Chapter 1: Lonely Peak Emerges from Clouds

  The warm breeze is soft and gentle, its late spring. The peach blossoms by the river have already shown signs of decline, carrying a stretch of Han River water, flowing slowly towards the south.

  Two hundred steps west of the peach forest is the official road, and on the side of the road there is a thatched cottage with a simple and spacious veranda. A gust of wind blows up the yellowish-black wine sign, which has the four characters "Yicheng Old Shop" written in a clerical script.

  The shop was bustling with excitement. A bearded man put down his wine bowl, and the plates and bowls on the table clattered loudly. The man laughed and said: "A persons name is like a trees shadow! Windless Fist Xiao Fanghe and Ding-carrying God Feng Ku are nothing compared to Yun Daxias notice, they all became extremely polite when they saw it, even I, Han Zhen, who was just delivering the notice, got some of that noble air..." He raised his wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

  The man opposite him was thin and short, with a wispy mustache under his chin. He said, "I thought that after Huaian, there would be no more heroes in the world. But Yun Wancheng gathering this meeting has really added some heroic spirit to the world!" Han Zhong drank another bowl and laughed loudly, saying, "Lao Ge, Huaian is a hero, but I think Yun Daxia is also a hero. Lets count it up - were worth ten times our number, with several thousand good fighters gathered in one place, cant we take down the Yellow Dragon?" He got more and more excited as he spoke, and drank another bowl.

  A Han man with the surname Luo, if he had something on his mind, sighed and said: "Brother Han was young and hot-blooded, really making Luo Song envious. But when I was in Hezhou, I also fought a few battles against the Tartars. Using troops on the battlefield is not like fighting alone, in my opinion, the Tartar soldiers are really formidable!"

  Han Zhong was about to drink the rest of the wine in his bowl when he heard this and slammed it down, saying loudly: "Brother Luo, these words are too long-winded and dampen peoples spirits. The Tartars have been fighting with our Great Song for so many years, what can they do? Theyre just staring at this world of flowers, their eyes bulging out like birds..."

  Suddenly, the sound of footsteps and voices came from outside the door. I looked up to see a middle-aged couple walking in. The man was tall and thin, with a warm smile in his eyes that made him instantly likable. The woman had skin as white as sheeps fat, eyebrows and eyes like a painting, and despite her simple clothes and hairstyle, she couldnt hide her natural elegance. She held the hand of a young boy with a queue, whose face was rosy and white, with big black eyes darting back and forth between everyones faces.

  The beautiful woman glanced inside the store, frowned and said: "Too dirty! Lets change places!" The man nodded: "Okay." Just as they were about to leave, the little boy pouted and said: "No way, my legs are all wobbly!" The man glared at him, and the little boy hid his head and shouted: "Mom!" The beautiful woman stroked his hair and smiled: "Alright, alright, well stay. Youre a wooden person? Cant you give me a table?"

  She changed color in the midst of laughter, and the shop assistant was taken aback for a moment, but he had seen many customers coming and going from north to south, his heart was nimble, and he smiled apologetically: "Sorry, the store is small and there are many people, I can only offer you a seat..." Just as he was speaking, he suddenly saw that the beautiful womans eyes were not kind, his heart was pounding, and his voice gradually weakened.

  The man stretched out his hand and grasped the beautiful womans palm, smiling: "Thanks for your trouble!" The shop assistant was delighted and repeatedly responded. The beautiful woman glared at the man and scolded: "Fool, just like a lump of dough, letting others manipulate you... when others say east, you wont dare to say west..." She kept muttering in her mouth, while the man smiled with his eyebrows furrowed, but didnt utter a word.

  Luo Song stared at the man as soon as he entered, and seeing him being scolded by his wife, he stood up with a smile and said: "Please dont mind, come sit here." The mans eyes flashed with a hint of cleverness, and he smiled: "Thank you for your kindness, brother." He sat down calmly with his wife and child. Han Zhen was drunk and laughed loudly: "Im the useless Han Zhen, nicknamed Reversing River Hand." Then he pointed at Luo Song and said: "This Brother Luo is nicknamed Luo Breaks Stone, his horizontal exercise skills are rare, what do you call your wife?"

  The man glanced at the beautiful woman and smiled bitterly: "Good fellow, youre being polite, this humble name is not worth mentioning." Han Zhong saw that he was evasive in his words and felt displeased in his heart: "This person has no substance!" Luo Song looked at the man, feeling puzzled: "The outline seems familiar, I had a low status back then and only caught a glimpse of him twice from afar, it wasnt clear."

  Han Cong again drank two large bowls of wine, and with the intoxicating effects of the liquor, he stared at the couple and said: "So, brother, youre not here to join the Gathering of Heroes?" The man shook his head, but unexpectedly the little boy chimed in: "Does the Gathering of Heroes have dog and bear acrobatics?" He spoke quickly, before the man could stop him, with a look of annoyance on his face. The little boy stuck out his tongue and hid into the beautiful womans embrace.

  Han Cong was initially unaware, but upon a change of heart, his face changed color. He slapped the table and said in a stern voice: "What are you talking about? The Heros Alliance is a gathering of great heroes of the Song Dynasty, who says its a dog and bear show? If the three of you dont explain yourselves today, Im afraid you wont be able to leave this door." As he spoke, he put one foot on the stool. The man was frightened and hastily said: "Good fellow, calm down, children talk nonsense, cant be taken seriously." Han Cong saw that he was speaking in a low and humble tone, and his disdain for him grew even more in his heart.

  The beautiful woman stroked the childs face and smiled: "Xiaoer, adults are talking, what are you little ones interrupting for?" The child pouted: "Mom, how can you say that? Its all because you said there was a bear fighting!" Han Zhen couldnt bear it anymore, suddenly stood up straight, and shouted loudly: "Damn it, you little monkey, say it again! Who is the bear?" The man panicked, grabbed the child, and started hitting him. Unexpectedly, the beautiful woman quickly hugged her son and scolded: "You little rascal, dare to talk nonsense, see how Ill hit you!" She stretched out her jade hand and gently patted the childs face, bursting into laughter. The child also burst out laughing.

  The man looked at her and the child, feeling very helpless. He stood up and bowed to Han Zhong: "Childrens words are innocent, please forgive me." Han Zhongs face was still iron-gray, but Luo Song waved his hand and smiled: "Forget it, forget it, childrens words are innocent, let the wind blow them away!"

  Han Cong sneered: "What are you talking about, Brother Luo? This kid is clearly scolding our League of Heroes as a group of fools! If the son is not taught, its the fathers fault. Hmph, what kind of father are you?" He said, leaning forward, his index finger pointing at the mans nose. The man looked embarrassed and nodded repeatedly. When the beautiful woman saw her husband being humiliated, she raised an eyebrow, about to speak, when a hoarse voice burst out laughing: "Elder brother, look at this world, how did it produce so many fools? They are clearly ignorant and arrogant, but they insist on calling themselves heroes and great men. Today they resist this, tomorrow they oppose that! Hmph, this is called fighting tigers with bare buttocks, neither shame nor life!" Another voice chuckled in agreement: "Younger brother is right."

  The crowd followed the sound and looked over, in the corner sat two Taoist priests, one with a white face and no beard; the other with a black face and a big mouth, who was speaking at this time. The white-faced Taoist priest smiled and responded, but his triangular eyes were wandering on the beautiful womans face. The beautiful woman felt unhappy, hummed softly, and turned her face away.

  Han Zhens anger soared to the sky, and he shouted around the table: "Hei Niuzi, say it again!" The black-faced Taoist picked up a bowl of wine and smiled: "I forgot, this dog doesnt understand human language. I can say it a hundred times, a thousand times, but it wont understand." Han Zhen didnt wait for him to finish, and punched the Taoists left chest with one fist. The black-faced Taoist sat still, holding the bowl in his right hand and drinking wine, while his left hand lightly resolved Han Zhens attack.

