Chapter 39: The Medical Genius of Apricot Forest

  The white-clad woman was completely unguarded and was suddenly attacked. Bao Dabao was also caught off guard, and let out a startled cry. Suddenly, there was a hissing sound, and a small stone shot out from the crowd, striking the dagger. Liu Zhitian's mouth opened wide in shock, and the dagger flew out of his hand. His heart racing with fear, he quickly leapt backward. Bao Dabao shouted loudly, just about to strike him down with his palm, when again there was a hissing sound. Liu Zhitian's eyes went wide, and he fell backward, a small blood hole appearing on his forehead, fresh blood mixed with ** flowing out profusely onto the ground.

  The woman in white was shocked and let out a sharp cry. Wu Changqing rushed to rescue her, but halfway through, he turned his head back to see where the stone had come from, only to find no clue, which made him secretly anxious. Only Mu Ou knew what was going on, staring at Liang Xiao with a slight nod. Liang Xiao smiled wryly, knowing that he had fallen into his old habit again. Originally, it would have been fine if he had just dropped the dagger, but he hated Liu Zhen for avenging him and being ruthless and shameless, so in a fit of anger, he shot out another stone!

  The wooden puppet saw the angry dragon gang's people with faces as pale as death, and then looked at Liu Zi's corpse again. Thinking about Liang Xiao's martial arts skills for a moment, twenty years of competitive spirit and revenge were gone in an instant. He sighed and said to the angry dragon gang: "Since Liu Zi is dead, I won't make things difficult for you. You're not from the Liu family, there's no need to sacrifice your lives for them!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a porcelain bottle, tossing it to 'Meat Whisker' Chang Wanghai. "This medicine can be applied externally and taken internally to cure the palm poison of the fire flame palm." Chang Wanghai took the bottle, picked up Liu Zi's body, and walked away silently.

  Mù'ǒu shā smiled wryly, turned around and walked away. Bùdài shā stopped him and said: "Brother, your wound hasn't healed yet?" Mù'ǒu shā shook his head and said: "I'm eager for revenge, I've killed too many people, this dragon's whisker needle is also a retribution." He took a step to leave, but Bùdài shā's eyes were filled with tears, she grasped him tightly and wouldn't let go. Mù'ǒu shā used force to struggle free, his face revealed pain, his body shook violently, and he slowly sat down on the ground.

  The woman in white walked forward and sighed, "Don't be stubborn!" She reached out to take his pulse, remained silent for a moment, then asked, "Master, what method can be used to remove the dragon's whisker needle?" Wu Changqing let out a cold snort, gazing up at the sky: "I said I won't help, you have the ability, so cure yourself!"

  The woman in white was stunned, silently sitting back at the table, one hand supporting her cheek, thinking hard, the bag of cloth staring at her with dead eyes, a heart hanging high.

  The woman in white sighed softly and said, "I'll have to take a risk." She took out a small knife as thin as a willow leaf and a small piece of magnetite from the medical box beside her, muttering to herself, "The dragon's whisker needle is driven by the blood vessels, and its path conforms to the meridian. Hmm, sister, when did your brother get pierced, and where?" Bùdài Shā thought for a moment and said, "It should be around yesterday at noon, only my brother knows where he was pierced." Mù'ǒu Shā took a deep breath and gasped, "Near the Neiguan acupoint."

  The white-robed girl gazed at the sundial on the ground, her left hand grasping the wooden puppet's pulse, her right hand pinching her fingers, and she whispered: "Jia Ji Chen Xu Chou Wei ten, Yi Geng Shen Jiu nine for the period, Ding Ren Yin Mao eight become number..." The crowd saw her strange behavior and couldn't help but discuss it. Wu Changqing stared at the girl, his expression becoming serious, holding his tea bowl, forgetting to drink, knowing that the white-robed girl was using various omens and combining pulse theory to calculate the location of the dragon's whisker needle.

  The human body's blood and energy are always running, and the ups and downs of prosperity and decline all have a certain moment. The dragon's whisker needle is impacted by the rush of blood and energy, and its speed is related to the rise and fall of energy and blood, but also because each person's physical quality is different, the time of rise and fall is also different. Some people are energetic during the day, while others are night owls. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to grasp the position of the dragon's whisker needle.

  The woman in white muttered to herself, silently calculating in her mind. After a long while, she murmured: "Wu Gui Si Wu Qi Shu, Bing Xin Hai Zi also seven numbers" two sentences, suddenly stretched out her left hand, and stuck the magnet on the wooden puppet's shoulder head's "Jiu Gu" hole, right hand small knife cut into the skin, a blood arrow shot out from the wound, splashing into the mud.

  This calculation was a great waste of mental effort, the woman in white stretched out her sleeve to wipe away the sweat on her forehead and breathed lightly: "Sister, do you...do you see if the needle is in the blood?" The cloth bag searched in the blood for a moment, picked up a small needle that was finer than a rabbit's hair, although it was small, but had a heavy feeling. She saw that the disaster was eliminated, her eyebrows opened and she smiled with joy, truly overjoyed.

  The woman in white rested for a moment, sat back at the table, and wrote a prescription: "The needle has been left in the meridian for too long. Although it was forcibly pulled out, the meridian has already been damaged. Take this medicine to nurse yourself back to health, lest you leave behind a root of illness..." After saying this, her breathing became even more rapid, her body as fragile as an autumn leaf, trembling with fear. She hastily took out a jade bottle and swallowed two medicinal pills.

  "Living Buddha, are you... unwell?" asked Bu Dai Xia. The woman in white took a deep breath and said, "It's nothing, I've had this chronic illness for a long time." Everyone was surprised to hear that she too was ill. Bu Dai Xia widened his eyes and said, "Living Buddha, with your great abilities, why can't you cure yourself?" Before the woman could respond, Wu Changqing angrily shouted, "Shut up! If you're done, get out of here!" Bu Dai Xia glared at him and angrily retorted, "If it weren't for the Living Buddha's sake, I'd..." Wu Changqing sneered, "You'd what?"

  Bu Dai didn't dare to argue with him, so he swallowed his anger and apologized to the woman in white. He then helped the wooden puppet Bu leave. Just then, a patient walked up, about to sit down, when Wu Changqing said, "I won't see you today, come back another day!" The man was stunned, half squatting, neither standing nor sitting.

  Wu Changqing stood up and said to the woman in white, "You're not feeling well today, you can't exert yourself." The woman in white didn't dare disobey, was about to get up when everyone started shouting: "We've waited for several days already, be good!" "Yes, if the Bodhisattva leaves again, who knows how many more days before she comes out? My illness can't wait!" Suddenly it became chaotic.

  Wu Changqing was furious, scolding loudly: "Damn it, selfishness has never been more obvious than this! Everyone is thinking of themselves, but no one thinks of her? Her illness is a hundred times harder to cure than yours, and her life is a hundred times more precious than yours! Get out, all of you...!" The woman in white sighed: "Master, I'm much better now. My condition has been getting worse and worse, and after today, who knows where I'll be tomorrow? Let's just count the days..." Wu Changqing was taken aback, and with a scowl, he slumped down in his bamboo chair, sulking and drinking tea by himself.

  The woman in white greeted the patient, took his pulse and asked for a diagnosis, either using acupuncture or writing a prescription. If there was anything unclear, she would ask Wu Changqing. When it was time to leave, everyone left happily one after another. Liang Xiao waited until the crowd had dispersed before approaching the strange old man with him.

  The woman in white took another pill, her face was extremely pale, she kept her head down and didn't dare to look at people straight. Liang Xiao walked to the edge of the table, staring blankly at her. He was tall and had a dusty face, Wu Changqing couldn't recognize him for a moment, seeing him standing still, impatiently said: "If you're sick, get treated, if not, scram!" The woman in white hastily said: "Please sit down!" Liang Xiao sat down as she said, the woman in white felt his pulse, and hesitated: "This gentleman, you don't have any illness!"

  Liang Xiao sighed, "I'm ill, take a closer look!" The woman in white shook her head, "I don't see anything, hmm, do you have any discomfort usually?" Liang Xiao gazed at her, his eyes and nose feeling sour and hot, and slowly said, "I often miss a girl, I've heard that this illness is called lovesickness!"

  The woman in white hastily withdrew her hand, trembling and saying: "This... this illness I won't be able to cure!" Liang Xiao sighed: "That girl is very kind-hearted, but her body is not good, it's unknown whether her chronic illness has improved over the past two or three years." The woman in white shuddered, a deep red flush rising from her ears, and her snow-white neck also turned crimson.

  Xiang Xiao smiled wryly and said, "That day I was forced to leave, she cried so hard, I don't know if it would hurt her body? Also don't know if she still has a cold or dizziness? Even more don't know if she still eats that small pill called Golden Wind Jade Dew..." The white-clothed woman slowly lifted her head, only to see her face was thin and pale, with a faint blue aura, her eyebrows like misty smoke, her eye sockets slightly sunken, making her eyes look extremely large, tears falling down like broken pearls, trembling voice said: "Xiao Gege, it's you..."

