Chapter 204

At this time most of the fire had died out, only scattered sparks still burning. As Ding Chunqiu's words fell, Feng A-san suddenly felt a surge of anger rush to his heavenly spirit, holding an axe he strode straight toward Ding Chunqiu and shouted, "You beast who betrays master and destroys ancestors, you still have the face to say such things!"

Gou Du said: "Ding Chunqiu, he who betrays his master deceives himself; this is karmic retribution!"

Ding Chunqiu didn't even glance at them, his expression showed no panic; facing the current situation, he seemed oblivious, and coldly said: "Just now who said that only beasts and scoundrels would dare to harbor the heart of betraying master and destroying ancestors?"

As soon as he spoke, everyone turned to look, only to see A Zi's bright big eyes flashing with anger and killing intent. Yet on her cheeks appeared a strange expression; everyone understood her inner turmoil was intense.

Anyone with long ears heard that Zhai Xingzi once said A Zi had no parents, raised by Ding Chunqiu.

How could A Zi possibly go kill him?

Feng Yi likewise could not either!

Because A Zi once said she was Feng Yi's little wife. The principle that husband and wife are one, everyone understands!

That's why Feng A-san was so furious.

A Zi giggled and said: "Master, your way of begging for mercy is always so unconventional; could this be what they mean by 'a dead tiger still stands firm'?"

Ding Chunqiu said leisurely: "A tiger fallen to the plains is bullied by dogs; there's nothing quite like it. You are my disciple, having already formed a marital bond with Hero Feng, yet now you come to deal with me; you and I alike betraying master and destroying ancestors would be forgivable, but aren't you afraid of letting Hero Feng lose his reputation and become a laughingstock in the martial world?"

"I'll kill you!" Feng A-san lunged forward in a single stride,

Divine Doctor Xue said in a low voice: "Don't act rashly." He leapt forward and blocked Feng A-san.

Feng A-san was about to strike, but seeing this he hesitated slightly.

Ding Chunqiu gave a cold snort and said: "Venerable Xuan Nan and Xuan Tong, plus several junior disciples, you say I, Ding Chunqiu, am a betrayer of master and destroyer of ancestors, following heretical ways—isn't it just because of my actions? Then A Zi, relying on her lover, plots to harm her master—what is that?"

"Old Monster Xingxiu, you truly have no shame!" Suddenly a Xingxiu disciple darted out from the roadside: "Junior Sister, Old Monster Xingxiu has many schemes; you cannot guard against them."

In an instant, several more Xingxiu sect disciples ran out, shouting: "Junior Sister, Old Monster Xingxiu commits myriad evils; even if you kill him, it's still no good."

"Yes, Junior Sister, if you kill Old Monster Xingxiu, the heroes of the Western Regions and Central Plains will be shaken; who wouldn't admire your heroic feat, destroying kin for righteousness?"

"The two characters 'hero' are insufficient to describe Junior Sister; one must call her 'worldly sage' and 'savior of the people'!"

"Junior Sister, I am eloquent; henceforth I will travel the four directions, spreading your and Hero Feng's virtue and might, so that your fame will be known throughout the world."

"Pah, Hero Feng's fame is already known throughout the world; why would you need to say more?"

"The titles 'sage' and 'savior of the people' were first uttered by me, a petty person; they merely picked up my superficial wisdom, contributing nothing."

"Junior Sister, we will surely be loyal to you, wholeheartedly devoted, and serve you."

"Junior Sister, you are young and have not yet fully learned the Star Host Sect's core techniques; I know them completely and will surely tell you everything without holding back."

"We have buried countless gold and silver treasures beside the Star Host Sea; I know where they are. I will take you to dig them up!"

Many Xingxiu sect disciples were killed or wounded, but these people, seeing the situation turn bad earlier, either lay down feigning death or hid to the side; now seeing Old Monster Xingxiu in trouble, they immediately babbled on, some offering inducements, others openly flattering A Zi to win her favor.

Everyone never expected the Xingxiu sect disciples to be so spineless, and they greatly despised them.

A Zi, however, knew this was the Xingxiu disciples' way of survival; if they couldn't blow their own trumpets and flatter, they'd have no future. But she had merely been among those who praised others, never imagining she herself would one day be praised, and she felt a bit elated. Seeing Feng Yi show impatience, she immediately raised her eyebrows and shouted loudly: "Silence!"

