Chapter 49: Who Lives and Who Dies

  As soon as he entered, a wave of heat rushed towards him. Liang Xiao focused his eyes and saw that the hall was hung with a huge copper cauldron filled with boiling water, with flames burning fiercely below it. Behind the cauldron, Basiba bared his right shoulder and sat upright, with a red-robed lama standing behind him, who was none other than the Ganba Zunzhe whom he had met in Lin'an.

  Liang Xiao suddenly saw Zhao Huan sitting at the foot of the stairs, his limbs stiff and straight, with only a pair of eyes rolling around, and when he saw Liang Xiao, tears flowed like pearls. Liang Xiao didn't see Hua Xiao Xue, and his heart was slightly panicked, but then he saw Ba Si Ba's eyes suddenly open, and he smiled slightly: "Tan Yue, please sit down." He picked up a cushion, waved his hand and threw it out, still a foot away from Liang Xiao, and it landed steadily in front of his feet.

  With this throw, Liang Xiao furrowed his brow and sat down cross-legged, carefully sizing up the current emperor's teacher. He saw that he had fair skin, handsome eyebrows and eyes, and a round face, not like a dragon-subduing arhat, but rather like a Confucian scholar who had read extensively. He asked: "Basiba, where is the other person?"

  Ba Si Ba smiled slightly and said, "There are only the four of us here, is there anyone else?" Liang Xiao snorted in anger, about to erupt, but Ba Si Ba furrowed his brow and smiled, saying, "Good, good, Tan Yue's heart has become disordered!" Liang Xiao hesitated, suppressing his anger and said, "Ba Si Ba, let's not talk about others for now, I want to take this child away!"

  "Alright, you and I will have a contest. If I win, this child will be yours to deal with." Liang Xiao asked, "What's the method of competition?" Ba Si Pa smiled and said, "Let me tell a story first." Liang Xiao didn't know what trickery he was up to, so he hesitated for a moment before nodding his head and saying, "Please go ahead."

  Baisheba smiled faintly and said, "But it is said that in the past, there was a king of Tianzhu who had a dream one night about a nine-colored deer king. The king's heart yearned for it, so he put up a notice throughout the country seeking it..." As he spoke, his hands formed various hand seals, like a lotus flower, like a treasure sword, forming squares and circles, changing at will. Following the changes in his hand seals, the white vapor on the copper cauldron gradually condensed into a female deer, its head raised high, its hooves prancing, as if it were alive. Liang Xiao's expression was solemn, thinking to himself that using internal energy to condense the vapor and give it shape wasn't difficult, but to make it so lifelike was no easy task.

  The farmer reported the deer king's tracks to the king, who was overjoyed and ordered his troops to surround and hunt. At that time, there were still two young deer by the deer king's side. The deer king knew it couldn't escape and knelt down before the king, saying: "I'm destined for misfortune and have fallen into your hands. It's only right that I should be skinned and eaten. But please spare my children's lives." The king happily agreed, but unexpectedly, the two young deer said: "If our mother dies, how can we live on? We're just sorry we're too young to trade our lives for our mother's. We'd rather die together than live a life of shame and cowardice." They resolutely followed their mother to her doom. The king sighed and said: "Even deer are like this, let alone humans!" He then spared the deer king and left without looking back. As he spoke, the mist gathered and dispersed, opening and closing to reveal all sorts of animal shapes and human figures, some large, some small, running or chasing after each other. It was even more vivid than a shadow puppet show. Only when the king released the deer did the misty illusions dissipate.

  Liang Xiao didn't know that this fable came from the Buddhist scriptures, but he already understood the Lama's implicit meaning was to show off to himself, so that he could learn from the Deer King's humility. After a moment of silence, he smiled and said: "Alright, Emperor Shi has spoken, now it's my turn to tell a story about deer." Basiba was surprised and asked: "Does Tan Yue also want to talk about deer?"

  Liang Xiao said slowly, "But in a certain mountain, there lived a stag that bent down to drink from the clear spring and looked up to eat wild fruits. It was also carefree and happy." As he spoke, Liang Xiao's palms made a false slap, one palm using the "Trap Empty Force" to pull inward, and the other palm using the "Surging Heaven's Qi" to burst outward. The latter was also one of the six great strange powers, with an extremely powerful force. If used at full strength, it would have the momentum of angry waves surging towards the sky. These two great strange powers, one releasing and one pulling in, formed the "Life and Death Way" of the six great strange powers. In the midst of the turbulent clouds and mist, a white aura condensed into a ball, resembling a stag leaping about. Ba Si Pa revealed a hint of surprise on his face and praised, "Good palm technique."

  But then Liang Xiao continued: "To say that on this day, the stag went to the creek to drink water, and a wolf jumped out of the grass to pounce on it. The wolf was full and hadn't left yet when another tiger came, and the wolf was weak and suffered a miserable death at the hands of the tiger. The tiger returned triumphantly to its den, but didn't know that halfway there, it would meet a hunter on a narrow path. The hunter was brave and killed the tiger with poisoned arrows and steel spears, and happily carried the tiger back home. However, the mountain road was steep and slippery, and the hunter lost his footing and fell off a cliff, causing both him and the tiger to shatter into powder, their bodies scattered in the wilderness and gnawed by insects and beasts until they became skeletons. The insects and beasts were born in the morning and died at night, and soon their shells rotted and returned to the soil. The grass and trees in the soil grew again, and on this day, they bloomed and bore fruit, ultimately attracting another stag..."

  Following his gestures, the water vapor transformed into a gray wolf, a hungry tiger, a hunter, plants and trees, and insects, unfolding a small cycle of life and death in an instant. Only when the male deer reappeared did Liang Xiao disperse the misty clouds, smiling faintly: "As I said, today the Emperor hunts the deer, but tomorrow he may become the deer's prey; the heavenly way is cyclical, and its verification is accurate."

  Basi Ba closed his eyes, meditated for a moment, and sighed, "What a good fable." He smiled lightly and beckoned with his finger, saying, "Bali Ba!" Bali Ba stepped forward promptly. Basi Ba asked calmly, "I'd like to ask you, how many seal methods are there in the Great Hand Seal?" Bali Ba replied respectfully, "There are forty-nine major hand seals; each major hand seal contains forty-nine medium hand seals; and each medium hand seal has forty-nine minor hand seals. The total number of seal methods is 117,649."

  Baisa said, "Good, and ask how many handprints you have obtained through practice so far?" Danba said, "Danba is clumsy and has only obtained three thousand." Baisa sighed and said, "I thought that when I was 15 years old, I would already know three thousand." Danba trembled with fear and said, "Master, you are a natural-born genius, far beyond what Danba can compare to." Baisa shook his head and said, "But at the age of 18, I could only remember three hundred handprints in my heart, and after another eight years, I could only remember thirty..." Danba was stunned, thinking that there was no reason why one would remember fewer handprints over time. Although he was puzzled, he did not dare to ask recklessly, and only listened as Baisa asked again, "Danba, guess how many handprints Master can still recall now?"

  Danba's face was covered in sweat, and he stood there dazed for a moment. He furrowed his brow and clasped his hands together, saying: "I'm too stupid, I couldn't guess it." Baisa waved his hand, and with a flourish, he slapped out the answer. The big cauldron below still had flames burning under it, but there was no steam rising from the water above. Baisa said calmly: "As the saying goes, all things return to one. As your master, I only have one move left, and that is the Baisa Seal!" Danba stood there in a daze, completely bewildered.

  Liang Xiao smiled and shot out a sharp gust of wind, blowing open a gap in the seal that Ba Si Ba had placed on the large cauldron. Thick white steam burst out of the gap. Ba Si Ba quickly covered the gap with his left palm again. Liang Xiao was using the "Dripping Water Force" of the Six Great Extraordinary Strengths, which could penetrate even stone. Ba Si Ba used one hand to seal and the other to block Liang Xiao's finger force. In an instant, Liang Xiao's attacks became more rapid and intense, like a strong crossbow shooting arrows. Seeing that he couldn't withstand it, Ba Si Ba suddenly split his palms apart and transformed into a male deer with sharp horns, charging towards Liang Xiao from the steam.

  Liang Xiao knew that the stag seemed illusory but actually contained great power. He stretched out his hand and transformed into a grey wolf, and the two beasts clashed in a fierce battle. Heshi Ba waved his hand and transformed into a ferocious tiger to pounce on the wolf. Liang Xiao transformed into a bear to grab the tiger, and Heshi Ba chanted Buddhist scriptures to transform into a dragon that soared through the air, twisting and turning as it fell. Suddenly, Liang Xiao's two palms intersected, transforming into a large pair of scissors that cut off the dragon at the waist.

