatting and laughing as if they were not concerned about the impending danger.
"Brother Ren, Sect Leader Jiang won't mind if we leave without saying goodbye, will he?" Xiao Xingchen said calmly.
"Don't worry, I left a note saying that we're going on a patrol in the southwest. The seniors shouldn't suspect anything." "Ren Xiaoyao smiled slightly.
"Senior Zhang said that Yanxia Island is located thirty miles to the east, but we've been sailing for over an hour, and we still haven't seen it." Xiao Xingchen frowned.
"Yes, it should be nearby." Ren Xiaoyao said in surprise.
"Brother Ren, look!" As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Xingchen pointed to the left and shouted excitedly.
Ren Xiaoyao looked to the side and indeed saw an island faintly visible in the misty clouds not far away.
It turned out that Yanxia Island was surrounded by thick fog all year round, and it was difficult to clear away unless the midday sun was shining brightly, hence the name. Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen had stumbled upon it by chance, having sailed directly out to sea after leaving the East Sea Sect.
"Hahaha, what I've been searching for has come to me without any effort." Ren Xiaoyao laughed heartily.
"Quickly, tighten the sails and speed up." "Xiao Xingchen, abandoning his usual composure, exclaimed excitedly.
Yanxia Island is small, about a hundred acres, shaped like a bluebird about to take flight. It's surrounded by rapids and reefs, making it difficult for boats to approach. Only the southeast corner, flanked by land on both sides, forms a natural breakwater, making the water relatively calm. However, due to the numerous hidden reefs on the seabed, those unfamiliar with the currents and waterways are prone to capsizing and drowning.
Ren Xiaoyao, having lived on Coconut Island for a long time, is extremely skilled at boating. Although the small boat swayed precariously with the waves, he successfully navigated around several currents and gradually approached the beach.
The two were secretly wondering why they hadn't seen any sharks when suddenly, a small single-masted boat appeared near the reefs not far away.
At first, Ren Xiaoyao didn't pay much attention, assuming it was just pearl divers taking the risk. But when the two boats passed each other, he inadvertently..." He glanced up and froze on the spot.
A beautiful young woman, dressed simply and without makeup, emerged from the cabin. Her delicate features were like a peony, her beauty as pure as a lotus emerging from water. Most striking were her bright, captivating, and unfathomable eyes, which enhanced her natural beauty. Her features were exquisitely beautiful, adding to her captivating and alluring charm.
A sea breeze blew, making her slender waist sway like a willow branch. The young woman sighed softly, gracefully turning her body to the side, raising her long, slender hand to tidy her slightly disheveled, silky-smooth hair. Her movements were graceful and elegant, emphasizing her full and slender curves—truly irresistible.
The young woman seemed to notice Ren Xiaoyao's handsome and dashing face, and, as if surprised, blurted out, "Who are you? What brings you to Yanxia Island?"
Her tone was as gentle as willow catkins in early spring, so intoxicating that even the dashing Ren Xiaoyao was captivated, and even Xiao Xingchen, who had grown up in the Taishan Sect and was unfamiliar with matters of love, was mesmerized. Seeing
them both staring blankly at her, silent for a long while, the woman chuckled and said coquettishly, "Hey, she's asking you a question, answer me!"
Ren Xiaoyao's body stiffened, and he finally came to his senses, saying loudly, "Miss, we come from Hangzhou, and we're going to Yanxia Island to search for the Jade Blood Pearl."
"Azure Blood Pearl?" The girl blinked her captivating eyes, her coquettish smile revealing a charming allure. "We only have Misty Cloud Pearls here. I've never heard of the Azure Blood Pearl you're looking for." (

Volume 6, Chapter 4: Youthful Charm)

"By the way, how did you come from the island, young lady?" Ren Xiaoyao asked with a smile.
"Misty Cloud Island is my home," the girl said softly, gazing intently at him.
"Your home?" Ren Xiaoyao was taken aback.
"Yes, I've lived here for over ten years," the girl said with a sweet smile, her dimples adding to her allure, her tone slightly playful.
Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen exchanged a glance, both showing disbelief. Before setting sail, they had specifically asked the nearby fishermen, who all said that Misty Cloud Island was deserted and fraught with danger. How could anyone settle here, especially a frail, charming young girl?
"What, you don't believe me?" the girl said, a slightly annoyed yet youthful expression on her face, shrugging her shoulders slightly.
"I heard there are schools of sharks near Yanxia Island. Aren't you afraid, young lady?" Xiao Xingchen blushed slightly, embarrassed, as she saw through his thoughts.
"Sharks are indeed fierce, but as long as you don't provoke them, there's no danger," the girl said with a mischievous smile, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she looked at Xiao Xingchen. "Besides, at this time of day, sharks are hunting in the deep sea, so it's safer there."
"No wonder I haven't seen any sharks along the way," Xiao Xingchen thought
to himself, suddenly understanding. Ren Xiaoyao, on the other hand, was secretly puzzled. The sharks around Coconut Island swam on the surface of the water day and night, feeding on shallow-water fish; he had never heard of them hunting in the deep sea. Could it be due to differences in geographical location leading to different lifestyles?
"You really haven't heard of the Jade Blood Pearl, young lady?" Ren Xiaoyao asked again, his eyes gleaming.
"Yes, why would I lie to you?" The girl gave him a charming glance, her posture and expression as alluring as could be, and said softly.
"Does the young lady know any experienced pearl divers?" Ren Xiaoyao, still unwilling to give up, continued to ask.
"Experienced pearl divers?" The girl's wild, beautiful eyes shimmered with water. She raised her flawless, jade-like hand—a hand that could inspire fantasies in any man—and pointed to herself, saying, "When it comes to pearl diving, who can compare to me, Water Lily?"
"You!?" Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen were stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. This girl looked to be at most fifteen or sixteen years old. While her swimming skills were certainly good, when it came to the experience and discernment required for pearl diving, she was probably only rudimentary.
"Hmph, open your eyes and watch! I'll show you right now!" The girl feigned a wronged expression, her pink face puffed up with anger as she scolded. With that, she ripped off her silk robe and plunged into the deep blue sea with a "plop," disappearing from sight in an instant.
"This..." The two men were taken aback by the girl's coy behavior, staring dumbfounded at the ripples on the sea, speechless for a long time.
"She...she won't be in danger, will she?" After a long while, Xiao Xingchen murmured.
"Don't worry, this girl is skilled in martial arts, nothing will go wrong." Ren Xiaoyao's eyes flashed with sharp light as he stared at the water.
"Hmm, I saw it too. The 'Wild Goose Flight Technique' she used when leaping off the boat showed she had at least ten years of experience." Xiao Xingchen took a deep breath, suppressing his surprise, and said in a deep voice, "The problem is that pearl diving requires going deep underwater, what if we encounter sharks..."
"Brother Xiao, there's no need to worry. Unless there's blood involved, sharks won't attack people unless they encounter blood." Ren Xiaoyao smiled calmly.
"Splash—" A moment later, the girl surfaced, her wet, cloud-like hair cascading down her shoulders and back like a waterfall, and her tight undergarments clung to her full breasts, truly exuding charm and allure.
"Hey, catch!" The girl raised her slender hand slightly, and a spray of white fluff flew straight towards Ren Xiaoyao.
Ren Xiaoyao caught it and saw that it was a few crystal-clear pearls. He chuckled and said, "Miss Shui, you didn't just swim around the sea a few times and casually grab some pearls you have with you to fool us two laymen, did you?"
"That's right. Although we come from the inland, we know that pearl harvesting involves diving underwater to collect large clams, then using a sharp blade to pry them open and extract the pearls inside. Miss, aren't you being a bit too pretentious?" Xiao Xingchen also smiled mischievously and said casually.
"Hehe, this is my unique skill." Shui Furong revealed a bright and slightly proud smile, and chuckled.
"Is Miss really telling the truth?" Ren Xiaoyao asked in surprise. "
Why would I lie to you? If you don't believe me, come down and see." Shui Furong said happily, her beautiful cherry lips slightly parted. After speaking, she turned her delicate body and plunged back into the water.
Driven by curiosity, Ren Xiaoyao gestured for Xiao Xingchen to steady the helm before leaping into the sea. The water rippled and currents surged, but thanks to his profound inner strength and masterful swimming skills, he managed to avoid whirlpool after whirlpool, following Shui Furong at a leisurely pace. She possessed bright eyes and white teeth, jade-like arms and slender legs; she was no ordinary girl, but rather a graceful and beautiful mermaid.
As bubbles rose, the world around them transformed, revealing a vibrant and mysterious atmosphere. Clusters of colorful, strangely shaped corals came into view—red, orange, yellow, green, purple, indigo, and blue—a dazzling and captivating spectacle. A dazzling array of live corals vied for attention, their myriad shapes and forms resembling jade trees adorning a dragon palace. Some looked like flowers, others like deer antlers, honeycombs, or even the proud crests of cockscombs, while still others resembled alluring peonies. The coral polyps extended countless tentacles, swaying and wriggling with the waves, as if welcoming visitors from afar. Colorful tropical fish darted merrily among the corals, foraging for food, or swam and played in groups. Sea urchins with their "swords" erected vertically, plump sea cucumbers, and the diverse fish, shellfish, and lush seaweed created a magical and wondrous "underwater garden."
Soon, Ren Xiaoyao followed the water lily to the seabed, and in that instant of looking around, he was stunned.
Beneath their feet, an endless coral reef teemed with enormous pearl oysters, a kaleidoscope of seaweed, bizarrely shaped hermit crabs, unassuming sea cucumbers, sea worms, and rare small fish. Sea ironwood, sea willow, coral trees, sea anemones, feather grass, soft corals, and a variety of underwater ornamental creatures such as oysters, jellyfish, sea spiny eels, and sponges created a vibrant and colorful spectacle.