She was lovely in appearance, and when she turned fierce, she had a distinct charm; all the disciples fell to their knees with a thud.

Fan Baiqi coldly said: "Old thief Ding, you accept such shameless scoundrels as disciples, truly disgracing your ancestor's face; today I will cleanse the sect on behalf of your ancestor!"

Ding Chunqiu gave a slight smile and said: "I thought you looked down on me because you valued our sect's rules; I never expected that, like my own disciples, you are also a bunch of sycophants who betray master and destroy ancestors, relying on outsiders to flaunt your might—vile wretches. Even if I die, I am still far superior to you hypocrites."

The Eight Friends of Hangu Pass immediately changed color, feeling as if a thousand-pound weight had been placed in their hearts. Indeed, the traitors of the Free and Easy Sect ought to be dealt with by members of that sect; for a moment they were torn, feeling great vexation.

Then Feng Yi said softly: "Ding Chunqiu, do you know why I didn't kill you just now?"

Ding Chunqiu chuckled: "Sir, your profundity is unfathomable; how would I know?"

Feng Yi stretched out his hand and said: "Bring out the antidote from the Dissolving Skill Great Method!"

"None!" Ding Chunqiu said leisurely: "Though my whole body is poisonous and I have antidotes for everything, I must admit, there is no antidote for the Dissolving Skill Great Method!"

Feng Yi smiled and said: "Have you ever heard of the Life-Death Talisman?"

Ding Chunqiu raised his eyebrows and said: "You know this too?" Then he nodded: "You even know the Minor Formless Skill; knowing the Life-Death Talisman is no surprise!"

Feng Yi smiled faintly and said: "You should know that the Life-Death Talisman means one cannot seek life nor escape death; please, sir, sample my technique." As he spoke, he flicked his sleeve, making three soft hissing sounds, and struck Ding Chunqiu's "Chest Center", "Spirit Gate", and "Shoulder Well" acupoints.

In an instant, Ding Chunqiu felt his meridians flow smoothly and rose to his feet, but suddenly his whole body felt sore and numb, like countless ants crawling, almost unbearable; a flush of purple qi showed through his red face as he sat back down on the ground.

Everyone found it strange when suddenly Ding Chunqiu closed his eyes, white vapor shooting up from his head, obviously using internal energy to resist, yet the numbness and itching on his body did not lessen; in a panic he pulled out a medicine bottle from his bosom, poured out two pills and swallowed them, but to no effect.

Ding Chunqiu kept rummaging in his bosom, taking seven or eight kinds of antidotes in one go, yet the numbness and itching on his body only worsened. Had it been anyone else, they would have already rolled to the ground, but Ding Chunqiu's astonishing inner strength allowed him to endure with great effort.

However, Feng Yi's acupressure technique, developed together with Huang Lao Xie when they went to Mongolia, derived from the Nine Yin True Classic and the Bone-Piercing Needles, is excessively yin and toxic; applied to a person, it makes one unable to seek life or escape death. Feng Yi had only used it on Mongols to extract information, never elsewhere; today using it on Ding Chunqiu is most fitting.

After a while, Ding Chunqiu suddenly clutched his throat, collapsed to the ground, one hand reaching toward Feng Yi, emitting strange ya-ya sounds.

As the mountain wind blew, the sound, though not high-pitched or sharp, was alarming to the ear, as if this person had reached the depths of despair.

Seeing Ding Chunqiu rolling on the ground, frothing at the mouth, his hands flailing wildly, a terrifying sight, he tore at his own beard, pulling out strands of silvery-white facial hair that fluttered in the wind, then he ripped his clothes apart, revealing a body of snow-white skin.

Though he was already old, his body remained as vigorous as a youth's; wherever his fingers touched, blood burst forth, and as he tore and scratched, he kept shouting: "I'm itching to death! I'm itching to death!"

Onlookers saw this childlike face, white-haired, godlike martial arts master, and in an instant he took on the aspect of a ghost, his wails like a beast's, causing everyone to lose color.

"Old Monster Xingxiu, you refuse a toast, only to drink a penalty."

"Even the flame of a candle dares to contend with the sun and moon's light."

Those Xingxiu sect disciples grew ever more pleased, ceaselessly cursing Ding Chunqiu, their meaning being that he "does not know the times, is no outstanding talent."