  Baisa saw him use this childish technique, and couldn't help but smile slightly. He joined his palms together, and the water vapor condensed into a figure of himself, with his legs crossed and his eyebrows visible. The "scissors" touched it, and instantly turned into nothingness. Dawa exclaimed: "Excellent! Wonderful! What a perfect unity of all things, what an excellent Baisa seal!"

  Liang Xiao heard the cry, and suddenly remembered the verse that Hua Xiao Shuang had recited in front of Zhao Yun's grave: "All phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows, like dew, like lightning. One should view them as such." His heart suddenly opened up to enlightenment, and he abruptly withdrew his palm force, allowing the Cloud Smoke Buddha to approach him effortlessly. He smiled faintly and said, "The Eight Thoughts Seal is nothing much to speak of." The Eight Thoughts Seal heard his boastful words and coldly replied, "Does Tuan Yue still have a higher move?" Liang Xiao shook his head and said, "There is no higher move, but I ask the Emperor's Teacher, if all phenomena return to one, then where do they return to?"

  Baisa's whole body shook, his eyes wide open, staring at Liang Xiao for a moment, then lowered his eyebrows and sighed: "Good, good, I lost. Baliao, give this child to him!" Baliao hesitated: "Master..." Baisa sighed: "A Buddhist disciple puts the Buddha's law first, martial arts are just a minor way. If the Buddha's law is defeated, what else can I say?"

  Bai Ba couldn't help but stretch out his hand to remove Zhao Huan's seal, and Zhao Huan jumped up and ran to Liang Xiao's side, calling out "Uncle!" Liang Xiao hugged him and asked, "Where is Frost Aunt?" Zhao Huan's eyes reddened as he cried, "I don't know, I just woke up here." Liang Xiao vaguely felt that there was a huge conspiracy behind this, but the truth was like trying to see flowers through fog, and it was difficult to understand for the time being. Just as he was hesitating, he suddenly heard a loud crash, and the wall opened up with a hole, revealing Hua Sheng covered in dust and dirt, who rushed in and shouted loudly upon seeing Liang Xiao, "Liang Xiao, they're ganging up on us two!" As he spoke, Long Ya and Shi Xin followed closely behind. Long Ya's face was deathly pale, while Shi Xin's smile remained unchanged, but his eyebrows were slightly greenish, clearly showing that he had not fully recovered.

  Liang Xiao stood up and said calmly, "Hua Sheng, take Zhao Huan and leave first." Hua Sheng was taken aback and asked, "What about you?" Liang Xiao replied, "I'll follow later." Hua Sheng rubbed his bald head and smiled, "I'll go to Master's place and wait for you! You have to come back with Xiao Shuang!" Liang Xiao nodded, "Definitely." Seeing Liang Xiao's calm demeanor, Hua Sheng felt relieved and chuckled, then picked up Zhao Huan and rushed out. Long Ya and Shi Xin shouted in unison, blocking their way. Liang Xiao suddenly darted out, shouting loudly, and struck out with both palms. The two had suffered at his hands before and were now like frightened birds, so they hastily dodged aside as soon as they saw Liang Xiao's palm wind approaching. Hua Sheng took advantage of the opportunity to slip away from the side hall, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

  Basi Ba sighed, "The Tanyue person is already in your hands, why haven't you left yet?" Liang Xiao said coldly, "Master, you seem to have forgotten something. There's still someone in your hands, right?" Basi Ba smiled and furrowed his brow, "You're talking about that woman? Alright, if Tanyue has patience, I'll tell him a story!" Liang Xiao's heart sank, "Xiaoshuang is indeed in his hands!" After thinking for a moment, he nodded and said, "Go ahead."

  Ba Si Ba let out a long sigh and said, "But to speak of the past, there was once a child who left home at a young age. He was intelligent from an early age, able to recite scriptures after just glancing at them, and had a quick wit, often engaging in debates with high-ranking monks." Liang Xiao laughed and said, "Isn't this referring to Emperor Wu himself?"

  He smiled faintly and continued, "That year, the child was not yet thirteen years old. The Mongolian army approached Tibet, and the child and his younger brother followed their uncle to see the Mongolian Khan, asking him not to invade Tibet. However, the Khan ignored them, and the child's uncle fell ill and died, leaving behind only the two young lamas. Fortunately, the Khan's brother, the Fourth Prince, liked the young lama and took in the brothers. The young lama used all his eloquence to persuade the Fourth Prince to believe in the Buddha's teachings and not to invade Tibet. Who would have thought that disaster struck on this day? An old lama from a different sect came to the Fourth Prince's tent, slandering the young lama as being from an evil sect and deceiving the people. The Fourth Prince was torn between trust and doubt, ordering the young lama to engage in a magical duel with the old lama, saying that if he won, he would drive the old lama away, but if he lost, he would execute the young lama brothers. The young lama was not yet fifteen years old and had insufficient training, but for the sake of survival, he could only fight desperately. This duel lasted for half an hour, with the young lama being forced to the corner of the tent, on the verge of defeat..." He suddenly stopped speaking, and Liang Xiao asked, "What happened next?"

  Ba Si Ba's eyes revealed a nostalgic color, and he sighed softly: "Later on? It just so happened that among the guests watching the battle, there was an extraordinary young man. He was not very old, but his martial arts skills were excellent. Seeing Lao Lama bullying Xiao Lama, he felt unfair in his heart, so he took advantage of everyone's unpreparedness to sneak out of the tent and quietly stood behind Xiao Lama, transmitting his inner energy into Xiao Lama's back through the tent. With this help, Xiao Lama defeated Lao Lama with one move, not only saving his life but also becoming the master of the Fourth Prince. From then on, Xiao Lama secretly vowed that if he had the opportunity, he would definitely repay this benefactor."

  Liang Xiao nodded and said, "This man is a good fellow who helps the weak and small. But what does Master's past have to do with today?" Ba Siba sighed and said, "It has a lot to do with it. If this benefactor asks for my help, will your family agree to it?" Liang Xiao hesitated and said, "A great man distinguishes between gratitude and resentment, how can he not repay kindness?" Ba Siba said, "Tan Yue is right, Ba Siba has been practicing for half his life, but still cannot understand the two words 'gratitude' and 'resentment'. Alas, since it's like this, Tan Yue please come again!" With a loud clap of his palms, Liang Xiao was caught off guard, but this "Ba Siba Seal" came like a thunderclap, and he could only respond with his "Surging Waves Palm".

  Two men clapped their palms, each retreating an inch with every clap. The palm force grew more frequent and intense, filling the air with a whistling sound. Under normal circumstances, it would be hard to predict who would emerge victorious, but since entering the temple, Liang Xiao had been through multiple fierce battles, his exhaustion evident. Heshiwa was well-rested and full of energy. Before long, wisps of cloud-like vapor rose from Liang Xiao's head, thick and heavy as snow, straight up like a pillar. The other three men saw that Heshiwa had the upper hand and exchanged smiles with each other.

  They fought for another two rounds, and then Liang Xiao let out a loud roar. With one move of "Tian Xuan Quan", he swept the burning firewood under the iron pot into the air, sending sparks flying towards Ba Si Ba. Ba Si Ba brushed them aside with his palm, just as he was about to counterattack, when suddenly Liang Xiao's large sleeve shook outwards, using the power of "Guo Xuan Jin". The big pot clanged loudly as it spun through the air, stirring up a huge wave of boiling water that resembled a dragon, right in front of Ba Si Ba. Ba Si Ba hastily withdrew his palm strength to deflect the boiling water. Liang Xiao took advantage of this opportunity, his palm strength unrelenting as he stirred the boiling water and firewood into a chaotic mess. Ba Si Ba's martial arts skills were high, but facing this combination of water and fire, he found it extremely difficult to resist. In just a moment, his bald head was scalded by the rolling water, causing him immense pain, and his clothes were also set alight by the sparks, burning fiercely.

  Danbazun saw the situation, picked up a green brick from the ground and threw it out. With a loud crash, the cauldron was pierced, boiling water poured out, and the bonfire was extinguished in one go. Not doing twice, Longya and Shixin also took action. However, the four of them either had guilt in their hearts or cherished their identities, so although they were ganging up on him, they didn't rush forward together, but instead each guarded a corner, taking turns to attack, using a wheel battle to consume Liang Xiao's internal energy.

