Chapter 168: Questioning Love, Besieging the City
The dense fog was like spread cotton, and at high noon, a startling swan’s shadow could barely be discerned.
Li Mochou’s figure moved back and forth with sudden speed, advancing and retreating with purpose. In the blink of an eye, her movements were like unleashing a hundred palms, her palm momentum transforming into light and shadow, weaving a net that easily captured dozens of sparrows within it.
For ordinary people, even those with exceptional lightness skills, catching sparrows with bare hands would be an extremely difficult task. Yet, in Li Mochou’s hands, it seemed as effortless as picking something up.
The thin mist swirled around her, her posture still appearing fluid and graceful, a pleasing sight.
With a sound of “Yi,” the green shadow vanished, and the sparrows fluttered their wings and flew away.
A hint of joy appeared on her brow, and Li Mochou muttered to herself, “This cultivation technique from the Head Escort is truly miraculous. I’ve only been practicing for less than ten days, and I already feel my cultivation has increased by twenty percent.”
In the morning, Li Mochou was making porridge. After filling an earthen jar, she looked for Zhou Yan but couldn’t find him. She placed the earthen jar near the campfire and then began practicing the Ancient Tomb martial art, “Heaven and Earth Net Stance.”
Since Li Mochou began practicing the “Yijin Forging Bone Chapter,” she had already felt an increase in her internal force. However, she couldn’t fully assess the impact of such rapid progress on her cultivation technique until she employed the “Heaven and Earth Net Stance.”
A simple step could now carry her ten feet, her body as light as if she were being carried by the wind. Movements that were slightly strenuous before now flowed like water.
This was how her palm strikes became like a net of countless knots, making it impossible for sparrows to fly to the heavens.
Li Mochou was pleasantly surprised and then performed the “Jade Maiden Swordplay.”
“Clang!”
A clear sword cry rang out. The sword light flashed like lightning on Zhongnan Mountain on a summer night, appearing and disappearing in an instant. At the tip of the sword light, as Li Mochou executed the “Wandering the World” move of the “Jade Maiden Swordplay,” a sword light descending from above resembled thousands of sword edges arranging themselves impossibly within a moment, forming a crystalline fan shape.
Li Mochou’s “Jade Maiden Swordplay” moves were continuous and unending, truly elegant and unrestrained, with each move flowing into the next.
Zhou Yan practiced his sword with intent, and now Li Mochou had also begun to grasp the sword intent of the “Jade Maiden Swordplay.”
The sword has intent, and the moves are lively.
Li Mochou’s practice of the “Yijin Forging Bone Chapter” had, in fact, led to a greater increase in her cultivation over the past nine days than Guo Jing and Huang Rong experienced during their time on Mingxia Island in the Legend of the Condor Heroes world.
The reasons for this were not only Huang Rong’s cultivation talent but also her perseverance, which Huang Rong lacked at that age, and the assistance of the Cold Jade Bed for cultivation.
Zhou Yan’s Jade Guanyin had a similar effect to the Cold Jade Bed, except it emitted a gentle qi rather than cold qi. In terms of the amount of qi, it was also inferior to the Ancient Tomb’s Cold Jade Bed, but it excelled in quality.
“Older Sister is so amazing.”
A sudden childish voice interrupted Li Mochou. The sword light receded, and she looked at Little Dragon Girl, who was wearing a white padded jacket, had her hair in twin buns, and her face was as fair as fresh snow.
“Did you also notice my cultivation has improved?”
Little Dragon Girl nodded seriously, “I couldn’t even see Older Sister’s complete figure, so of course, your cultivation has improved.”
Li Mochou was a little boastful, “It’s the cultivation technique Zhou Yan taught me. Don’t tell Master, or I won’t buy you candied fruit and pastries when we go down the mountain.”
“Can Older Sister teach me? If I learn it, bad people won’t be able to catch me. If you don’t teach me, I’ll find Big Brother.”
Li Mochou chuckled. Having just “threatened” Little Dragon Girl, she thought her junior sister was now “threatening” her.
She reconsidered. The cultivation technique had the effect of improving one’s bone structure. Junior Sister was currently growing and shaping her bones, so practicing the “Yijin Forging Bone Chapter” would be perfectly timed.
“Alright, but it must be kept a secret.”
“Okay!”
“Come, I’ll tell you.”