In Volume Six, Chapter Five, "A Young Girl's Feelings

," Shui Furong winked at him and swam to a large pearl oyster. Ren Xiaoyao focused his gaze and saw that beneath the plump clam meat, a faint halo of pearl light shimmered.
The pearl oyster seemed to sense the approaching intruder and immediately closed its thick shell, adopting a "defensive" posture. It seemed that unless the two left, it wouldn't open again.
Ren Xiaoyao thought to himself: Could it be that Miss Shui intends to open the clam and extract the pearl here?
As he pondered this, Shui Furong indeed gathered her inner energy and slowly raised her right palm.
Unexpectedly, she wasn't holding any daggers or similar tools.
With a dry, muffled thud, Shui Furong's right palm landed firmly on the center of the pearl clam's shell.
The pearl clam shuddered violently, then released a long string of bubbles. Shui Furong, seemingly unfazed, delivered another blow, and the pearl clam immediately opened its shell obediently, like a well-behaved child.
Shui Furong casually retrieved the pearl, her gaze fixed on Ren Xiaoyao, her beautiful eyes gleaming, as if showing off her superb pearl-harvesting skills.
Ren Xiaoyao's inner turmoil was beyond words. Shui Furong had clearly used her powerful, forceful palm strike to stun the pearl clam, obtaining the pearl without harming it—a truly ingenious scheme. But what surprised him even more was that the vortex of energy generated by the two palms could not possibly be performed by a young girl in her prime. Even for him, it would be extremely difficult to use underwater without sufficient preparation, let alone as effortlessly and casually as Shui Furong.
Shui Furong knew he was stunned by her "divine" performance, and a proud smile crept onto her lips, as if to say, "Well, have you seen how amazing I am?"
Ren Xiaoyao nodded in sincere admiration, while Shui Furong beamed with delight, her allure overflowing.
Her smile, however, nearly captivated Ren Xiaoyao.
Women living by the sea are indeed passionate and unrestrained; before Ren Xiaoyao could react, Shui Furong's snow-white hand had already taken his arm, pulling him towards the sea.
Enjoying Shui Furong's intimate touch, Ren Xiaoyao suddenly had a mischievous thought of teasing her. So he leaned closer, pressed his lips against her smooth, round earlobe, and gently exhaled a breath of true energy.
Countless bubbles surged towards Shui Furong's smooth, creamy face, causing her to feel a tingling, ticklish sensation on her earlobes, like countless ants crawling on them. Startled, she twisted her delicate body like a water snake, trying to escape the bubble's 'invasion'.
Suddenly, an indescribable feeling of comfort welled up inside her, the intense stimulation causing her cheeks to flush, her breath coming in short gasps, almost making her faint.
Fortunately, the two were not far from the surface of the sea, and soon they both popped their heads up. Shui Furong glared fiercely at Ren Xiaoyao, her resentful eyes seeming to say, "You little rascal, don't tease me," before lowering her head. That infinitely shy and girlish demeanor could melt even the hardest heart.
Ren Xiaoyao spread his hands and swam towards the small boat, making a face as he did so, seemingly uninvolved.
"Don't run away!" Shui Furong said with a disgruntled expression, following closely behind.
Ren Xiaoyao, deliberately playing a trick, slowed down to let her catch up. As the distance between them gradually closed, and Shui Furong almost grabbed his clothes, Ren Xiaoyao suddenly leaped up, landing steadily on the bow of the boat with a few bounds.
"Oh, you're bullying me!" Shui Furong's pretty face flushed with anger, her delicate eyebrows furrowed.
"Miss Shui, what did Brother Ren do to you?" Xiao Xingchen asked in astonishment. He was clueless about matters of the heart, and his question was truly dull.
"She… never mind, I won't say anymore." Shui Furong gracefully leaped onto the small boat, slightly annoyed.
"Miss Shui's skill is truly amazing, it has broadened my horizons, I admire you greatly." Ren Xiaoyao returned the compliment with a smile, his praise genuine.
"Hmph, now you know how powerful I am, don't you?" Shui Furong proudly raised her head, laughing hysterically.
"Brother Ren, she really…" Xiao Xingchen asked, clicking his tongue.
"Hmm, in terms of speed and power, her palm technique surpasses both yours and mine," Ren Xiaoyao interrupted in a low voice.
Xiao Xingchen was surprised by Ren Xiaoyao's boastful words. He knew Ren Xiaoyao was arrogant and disdainful of others, yet he had given Shui Furong such a high evaluation; it seemed her martial arts possessed unique qualities and should not be underestimated.
"Miss, are there any places near Yanxia Island with magnificent scenery or extremely dangerous locations?" Ren Xiaoyao asked loudly, recalling his earlier encounter at the bottom of the sea. The Jade Blood Pearl was a rare treasure, impossible to hide in an ordinary place.
"Yes, and both," Shui Furong answered without hesitation.
"Where?" Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen asked in unison.
"The western side of Shuixiu Island is a gathering place for sharks. The sea surface is shimmering with blue light, and underwater there are strangely shaped coral reefs and all kinds of fish. The scenery is extremely beautiful." Shui Furong sat leisurely by the gunwale and smiled. "Moreover, the pearls there are of excellent quality. However, there is always the possibility of being preyed upon by sharks. Without Master's protection, I wouldn't dare to go there casually."
"This is it." Xiao Xingchen said happily.
"Please lead the way, Miss. We would be very grateful... Oh, never mind." Ren Xiaoyao suddenly remembered that he couldn't let Shui Furong accompany them on their adventure, so he quickly stopped talking.
"What, you're going to Shuixiu Island?" Shui Furong looked incredulous, her beautiful eyes sweeping over the two of them, and she opened her mouth slightly.
"Yes, for the sake of the Azure Blood Pearl, we have to take any risk." Ren Xiaoyao thought of Nangong Fengyi, who was bedridden, and immediately felt a surge of heroic spirit. He raised his voice and said each word firmly.
"Why are you in such a hurry to find the Jade Blood Pearl?" Shui Furong asked, puzzled.
"To save someone," Ren Xiaoyao straightened up and said solemnly, "One of my...one of my friends is currently suffering from a deadly poison, and only the Jade Blood Pearl can cure her."
"You'd risk your life for her?" Shui Furong asked in surprise.
"Alas, I'd rather be poisoned myself than see her suffer," Ren Xiaoyao said sadly, his eyes filled with unyielding sorrow.
Shui Furong pondered for a moment, then muttered to herself, "My master often says that those in the martial world must always remember the eight words 'righteousness and helping those in distress.' Since you are willing to sacrifice everything for your friend, how can I stand idly by?"
"Miss Shui agrees to help?" Xiao Xingchen asked happily.
"Come on, I'll lead the way," Shui Furong said proudly, turning the boat around.

Volume Six: A Journey to the East China Sea in Search of Pearls, Chapter Six: A Person's Name Reflects Their Character