  After another half-day of fighting, Liang Xiao only felt his internal energy draining away like flying, and he secretly called out in distress. However, Hua Xiaoshuang was unwilling to leave easily, relying on the "Bihai Jingtao Palm" to barely hold on for a short while. Gradually, his eyes blurred and his ears rang, and his palm movements became more sluggish. He couldn't help but think: "As long as the green mountain is still there, I'm not afraid of having no firewood to burn, let's retreat first!" With a loud shout, he jumped back, forcing open the dragon-toothed door with one palm, and Lion Heart shouted loudly, slapping his flank. Liang Xiao stretched out his arm to block it, and his whole body surged with hot blood, almost making his heart jump out. He took a deep breath, borrowing the power of Lion Heart's Palm, and backed away towards the outside of the door. Unexpectedly, a figure flickered in front of the door, and someone suddenly appeared, pointing one finger at Liang Xiao's back. Liang Xiao was unable to react in time, his back went numb, and he fell to the ground.

  That person's five fingers struck in succession, with a hint of thunder at the fingertips, instantly sealing off Liang Xiao's ten major acupoints. Liang Xiao was shocked by his technique and took a closer look, seeing that the man wore ordinary clothes, with black robes wrapped around his body, an eagle nose, deep eyes, two temples white as frost, and fine wrinkles all over his forehead. Liang Xiao involuntarily shouted: "Who are you?" The man seemed to be somewhat tired from his movements, hunched over, lightly coughing, ignoring Liang Xiao, and suddenly said towards the palace: "Great kindness of the Emperor's teacher, Liang has received it!"

  Ba Si sighed: "Ashamed, ashamed, this person's martial arts skills are astonishing and intimidating. The entire power of our Da Tian Wang Temple was almost unable to capture him. Such a figure is definitely not an unknown person. Dare I ask Brother Xiao, who exactly is he?" The black-clothed man coughed several times and coldly said: "You promised Xiao that you wouldn't ask about his background."

  Basi Ba said: "Basi Ba is indeed curious, Xiao brother won't say, that's okay." He walked up and pressed the Zhongliang Xiao "Xiangzhong" acupoint with his fingers.

  The man in black frowned and said, "What are you doing?" Ba Si Pa sighed and said, "This person's martial arts skills are too high, Brother Xiao's 'Lightning Finger' may not be able to subdue him. I'll add this move 'Golden Vajra Finger' to make sure we're safe." The man in black sneered and said, "What's the big deal about Golden Vajra Finger?" Long Ya and Dan Ba both had angry faces, and Shi Xin also restrained his smile, but they all didn't dare to act out because of Ba Si Pa's presence.

  The man in black brushed his sleeve, picked up Liang Xiao and turned to leave. He threw Liang Xiao into a horse carriage and drove away quickly. Liang Xiao secretly used the "Whale Breath Technique" to break through three acupoints, but when he reached the "Xiangzhong" point, he encountered resistance and angrily said: "If anyone can open my acupoint, let's settle this with a fight." The man in black was silent for a moment before sighing: "I could have defeated you fairly in Huizhou, why bother with such trouble?" Liang Xiao had a flash of insight and blurted out: "Were you the one who crippled people's limbs along the way?"

  The man in black sneered, "Now that things have come to this, it's no harm telling you. When the news of your appearance at Cliff Mountain reached the north, I brought my troops south to Guangzhou to search for you, and after spending a lot of time, we finally met on the outskirts of Huizhou City. At that time, I saw that your footwork and body method were not those of an enemy, plus you were clever and cunning, making it difficult to succeed in a surprise attack. Fortunately, that little girl was always meddling and loved to diagnose people's illnesses, so after some thought, I came up with this plan to lure you here to the capital. Ba Si Pa owed me a favor from his youth, and I had planned to ask him to take action, but although his martial arts skills were high, he might not be able to defeat you. Hmph, in this way, after using up all my clever ideas, I still couldn't come up with a foolproof plan. Luckily, yesterday that monk Jiu Ru came, and since you two know each other, Ba Si Pa came up with a clever plan for me - he found out from Long Ya and Shi Xin that Jiu Ru was being bothered by an enemy, and that expert had also come to the capital."

  Liang Xiao's heart was clear, and he hated to say: "Is Shitian Feng the one you brought?" The black-clothed man was surprised and said: "That strange old man is the master of Lingao Island? No wonder." After a moment of silence, he continued, "Yes, you went to Wuse An, I saw it in secret and informed Basi Ba. Basi Ba then led Shifeng Lao to Wuse An, and had you fight until both were injured. You should have been hurt too, but unexpectedly you used a trick to force Shifeng Lao away, and Basi Ba could only take action to subdue the little monk, taking the woman and child with him. Originally planned to use these two people to lure you here tonight, but didn't expect Jiuru Monk to not admit defeat after being injured, and actually sent you here early." After finishing speaking, he laughed twice, but there was no joy in his laughter, only sadness and resentment.

  Liang Xiao's regret and hatred surged, and at this moment, he thought that he seemed to have seen this person before on the way to the capital. However, he was arrogant about his martial arts skills and took him for an ordinary passerby, which led to a crushing defeat. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and he shouted loudly: "We don't know each other, why do you keep ambushing me? Are you Kublai's lackey?" The black-clad man replied coldly: "What is Kublai? Since M?ngke Khan passed away, there hasn't been anyone in the Mongols who I, Xiao Leng, look up to." Liang Xiao's mind was severely shaken, and he exclaimed: "You are Xiao Leng, the disciple of Xiao Qian Yue?"

  The man in black turned his head, his eagle-like eyes scanning his face before saying coldly, "By generation, you should call me Master Uncle." Liang Xiao cursed and angrily said, "Go to hell, Master Uncle! I have nothing to do with that old bastard Shao Qian." Shao Leng's face turned cold with anger and he said, "You ungrateful wretch, how dare you scold your master!" He raised his hand to slap Liang Xiao's face but stopped just short of it, his face twisted in rage as he turned away. However, Liang Xiao shouted, "A real man would hit me! If not, then you're not a good one."

  He glared at him coldly and said in a chilly tone, "Do you think I'm afraid to hit you? Hmph, I'm worried that once I start, I won't be able to control myself and take your life." As he spoke, his eyes gleamed with ferocity, and his facial muscles twitched slightly as if he was struggling to restrain himself. Liang Xiao laughed coldly and said, "You're a man who dares to speak and act!" Xiao Leng suddenly turned his head, clenched his fists tightly, and dug his fingernails into his palms, his eyes seeming to bulge with rage. He glared at Liang Xiao for the time it took to drink a cup of tea before finally suppressing his anger and saying in a low voice, "If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so long ago. Why wait until now?" Liang Xiao said, "You won't kill me, but you'll regret it later." Xiao Leng snorted and said coldly, "Don't forget, the little girl is in my hands. Can't I take out my anger on her if I don't kill you?" Liang Xiao was taken aback, furrowed his brow, and asked, "You neither hit me nor killed me, but went to great lengths to capture me. What's your plan?" Xiao Leng let out a long sigh and focused on driving the carriage, no longer speaking. Liang Xiao feared that he would harm Hua Xiaoshuang, so he could only swallow his anger and remain silent.

  The horse carriage stopped abruptly after a while. Xiao Leng pulled Liang Xiao out of the carriage, and Liang Xiao took a look around to find that they were in the suburbs, with lush green mountains and winding paths leading into the depths of the forest, where a corner of a flying eave was visible from afar. Xiao Leng stared blankly at the corner of the flying eave, his expression dazed and lost, until after a long while, he grabbed Liang Xiao and followed the small path up the mountain. Before long, they saw a temple standing at the end of the mountain road.

  Xiao Leng put down Liang Xiao, sealed his mute acupoint with a wave of her hand, and let out a long sigh. "Junior sister, you're here again!" she said slowly. A woman's voice came from inside the hut, "Senior brother, why must you..." Liang Xiao felt dizzy and almost fainted.

  The woman coughed lightly and said calmly, "You brought Shao'er's friend to see me, I appreciate your kindness. However, a friend is just a friend, not Shao'er herself. As I've said before, if you don't bring Shao'er back safely, forget about the secular matters." Liang Xiao felt his heart being cut like a knife, the words "mom" stuck in his throat, unable to be spoken out due to his dumbness, he became so anxious that his face turned red and his ears were burning, almost going mad.

  Xiao Leng sighed and said, "Sister, you don't want to marry me, that's fine. But why do you have to stay in this desolate mountain, eating vegetarian food and reciting Buddhist scriptures? Look at how much suffering you're enduring, it pains my heart too." Xiao Yulian was silent for a moment before speaking, "Brother, let's not talk about this again. If I were to return to secular life, Master would surely bring up old matters and force me to marry you. Alas, ten years have passed, my heart has long been dead, I only wish to stay here and guard the ancient Buddha's lantern, ending my remaining life. Brother, if you still cherish some fraternal bond, please fulfill this poor nun's wishes. As for this little girl, please take her back to Xiao Er, or else... or else my child will surely... surely be in a hurry..." Her voice was choked with sobs, barely audible, when a clear voice called out, "Ah, Auntie... You're... you're Shao Gege's mom?" Liang Xiao heard that it was Hua Xiaoxuan and his heart leapt with joy once again.

