It really wasnt Bai Rongs fault for being over-alard. The fear that the disciples of the Demonic Sects had toward Yan Wushi was simply too great.
Back then, before he entered Closed Door ditation, Yan Wushi had fought all three Demonic Sects by himself and was close to unifying them. He wiped out more than half of the elite disciples in the Mirror of Arts Sect, and the Harmony Sect also suffered great losses. If he hadnt lost to Cui Youwang and needed to heal his wound by entering Closed Door ditation because of that, it would be hard to say what the situation of the three sects would be like today.
Despite all that, the fear toward the na Yan Wushi was already carved into their bones.
Bai Rong was still young. She didnt have the chance to fight against Yan Wushi during that ti. Not long ago, she was ordered by her master to sneakily attack Yan Wushis eldest disciple, Bian Yani, but she accidentally bumped into Yan Wushi on the way. She barely managed to escape with all her strength, and ever since then, she developed a deeper understanding of the na, demonic sovereign.
If Shen Qiao wasnt alone today, she would never risk coming up to him.
Now, as she saw Shen Qiao using the Spring Water Fingering, the dreaded narrow escape she made a few days ago erged again from the bottom of her heart.
The finger ca at her, but Bai Rong was too scared to take it directly. She slid to the side and retreated. However, unwilling to let go of the prey at hand, she pasted herself tightly onto the side of the carriage and slipped the long way around it in an attempt to bring Shen Qiao under control from behind.
Who knew that Shen Qiao would have eyes on his back as well. His pointing finger turned midway into a palm, softly drifting with almost no force. But the unceasing and profound strength contained within it was sothing that Bai Rong didnt dare to take lightly.
As it was now, how could she not realize that she had failed miserably from underestimating the other? Seeing Shen Qiao spitting blood earlier in the carriage, she had assud that he had exhausted all his strength, but he unexpectedly still had so much left!
Bai Rongs palms were soft and tender. The pair of pretty and delicate hands was enough to invoke the tenderness in any mans heart to make them reluctant to attack. However, Shen Qiao was an exception. Since he couldnt see, any Enchantnt Art based on appearance had no effect on him.
Their palms closed in on each others quietly without a sniff of powder. It looked more like a girl clinging to her loved one instead of a fight.
Bai Rong felt as if her chest was hit by a hard blow. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She clenched her teeth and struck her other hand out at the carriage. The carriage burst apart in an instant, sending the frightened horse galloping forward. Shen Qiao leaped up and landed on the horses back. Reining the horse as hard as he could, he finally forced the maddened horse to slow down with a neigh.
A soft sigh ca from behind, Mister Shen is so sentintal and soft-hearted that you wont even harm a horse. Im actually a little jealous of Sect Master Yan now!
Seeing that Shen Qiao was distracted by the horse, Bai Rong refused to give up and caught up with him from behind. Her words sounded affectionate, but they did not stop her from attacking ruthlessly. She lunged straight at Shen Qiaos back and didnt care at all if Shen Qiao ended up disabled. He could still recite the Book of Free Will as long as he was alive and able to talk!
Shen Qiao heaved a sigh as well. Instead of turning back, he lowered himself and slipped to the side of the horse. Grabbing the reins in one hand, he pressed the horse onto the ground with the other to make sure it wouldnt be hard because of him. As soon as the horse was down, he imdiately tapped on the ground with his feet and went straight toward Bai Rong.
Bai Rong had already suffered a loss and dared not to fight him face to face again. She imdiately withdrew her palm and vanished into the woods, leaving only a series of laughs: Mister Shen is willing to save even a horse, yet youre so heartless to ! I guess Ill just co play with you so other day!
After making sure that the other person had finally left, Shen Qiao didnt even have the strength left to stand. He tried to bend down while holding the horses back, but his legs suddenly failed him and he knelt right on the ground.
The horse knelt on the ground and finally cald down. It neighed a few tis and tilted its head and stared at Shen Qiao, its watery eyes filled with puzzlent.