. After navigating the jagged reefs, Shui Xiu Island appeared in the depths of the vast ocean.
"Look, there are sharks hunting for food over there," Shui Furong said with concern, pointing to the faintly visible dorsal fins in the distance. "If we go into the water now, they'll definitely see us as prey and devour us clean."
"How long do we have to wait?" Ren Xiaoyao asked anxiously.
Shui Furong thought for a moment and said softly, "In half an hour, the white sharks, blue sharks, and hammerhead sharks will gradually disperse, but the sawtooth sharks are uncertain. They might stay until nightfall, or they might stay there indefinitely."
"Why?" Ren Xiaoyao asked, bewildered.
"We're very close to their habitat, so it doesn't matter whether we go back or not," Shui Furong said after a moment of silence. "The teeth of the saw-tooth shark are extremely sharp. If they bite you, no matter how good your Iron Shirt or Golden Bell Shield skills are, you won't be able to escape."
"Iron Shirt and Golden Bell Shield? Heh, those are skills used by brutes. How can they fight against sharks?" Xiao Xingchen scoffed. It wasn't that he was arrogant and looked down on external martial arts, but sharks are large and ferocious. Forcing a contest of strength against them was not the act of a wise man.
"Not at all. As long as your cultivation reaches a certain level, dealing with them isn't difficult," Shui Furong retorted. "Like Master, he can easily make the saw-tooth sharks run away with just a few palm strikes." As she finished speaking, she smiled proudly, like a blooming lotus in the water, which almost made Ren Xiaoyao fall off the boat. He sighed inwardly, thinking that her name truly reflected her character.
"May I ask, young lady, what is your master's name?" Xiao Xingchen asked respectfully.
"His surname is... hehe, Master forbade me to say." Shui Furong almost blurted it out, but thankfully stopped herself in time.
Soon, the sharks began to scatter in groups, the waves they created causing the small boat to bob up and down. Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen quickly used their powerful weights to stabilize the boat, while Shui Furong calmly steered the rudder; clearly, her boating skills were superior to Ren Xiaoyao's.
"Miss Shui, Brother Xiao, please wait a moment while I go down and take a look." Ren Xiaoyao, confident in his Ice Soul Frost Sword, showed no fear of the sawtooth sharks. He gave a slight bow and leaped into the water.
"The sharks haven't all dispersed yet... he... he's courting death!" Shui Furong exclaimed in horror.
"Hahaha, Miss Shui, don't worry. If the sawtooth shark dares to provoke Brother Ren, it's tantamount to courting death," Xiao Xingchen chuckled.
"Oh dear, even if he can handle one or two, can he take on the whole swarm?" Shui Furong lightly stamped her foot and, without further ado, "plop" went into the sea.
The seawater was usually azure blue, but the surrounding area was a deep green.
Ren Xiaoyao had lived on Coconut Island for over ten years and had never seen such a strange sight, so he was greatly surprised.
With his keen intuition, he clearly sensed that the surrounding seawater was not significantly different from that in the southeast corner. It was likely that some luminous object was illuminating this area with a strikingly different bluish-green hue.
Thinking this, Ren Xiaoyao immediately focused his eyes, and indeed, wisps of emerald light, like smoke or mist, shone from the unfathomable depths of the distant sea.
Ren Xiaoyao's mind raced, and he swam downwards with all his might.
Soon, he vaguely saw a huge clam, and judging from the direction of the emerald light scattering, it seemed to be emanating from within it.
"Could it be...could it be the Azure Blood Pearl? What other pearl's light could penetrate the outer shell of a clam and turn this seawater bluish-green?" Ren Xiaoyao was overjoyed.
At this moment, Shui Furong swam to his side, patted Ren Xiaoyao's shoulder, and gestured for him to hurry up and come ashore.
Ren Xiaoyao wanted to continue diving, but he had already searched for a long time, was exhausted, and the buoyancy nearby was high, so he had no choice but to return to the boat first and find Xiao Xingchen to think of another solution.
As soon as the two surfaced, Shui Furong's almond-shaped eyes widened, and she scolded, "I told you it was very dangerous here, why did you still go down?"
"Miss Shui, I..." Ren Xiaoyao was about to explain when Shui Furong pressed on, "You're skilled in martial arts, aren't you? You're brave, aren't you? There are thousands of sharks in the sea, how many can you handle by yourself?"
Ren Xiaoyao was speechless and could only awkwardly return to the small boat.
"Brother Ren, have you found anything?" Xiao Xingchen asked with a smile, observing his expression.
"Yes, I just saw a giant clam surrounded by a green light. If I'm not mistaken, there should be a Blood Pearl inside." Ren Xiaoyao said confidently, "What do you think, Miss Shui?"
"That giant clam has been growing on Shuixiu Island for decades." Shui Furong gracefully turned her delicate body and said softly, "Master said there must be treasure inside, but whether it's a Blood Pearl or not depends on your fate."
"Brother Ren, let me go down into the sea and take a look." Xiao Xingchen steeled his heart and said in a deep voice.
"No, let's wait until the sharks have dispersed." Shui Furong's pretty face turned cold as she glared at Xiao Xingchen and said in a chilling voice.
"Yes, the giant clam is too deep. Let's wait and see," Ren Xiaoyao also advised. Although Xiao Xingchen was a good swimmer, he had honed his skills in rivers and lakes, and he might not be as adept in the sea.
Before they knew it, more than half an hour had passed. The white sharks, blue sharks, and hammerhead sharks had all disappeared, but many saw-toothed sharks were still lingering in the nearby waters.
"We can't wait any longer. Once the sun goes down, we won't be able to see underwater. How will we find the pearls then?" Xiao Xingchen suddenly stood up from the bow of the boat and said loudly.
"Brother Xiao, take your sword, just in case," Ren Xiaoyao patted his shoulder and said in a deep voice.
"Okay," Xiao Xingchen nodded slightly, raised his Purple Lightning and Frost swords, and plunged into the sea.
Seeing this, Shui Furong glanced at Kou Zhong's charming face and sighed, "You two are really courting death."
Ren Xiaoyao laughed heartily, "Miss Shui, you can rest assured. With Brother Xiao's cultivation, he can protect himself more than enough.
" "You both say the other is more powerful, but whose martial arts are superior?" Shui Furong put her hands on her hips, pouted her cute little mouth, and asked softly. "
In terms of swordsmanship, Brother Xiao has the advantage, but in terms of palm techniques, perhaps I am slightly better." Ren Xiaoyao answered frankly. After all, he had only comprehended twelve moves of the Lingxiao Sword Technique, and was no match for the three moves of the Heavenly Annihilation Technique.
"What, you also learn palm techniques? Let's have a good match sometime." Shui Furong said with a bright smile.
After a short while, Xiao Xingchen rushed out of the water and, before Ren Xiaoyao could ask, said breathlessly, "Too...too deep, I can't reach it."
Ren Xiaoyao quickly pulled him onto the boat and asked anxiously, "Brother Xiao, how far are we from the giant clam?" "
Three...three zhang. The problem is that the buoyancy increases as we go further. Without sufficient preparation, we probably won't be able to dive down," Xiao Xingchen said solemnly.
"Don't worry, I have a plan." Ren Xiaoyao's eyes flashed with a sharp light, then disappeared in a flash, and he said in a deep voice.

After

speaking, he took a deep breath and used his Flying Immortal Transformation technique to leap into the air.
Shui Furong had never seen such a beautiful lightness skill before. Just as she was about to shout her approval, Ren Xiaoyao suddenly changed direction and swooped down towards the sea, disappearing into the vast waves in an instant. Shui Furong
suddenly realized that he wanted to use the momentum of falling from the sky to increase the depth of his dive.
In a short while, Ren Xiaoyao had arrived above the giant clam. She saw many beams of light scattering around him, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, sometimes fluttering like butterfly wings. Its appearance was ever-changing; sometimes it resembled a peacock spreading its tail, incomparably beautiful; sometimes it was like colorful ribbons dancing and swirling, swaying and playful; sometimes it was like the bright moon and stars hanging high in the night sky, illuminating the universe and reflecting the heavens.
Passing through the halo surrounding the giant clam, Ren Xiaoyao clearly saw a pearl, entirely emerald green and radiant with precious light, located precisely in the center of the clam. He had
searched high and low without finding it, only to have it appear so easily.
This was the Azure Blood Pearl that the founding emperor had searched for over three years with the full force of the nation.
Fengyi was saved.
His heart began to pound wildly.
Before Ren Xiaoyao could reach for the pearl, the giant clam suddenly closed.
"What, you won't let me take it?" Ren Xiaoyao chuckled inwardly, intending to forcefully pry open the giant clam with his Ice Soul Frost Sword. Suddenly, he realized: the Azure Blood Pearl was of utmost yang, while the Ice Soul Frost Sword was of utmost yin. Who knew what would happen if they clashed? It was best to be cautious.
However, unlike Shui Furong, he didn't fully understand the pearl clam's habits and couldn't stun it quickly. It seemed the wisest course of action was to shatter the shell with his palm strike.
With this thought, Ren Xiaoyao gathered his qi in his dantian, placed his right hand on top of his left, and struck out with lightning speed.
"Boom!" The giant clam remained motionless, while Ren Xiaoyao's blood surged, and he staggered backward.
"Am I going to fail at the last moment?" "Ren Xiaoyao felt his breath was about to run out and he couldn't hold on for much longer, so he was determined to fight to the death.
He gritted his teeth and sent his masterful Xuanmen skill to the Tanzhong acupoint in his chest. It immediately transformed into two indestructible spiraling energies, which traveled through the Du meridian on his back and reached his palms, striking the clam shell with overwhelming force."
"Crackling," "Crackling," though underwater, the sound of the giant clam breaking could be faintly heard.
The Crimson Pearl finally broke free from its mother's grasp and slid gently into the water.
In an instant, the seabed shimmered even brighter. Fortunately, Ren Xiaoyao reacted quickly, grabbing the Crimson Pearl and swimming upwards without looking back.
His efforts had paid off. Holding the life-saving elixir he had so painstakingly found, Ren Xiaoyao's joy was beyond words.
His efforts over the past few days had not been in vain; Fengyi was finally saved.
Shui Furong's beautiful figure suddenly appeared beside him. Knowing she was worried about his safety, Ren Xiaoyao smiled and nodded, placing the Crimson Pearl into her slender, beautiful hand.
Just then... As Shui Furong was deeply attracted by the predominantly green and iridescent colors of the Blood Pearl, an unusually intense heat suddenly surged from her fingertips. Even with her considerable skill in internal energy cultivation and palm techniques, she was caught off guard and nearly dropped her hand.
Ren Xiaoyao, thinking that Shui Furong couldn't withstand the heat of the Blood Pearl, quickly grasped her wrist and continuously channeled his inner energy into her.
Shui Furong turned her head in astonishment, and what came into view was Ren Xiaoyao's flawless handsome face, his imposing sword-like eyebrows, and his bright, spirited eyes—something a naive young girl like her could hardly resist.
For the first time in her life, Shui Furong felt her heart pounding like a deer's.
Suddenly, a saw-toothed shark appeared behind her.
With its robust and massive body, and sharp, resilient teeth, the shark opened its blood-red maw and lunged at Shui Furong from the side.
Shui Furong was completely focused on Ren Xiaoyao, oblivious to the impending doom.
Ren Xiaoyao, exhausted from retrieving the Azure Pearl, was less perceptive than before. By the time he noticed the saw-toothed shark lurking nearby, there was no time to signal Shui Furong to dodge. In desperation, he grabbed her and flipped her aside.
"Snap!" Although they avoided the shark's sharp teeth, they were struck squarely by its tail fin. To protect Shui Furong, Ren Xiaoyao used his inner strength to push her away, taking the full force of the shark's blow himself.
Blood gushed from his throat, instantly turning the seawater crimson.
Smelling the blood, the saw-toothed shark became excited, flipping its back and charging straight at Ren Xiaoyao, as if to tear him in two.
Overwhelmed by terror, Shui Furong trembled violently, completely forgetting her martial arts skills.
Ren Xiaoyao had no choice but to fight alone. Despite
the imminent threat of death, he remained calm. After all, the Jade Blood Pearl was in Shui Furong's hands; as long as she could safely return to the small boat, Fengyi would be saved. Gathering
his remaining strength, Ren Xiaoyao nimbly dodged to the side, his right hand forming a blade, and slashed down like a raging torrent. This move, called "Thunder Strike," was a secret technique recorded in the Heavenly Secrets Manual, capable of unleashing immense power in an instant, severely injuring the enemy.
Although the sawtooth shark was thick-skinned, it couldn't withstand his full-force, deadly blow. Its body shuddered violently, struggling desperately and frantically churning the seawater.
In the chaos, Ren Xiaoyao was struck again by its side fin, his head feeling as if electrocuted, his vision and hearing blurring simultaneously. If he hadn't clung to a sliver of clarity, he would have been swallowed by the surrounding swirling eddies.
Suddenly, the sawtooth shark abandoned him and lunged at Shui Furong.
Shui Furong, terrified, covered her lips, bewildered and helpless, unable to escape or dodge.
In that critical moment, Ren Xiaoyao, drawing strength from who-knows-where, swiftly swam forward, his fingers first spread wide, then instantly clenching into a fist, slamming it hard into the sawtooth shark's eye.
The force of his punch on land could shatter mountains and rocks, but the current greatly diminished its power. The shark was knocked aside, but not dead.
Ren Xiaoyao dared not linger, pulling Shui Furong up and desperately swimming upwards.
Their bodies darted through the sea like arrows, but the sawtooth shark relentlessly pursued them.
Worse still, several other sharks nearby opened their jaws and swarmed in.
In this perilous situation, Ren Xiaoyao completely forgot the Ice Soul Frost Sword tightly bound to his back, relying solely on his bare hands to fight the sawtooth shark in a life-or-death struggle.