  But then Xiao Yu Ling sighed and said, "Foolish child, do you only understand now? Alas, if it were Xiao Er, he would have guessed long ago." Hua Xiao Xue hesitated and said, "Aunt...you didn't say anything, so I naturally wouldn't know. Hmm, I was originally stupid, and Brother Xiao often says that about me." Xiao Yu Ling smiled lightly and said warmly, "That child is just impatient, but hearing you talk about him, Auntie is overjoyed. You say he's good in every way, which shows your true feelings for him." Hua Xiao Xue hastily said, "Aunt...you..." Xiao Yu Ling chuckled softly and continued, "What are you blushing for? Your nature is good, and it's Xiao Er's blessing to have you take care of him. However, I know my own child, and perhaps as people grow up they become a bit more restrained, but their true nature may not necessarily change completely. Alas, he's probably not as good as you say, Xiao Xue, so please be patient with him."

  Hua Xiao Shuang murmured, speaking softly: "But Brother Xiao is really good to me... Ah... Auntie, Brother Xiao is in the capital, why don't you go see him?" Xue Yu Ling fell silent for a moment, then spoke bitterly: "It's no use, I've sworn a poisonous oath that I will never return to secular life, and I won't leave this place half a step. Otherwise... Alas... I would have to do something difficult."

  Hua Xiao Shuang said, "Then I'll call him to see you." Xiao Yu Ling said, "That's even more impossible. If he came, wouldn't it cause a huge commotion? His master is a very formidable person, and Xiao Er can't defeat him. If you truly like him, then promise Auntie that you will make a solemn vow not to tell him I'm here in this life or the next." Hua Xiao Shuang said, "I...I..." hesitated for a long time, but couldn't bring herself to make the vow.

  Xiao Yulian sighed, "Alright, Xiaoxue, come over. You must talk to him, I'll give you a few more important instructions." The room fell silent, and suddenly they heard Xiaoxue make a muffled sound, followed by the sound of something heavy falling to the ground. Liang Xiao's heart skipped a beat, but then he heard Xiao Yulian sigh, "No choice, let her sleep for now. Alas, if I had known it would be like this, I shouldn't have revealed my identity to her. Brother, cover her eyes, don't let her remember the path." Liang Xiao felt slightly relieved when he heard that Xiaoxue was only unconscious.

  Xiao Leng was silent for a moment, then suddenly said: "This is not necessary, I have already brought your precious son." Xiao Yu Ling exclaimed in shock: "What? You... you dare to disobey the master's orders? He said that we cannot bring Xiao Er and Wen Jing here, you... are you deceiving me, trying to make me happy?" Her emotions were stirred up, and her words became somewhat incoherent.

  Xiao Leng's eyebrows revealed a hint of bitterness, and he sighed: "Shi Mei, it has always been you deceiving me, when have I ever deceived you? Alas, if you are willing to return to secular life, even if Shifu had an order, I would not be able to care about it!" Xiao Yu Ling remained silent for a long time before suddenly saying: "Alright, bring him in." Xiao Leng carried Liang Xiao inside. On the floor, Hua Xiao Feng was unconscious. Under the Guanyin statue sat a white-robed nun with a beautiful face and pale skin, her forehead and eyes filled with fine wrinkles. She saw Liang Xiao and her body trembled slightly, closing her eyes as two streams of tears flowed out. Liang Xiao also had tears streaming down his face, but he was unable to speak.

  After a while, Xiao Yulian opened her eyes and looked at Liang Xiao. Her gaze changed in an instant. Over the past decade, she had experienced many changes and her will had become much stronger, yet she still hadn't shed a single tear. After a long time, she sighed and said: "Master brother, release his acupoints!" Xiao Leng shook his head and said: "It's no use, his martial arts are too high." Xiao Yulian coughed twice and softly sighed: "This little girl was telling the truth, his martial arts really are that strong?" Xiao Leng bitterly smiled and said: "I've never spoken falsely. If he gains freedom, he will definitely take you away, and at that time I won't be able to stop him." He looked at Xiao Yulian, his face showing a pained expression, and slowly said: "How can I let you leave me for another ten years?" Xiao Yulian's body shook, and she forced a smile: "Master brother, over the years, you've exhausted your mind, but I still haven't agreed. Why do you still want to be so infatuated?"

  Xiao Leng said, "You said a few months ago that as long as I brought the father and son of Liang Wenjing safely to your presence, you would be willing to return to secular life." Xiao Yulian said, "At that time, I couldn't bear your entanglement, so I used this method. Master had forced us to take a poisonous oath not to see them, and I thought you were obedient to Master in every way, and would never dare to disobey even half a step. Who knew you would actually break the oath and bring Xiao Er here? If Master finds out, what will happen?" Xiao Leng snorted and said, "Even if I suffer severe punishment, I am willing." Xiao Yulian sighed bitterly and said, "Even so, you only brought Xiao Er, where is Wenjing?" Xiao Leng said, "Catch the son, and ask about the father's whereabouts." Xiao Yulian said, "Good, you untie his acupoints." Xiao Leng shook his head and said, "This kid is too noisy, if I let him speak, he will only suffer." His eyes flickered, staring at Xiao Yulian, "Besides, you know the father's whereabouts, but you may not necessarily go to find him secretly. You have to make an oath, and then I'll untie his acupoints."

  Xiao Yu Ling said gloomily, "Elder brother, you're being overly cautious. I promised Master that I would never leave this place. It's been ten years since I've seen Xiao Er, and you won't let him speak to me. How do I know if he's real or fake? Maybe you just found someone who looks similar to deceive me."

  Xiao Leng was provoked by his words and angrily said, "Don't you trust me?" He reached out and opened the acupoint on Liang Xiao's neck. Liang Xiao cried out, "Mom..."

  Xiao Yu Ling's body shook violently, and she stretched out her hand as if to hug him, but ultimately withdrew it. Her eyes sparkled with tears, and she forced a smile, saying, "Xiao Er, is that really you?"

  Liang Xiao was overcome with emotion, his voice trembling as he said, "Mom... I've dreamed of you every night..."

  Xiao Yulian's heart was like a knife cut, her voice was hoarse as she said: "Mom also misses you, all these years... how have you been? What about your father, how is he?" Liang Xiao's mouth felt like it had been heavily struck, looking at his mother, he could hardly speak.

  Xiao Yulian saw his expression, and suddenly felt a dizziness in her heart, bitterly smiling: "Could it be that... he has another wife? Xiao Er, just say it, after all these years, even if he remarried me, I wouldn't blame him." Xiao Leng gazed at Liang Xiao, unknowingly feeling surprised and delighted in his heart: "If that guy had a new love, Shifu's sister would definitely give up completely." Liang Xiao originally couldn't bear to speak the truth, but after hearing this, he couldn't help but shout out: "How could that be... Father... he passed away long ago."

  Xiao Yulian was as if struck by five thunderbolts, her eyes fixed and mouth agape. Xiao Leng was also stunned, he had a deep-seated hatred for Liang Wenjing, even in his dreams he wanted to take his life, but unexpectedly this arch-nemesis had long been dead, overjoyed yet feeling lost, suddenly he let out a mournful laugh.

  Xiao Yulian heard the laughter, and suddenly wrapped her arms around Liang Xiao, exclaiming: "What did you say? How... how could he be dead? How could he be dead?" Just as Liang Xiao was about to speak, a gloomy voice interrupted him, saying: "I killed him. What of it?" The tone was cold and metallic, like the sound of breaking gold and iron.

  Three people inside the house changed color at the same time. Xiao Leng's face turned pale, and he knelt down with a thud, saying in a hoarse voice: "Master!" Xiao Yulian looked out the door with a dazed expression: "Master, is this true?" Xiao Qianxue sneered: "Rather than letting this kid add fuel to the fire, it's better for me to speak and get it over with. It's just that the one surnamed Liang was not skilled enough, couldn't withstand my 'Taiyin True Qi', and died as he should have."

  Xiao Yulian only felt a sharp pain in her chest, and her body swayed slightly. She smiled miserably and said: "You deceived me, you promised not to kill him... You promised..." Xiao Qianxue coldly said: "You betrayed me for ten years, I deceived you for ten years. We both clear our accounts, and neither of us owes the other anything." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yulian suddenly stopped crying and nodded: "That's right, it's just that I was too foolish. I should have known earlier, with your temperament, you would never let him go."