  Liang Xiao's eyes were moist, and he wanted to offer his sleeve for her to wipe away her tears, but thought it was too dirty, so he used his hand instead. As soon as he touched her face, he felt the sharpness of her cheekbones and couldn't help but say: "Xiao Shuang, you've lost even more weight!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang seemed to be crying and laughing at the same time, her body swayed, and suddenly she fainted. Liang Xiao hurriedly supported her. Wu Changqing was so engrossed in his tea that he didn't notice their movements, but when he saw Hua Xiao Shuang faint, he rushed out quickly, and seeing Liang Xiao blocking his way, without thinking, he reached out to grab him. Liang Xiao's shoulders sank, and he dodged Wu Changqing's grasp, saying urgently: "Mr. Wu, I am Liang Xiao!"

  Wu Changqing was taken aback, recognizing him and blurting out: "You're not dead?" Liang Xiao said: "Of course I'm not dead!" Wu Changqing didn't have time to say more, waving his hand as he took over from Hua Xiaoxue, giving her a medicinal pill and using a golden needle to stimulate the "Ren Zhong" and "Wei Hui" acupoints. After a short while, Hua Xiaoxue's chest began to rise and fall, her eyes opening as she called out: "Brother Xiao!" Liang Xiao rushed forward in response, Hua Xiaoxue tightly grasping his hand as she trembled and said: "I... I wasn't dreaming..." Before she could finish speaking, tears rolled down again.

  Liang Xiao sighed, "It's not a dream, don't you believe me? Try pinching your hand, does it hurt or not?" Hua Xiao Xue did as she was told and pinched her hand, took a deep breath and said, "It really isn't a dream!" Liang Xiao couldn't help but laugh awkwardly, Hua Xiao Xue also felt embarrassed, her face turned red, and she started to giggle lightly. Her smile was extremely beautiful, and when she smiled, the apricot blossoms in the forest lost their color.

  Wu Changqing coldly observed from the side, angrily humming: "Crying and laughing, what's going on?" He also gave Bai Liangxiao a glance, "You little brat, aren't you dead? Good! It saves Little Xiao from being depressed and crying..." Hua Xiaoxue called out: "Master..." Wu Changqing hummed again, taking back the four words "crying and whining", then said: "You little brat, what are you doing here?"

  Liang Xiao pointed to the strange old man crouching in the distance, teasing ants with a twig: "I brought him here for treatment." Wu Changqing frowned and said, "Is he an idiot?" Liang Xiao replied, "I'm not sure either!" He turned his head and smiled at Hua Xiaoxue, saying, "With a living Bodhisattva around, what right does this ordinary person have to speak?"

  Hua Xiao Shuang's face turned red with embarrassment as she said, "Xiao Gege, why are you also crowding me?" Looking at the silly old man's foolish appearance, she felt a pang of sympathy and said, "Xiao Gege, take him over here!"

  Liang Xiao coaxed and deceived the old man, bringing him over. Who knew that this old man sat down and became stubborn again, refusing to let anyone take his pulse? Liang Xiao had no choice but to deceive him: "This young lady is best at feeling bones, let her feel yours and see if you have the bone structure of the world's number one master!" The strange old man raised his head proudly: "The world's number one master is me, what's the need for feeling?" Liang Xiao said: "You saying you're the world's number one doesn't count, it only counts when others say so!"

  The old man was furious, grabbing his neck and shouting: "Who said I'm not the best in the world? Take him out to compare!" Hua Xiaoxue saw Liang Xiao being choked and was so scared that she almost fainted. But Liang Xiao remained calm and smiling, saying: "I told you you're not."

  The old man's eyes widened, his fists clenched with a cracking sound. Liang Xiao smiled and said: "Alright, let this young lady feel your bones, from now on, I'll acknowledge you as the number one in the world." The old man turned from anger to joy, released his grip and laughed: "Good, good!" He rolled up his sleeves, stretched out his dirty and oily arm in front of Hua Xiao Shuang, while staring at her with a fierce gaze, "Girl, feel carefully, only allowed to make me the number one in the world, not allowed to make me the second!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang's face turned red and her ears were burning, she thought: "Xiao Gege is always deceiving people!" She and Liang Xiao had a warm reunion after a long separation, her heart was filled with joy, thinking of past events, a faint smile appeared on her face, the old man impatiently said: "What are you smiling about? Hurry up and touch it."

  Hua Xiao Shuang's fingers were icy cold as she felt the old man's pulse, her eyes closed in concentration. After a moment, she pressed the "Hou Xi" acupoint on the old man's ankle and asked, "Sir, do you feel any numbness?" The old man shook his head. Hua Xiao Shuang thought to herself that according to the principles of pulse diagnosis, the "Hou Xi" acupoint should have a reaction for someone with a manic disorder. But this person's pulse was smooth and unobstructed, indicating no illness. Yet, looking at him, he seemed crazy and confused, as if his mind was unclear. After thinking for a moment, she turned to Wu Changqing and said, "Master, I can't figure out what's wrong with him, you take a look..."

  Wu Changqing gave the strange old man a cold glance, grunted and suddenly said: "Indeed it is, damn it, indeed it is!" Hua Xiaoxue's heart skipped a beat with joy: "Master is still amazing, he can see the problem just by looking at him!"

  Wu Changqing stared at the strange old man and suddenly said, "Shi Tianfeng, what are you plotting?" The strange old man raised his eyes and asked, "Dead fatty, what did you call me?" Wu Changqing's face turned red with anger and he shouted loudly, "I called you Shi Tianfeng!"

  Liang Xiao was stunned, only to feel that the three words "Shi Tian Feng" were familiar. He silently thought back to that day in the ancient temple when Jiu Ru monk said that his own kung fu was like Shi Tian Feng of the East Sea, and it was difficult to reach the ultimate realm. However, at this moment, this old man's martial arts had reached the pinnacle, and he feared that Jiu Ru might not be able to win!

  The old man looked bewildered, scratching his head and saying: "Who is Shi Tianfeng?" Wu Changqing snorted in anger, coldly saying: "Who is Shi Tianfeng? Hmph, some bastard who claims to be 'East Sea Number One, Ling Ao Martial Arts'?" With a flick of his wrist, he grabbed at the old man's wrist. Liang Xiao was shocked and pale, unable to stop him, when suddenly the old man raised his hand and Wu Changqing rolled out like a ball.

  The old man clapped his hands and laughed loudly, shouting: "Dead fatty, roll away!" Wu Changqing was shocked and angry, barely stopping himself. He pushed off the ground with both hands, wanting to turn over, but the old man rushed up and hooked his foot, causing him to roll out another three meters. Before he could stop, the old man rushed up again, raised his foot and kicked him sideways. Wu Changqing's body was not under his control, and he rolled away again. In his life, this was the first time he had been kicked like a ball, and he angrily shouted loudly.

  The old man was delighted to have this "human ball" and wanted to kick it a few more times. But Liang Xiao shot out like an arrow, his palms whooshing as he slapped the old man on the head. The old man laughed and said, "You've come at just the right time!" He swung his palm to meet Liang's attack, and the two of them leapt and dodged, fighting in a flurry. After exchanging over sixty moves, Liang Xiao found himself unable to withstand the old man's attacks and retreated, backing into an apricot grove where he used the trees for cover, darting back and forth. The old man pursued him relentlessly, his palm strikes snapping the thick trunks of the apricot trees like twigs, sending apricot blossoms swirling to the ground, covering it like a embroidered rug.

  Wu Changqing was easily knocked to the ground, and his body ached all over. He was originally furious, but when he saw the two men's skills, his anger turned into shock: "Shi Tianfeng is indeed a talented person, worthy of being from the East Sea Martial Arts Academy! Liang Xiao is still young, how did he cultivate such impressive martial arts?" Seeing that the two were only focused on fighting and had ruined the beautiful apricot forest, Wu Changqing angrily shouted: "You two bastards, if you want to fight, go outside the forest! Why are you ruining my flower trees...!" He glared at them with anger in his eyes. Hua Xiaoxiao stood beside him, watching Liang Xiao fall into a disadvantageous position, and her heart was anxious.

  Suddenly, a gentle voice came from afar: "I think it's here!" Hua Xiaoxue turned around and saw two people walking towards her. One was an old woman with white hair and red face; the other was a thin middle-aged man with thin lips and big eyes.

  The two walked closer, and the old woman raised her voice and laughed: "Wu Daifu, I've finally found you..." Her voice paused, and her gaze turned to Xinglin. The middle-aged man looked back, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

  Wu Changqing looked at the old woman with disdain and sneered, "I knew it was you. The 'Sea Bottom Moon Retrieval' has arrived. Hmph, I suppose it's that chaotic and disorderly Shi Tianfeng who blew you here?" He raised his hand and pointed at the strange old man. The old woman was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Treading on iron shoes without a destination, yet arriving without any effort. Has even the dead old man run to this place as well?"

  At this time, Liang Xiao was at a loss, and just as Shi Tianfeng's palm was about to strike, he hastily said: "You win!" Shi Tianfeng withdrew his palm force, stopping it at the tip of Liang Xiao's nose, and smiled: "Good, admitting defeat is good!"