Volume Six: A Journey to the East Sea to Find Pearls, Chapter Eight: A Life-Saving Grace.

The "Free and Unfettered Palm" technique, known for its softness overcoming hardness, was on full display underwater. The saw-tooth sharks attacked repeatedly, but he either dodged them or pulled them aside.
Gradually, the sharks began to abandon their relentless pursuit, merely swaying their tails around him, seemingly waiting for a moment of relaxation before launching another attack.
Ren Xiaoyao was not about to sit idly by and wait for death. While maintaining a tight defense, he continued to move towards the surface.
The first attack began. Two saw-tooth sharks opened their blood-red mouths, revealing their sharp white teeth, and attacked from both sides. Ren Xiaoyao knew perfectly well that they were merely testing him; once they realized he was powerless to resist, they would swarm him and Shui Furong for dinner.
At the critical moment, he suddenly remembered the sharks' bloodthirsty nature. He slightly shifted his body and struck the left saw-tooth shark's belly with his palm.
The snow-white belly instantly burst open, blood gushing out and intestines spilling out.
Just as Shui Furong was regaining her composure, a ferocious shark suddenly charged from the right. She tried to muster her strength to meet it with a palm strike, but the shark ignored her, relentlessly attacking the injured saw-tooth shark and frantically devouring its internal organs.
Several other sharks rushed forward, tearing at the saw-tooth shark, which was instantly torn to pieces and died.
At that moment, another group of sharks rushed in, and more and more surrounded them. In a short while, twenty or thirty sharks had gathered around them, a terrifying, dark mass.
Ren Xiaoyao was caught off guard and felt a chill run down his spine. He had originally planned to use the moment when some sharks were attacking their own kind to quickly pull Shui Furong away, but now that was probably impossible.
In his panic, a thought struck him. He immediately conjured a knife with his fingers and slashed open the belly of another shark.
Sure enough, the sharks swarmed in again, feasting on it.
Ren Xiaoyao swiftly intervened, wounding each shark.
In an instant, ten ferocious sharks were locked in a chaotic battle, waves crashing and blood churning. They paid no heed to the two sharks; within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they were all torn to pieces, none surviving.
The two finally escaped danger, simultaneously exclaiming their relief. Exhausted and aching, they slowly swam towards the small boat seven or eight zhang away.
They hadn't expected that a tiger shark was lurking in the turbulent waters.
A foul stench assaulted their backs as the tiger shark leaped from the surface, pouncing down on Shui Furong.
Ren Xiaoyao didn't hesitate, didn't waver. Although his stamina was depleted, rendering him unable to use his martial arts, he used his own flesh and blood to meet the tiger shark's sharp teeth, shielding Shui Furong from a potentially fatal blow.
A piercing pain shot through his left side, and his still-healing sword wound flared up. Ren Xiaoyao felt his vision go black, and he instantly fainted.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※
A morning breeze swept across the azure sky, dispersing the dawn mist.
Ren Xiaoyao slowly opened his eyes and found himself lying in an unfamiliar little house.
"Ah, you're awake." With a joyful exclamation, Shui Furong's stunningly beautiful face came into view.
"Miss Shui...Miss Shui, where am I?" Ren Xiaoyao struggled to sit up, feeling weak and listless, and asked weakly.
"This is Xianxia Island." Shui Furong shrugged slightly, revealing a charmingly innocent expression that could bewitch any man, and said sweetly.
"Thank you for saving my life, Miss. Ouch." Ren Xiaoyao was about to bow when he suddenly realized that his left shoulder and ribs were wrapped in gauze, and he was in excruciating pain, so he couldn't help but cry out.
"Are you...are you alright?" Shui Furong leaned closer and asked anxiously.
"Oh, it just hurts a little, it's nothing serious." Ren Xiaoyao said softly.
"That's good." Shui Furong gently stroked her breasts and let out a long sigh. "Actually, I should be thanking you. If you hadn't blocked the shark for me, I'd be the one lying here now."
"Hehe, if I hadn't insisted on asking you to lead the way, you wouldn't have been in danger," Ren Xiaoyao said calmly. The implication was that taking the shark's blow for her was what he should do.
"Speaking of which, we were able to leave Shuixiu Island safely thanks to your precious sword," Shui Furong sighed, unable to contain her surprise.
"Oh? What do you mean?" Ren Xiaoyao, wondering how he had escaped the shark's jaws, quickly asked.
"When the tiger shark bit your shoulder, the sword suddenly emitted a clear, ringing sound, then it was drawn from its sheath, scattering a sky full of blue light—it was chillingly terrifying," Shui Furong recalled, her beautiful eyes sparkling. "When the tiger shark saw the blue light, it immediately fled in a panic, and that's how we managed to rescue you and bring you back to the ship."
"I never imagined the Ice Soul Frost Sword would have the characteristic of protecting its master in times of danger," Ren Xiaoyao murmured. "By the way, is Brother Xiao alright?"
"You mean the little Taoist priest? He's perfectly fine," Shui Furong said with a sweet smile.
Upon hearing this, Ren Xiaoyao finally felt relieved. He glanced down casually and discovered his clothes were brand new, clearly having been changed.
"Miss, where are my clothes?" he blurted out without thinking.
Shui Furong's expression faltered slightly, then she said softly, "I...I took them off for you and washed them all."
Ren Xiaoyao was shocked. Had he been shown his naked body?
"You have no idea how frightening you looked, covered in blood. It made me cry," Shui Furong said, her cheeks flushing a rosy red. She lowered her head and said with a slight reproach, "This is the first time Furong has cried for a man!"
Ren Xiaoyao's heart fluttered. He boldly took Shui Furong's slender hand, gazing at her delicate
, flawless face. Her elegant, pretty nose exuded charm; her bright, clear eyes seemed to hold a hint of youthful innocence, making her even more passionate, unrestrained, and stunningly beautiful.
A sudden knocking sounded at the door. Shui Furong jumped, quickly pulling her arm back and running to open it.
"Brother Ren, you're awake." Xiao Xingchen walked in with a smile.
"Hehe, I really have to thank Miss Shui for taking care of me." Ren Xiaoyao smiled and nodded.
"How's the injury on your left rib?" Xiao Xingchen asked, his brows furrowed. It was clear that he was very concerned about Ren Xiaoyao, but it wasn't the mutual respect among the Four Heroes of the Martial World; it was a deep friendship of mutual loyalty and shared honor and disgrace. "
It's just a superficial injury; it hasn't damaged any bones or tendons. A few days of rest will be fine." Ren Xiaoyao said casually, afraid that he would worry too much.
"Nonsense! You already had a wound under your ribs. If the tiger shark bites you again, half your body will be affected." Shui Furong glared at her and said angrily, "You absolutely mustn't move around before you recover, or you'll lose your left hand too."
"That serious!" Ren Xiaoyao exclaimed, thinking that when he returned to Flower Calyx Valley, he would definitely ask Wu Hanyu to give him a proper check-up to prevent any lasting effects, otherwise he would truly regret it for the rest of his life.
"By the way, where's the Azure Blood Pearl?" Thinking of Flower Calyx Valley, he immediately thought of Nangong Fengyi, who was bedridden, and hurriedly asked.

