Chapter 222: The Heavenly Mountain Old Witch Has Arrived

The Murong family lost all their property.

The Beggar's Sect lost Northern Qiao Feng.

Both sides can be said to have suffered mutual losses.

Gu Qing reaped great gains, sitting in Canhe Manor, poring over the martial arts manuals brought forth by A Zhu and A Bi—among them were the Murong family's sword techniques, the Dipper-Turning Star-Shift, and more… These were given to Gu Qing by A Zhu and A Bi for safekeeping.

"This Dipper-Turning Star-Shift is somewhat interesting."

Gu Qing discovered within the Dipper-Turning Star-Shift certain inverted yin-yang principles that differed from the general framework of the Qiankun Great Shift and diverged somewhat from the principles of the Flower-Transplanting Jade Technique, yet enriched the variations of force.

Wang Yuyan leaned beside Gu Qing, gazing intently at the Dipper-Turning Star-Shift manual, memorizing every detail within.

"Why is there no Canhe Finger?"

After reading the manuals, Gu Qing asked A Zhu and A Bi in surprise.

"What Canhe Finger?"

A Zhu and A Bi had no idea.

Gu Qing understood: the Canhe Finger was likely something Murong Bo had concocted after studying the Seventy-Two Ultimate Arts at Shaolin, borrowing some finger techniques to embellish his family's reputation.

As for the Murong family's ancestral martial arts… thirty years ago, Murong Bo encountered Xiao Yuanshan, froze in terror at the brutality of Xiao Yuanshan's slaughter of Central Plains heroes, unable to take even a single step; afterward, Murong Bo fled to Shaolin to steal martial arts, even begging Xiao Yuanshan to teach him.

"That's enough…"

Gu Qing felt there was nothing more to say.

"Do you look down on the Murong family's martial arts?"

A Bi raised her eyebrows, asking irritably.

"Wait a few days—I'll show you what true strength really is."

Gu Qing intended to help A Bi enter the realm of balanced yin and yang.

Wang Yuyan and Mu Wanzhen each fixed their gaze on Gu Qing.

Gu Qing waited in the Murong manor until dawn, when government troops arrived to seize the gold, silver, martial arts manuals, and all documents, fully sealing off the Murong estate. Three officials were present, along with Master Xuanbei and Duan Yu, overseeing the handover. After completion, Duan Yu came to Gu Qing and explained the identities of the three officials.

"Prefect of Fuzhou?"

Gu Qing suddenly said: "Huang Shang?"

"That Fuzhou official's name is indeed Huang Shang—he's on his way to the capital for his official review and passed through here."

Duan Yu asked: "Master has heard his name?"

Pingjiang had a canal directly linking to Bianliang, making it a vital transportation route.

Gu Qing looked at Huang Shang—he had not merely heard of him, but had received considerable favors from him.

Now, Huang Shang diligently served as an official, never imagining he would ever be linked to martial arts—until years later, when the court ordered him to compile the Ten Thousand Longevity Daoist Canon. Huang Shang, self-taught, grasped the true essence of Daoism, and in his later years synthesized all martial arts into the Nine Yin Manual.

He was a grand master of martial arts; without Huang Shang, the Trilogy of the Demi-Gods and the Great Eagle, the Divine Eagle, and the Heaven Sword would have lost much of their luster.

Gu Qing immediately had Wang Yuyan grind ink and write a letter, handing it to Duan Yu: "When you reach Bianjing, deliver this letter to your senior sister. I have many connections in Bianjing—have them arrange things."

Huang Shang's talent is wasted as an official. Since the Murong family has many martial arts texts, once they're sent to Bianjing, let Huang Shang compile a Martial Canon and a Dao Canon—perhaps he can crystallize the Nine Yin Manual much earlier.

"My senior sister?"

Duan Yu asked in surprise.

Wang Yuyan, Mu Wanzhen, and Zhong Ling all turned to Gu Qing—none of them knew who this mysterious senior sister was.

"Her name is Li Qingzhao."

Gu Qing chuckled: "She's young, sharp-tongued, and a very charming girl."

Long ago in Bianjing, though Gu Qing had "narrowly lost" to Su Dongpo in poetry, he had showcased his martial arts and gained many acquaintances, even taking Li Qingzhao as a disciple and teaching her Mingyu Gong.