  Han Cong launched a series of fierce moves, all of which were resolved by the Taoist with one hand. He feigned an attack and stretched out his leg to sweep horizontally, breaking off all four legs of the stool. Everyone thought that the black-faced Taoist would surely stand up, but unexpectedly he stood with his feet shoulder-width apart, firmly nailed to the ground.

  Han Zhong gritted his teeth and kicked the Taoists legs again, but unexpectedly, the dark-faced Taoist drank the wine in one gulp and swung his right hand. The wine bowl flew towards Han Zhongs face. Han Zhong hastily dodged to the left, but didnt notice the Taoists right foot suddenly rising. His chest seemed to meet the toe of the shoe, and he flew out horizontally, spewing fresh blood everywhere, and fainted on the ground.

  Luo Song rushed up with a swift step, supported Han Zhong and stared at the Taoist priest saying: "Good leg technique!" The dark-faced Taoist priest smiled and said: "Surnamed Luo, you give Master Dao three loud kowtows, today its settled, otherwise Master Dao will kick down...". His foot paused slightly, the green bricks on the ground cracked, "calling you to become a genuine Luo Broken Stone."

  Luo Song glanced at him and sneered, "Even if a rock is crushed into pieces, its still a rock. Even if dog shit is polished, its still dog shit." The crowd burst out laughing. The dark-faced Taoists face flashed with anger, he lowered his body and threw a punch at Luo Songs chest.

  Luo Song turned around and let go, grasping the Daoists wrist with one hand. The Daoist swung his arm, and Luo Song was already in mid-air. The dark-faced Daoist shouted: "Shifu, catch him!" With a flick of his hand, the white-faced Daoist stood up, stretched out his hand, and gently caught Luo Song, laughing: "Shidi, lets make it interesting, whoever throws this guy out will treat everyone to dinner." The dark-faced Daoist laughed: "Good idea." With a toss of his hand, Luo Song flew towards the outside of the store. The two Daoists intentionally showed off their skills, flying out quickly. Unexpectedly, there was a flash in front of them, and someone appeared ahead, gently catching Luo Song.

  The black-faced Taoist recognized the man who was carrying his wife and child, and in a moment of astonishment, he tightened his right foot and was hooked by someone. He was about to make a frantic run, but in his panic, his right foot lifted backwards and his left foot stretched forward, trying to steady himself. Who would have thought that the foot would follow through with great skill, lifting him up and sending him tumbling head over heels?

  The Taoist priest with a black face didnt touch the ground, his hands propped up and he jumped up. His face was black with a hint of purple, looking around left and right, his eyes spewing fire. Suddenly, a soft voice giggled and said: "Mom! Are there bones on the ground?" Turning to look, it was the little boy in the beautiful womans arms. The beautiful woman smiled and said: "Xiaoer, youre talking nonsense with your eyes open, where are the bones on the ground?"

  The little boy said, "No bones, why is this black-robed monk lying on the ground?" The hall fell silent, and then burst into laughter. The beautiful woman stroked the boys head, smiling and saying, "Xiaoer, youre so curious. The Taoist priest is a vegetarian, he doesnt eat meat, let alone bones." The little boy said, "Mom, you didnt tell me earlier, I thought it was like Ah Hei!" Others couldnt help but chime in, "Whos Ah Hei?"

  The little boy giggled and said, "Ah Hei is our big black dog, and this Taoist priest is just as black." The crowd was already disgusted with the dark-faced Taoist priest, and upon hearing this, they burst into laughter. The Taoist priest let out a loud cough and pounced on the mother and son. However, the beautiful woman just smiled at her son, seemingly oblivious to everything. The middle-aged man furrowed his brow, put down Luo Song, took a step forward, and casually reached out to grab the dark-faced Taoist priests wrist.

  The Taoist priests right wrist was caught, and he was startled. He hastily lifted his foot to kick, but the man had already stepped on his heel. The priest wanted to lift his left foot, but suddenly felt a warm current coming from the mans palm, and for a moment, he felt like he was basking in spring breeze, lazy and weak, without any strength left.

  The white-faced Taoist suddenly appeared in front, and his palms silently slapped the mans back. The man dodged and swapped positions with the black-faced Taoist. The white-faced Taoist was afraid of hurting his younger brother, so he quickly withdrew his palm force. At this moment, a hot flow surged from the black-faced Taoists back, causing him to feel weak and soft in his muscles and bones. With two thuds, he and his younger brother knelt down together in front of the man.

  The beautiful woman let out a cry of "Ah yo" and laughed, saying: "Two Taoist priests are too polite, arent you afraid of being killed by our master?" The two Taoists were ashamed and angry, but their meridians were sealed, they couldnt speak, and could only glare with anger. The man looked at his wife, sighed, and withdrew his palm to release the two Taoists. The two Taoists struggled to get up, but the mans internal energy was endless, and the two of them felt numbness in their limbs, unable to stand up no matter what.

  The white-faced Taoist closed his eyes and meditated, suddenly letting out a loud cry, struggling to get up. His eyes rolled over, staring coldly at the child: "Little ghost, my junior brother provoked this man named Luo, but didnt provoke you, why did you trip him?" The crowd was shocked by his words. Just now, both sides had moved so quickly that everyone hadnt seen clearly, and they all thought it was the beautiful woman who had secretly tripped the black-faced Taoist, but unexpectedly, it was this child who had done it.

  The little boy stuck out his tongue and laughed: "Dont wrong a good person, Im just a kid, how could I trip him?" The crowd all thought this made sense and chimed in: "Right! Youre a big strong man, how can you slander a little kid?" The white-faced Taoist glared at the little boy, his face turning from white to green to black.

  A middle-aged man raised an eyebrow and suddenly said, "Xiao Er! Youve done it, dont lie!" The little boy pouted, gave him a white eye, and said to the white-faced Taoist, "Thats right, the black-faced one didnt provoke me, but you stared at my mom, making her unhappy."

  The white-faced Taoist was stunned, but the beautiful woman smiled and hugged her son tightly, overjoyed: "You little scamp, you can see through my intentions and specially take revenge for me." She glanced at the man sideways and thought to herself, "That foolish Liang Wanjun actually gave birth to such a clever and mischievous son. Fortunately, this son takes after me, only knowing how to bully others, never being bullied by them." As she thought about this, she unconsciously grasped her sons small hand and let out a soft sigh: "Time passes so quickly, Xiaoer is already ten years old!"

  This couple was Liang Wanjing and Xiao Yulian. After the battle of Hezhou, they bought a boat and sailed eastward, passing several months, until they arrived at the scenic Lushan Mountains. The young couple disembarked to play, only feeling that the mountain scenery and water views were endless. At this time, Xiao Yulian was already two months pregnant, her waist gradually thickening, Liang Wanjing thought that he could no longer drift like this, so they settled down in a village called "Bai Shui Wan" at the foot of Lushan Mountains.

  In August, Yu Ling gave birth to a child. Unexpectedly, it was a difficult delivery, and despite her high martial arts skills, she was almost killed by the ordeal. Fortunately, after much difficulty, the child was finally born, not crying or making a fuss, but instead smiling foolishly with his eyes closed. Although Yu Lings childbirth was painful, seeing her son smile made her happy, and her pain was reduced by half. She hugged the baby tightly, filled with love and affection.

  Liang Wenjing was overjoyed at becoming a father for the first time, and he wanted to give his son a good name. However, the more he thought about it, the harder it seemed. His wife, Xiao Yulian, got annoyed with him going on and on, so she suggested taking one character from each of their surnames to create the name Liang Xiao. Although Liang Wenjing felt that this was a bit too clever, it did take into account both families names, and everyone was happy with it.