Volume Six: A Righteous Journey to the East Sea to Find Pearls Chapter Nine:

Graceful Beauty "Here, for you." Shui Furong magically produced the Azure Blood Pearl from behind her back.
Seven colors flowed and shone, the entire small house was enveloped in azure light, and her delicate and gentle jade hand made it seem like an exotic object from the celestial realm.
Ren Xiaoyao carefully took the pearl, and the scorching heat instantly surged from his fingers, traveling through the Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian to the wound on his left rib. The excruciating pain immediately lessened considerably. It seemed that in addition to detoxifying and expelling evil, the Jade Blood Pearl also had miraculous healing and analgesic effects.
"You two chat first, I'll go out and see if Master has returned yet," Shui Furong said with a gentle smile. Then, she hurriedly ran out the door.
Gazing at her incomparably beautiful back, Ren Xiaoyao murmured, "I never imagined that the land of Yanxia Island could nurture such a radiant and captivating beauty."
"Brother Ren, Brother Ren," Xiao Xingchen called several times before Ren Xiaoyao regained his composure, chuckling, "This time, I've finally fulfilled Sect Leader Nangong's expectations and successfully found the Jade Blood Pearl."
"It's time to open Mr. Zhuge's brocade pouch," Xiao Xingchen said with a smile, knowing Ren Xiaoyao's dashing charm and tendency to be momentarily captivated by beautiful women.
"Right, right, I'd forgotten if Brother Xiao hadn't mentioned it," Ren Xiaoyao suddenly realized.
Xiao Xingchen reached into his robes, took out the brocade pouch, and opened the red one. Inside were eight large characters: "Find a place, recuperate quietly, return only after recovery."
Both men exclaimed in surprise; Zhuge Wenjie truly possessed wisdom comparable to Kongming, his strategies flawless.
"Master, you're finally back! I've been waiting so long for you!" Shui Furong's coquettish voice drifted over.
"Hahaha, you've probably been waiting for precious ingredients like matsutake mushrooms, cinnamon, and abalone, haven't you?" a hearty voice laughed.
"Oh dear, I miss Master the most."
"I've been gone for half a month, have you been doing well on the island?"
"Not at all, yesterday, Furong was almost eaten by a shark."
"What, you went to Shuixiu Island?"
"Yes, the saw-toothed sharks there are really fierce, they almost took my life."
"Furong, are you kidding your Master? You can jump and leap around, you don't seem injured."
"Someone saved Furong, but... but his injury is very serious."
"Where is he? I want to see who risked their life to save my disciple."
"Inside the house."
As they spoke, an elderly man with a long beard, around fifty or sixty years old, rushed in. He was wearing a thick brocade robe, his figure was as tall as a mountain, his face was ancient and simple, and although his temples were gray, he showed no signs of aging, exuding the air of a hermit.
"Master, the one who saved my disciple was this Young Master Ren." Shui Furong pointed at Ren Xiaoyao and said coquettishly.
The old man's gaze fell on Ren Xiaoyao, and he froze on the spot, exclaiming, "Ren... what's your name?" He and Ren Qiaocui were close friends, and Ren Xiaoyao's demeanor and appearance bore a resemblance to his father; at first glance, he almost mistook him for Ren Xiaoyao.
"Junior Ren Xiaoyao greets senior," Ren Xiaoyao said respectfully.
"Young man, you're not even twenty yet, are you?" the old man asked in a deep voice, his eyes gleaming.
"Junior has just reached adulthood," Ren Xiaoyao answered honestly, not understanding why the old man asked this.
"Good, to have such cultivation at eighteen, truly remarkable," the old man said with delight.
Ren Xiaoyao felt a chill in his heart, thinking to himself: Could he possibly discern the depth of my martial arts simply by observation?
The old man seemed to have guessed his inner doubts and chuckled, "Severe injuries to your collarbone, ribs, and shoulder blade, yet you still possess a restrained divine light and an imposing presence. Such cultivation would place you at least among the top three of the younger generation in the martial arts world today."
"Senior's insight is truly remarkable. I admire you greatly," Ren Xiaoyao said solemnly, his face showing admiration.
"The sawtooth sharks of Shuixiu Island are extremely fierce and violent. How did you manage to keep Furong unharmed?" the old man asked in a deep voice.
"Master, let me tell you," Shui Furong said, clinging to the old man's right arm, her delicate beauty captivating, as she recounted the entire incident in detail.
After listening, the old man praised Ren Xiaoyao's wit, courage, and exceptional intelligence, which made him somewhat embarrassed.
"Furong, bring me Young Hero Ren's sword. Let me see it," the old man said curiously.
"Mm," Shui Furong nodded and turned to leave.
"What is the purpose of your search for the Azure Blood Pearl?" the old man asked in a deep voice.
"My friend is suffering from a deadly poison, which can only be cured by the Azure Blood Pearl," Ren Xiaoyao said solemnly.
"The Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison?" The old man's expression changed slightly, and he frowned.
"Exactly," Xiao Xingchen interjected.
"Eighteen years have passed, and the Deadly Fruit has resurfaced." The old man's face was gloomy as he murmured.
"How did you know, senior..." Ren Xiaoyao's heart stirred, and he asked solemnly.
"Besides Jueyue, one of the five great assassins under Hentian, there is no one else in the martial world who can control this poison," the old man explained.
"Master, the sword is here." Just then, the door creaked open.
"Ice...Ice Soul Frost!" The old man stared at the sword in Shui Furong's hand and exclaimed in surprise.
"Senior recognizes this sword?" Ren Xiaoyao asked hurriedly.
“That’s right.” The old man nodded slightly, then asked, “You… are Ren Qiaocui’s son?”
“No, this junior… this junior is merely a descendant of Senior Ren from a previous life.” Ren Xiaoyao said solemnly.
“What, a descendant from a previous life! Ren Qiaocui is dead?” The old man roared in disbelief.
“A few months ago, I was at Wuyun Mountain in Hangzhou…” Seeing the old man’s agitated expression, Ren Xiaoyao knew he must be an old acquaintance of Ren Qiaocui, so he didn’t hide anything and briefly recounted his experiences after falling from Yunwu Peak. Of course, he omitted anything related to Nangong Fengyi and Nangong Fengzi, lest Shui Furong think he was a womanizer.
After listening, the old man sighed deeply and said with emotion, “Brother Ren was a hero for a lifetime, a romantic for half his life, but in the end, he was buried at the bottom of a valley, his wife and children scattered. It’s truly a case of heaven being jealous of talent, heaven being jealous of talent.”
“Master, life and death are predestined, wealth and honor are determined by fate. You don’t need to be too sad.” Shui Furong comforted him.
"Senior..." Ren Xiaoyao recalled Ren Qiaocui's last words and was about to ask when the old man spoke first, "Young Hero Ren, how many of the eighteen forms of the Lingxiao Sword Technique have you learned?"
Ren Xiaoyao said with distress, "This junior is not talented; I can only comprehend the sword intent of the first twelve moves. The remaining six moves are merely forms, and I cannot yet use them freely in actual combat."

Volume Six: Righteous Journey to the East Sea to Find Pearls, Chapter Ten: Without Swords