Shen Qiao gave it a light pat. Sorry, Ive caused you trouble
Before he could finish, blood welled up in his throat and he was unable to keep it down. He covered his mouth subconsciously, but blood continued to seep out between his fingers.
Shen Qiao simply put his hand down to let the blood pour out. Then he wiped the stain on his lips with the sleeve.
He breathed out a sigh of relief, only to be greeted by a fit of lightheadedness. His ears were buzzing, and his head was swimming. In fact, he had a strong desire to just fall down like this, close his eyes, and not care about anything in this world.
Such a state was not uncommon to him. Ever since he was injured, his body was often like this, prone to feebleness. As his martial arts recovered, the situation didnt get any better. For one thing, his wounded ridians were constantly stirred by his frequent involvent in battles. Because of it, they were getting damaged at a faster rate than he could repair. And for the other, he had reached a bottleneck in cultivating the inner qi of The Strategy of the Vermillion Yang and hadnt made any progress for a long ti while the inner arts of Mount Xuandu alone was not sufficient enough to fully heal his damaged foundation.
However, despite being used to it, he still felt very sick and he had to lean against the horse to rest with his eyes closed. He was going to wait for the dizziness to pass before getting up. Otherwise, his current state wouldnt even allow him to ride the horse back to the city.
Right at this ti, however, he heard soone speaking from a place not far from him, Sect Leader Shen, have you ever heard the saying, The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it?
The voice was neither too sharp nor too low, nor was it deliberately making a show of force. It simply asking a question very politely.
It was as if he was asking for directions rather than picking a fight.
Shen Qiao didnt open his eyes. He only answered with a hoarse voice, Your voice sounds a little unfamiliar. We havent t before.
The person who just arrived answered courteously, Yes, this is our first ti seeing each other. I didnt think that Bai Rong was going to be faster than . However, it was actually to my fortune that Bai Rong was a step faster than , otherwise I wouldnt be the one to reap the benefits. Are you okay?
Shen Qiao shook his head. I cant get up. Sorry about that.
The other person was very considerate, Its no problem.
Despite having said that, he showed no intention of coming over to help. Neither did he leave.
Shen Qiao sighed, I still dont know your na.
The other person laughed, Even though we just t, I already feel like Ive been such old friends with Sect Leader Shen that I almost forgot to introduce myself. My family na is Guang. Im from the west of the Yellow River, and Im currently traveling around without a set residence.
Guang was a rather rare na. The number of people in the pugilistic world with that family na could be counted on one hand.
Shen Qiao said, How is Shen honorable enough to have the sect master of the Mirror of Arts Sect grace with your presence?
Guang Lingsan greeted, I have long admired Sect Leader Shens reputation. It was a pity that we didnt have the chance to et until today. I was deeply regretful when I heard that Sect Leader Shen fell off the cliff. Little did I expect to be blessed to see your graceful bearing of defeating two people in a row! How lucky am I!
Shen Qiao forced a smile, Sect Master Guang can save all those courteous quotes. Can you please go straight to the point? Otherwise, Im afraid I cant hold on any longer and will pass out soon. Then I wont be able to hear what youre trying to say.
Guang Lingsan didnt need to experience it himself to know that Shen Qiao must be in great agony right now. Seeing how the other person was still able to chat and laugh, he actually felt so respect for him.
Guang Lingsan said, Sect Master Yan took an item from the Mirror of Arts Sect and still hasnt returned it to this day. So I have to invite Sect Leader Shen to spend so ti in the Mirror of Arts Sect.
Shen Qiao replied, Then Im afraid youve miscalculated. I probably have no other use to Sect Master Guang apart from wasting food. A pair of chopsticks that Sect Master Yan uses is probably worth much more than .
Even talking had now beco a laborious job for him; he closed his eyes imdiately after he pulled through the sentence. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed and his face extrely pale, as if he was going to breathe his last in the next second.
Guang Lingsan also feared that Shen Qiao was going to die, so he reached out with his hand wanting to feel his pulse and replenish his inner qi.
As soon as he touched the other persons wrist, Guang Lingsan suddenly moved and rapidly retreated a couple ters!