  Xiao Qian's expression turned cold as he said, "That's only natural." Xiao Yu Ling's eyes were red with anger as she spat out, "You made Shifu and I swear not to see his father and son again, are you afraid that I'll find out the truth?"

  Xiao Qianjue let out a cold hum and replied evasively, "Xiao Leng, you've done well!" Xiao Leng smiled wryly and said, "Xiao Leng knows his mistake, please punish me as you see fit." Xiao Qianjue fell silent for a moment before sighing, "Oh well, what's done is done. Little birds will eventually fly high, and I'm getting old too, can't keep controlling you all forever. Get up!" His words were tinged with a hint of desolation. Xiao Leng stood up and said, "Thank you, Master, for your leniency."

  Liang Xiao had been silent for a long time, but suddenly spoke up: "Xiao Qianjue, do you dare to have a decisive battle with me?" Xiao Yuleng was taken aback, and then heard Xiao Qianjue coldly say: "You're quite bold, old man! I've been waiting for these words! Xiao Leng, release his acupoints." Xiao Leng didn't dare disobey, and released Liang Xiao's several major acupoints, but the "Xuanzhong" point couldn't be opened. He sweated profusely on his forehead and trembled as he said: "Disciple is incompetent, can't open the 'Jin Gang Dian Zhi' restriction." Xiao Qianjue snorted: "A trivial skill!" A strong gust of wind swept through the hall, brushing against Liang Xiao's heart, and Liang Xiao's "Xuanzhong" point suddenly opened. He stood up straight, and with a loud shout, struck towards Xiao Leng with his palm. Xiao Leng's breath was closed off, and he hastily blocked with his arm, retreating six steps in a row, falling to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his face pale as gold.

  Xiao Yulian exclaimed: "Xiao Er... don't kill him..." Liang Xiao snarled and turned to Xiao Leng, saying: "You deceived me once but let me see my mom, debts are settled, this slap is the interest." Suddenly, outside the door, Xiao Qianzi impatiently said: "Stinky little brat, too much nonsense, are you going to hit him or not?"

  Xiao Lie took a deep breath and was about to leave when Xiao Yu Ling pulled him back, saying: "Xiao Er, I have a few words to say to you." Xiao Qian Yue coldly said: "Old lady, stinky little boy, I'll be waiting for you at the top of the mountain in the purple bamboo forest." A gust of wind blew far away.

  Xiao Yulian waited until he was far away, then turned to Xiao Leng and said: "Senior brother, I'm afraid I need you to step aside for a moment." Xiao Leng gave Liang Xiao a fierce glare before dragging his feet as he walked out of the hut.

  Xiao Yuling pulled Liang Xiao to sit down in front of the Buddha statue, Liang Xiao was already old and felt uncomfortable being held so intimately by her, he shrugged and said: "Mom, why are you holding me so tight?" Xiao Yuling gave him a white eye and scolded: "Even when you're older, I'm still your mom. In the past, when you had diarrhea, didn't you say not to hold too tight?" Liang Xiao was embarrassed and looked at Hua Xiaoxiao with a desire to speak but stopped himself. Xiao Yuling understood and patted Hua Xiaoxiao on the back, waking her up. Seeing Liang Xiao, she exclaimed: "Brother Xiao!" Liang Xiao was happy in his heart, but in front of his mother, he pretended to be calm and helped her up with a hum. Xiao Yuling saw that they were close together and couldn't help but feel a bit jealous, saying: "Good, now you have a daughter-in-law and you've forgotten about your mom?"

  Xiao Xue's cheeks were rosy, and Liang Xiao's face was flushed as he stretched out his arms to hug his mother, forcing a smile. "It's alright, it saves you from being jealous." Xue Yu Ling's eyes reddened as she gazed at the roof, sighing, "If only there was vinegar to eat, that would be good too." Liang Xiao knew she was thinking of her late husband and his heart skipped a beat. He lowered his head and said, "Mom, after I avenge Father's death, I will definitely take good care of you with all my heart, making sure you live happily and never suffer again." Xue Yu Ling shook her head and said, "Xiao Er, I'm afraid you won't be able to do it." Liang Xiao was taken aback, saying, "How can I not do it?" Xue Yu Ling replied, "You won't listen to your mother's words. If you don't listen, how can I be happy?" Liang Xiao hastily said, "I will definitely listen to your words, if I disobey, may heaven punish me..."

  Xiao Yulian hastily covered his mouth and scolded, "With your head held high, there are gods watching, how can you make such a poisonous oath?" Liang Xiao's expression turned serious as he said, "I'm telling the truth, not a single word is false." Xiao Yulian looked at him, nodded and said, "Alright, Xiao has become a man now. Alas, if...if I asked you to forget about avenging your father, would you agree?"

  Liang Xiao was taken aback, stunned for a moment, and shook his head: "The hatred of killing one's father cannot be shared under the same sky. I can agree to anything else, but this is absolutely impossible." Xiao Yu Ling's expression turned gloomy, and he said slowly: "Alright, since that's the case, I want you to cut ties with Xiaoxue completely. Will you agree or not?" Hua Xiaoxue was shocked, and Liang Xiao said seriously: "Mother, do you have to make things difficult for me?" Xiao Yu Ling sighed: "I lost my husband, so I deeply understand the pain involved. If Xiaoxue loses you, she will also be filled with regret for the rest of her life. It's better to suffer a short pain than a long one. You're going to go die anyway, so it's better to separate from her early on." Liang Xiao looked at Hua Xiaoxue and saw tears welling up in her eyes, and he was torn between advancing and retreating, standing frozen on the spot.

  Xiao Yuling let out a sigh, stroking Liang Xiao's shoulder, and said softly: "Good child, Mom lost your dad, no matter what, I don't want to lose you!" Liang Xiao's face sank, and he said coldly: "Mom, do you think I'll definitely lose?" Xiao Yuling was taken aback, and sighed: "Xiao'er, Mom has been poor since childhood. If it weren't for your master, I would have died unjustly long ago. Your master isn't bad to me, but he's too stubborn, doing many wrong things yet always thinking he's right. Xiao'er, no matter what, please...please consider my face and don't fight him." Liang Xiao suddenly stood up, shouting: "No need to say more! I've practiced this martial art with great difficulty for today's battle!" He steeled his heart and ignored his mother, turning to walk out of the hut.

  Hua Xiao Shuang followed closely behind, saying: "Xiao Gege, I'll go with you." Liang Xiao turned his head to look at her, seeing that she was anxious and had clenched her fists. He suddenly grabbed Hua Xiao Shuang's left arm and took out the "Divine Reversal". Hua Xiao Shuang's face turned red as she hastily said: "Xiao Gege... I... I..." Liang Xiao sighed and said: "I understand your thoughts all too well, using hidden weapons to harm people is not the act of a good person." He put away the "Divine Reversal" and gazed up at the mountain peak where the purple bamboo had grown into a shaded area. With large strides, he walked upwards. Hua Xiao Shuang was stunned for a moment before following closely behind him in small steps.

  Arriving at the forest, Xiao Qian stood with his hands behind his back among the bamboo groves, his figure proud and arrogant, his sleeves fluttering in the wind. He looked like a large black eagle perched on a mountain peak. Seeing Liang Xiao, he nodded and said: "You have guts, I thought you wouldn't dare to come!" Liang Xiao replied coldly: "You old monster also have guts, I thought you would flee with your tail between your legs!"

  Xiao Qian's eyes flashed with a cold glint, and he sneered: "Youngster, why didn't you bring your sword?" Liang Xiao said: "I don't need the Gui Cang Sword to defeat you." Xiao Qian said: "My 'Tian Wu Blade' can shatter gold and jade, if you don't use a blade, don't say I'm taking advantage of you." With a casual wave of his hand, a strong gust of wind swept by, cutting off five thick purple bamboo stalks around him, the cut ends smooth and flat, as if sliced by a sharp blade.

  Liang Xiao glanced at him and said lightly, "Bamboo is dead, people are alive!" Xiao Qianxue laughed and said, "Good, let me see if you're alive or not?" With a flick of his sleeves, the bamboo forest rustled and trembled, and thousands of bamboo leaves shot towards Liang Xiao like arrows. Liang Xiao used his "Whirlpool Power", and the bamboo leaves circled around him once before shooting back at Xiao Qianxue. Xiao Qianxue stood face to face with the torrent of bamboo leaves, his footsteps slow and laborious, as if he was walking upstream against the current. The bamboo leaves reached his body and fell to the ground with a rustling sound, piercing into the mud.