  The old woman stepped forward quickly, shouting loudly: "Old man, do you know who I am?" Shi Tianfeng turned his head to look, his face suddenly changed, and he retreated a few feet. The old woman hastily said: "Don't let him go, follow me back!" Shi Tianfeng saw her approaching, also retreating, the two always maintaining a distance of one zhang (about 3 meters). The old woman's heart was burning with anxiety, she rushed forward, and Shi Tianfeng immediately started running wildly.

  The old woman was shocked and angry, running while shouting: "Old man, come back..." He also used the light skill of "riding the wind and crossing the sea", the two people's movements were the same, but their skills were different. In a flash, the old woman fell behind by three zhang. The middle-aged thin man rushed out, calling out "dad", blocking Shi Tianfeng's path. Shi Tianfeng flashed past him in an instant, his feet not touching the ground, fleeing wildly. The man and the old woman shouted loudly, chasing after him shoulder to shoulder. In a flash, the three people disappeared at the end of the road like lightning.

  A middle-aged thin man, Haiyu Liang Xiao, knew him when they had a fierce fight in the suburbs of Suzhou that day. As Wu Changqing approached, he curiously asked: "Mr. Wu, what's going on?" Wu Changqing angrily hummed: "Someone else's wife chasing her husband has nothing to do with you!" Seeing the broken tree and fallen flowers on the ground, he became even angrier, putting his hands on his hips and scolding, "You little brat, you've ruined my tree! How are you going to compensate me?" Liang Xiao was taken aback, and bitterly smiled: "What's the big deal? We can just replant it." Xiaoshuang Hua whispered: "Brother Xiao, I'll help you plant it." Wu Changqing glanced at her coldly and said: "Girls shouldn't interfere!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang's face turned red as she walked shoulder to shoulder with Liang Xiao into the forest. After a while, she smiled and said, "Xiao Gege, I'll show you two things!" Liang Xiao replied, "Okay!" Hua Xiao Shuang whistled twice, and the treetops rustled in response. A flash of golden light darted down and slipped into her arms.

  Liang Xiao gazed at the golden-haired monkey, smiling faintly: "Jin Ling?" Hua Xiao Xue nodded and smiled. Jin Ling glared at Liang Xiao with a pair of fiery eyes that darted back and forth. Liang Xiao reached out to touch her, but Jin Ling shrank away, burrowing into her owner's chest. Liang Xiao sighed: "The little monkey doesn't recognize me anymore." Hua Xiao Xue laughed: "It doesn't matter, in three days she'll be close with you again..." Before she finished speaking, several barks were heard, and a white-haired dog burst out of the woods. In Liang Xiao's momentary daze, the dog leapt forward, joyfully pouncing into his arms. Liang Xiao hugged the white dog, repeatedly exclaiming: "Good Bai Chi, good Bai Chi..." Before he finished speaking, his eyes had already become moist.

  The white dog was the little wild dog that Liang Xiao had taken in when he was young. Now it has grown into a slender waist, and is already an adult. It has been separated from Liang Xiao for a long time, but still remembers its master's scent. As soon as it saw Liang Xiao, it rushed over without hesitation. Liang Xiao stroked its soft fur on the top of its head, feeling a mix of emotions in his heart, and sighed: "Xiao Shuang, it's hard for you to bring it along." Hua Xiao Shuang smiled: "How can I not bring it? It's your dog, when I see it, it's like seeing you!" Liang Xiao laughed: "Good, you're using all sorts of ways to scold me as a dog?" Hua Xiao Shuang was shocked, shaking her head repeatedly: "No, no, I didn't mean that..." Her heart racing, her eyes reddened again. Liang Xiao quickly said: "I'm just joking with you!" Only then did Hua Xiao Shuang feel at ease, lowering her eyebrows and not speaking.

  Liang Xiao thought back to after leaving the Tianji Palace, experiencing countless changes, and couldn't help but sigh: "To think about it, being a fool is good, forever staying by your side, no need to go anywhere!" Hua Xiaoxue didn't know he had another meaning, and her heart skipped a beat, her cheeks flushing red, as she softly sighed: "I... I also thought so, heaven has taken pity on me, finally seeing you again." Liang Xiao originally wanted to say: "You also want me to be a servant?" But fearing she would misunderstand, he just smiled slightly and remained silent.

  Three people walked and talked, passing through the apricot forest, and entered a small valley. In the valley were several tile-roofed houses, with two maidservants inside. They had just sat down when they heard someone calling out: "Is Doctor Wu in?" Wu Changqing furrowed his brow and said: "Is that Madame Shi?" The words had barely fallen when an old white-haired woman floated through the forest and walked into the main hall.

  Wu Changqing sneered, "What's wrong, couldn't catch up?" The old woman sighed, "His footsteps are too fast, I let Haiyu follow from a distance to avoid losing his trail." With a glance, she looked at Hua Xiaoxue and Liang Xiao, "I am Ling Shuiyue, may I ask how you two should be addressed?" Hua Xiaoxue reported her name, and Ling Shuiyue exclaimed in surprise, "Ah, you are the daughter of Xue Jun?"

  Hua Xiao Shuang was surprised: "You know my mother?" Ling Shui Yue smiled and said: "My surname is Ling, your mother's surname is also Ling, do you think I don't recognize her?" Hua Xiao Shuang was stunned for a moment, then remembered something and exclaimed with joy: "You...you are my mother's aunt, Auntie!" Ling Shui Yue was delighted in her heart, and she hugged Hua Xiao Shuang into her arms. With both hands, she compared their heights and smiled: "I saw you when you were this tall, and now after more than ten years, the little girl has become a big girl!"

  "Ah, Auntie, Mom often mentions you!" Ling Shuiyue sighed and said, "These years have been spent doting on the children and grandchildren, alas, and we've grown distant from our relatives!" She then asked about the recent situation of Hua Qingyuan and his wife. Hua Xiaoxiang hesitated for a moment before saying, "They're all doing well!" Ling Shuiyue asked again, "And what about your grandmother? Has your grandfather returned?"

  "Grandfather... didn't he pass away a long time ago?" Ling Shuiyue furrowed her brow and nodded, saying: "That's right, his death was a good one!" Hua Xiaoxiang thought to herself: "Why is Auntie speaking like this? Grandfather has passed away, yet she says it was a good death." She had a gentle and soft temperament, so after thinking about it for a moment, she didn't dwell on it.

  Liang Xiao understood Ling Shuiyue's meaning and guessed that Hua Wuxin was resentful of Gong Yang, so when she met someone who said he had died, Hua Xiaoxuan being a simple person naturally believed it to be true.

  Ling Shuimeng had many doubts in her mind, and she couldn't ask all of them, so she temporarily put it aside. She turned to Liang Xiao and asked with a bow: "This young man, may I ask your name?" Liang Xiao returned the courtesy and told her. Ling Shuimeng saw that his clothes were simple and unadorned, but his demeanor was majestic. She thought to herself that this person was so young, yet he could rival her husband, it was really hard to believe. After a moment of silence, she smiled and asked: "Liang Xiao, why did you fight with my husband?"

  Liáng Xiāo furrowed her brow and said, "You are his wife? Is he really Shi Tianfeng?" Líng Shuǐyuè replied, "That's right. My son Hǎi Yǔ and I have come to the Central Plains specifically to find him and bring him back." Liáng Xiāo nodded, recounting how she had met Shi Tianfeng and brought him here to treat his illness. She glossed over her own experiences of battling in Qiantang and wandering about in exile.

  Ling Shuiyue listened to this and imagined her husband losing his soul, drifting in the rivers and lakes, and suffering a lot. She felt deeply for her husband, and the more she thought about it, the sadder she became, and couldn't help but shed old tears. Hua Xiaoxuan took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears, saying: "Auntie, don't worry, I've taken Master Wu's pulse, and his pulse is normal." Ling Shuiyue's heart was slightly at ease, and she looked at Wu Changqing with an inquiring meaning.

  Wu Changqing snorted in anger and said coldly, "I've seen the old man's eyes, and people with mental illness have different eyes than normal people. His eyes didn't seem unusual." Liang Xiao asked, "Is it amnesia?" Wu Changqing shook his head and said, "So-called amnesia refers to overworking one's mind, forgetting to sleep day and night, resulting in insufficient heart energy, spiritual exhaustion, and difficulty getting blood into the brain, leading to foolish behavior and forgetfulness. But Lao Tzu has a ruddy complexion and abundant blood energy. How could he get such a refined illness? Hmph, that damned old man..." As soon as he thought of being kicked by Shi Tianfeng, his eyebrows furrowed in anger.

  Ling Shui Yue and Wu Changqing couldn't figure out the cause of the illness, and they were both extremely disheartened. Suddenly, Liang Xiao spoke up, "In that case, I have an idea." Wu Changqing gave him a sideways glance and hummed softly. Liang Xiao felt embarrassed by his gaze, thinking he might be overstepping his bounds. Just then, Hua Xiaoxiao smiled and said, "What's your idea? Tell us!" Liang Xiao forced a smile and said, "In my opinion, Shi Qianbei is intentionally forgetting the past." Everyone was taken aback, and Wu Changqing angrily shouted, "Nonsense! Utter nonsense!"