  Time flies, and before long, the creek water of Baishui Bay flows past the gate of Xiao Liaos home. Under the care of the couple, Xiao Liao grows up gradually. This child is clever but also extremely mischievous, chasing cats and dogs, teasing chickens and ducks, causing complaints from neighbors. Liang Wenjing wants to discipline him, but unfortunately, Xiao Yue dotes on her son too much. He has a gentle temperament and cannot win over his wife, often sighing in frustration.

  As the son became more and more mischievous, Liang Wenjing thought of teaching him to read books, thinking that if this child could understand books and reason, he might be able to restrain himself; but Xiao Yulian had different thoughts, she had Mongolian blood, and in her bones, she revered martial power, only wanting her sons martial arts to be good, to be able to beat people, so as not to be bullied. So from Liang Xiaos fourth year on, she taught him martial arts. Unexpectedly, Liang Xiao also had some natural talent, no matter what moves he learned extremely quickly, never needing to practice a third time, making Xiao Yulian overjoyed.

  These two are both impatient, one dares to teach, only thinking of his son becoming a first-rate martial artist; the other is able to learn, only hoping for his mothers praise. In just two or three years, Liang Xiao had learned the Black Water Schools martial arts in a similar way. Xiao Yu Ling was pleased in her heart and often praised him in front of Wen Jing. However, Wen Jing observed with a cold eye and saw that Liang Xiao was only pretending to be strong, and his foundation was not as good as his own when he was young. No matter how much he learned, he would end up being just a show-off. Wen Jing understood this in her heart but didnt want to disappoint her husbands enthusiasm. Moreover, their son had a mischievous nature and mediocre martial arts skills, so it was better to avoid trouble. For now, she just smiled and let the mother and son continue their foolishness.

  Liang Xiaos mischievous deeds had some success, and everything that flew in the sky, ran on land, and swam in water was all affected. The little guy seemed to be a general who stole birds eggs, a marshal who caught rabbits, and a champion who touched fish. The village children often stretched out their dark arms to cry and complain at home. In fact, it wasnt just the children who were afraid of him, but the adults were also made to be like startled birds by this little scamp. Every day when Wen Jing returned home with his hoe, the first thing he did was apologize and make amends to the neighbors. Fortunately, Liang Xiao was still young, and although he had many small mistakes, he hadnt committed any big ones yet.

  In this way, greedy for quick success, Xiao Yulian taught for three years, but felt that there was nothing more to teach. At the time, he urged Liang Wenjing to pass on the "Three Talents Returning to the Origin Palm". Liang Wenjing had always hated relying on martial arts to bully people and did not approve of Xiaos actions. When he heard this, he immediately refused. Xiao Yulian was furious and openly and secretly quarreled with him several times. Liang Wenjing was forced to come up with a plan. On this day, he called Xiao into the room and explained the "Three Talents Returning to the Origin Palm", but instead of talking about martial arts, he talked about the knowledge contained in the palm method.

  "San Cai Gui Yuan Zhang" originated from the Nine Palaces Diagram, with subtle and profound meaning. Only someone like Liang Wenjing, a bookworm with extraordinary intuition, could grasp it overnight. Liang Xiao was vastly different from his father in terms of temperament; he excelled at catching birds and fishing, but when discussing abstract concepts, his face would contort in distress.

  Liang Wenjing, driven by his wifes persistence, decided to take a different approach. He claimed to be teaching martial arts, but in reality, he was lecturing on the profound theories within the Nine Palaces Diagram. In his mind, he thought that Liang Xiao would either fail to master this martial art or have to diligently study and learn to understand these abstruse principles. By doing so, he might be able to guide him towards goodness, teaching him the words of saints and the ways of benevolence and righteousness, leading him step by step, ultimately helping this young man shed his bad habits and return to the right path.

  Liang Xiao had been practicing martial arts since he was a child, and as a result, he had lost much of the joy and playfulness of his childhood. He had grown tired of it all, and when he heard that his father also wanted to teach him kung fu, he felt even more listless and unenthusiastic. Without any energy or enthusiasm, he went to the room where Liang Wenjing was waiting for him, who intentionally made things difficult for him by not setting up the Nine Palaces diagram and instead started talking about the theory of boxing. Liang Xiao had always practiced martial arts by simply going through the motions, and he had never heard that it also required learning all these strange and obscure theories. The more he listened, the more confused he became. At first, he endured it with difficulty, but before long, he felt extremely bored, his ears facing his father while his eyes were fixed on the birds jumping about on the branches outside the window.

  Li Wenjing was greatly annoyed in his heart: "How can this kid not look like me? Is he really my son?" Thinking of this, he felt that he had wronged his wife and scolded himself for a while. He said: "Xiaoer, dont you think this palm technique is useful?" Li Xiao scratched his head and said: "Dad, can this palm technique be used to hit people?" Li Wenjing shook his head and said: "This palm technique is about counterattacking, its for self-defense and saving others, not for hitting people." Li Xiao smiled and said: "Mom says that in a fight, the one who strikes first has the upper hand, while the one who moves later suffers!"

  Liang Wanjing said, "Xiaoer, you dont know that there are countless types of martial arts in the world, and not all of them rely on striking first. The Three Talents Returning to the Origin Palm is a technique that counterattacks after being attacked, yet its not inferior to techniques that strike first." He thought for a moment and said, "Alright, your martial arts skills arent bad, are they? Ill just stand here without moving a single finger, and I can still throw you off balance several times."

  Liang Xiao winked and laughed. Liang Wenjing also smiled: "You dont believe me? Alright, if you can touch a corner of my clothes, Ill admit defeat." Liang Xiao was always competitive, hearing this, he laughed and said: "Alright..." Before he finished speaking, he pounced forward, trying to catch his dad off guard. But unexpectedly, he missed. Liang Xiao looked up and saw Liang Wenjing standing in the same spot, smiling as if he hadnt moved at all. Unaware of the strangeness, he shook himself, stretched out his hand to grab his collar.

  Liang Wanjing saw Liang Xiaos fierce momentum, so he quickly dodged to the side. Liang Xiao used all his strength but missed, and tumbled forward like a wild dog chasing after excrement. He didnt admit defeat, jumped up and pounced again.

  Liang Wenjing had practiced the 33 steps to perfection, and within 45 steps, Liang Xiao couldnt even touch his shadow. In a flash, he was thrown off balance again, and fell twice in a row. Liang Xiaos temper was stubborn, the more he lost, the more he fought, getting up again after being knocked down, only to fall once more. This continued until evening, when Xiao Yu Ling couldnt bear it anymore, and pulled her son into her arms, softly saying: "Alright, alright, Xiaoer, lets stop here for today, we can compete again tomorrow." Liang Xiao was covered in bruises, dazed, and suddenly rushed into his bedroom.

  At this time, Xiao Yulian heard a sobbing sound coming from the room and scolded: "You stupid child, why are you being so stubborn? Let him catch you once, will it hurt to lose a piece of flesh?" Liang Wenjing said: "This child is too proud, if we dont temper his personality, how can he deal with even more formidable people in the future?" Yulian was angry and said: "If someone needs to temper his personality, it should be me, who wants you to interfere?" She didnt make dinner and returned to her bedroom, slamming the door shut. Liang Wenjing had no choice but to sleep in the woodshed that night.