Duan Yu bowed and departed.

Gu Qing nodded. With Murong Fu being escorted to Bianjing, and Beggar's Sect masters accompanying them, and as they traveled northward, they entered the territories of Shaolin and the Beggar's Sect, and now with Duan Yu able to wield the Six Meridians Sword at will, there were few true rivals left in the martial world. "Ah…"

Gu Qing stretched lazily. Having dealt with Murong Fu and left A Bi behind, he felt life had become more fulfilling.

As for A Zhu, she had resolved to accompany Murong Fu's escort party under her identity as a princess of Dali, to care for him.

Board the boat, set sail.

Gu Qing brought A Bi back to Mantuo Manor, where the manor would first provide her lodging.

"Huh?"

After returning to Mantuo Manor, Gu Qing exclaimed in surprise: "Where did the Western Xia One-Pin Hall and the Beggar's Sect agree to meet?"

Originally, after the Apricot Grove incident, the Western Xia One-Pin Hall had launched an assault on the Beggar's Sect, using Bitter-Sweet-Blind Wind to capture them. But now, Qiao Feng had resolved the Beggar's Sect's affairs and departed; the Murong family had been overthrown; yet the Western Xia One-Pin Hall, which should have appeared, had still not shown up.

"Never mind…"

Gu Qing dropped the topic, trained his martial arts, ate and drank at Mantuo Manor, and as evening neared, went to check on Ding Chunqiu, to see how he was recovering—and whether he deserved another beating for some entertainment.

!

"You wicked woman, you've come here?"

A shrill, aged voice suddenly rang out from within Mantuo Manor—"good" spoken from afar, but by the final word, the speaker was already right before him.

Gu Qing flashed outside and saw many maids of Mantuo Manor had formed a sword array—but the intruder moved with astonishing speed, slicing through the array in an instant, heading straight for Wang Yuyan on the corridor!

Wang Yuyan shifted her stance, drew twin swords, and unleashed the Eighty-Eight Sixty-Four Moves of the Long Song Flying Rainbow Sword, dazzling and magnificent, blocking the path.

"Huh?"

The intruder was petite; seeing such splendid swordplay, she exclaimed in surprise, changing her hand movements effortlessly to contend barehanded against blades.

Wang Yuyan's sword momentum solidified, unfolding the Sword Art passed down by Auntie Gongsun. After merely a few touches, she realized the intruder's martial skill was extraordinary. After several transformations of the Long Song Flying Rainbow Sword, her momentum shifted—light, ethereal, brilliant, radiant, like a celestial maiden descending to earth, on the verge of ascending to immortality.

The intruder's hand had been poised to seize the blade, but upon seeing this move, she instantly retreated several zhang, watching as Wang Yuyan released and retracted the attack in a single sweep, leaping several zhang to stand beside a young man on the corridor.

"You're not her."

The intruder's voice was aged, her figure petite; she tilted her head slightly and asked Wang Yuyan: "Why are you wearing her clothes?"

That night, Wang Yuyan wore a faded pale yellow silk robe, green lake-colored shoes, and an ancient hairpin—this was the exact set of clothes once worn by Li Qiushui in the Wuliang Jade Cave. Hearing these words, Wang Yuyan's face flushed crimson, all the way to her collar, like clear jade stained with blush, exquisitely radiant.

"I made her wear them."

Gu Qing answered naturally—this outfit, he had begged for repeatedly, and tonight she had finally worn it.

Too bad someone had arrived—otherwise, the two of them could have spent the night studying the Northern Dark Divine Skill, with Wang Yuyan mimicking the facial expressions within—it would have been a delightful affair.

"Boy, has it been you protecting this Mantuo Manor all along?"

The intruder sized up Gu Qing.

Gu Qing shook his head.

"Then who?"

The intruder asked.

Gu Qing glanced sideways.

The intruder looked over and saw Ding Chunqiu leaning on his cane, hurrying away.

"Ding Chunqiu?"

The Heavenly Mountain Old Witch's voice turned icy.

"Auntie…"

Ding Chunqiu forced a smile, turning his face.

If not for Gu Qing nearly killing him, Ding Chunqiu would never now smile so humbly.

(End of Chapter)