On the ground, a shallow dip appeared right where Guang Lingsan had been standing.
They all say that the reason why Sect Master Yan brought the injured Sect Leader Shen back is because you want to humiliate him and make him your toy. But from what Ive seen, its not necessarily true! said Guang Lingsan with a smile. It has been many years since we last t. Sect Master Yans deanour is even more elegant than before!
Yan Wushi glanced at Shen Qiao. The latter had either fallen asleep or passed out. He was already completely unconscious, his hands hanging softly next to his body and his eyes closed. There was a large stain of blood at the end of his sleeve.
Yan Wushis eyes shifted back to Guang Lingsan. During the years that I was not around, the Harmony Sect suppressed the Mirror of Arts Sect so badly that you couldnt even stay in the Central Plains anymore and had to move to Tuyuhun. Arent you a bit too incompetent as a sect master?
Guang Lingsan laughed, Of course Im not as capable as Sect Master Yan. You even have the forr sect leader of Mount Xuandu in your hands, not only to warm up your bed but also to help you cultivate. And you can use him as a tool to test your martial arts as well. Thats killing three birds with one stone indeed, and other people wont have your luck no matter how jealous they are. I thought about borrowing him for a few days at first, but I didnt expect that Sect Master Yan would value him so much that you would rush over without a halt.
Dressed like a scholar, he looked gentle and refined, yet he spoke just like the typical style of the demonic sects, without any restraint.
Yan Wushi said, I heard the Mirror of Arts Sect has been doing so well in Tuyuhun these past years that even Kualuyu Khan is acting at your beck and call. Well, farther from the Emperor, freer from the law. You must have felt like a fish in water over there.
When he spoke, it was always in a lightly provoking manner. People with violent temper would undoubtedly be riled up. But because Yan Wushi was also exceptionally skilled in martial arts, they couldnt fight him for it. Over ti, such a tone had actually beco so kind of symbolic characteristic of his.
Guang Lingsan replied with a faint smile, We cannot compare with Sect Master Yan. The Emperor of Zhou relied heavily on you. The Northern Zhou was your Cleaning Moon Sects territory; The Harmony Sect monopolizes the trust of the Emperor of Qi; The Southern Chen has the Linchuan Institute, while the Buddhist and Daoist sects are glaring covetously on the side. Our Mirror of Arts Sect is so lonely and weak that we have no choice but to move to farther places. Well, its our choice either.
Yan Wushis phoenix eyes slightly narrowed. If thats the case, why dont you stay in Tuyuhun and continue running your sect? Whatre you coming to the Country of Zhou for?
I ca to see Sect Master Yan of course. I would like you to return the Redolent Bone to the Mirror of Arts Sect.
Yan Wushi sneered, Return? Is your na carved on it?
Guang Lingsan said coldly, It originally belonged to my deceased master. Why wouldnt it be mine?
Yan Wushi laughed out loud, You didnt dare talk to like this just ten years ago. Did you suddenly grow countless guts in ten years?
Although the world of martial artists only respected the strong, there was at least a layer of window paper called morals and ethics. But the disciples of the Demonic Sects really put the principle to its extre. The powerful ones could have anything they wanted, while the ones who were weak had no one else to bla even if they were killed. Ten years ago, before Yan Wushi entered Closed Door ditation, the other two sects dared not to even breathe loudly under the pressure of Yan Wushi. However, ten years could also make people forget many things, including fear.
Of course, Yan Wushis martial arts improved drastically over the ten years of Closed Door ditation, but the others also had made their advances. Not to ntion that Guang Lingsan was also one of the great experts in the Top Ten even if there was a gap between them, it would not be an impassable chasm.
With a quiet groan, Shen Qiao struggled to open his heavy eyelids.
A blur of light ca into his sight. It was no longer complete darkness, but what he could see was still very limited, not much better than an open-eyed blind. So he simply closed them again.
He heard a gentle voice next to his ear, Mister Shen. Youre awake. The dicine is ready. Its still hot. Let help you with it.