  The next morning, Liang Wenjing was still dreaming when he suddenly heard someone knocking on the door. He got up and took a look, and it was Liang Xiao. The little guy didnt say a word, pulled him into the courtyard, and said, "Im here to catch you." He took two steps back, then pounced forward. Liang Wenjing had no choice but to dodge and weave. The father-son duo fought under the sparse stars and moonlight for an entire morning. Although Liang Xiao couldnt avoid falling, he fell fewer times than yesterday. Liang Wenjing secretly praised him: "The little guy is mischievous, but hes also clever. In just one night, he understood the importance of holding back!" Looking at his sons bruised face, he softened and slowed down, letting him grab onto his collar. He sighed and said, "Xiaoer, you win! Dad loses."

  But then Liang Xiao pouted and said, "Daddy deliberately let me win, I want to learn your skills, I want to learn the skill of knocking people down without moving a hand..." Her eyes turned red, and she was about to cry. Liang Wenjing was deeply surprised, and then overjoyed, hurriedly saying, "Great! However, Ill tell you, if you want to master this skill, you must study hard. Xiaoer, can you bear it?" Liang Xiao said, "If I can learn the skills, I can bear it!" Liang Wenjing said, "Then lets start with the basics first. Last month, the village invited a teacher, if you really want to learn, go follow the teacher tomorrow and study." Liang Xiao said, "Daddy, I want to learn from you." Liang Wenjing said, "I still have to farm and plant trees, where do I have the leisure time to teach you? Ill go tell the teacher today, and tomorrow you can start school."

  Liang Xiao reluctantly went to the private school the next day with a bitter face. Before leaving, Liang Wenjing called him over and scolded him while also coaxing him, telling him to respect his teachers and take care of his classmates, etc. Yu Ling stood beside them with a smile but didnt say anything, thinking: "A fool is still a fool, youre letting him go read books, arent you asking for trouble?" She wanted to see the commotion, so she didnt speak up for the time being.

  Liang Xiao entered the school, and as soon as he sat down, the child at his desk began to cry and demanded to change seats. The other children also shied away, not daring to sit with him. The teacher, who had been invited from a neighboring village, found this situation strange, but seeing that Liang Xiao was handsome, he took a liking to him and called him over to sit at his desk.

  The husband arranged the seats, picked up the book and began to explain. Liang Xiao was initially enthusiastic, thinking that this husband would definitely teach profound knowledge in the Nine Palaces Diagram, but unexpectedly he only talked about ethics, filial piety, benevolence and virtue. Liang Xiao listened in bewilderment, feeling deeply that it was vastly different from what his father had said. He patiently listened for a while, but gradually lost interest, listening to the rhythmic recitation, he slowly fell asleep.

  Mr. Nangong lectured for a while, when he suddenly heard a faint snoring sound. He looked down and saw that Liang Xiao was fast asleep on the table. Suddenly enraged, without saying another word, he grabbed his ruler and started hitting him. Liang Xiao was still in a daze from sleep, but after being hit twice, he quickly jumped up, used a small grappling technique to snatch the ruler from Mr. Nangong, and threw it to the ground. Mr. Nangong did not expect him to dare resist, so he became furious, scolding him as a "little beast" and "bastard", using one hand to push Liang Xiao down, pulling down his pants, and preparing to spank him.

  Li Xun threw away the ruler, feeling a little scared in his heart, but hearing Mr. Fu scolding so viciously, he felt very angry. Now this old man is making progress by inches, forcing him to take off his own pants, and seeing his hand coming, according to the mothers teaching of boxing theory, the left hand opens up the momentum, and the right palm follows the momentum with a hook. Although Mr. Fu has read many books, he has never seen such a wonderful boxing theory, and before he could react, he was knocked over three desks and fainted immediately.

  The children knew that Liang Xiao was mischievous, and as soon as they saw the teacher hit him, the older ones immediately ran out of the door to report the news. Liang Wenjing was in a hurry to drive the cattle to plow the field, and when he heard the news, he was shocked and stunned, and didnt even have time to put on his shoes, so he rushed over with bare muddy feet. As soon as he entered the door, he saw Liang Xiao standing by the table, and the teacher lying on the ground, already unconscious. Liang Xiao saw that his fathers eyes were fierce, and he was afraid in his heart, just wanting to slip away. But he had already been caught by his father, who raised his hand to hit him. Just then, Yu Feng rushed over and grabbed her husband. Liang Wenjing couldnt argue with his wife, so he could only sigh, revive the teacher, and apologize repeatedly. But he thought that his son absolutely couldnt stay here, so reluctantly took him back home.

  The Great Song Dynasty was very strict with its etiquette and laws, the Three Bonds and Five Constants were deeply ingrained in peoples minds. Liang Xiao had beaten up Fuzi, which was unacceptable. Fuzi was both in pain and angry, feeling that he had lost face, and said that if Liang Xiao wasnt severely punished, he would leave the village. The elderly villagers came to Wenjings house one after another, demanding that she hand over Liang Xiao for public punishment. However, Xiao Yulian spread the word that whoever dared to touch a single hair on her sons head would have their own head chopped off. Wen Jing felt deeply troubled and could only resort to closing his door and refusing to see anyone.

  After this incident, the villagers became even more cold towards the Liang family. The midwife who had helped deliver Xiao Yus child took the opportunity to spread rumors that when Liang Shao was born, he only smiled and didnt cry, a sign of being an abnormal child. The villagers were already fed up with Liang Shaos arrogance, so they exaggerated the story even more, gradually portraying him as a reincarnation of an evil spirit. As a result, some people even went to the extent of secretly pouring dirty blood and feces in front of the Liang familys door at night.

  Liáng Wénjìng was afraid that the mother and son would add fuel to the fire, so she did not allow them to go out. The mother and daughter were confined at home, idle and bored, so Xiao Yulian taught Liang Xiao to speak Mongolian, telling stories of Mongolian legends. The mother and son responded to each other in Mongolian, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

  On this day, talking about the scenery of the vast desert and the setting sun on the long river, Liang Xiao was enchanted and said: "Mom, anyway, people here all dislike us, lets go to Mongolia." As soon as he said this, it also evoked Yu Fengs nostalgia for his hometown. When Liang Wenjing returned, Xiang Yu Feng mentioned this idea to him. Liang Wenjing thought: "This childs temperament is similar to that of Yu Feng, naughty and unruly, not loving etiquette and rules, if this continues, he will definitely not be tolerated by the world, and will get into big trouble... Ah... no matter how much hardship I endure, as long as his mother and son can live a peaceful life without suffering, its all right..." Thinking of this, he stroked Liang Xiaos little head and smiled: "In the vast desert, the wind and sand are blowing, life is hard, arent you afraid?"

  Liang Xiao patted his chest and said, "Dont worry, not one hundred times, not ten thousand times!" Liang Wenjing looked at Yu Ling again, saw that she was also smiling and shaking her head, and said, "Alright, we have no place to stand here. With your two personalities, as long as you are in the Song Dynasty, you wont let me live a peaceful life. Rather than this, its better to go to the desert..." Liang Xiao heard this and was overjoyed, hugging his fathers neck, and then happily helped his mother pack their bags, preparing for their journey. Liang Wenjing also arranged to sell their land and bid farewell to their neighbors. Those villagers heard that they were leaving and were all delighted, even setting off a string of firecrackers. Liang Wenjing saw this scene and had nothing to say, leading his wife and child away in a dejected manner towards the north.

  They crossed the Yangtze River and entered Hubei Province. Liang Wanjing found that there were warships floating on the Han River, and many rivers and lakes people carrying knives and guns. He paid a little attention and learned that after Mengkes death, Kublai Khan defeated his younger brother Ariq B?ke, seized the Mongolian khanate, changed the national title to Yuan, and lived in the north for several years. In recent years, he followed the strategy of Liu Zhengji, a surrendered general of the Song Dynasty, abolished the six-plate mountain camp, and moved from Bashu to Xiangfan. The Song army in Xiangfan was in urgent need, not only did the court send reinforcements on a large scale, but also Yun Wancheng, the master of Shenyingmen and "Tianyan Eagle King", issued a martial arts notice, gathering people from the rivers and lakes, setting up a "Group of Heroes Alliance" to form a righteous army to resist the enemy.