Li Mochou pulled Little Dragon Girl to the campfire in the forest. They sat on grass mats, and she began to explain.
A little later, childish voices could be heard in the forest.
“Older Sister, is ‘Yellow Granny’ the same as ‘Spleen’?”
“How do you know?”
“The spleen can nourish the other organs, so it’s called Yellow Granny. It’s in the Forgetfulness Scroll Master gave me.”
Li Mochou felt a blush of embarrassment.
“Older Sister, why did Master say that cultivating a technique requires forgetting emotions?”
Li Mochou suddenly thought of Zhou Yan.
She paused for a long time and said softly, “I don’t know?”
“Older Sister, what is emotion?”
Li Mochou smiled faintly:
“You’ll know when you grow up.”
…
Ancient Tomb, stone room.
Zhou Yan’s gaze retracted from the text of the “Acupoint Sealing Secret Manual.” He had memorized the entire technique word for word. In addition, he had also memorized the “Acupoint Unsealing Secret Manual,” “Breath Holding Secret,” “Soul Shifting Great Method,” and “Great Demon Subduing Fist.”
Zhou Yan did not memorize all of Wang Chongyang’s Nine Yin techniques carved into the stone room.
He only took what he needed.
Zhou Yan retracted his gaze, cleaned up any traces, extinguished the torch, and slipped into the underwater current. He was now thoroughly familiar with the condition of this waterway. In just the time it took to eat a meal, he reached the shore and exited the stone cave.
The warm sun was gentle. He put on his clothes, slung his bow and sword, and shot two mountain chickens as he walked. After cleaning them, he headed straight for the mountain forest beside the Ancient Tomb.
He arrived at the thatched hut and saw several arm-thick logs feeding a fire, with light smoke curling upwards. An earthen jar was placed beside the campfire.
Li Mochou must have arrived. Zhou Yan thought this, lifted the lid of the jar, and the aroma of rice porridge wafted towards him.
Who would have thought that the “Red Practicing Fairy” from the Divine Condor world could be so meticulous in caring for someone? Zhou Yan sighed, broke off a thin twig to use as chopsticks, and ate the rice porridge and honey to fill his stomach. He then got up and went to a high spot in the mountain forest, found a flat, large stone, and sat down. He circulated his internal force, beginning to temper the “Yangwei Meridian.”
Li Mochou had practiced the “Yijin Forging Bone Chapter” for nine days and increased her cultivation by twenty percent. Zhou Yan had experienced the same.
He had already been tempering the “Yangwei Meridian” for a long time, so opening this extraordinary meridian now was not a problem.
As the cultivation technique circulated, pure internal force warmed up from his Dantian, flowed along the Qiao Meridian, and then entered the “Jinmen Acupoint” on the outer side of his foot. Powerful internal force surged from the major acupoints, traveling up the “Yangwei Meridian” past the outer ankle, along the Foot Shaoyang Meridian to the hip joint, through the posterior flank, up the shoulder from behind the armpit to the forehead, and then to the back of the neck, converging at the “Fengfu” and “Yamen,” two major acupoints of the Du Meridian.
Zhou Yan maintained a centered and unified state, tempering it repeatedly. As the sun set, he gradually felt the sixteen major acupoints on the “Yangwei Meridian” as if they were being melted by intense flames. Amidst the severe pain, he underwent the most thorough tempering and cleansing. Each acupoint was furiously erupting with pure internal force, and streams of internal force ground the meridians, making them tougher and thicker, ultimately transforming them into a bright pathway capable of carrying immense internal force.
Night fell, and suddenly his bones and sinews chimed in unison. The light in Zhou Yan’s opened eyes flickered; the Yangwei Meridian was open.
He had already opened the Yinwei Meridian before, and now with both meridians open, the Yin and Yang meridians were interconnected, regulating the storage and overflow of qi and blood. This not only allowed for efficient circulation of internal force for attacks but also increased the efficiency of generating internal force with qi and blood.
Zhou Yan stood up straight and looked down at the forest. The campfire’s faint light was clear, and neither Li Mochou nor Little Dragon Girl was visible. He didn’t rush back. His body moved suddenly, and he landed on the flat large stone. He rolled around on the ground with extreme agility. This was the technique described in the true scripture as “Snake Movement Fox Flip.”