  Liang Xiao said, "This thing sounds absurd, but when I used to do math problems, apart from arithmetic, my mind was focused and didn't wander. When I reached the most subtle part of the problem, even eating, drinking, urinating, and defecating were all forgotten; later, when practicing martial arts with a concentrated mind, I also forgot about arithmetic. Perhaps some people focus on one thing and put other things behind their minds." Wu Changqing listened to this and thought that what Liang Xiao said wasn't entirely unreasonable. When he was studying medicine in the past, he had similar experiences.

  Ling Shuiyue furrowed her brow and sank into thought, after a while, she said with a sigh: "Listening to Liang Xiaoge's words, I seem to have remembered. The old man once said that he would forget all the martial arts he had learned before. Could it be that he forgot his martial arts and also forgot other things?" Liang Xiao laughed and said: "I've also heard him say 'forget everything, but never forget your wife'. He ran away as soon as he saw you, it's clear that he still remembers you." When Ling Shuiyue heard these words, a joyful color appeared between her eyebrows, thinking to herself: "It was worth my trouble searching for him, the old man still has some conscience left."

  Liang Xiao said, "He also said that if you see him, you must catch him and bring him back. Once he's back, he won't be able to fight with others anymore." Ling Shuiyue listened to Liang Xiao's words, hesitated for a moment, and sighed, "I understand." He then bowed to Liang Xiao and said, "Young brother treated the outsider kindly and sent him here to receive medical treatment. The great kindness and virtue of Lingguo Island will not be forgotten by anyone." Liang Xiao returned the bow with a bitter smile and said, "What are you talking about? His martial arts skills are too high, I was entangled by him and couldn't escape. Bringing him here is convenient for others, but also convenient for myself."

  Ling Shuimeng saw that he didn't want to take credit for the good deed, and she felt even more affectionate towards him. She thought to herself, "This young man has a great demeanor." Suddenly, Wu Changqing asked, "Mrs. Shi, what do you understand?" Ling Shuimeng sighed, "It's necessary to start from thirty-seven years ago." Wu Changqing said, "Thirty-seven years ago, you weren't even married yet, were you?"

  Her face slightly flushed, she gave him a glance and said: "As everyone knows, the island owners of this island have been martial arts enthusiasts for generations. They searched all over the world for martial arts techniques, drew diagrams, and stored them on the island. By the time it was passed down to Wai Zi, it was already the twelfth generation. I'm not boasting, but Wai Zi is a born genius. No matter what kind of martial art, he can learn it in one go and master it in one go. At the age of seventeen, he had already learned all the martial arts stored on the island. He was young and vigorous, calling himself 'The First Master of the Eastern Sea, The Spiritual Turtle Martial Library'. He defeated all the masters and eccentric heroes of the forty-nine islands of the Eastern Sea, but still wasn't satisfied. He set sail across the sea, entered the Central Plains, and wanted to use his own strength to subdue all the heroes in the world."

  "Good big air!" Ling Shuiyue sighed and shook his head, saying: "The air is big, but it's self-deception. At first, he went westward without encountering an opponent, and also made friends with some small people, which made him even more arrogant and lawless. In May that year, he defeated a Shaolin monk and arrived in Xi'an Prefecture. He heard that there was a great swordsman in the Central Plains who was known as 'Invincible'. When he heard the word 'invincible', he immediately became interested and went to find him. Who knew that the great swordsman had already retired from the world, deeply regretting his past actions, and was practicing Buddhism to atone for his sins? All worldly affairs were handled by his two sons. The two sons had long heard of his reputation and treated him with courtesy when he arrived, saying that their father had put down his sword and would no longer fight with anyone. He didn't listen and said: 'If your old man won't come out, you two will.' Without warning, he broke the hands of the two brothers and said: 'If your old man still doesn't come out, I'll break your legs too!' At that time, he was young and impulsive, and his words were followed by actions. Seeing that the great swordsman still didn't appear, he also broke the legs of the two brothers..."

  Liang Xiao's face grew hot as he listened, thinking to himself: "Isn't this young man also talking about me?" He sighed and Ling Shuiyue thought he was sighing in sympathy with her husband's behavior, so she also sighed and continued: "When the master of Zhongzhou didn't show up, he threatened to set fire to the house. This finally forced the old man out. My husband was overjoyed at the prospect of the hunt and was about to make his move when suddenly someone behind him said: 'Originally there is not a single thing, all worldly relationships are exhausted.' The voice was like thunder, shaking the tiles on the roof. My husband was startled and turned around to see a tall, imposing young monk holding a gourd and leaning on a dark staff." Liang Xiao couldn't help but laugh at this point: "How convenient, has Jiu Ru arrived?"

  Ling Shui Yue said in surprise, "That's right, it is indeed Master Jiuru. How did you know, little brother?" Wu Changqing also asked, "Liang Xiaozu, have you met the old bald donkey before?" Liang Xiao smiled and said, "Not only have I met him, but we've also had drinks together and eaten dog meat." Wu Changqing angrily said, "This bald donkey is good at corrupting young children!" Hua Xiaoxue laughed and said, "Brother Xiao isn't a child anymore." Wu Changqing coldly smiled and said, "You naturally want him to grow up quickly, so..." Hua Xiaoxue hastily covered his plump mouth, her face red with anger, and scolded, "Master!" Wu Changqing grunted and stopped speaking.

  Ling Shui looked at Liang Xiao, then at Xiao Feng, and a hint of a smile appeared on her face. She continued, "Jiu Ru walked into the hall and went straight to the middle, where the great hero was begging for alms. The old man's heart was devoted to Buddhism, teaching people to bring vegetarian food, but unexpectedly Jiu Ru said, 'Monks are not born to eat vegetarian food, if the donor has wine and meat, it would be better to give some.'"

  Zhongzhou's great hero was shocked by this absurd statement. Wai Zi was interrupted by him and became very impatient, stretching out his hand to grab his shoulder, wanting to throw him away. Unexpectedly, Jiu Ru didn't even turn his head, shrugged his left shoulder, and instead sent Wai Zi tumbling. Wai Zi had been dominating the central plains, never meeting a match, but unexpectedly couldn't withstand Jiu Ru's iron shoulder shrug at this moment. The shock was imaginable. Just as he was about to start a big fight, he suddenly heard Jiu Ru say: "Wait, let me drink some wine first!" Wai Zi refused, wanting to weigh him down immediately, but Jiu Ru laughed and said: "I have one part of wine for one part of strength. Now that the wine hasn't entered my mouth, starting a fight would be weak and powerless. Shi Tianfeng, your nickname is 'Just squat down and take off your pants', you shouldn't take advantage of a monk!"

  "What's this 'just squat down and take off your pants'?" Hua Xiao Shuang couldn't help but interrupt. Liang Xiao suppressed a smile and said, "Isn't the Island Master known as the 'Respected One of the Eastern Sea, Lingqiu Wugong'?" Hua Xiao Shuang still didn't understand, and just as Liang Xiao was about to explain, they heard Ling Shui Yue say, "This is a monk's curse, don't ask too much, girl! Alas, the outsider has heard this phrase and won't say more. The Middle State Great Hero has seen through the monk's intentions and knows that he can't defeat him, so he's delighted to have this helper." The monk didn't hesitate and ate and drank in front of everyone until he was full, then said, "Monks drinking wine and eating meat is a great blasphemy against the Buddha. It's really not right." Everyone who heard his words felt like crying and laughing at the same time. The monk looked worried and said to the Middle State Great Hero, "I have a guilty conscience, I can only die to make up for it. I want to achieve enlightenment here." In Buddhism, achieving enlightenment means death. When everyone heard this, they were shocked, and the outsider was even more disbelieving, ridiculing him by saying, "If you want to achieve enlightenment, how about I send you on your way with a slap?" The monk smiled and said, "Achieving enlightenment must be done through one's own efforts, it can't be done by relying on others. I've heard that the Lingqiu Island has been faithful to Buddhism for generations, and the first generation of island masters even became monks and entered our Buddhist sect, abandoning their original surname and taking 'Shi' as their name. Why do you, the master of the house, not respect your ancestors' wishes and obstruct a monk's great undertaking?" The outsider was shocked by what he heard, for very few people knew about Lingqiu Island's origins. However, the monk spoke without error, leaving the outsider with nothing to say in rebuttal.

  "Jiuru asked Zhongzhou Dashao again: 'You have devoted yourself to Buddhism and must know a lot about Buddhist affairs. I dare ask, are there monks who can sit and be reborn?' Zhongzhou Dashao said: 'There are many!' Jiuru asked again: 'What about those standing up?' Zhongzhou Dashao said: 'There are also quite a few!' Jiuru asked again: 'Are there any upside-down ones?' Zhongzhou Dashao thought for half a day, shook his head and said: 'I've never heard of it!' Jiuru said: 'Good, I'll be reborn upside down then!' After saying that, he put both hands on the ground, arched his back, stiffened his whole body, and didn't move."

  Hua Xiao Shuang was shocked and said, "The monk is so young, why would he want to die?" Liang Xiao sighed and said, "He wouldn't really die, he's just pretending." Hua Xiao Shuang's face lit up with joy and she nodded, saying, "That's good, then what happened next?" Her words still conveyed her concern for Jiu Ru's life and death.