  Liang Wenjing understood the reason and thought: "The Shu Road is treacherous, occupying the geographical advantage. Xiangyang is a flat plain, which is exactly where the Mongolian iron cavalry can show off their skills. Liu Zheng was from the Song Dynastys navy, proficient in naval warfare, he spent ten years in Mongolia, the Mongolian water army is unmatched, if they advance on both land and water, Im afraid..." Thinking of another big battle, he couldnt help but feel anxious, but his daughter didnt have these worries, hearing that there was a lively scene to watch, she begged to go see the "Gathering of Heroes".

  Liang Wenjing was tired of national hatred and family resentment after the battle of Hezhou. Whats more, there were many people gathered together with mixed eyes, in case they met old friends from Shu, they would get into trouble for nothing. At first, he refused a million times, but after two days, he finally softened up and reluctantly agreed to the rules: only allowed to watch, not allowed to cause trouble. The mother and son had no choice but to agree, but Liang Xiaos nature was hard to change, and before and after one day, they got into trouble with these two Taoist priests again.

  Li Wenjing saw that he had made a mistake and was still talking loudly, and his heart was very annoyed. However, in his opinion, these two Taoist priests were not good either. They had suffered losses from Li Xiao, and it could be said that "evil people have evil people to grind", so he didnt say much, but just coldly watched from the side.

  The white-faced Taoist priest looked slightly embarrassed, glanced at Liang Wanjing and his wife, and said coldly: "Youd better leave your names, so that the Taoist master can understand!" Just as Liang Wanjing was thinking of how to respond, Liang Xiao spoke up with a smile: "My dads name is Zhan Shi, my moms name is Ge Dai, and my nickname is Bi Zi." Liang Wanjing felt very strange, thinking that this kid was talking nonsense. But then the black-faced Taoist priest said: "Zhan Shi, Ge Dai, Bi Zi... hmm, these names are quite unusual..."

  Xiao laughed and said, "No wonder, you were always a bull nose!" Everyone was stunned and burst out laughing. The black-faced Taoist angrily shouted, "You little bastard..." Xiang Yu Ling slowly stood up, smiling and saying, "Bull nose, who are you scolding?" Her smile was extremely beautiful, but her eyes were cold and piercing. The white-faced Taoist saw that the situation was not good, so he cupped his hands together and loudly exclaimed, "The green hills will remain unchanged, the clear waters will flow forever! Well meet again someday!" He dragged his younger brother out of the door in a hurry.

  Liang Wanjing turned his head and saw Han Zhens jaws clenched tightly, unconscious. He frowned and said, "This brothers injury is not light." Luo Song hated to say, "That treacherous Taoist kicked too hard..." Liang Wanjing thought for a moment, then stretched out his hand towards Xiao Yufeng. The couple was in perfect harmony, Xiao Yufeng gave him a white eye and said, "Mind your own business..." As she spoke, she took out a sheep fat jade bottle from her bosom and poured two grains of "Blood Jade Revival Dan" into Liang Wanjings hand.

  Liang Wanjing pressed one hand on Han Congs "Quezhong acupoint", and the "Hao Ran Zheng Qi" poured in, causing Han Congs throat to make a strange noise. With a cry of "ah", his jaw relaxed. Liang Wanjing stuffed the medicinal pill into his mouth, using his internal energy to dissolve the medicines properties. In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Han Congs face regained its rosiness, and he slowly opened his eyes.

  Lu Songxi was overjoyed and just wanted to express his gratitude when he suddenly saw two figures rushing into the store. The first person called out, "Hello, Brother Han!" Han Zhen was both startled and delighted, struggled to get up, and exclaimed, "Brother Jing Fei!" He took another look at the person behind him and was even more overjoyed, "Gongzi Yun, youre here too?"

  Jing Fei was about thirty years old, with a square face and broad shoulders. The young man beside him was only fifteen or sixteen years old, with a handsome appearance. When Han Zhen called out to him, his pale face turned red as he bashfully said, "Han big brother, its been a long time since we last met." Jing Fei saw that Han Zhen looked dispirited and asked in surprise, "Han younger brother, who hurt you?" Han Zhen thought back to past events and felt both ashamed and resentful. He slapped his thigh and loudly cursed, "Damn it! That black-nosed cow deserves to be hacked to pieces!" Earlier, he had been severely injured and unconscious, but now that he was scolding someone, his energy was full. He himself didnt feel anything out of the ordinary, but Luo Song was extremely surprised. He glanced at Liang Wenjing and thought to himself, "This persons elixir is truly extraordinary."

  Jing Fei raised an eyebrow and said, "Black Cow Nose? Is Brother Han referring to a black-faced Taoist?" Han Zhen was startled and asked, "Whats going on? Has Brother Jing Fei met him before?" Jing Fei shook his head and said, "Ive been ordered by my master to capture him. It turns out that the Taoist has several accomplices, and theyve been traveling north, harming many fellow practitioners along the way. My master ordered me and my junior brothers to intercept them at all costs and capture these people..." He glanced at Luo Song and asked, "Who is this?"

  Han Cong smiled and said, "This is Brother Luo Song." Jing Feis expression changed slightly, and he cupped his hands in respect, saying, "So its Luo Duan Shi! Ive long admired you." Luo Song returned the courtesy, saying, "Oh no, oh no! Brother Jings reputation is like thunder in my ears." Jing Fei spoke seriously, "Jing Fei is good at fighting and being fierce, but thats not worth mentioning. Brother Luo participated in the Hezhou campaign, fought bravely without regard for his own life, and killed countless enemies. That was truly remarkable! Our master had something to attend to at the time and couldnt rush to Hezhou. To this day, whenever we mention Brother Luo, we all sigh in admiration!" The Battle of Hezhou was a proud moment in Luo Songs life, but he had been wounded by a sword at the beginning of the battle and lay in bed for over a month. By the time he got out of bed, the war was already over. So while he had fought bravely, he couldnt say he had killed countless enemies. Hearing Jing Feis praise, he felt both happy and ashamed, and muttered, "Im ashamed, Im ashamed." As he spoke, he glanced sideways and saw that Liang Wanjun and his family were about to leave, so he hastily called out, "Wait!"

  Liang Wenjing heard that Luo Song had once fought in Hezhou, and was so frightened that two of his three souls were gone. He hastily grabbed his wife and children and ran away. When he heard Luo Songs shout, his feet moved even faster. But just as he took a couple of steps, a figure suddenly appeared before him, and the young man with the surname Yun blocked his way, saying: "Didnt you hear me asking you to stop?" His left hand curled into a claw, and he swiftly pounced on Liang Wenjings shoulder. Seeing this attack was ferocious, Liang Wenjing lowered his head, and with a swing of his sleeve, struck the young man in the chest. The young man felt a strong gust of wind hit him, and his heart felt slightly suffocated. Immediately, he turned around and pounced on Liang Wenjings side, striking out with his claw.

  Liáng Wénjìng glanced at his body method, exclaimed, and with a wide sleeve, he borrowed the young mans claw strength to float forward. The young man shouted: "Want to escape?" He took three steps to the left, three steps to the right, following closely behind Wénjìng like a shadow, his claws hooked, never leaving Wénjìngs "Shènshù" acupoint.