A Zi saw Ding Chunqiu rolling and struggling, feeling a twinge of pity: "He ultimately raised me and passed on my martial arts..." But thinking of how he had laid hands on her, her resolve hardened again.

Suddenly Venerable Xuan Nan let out a deep, long sigh and said: "Hero Feng, our fate is thus; please relieve his suffering."

"Wait!" Divine Doctor Xue said: "Hero Feng, in this world where there is poison, there must be an antidote; we must have him produce it!"

Feng Yi smiled faintly and said: "How could I not know that poison must have an antidote? I just wanted to see how steadfast Ding Chunqiu could be!"

As he spoke, he flicked his sleeve; Ding Chunqiu instantly felt his body loosen, and that strange itch gradually faded.

Divine Doctor Xue said: "Ding Chunqiu, bring the antidote to detoxify Venerable Xuan Nan and Xuan Tong!"

Ding Chunqiu retained his full awareness, knowing he could no longer resist; he rose, took out the antidote, and obediently handed it to Xue Muhua, saying: "For Xuan Nan, white for external application, red for internal use; for Xuan Tong, the opposite." He had shouted half a sentence before losing his voice.

Xue Muhua reckoned he wouldn't dare cause trouble, and accordingly applied and administered the medicine to Venerable Xuan Nan and Xuan Tong.

Feng Yi glanced at Ding Chunqiu and said: "This move of mine is called the Soul-Searching Soul-Seizing Finger; how is it?"

Ding Chunqiu couldn't help but feel a jolt in his heart, thinking to himself: "Soul-searching spirit-seizing, indeed not empty; I fear there may still be repercussions..."

Then Feng Yi spoke arrogantly: "This technique was created by two peerless martial arts grandmasters; I, Feng, am merely its inheritor. For you to experience it counts as a blessing, but if you wish to completely rid yourself of this pain, it will be impossible in this lifetime."

Ding Chunqiu's face changed; he clasped his hands and said: "Feng, your martial prowess is formidable; I admire you, but my skills are inferior. If you want to kill me, just do so—why torment me like this? That's not what a hero would do."

Feng Yi laughed: "Ding Chunqiu, I never considered myself a great hero, and certainly not a righteous hero. To be frank, if I hadn't happened to meet you, I wouldn't bother with you at all

Your fate today is due to your ill timing and stubbornness in seeking me out—this is destiny, do you understand?"

Ding Chunqiu fell silent for a moment: "Sir, what are your orders? Please speak plainly!"

Feng Yi chuckled: "First, immediately kowtow to A Zi, returning the courtesy of when he became your disciple; sever the master-disciple bond, and from now on, each goes his own way, owing nothing to the other."

Upon hearing this, A Zi felt her nose sour and eyes hot, almost shedding tears.

The Eight Friends of Hangu also understood Feng Yi's intent: A Zi is his little wife, Ding Chunqiu is A Zi's master; as long as that title remains, it is not only a disgrace to him but also makes it harder to strike a killing blow.

Throughout history, those who plot against their master are beasts!

Ding Chunqiu is a beast; others naturally disdain to be like him!

Xuan Nan and the others also saw the relationship between Feng Yi and A Zi; Ding Chunqiu, of course, understood as well, and exclaimed in shock and anger: "Let this old man give a little—" He feared that without this title, Feng Yi would find it easier to strike him, so amidst his fury a hint of panic showed.

Feng Yi gave a cold snort, waved his hand casually, and Ding Chunqiu was left speechless, hastily saying: "Since there's a first, there must be a second—please lay them all out at once!"

"Smart!" Feng Yi gazed at the sky, coldly saying: "Second, as I promised the Divine Doctor Xue, I must take you to Lei Gu Mountain; whether you live or die depends entirely on your own ability!"

Upon hearing this, everyone felt his methods were formidable and inscrutable; this move both repaid a favor and served as a warning.

But no one knew Feng Yi had another layer of intention.

If Ding Chunqiu were to die, the world would lose much.

Whether it concerns himself or others.

Worldly affairs hinge on opportunity; if it's gone, then it's truly gone.

Ding Chunqiu suppressed his anger and said coldly: "My grudge with Su Xinghe is as deep as the sea; if I go there like this, how could he not kill me? Early death or late death—what's the difference? On what basis should I agree?"

