Chapter 56: Rapid Progress, Divine Condor’s Recollection
When the wind blew, the bushes and wild grass rustled, as if thousands of snakes were lurking and roaming.
Zhou Yan dared not relax, holding his straight saber and searching all around.
The result was naturally a false alarm. Apart from the Pusi snakes that had been killed, there were no living creatures around. The valley was spacious, yet not even a bird’s chirp could be heard, quite like the desolate quiet of “Ten thousand paths have no trace of footsteps, a thousand mountains have no birds flying.”
The bundle contained a well-maintained spare bowstring.
He removed the broken string, first installing the new one, hooking the bowstring onto the bow arms. Then, he stepped on the lower bow tip with his left foot, pressed the bow belly onto his right thigh, held the bow handle with his left hand, bent the upper bow tip with his right hand, and finally pushed the bowstring onto the upper bow tip to hang it.
Zhou Yan fitted the bowstring, drew the bow to feel it, and found it to be perfectly handled with no issues. He then walked around and found a naturally formed mountain cave, about ten feet deep, and crawled inside.
He sprinkled snake-repellent medicine at the cave entrance, sat cross-legged, took a large snake’s light purple snake gallbladder, and put it into his mouth. He bit down gently, and the outer skin immediately ruptured, filling his mouth with bitter juice. Enduring the fishy smell of the juice, he swallowed it.
Zhou Yan had previously consumed the Big Treasure Snake’s snake blood from Liang Zi Weng, so he assumed this snake gallbladder would have a similar effect. He skillfully guided the energy and felt it. In just a moment, the rich qi and blood nurtured by the snake gallbladder began to boil. Blood is the mother of qi, and qi is the commander of blood. Qi and blood carried the meridian qi, and when the meridian qi moved, it transported the qi and blood, which in turn stimulated the internal force.
Zhou Yan practiced guiding energy for only a few dozen breaths. His Dantian suddenly stirred, and a stream of pure internal force was generated, which was equivalent to nearly two to three days of diligent cultivation using the Quanzhen Internal Energy cultivation technique.
He was inwardly delighted and continued to cultivate, refining his internal force by transporting qi and blood.
After half an hour, no more internal force was generated in his Dantian, yet Zhou Yan’s spirit was greatly invigorated, and the soreness throughout his body had completely disappeared.
He pressed on, swallowing the remaining three snake gallbladders and continuing to guide energy for cultivation.
As the sun’s shadow moved westward, a curtain of light slowly advanced from the cave entrance. Zhou Yan then swallowed the deep purple snake gallbladder into his body. Following the same method, after dozens of breaths, his body became hot, his blood vessels throbbed, and the power of his qi and blood surged like a tide, flowing through his limbs and bones, repeatedly washing over his joints. Strands of inner qi rose warmly from his Dantian, converging into a stream that roamed through his channels, making him feel as if his entire network of channels was constantly being kneaded and stretched with each breath, becoming wider, more resilient, and thicker.
Zhou Yan was pleased because this robust internal force, as it roamed through his channels, was like a form of tempering.
As the sunset fell upon the cliff top, Zhou Yan had fully absorbed the effects of the snake gallbladders in nourishing his qi, blood, muscles, and bones. He now possessed nearly six years’ worth of internal force from diligent cultivation, and his entire being felt as vigorous as a dragon.
He seized the opportunity to temper his Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, easily solidifying the forty-four acupoints and opening this main meridian.
The Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian connects to the viscera, belongs to the gallbladder, and communicates with the liver. The liver and gallbladder are exterior and interior to each other. It can brighten the eyes and clear the ears. Zhou Yan could also clearly feel the improvement in his vision and hearing.
Five snake gallbladders brought about changes from the exterior to the interior.
Zhou Yan mused that his current internal force cultivation should be comparable to that of Lingzhi Shangren and Sha Tongtian. As for the Three-Headed Flood Dragon Hou Tonghai, he was no longer a threat, assuming he was still alive.
Feeling refreshed, he went to the place where he had fallen off the cliff, took five snakes, and returned. He found dry branches to start a fire and roasted snake meat for sustenance. The taste was bland, unlike the Big Treasure Snake raised with medicinal herbs by Liang Zi Weng, which was flavorful.
After resting in the mountain cave for the entire night, with the dawn light faintly visible, Zhou Yan changed his attire and left the cave to continue his exploration. Now that he was in Snake Valley, it was likely not far from Dugu Qiubai’s “Sword Tomb.”