Since Zhou Yan began practicing the 《Yijin Forging Bone Chapter》, he had also practiced this true scripture’s movement technique and had now achieved considerable skill. Suddenly, a sword light erupted and danced in all directions, as if Yi shot nine suns down. When the sword light was dense, it was like hundreds of uneven cold lights shooting out from all around Zhou Yan, flashing into a brilliant ball of light that enveloped him.
Half an hour later, the sword light suddenly receded. Zhou Yan’s body moved like a roc taking flight, using the “Golden Goose Skill.” His figure soared over twenty feet, his body like a flying duck, landing on the branches of an ancient tree.
His face showed joy. Although using the “Snake Movement Fox Flip” to perform swordplay looked similar to techniques like “Ground Rolling Saber,” it could indeed produce unexpected effects when facing a strong enemy encirclement, allowing for a surprise victory.
The “Snake Movement Fox Flip” in the true scripture was merely a movement technique, but Zhou Yan had integrated swordplay into it. The movement technique propelled the swordplay, creating a new martial art.
He jokingly called it “Snake Movement Fox Flip Sword.”
…
The moon has its phases, and people have their joys and sorrows.
Half a month after Zhou Yan left the Ancient Tomb, Lin Chaoying’s maid had recovered from her injuries, and Li Mochou had also progressed to the second stage of the 《Yijin Forging Bone Chapter》, her cultivation advancing rapidly.
When Zhou Yan arrived back in Zhongdu.
In the past, when Lin Chaoying’s maid woke up after regulating her breath and resting, Little Dragon Girl would always send word, and Li Mochou would leave in a hurry. Perhaps feeling indebted, she was allowed to see him off in the evening.
The bright moon shines among the pines, the clear spring flows over the stones.
The two walked along the creek. When they reached the foot of the mountain, Zhou Yan said, “We part ways here.”
“Okay. Junior Sister asked me to tell you to remember your promise. She’s been thinking about it in her dreams during this time.”
Li Mochou was referring to Little Dragon Girl and Zhou Yan’s pinky promise.
Zhou Yan smiled faintly, “Tell her that if she’s ever in danger, I will definitely appear to vanquish demons.”
“I’ll tell her word for word.”
“Alright, I’m leaving then.”
“Have a safe journey.”
“Farewell!”
Zhou Yan cupped his hands in farewell, mounted his horse, and said, “Let’s go, I don’t like to be seen off.”
Li Mochou knew Zhou Yan was saying this because he was worried about her staying too long and displeasing her Master, so she said, “Alright, I’ll head back then.”
As she spoke, she turned and used her lightness skill to head straight for the Ancient Tomb. However, as she leaped onto an ancient tree, she suddenly looked back, her gaze piercing through the night, and smiled charmingly at Zhou Yan, who was on horseback.
A smile that brought a hundred charms to life held countless unspoken meanings.
“We still have a martial arts competition agreement.”
Li Mochou’s green figure leaped over the moonlight, leaving only a lingering echo.
Zhou Yan watched the retreating figure disappear into the moonlight and muttered to himself, “This martial arts competition seems to be endless.”
He turned his horse around. The “Night-Shining Jade Lion” spread its four hooves, startling the forest birds into flight, and galloped towards Zhongdu.
…
The “Night-Shining Jade Lion” was a strong steed, and Zhou Yan did not delay on his journey, reaching Zhongdu directly.
Passing through Datong Prefecture on the way, he infiltrated the Changfeng Escort Agency and captured an escort to question him. He learned that Ouyang Ke and Helian Chuncheng had stayed at the escort agency for two days before departing.
Zhou Yan felt a sense of relief.
On the road from Datong Prefecture to Zhongdu, he ate at restaurants along the way. Zhou Yan also learned from the diners that the Mongol Army had been besieging the city for a month. He was concerned about the people at the escort agency and, traveling day and night, urged his horse onward.
At dusk the following day, Zhou Yan arrived at Zhongdu. From afar, he saw the scene of beacon smoke rolling. As he got closer to the city gate, he saw a battlefield like a giant grinding wheel.
Hooves galloped, and the elite Mongol cavalry shot arrows at the Jin soldiers on the city tower. Countless fierce soldiers carried siege ladders and charged towards the Zhongdu city tower.
Zhou Yan witnessed the fierce city defense battle and suddenly his pupils contracted. He saw a familiar figure.
Golden Saber Consort Guo Jing.