It was Rurus voice. Shen Qiao recognized it. She was a servant girl taking care of him during his stay in the Residence of the Junior Preceptor.
Im in the Residence of the Junior Preceptor? Shen Qiao could only recall running into Guang Lingsan and then losing consciousness afterwards.
Ruru covered her mouth as she laughed, Of course youre in the Residence of the Junior Preceptor. Why would Ruru be here otherwise? Master brought you back.
She brought the dicine to Shen Qiao and helped him drink it. Then she went on to smoothen the blanket underneath him, The doctor was here. He said that you had a deficiency in both qi and blood, so you should take more blood-enriching supplents.
Shen Qiao nodded, asking, Wheres Sect Master Yan?
Ruru replied, Master is in the study talking to the eldest young master.
In her words, eldest young master referred to Bian Yani.
There were probably soothing ingredients in the dicine he just took. Shen Qiao didnt say much before he fell unconscious again. He slept for another few hours. By the ti he woke up again, the room was already bright, showing the blurry silhouette of a man next to him.
Sect Master Yan? He felt his way as he sat up.
Yan Wushi put down the book, but he didnt co over to lend him an arm. He only answered with a groan.
Shen Qiao asked, Guang Lingsan has left already?
Yes. We had a fight.
Although his skill in martial arts is good, he should not be your match.
That was all he said. He didnt seem to be surprised that Yan Wushi had shown up there in ti, neither did he ask about it.
Yan Wushi said, I heard you fought with Duan Wenyang in the Residence of Su.
That person is surprisingly skilled in martial arts. Given enough ti, he will not be any less than the Hulugu of those years.
How does he compare to Kunye?
Even better than Kunye.
In that case, it was a pure fluke that you won today.
Shen Qiao didnt claim credit for himself, Thats right. Duan Wenyang fought with Li Qingyu first and was slightly injured, therefore giving the advantage.
Yan Wushi said, I took your pulse just now. When you fell of the cliff that day, the poison of Quietus had already seeped into your bones and destroyed your foundation. At first I thought The Strategy of the Vermillion Yang was able to repair your ridians, but looking at it now, having only two incomplete books produced very little effect. What is even more troubleso is that if you repeatedly fight with other people and get injured, it will only damage your Daoist Heart even more. If this continues, by the ti your Daoist Core is completely destroyed, even the immortals will not be able to save you. However powerful The Strategy of the Vermillion Yang is, it wont be able to do things that even the immortals cannot do.
The Daoist Heart was not a heart. Its aning lay in the fact that it was the foundation. Shen Qiao had built his foundation since he was young through the practice of the inner art of a Daoist sect, and this foundation was his Daoist Heart. If a persons Daoist Heart was destroyed, all the rest of the moves and techniques beca useless since he would never reach the peak of martial arts again.
This was precisely Shen Qiaos current state. Due to poison and injuries, his Daoist Heart was almost destroyed. Gradually restoring it with the aid of the inner qi of The Strategy of the Vermillion Yang should have been the best healing thod.
But the problem was that Shen Qiao only knew two volus of it. Besides, as long as he was still in the pugilist world, there was no way he could stay uninvolved. Every ti he fought, he would inevitably stir up his inner qi and bring even more damage to the Daoist Heart which hadnt recovered yet. The process eventually beca a vicious cycle in the long run. If one day the inner qi from The Strategy of the Vermillion Yang was no longer able to repair it, that ant that his foundation had collapsed completely, making it impossible to save.
Speaking of it, Yan Wushi had also contributed to the frequent injury of Shen Qiaos root ridians. If he hadnt forced Shen Qiao to fight him again and again, Shen Qiao wouldnt have so many new wounds piling on the old.
However, Sect Master Yan looked very serious at the mont, like hed selectively forgotten his own faults.
Shen Qiao didnt know whether he should describe him as shaless or egotistical. Since you said it like this, Im sure you have a solution already?
Yan Wushi remained calm and composed. Thats right. As long as youre willing to discard the Daoist Heart, let plant the Demonic Heart in you and then you can start practicing The Fundantals of Phoenix-Qilin. Everything will be readily solved.