"You overthink!" Feng Yi replied coldly: "As long as you swear not to provoke me and A Zi, at Lei Gu Mountain I will not act against you; moreover, I will cure your ailment!"

Upon these words, everyone erupted in clamor; Kang Guangling shouted: "Master Feng, how can this be done?"

Ding Chunqiu cannot match Feng Yi, but their master certainly cannot.

Otherwise, why would they pretend to be deaf and mute?

Feng Yi smiled without answering, while A Zi said: "My elder brother isn't even a disciple of Su Xinghe; helping you capture my master is already going above and beyond the call of duty, isn't it?"

Ding Chunqiu glanced at her, then turned to Feng Yi: "Taking my life would be easy as turning over your hand, yet you refrain from killing me—showing great magnanimity! I, Ding, am truly unworthy to bear the title of your master."

Having said that, he performed the "overturning golden mountain, bowing to jade pillar" ritual, then knelt on one knee before A Zi.

Everyone was stunned, then burst into an uproar.

Li Puppet spat: "Despicable and shameless, vile and base! I heard that years ago you kowtowed to your ancestral master, begging for mercy with dozens of loud knocks, before secretly scheming against him—now you continue the same!"

A Zi shuddered and stepped back; Ding Chunqiu, hearing his past shame exposed, flew into a rage, his face darkening.

Feng Yi coldly said: "You've knelt—why not kowtow?"

Only the sound of "si si" was heard as something fine fell to the ground; Ding Chunqiu looked closely and saw it was a piece of his own clothing.

Ding Chunqiu realized this was his warning—if he could pierce cloth with a finger, he could strike an acupoint; he immediately kowtowed three times before A Zi, saying: "A Zi, from now on we are no longer master and disciple." A Zi laughed: "Good, our grudges are settled!"

As Ding Chunqiu just leapt to his feet, Feng Yi turned his foot, a hiss sounded, and a gust of wind shot straight for Ding Chunqiu's armpit.

Ding Chunqiu, worn out from torment, had unyielding meridians and could not dodge; this finger force struck squarely at his "Tai Yuan" point,

The "Tai Yuan" is a vital point; striking it injures the heart and ruptures the lungs—if not fatal, it leaves one crippled. Though Ding Chunqiu's internal energy was astonishing, he immediately collapsed, pointing a trembling finger at Feng Yi and shouting: "You're despicable!"

Feng Yi laughed: "How is that despicable? I said I wouldn't move against you at Lei Gu Mountain—I didn't say not now! Moreover, you're skilled with poison; if I don't restrain you, how could I feel at ease?"

Ding Chunqiu, furious to the point of dizziness, pointed at Feng Yi: "You deliberately gave me hope just to make me sever my master-disciple bond with A Zi!"

"Yes, yes." Feng Yi laughed: "Someone like you, once at the end of your rope, would never bow down; you need a bit of hope for me to achieve my goal."

He spoke with conviction; Ding Chunqiu's anger burst his belly, his whole body trembling—reaching Lei Gu Mountain meant his death was at hand.

Although his martial arts lag behind Su Xinghe's, if he suffers serious injury, how could he possibly withstand his opponent?

Feng Yi waved his hand: "Doctor Xue, go back and arrange a carriage for your uncle; we'll head to Lei Gu Mountain!"

Ding Chunqiu's face flushed red then turned pale.

Seeing Feng Yi's maneuver, everyone wanted to clutch their stomachs and laugh loudly.

=9+ book ba

But thinking that laughing would be disrespectful to Feng Yi, they had to suppress it; suddenly a wave of lingering fear arose. Feng Yi's martial prowess is so high, and he's so adept at tricks—whoever offends him will likely never know peace again!

Ding Chunqiu's clothes were soaked in poison; Xue Muhua and others used weapons to tear open his outer garments, collected all the poison, then washed his hair several times with water, stripped clothing from the Xingxiu sect disciples and put it on him.

They also directed the living disciples of the Xingxiu sect to burn the corpses of their fallen brethren, dig pits by the roadside and bury them, after which everyone returned to the Xue residence to rest.

A Zi asked Feng Yi: "If we intend to kill Ding Chunqiu, why must we first dissolve the master-disciple relationship? Isn't that superfluous?"

Feng Yi sighed: "What people do is human—there are things we do and things we refrain from doing!"

At the very least, we must understand gratitude!

No matter how heinous Ding Chunqiu's deeds, even if everyone could kill him, he must not fall by your hand.