  "The Kidney Point" is a vital point on the human body, where the innate energy gathers. If one grasps it incorrectly when young, it can lead to infertility and childlessness. Liang Wenjing felt displeased: "This young man looks weak, but his moves are ruthless." His body suddenly turned, and the young mans grasp fell empty, instead being pulled forward by him. Before he could steady himself, his wrist was caught, and he was grasped by Liang Wenjing. The young man was shocked, his left hand exerting force to shake violently, his right claw circling around, aiming at Wenjings "Period Gate" point on his chest.

  Liáng Wénjìng saw that he was ruthless, and his fire energy moved, no longer dodging, swinging his palm to block. The two palms intersected, the young man only felt that the opponents palm force was like the Yangtze River, and he couldnt help but retreat three steps, his chest surging with blood, his face as if covered with a layer of blood.

  Luo Song hastily stepped forward, standing between the two of them, and shouted: "Both of you stop!" Liang Wenjing glanced at the young man and said calmly: "Who taught you this Three Steps? The young man surnamed Yun was called out for his martial arts, slightly stunned, and replied: "Mr. Fengxiang."

  Liang Wenjing nodded and turned to leave, but the young man rushed up: "Where are you going?" He stretched out his hand to block him, and the two collided head-on. Before he could see what technique Liang Wenjing used, the young man was already tumbling back, as if drunk, stumbling about. Jing Fei rushed up to support him, but felt a force like a mountain bearing down on him. If not for his solid horse stance, he would have been knocked to the ground. For a moment, he was shocked and looked up to see Liang Wenjing already far away, carrying his wife and child. Luo Song couldnt help but stamp his foot and cry out: "Young Master Yun, youre too reckless!"

  A young man with the surname Yun was taken aback and said, "Isnt he in cahoots with that black-faced Taoist?" Luo Song turned to look at Han Zhen, whose face turned red as he coughed dryly and said, "Whatever are you talking about? Young Master Yun has misunderstood, he is actually a benefactor of mine!" The young man with the surname Yun was shocked: "Benefactor? How...how can that be?" Han Zhen sighed and briefly explained the situation. Jing Fei listened and felt extremely regretful, glaring at the young man with accusation: "Yun Shu, you really are impulsive!" Yun Shus face turned bright red as he stuttered, "I...I..." Jing Fei said, "Whats with the I, hurry up and chase after him to apologize!"

  Four people rode horses for a while, but didnt see any sign of the Liang Wanjing family. Jin Fei stopped his horse and frowned, saying: "Yun Shu, what did that man say to you when he left?" Yun Shu said: "He asked me about the origin of my martial arts." Jin Fei said: "I knew it, your martial arts at that time didnt seem like the Eagle Gates skills." For a moment, his eyes were sharp and severe. Yun Shus ears turned red, and he lowered his head, saying: "That...that is Mr. Fengxiangs martial arts!"

  Jing Fei Qi said: "Who is Mr. Feng Xiang?" Yun Shu hesitated and said: "This has to start from last years December 30th. That day, it was snowing heavily, and I went with Feng Xiuciai and Zhu Xiuciai to tour Huishan..." Jing Feis face sank, and he coldly snorted: "Again its Feng Xiuciai and Zhu Xiuciai! Those two bookworms cant bring prosperity to the country, nor can they stabilize the nation with their martial arts. All they know is to spout a few complaints and recite some stinky poems. What good can come from you hanging out with them?"

  Yun Shus face turned red, and he repeatedly said: "Yes, yes, that day was extremely cold, we arrived at the Huishan Spring, only to see that the spring eye was frozen. Feng Xiucai suddenly became excited and shouted that he wanted to chisel open the spring eye and boil tea in the snow. So I drew my sword and pierced through the ice, bringing out the spring water. When Zhu Xiucai saw the spring water gushing out, he had an inspiration and recited: Spring, Spring, Spring! He originally intended to compose a poem on the spot, but unexpectedly, as soon as he finished reciting this line, his poetic thoughts were interrupted. I and Feng Xiucai both felt that these three spring characters seemed ordinary, but actually had a rich and powerful atmosphere, and no ordinary sentence could match them. Just as we were feeling frustrated, we suddenly heard someone loudly continuing: Spring, Spring, Spring! Gushing out pearls round and round, Jade axe splitting open the stubborn stones marrow, Golden hook pulling out the old dragons spittle!"

  Although Luo Song was only roughly familiar with literature, when he heard these few lines, he couldnt help but slap his thigh and exclaim: "Good poem!" Yun Shu felt a sense of being understood by him and smiled slightly at him. But then Jing Fei said: "The one reciting the poem is probably Mr. Fengxiang?" Yun Shu nodded and said: "Elder brother guessed correctly, it was indeed Mr. Fengxiang. We were deeply impressed when we heard it, asked for his name, and invited him to sit with us. The gentlemans demeanor was elegant, he drank tea as soon as it came, ate meat as soon as it arrived, spoke eloquently and quickly, leaving everyone in awe. And so, the group of them lit a bonfire on the snowy ground, drinking tea and discussing poetry. Alas, time flew like an arrow, before long it was already noon. Zhu Xiuzai gazed at the sun shining on the accumulated snow, became wildly enthusiastic, and recited again: "Snow, snow, snow." But after saying this, he suddenly ran out of inspiration!

  Han Cong couldnt help but laugh and said, "Always having a beginning but no end, what a big fool!" Yun Shus face sank, and he said, "Brother Han, you scolding me is nothing, but scolding my friend, I will have to settle the score with you." Han Cong was taken aback, lost his smile and said, "Young Master Yun, dont be offended, this surname Han is notorious for having a mouth that cant be stopped, just consider it as if my mouth was born upside down, speaking is like farting!" He spoke crudely, but Jing Fei and Luo Song found it very pleasant to the ear, both bursting into loud laughter.

  Yun Shu listened to him self-blaming, and felt uneasy instead. He hurriedly said: "Han Dage, dont say that. Writing poems and essays is not like wielding a staff or boxing, if the inspiration doesnt come, it cant be written." Han Zhen and Luo Song exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing mockery, both thinking: "This Yun Shu comes from a martial arts family, how come he loves to indulge in literature?"

  Yun Shu continued, "When Zhu Xiuzai recited the three characters for snow, we all felt that his words were strange and abrupt, and couldnt connect them at all. We could only look to Master Fengxiang with eager eyes. Master Fengxiang smiled slightly and said in a loud voice, Snow, snow, snow, everywhere radiant and bright, the Yellow River frozen solid, not a single thread of water flowing, the sun shining fiercely. Luo Song heard this and slapped his thigh, exclaiming, What great spirit! Yun Shu smiled and said, Brother Luo is right, this poems spirit is indeed rare."

  Jing Fei was rough and unrefined, and had already heard enough to be impatient. He frowned and said: "Yun Shu, just say whats important, and spare us the nonsense poetry!" Yun Shu was in high spirits, but upon hearing this, he felt greatly deflated. He stammered and said: "Later on, there wasnt much else... after Mr. Feng Xiang finished reciting his poem, he got up and left." Jing Fei exclaimed in surprise: "Huh? He just left like that, so how did he teach you martial arts?" Yun Shu smiled and said: "Dont be impatient, brother! I havent finished speaking yet! At the time, I saw Mr. Feng Xiangs clothes were thin, and was afraid he would catch a chill and fall ill. So I took off my purple fox fur coat and chased after him to put it on his shoulders." Jing Fei sneered and said: "Good job! The fox fur coat that Master made with her own hands, you just gave it away like that? Hmph, its hard for you to come back and deceive Master by saying it was washed away while crossing the river. What a great lie!"