  Xiao Qianjue burst out laughing and said, "You think you can look down on the world's top masters just because you won against a Siu Sap?" He pointed two fingers at Liang Xiao's heart, and Liang Xiao slapped them away with his palm. Their fingers and palms clashed, causing both of them to recoil in shock. Xiao Qianjue's right palm swept across in an arc, his arm bending back and forth like a whip. Liang Xiao saw the danger and didn't dare meet it head-on, retreating half a foot as he unleashed his "Bihai Jingtao Palm", grasping at empty air and neutralizing the force.

  Hua Xiao Shuang watched from the sidelines, seeing that the two men's moves were not swift and agile, and slightly let her guard down. However, she didn't know that the strength in their palms was extraordinary, beyond ordinary people's imagination, and the four purple bamboo poles couldn't withstand it, bending outward one after another. Liang Xiao exchanged several moves, suddenly having an epiphany - it turned out that Xiao Qianxue's right finger was using sword techniques, while his left palm was taking the form of a single whip. Just as he understood the principle and was about to devise a way to break through, Xiao Qianxue's left palm suddenly thrust forward with the halberd technique of the painting halberd, while his right fist opened wide with the hammer technique of the copper hammer.

  At that moment, Xiao Qian's bare hands conjured up all sorts of weapons, including external school weapons like the Wanzi Du and Taiji Quan. The strange changes were beyond imagination. When faced with Liang Xiao's dangerous moves, he suddenly remembered his mother mentioning "Tian Wu Ren" in his childhood, saying that there was a transformation called "Bai Bing Zhuan", which integrated various sword techniques into fist methods, mixing and using them to create mysterious and unpredictable changes, far surpassing the real knives and guns.

  Xiao Qianxue took two steps back, his left hand holding an invisible mountain, his right hand plucking the bowstring, forming a crossbow arrow shape. Liang Xiao only felt a sharp wind hitting his face, and he hastily dodged, several strands of hair falling off. He was shocked in his heart: "This old monster is incredible, able to condense his energy into a sharp edge and shoot invisible arrows!" Then, he saw Xiao Qianxue's energy arrows ceaseless, and countered with the "Dripping Water Force", the two forces colliding in mid-air with a hissing sound. Hua Xiaoxue saw the danger in this and couldn't help but take a step forward.

  Xiao Qian's "Invisible Crossbow" was unable to withstand Liang Xiao, who let out a loud shout and transformed the "Hundred Soldiers' Change" into "Thousand Blades in One Direction". His palm force suddenly gathered and released, rising and falling like thunder and lightning. In an instant, nearly half of the purple bamboo forest was destroyed by him.

  Liang Xiao used his left palm to dissolve the incoming attack with "Trapping Empty Force", while his right palm counterattacked with "Turbulent Heaven's Fury". His double palms were like a rotating windmill, changing and transforming, perfectly displaying the state of the heavens' fierce winds and turbulent clouds.

  Xiao Qian became anxious from their prolonged battle without progress, but his palm strength did not wane, and his movements became even swifter. Liang Xiao could only respond with swift strikes as well. The two figures in the forest, one in green and one in black, moved like wind and lightning, causing Hua Xiaoxue's heart to be shocked and her legs to go weak.

  In the blink of an eye, they exchanged over a hundred moves, and Xiao Qian's long whistle changed into "Wàn Rèn Wú Xíng" (Ten Thousand Blades Formless). This transformation was the final variation of "Tiān Wù Rèn" (Heavenly Object Blade), also his lifelong masterpiece. Its power was unparalleled in the world, surpassing any other martial art. Liang Xiao felt that his opponent's moves were increasingly unpredictable, and what was even more terrifying was that the surrounding bamboo, rocks, sand, and dust were all manipulated by his internal energy to become deadly weapons. At this moment, he picked up a broken bamboo stick, using it as a substitute for his sword, and executed "Guī Cáng Jiàn" (Returning to Storage Sword). His left palm then unleashed "Bì Hǎi Jīng Tāo Zhǎng" (Azure Ocean Shockwave Palm), with both the sword and palm techniques being used simultaneously, momentarily not falling behind.

  Xiao Qian secretly applauded, wanting to know that Liang Xiao had achieved such a high level of martial arts at a young age, which was truly rare. Even the old monster couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for his talent. As they fought on, Liang Xiao's heart felt not only hatred but also a growing sense of respect for his opponent. The two men seemed to have a tacit understanding, and their moves became less aggressive and more focused on testing each other's skills. They exchanged blows, analyzing each other's techniques, and their movements became increasingly intricate and beautiful. Hua Xiao Xue watched with wide eyes, her brow furrowed in worry, clutching a small branch beside her so tightly that her fingers turned white. Suddenly, she felt a numbness on the back of her heart and couldn't move. She looked up to see Xiao Leng, and exclaimed in surprise: "You... what are you doing?"

  Xiao Leng remained silent, staring at the arena with a look of anxiety between his brows. Hua Xiao Xue suddenly understood and angrily said: "You want to use me as leverage against Brother Xiao and make him lose? Shameless, big...big scoundrel..." She was born into a family of poetry and etiquette, gentle and elegant, but at this moment she knew that Liang Xiao had encountered the strongest enemy of his life, and if he lost focus for even a moment, his life would be in danger. Her heart racing with urgency, she cursed out loud.

  Xiao Leng ignored her scolding, not responding. Hua Xiao Shuang's rebuke was in vain, and she couldn't help but sob uncontrollably. Suddenly, she heard Xiao Yu Ling sigh behind her: "Foolish child, don't cry, the more you cry, the more it suits his taste." Hua Xiao Shuang's heart skipped a beat: "Yes, the more I cry, the more Brother Xiao will be distracted." Thinking of this, she gritted her teeth and held back her tears, making up her mind that no matter how Xiao Leng tormented her, she wouldn't make a sound.

  Xiao Yulian sighed again and said, "Thinking back to those days, 'Living Asura' Xiao Leng proudly looked down on the heroes with his Hai Ruo knife, what a heroic spirit, what a majestic momentum. Now, he's using a little girl as a hostage, such a trick is truly shameful!" Xiao Leng coldly smiled and said, "As long as Master wins, I'd rather be seen as a despicable person."

  The siblings locked eyes, and Xiao Yuleng reached into his sleeve to pull out a short blue knife. Xiao Leng's face twitched, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Feng Yi Dao!" He let out a long sigh, lifted the hem of his clothes, and pulled out a four-foot-long blue knife as well. Xiao Yuleng's eyebrows trembled, and he whispered, "Hai Ruo?" Xiao Leng gently stroked the blade, his expression a mix of sadness and joy, muttering to himself, "Hai Ruo, Feng Yi, the Mandarin Duck Twin Blades, forged in the same furnace, yet unable to rest in the same scabbard..." He trailed off into a mournful laugh. It turned out that these two treasured knives were originally cast from the same furnace, with yin-yang properties, and Xiao Qian had divided them between his two senior disciples for profound reasons.

  Xiao Yulian heard his sorrowful laughter, and her chest ached. She lowered her eyebrows, held up her sword, and softly said: "Please, older brother!" Xiao Leng stopped laughing, and his expression gradually turned cold. Xiao Yulian let out a soft shout, swung her sword, and chopped down. Xiao Leng blocked it with his horizontal sword, and in an instant, the sound of metal clashing was endless as the siblings fought each other.

  Xiao Leng had been injured in the past, his meridians severely damaged. For ten years, his martial arts skills had not improved but instead regressed. On the other hand, Xiao Yu Ling had made great progress. Moreover, Xiao Leng was wounded by Liang Xiao, and it was a case of one's loss being another's gain. In less than ten moves, he fell into disadvantage. After several more exchanges, their double blades clashed, ringing out loudly. Xiao Leng felt his chest burning hot, his internal injuries acting up again. A mouthful of hot blood surged to his throat, and the Sea-Subduing Knife slipped from his grasp, flying away. Xiao Yu Ling stepped forward, her golden blade slicing through the wind to press against Xiao Leng's chest. His face turned deathly pale, his body swaying, and with a loud "whoosh", he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

  Xiao Qianjue and Liang Xiao fought, originally in a state of flow, forgetting themselves and their surroundings. After exchanging over 300 moves, he relied on his deep experience to gradually gain the upper hand. He thought he had already grasped victory, but when he glanced aside, he saw that two great disciples were fighting with knives. Xiao Qianjue was ruthless in killing, but valued the relationship between master and disciple. Suddenly seeing Xiao Leng spit blood, his mind was greatly shaken. However, at this critical moment of life and death, there was no room for even a slight distraction. Liang Xiao's palm and sword struck out simultaneously, attacking his vital areas. Xiao Qianjue struggled to deflect Liang Xiao's palm force, but the sword move was not entirely avoided. The bamboo sword swept across his waist, bringing up a streak of blood light.