Because your lack of parents was not his doing, yet he raised you—this is an indisputable fact, and that is the grace of nurture!

It's just like the predicament your sister and brother-in-law faced."

A Zi said: "What happened to my sister and brother-in-law?"

Feng Yi said: "People as magnanimous and sincere as they are, precisely because their enemies have also shown them kindness, find themselves unable to act! What should be a simple matter of revenge becomes infinitely difficult for them."

A Zi half-understood, and as Feng Yi lightly patted her palm, she drifted into a dazed sleep.

After dawn, the Xue family cooked noodles; everyone ate and packed their belongings.

Feng Yi and A Zi found Divine Doctor Xue and said, "I have an ice silkworm that I want to take to increase my power; do you have any way to strengthen its effect?"

Saying this, he took out the jade box; Divine Doctor Xue immediately felt a piercing cold, and upon touching the box with his hand, it was icy cold. After pondering, he said, "At present there is no need for poison; it's best to find a rooster each day, let it drink its blood, continue sucking for seven days, then use it."

"What's there to say about it?" A Zi said, half-believing and half-doubting.

Xue Shenyi stroked his beard and said: "This ice silkworm is extraordinarily cold; if bitten by it, the cold poison will connect with the blood vessels, and the whole person will inevitably be frozen into a block of ice! Chicken blood, however, can dispel wind, invigorate blood, and unblock the meridians — as the saying goes, when qi is deficient it can be supplemented, when qi is rebellious it can be soothed."

A Zi said: "Once the toxin enters the body, how could it not merge with the blood vessels? Big Brother can even force out the toxin; why fear being unable to absorb and dissolve the ice poison?"

Xue Shenyi laughed and said: "I'm not afraid that Hero Feng Yi will be unable to absorb and dissolve it; it's a matter of time! If he were bitten by the ice silkworm, even with deep inner strength, his true qi would be blocked in an instant, rendering him immobile; if an enemy happened to appear then, what would we do?"

I merely want him to use his internal energy to dissolve it, achieving twice the result with half the effort!

Feng Yi, hearing this, came to a great realization and said: "Listening to your words, indeed it makes perfect sense!"

He had long known that in the original plot, You Tanzi, after being bitten, froze solid outright; if not for good luck, he would have become an ice sculpture. Even if his own inner strength were deeper than his, it would merely mean the dissolution would be a bit faster, but some dangers exist only in an instant.

Feng Yi thought for a moment and then said: "In that case, let's feed it for seven days!"

Everyone had packed up, and Feng Yi then sealed Ding Chunqiu's major acupoints all over his body, stuffed him into the cart, to be guarded by Fan Baiqi and General Wu.

The group either rode horses, sat in carriages, or walked on foot, marching mightily toward Lei Gu Mountain.

Feng Yi was someone who had mingled in the pleasure quarters; before women, his skin was thick, and he immediately wanted to share a ride with A Zi.

A Zi clearly knew he had intentions to take advantage, yet deep inside she was quite willing; as for whether there were many eyes watching, that didn't matter.

Fortunately, her figure had not fully developed; she was petite and delicate, and Feng Yi's robe was large enough to hold her in his arms, covering her completely; unless one looked closely, she would not be noticed.

A Zi whispered: "Big Brother, you're really good; I like you so much!"

Though her voice was low, it was extremely resolute.

Feng Yi pressed even closer to her, gazing at her smooth, jade-like neck, skin whiter than snow, inhaling the fragrance of sandalwood and orchid musk, his mind slightly intoxicated; hearing her words, he lowered his head and saw A Zi's cheeks flush red like fire, and immediately kissed her, asking: "Where does it feel good?"

A Zi said: "I've figured it out; since I was young I had no parents, relying entirely on my master to raise me; if I truly killed him, people would surely say I am ungrateful."

"And if you were with me, you would surely be said the same,"

"I shouldn't implicate you; I ought to consider you, that's what being human entails."

A Zi had grown up in the Star Lodge Sect; although there were many fellow disciples, there were no good people, and she did not understand some principles.

But she was clever and quick-witted, and her feelings for Feng Yi were genuine; thus, when Feng Yi spoke to her, combined with the words and deeds of the Eight Friends of Hangu, she gradually came to understand.

Although her master was no good, one should still respect one's teacher; only then can there be a distinction between good and evil.