…
As the mist filling the valley gradually dispersed, a giant, ugly-looking great eagle, taller than a person, appeared at the valley entrance and swaggered in.
If it were midsummer, the great eagle would not be so bold. The bushes, treetops, and stone surfaces of the valley would be covered with snakes, both large and small. However, it was winter, and apart from a few fierce rivals, the rest had burrowed into caves to hibernate. The great eagle was well aware of this.
The great eagle was extremely sensitive to the scent of Pusi snakes. As it moved forward, it suddenly stopped, sniffing the air. Then, with a few strides, it reached a rock. It flapped its wings, and with a booming sound, a stone weighing tens of pounds rolled away, revealing a snake as thick as a thumb.
The great eagle pecked with its beak, its aim and speed as precise and swift as a martial arts master’s acupoint strike in a flash of lightning. After killing the Pusi snake, the great eagle opened its large mouth and swallowed the poisonous snake. It then continued deeper into the valley.
As it moved, it always found poisonous snakes hidden in rock crevices, caves, and piles of dead leaves. It either used its wings to knock away stones or its giant claws to dig up the soil, easily killing and devouring the poisonous snakes.
Just as Zhou Yan emerged from the mountain cave, the great eagle appeared at the spot where he had killed the five snakes.
The great eagle habitually looked at the tree where the giant poisonous python coiled. Not seeing its rival, it became vigilant, looking around with confusion in its blood-red eyes.
Where did the snakes go?
The great eagle became agitated.
It and the poisonous python Zhou Yan had killed were enemies, and neither could defeat the other. The eagle was intelligent, and over time, teasing, luring, and devising ways to hunt became a part of its life. Now that its rival had suddenly disappeared, how could the great eagle not be anxious?
It charged into the valley.
In the sunlight filtering through the clouds and mist, Zhou Yan and the great eagle met head-on.
Zhou Yan had been searching all along, but he hadn’t seen a single snake. Instead, he had encountered the great eagle.
The moment the great eagle saw Zhou Yan, its feathers bristled, and its gaze turned hostile. It then smelled the several sections of roasted snake meat that Zhou Yan had wrapped in oil paper and placed in his bundle.
“Brother Eagle, you’re here too?”
“Screech!”
The great eagle charged forward, its burly form creating a thunderous roar as it moved with terrifying speed.
Zhou Yan inwardly grumbled, wondering if the Divine Condor only recognized Yang Guo.
Considering the strength the great eagle displayed when Yang Guo practiced with the heavy sword, Zhou Yan did not believe he could defeat it. However, he was not afraid. No matter how intelligent it was, it was still a beast. With his current strength, he had plenty of ways to design a plan to kill it.
But Zhou Yan did not wish to be enemies with the great eagle.
A mystical beast that guarded Dugu Qiubai’s skeleton—its loyalty alone could shame many people.
The great eagle pursued him, and Zhou Yan turned and ran towards a large tree behind him.
With the man in front and the eagle behind, they reached the tree in an instant. The eagle flapped its wings towards Zhou Yan. He leaped up, stepping on the tree trunk a few times, and rapidly ascended.
The great eagle’s wings slammed onto the tree trunk at Zhou Yan’s feet. Instantly, large chunks of bark were shattered, the tree shook violently, and dead branches rained down.
Zhou Yan, now above, flipped backward and landed behind the great eagle, sprinting towards the valley entrance.
“Screech!” The eagle’s cry was slightly hoarse, impassioned, and desolate. The great eagle turned and pursued. As Zhou Yan charged forward, he flipped his satchel back, drew his bow, took out a long arrow tied with a lime bag, and abruptly turned his body, shooting an arrow.
The arrow was like a meteor, the eagle’s wings like fans.
With a bang, lime diffused.
The great eagle hastily leaped to the side.
Zhou Yan said, “Survival of the fittest. I respect you as a mystical creature and do not wish to harm you. Do not be unreasonable and relentless, or I will surely kill you.”
As he spoke, he lowered his bow and arrow and slowly retreated. The great eagle, however, stopped in place, its blood-red eyes showing a look of reminiscence.
The great eagle thought of its master.
Vaguely, the great eagle saw the shadow of its master in Zhou Yan.
Unbending pride stood on the desolate plains, brilliant sharpness battled the snow and frost.