  "He was like this, and everyone thought he had passed away, they were all shocked. The great hero of Zhongzhou sighed and smiled bitterly, ordering people to move him into his coffin, but unexpectedly the servants couldn't budge him. The great hero of Zhongzhou was extremely surprised, and personally pushed with all his might, but it was like a dragonfly trying to shake a stone pillar, he couldn't move him at all. Everyone was shocked and frightened, thinking that the Buddha had descended, they all chanted Buddhist scriptures and knelt down. The outsider saw that Jiu Ru's hands were half a foot into the ground, as if they were cast in the earth, and his heart was filled with suspicion, he walked forward and used all his strength to push three palms. These three palms could have uprooted a large tree, but still couldn't move him. The outsider was shocked and stood there stupidly. At this time, Jiu Ru burst out laughing and flipped over to stand up. Everyone was greatly shocked, the outsider also shouted: 'Is this some kind of ghost trick?' But his three palms had no effect, and he was already intimidated in his heart. The great hero of Zhongzhou also complained: 'Master, you pretended to be dead and scared me half to death.' Jiu Ru smiled and said: 'Not just death is false, these houses, beams, we, the heavens, the sun, the moon, all living things, which one is real? True or false, why bother putting it in your heart?' The great hero of Zhongzhou heard this and suddenly woke up, joined his hands together in respect and said: 'Well done, well done.' He wiped his head with both palms, and his white hair all fell off, he suddenly laughed loudly with Jiu Ru, and they walked out the door together."

  Wu Changqing sneered, "This matter has been widely circulated in the Jianghu, with many different versions. It turns out that the truth is actually like this. The old bald donkey doesn't follow the rules, but he does have some divine powers."

  Ling Shui Yue nodded and said: "After this incident, Wai Zi's morale was greatly dampened. He left immediately and returned to Ling Ao Island to practice in seclusion. He knew he had lost due to his inadequate foundation, so he diligently practiced his internal skills for eight years. In that year, his internal skills were accomplished, and he could rival Jiu Ru in a single move. With me on his back, he left the island and headed west into Central Plains to find Jiu Ru for a rematch. Jiu Ru was not at the Grand Temple nor the Small Temple; he was just a wild monk. Wai Zi searched for him for several years before finally meeting him at Tian Zhu Peak. As soon as they started fighting, although Wai Zi had made progress, Jiu Ru's 'Great Vajra Divine Power' had improved even faster. This time, Wai Zi lost again. He naturally refused to accept defeat and returned to the island to practice bitterly for several years before seeking out Jiu Ru for another challenge. In this way, he repeatedly fought and lost four times in a row.

  Ling Shuiyue sighed as she spoke, "The Fourth Master's pride and arrogance are unmatched in the world. After his fourth defeat, he returned to Lingguo Island with a belly full of anger and made a solemn vow before his ancestors: if he couldn't master the 'Wuxiang Divine Needle' this time, he would never leave the island again."

  "What is the 'Invisible Needle Technique'?" Ling Shuiyue said, "This is a martial art that has been passed down through generations on Lingyao Island. It's said to have been created by a predecessor who got the idea from a hedgehog, also known as the 'Immortal Hedgehog Technique'. After mastering it, one can force their internal energy out of the 100 acupoints all over their body and turn it into invisible needles that can harm others."

  Liang Xiao's expression changed as he said, "Such a remarkable achievement, isn't it invincible in the world?" Ling Shuiyue said, "It's not invincible, but it's not far from it. However, the more powerful the martial art is, the harder it is to cultivate. Except for the predecessor who created this martial art, no one on Ling Xiao Island has been able to master it in hundreds of years. Moreover, several people have practiced it and ended up with internal injuries, becoming useless." Hua Xiaoxue exclaimed, "Ah, then it's better not to practice it!"

  Ling Shui Yue shook her head and said, "He's always been accommodating to me in everything else, but when it comes to this matter, he just won't listen. He's been practicing day and night, forgetting to eat and sleep. To master this martial art, one must use a unique method to connect all the acupoints on the body. Some are easy, like the hand and foot meridians, while others are extremely difficult, such as the Zhongzheng, Dantian, and Baihui points. Even after spending years practicing, there's still no sign of progress. Looking at him now, I think he'll never master this martial art in this lifetime. I might as well just go along with him... At worst, I can spend the rest of my life on this island with him..." As she spoke, her eyes reddened slightly, and Hua Xiao Xue felt a pang in her heart, instinctively reaching out to gently grasp Ling Shui Yue's hand.

  Ling Shui Yue glanced at her, suppressed her emotions, and sighed: "Unexpectedly three years ago, he suddenly went out of the pass, delighted like a child. He told me that he had understood the true meaning of 'Wu Xiang Shen Zhen', and said that he would forget all his previous efforts, as long as he didn't leave anything in his heart, he could practice this martial art." She spoke to this point, self-reproachful and tearfully, "At that time, I thought he was just joking, how could I have known that everything he said was true..."

  Everyone was silent for a moment. Liang Xiao furrowed his brow and concentrated, but he couldn't understand the principle of "Wú Xiàng Shén Zhēn". He had fought with Gong Yangyu, Xiao Qianjue, and Jiuru Heshang before, and felt that Shi Tianfeng's martial arts were not inferior to these three people. If he really mastered "Wú Xiàng Shén Zhēn", it was likely that even these three would not be his match.

  Wu Changqing said with a sigh, "Lao Tzu's obsession with martial arts is not incurable. Firstly, if he defeats Jiu Ru, his old grudge will be avenged and he might suddenly recover; secondly, if we capture him and take him back to the island. He vaguely remembers you, so he can't completely forget the past. As long as he has a lingering thought, you two will face each other every day, and it's hard for him to forget even if he wants to!"

  Ling Shuiyue was silent for a moment, then stood up and bowed: "Thank you, Mr. Wu, for your guidance." With a flick of her sleeve, she was already two zhang away. Hua Xiaoxuan was startled and asked: "Auntie, where are you going?" Ling Shuiyue said: "I'll take advantage of the fact that my son is still not far away and catch him back." Before she finished speaking, her figure had vanished.

  Ling Shuiyue had left, and my wife had prepared a good dinner. After the three of us finished eating, Liang Xiao's heart was filled with doubts, and he wanted to ask questions, but Wu Changqing said to Hua Xiaoshuang: "You're also tired today, go rest early." Hua Xiaoshuang didn't dare disobey, glanced at Liang Xiao, lowered her head and entered the room.

  She lay in bed, as if drunk with wine, dizzy and excited for no reason, her mind filled with Liang Xiao's shadow. She only thought about what to say and do when she saw him the next day. Turning over and over, it was already three o'clock, and in a daze, she suddenly felt a faint light in front of her eyes. Opening them, she saw that the lights in the room were shining brightly, and Liang Xiao was sitting on the edge of the bed with a smile in his eyes. Hua Xiao Xue's heart was greatly disturbed, wanting to sit up, but Liang Xiao pressed down on her, laughing: "Don't get up, be careful not to catch a chill." Hua Xiao Xue could only follow his words and lie there, feeling as if a fire had been lit under the quilt. She didn't notice that she was sweating profusely, her face burning red like a lotus flower, trembling with voice: "Brother Liang, how...how did you come?" Liang Xiao laughed: "Xiao Xue, do you remember? In the past, I promised you something in Tianji Palace." Hua Xiao Xue hesitated for a moment, smiling: "To watch the sunrise?"

  Liang Xiao sighed: "Do you still remember?" Hua Xiao Xue smiled slightly, thinking to herself: "I remember every single word you've said."

  Liang Xiao fell silent for a moment, then said: "While the sky is still dark, let's head up the mountain." Hua Xiao Xue was overjoyed and said: "Okay, I'll add another layer of clothing." Liang Xiao smiled and said: "No need, it's cold and dewy, I'll wrap you in a blanket to take you up." Hua Xiao Xue was startled and hastily said: "Then... won't I become a big rice dumpling?" Liang Xiao smiled and said: "Exactly, a beautiful woman filling rice dumpling!" Hua Xiao Xue lowered her head, thinking: "I'm not beautiful at all!"

  Liang Xiao wrapped her tightly and carried her out the door, unfolding his light skill to rush towards the mountain top. Hua Xiao Feng's ears were filled with the sound of wind, as if she was riding on clouds and fog, flying in the sky, only feeling joy in her heart, forgetting everything, unknowingly dozing off, suddenly hearing Liang Xiao say: "We're here!" She opened her eyes to look ahead, where the dark waves surged endlessly, which should be the East Sea.

  Liang Xiao put her down, and the two sat shoulder to shoulder on a large stone, with the wind whistling in and out. Liang Xiao wanted to speak, but couldn't bear to break this rare silence. He remained silent, and Hua Xiaoxue didn't dare open her mouth either. The two sat quietly for a while, and Liang Xiao felt tired. His internal skills were refined, and he was always spirited even after fighting day and night without rest or sleep. At this time, he hadn't been particularly exhausted, but his eyelids grew heavier and heavier, an unprecedented feeling, drowsiness gradually arose, and before dawn broke, he fell asleep.

  After a while, a mountain wind blew over, and Liang Xiao was startled. He hastily called out: "Xiao Feng, Xiao Feng..." His voice was full of alarm. Hua Xiao Feng's heart was filled with surprise as she responded: "Brother Xiao, are you calling me?" When Liang Xiao saw her, he let out a sigh of relief and felt very strange in his heart. He had always been vigilant, so why was he so careless today? In a moment of distraction, he had actually fallen asleep.