  Yun Shus face turned red, and he said in a low voice: "Dad says to help those in urgent need. How can we ignore someone who is suffering from the cold?" Jing Fei sneered: "You see him wearing such thin clothes, yet he walks and sits in the wind and snow with ease, chatting and laughing, how can ordinary people compare to that?" Yun Shus forehead was sweating, and he swallowed a mouthful of saliva, saying: "Brother, youre right, but I was captivated by Mr. Fengxiangs demeanor, and at the time, I didnt think much about it. After returning to the guesthouse, I thought about what happened during the day, and couldnt sleep well. Until the next day, I pushed open the door and looked out, still seeing heavy snow in the sky. Suddenly, I had an impulse to go to Huishan alone, hoping to see Mr. Fengxiang again. Who knew that as soon as I arrived at the foot of the mountain, I saw Mr. Fengxiang standing there, smiling at me and saying: Youve come! Ha, yesterday you invited me to drink tea, today Ill invite you to drink wine. He took out a wineskin and said: The fox fur coat you gave me is worth a hundred taels of gold, but I exchanged it for this wineskin. We cant drink too quickly. Alas, Brother, that fox fur coat was worth a hundred taels of gold, but he exchanged it for a wineskin of strong wine." Jing Feis face turned dark, and he let out a heavy hum.

  Yun Shus heart skipped a beat, and he whispered: "I sat down with the master, and we drank a cup together. The master said, Its a pity to have wine but no dishes, its hard to have a good time. He thought for a moment, then pulled out a lion-headed gold seal from his sleeve and smiled: This was originally the official seal of Pingjiang Prefecture Magistrate Fan Zhangkui. That surnamed Fan dog official loves to curry favor and seek promotion, he is corrupt and takes bribes, oppressing the people, its easy to buy this prefecture title. Coincidentally, two days ago, the imperial envoy came for inspection, so I took this seal by chance. According to the Great Song Dynastys criminal law, losing an official seal can result in beheading or dismissal from office. Ha! Lets use this dog officials dog head to make a big joke! After saying that, he and I drank another cup together. What he said was light and easy, but I listened with shock, thinking that although the prefecture yamen is not a den of dragons and tigers, its also not a place where one can come and go as they please. Looking at Master Fengxiangs worn-out clothes and shoes, sitting calmly in the snow, I suddenly realized that I had met an extraordinary person from the rivers and lakes." When he heard this, Han Zhen and Luo Song both lost their voices and couldnt help but laugh, while Jing Feis face turned even more unsightly.

  Yun Shu sneaked a glance at Jing Fei, her face flushing to the ears, unable to speak. Jing Fei coldly said: "And then?" Yun Shu had no choice but to say: "Everyone drank two cups, and Mr. Feng Xiang took out a large stack of IOUs and deeds, laughing and saying: Wu Hus Niu Baiwan is not only greedy but also ruthless, not only hoarding and profiteering, but also usury with extremely high interest rates, causing countless people to lose their homes and sell their children. Six days ago, I took all of his IOUs and deeds, gold, jewels, and treasures, scattered the jewels among the people, and what about these deeds? As he said this, he rubbed his hands together, and the IOU documents were all reduced to fine powder. Mr. Feng Xiang laughed and said: From now on, Niu Baiwans family wealth will be reduced by 99%, he loves money like his life, and must be heartbroken and in pain, haha, lets take advantage of Niu Baiwans cruel heart to make a big profit. He drank another cup with me, and I saw that he had revealed his inner strength, my heart was shocked, and I thought to myself: although it wouldnt be difficult for Dad to do this, its not necessarily so easy-going."

  Jing Fei said with a sigh, "The two things you mentioned, Ive heard of them before. This Feng Xiang gentlemans chivalrous act is done in a roundabout way, not straightforward enough." Han Zhong said, "Right! Corrupt officials and evil people should be killed with one knife!"

  Yun Shu was dissatisfied in his heart and said, "Fan Zhangkui loves to curry favor, Niu Baiwan loves money like his life, losing their official positions and wealth is more painful than killing them." Luo Song smiled and said, "Young Master Yun speaks the truth. These two men have worked hard for half their lives, but in an instant its all gone, that kind of pain can be imagined!" Yun Shu was pleased with his agreement and couldnt help but smile: "Brother Luo is indeed a wise man." Jing Fei coldly smiled and said, "Brother Luo is a wise man, Im just a fool, humph, lets not drag this out!"

  Yun Shus face turned pale, and he repeatedly said: "Yes, yes. Every time Mr. Feng Xiang talks about a heroic deed, we drink a cup together. Before long, the wine is gone. At this moment, he stood up, took advantage of the wine excitement, and walked on the snow with a swaggering gait, saying something about the three talents and the prior heaven easy number. It sounds quite profound, fortunately, Zhu Xiucai is well-versed in the theory of changes, I have learned some from him in my daily life. Now that I know Mr. Feng Xiang has martial arts skills, I secretly pay attention to his footwork, which is quite unusual. He walked at a moderate pace, as if strolling in the courtyard, but unexpectedly brought up swirling winds, wrapping up the snowflakes in the sky, and they lingered on his head for a long time, like a white flag. The other three people heard this and looked at each other in shock, thinking: "Just by walking, he can bring up a whirlwind and force the snowflakes to not fall to the ground. This martial art is unheard of, I dont know if its true or if this kid is exaggerating."

  Yun Xiu continued: "Master Fengxiang walked for about an hour before stopping and smiling, saying: This walking method, how much do you understand? I truthfully replied: Less than one percent. Master Fengxiang nodded and said: Very good, very good. His expression turned gloomy, and he said, In recent years, Ive been searching for two people. One was supposed to be my wife, but she didnt want me and has been hiding from me everywhere. The other was supposed to be my disciple, but I made a mistake that year and missed the opportunity. Alas, what a pity. He looked at me and said: Missing once is okay, but missing twice is not right. "Jiang Feis eyebrows furrowed upon hearing this, while Luo Song smiled and clasped his hands together: "Congratulations, Young Master Yun! It seems that Master Fengxiang intends to take you as his disciple!"

  Yun Shu said with a smile: "Brother Luo is being polite, I also heard that Mr. Fengxiang has something to say between the lines. However, as the saying goes, a country has its laws and a family has its rules, I didnt inform my father and didnt dare to take a master casually, so I remained silent. Mr. Fengxiang saw through my thoughts, stood up with a smile and said: Never mind, I havent given up yet, Ill go find that disciple of mine again. If I still cant find him, on August 15th this year, I will make a trip to Yanshan White Sand Ridge. After finishing speaking, he clapped his hands and laughed as he left."

  Jing Fei let out a sigh of relief and said, "Younger brother, youve finally done something right. Not to mention whether or not it was proper for you to take him as your master, but the martial arts of our Eagle Claw Sect are profound and complex. If mastered properly, they may not be inferior to that Mr... whatever his name is. Moreover, this persons behavior is strange, hes not a decent gentleman, so its best to keep a distance from him." Yun Shu responded with his mouth, but in his heart, he thought: "A decent gentleman may be good, but he cant compare to the interesting Mr. Feng Xiang."

  Jing Fei said, "Brother Luo, Brother Han, it seems we cant catch up with that family. This place is not far from Bai Zhang Ping, lets go slowly." Luo Song thought for a moment and said, "Brother Jing, I have a doubt, I dont know if I should say it. That man in the green shirt, looks... exactly like someone." Jing Fei asked curiously, "Who?" Luo Song whispered a name in Jing Feis ear. Jing Fei was shocked and blurted out, "How can this be? Didnt that person die of illness?" Luo Song shook his head and said, "According to what I know, the official reason for his death was illness, but its not certain if he is still alive."