. "Ten...twelve moves." The old man scrutinized him intently for a long time, then exclaimed in surprise, "Do you know that the Lingxiao Sword Technique is the crown jewel of all sword techniques in the world, its power even surpassing the Nine Transformations of the Dragon and the Three Forms of Heavenly Annihilation?"
"Master, you mean..." Shui Furong looked slightly surprised and said softly.
"In just a few months, you have mastered most of the Lingxiao Sword Technique; your progress is unparalleled in the world." The old man patted Ren Xiaoyao's shoulder and said with great solemnity, "Young Hero Ren, if I am not mistaken, given time, you will surely become a pillar of the martial arts world."
"Senior is too kind," Ren Xiaoyao said modestly.
“Master, once Young Master Ren recovers, could you give him some pointers?” Shui Furong said coquettishly.
“Hehe, I can’t wait. Come, let’s go outside and spar.” The old man said leisurely.
“Senior, I…” Ren Xiaoyao hesitated, looking at his left rib wrapped in bandages.
“We’ll just talk, not fight.” The old man smiled slightly.
Ren Xiaoyao immediately understood. So the old man wanted to spar with him by verbally describing moves. He readily nodded and added, “My martial arts are rudimentary. I’m afraid I’m no match for you in a one-on-one fight. I wonder if I could team up with Brother Xiao?”
“Alright, then you can all come at me together.” The old man stroked his beard and smiled.
Under the bright morning light, the three began a contest without weapons.
Ren Xiaoyao, without any formality, casually said, "I will hold my sword in my right hand and attack your Zhongwan acupoint with 'The mournful sound of the drums and horns at dawn.'"
Xiao Xingchen continued, "I will wield two swords, using 'Flying Flowers and Falling Leaves' to stab your lower abdomen with my left and 'Parting the Clouds to See the Sun' to sweep across your waist and ribs with my right.
" Without hesitation, the old man immediately countered, "I will use 'Soaring Heroic Spirit' to stab Young Hero Xiao in the face, forcing him to withdraw his sword and defend himself, then use 'Descending the Mountain to Slay the Tiger' to strike Young Hero Ren's elbow, and at the same time, my right foot will kick his knee. How will you two cope?"
Ren Xiaoyao replied, "I will leap up and stab your back in mid-air. When you dodge to the side, I will quickly move forward and launch a series of attacks with 'The Spring Colors of the Jinjiang River Come to Heaven and Earth' and 'There Will Be Times When the Wind Breaks the Waves.'"
Xiao Xingchen continued, "I will step into the 'Qian' position and use 'Parting the Clouds to See the Sun' to deflect the senior's move, then use 'The Divine Dragon Swings Its Tail' to slice across the lower body." The old man chuckled, “
I’ll first move three steps to the side, then turn around and strike Young Hero Ren’s Zigong acupoint below his neck with my left palm. Then, I’ll instantly change my move, using ‘Lonely Mountain Reflecting the Moon’ to attack his Huagai acupoint. That way, you won’t be able to use either of your two sword techniques. Next, I’ll use ‘Snow Embracing Blue Pass’ to block Young Hero Xiao’s ‘Dragon’s Tail Swing,’ while simultaneously thrusting my left elbow straight in to strike his chest.”
Ren Xiaoyao pondered briefly and replied, “I’ll spin and advance, my sword moving freely, flying to stab Senior’s left rib. I’ll suddenly turn mid-flight, striking his face in return. If you retreat even half a step, it will immediately be hooked at my waist.”
“What a brilliant move, ‘Spring Heart Should Not Compete with Flowers’!” the old man exclaimed in admiration. “However, if I stand still and strike your chest with ‘Heavenly Dog Eating the Sun,’ I’m afraid I won’t be able to execute the second half of this move.”
“Senior.” Xiao Xingchen interjected, “I only need to step into the ‘Zhen’ position, thrust my left sword into your Yingxiang acupoint in front of your nose, and then flash my right sword forward like lightning, slashing down on your head. How will you defend yourself?”
“Excellent.” The old man clapped his hands and said, “Your moves are fierce, combining offense and defense. I have long suspected that you are a disciple of the Taishan Sect. This move, ‘Sunrise in the East,’ is not only perfect in both form and spirit, but also used just right. Even Yu Kong, the leader of the Four Elders of Taishan, might not have been able to match it back then.” The
three exchanged blows, quickly deflecting dozens of moves. Ren Xiaoyao, being a novice in the Lingxiao Sword Technique, had limited power and could barely defend at first, but gradually found himself unable to hold on. It was only thanks to Xiao Xingchen's assistance that he managed to endure until now.
In contrast, the old man, though fighting two opponents, remained calm and composed, displaying the demeanor of a grandmaster .
Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen grew increasingly alarmed. Since their debut, they had never encountered such a formidable opponent. Their usual techniques, which were enough to dominate the martial world, were utterly ineffective against him.
The old man drank the fragrant tea brought by Shui Furong and said loudly to Xiao Xingchen, "I will step into the 'Kan' position, using 'Lingxu Feidu' to neutralize your swordplay, then attack your lower body with 'Fengshen Tui'. When you retreat to the 'Li' position to dodge, my right palm will suddenly strike your face. How will you counter this?" Upon hearing this
, Xiao Xingchen's expression changed drastically, and he was speechless for a long time. No matter how he moved, he could not escape the grasp of the palm wind. If he tried to defend himself, he could not keep up with the old man's speed.
Ren Xiaoyao's forehead was also covered in sweat. Just now, the old man had forced him back three zhang with two casual moves. Even if he used his flying immortal technique to rush over, it would be too late to rescue Xiao Xingchen.
After half an incense stick's time, the two still had not come up with a solution. The old man laughed and said, "Alright, you two can hold your own against me for fifty or sixty moves. Be satisfied."
"Wait, I've got it." Ren Xiaoyao's eyes suddenly lit up, and he said in a deep voice, "If I throw the Ice Soul Frost Sword at Brother Xiao when you attack his lower body, you can either dodge or turn around and knock the sword down. Wouldn't Brother Xiao be safe and sound?"
"Yes, and then I will add a move called 'Jade Emperor Shooting the Sun' to protect myself completely, as solid as a rock." "Xiao Xingchen said confidently.
"Good, good, good, it's amazing that you two came up with such a solution." The old man chuckled, "But since Young Hero Ren has lost the Ice Soul Frost Sword, how can he use the Soaring Sky Sword Technique to fight?"
"To be honest, senior, my forte is palm techniques." Ren Xiaoyao smiled confidently and said frankly.
"Is that so? Then let's continue." The old man said happily.
Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen exchanged a glance and then announced their moves.
Ren Xiaoyao had practiced the Free and Unfettered Palm for more than ten years and was truly proficient, using it with ease. Xiao Xingchen did not dare to be negligent either, and immediately used the most fierce Sunrise Sword Technique of the Mount Tai Sect. The two worked together and unknowingly turned the tide, fighting the old man to a standstill.
"Seventy-eight, seventy-nine... one hundred and twenty, one hundred and twenty-one... one hundred and fifty..." Shui Furong listened and secretly calculated.
Soon, the two had reached one hundred and ninety-nine moves.
"The two hundredth move!" The old man took a deep breath and shouted, "My move is called 'Water and Sky in One Color.' When I use it, my palms fly up and down, striking your chests fiercely. It's a move where there's opportunity within opportunity, and opportunity within opportunity. If you don't dodge, your heart acupoints will be hit. If you dodge to the side, I will spin and kick out with my right foot, dodging Young Master Xiao's two swords, and sweeping straight at your knees. At the same time, my elbows will flip forward, striking your xiphoid procession points before Young Master Ren can even strike. If you two are too confident in your skills to dare to resist my internal energy cultivated over fifty years, and one of you uses 'Meteor Shower in the Wilderness' and the other uses 'Pushing Open the Window to Gaze at the Moon' to sandwich me from both sides, I will raise my palms, using your force against you, and draw you two into a collision. Hahaha, isn't that the meaning of 'Water and Sky in One Color'?" After saying that, he revealed a spirited smile, as if he had suddenly become decades younger.
Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen were both horrified. Faced with the old man's almost flawless ultimate move, they racked their brains but couldn't come up with a way to counter it. "Well, out of