Shen Qiao sighed, I have to respect Sect Master Yan for the effort youve spent in articulating this plan and carrying it out step by step. Once I have the Demonic Heart planted in , my temperant will inevitably beco erratic, brutal, and bloodthirsty. Its a happy thing for you, but to , itll be like losing my true self. Even if I could advance greatly in martial arts, what would be the point then?
A sarcastic expression appeared on Yan Wushis face. He asked, What is true self? People are inherently evil. Are you saying that following ones desire is not being true to oneself? Just think about that Chen Gong. Youve done him a good deal of favors. You two traveled together and shared weal and woe. But when a crisis ca, despite having a hundred ways to get out, he could only think of leading the disaster to you and dragging you down with him. With his background, no one taught him how to read and write or the proper ways to conduct himself. Dont tell that all of his actions didnt co from his true self?
Shen Qiao wanted to turn away his head, but Yan Wushi grabbed his chin and pulled him back, not allowing him to run from it, The reason why youre able to persist in carefully following your Daoist Heart and refuse to give up your so-called principles is because you still havent experienced a situation in your life where you are so desperate that you find it absolutely intolerable, am I right?
The pair of dull, empty eyes slowly blinked, and the long eyelashes trembled slightly. After a long ti, Shen Qiao finally uttered a word.
Yes.
Yan Wushis voice was brimming with with malice, No matter how powerful The Strategy of the Vermillion Yang is, it cannot create things out of nothing. With your current situation of a damaged foundation, in addition to your coughing blood and passing out from ti to ti, theres no way for you to restore your martial arts in a few years. Whats more, you may end up half-dead like this for the rest of your life. Now everyone saw you show up at the Residence of Su with my invitation. The relationship between us will soon spread to the entire pugilistic world. My enemies are all over the world. They cant do a thing to , but they will find no difficulty in taking it out on you. What do you think will happen if they catch you? Will they torture you to make you write The Strategy of the Vermillion Yang? Or will they rape you first and kill you, then rape and whip your corpse to vent their anger?
When that happens, will you think a situation like that is still tolerable?
Shen Qiao finally lost control of himself, We can talk about that when it actually happens, but Sect Master Yan should not be troubling yourself with it before it does!
Surprisingly, Yan Wushi, whose hand was brushed to the side, was not enraged by it. Instead, he even snorted a laugh as the clouds on his face suddenly cleared up, Co on. I was just trying to scare you, and you got mad?
Shen Qiao:
People all said that a womans heart was like the needle in the bottom of the sea. But Shen Qiao felt that Yan Wushis heart was even harder to grasp than a needle in a bottomless abyss.
At this mont, soone knocked on the door.
Yan Wushi said, Co in.
The servant girl Ruru walked in while holding a bowl of dicine in her hand. Master, this is the second bowl of dicine decocted for Mister Shen today.
Yan Wushi commanded, Put it here.
Ruru put down the bowl as she was told, then reminded Shen Qiao, Mister Shen should drink it when its hot. The effect will be better.
Shen Qiao thanked her, took the bowl, and finished it in one gulp.
He always had a small problem. He liked the sweet but not the bitter. When he was still a child on Mount Xuandu, he would hide himself when he was sick to avoid drinking dicine. After he heard that practicing inner arts could make a person unaffected by cold and heat, he trained harder than all the other fellow disciples. People just thought he was just extra hardworking, but little did they know that he was in fact trying to avoid bitter dicine. But staying at Yan Wushis place, no matter how many bowls of bitter dicine were brought to him, he would drink them all without a word.
However, little habits betrayed him. He would frown every ti before he picked up the bowl, and after he put it down, the corners of his mouth would twitch unconsciously.
Yan Wushi saw it. After Shen Qiao finished, he picked up a candied fruit from the side and stuffed it into Shen Qiaos mouth with a sweet voice, Ah-Qiao, if you dont like bitter dicine, Ill let them put so barley sugar in it next ti. Co on, give a smile. Dont always frown.
Shen Qiao:
Sect Leader Shen felt utterly exhausted, both mind and body.
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