  Jing Fei raised an eyebrow and shouted, "Now that the imperial court is corrupt and evil officials are rampant, since hes still alive, why doesnt he stand up for himself?" Luo Song sighed, "Brother Jing, great heroes have their own unique thoughts, how can ordinary people like us understand?" Jing Fei fell silent for a moment before saying, "Brother Luo is right. This matter is of great importance, lets split up to find him. However, we cant miss the alliance, it would be bad for our masters reputation. Everyone, dont go too far, when you hear the signal, hurry to Bai Zhang Ping."

  The four of them went their separate ways to search. Yun Shu headed east, but he was afraid of running into Liang Wenjing and feeling awkward, so he let his horse wander slowly for a few miles. Suddenly, he heard the sound of pipes coming from afar, mournful and sorrowful. Yun Shu listened with curiosity, thinking: "The Tang poet said: In front of Huiyue Peak, the sand is like snow, outside the city of Shouyang, the moon is like frost. Who taught him to blow the reed pipe? One night, all the travelers looked back at their hometown. The reed pipe is a folk instrument from the northern border, how can there be such an exotic sound here? Hmm, this piper plays with such sorrow, perhaps he has encountered some trouble?" He was a chivalrous and kind-hearted person, so he followed the sound to search. Before long, he arrived at a small hill, where he saw a man in black sitting on top of the hill, facing south with his back to Yun Shu.

  Yun Shu jumped off his horse and shouted loudly, "Sir, your flute sound is so sorrowful! Have you encountered some heartbreaking event?" The reed pipes sound stopped abruptly, the man in black hummed a tune, and said coldly, "The vast heaven and earth are just a furnace that torments people. In this life between heaven and earth, who can escape the two words heartbreak?" His tone was flat, without any ups or downs, making people feel very uncomfortable when they heard it.

  Yun Shu was young and naive, unaware of the suffering in the world. When he heard such strange and absurd talk, he was at a loss for words. Suddenly, the sound of a horn drifted over from afar, faint but unmistakable. Yun Shus face changed, and he hastily said, "I have something to attend to, excuse me." He took two strides forward, leapt into the air, and landed on his horses back. Before he could even sit properly, a soft whooshing sound was heard, like an arrow piercing the air. The horse let out a mournful whinny, its legs went limp, and it collapsed to the ground.

  A cloud of dust rose, and when it settled, a small hole appeared on the horses neck, with blood gushing out. Turning around to look, apart from that man in black, there was no one else, and he couldnt help but angrily say: "Sir, why did you harm my horse?" The man in black let out a cold hum, slowly standing up straight. His figure wasnt tall or large, but he had an aura of towering over the heavens and standing on the earth.

  The man in blacks voice turned cold: "Kid, are you a disciple of Yun Wancheng or a follower of Old Poor Acid?" Yun Shu was taken aback: "Yun Wancheng is my dad, who is Old Poor Acid? I dont know him!" The man sneered: "Trying to deceive people with ignorance? That move of yours is the Cloud-Piercing Strike of the Divine Eagle Sect. Hmph, but what about those two previous moves?" Yun Shu looked puzzled: "You mean Master Feng Xiang?"

  "Thats no Mr. Feng Xiang, nor Mr. Ji Fei!" the man growled. "You little brat isnt being honest!" He took a step back and stood firm on the mound of earth. Yun Shu saw him turn his back, taking strides that spanned several meters, and was shocked. Before he could react, the man had already appeared in front of him, reaching out with an arm to grab at his chest.

  Yun Shus hands were busy, his palms striking towards the black-clad mans arm. The slap was accompanied by a claw-like motion, extremely fierce and swift. However, the black-clad man did not dodge, and Yun Shus palm edge struck his arm, only to feel like it had hit solid iron. Hastily reversing his hand, he attempted to grab the opponents pulse point, but unexpectedly, the mans wrist seemed to be coated with a layer of oil, slipping out from Yun Shus fingertips with a swift whooshing sound, its speed undiminished as it continued towards his chest.

  Yun Shu hastily retreated with the "Three Steps" technique, but the black-clad man advanced with an unstoppable momentum, his movements swift and unpredictable. Despite Yun Shus attempts to adapt, the mans fingers continued to close in, inch by inch. By the tenth step, the black-clad mans claws had already reached Yun Shus chest. With a loud cry, Yun Shu launched a kick that struck the mans waist, but his foot sank into something soft and fluffy, like a bundle of cotton. Before he could react, the mans skin sprang back with a snapping sound, and in an instant, Yun Shu felt a searing pain shoot through his right leg, which had been severed at the thigh.

  Yun Shu let out a mournful cry, the black-clad man reached out with one hand and grasped his chest, muttering to say: "How come you only learned a bit of superficial knowledge?" The tone seemed unexpected, and Yun Shu was thrown off, sternly shouting: "Who taught you Three Talents Returning to the Origin Palm?"

  Yun Shus head hit the ground, blood flowing freely, and he gritted his teeth to say: "What is this Three Talents Returning to the Origin Palm? Ive never heard of it." The man sneered: "You little brat are quite cunning, just like that old poor scholar. Hmph, you said Yun Wancheng was your father, right?" At first, he spoke excitedly, saying a few sentences, then returned to his initial calm and gloomy tone. He always had his back turned, and from start to finish, Yun Shu couldnt see his face clearly. Unable to bear it, he shouted: "Who are you? Do you have a grudge against my father?"

  That man burst into loud laughter, and Yun Shu felt that the sound of his laughter was like a tidal wave rushing in, a surge of hot blood shooting up to the top of her head, as if it would burst out of her brain. Just when she couldnt catch her breath, the mans laughter suddenly stopped, he raised his head to look at the sky and said coldly: "You ask who I am? Ha! It seems that this old man has not appeared in the world for a long time, and people have already forgotten me!" After saying that, he let out a cold hum, "Is Yun Wancheng going to gather at Bai Zhang Ping today?"

  Yun Shu Dao said: "Whats that got to do with anything?" The man let out a loud "Good!" and said: "The poor scholar who taught you martial arts is probably also at Bai Zhang Ping, right?"

  Yun Shu heard this and suddenly realized, thinking that he was asking about his footwork, perhaps wanting to find fault with Mr. Feng Xiang. This persons martial arts skills were too high, and Mr. Feng Xiang might not be able to win. As a person, righteousness comes first, he had a good relationship with Mr. Feng Xiang, but as long as he was still breathing, he would never do anything to betray his friend. At this moment, he said loudly: "My martial arts skills were all taught by my father and have nothing to do with anyone else!"

  That man was furious, originally wanting to use force to interrogate him, but he was too proud and arrogant, unwilling to use such a lowly method. He thought: "This little brat first said something about Master Feng Xiang, then said that except for Yun Wan Cheng, no one else taught him martial arts, a pack of lies, completely unbelievable. Humph! You say the old beggar isnt at Bai Zhang Ping, then hes probably there. However, that beggars martial arts are quite high, and within the sect there are many Song peoples claws and teeth, recklessly charging in would be too dangerous. Humph! What can be done? Even if its a dragons lair or a tigers den, I wouldnt put it past me." Thinking this, he coldly smiled and said: "Fine, Ill go take a look at that Bai Zhang Ping."

  His heart was racing, and he thought about implicating his father, which would be unfilial. If he revealed the whereabouts of Mr. Fengxiang, it would be greatly unjust. Just as he was struggling with this dilemma, a pungent gust of wind entered his nostrils, extremely foul-smelling. A fluffy, foreign sensation moved down from the top of his head, and he felt every inch of his skin trembling. However, due to the "chui zhong xue" being sealed, he couldnt turn around, only smelling the pungent wind growing thicker. Coarse, hot air sprayed against his ears in waves. For a moment, he could no longer hold back the fear in his heart, and tears burst forth from his eyes, mixed with blood from his mouth and nose, dripping onto the ground.