Feng Yi saw that she could appreciate his efforts, and he felt quite pleased. He was originally a philanderer, with more than one lover; he knew well that A Zi was ruthless and vicious, yet her fate was tragic—living, her love life was unsmooth, she endured the torment of having her eyes gouged out, and in the end she even leapt from a cliff.

He thus consoled himself: At this moment Ah Zhu is not dead; if she were to meet Qiao Feng and grow fond of him, the two sisters would surely become enemies, so by taking her in he is actually helping her to be freed.

Thus, knowing full well that he was not a good match for her, yet taking A Zi into his care also brought him peace of mind; seeing her corrected by him even a little, he felt somewhat comforted, feeling that his efforts had value, which naturally made him more at ease to enjoy.

Along the way, whenever they ate, drank water, or drank alcohol, A Zi attended to Feng Yi's comfort; even when washing up and sleeping, she specially chose good water and good lodgings for his enjoyment.

Moreover, she would also help liven things up, plying Feng Yi with copious amounts of flattery soup— as the saying goes, "a thousand threads, myriad threads, yet flattery never breaks"— and although Feng Yi knew it wasn't sincere, he still felt greatly pleased.

Thus Feng Yi not only fed the ice silkworm chicken blood each day, but at night, when stopping for a meal, he also had to feed A Zi a chicken, passing on all his skills to her; this truly made him feel wonderful beyond compare, giving him a sense that each day having the present moment is what it means to be a living immortal.

The group went on, stopping and going, and after seven days, Xuan Nan and Xuan Tong's martial arts had already recovered.

That night, upon arriving at an inn, Feng Yi made a round of inquiries, then returned to his room and had A Zi guard his practice.

Nearby were Xuan Nan, Xuan Tong, and the Eight Friends of Hangu; with just Xuan Nan alone, as long as they didn't encounter experts like Qiao Feng, they could walk sideways through the martial world— what was there to fear?

Feng Yi slit open the brocade box a little, slowly extended his index finger, when suddenly his finger itched, a chill like an ice arrow shot along his arm, swiftly and without equal piercing his chest, rapidly spreading throughout his body; he urgently used his internal energy to dissolve it.

A Zi saw Feng Yi trembling nonstop, his face as pale as dead fish meat; suddenly he withdrew his finger, threw away the box, and with his fingertip picked up the ice silkworm.

Visibly, the ice silkworm swelled up as if blown with air; Feng Yi's forearm turned bluish-purple and shiny, and his clothes, hands, and feet were covered with a thin layer of white frost.

A Zi's lips trembled, her heart leapt: "Big Brother, could he have been killed by the poison? Otherwise, a living person has warmth— how could frost form?" Thinking this, tears welled in her eyes, but she saw that blood was still circulating inside the ice silkworm, obviously it had not finished sucking blood.

Suddenly, threads of warm air rose from the ice silkworm's body; Feng Yi opened his mouth, and a stream of white breath sprayed out, chilling his face, white smoke continually rising from his head, and he said: "I'm fine, don't worry! Step back a bit!"

A Zi nodded, stepped back a few steps, and suddenly heard a crack; the ice silkworm exploded in midair, blood splattering everywhere.

Seeing that Feng Yi was unharmed, A Zi instantly rejoiced, rolled her eyes, hurriedly smeared the ice silkworm's fluid and blood onto her palms, closed her eyes and cultivated, drawing the fluid and blood into her hands— this is the method of the Great Dissolving Art, and she felt it was effective.

She repeatedly applied the fluid and cultivated, until the ice silkworm's fluid and blood were completely absorbed, then she stopped.

In fact, the ice silkworm's poison had been entirely absorbed by Feng Yi; A Zi's efforts were useless, she didn't realize it, and having wasted half a day, she rose to her feet.

One could see Feng Yi still covered in frost, head lowered, eyes downcast, hand supporting his chin, upper body bent right, lower body twisted left— a strange posture, yet his expression was calm, his complexion shifting from white to red, lustrous and shining, like the auspicious appearance of a Buddha.

A Zi suddenly realized that Feng Yi's cultivation had reached the top of a hundred-foot pole; advancing further would surely bring a breakthrough.

Her guess was correct; Feng Yi was practicing the miraculous ancient yoga technique recorded in the Scripture of Divine Feet, having a foundation from the Scripture of the Blood Blade, and over the past year he had refined it to the final step.