  Xiao Qianjue's voice was stern, his palm swept past, and the bamboo sword broke into two pieces. His fingertips brushed against Liang Xiao's chest, leaving a crimson stain on his left breast. However, Liang Xiao took advantage of the situation and didn't allow Xiao Qianjue to retreat. He threw the broken bamboo at Xiao Qianjue's face.

  Xiao Qianjue shook his sleeve, shattering the bamboo, but then heard Liang Xiao's loud roar as he clapped his palms together. Xiao Qianjue was injured in the waist and ribs, so he took a defensive stance. For a moment, their four palms clashed, sounding like cracking bamboo.

  In an instant, the two exchanged over 40 palm strikes, each using up all their true energy. They both leaped back several meters, storing up their strength, thinking of ways to defeat each other. Suddenly, they let out a loud shout, crouched down, and sprang up, each displaying their lifelong mastery. With all their might, they launched a final attack.

  This move was a matter of life and death, when suddenly a figure flew out to block the two men. This sudden movement caught them off guard, and with their true strength fully exerted, they were unable to pull back. All that could be heard was a soft whooshing sound, as two extremely powerful internal forces simultaneously struck the person.

  That person's body swayed, and fresh blood gushed out of her mouth. Before she could fall to the ground, Liang Xiao rushed over and scooped her into his arms, wailing: "Mom..." His mind was in a daze, his throat constricted. Xiao Yu Ling let out a pained smile, fresh blood flowing from the corner of her mouth as she rasped: "Xiao'er... Master... stop... don't hit anymore..." Liang Xiao was taken aback, suddenly jolted awake, and urgently cried: "Xiao Shuang, save my mom, save my mom..." He no longer cared about Xiao Qian Yue, holding his mother as he rushed to Hua Xiao Shuang's side, repeatedly saying: "Save my mom, save my mom..." Hua Xiao Shuang remained calm and composed, her left hand on Xiao Yu Ling's wrist, her right hand taking out a needle box from her pocket, using the "Five Needles Return to Life" method to stimulate five crucial acupoints.

  The needle had entered the hole, and Hua Xiao Xue was silent for a moment, thinking deeply. She slowly raised her eyes to look at Liang Xiao, who was overjoyed and grabbed her wrist, saying: "Is my mom going to be okay...?" Hua Xiao Xue's eyebrows and eyes turned red, and she was suddenly filled with tears. She shook her head and said in a hoarse voice: "Auntie is too badly injured, I...I couldn't save her..." Liang Xiao's body shook violently, and he took two steps back, staring at her and shouting: "Nonsense! You're a doctor, how can you not save my mom? If you can't even save her, what kind of doctor are you?" Hua Xiao Xue was speechless, feeling extremely wronged in her heart. Tears streamed down her face one after another. Liang Xiao realized he had spoken too harshly and suddenly knelt on the ground, kowtowing to Hua Xiao Xue repeatedly and saying loudly: "I'm going to die, I'm going to die! Xiao Xue, I beg of you, you're a great doctor, please save my mom, please...!" As he spoke, he knocked his head against the ground, causing his forehead to bleed profusely.

  "Hua Xiao Shuang hastily said: "Xiao Gege, don't be like this, get up first, get up!" Liang Xiao heard the sound and was overjoyed, raising his head to say: "You can save my mom, right? You must have thought of a clever plan, I know your skills are the greatest, even the most famous doctors in history can't compare to you..." Hua Xiao Shuang was at a loss, sorrow welled up from within, and she turned around to throw herself on the ground, bursting into loud sobs. Liang Xiao looked at her, his heart sinking lower and lower, as if it would never reach the bottom."

  Xiao Yuling heard the commotion and struggled to open her eyes, softly calling out: "Xiao... er..." Liang Xiao was dazed and leaned down, tears of blood streaming down his face. Xiao Yuling trembled as she wiped away the tear stains on his cheek with her slender fingers, smiling: "Silly child... don't cry... can a doctor who can save lives not also save deaths? Besides, Mom isn't afraid of death..." Liang Xiao was overcome with grief and cried even more sorrowfully. Xiao Yuling sighed softly: "Xiao er, you mustn't blame yourself. When I heard about your father's passing, I didn't want to live either, but I was worried about you and couldn't leave right away... Ah, it's good this way, look at your martial arts skills, no one can bully you now, Mom is truly happy from the bottom of her heart... You can go see your father, listen to him tell stories every day, never parting ways..." She gazed up at the sky, her eyes gradually becoming distant, "Xiao er... Mom has to go, promise me one thing, okay?"

  Liang Xiao choked with sobs: "Don't mention one thing, a thousand things, ten thousand things, I'll agree to them all." Xue Yu Ling smiled and gently stroked his face: "Good child, you promise me, never... never seek revenge against your Shifu..." Her tone was especially heavy when she said the two words "never".

  Liang Xiao was struck by lightning and suddenly became stunned. Xiao Yu Ling grabbed his hand, trembling with voice: "You... if you don't agree, mom... will die without closing her eyes..." Liang Xiao buried his head, his ten fingers deeply embedded in the mud, after a long time he raised his head, suddenly seeing that Xiao Yu Ling's eyes were scattered with divine light, finally softened his heart, gritting his teeth: "Good, I agree with you, this life and this world will never seek revenge against Xiao Qian." He spoke word by word, extremely difficult, finishing one sentence without realizing his strength was exhausted, fainting to the ground.

  Xiao Yulian was once the "Bihai Jingtao Palm", but later she was struck by the "Tianwu Blade" and her five organs were torn apart, her vitality completely exhausted. It was only for this one thing that she had endured until now. When she heard his words, her body relaxed, and a faint red glow spread across her pale face. She looked up and saw clearly that between the clouds and sky, Liang Wanjun's green shirt was majestic, smiling and waving at her. The sound of the Chuanjiang boat outside Changzhou City still echoed in her ears. Her heart surged with boundless joy, and she softly called out: "Jinglang, Jinglang..." After calling twice, she smiled and passed away.

  Xiao Qian's face was pale from start to finish, standing silently by the side until Xiao Yu Ling stopped breathing before regaining consciousness. Following her gaze before she died, he looked up at the sky for a moment, then suddenly let out a mournful and long laugh, staring fiercely at Liang Xiao and gritting his teeth: "You stinky brat, was it you who said my dad is dead?" At this moment, Liang Xiao's mind was blank, regardless of Xiao Qian's thunderous scolding, he just held his mother's body, ignoring him.

  Xiao Qian's voice was filled with hatred: "I'm a fool, my son is also a fool. If you hadn't said that your father died, Feng'er wouldn't have lost her life! Hmph, it's all because I was too soft-hearted back then. If I had killed you, there wouldn't be this situation today!" He personally killed his beloved disciple, filled with regret and anger, with no place to vent his hatred, all of which was directed at Liang Xiao. With a fierce laugh, he said: "You stinky little brat, aren't you trying to kill me? Come on!" Hua Xiaoxue saw him gritting his teeth, his eyes wide with fury, but Liang Xiao just stood there blankly, not moving. Her heart racing, she rushed between the two of them and stretched out her arms to protect Liang Xiao.

  Xiao Qian Yue was already slightly deranged, just about to make his move, when he suddenly heard Xiao Leng say loudly: "Master, wait..." Xiao Qian Yue shouted: "What, you also want to avenge Feng Er? Fine, I'll let you take the lead, you come and kill him." Xiao Leng shook his head and sighed: "This isn't his fault." Xiao Qian Yue's thick eyebrows furrowed in anger, shouting: "Not his fault, then whose fault is it?" He had already been blaming himself a thousand times over, and Xiao Leng's words undoubtedly touched the sore spot on his heart. For a moment, he glared fiercely at Xiao Leng, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins.

  Xiao Leng remained unmoved, staring blankly at Xiao Yu Ling's lifeless body, muttering to himself: "It's all because of you, Disciple. If I hadn't been bewitched and led him here, nothing would have happened. It was me who killed Yu Ling. Now that Yu Ling is gone, living on is pointless for you too." Hai Ruo Dao swung his blade horizontally, and a burst of fresh blood splattered out, ending his life in an instant.