  As I looked up, the sun had risen more than halfway, and the dark clouds were about to disperse, like a thick ink sauce cooking half an egg yolk. Liang Xiao felt bored and glanced sideways, Hua Xiao Shuang gazed intently into the distance, her expression focused, her thin face illuminated by the morning sun, radiating soft and gentle light. Liang Xiao looked twice, and his sleepiness returned, in a moment of urgency, he slapped himself on the ear. Hua Xiao Shuang turned to look at him, startled, "Xiao Gege, what are you doing?"

  Liang Xiao's face turned red, fortunately the warm sunlight made it unnoticeable. He muttered: "I'm hitting mosquitoes!" Hua Xiao Xue asked strangely: "There are mosquitoes in this cold weather?" Liang Xiao forced a smile, not knowing how to respond.

  Hua Xiao Shuang was suddenly distracted, and her mood to watch the sunrise was gone. She glanced sideways, but saw a stalk of Chinese Trumpet Vine growing alone on the mountain cliff, swaying gently in the morning breeze. Her heart moved, she whispered: "The flowers of the Chinese Trumpet Vine are blooming, their beauty is not just for show, how can I help but think of you? Alas, my home is far away..." Liang Xiao asked: "Xiao Shuang, what did you say? What's this about 'Fan Er Fan Die'?" Hua Xiao Shuang smiled: "This is a quote from Confucius, it means that the Chinese Trumpet Vine blooms and sways gently, how can I not think of you? It's just that my home is too far away..." As she spoke, her expression turned gloomy, and she silently lowered her head.

  Liang Xiao looked at her and suddenly asked, "Xiao Feng, do you miss home?" Hua Xiao Feng's eyebrows and eyes turned red as she nodded slightly. Liang Xiao said, "I was just about to ask you, why did you leave the Tianji Palace for Lao Mountain?" Hua Xiao Feng fell silent for a moment, seemingly gathering her courage, before looking at him seriously and saying, "Xiao Gege, I'll only tell you this, don't tell anyone else!" Liang Xiao nodded. Hua Xiao Feng sighed and said, "That day, when you were taken away by Minggui...". Liang Xiao frowned, "Why do you still call him Grandfather?" Hua Xiao Feng's face turned red as she whispered, "It just slipped out. Anyway, that day many people went to rescue you - Father, Aunt, Qin Bo, Zuo Yuan, and Xiu Gu all went. I was the only one left in the palace, feeling miserable and anxious, waiting every day for them to bring you back. But after more than two months, Father returned with a terrible expression. I asked him what happened, but he just shook his head and sighed without saying anything. It wasn't until much later that I heard from Mei Ying...that you had already died." Tears streamed down her face as she spoke.

  Liang Xiao was extremely puzzled, frowning and saying: "No, Zuoyuan and Xiugou have seen me before, how could they say I'm dead?" Hua Xiaoxue was stunned, also feeling perplexed. Liang Xiao thought for a moment, gritting his teeth and saying: "Those two old scoundrels must hate me for ruining their sinister plot, intentionally not saying that I'm still alive. Xiaoxue, you're really foolish!" He smiled wryly and sighed, "How could a scourge like me die so easily?"

  Hua Xiao Shuang's face turned red as she said, "Whenever I think of my feelings back then, I feel like crying. From childhood to adulthood, I've never been so heartbroken before, almost... almost didn't want to live..."

  Liang Xiao's heart was moved, her eyes were hot and sour, she was afraid of being seen, so she quickly turned her head away. But then Hua Xiao Shuang sighed again and said: "That night, I fell ill, fortunately Master stayed in the palace, otherwise I would never have seen you again. Who knew that during those days, my parents had another disagreement, they quarreled every day, because grandma wanted them to give me a little brother, so that he could be the future master of Tianji Palace."

  Li Shuo said, "This is a good thing, why are they still arguing?" Hua Xiao Xue shook her head and said, "I don't know either. I only heard my mom say that dad was not good to her, back then she was beaten by a woman, and dad stopped the person but let them go. Sigh, I've never seen mom so angry, she said she hated dad to death and wanted the Hua family to be childless. Grandma saw that mom didn't want to give birth to a younger brother, so she said that the Hua family had few people, which led to Ming Gui's rebellion, if mom didn't comply, she would make dad divorce and remarry. Mom cried loudly, and dad also said that he had already wronged mom and couldn't wrong another woman, he'd rather die than remarry." Li Shuo had heard Ming Gui talk about Hua Qing Yuan and Han Ning Zi's affair before, hearing this, he secretly nodded in agreement: "In this matter, Uncle Hua was indeed foolish, but he didn't want to divorce, that's some integrity."

  "Anyway, Grandma used all sorts of soft and hard tactics to try to force Dad and Mom to obey her, but finally got angry and pointed at me saying: 'Xiaoxue, you're good, if you don't listen to my words, I'll lock her up. You won't be able to see her until the day you have a child...' Liang Xiao couldn't help but burst out in loud curses: 'That stinky old woman Hua Wuying!'"

  Hua Xiao Shuang's face turned bright red as she let out a soft "ah". Liang Xiao still wanted to scold her, but ultimately held back, thinking that if it weren't for Hua Xiao being his grandmother, he would have immediately gone to the Tianji Palace and taught her a lesson.

  Hua Xiaoshuang composed herself and continued, "Grandma said she would do it, and tried to grab me. Mom wanted to protect me but couldn't fight back. Just then, Master came and scolded Grandma. But Grandma said, 'This is a family matter of the Hua's, don't you, Evil Hua Tuo, interfere!' Master said, 'That won't do, she's an old... no, my patient. Whoever touches my patient, I'll fight to the death with them...'". Liang Xiao applauded and said, "Well said! It feels great!" In her heart, she had a better impression of Wu Changqing, and didn't mind his awkward expression anymore.

  Hua Xiao Shuang was still depressed and said: "I saw them quarrel, my heart felt very sad, so I told grandma that I would apprentice with Wu Ye, go to Laoshan, if mom didn't give birth to a younger brother, I wouldn't return to Tianji Palace. Alas... I've always wanted to learn medicine from Master, since I was young and often fell ill, it was very painful. Every time Master treated me, the pain would ease a bit. So I thought, there are many people in the world suffering from illness, they must be as miserable as I am. If I had Master's skills, I could alleviate their suffering. From then on, I read many medical books and asked Master for guidance, he also casually pointed out some things. But every time I said I wanted to be his apprentice, he wouldn't say a word." She smiled slightly at this point, "That day, he and grandma had a falling out, he agreed to take me as an apprentice in one breath, it was really a fortunate event born from misfortune."

  She said it lightly, but Liang Xiao knew that she must have suffered a lot for these things, and couldn't help but sigh: "Xiao Shuang, you've suffered!" Hua Xiao Shuang shook her head: "This isn't suffering, hearing the news of your death was what was truly painful! If I hadn't learned medicine to save people and forgotten my troubles, I...I might have been heartbroken to death." Suddenly, she gazed deeply at Liang Xiao, her eyes welling up with tears.

  Liang Xiao saw her eyes, his chest felt like it had been punched, and he couldn't help but turn away. His heart was racing: "Her eyes are so similar to Ah Xue's, could I have made a mistake?" He stole a glance at Hua Xiao Shuang, her melon-seed face was completely different from Ah Xue's round face, only the sorrow in their eyes was identical. Liang Xiao's heart ached as if cut by a knife, his emotions surged, and he gazed silently at the rising sun in the east.

  Before long, daybreak arrived, and the two of them walked down the mountain together. Liang Xiao picked wildflowers along the way and wove a delicate, multicolored flower crown to wear on the girl's head. Hua Xiaoshuang gazed at her reflection in the water, her heart filled with joy.

  Approaching the apricot forest, they suddenly saw someone rushing towards them in a flurry. As they drew closer, it turned out to be the Puppet Duo, with Wooden Puppet half-covered in blood and Bag Puppet's face deathly pale. When she saw the two of them, Bag Puppet cried out from afar: "Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva..." before collapsing to the ground, unconscious. Wooden Puppet was dragged down along with her and also fell to the ground.

  Huā Xiǎo Shuāng hastily rushed up, took out the golden needle from her body and stitched a few stitches for the two of them. Mù'ǒu's wound was stopped bleeding, Bùdài also slowly woke up, panting and said: "Living Bodhisattva, you...you quickly leave, someone wants to harm your master!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang was shocked, her face pale. Liang Xiao furrowed his brow and said calmly, "Don't rush, let's talk slowly!" Mu Ou looked at him and shook his head, sighing, "Your martial arts skills are high, but the other side has many people and is very powerful, it's best for you to leave!"