Today the ice silkworm's poison surged forth, overwhelming everything in its path; Feng Yi exerted himself to gather his true qi to resist, but the force was too strong, he gradually could not withstand it, so he simply cultivated using the meridians of the Scripture of Divine Feet.

Although the ice silkworm's poison was strong, being repeatedly absorbed and dissolved by Feng Yi's Nine Yin true qi, it also grew weak; Feng Yi cultivated with the Scripture of Divine Feet, feeling the ice poison flow throughout his body, while his internal true qi circulated ever faster.

In an instant, it was as if rivers surged, unstoppable; the Nine Yin true qi gathered in streams, again and again circulating throughout his body, that true qi traversing all the meridians of the Ren and Du channels without obstruction, and thread by thread of faint white smoke emanated from his body, the frost on him gradually melting.

Thus, "Nine Yin true qi" and "Scripture of Divine Feet" merged into one, indistinguishable from each other.

When Feng Yi awoke, the east was already bright, morning light filled the sky; A Zi saw him wake and asked anxiously: "You're awake?"

Feng Yi smiled and said: "Yes!" He then suddenly felt a chill, closed his eyes, circulated his qi once, and felt a steady stream of vigorous energy flowing through his body, making him feel utterly warm and refreshed.

But if he did not deliberately circulate his qi, he would immediately feel cold, lacking the previous warm moisture, and his true qi could not compare to his former abundant strength; upon reflection he realized that inviting a deity is easy, sending it away is hard— he had not yet fully absorbed the nature of the ice silkworm.

Feng Yi, relying on the ice silkworm's impetus, mastered the divine learning of the Scripture of Divine Feet from India; however, its meridians and movements differed from those of the Central Plains' teachings.

Therefore, the ice silkworm's poison took hold in his meridians throughout his body, forming a most interesting phenomenon: cultivating feels comfortable, not cultivating feels cold.

For only by relying on cultivation methods to gradually dissolve the ice silkworm's toxic nature can one greatly increase one's power; since Feng Yi has not fully dissolved it, his body is like the ice silkworm itself, possessing the first yin cold peculiarity.

Had it been anyone else, they would have long since stiffened and frozen; he only avoided freezing thanks to his deep inner strength, but the inner strength he had stored to suppress and dissolve the cold poison naturally diverted a portion, so he was no longer as abundantly strong as before.

Fortunately, Feng Yi didn't treat it as a big deal; with his current strength he still had about fifty to sixty percent of his former power, enough to contend with several opponents, and with the ice silkworm's cold poison added, he could still walk sideways.

After finishing their meal at the inn, the group set out again for Lei Gu Mountain, having gone about ten li when the terrain grew higher and the large cart could not ascend the mountain; Li Kuilei and General Wu lifted Ding Chunqiu out and began to walk on foot.

Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves came from behind; four riders on horseback galloped up the main road. The four horses were swift, and in the blink of an eye they swept past Feng Yi and the others' sides in succession; their saddles bore cloth bags holding weapons, clearly they were all martial artists.

The riders whipped their horses and spurred them forward; the four horsemen sped away, and one of the men in yellow glanced back, his face showing a hint of surprise.

Feng Yi and his companions thought nothing of it, walked for over half an hour, and arrived at a place where bamboo shade was dense, the scenery tranquil; beside the mountain stream a pavilion had been erected from giant bamboo, exquisitely constructed, every detail thought out— bamboo was the pavilion, the pavilion was bamboo; at a glance one could not tell whether it was a bamboo grove or a pavilion. Inside the pavilion stood a ceramic vat, atop which rested a bamboo ladle, apparently meant for travelers to rest and drink water.

At this moment the sun was high and people were thirsty, exactly the time to crave water; a few members of the Star Lodge Sect rushed forward, quick-stepping to the pavilion, intending to ladle water and drink deeply.

A Zi shouted: "Don't move!"

The members of the Asterism Sect dared not move; Ding Chunqiu not only had his acupoints sealed, but was also bound with ox tendons, making his movements difficult. A Zi first ladled him a bowl of water, watched him drink it down, then suddenly heard the sound of hooves. Looking over, the four riders had turned around the mountain ridge and come back again.

Everyone was astonished; how could these four, upon going up, immediately turn back? Could it be they really intend to make things difficult for us?

(End of chapter)