[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t":3,"chapter-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-41":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Living Among All Heavens, Achieving Immortality Through Merit",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2323609,4545,"Chapter 41: Don","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-41",41,"\u003Cp>With Li Mochou gone, everyone gathered in the hermitage, where Cheng Ying prepared the meals; soon, seven or eight delicate dishes were laid out on the table. After eating, Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang washed and dried the dishes and cups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yang Guo, come with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Yang Guo’s gloom, Gu Qing greeted him warmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guo rose listlessly and followed Gu Qing; before stepping out the door, he glanced back at Xiaolongnu—her beauty untouched, her gaze fixed on Gu Qing—and his heart ached, nearly bringing tears to his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a child, whenever he cried, he would make his aunt laugh—but now, if he cried, would she laugh at all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yang Guo’s heart ached, he looked up at Gu Qing—and saw Gu Qing nearly laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So infuriating!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yang Guo, how many martial arts have you learned?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing asked suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question startled Yang Guo slightly. As a protagonist, his fate had been extraordinary: as a child, he learned the Toad Skill from Ouyang Feng; later, he became a disciple of the Ancient Tomb, mastering all its martial arts; he studied much of the Quanzhen Sect’s techniques; then he acquired the incomplete Nine Yin Manual and Ouyang Feng’s inverted Nine Yin; atop Mount Hua, he traded martial arts with Gu Qing and had begun to grasp the internal cultivation within the Nine Yin Manual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Gu Qing obtained the Dragon and Elephant Power, he did not conceal it—he taught Yang Guo the complete set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with Gu Qing asking, Yang Guo reviewed his own martial arts—and suddenly felt overwhelmed: his skills were numerous but scattered, and he could not clearly organize them into a coherent whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guo’s mind grew dazed, until he saw Gu Qing raise a finger—the Soul-Shifting Technique from the Nine Yin Manual—jolting him back to clarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Every martial art you’ve learned is among the finest in the world. To rank them in superiority, you’d first need to reach the level of the Five Greats.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guo nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I have a comprehensive outline of all martial arts under heaven—it should help you clarify their structure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having won Xiaolongnu over, Gu Qing now prepared to strengthen Yang Guo by teaching him the outline of the Nine Yin Manual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guo was naturally brilliant, a martial genius; after hearing the outline of the Nine Yin Manual a few times, he memorized it. Its principles revealed the fundamental logic of martial arts, and as he listened, insights flooded his mind—like a stream flowing through his thoughts, every technique’s underlying logic now had a reference point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pondered this for a full day and night, sorting through every martial art he knew; when his mind cleared, he looked up at the sky—the sun had risen again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guo turned and saw Gu Qing stepping out of Xiaolongnu’s room; upon closer look, he noticed no ropes hung inside—realizing the two had already shared a bed—and his expression darkened as he approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Figured it out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing asked, watching Yang Guo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Yang Guo had been so absorbed in sorting his martial arts he’d nearly become a sleepwalker—he’d fainted five times in seven days without clarity. But with the Nine Yin Manual’s outline, he had improved immensely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Guo nodded and said, “Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a martial artist, he understood the immense value of the Nine Yin Manual’s outline—but he found it hard to feel gratitude toward Gu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guo’er…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiaolongnu stepped out the door and gently warned, “Gu Qing has taught you the outline of the Nine Yin Manual—don’t waste it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From her voice, Yang Guo sensed maternal affection—and realized, with sorrow, that a tragic barrier of master-disciple duty now lay between him and Xiaolongnu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t waste it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly was Xiaolongnu telling him not to waste? Yang Guo didn’t quite understand—he just didn’t want Gu Qing as his uncle-in-law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the side chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Ying was preparing food when Gu Qing suddenly appeared; seeing only her, he asked, “Where’s Wushuang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Ying stiffened slightly, then said, “She went to beg Xiaolongnu to take her as a disciple. Didn’t you know?” Even as she spoke, she kept working.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing of course knew—he had come here precisely because Xiaolongnu was occupied, but Cheng Ying had grown increasingly distant. He came to gauge her attitude; now, after she answered with indifference, he understood: she intended to draw away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing tilted his head slightly, seeing Cheng Ying still wore her disguise mask, and whispered, “We’re already so familiar—shouldn’t you remove the mask and let us see your true face?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Condor Heroes novel describes Cheng Ying’s beauty less than Xiaolongnu’s, there was a moment when Lu Wushuang quarreled with Huang Rong and said Cheng Ying was prettier than Huang Rong—a remark that struck Huang Rong’s sensitive heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Rong’s beauty was said to resemble her mother’s; if Cheng Ying was truly more beautiful than Huang Rong, she must be among the most stunning women in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Ying glanced sideways at Gu Qing and said, “Xiaolongnu is innocent and pure, her beauty peerless—cherish her. Why bother with this ugly girl like me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiaolongnu allows you everything at night—know contentment and find joy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiaolongnu’s innocence freed her from social constraints; at night, Gu Qing would barge in, demanding kisses, hugs, and caresses—and she, finding pleasure, responded willingly. Yet she still held firm on the final boundary, believing marital relations required a formal wedding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Ying, sleeping in the next room with superior internal energy, heard every sound clearly—and thus issued this warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean no harm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing, chastised by Cheng Ying’s blunt words, felt a flicker of embarrassment and said, “You can’t wear that mask forever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Ying gave a light snort in reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you’re not going to let me see your face.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Ying affirmed firmly—she was close to Xiaolongnu and could not betray her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if I saw it anyway?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Ying immediately covered her mask with her hand, fearing he might suddenly tear it off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry—I won’t force you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing smiled and said, “I’m just asking hypothetically—what if I did see your true face?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you truly saw it, then it would be my fault.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Ying’s voice was elegant yet tinged with pique: “I’ll willingly admit defeat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing clapped his hands, helped add firewood to the stove, and when the meal was ready, helped carry the dishes to the table. Lu Wushuang had already become Xiaolongnu’s disciple; at the table, everyone was cheerful… except Yang Guo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss Cheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing suddenly spoke: “I plan to forge some Jade Bee Needles. Do you know any blacksmiths nearby?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Mofeng, a disciple of Taohuadao, worked as a blacksmith nearby—in the original novel, Cheng Ying sought him out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this, Gu Qing was about to play his card in the wager with Cheng Ying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1159,"2026-06-20T17:04:26.501Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","aa4c145e72d13c20b4ae3890b7d2427a1cd6d27ad2da5838d47b219978a4c36f","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-42","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-40",449,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fliving-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-cover.jpg"]