ideas

now?" the old man said loudly, in high spirits.
The two didn't answer, continuing to ponder deeply.
Sweat dripped from Ren Xiaoyao's forehead, soaking the bandage around his left side, leaving scattered drops of crimson. Seeing this, Shui Furong's heart ached. She tugged at the old man's sleeve, scolding, "Master, it's alright, look at Young Hero Ren… Young Hero Ren…" Her bright eyes glistened with tears, and she sobbed uncontrollably.
"Alright, that's enough." The old man chuckled. "You two shouldn't even think about it anymore. Furong is already crying."
The two's expressions softened slightly. Shui Furong quickly helped Ren Xiaoyao up and said softly, "Are you alright? Go back inside and lie down."
"Senior... I've already come up with a plan." Ren Xiaoyao's tiger-like eyes gleamed as he smiled.
"Me too." Xiao Xingchen raised his head and said.
"Tell me about it." The old man leaned forward and smiled, seemingly unconvinced.
Ren Xiaoyao calmly said, "When you make your move, I'll step into the 'Kun' position, protect my chest with my left palm, and press your pulse point with my right hand. When your move slows down, I'll immediately move to the 'Dui' position to avoid the strong wind. At the same time, I'll gather my fingers into a palm and strike forward fiercely. If you dodge, the impact of your elbows will immediately weaken. At that time, I only need to dodge horizontally. Why should I be controlled by 'Water and Sky in One Color'?"
"What if Master doesn't dodge?" Shui Furong asked in surprise.
“Then your ribs must be wide open, how can you withstand Brother Xiao’s fierce attack?” Ren Xiaoyao shrugged nonchalantly.
Xiao Xingchen continued, “When your palm strike arrives, I will immediately use my left-hand sword to slash your wrist, while my right-hand sword strikes from the center, aiming straight for your chest. Once you dodge the sword strike, cross your legs and kick, I will immediately leap into the air, attacking your shoulders with both swords. In this way, not only will you be unable to kick my outer ankle, but your palm strike will also be blocked by the sword move, leaving only 30% of its power.”
“At that time, Young Hero Xiao only needs to parry with his sword, and Master will return empty-handed,” Shui Furong suddenly realized.
"Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha!" The old man was slightly taken aback at first, then laughed loudly, his face full of self-satisfaction. He said arrogantly, "Xiao Yusun, Meng Fei, back then, one of you was unconvinced by me, and the other was unconvinced by me. Did you ever expect that after I secluded myself on Yanxia Island for eighteen years and created the Water and Sky One Color technique, I could force you to use both 'Only I Am Free' and 'Heaven and Earth United' techniques simultaneously to neutralize it?"
"Senior, who are you?" Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen asked in unison.
"Yi Tianhan!" the old man said, word by word, in a deep voice.
Upon hearing this, the two understood.
In the past, at the summit of Mount Hua, the eight greatest martial arts masters of the Central Plains gathered to discuss martial arts. "Defying Heaven and Walking Alone" Yi Tianhan defeated Lin Feifan, Meng Fei, and Fu Longyuan with his astonishing divine skills, ranking fifth. Now that Dugu Yu has retired from the martial world, Xiao Yusun and Xiong Lei have passed away, and Xiao Chen is devoted to Buddhism, if Yi Tianhan were to return to the Central Plains, he would be the leader of the righteous path in the martial world. No wonder Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen, even when working together, could not defeat him, and
no wonder he could guess their lineage just by exchanging verbal sparring. "The Yangtze River's back waves push the front waves, each generation is stronger than the last," Yi Tianhan sighed
, looking up at the sky. "Senior Yi..." Xiao Xingchen was about to speak when Yi Tianhan waved his hand to interrupt him.
"Young Hero Ren, when did you become Brother Meng's disciple?" Yi Tianhan stared
intently at Ren Xiaoyao and asked with a sigh. "My parents died early, and I was taken in by my master seventeen years ago," Ren Xiaoyao replied, his eyes filled with unyielding sorrow.
"So you have no memory of your parents?" Yi Tianhan pressed. The moment he saw Ren Xiaoyao, he felt that this handsome young man was inextricably linked to Ren Qiaocui. After hearing that Ren Qiaocui had perished in the valley and that his sworn brother Meng Fei had adopted Ren Xiaoyao seventeen years later, he was almost certain that Ren Xiaoyao was Ren Qiaocui's only remaining blood relative. The problem was that all signs indicated that Ren Xiaoyao seemed unaware of his own origins, which was why he kept asking questions, trying to find out.
"Not only that, this junior doesn't even know the names of my parents..." At this point, Ren Xiaoyao lowered his head and remained silent, it was clear that if he hadn't been forcing himself to hold back, his sleeves would have been soaked with tears.
Yi Tianhan's heart skipped a beat, thinking to himself: Meng Fei really was hiding everything about Ren Qiaocui and Mei Ruoxue from his disciple. He didn't expose him at the moment, but comforted him, "In that case, you should strive even harder and work hard, and never bring shame to your parents in the afterlife."
"I will heed your teachings, senior," Ren Xiaoyao said, his eyes red and his voice choked with sobs.
Yi Tianhan nodded slightly, then turned to Xiao Xingchen, praising, "Xiao Yusun is truly blessed to have a son like you. By the way, you should keep the Purple Lightning and Azure Frost swords with you."
"Master, aren't those divine weapons only usable by the leader of the Mount Tai Sect?" Shui Furong asked in surprise.
"Liu Yuxu and the Four Elders of Mount Tai are both sentimental people; how could they not pass on the Purple Lightning and Azure Frost swords to him?" Yi Tianhan's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he said solemnly.
"Senior is wise; the Purple Lightning and Azure Frost swords are in the next room." Xiao Xingchen replied respectfully.
"Aside from the previous 'Unity of Heaven and Earth,' have you mastered 'Unity of Heaven and Man' and 'Unity of Heaven and Sword'?" Yi Tianhan asked seriously.
"If I didn't understand the Three Forms of Heavenly Annihilation, how could Master have allowed me to descend the mountain?" Recalling Liu Yuxu's earnest instructions that day, Xiao Xingchen's blood boiled, and he replied spontaneously.
"A true prodigy! Xiao Yusun only reached this level of skill at the age of twenty-seven." Yi Tianhan stared at him in astonishment, an incredulous expression on his face, and exclaimed, "I predict that within ten years, the Central Plains martial arts world will surely belong to the two of you."
"Alright, Master, stop praising them." Shui Furong stamped her foot and said coquettishly, "Don't forget you have a clever and obedient disciple."
Ren Xiaoyao wholeheartedly agreed, "Yes, Furong's palm technique has fully inherited the true teachings of Senior Yi, even surpassing mine and Brother Xiao's."
"Master, did you hear that?" Shui Furong's beautiful eyes sparkled with excitement as she cheered.
"You—" Yi Tianhan smiled knowingly and said softly, "The Heaven-Defying Palm emphasizes the dual cultivation of internal energy and physical strength, which is not originally suitable for women to practice. Fortunately, Furong is intelligent and has practiced diligently day and night, and has now achieved some success. However, she still lacks practical combat experience, so I'm afraid she won't be able to
perform well in public." "Hmph, I don't believe it." Shui Furong rolled her eyes at her master and pouted, "Young Master Ren... no, Brother Xiaoyao, once your left side injury has healed, let's spar together and see who is stronger." "
Hehe, I have already witnessed Furong's skills at the bottom of the sea, and I am truly humbled." Ren Xiaoyao praised her without missing an opportunity.
"Really?" Shui Furong's beautiful eyes brightened, and she asked happily. Ren Xiaoyao's status in her heart rose considerably in an instant.
"Just kidding—" Ren Xiaoyao deliberately dragged out his words and chuckled. Shui Furong's pure beauty, charming naivety, and sincerity once again awakened his romantic and flirtatious nature.
"Fine, you tricked me." Shui Furong said in a sweet, coquettish voice, and immediately punched his chest with her two pink fists.
Ren Xiaoyao deliberately didn't dodge or evade. Just as his fists were about to strike, he subtly dodged, shouting, "Come on, come on, you just can't hit me!"
"You little rascal, don't run away—" Shui Furong scolded under her breath, playfully chasing after him.
Watching the two chasing each other's backs, Xiao Xingchen was completely bewildered. Little did he know that the unforgettable infatuation between young men and women often blossoms quietly in such aimless chases.
On the contrary, Yi Tianhan was overjoyed. Anyone with experience could easily tell from Ren Xiaoyao's words that he was intentionally flirting with Shui Furong, and the reason was self-evident. Judging from Shui Furong's reaction, she clearly had a good impression of Ren Xiaoyao. Although his disciple was charming and lovely, she was also quite willful and capricious. Now that she had someone she liked, she should restrain herself. Besides, Ren Xiaoyao was handsome, dashing, and promising. If Furong could fall for him, it would indeed be a good match.

Volume Six: A Journey to the East Sea to Find Pearls, Chapter Twelve: A Masterpiece of the World. That

night, the four gathered in Yi Tianhan's room, enjoying the exquisite dishes prepared by Shui Furong while chatting about strange tales and anecdotes of the martial world.
Speaking of Shui Furong's culinary skills, they were truly unparalleled. She could transform simple ingredients like vermicelli and mushrooms into dishes that tasted like shark fin and bird's nest, not to mention precious ingredients like matsutake mushrooms, cinnamon, and abalone. Her skill surpassed even the chefs of the Seven Treasures Pavilion. Just looking at them made Ren Xiaoyao's mouth water, and tasting them only added to his admiration.
"The Four Heroes of the Martial World? That title isn't bad," Yi Tianhan said with interest, picking up a piece of fish. "Xiong Xiaotian inherited Xiong Lei's bloodline, so his achievements are only natural. But Ye Zhi Qiu's background is truly perplexing."
"He…he couldn't possibly be the successor of the 'Xiaoxiang Sword Immortal,' Senior Fu Longyuan, could he?" Ren Xiaoyao murmured.
"That's right, in this world, besides Senior Dugu Yu, Senior Fu's swordsmanship is the most exquisite," Xiao Xingchen said with sudden realization.
"Impossible," Yi Tianhan interrupted, "I know Fu's bad temper best. If his disciple's martial arts are not seventy or eighty percent of his, he would never let him come to the Central Plains. Besides, Yang Wenhao is his close friend. If Ye Zhi Qiu uses the 'Nine Dragon Control Techniques,' he will recognize him at a glance." Fu Longyuan, ranked sixth among the eight great masters of the Central Plains Alliance, was called a "kid" in his mouth, which was truly laughable.
"Hehe, among the Four Heroes of the Martial World, who has the highest martial arts? Is it Brother Xiaoyao?" Shui Furong asked with a charming smile, resting her chin on her hand.
"Well... I'm afraid you'll have to ask Brother Xiao," Ren Xiaoyao said truthfully.
"Alas, to be honest, my cultivation is roughly equal to Brother Ren's, but I'm probably slightly inferior to Chief Xiong." Xiao Xingchen recounted his visit to Junshan that day, praising, "Although I could barely withstand the Dog-Beating Stick Technique with the Three Heavenly Annihilation Forms, I was outmatched by the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms." "
Young Master Xiao is too modest," Yi Tianhan said insightfully. "In my opinion, you are only slightly inferior to Xiong Xiaotian in internal energy cultivation, just like your father lost to Dugu Yu back then. As long as you persevere and cultivate diligently, you will definitely be able to reverse the decline in the future."
"Master, you couldn't defeat Master Xiaochen back then, could it be..." Shui Furong chuckled.
"Hmph, Xiaochen's Yi Jin Jing has been refined for thirty years, and he could easily contend with the Ghost Netherworld God Lord's Blood Curse of No Return. Otherwise... otherwise, relying solely on the Great Vajra Palm, could he... could he defeat me?" Yi Tianhan's face flushed red as he interrupted.
Ren Xiaoyao and Xiao Xingchen exchanged a knowing smile. They had long heard that Yi Tianhan was arrogant and obsessed with martial arts, and seeing him today confirmed it. The competition that determined the ranking of the eight masters had been over for twenty years, yet he still held a grudge.
"Cough...cough..." Yi Tianhan coughed twice, changing the subject, "Who in Tingyuxuan is afflicted with the Snow Mountain Shadowless Poison, making it worth your long journey to the East Sea?"
"It's Nangong Fengyi, the eldest daughter of Sect Leader Nangong." Xiao Xingchen blurted out before Ren Xiaoyao could react.
"Oh, so she's Rong Ruo's daughter." Yi Tianhan exclaimed, "No wonder you two..."
"Bang!" Before she could finish speaking, Shui Furong slammed her bowl and chopsticks on the table, stood up, and left without looking back.
"She..." Ren Xiaoyao stared in disbelief, exclaiming. He had initially thought that Xiao Xingchen had inadvertently let something slip, and that Shui Furong would at most be a little upset and punch herself a couple of times. He hadn't expected her to storm out; her jealousy was far too intense.
"What are you standing there for? Chase after her!" Yi Tianhan patted his shoulder, smiling knowingly.
"Furong! Wait for me!" Bathed in the moonlight, Ren Xiaoyao followed closely behind Shui Furong. Although he had an injury to his left rib, his lightness skill remained intact. In a few leaps, he was close enough to grab her soft hand.
"What are you doing following me?" Shui Furong asked with a mournful expression.
"I...I was afraid you'd be angry," Ren Xiaoyao said, scratching his head awkwardly.
"Hmph, I can tell you with absolute certainty: Furong is very angry! The consequences will be severe!" Shui Furong glared at him fiercely, puffing out her cheeks in anger. (Hehe, borrowing a line from Ge You, no copyright infringement, right?)
"Good Furong, sweet Furong, it was Xiaoyao-gege's fault, Xiaoyao-gege apologizes to you." Ren Xiaoyao held her hand, smiling apologetically.
"Don't touch me." Shui Furong flung him away, scolding angrily.
"Let me explain, I..." Ren Xiaoyao leaned forward slightly, speaking softly.
"I won't listen! I won't listen!" Shui Furong covered her ears, screaming.
Ren Xiaoyao had no choice but to use his ultimate trick of playing dumb, muttering to himself, "It seems Furong isn't angry with me, someone else must have angered her."
Shui Furong rolled her eyes at him, ignoring him.
Ren Xiaoyao chuckled inwardly, raising his head with "righteous indignation," "Furong, tell Xiaoyao-gege who bullied you, Xiaoyao-gege will beat him up for you."
"It was you." Shui Furong rolled her eyes, saying irritably.
"I, what did I do?" Ren Xiaoyao looked wronged, "confused."
"You...you lied to me!" Shui Furong stamped her foot.
"Lie to you? Of course not." Ren Xiaoyao, having anticipated her answer, smiled apologetically.
"You still say you didn't? You were clearly hiding it from me while searching for the Jade Blood Pearl for another girl." Shui Furong frowned slightly, scoffing.
"Didn't I tell you that a friend of mine..." Ren Xiaoyao explained, his face full of grievance.
"But did you say she was the young lady of Tingyu Pavilion?" Shui Furong looked at Ren Xiaoyao with tears welling in her beautiful eyes, her jade-like face, which could break one's heart, and said sadly,
"This...this is very important?" Ren Xiaoyao chuckled.
"Of course!" Shui Furong said angrily, "If I had known you would even go to Shuixiu Island for her, I...I wouldn't have helped you."
Hearing him mention Shuixiu Island, Ren Xiaoyao's handsome eyes flashed, and an idea came to him. Without further ado, he moved closer.
"Get out of the way!" Shui Furong looked troubled and pretended to hit him.
"Ouch...ouch!" Ren Xiaoyao deliberately let her touch her wound, groaning as she clutched her left rib.