  "What kind of people are they?" asked Liang Xiao. Mu Ou replied, "It's a long story, but yesterday I was saved by the Bodhisattva and my brother and sister's grudge was resolved. We had no worries and planned to wander the world, relying on playing puppet shows to pass the days. At nightfall, we stayed at an inn by the road. Unintentionally, we overheard people in the next room discussing the Bodhisattva's healing abilities. A soft voice said that the living Bodhisattva must be a disciple of 'Evil Hua Tuo' Wu Changqing, and that 'Evil Hua Tuo' had violated the rules of his sect by taking on a female disciple... Alas, it was all vile and indecent talk. My brother and sister had received great kindness from the Bodhisattva and couldn't bear to hear such blasphemy. We were about to intervene when we heard another strange voice ask if the 'Qing Xiang Juan' really had the ultimate method for nourishing life and retaining youth. The previous person replied that it was undoubtedly true, and that all they needed to do was capture 'Evil Hua Tuo' tomorrow and force him to hand it over. We didn't listen anymore and shouted out a challenge. But as soon as our voices fell, there was a cold hum from next door, and a strange internal energy burst through the earthen wall. My sister was standing by the wall and was struck by the energy, spitting up blood and crashing into me. The energy also transmitted to me, causing my five internal organs to churn. I knew we had encountered an unbeatable expert, so I immediately supported my sister and rushed out of the door. At that time, a Daoist and a lama jumped out from next door, exchanged two moves, and I was struck by the Daoist's sword. The wooden puppet was also shattered by the lama's golden ring. Fortunately, heaven protected us, allowing me to escape from the inn. Taking advantage of my familiarity with the terrain, I fled here under cover of night... Bodhisattva, those people are really formidable. You and your master should leave quickly and avoid this storm."

  Liang Xiao listened and glanced at Hua Xiao Shuang, seeing that she was restless, he smiled slightly and said: "With me here, what are you afraid of?" Hua Xiao Shuang worriedly asked: "Who wants to deal with Master?" Liang Xiao guessed the identity of the other party and said to the Puppet Double Evils: "The letter has been delivered, you can go."

  The two of them exchanged a glance, and Mu Ou said, "Your claws are quite hard, why don't we stay behind to lend a hand?" Liang Xiao said, "You're both injured, staying behind would be useless."

  Mù yǒu xī tàn dào: "Zú xià wǔ gōng shèng wǒ shí bèi, dàn ruò yù shàng nà ge gé qiáng chuán jìn de gāo shǒu, réng xū shí fēn xiǎo xīn!" Liáng xiāo xiào xiào shuō dào: "Nǐ fàng xīn." Huā xiǎo shuāng cóng huái lǐ ná chū yī zhī cí píng, dào chū sān lì yào wán, jiāo gěi bù dài xī shuō: "Nǐ wèi yīn jìn suǒ shāng, zhè sān lì 'yù suǐ dān' yī rì yī lì, hé shuǐ fú yòng. Líng xiōng jiàn bù shēn, zhǐ shì shī xuè tài duō, xiū yǎng yuè yú jiù hǎo!" Bù dài xī xiè guò, yǔ mù yǒu xī xiāng qián qù le.

  Liang Xiao hesitated for a moment, then called out towards the woods: "Mr. Wu, please come out and discuss." Hua Xiaoxue was shocked: "Has Master arrived?" A loud growl came from the woods, and Wu Changqing burst into a torrent of abuse: "You two little bastards, where did you sneak off to in the middle of the night? Hmph! This little girl doesn't follow the proper path for women, she's already secretly meeting with someone at such a young age! Hmph! I'll kick you out today, get rid of you before you ruin my family's reputation! Get out, get out with that stinky little brat, get out as far as you can, don't let me see you!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang's face turned deathly pale, and she suddenly gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and fell softly to the ground. Liang Xiao was shocked and rushed to support her, while a figure in the woods swayed back and forth. Wu Changqing hurried out quickly, his face filled with distress, as he gave Hua Xiao Shuang an injection and administered medicine, muttering under his breath: "Clumsy girl, you shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard!" Liang Xiao sighed bitterly: "No matter how formidable the opponent is, you shouldn't have driven her to this point!"

  Wu Changqing's thoughts were seen through, his fat face turned red and purple, he sat under an apricot tree with his head in his hands and didn't speak. Liang Xiao's eyebrows furrowed, just about to speak, when suddenly someone burst out laughing loudly, looking up to see six people walking towards them from afar. Wu Changqing's expression changed drastically, he jumped up, Liang Xiao's eyes sparkled, and he also burst out laughing loudly. The six people stopped abruptly, all with shocked expressions.

  Liang Xiao laughed and said, "It's not a coincidence that old friends gather together. Ha! Huo Zhenren, Harris, Atan, you three scoundrels, are you still alive? And looking at the leader of the group, an old man in green robes, 'Thanks to the skillful hands of 'Laughing King Yan' I presume?"

  After the six were shocked, their courage grew again. Harris said with a venomous tone: "Lord Ping Zhang escaped from death, what great fortune! I wonder if we have this good fortune today?" Liang Xiao smiled and didn't answer, his eyes shifted and he said: "He Tuo Luo, you and I met twice, both times were not satisfying, today we need to have a good meeting!" He Tuo Luo raised an eyebrow and laughed: "Lord Ping has given orders, how dare I disobey?" Liang Xiao laughed and said: "Good talk, if I tell you to eat shit, will you eat it or not?" He Tuo Luo's face changed color despite his deep composure.

  Liang Xiao smiled and gazed at the yellow-robed old man beside He Tuo, saying: "Old Master Ming, you've also come to join in on the fun?" Ming Gui's eyes flickered as he looked at Liang Xiao, then glanced at Hua Xiao Xue, a hint of a smile that was impossible to decipher.

  Liang Xiao's momentum was strong, but he was worried in his heart: "Today is the day of Tai Sui's emergence from the earth, which is extremely unlucky. He Jia Luo has already been a thorn in our side, and adding these five will make it impossible to win."

  Wu Changqing saw that he was outnumbered, but his momentum was overwhelming, and the opponent's face turned pale. He thought to himself, "It's been three days since we parted ways, and now it's a whole new story." At first, Xiaozi was just a young man, but today, speaking alone, he was more powerful than a thousand soldiers and horses. At this time, Hua Xiaoxue woke up and saw the six people opposite her, guessing their intentions, and her face showed shock and panic.

  Wu Changqing gritted his teeth and suddenly said, "Liang Xiao, take the stinky girl away, I alone am enough to deal with this." Liang Xiao hadn't even responded when Chang Ning chuckled and said, "Good brother, after dozens of years, you still have that foul temper!" Wu Changqing angrily retorted, "Go to your mother's, who is your brother?" Liang Xiao suddenly realized in his heart, "They are actually sworn brothers, no wonder their medical skills are equally impressive."

  Chang Ning laughed and said, "Elder brother doesn't recognize this younger brother, but I still cherish the old friendship. Ha! Thinking back to those days, we were fellow disciples learning together, how intimate we were!" Wu Changqing opened his mouth to scold him, but thinking of their past relationship, he couldn't bring himself to say anything.

  Chang Ning let out a sigh and said, "Our brotherly relationship was originally good, but unfortunately the old man is biased. In terms of natural talent, I am clearly superior to you, but he has eyes but no insight, and instead passed on the mantle to this cruel and evil dead fatty." Wu Changqing cursed, saying: "You have an unrighteous heart, relying on your medical skills to swindle money and seduce women. The master passing it down to you is truly blind!"

  Chang Ning smiled and said: "Getting paid for treating illnesses is a matter of course; practicing medicine is hard work, so it's only natural to find two women to have some fun with and relieve boredom. Otherwise, I'll introduce you to two courtesans, guaranteed to make your heart feel better, and turn the evil Hua Tuo into a smiling Hua Tuo!" Wu Changqing was furious, but his words were incoherent, only able to curse his ancestors wildly.

  Chang Ning smiled and said, "In the early years, you had the Tianji Palace backing you up, repeatedly sending people to find fault with me. I appreciate your concern, it's etched in my heart. Ha! Now that the Great Song has fallen, I've joined the Duanhuan King, and the Tianji Palace's tricks are no longer on my mind. I had thought of settling old scores with you, but I cherish our past relationship, so as long as you hand over the 'Qing Xiang Juan', we can wipe out all past grievances!"

  Wu Changqing glared at him and sneered, "You want the 'Qing Xiang Volume'? Ha! You're dreaming!" Chang Ning remained calm and glanced at Xiao Shuang, smiling, "Is this your junior sister? Hmm, although she's a bit weak, she's still gentle and lovely. Heh, I'm most fond of pitying my juniors, so later on, I'll make sure to... hurt you well..." Wu Changqing was furious and cursed loudly, "Shut your stinking dog mouth!"

  Chang Ning burst out laughing and wanted to say a few more sarcastic words, but suddenly heard Liang Xiao say coldly: "Laugh, Yan Wang, you laugh enough first, later I will also make you suffer, suffer until you cry out for your father and mother, and shed tears."

  Chang Ning's smile froze, and he stared at He Tuo Luo. He Tuo Luo smiled and said: "Lord Ping Zhang is skilled with his words, but how about his physical skills?" Liang Xiao snorted coldly and was about to take a step forward when Wu Chang Qing angrily shouted: "You little brat, I told you to take Xiaorong and leave!" Chang Ning smiled and said: "Elder brother, don't be impatient. Since we brothers have reunited, we should get closer." He gave everyone a signal with his eyes and moved closer to Wu Chang Qing and Hua Xiao Rong.