  Xiao Qian was caught off guard and stood frozen in place. He had been lonely and without family since childhood, but later took on apprentices, pouring all his affection into the three beloved disciples. Among them, Bo Yan's enthusiasm for fame did not please him, while Xiao Leng and Xiao Yu Ling were the ones who truly won his heart. But fate was cruel, and one day they both fell in battle. Xiao Qian felt as if the sky had fallen, his body turned ice-cold, and he stood stunned for a long time. Turning to look at Liang Xiao, his eyes seemed to want to devour him whole, and he shouted in a stern voice: "You... you killed my Ling Er, and now you've killed Leng Er too! If I don't tear you limb from limb, I swear I won't be able to rest!" Liang Xiao's heart was already cold and devoid of interest, and upon hearing these words, he thought that dying would be a clean end. He didn't move, closed his eyes, and waited for death.

  Hua Xiao Shuang saw Xiao Qian Yue jumping up, anxious and took two steps forward, shouting: "It's not Brother Xiao's fault, it's all...all your fault." Liang Xiao heard his soul flying away, to know that Xiao Qian Yue was in a fit of rage, ten Hua Xiao Shuangs wouldn't be able to withstand one blow from him. She was too close to Xiao Qian Yue at this moment, and Liang Xiao couldn't rescue her in time, so he could only hold his breath and watch.

  Xiao Qian's imposing aura was momentarily stunned, and he coldly said: "You little girl don't understand anything! Get out of here!" With a flick of his sleeve, a gust of wind swept across Hua Xiao Xue's face, causing several strands of her hair to fall to the ground. Hua Xiao Xue felt a stinging pain on her cheek, and her hairs stood on end. Looking at Xiao Qian's ferocious expression, she couldn't help but feel an unspeakable fear in her heart. But thinking that Liang Shao's life was hanging by a thread, she suddenly summoned boundless courage to stare down the number one great demon head-on, and loudly said: "You killed Liang Bo Bo, Auntie was heartbroken and only then did she think of death; if Auntie hadn't left, this Uncle Xiao wouldn't have been heartbroken either. You didn't kill Liang Bo Bo, Auntie wouldn't be dead, and Uncle Xiao wouldn't be dead either. A thousand mistakes, ten thousand wrongs, all because of you. You only care about your own pleasure, killing people on a whim, causing others to lose their loved ones. Now that you've lost your closest relatives, don't you understand the pain? What you don't want for yourself, don't do to others. If you don't want to lose your loved ones, why take away other people's loved ones?" She wasn't usually eloquent, but today she had seen too many tragic events and was extremely indignant, so her words poured out clearly and quickly, without any hesitation. Liang Shao listened with growing surprise: "This little girl has a lot of guts." He put down his mother's body, stood up silently, and walked away.

  Xiao Qianjue felt that Hua Xiaoxue's words were piercing his heart, yet every sentence was reasonable. No matter how he tried to retort, he couldn't find the words to do so. He suddenly became furious and shouted, "Nonsense! Nonsense! All of you are talking nonsense!" With a wave of his hand, the sharp wind from "Tian Wu Ren" swept across Hua Xiaoxue's face, causing her skin to ache. She widened her eyes but refused to back down.

  Xiao Qianjue stomped his foot in anger and said, "I've never killed a woman in my life, but if you don't leave now, I'll have to break that rule today!" Hua Xiaoxue sneered and coldly said, "If you want to kill me, then do it. Why bother speaking so much? It seems like the only thing you know how to do is kill people. You won't always be able to do that, though. One day, someone will come seeking revenge for all the people you've killed."

  Xiao Qianjue angrily asked, "Who has the ability to kill me?" Hua Xiaoxue replied, "Maybe no one can right now, but your skills will eventually decline with age. You've killed countless people; don't you think someone will come seeking revenge? When that day comes and you're unable to move your legs or lift your hands, how will you defend yourself? Who will be kind enough to help a great villain like you?"

  This is a very ordinary truth, but Xiao Qian has been stubborn all his life and never thought about it carefully. At this time, he couldn't help thinking: "Leng Er and Ling Er are no longer there, and Bo Yan is eager for fame and cannot inherit my legacy. Even if I were to eliminate all my enemies and be unmatched in the world, what's the difference between being lonely and isolated like a village elder?" Suddenly, his heart turned cold and grey, he closed his eyes and stood silently for a moment, then let out a long sigh. But this weak thought flashed by, and his eyes suddenly opened wide, and he sneered: "Childish talk! I'm afraid of who? Hmph, even if there are many enemies, come one kill one, come two kill two..." He turned to Liang Xiao again, scolding him with a stern gaze: "You stinky brat, I won't kill you for now, let's see how you'll take revenge in the future!" Turning around and picking up Xiao Leng, he took two steps forward, suddenly letting out a loud and mournful laugh. Following that, his feet tightened, and he rushed down the mountain, causing birds to fly away in shock. The only sound left was his laughter fading into the distance, its eerie howl like a wolf's cry.

  Hua Xiao Shuang's spirit suddenly tightened, and she suddenly felt dizzy and her legs went soft as she sat down on the ground. Liang Xiao's heart was shocked: "Did the old monster secretly play a trick?" He rushed up to hold her in his arms and asked hoarsely: "Are you okay?" Hua Xiao Shuang's body trembled, and she buried herself in his chest and began to sob.

  Liang Xiao saw that she had only just calmed down, patted her shoulder, and turned to pick up Xiao Yu's body, but felt a chill in his hands, and his heart was filled with a dull haze. Hua Xiao Xue saw him dazed, wiped away tears and said: "Xiao Gege, let's put it in the hut first, and then make a coffin?" Liang Xiao nodded, went to the hut, sat in front of the body without saying a word. Hua Xiao Xue looked at his strange expression, feared he would do something foolish, didn't dare leave him alone, only held his hand and accompanied him as he sat there.

  After a long silence, Liang Xiao suddenly sighed: "Xiao Feng, you're right. What one doesn't want for oneself, don't impose on others. Those who harm others will harm themselves, and the world has always had its retribution." Hua Xiao Feng heard him finally speak, her heart leapt with joy, and she sighed: "Brother Xiao, I was anxious, ah, that's why I said that about that great villain... actually, he... he's also quite pitiful..."

  Liang Xiao said, "He may be despicable, but if we talk about guilt and sin, I'm not necessarily better than him." He then told her everything that had happened since he joined the army to attack Song Dynasty, from his feud with the heroes of the Southern Dynasty to how he killed his own mother. Hua Xiao Xue listened with a stunned expression, her mind in complete disarray. Liang Xiao continued speaking until he reached the part where he fell into the river at Qiantang, then said, "I originally didn't believe in gods and ghosts, but now I'm very confused. Probably because my guilt is too heavy, heaven is punishing me. First, it made me implicate Ah Xue in her tragic death, then it made me kill my own mother with my own hands, and now it won't let me take revenge on Shao Qian." He paused for a moment, then sighed, "I command a large army, killing people like they're nothing. That's being unkind; implicating my sworn sister in her tragic death and living a life of self-preservation is being unjust; I loved Hua Er, but I pitied your weakness and drove her away. That's being disloyal to love; mistakenly killing my own mother and not being able to avenge my father is being unfilial. A person like me who is unkind, unjust, disloyal, and unfilial, living in this world is truly a shame to heaven and earth!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang felt exhausted, her eyes blurry with tears, and her mind filled with countless thoughts that she couldn't clarify. But then Liang Xiao continued: "Xiao Shuang, you have the best heart, and in the future, you will certainly return to the Extreme Bliss realm. I am deeply sinful and will inevitably fall into the Avici Hell, never to be reborn. Alright, tomorrow I will ask Master Jiuru to send you back to the Tianji Palace. There are thousands of good men in the world who surpass me, and you will definitely find your ideal husband..." Hua Xiao Shuang was shocked and grasped Liang Xiao's sleeve: "I...I won't go, I won't leave." Liang Xiao furrowed his brow: "Xiao Shuang, listen to me." Hua Xiao Shuang choked back tears: "I'd rather die than leave you. If you fall into the Avici Hell, I won't go to any Extreme Bliss realm either. It's better to become a little ghost and suffer with you forever." She spoke more and more sorrowfully, eventually bursting into loud sobs.

  Liang Xiao personally killed his mother, feeling extremely guilty and had long since lost all hope. He only feared that Hua Xiao Xue would be heartbroken, so he wanted to cut off her foolish thoughts and deceive her into leaving, then find a secluded place to end his own life with a knife, putting an end to everything once and for all. Who knew she refused to leave even in death? Liang Xiao had been fighting fiercely all day and had already exhausted himself, but under the shock and urgency of the moment, he suddenly felt a surge of phlegm rise up and fainted.