Volume Six, Chapter Thirteen: Decisive Decision.

"Stop pretending to be dead in front of me!" Shui Furong glared at him, hands on her hips, and scolded.
"No...no, it really hurts." Ren Xiaoyao tried his best to feign excruciating pain, crying out. In his heart, however, he thought: Furong, Furong, for you I was willing to use my own flesh and blood to shield you from the shark's teeth, so please don't forget that now.
Shui Furong stared at him for a while, then couldn't help but giggle, revealing an extremely charming expression. She glared at him with a mixture of anger and delight, murmuring, "Alright, considering you saved my life, I won't hold it against you."
Seeing her smile through her tears, Ren Xiaoyao felt a surge of joy. Just as he was about to launch into his eloquent speech, Shui Furong gestured to stop him, saying casually, "Nangong Fengyi is from a prestigious family; she must be incredibly beautiful, right?"
"Oh dear, when it comes to passionate, vibrant beauty, she can't compare to you, Furong," Ren Xiaoyao replied truthfully, swallowing the rest of his sentence, "But in terms of elegance, nobility, and graceful charm, you are slightly inferior."
"You can't lie to me this time," Shui Furong said coquettishly, her cheeks flushing.
"If I lied to you, may heaven punish me..." Ren Xiaoyao hadn't finished speaking when Shui Furong's slender fingers sealed his lips, her cherry lips softly uttering, "Alright, alright, I believe you."
Ren Xiaoyao stared at Shui Furong, lost in his own world, as if he hadn't heard her at all.
"Fool, why are you looking at her like that?" Shui Furong's delicate face burned like fire under Ren Xiaoyao's unwavering gaze, and she scolded him in a low voice.
"A peerless beauty dwells on a secluded island." The word "fool" made Ren Xiaoyao feel exhilarated, and he sighed, shaking his head. "If I don't enjoy this tonight, wouldn't the title of 'romantic thief' be meaningless?"
"You... if you want to look, I can let you look every day." Two blushes rose on Shui Furong's crystal-clear cheeks, making her even more beautiful, and she said softly, her breath sweet as orchids.
Ren Xiaoyao's heart fluttered, and he blurted out, "What if I want to see it for a lifetime?"
Shui Furong looked at him intently, as if meeting him for the first time, smiling sweetly. Then she made a cute face and said coquettishly, "If you want to see it, then see it! Can Furong say no?"
Unbeknownst to them, more than half a month had passed. Under Shui Furong's meticulous care, Ren Xiaoyao's injuries had basically healed. He and Xiao Xingchen knew this was a rare opportunity, so they sought guidance from Yi Tianhan whenever they had a spare moment. Yi Tianhan was generous, sharing all his years of martial arts insights. The two of them each gained what they needed and benefited greatly, making the trip truly worthwhile.
In the evening, the afterglow of the setting sun cast a crimson glow on the four sides of Yanxia Island like a light veil.
Ren Xiaoyao stood alone on the beach, gazing at the surging waves, his face full of confusion.
"Brother Ren." A familiar voice sounded from behind him. Ren Xiaoyao turned around in surprise and saw Xiao Xingchen striding towards him.
"What are you thinking about?" Xiao Xingchen put his hand on Ren Xiaoyao's shoulder and asked with a smile.
"I was thinking about whether we should take the Jade Blood Pearl back to Tingyu Pavilion," Ren Xiaoyao murmured.
"Yes, there are only twenty-odd days left until March. If we don't go back now, it might be too late," Xiao Xingchen said seriously
. "But...but..." Ren
Xiaoyao hesitated. "You wouldn't be reluctant to
part with Miss Shui, would you?" Xiao Xingchen asked with a calm smile. "Alas, these days, I've spent every day with her, and it's inevitable that some feelings have developed between us," Ren Xiaoyao said, his face flushed. "Given my tendency to be a ladies' man, I'm afraid I'll never forget her in this lifetime."
"Does she think she can forget you?" Xiao Xingchen said lightly.
"Yes, Furong is a pure young girl just beginning to experience love. She has placed all her affections on me. If I were to abandon her, it would be...it would be too heartless and fickle," Ren Xiaoyao sighed.
“Why don’t you stay here, and I’ll deliver the Jade Blood Pearl to Flower Calyx Valley by myself?” Xiao Xingchen suggested.
“That won’t do, Fengyi, she…” Recalling their passionate night in the valley, Ren Xiaoyao couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with emotion.
“Just say what you have to say, why are you beating around the bush?” Xiao Xingchen said urgently.
“I… I can’t bear to part with Fengyi and Fengzi either.” Ren Xiaoyao stood there for a long time, embarrassed.
"There are so many beautiful women in the world, you fall in love with every one you see, and yet you can't bear to part with any of them," Xiao Xingchen said, shaking his head with a wry smile. "It seems the title of 'Romantic Thief' is truly well-deserved."
Ren Xiaoyao chuckled, "Does Brother Xiao think I'm only after their looks?"
"A man who isn't romantic in his youth is wasting his life, and besides..." Xiao Xingchen was halfway through his sentence when Ren Xiaoyao abruptly interrupted, "Any woman who catches my eye must have something extraordinary about her. Fengyi is proficient in the six arts, especially in finance; Furong is an excellent cook and skilled in martial arts; Fengzi is fond of traps and mechanisms, and although she's not a master, she's still quite accomplished. How can those vulgar beauties who only please the masses with their looks compare?"
"Brother Ren has quite a discerning eye," Xiao Xingchen teased.
"Hehe, shouldn't Brother Xiao also find a soulmate, and travel the world hand in hand with her?" Ren Xiaoyao shrugged casually.
"Alas, I grew up in the Taishan Sect. All I ever thought about was mastering martial arts, avenging my father, honoring my master, and bringing glory to my family. I'm completely clueless about matters of the heart," Xiao Xingchen confessed.
"Haha, wasn't that how you were when you first entered the Central Plains?" Ren Xiaoyao chuckled.
"Brother Ren, you roam the world alone with your sword, so you can naturally be sentimental wherever you go. But I am bound by the rules of my sect, so we can't be compared." Xiao Xingchen looked up at the sky and said with a bitter smile, "As the saying goes, 'beauty is a curse.' I've always believed that romantic entanglements between men and women only hinder one's own development. Rather than indulging in lust all day long, it's better to..."
"That's not right!" Ren Xiaoyao looked at him in astonishment, showing a bewildered expression, and interrupted, "If we live in this world without feelings and love, what's the difference between us and walking corpses?" "There
are feelings between master and disciple, feelings between friends, and love between father and son, love between brothers. Why must we be so fixated on the fate between men and women?" Xiao Xingchen asked, bewildered.
"This..." Ren Xiaoyao, though a seasoned lover, was at a loss for words. After a long pause, he finally said softly, "Perhaps you'll understand when you meet a girl you fall in love with at first sight." "
Hehe, I hope so," Xiao Xingchen said cheerfully. "By the way, who exactly is responsible for sending the Jade Blood Pearl back to Flower Calyx Valley?"
"Let me think about it carefully." Ren Xiaoyao's eyes dimmed as he spoke, and his handsome face showed an unusual seriousness.
"A true man acts decisively when necessary; how can he hesitate because of a woman?" Yi Tianhan's clear and vigorous voice suddenly rang out.

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