  Liang Xiao was secretly anxious, he had just thought of over a hundred strategies, but none of them were useful. He Jiaoluo saw that his mind was unsettled, and suddenly swung both fists as if to strike, but halfway through, his waist remained still, his left leg suddenly lifted, and with a swift kick, he swept towards Liang Xiao's waist like a whirlwind.

  These days, Liang Xiao and Shi Tianfeng have been dismantling each other's moves at an incredible speed. Before his opponent could even kick, he dodged to the right and rushed towards Harris. He Tuo saw his movements and was slightly shocked. Knowing that he wanted to capture Harris to coerce himself, he suddenly flashed his body and disappeared into thin air. When he reappeared, he was already in front of Liang Xiao, launching three punches and three kicks in a row.

  Such a strange and mysterious body technique, Liang Xiao had never seen it before. His footwork was agile, opening up three fists and two legs, but the third leg ultimately avoided him, his right elbow sank, and he collided with the incoming leg. A burst of internal energy like a poisonous snake drilled into his arm, Liang Xiao let out a muffled hum, flew back several feet, and only managed to dissipate the strange energy after urging three inner forces in succession. Not giving him time to catch his breath, He Tuo Luo suddenly disappeared again, reappearing behind Liang Xiao, resembling a flying snake, spinning left and right, throwing out three punches in quick succession.

  Liang Xiao dodged the incoming fist and countered with a palm, their internal forces colliding. He hastily circulated his inner energy to dissolve the impact, but before he could react, Hetairo was already behind him, kicking out with one leg. Liang Xiao barely avoided being kicked, recalling that Gong Yangyu had mentioned this barbarian's "Destruction of the Divine Snake", and indeed their skills were not exaggerated. However, this ghostly agility was something Gong Yangyu had never mentioned.

  This kung fu is called "Void Movement", created by the Indian monk. It is said that before Master Nagarjuna, the ancestor of Esoteric Buddhism, entered the Buddhist door, he was a heretic monk who practiced this technique with his companions and sneaked into the palace to cause chaos. This strange skill can transform the body's energy into a void, making it invisible when moving or standing still, and its speed is so fast that ordinary people cannot see it. However, due to this reason, during movement, the six senses are closed, the body becomes weak, and there is no extra strength to respond to external forces. Later, the palace guards received guidance from a superior, closed their eyes, listened to the wind to determine the position, raised their spears to kill, and killed several masters one by one. Master Nagarjuna saw an opportunity to escape quickly, narrowly escaped death, and suddenly realized that life is like a dream, fleeting and ephemeral. He then entered the Buddhist door, became a master of a sect, and created his own school.

  The Hei Tuo Luo clan were merchants by day and thieves by night. Their ancestors had traveled to Tianzhu to buy spices, where they inadvertently obtained a wooden statue of Shiva containing the secret manual of "Ancient Yoga". The ancestor practiced according to the manual and became a master of martial arts, using their skills for evil purposes. Later, the clan was passed down to Hei Tuo Luo, who also achieved mastery and came to China to wreak havoc. However, he encountered Xiao Qian and Jiu Ru monk, losing every battle, and vowed to retreat back to the Western Regions, never to enter China again.

  He Tuo had practiced "Void Movement" for decades, but he knew it was too fast and not flexible enough. When transitioning from movement to stillness, he needed a few breaths to recover his energy. Against a skilled opponent, he would be at a disadvantage. So he modified the technique to change long-range movements into short-range attacks, reducing the time needed to recover his energy. He combined this with "Snake Breaking God", which required opponents who were hit by its power to spend time dissipating it, during which he could use "Void Movement" to launch a surprise attack.

  Liang Xiao was baffled by this technique and could only respond with his footwork. His "Ten Directions Step" encompassed the universe in a single inch, exhausting all imagination, and its power was most evident at the turning points. "Void Movement" was straightforward and lacked variation, making it difficult to distinguish between high and low when faced with the best footwork on this continent. Ming Gui watched from the side, his heart filled with shock and awe, thinking that if Liang Xiao had reached this level, how could he be stopped in the future? As he thought about this, a sinister idea arose, and his gaze fell upon Hua Xiao Shuang.

  Chang Ning often saw Liang Xiao being entangled by He Tuo, calling out to the crowd to disperse in a semicircle, approaching Wu Changqing and Hua Xiaoxue. Wu Changqing shouted: "Xiaoer, come behind me." Hua Xiaoxue retreated as instructed. Suddenly, Ming Gui burst into laughter, leapt up, and swooped down like an eagle, grabbing downwards. Wu Changqing raised both hands, throwing out ten golden needles. Ming Gui transformed his claws into palms, sweeping the golden needles away. Huo Zhenren and Harris simultaneously pounced forward, one slapping towards Wu Changqing, the other grasping at Hua Xiaoxue.

  Wu Changqing's martial arts were mediocre, and he saw Huo Zhenren's palm coming towards him. He raised his hands to block it, but suddenly felt a surge of heat throughout his body and stumbled backwards. Huo Zhenren burst out laughing and pressed his right claw towards Wu's "Tian Tuo" acupoint. At this moment, Harris pounced on Hua Xiaoshuang, his hands simultaneously reaching out to seal her meridians. He saw that the girl was weak and only wanted to capture her easily, not using much strength. Unexpectedly, Hua Xiaoshuang's palms swung out like clouds and fog, unpredictable and elusive, two blasts of energy striking Harris' arms. His wrists felt numb and aching, and he withdrew his hands in embarrassment, just about to change tactics when he suddenly felt a strong gust of wind behind him, and his back suffered a severe impact. He felt as if his back was splitting open, and he leapt forward five steps, glancing sideways to see a flash of green shadow, knowing that he had fallen into Liang Xiao's trap.

  Liang Xiao's palm struck Harris, his left foot flew up and hit Huo Zhenren's left thigh. Huo Zhenren let out a pained cry, clutched at his leg and retreated. Suddenly, Ming Gui shouted loudly and slapped down with his palm. Liang Xiao raised his arm to block it, but Ming Gui felt a surge of energy shoot through his entire body from his arm, as if he had been electrocuted. He did a backward somersault and fell out. However, Liang Xiao borrowed the force of his palm, spun around and caught Ah Dun's "Vairochana Seal". This palm contained the combined strength of Liang Xiao and Ming Gui, causing Ah Dun to see stars in front of his eyes as he tumbled out more than ten feet away.

  Liang Xiao took a deep breath and defeated four great masters in a row, using all his strength. Suddenly, he felt short of breath and dizzy, and saw He Tuo Luo rushing over with both palms like snakes strangling him. Hua Xiao Shuang hastily shouted: "Be careful!" Liang Xiao didn't turn his head back, grabbed Wu Changqing, and countered with a move that caught He Tuo Luo off guard. He Tuo Luo hurriedly withdrew his stance, staring at Liang Xiao in shock. Chang Ning couldn't help but swallow her saliva, dryly laughing: "What? Does Ping Zhang not care about the lives of his own people?" Hua Xiao Shuang also stared fixedly at Liang Xiao, her lips slightly parted, forgetting to speak.

  Liang Xiao sneered, "I've killed countless people in my lifetime, what's the difference between our own and not our own? Do you want the Qing Xiang Volume? Fine!" His left palm rose, hovering three inches above Wu Changqing's head. Everyone's face changed color, all knowing that when he was about to make his move, he would sweep across the south and north, killing millions. With his battle-hardened skills, killing Wu Changqing wouldn't be an exaggeration.

  This group of people are all about personal gain, using their own moral compass to measure others, deeply believing that Liang Xiao will do as he says. Hua Xiaoxue looked at Liang Xiao, also feeling empty and confused in her heart, unable to guess the key point, but she had a thin face and couldn't bear to ask questions, just feeling bewildered, when her arm was tightly grasped by Liang Xiao, who said: "I only want to survive, I don't care about the means. Whoever dares to stop me, I'll take Dead Fatty as my first victim, if I die, you won't get 'Qing Xiang Juan'!" Hua Xiaoxue heard these words and was so scared that her whole body trembled, two lines of tears finally burst out, it wasn't sadness or anger, she wanted to struggle but had no strength.

  Wu Changqing was originally puzzled, but after hearing this, his anger surged, and he scolded loudly: "You little beast, you cursed me as a dead fat man, I'll skin you alive..." Liang Xiao sneered slightly, taking big strides forward. The crowd feared that he would kill Wu Changqing and lose track of the "Green Apricot Volume", so they reluctantly dispersed.

  Liang Xiao's troops were in a precarious situation, and he had to turn the tables. He let out a slight sigh of relief, thinking that as long as they could escape for ten miles, he would be able to use his "Riding the Wind and Crossing the Sea" technique to break free. Just as he was calculating this, Ming Gui suddenly stepped forward, blocking their path with a smile. "Liang Xiao, you killed Wu Paozi! Take a look!" Chang Ning exclaimed in surprise: "Mister Ming, this..." Ming Gui waved his hand and said: "Don't worry, I'll make sure to give you a live and kicking Evil Hua Tuo." With a whooshing sound, he slapped both palms towards Wu Changqing. Liang Xiao was seen through by him, and he secretly let out a sigh, pushing away Wu Changqing and meeting Ming Gui's attack with his own palm.