Chapter 34

It was solid, not hollow.

Yao Yue inspected it for a while longer, her brows knitting slightly, before turning to leave the cave and summon someone.

What they did not know was that the "Northern Profound Divine Art" and "Strolling on Waves" originally found here in *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils* actually did not exist.

In the original work, the Xiaoyao Sect was a top-tier faction, acting without scruples, but in this comprehensive martial world, many forces surpassed the Xiaoyao Sect.

Under such circumstances, how could Li Li Qiushui dare to leave her sect's martial arts in this place?

If someone obtained them, deduced martial arts to counter the Xiaoyao Sect, and then turned against them, the consequences would be dire.

Thus, Yao Yue and the other women were destined to return empty-handed.

Of course, they had not gained nothing; at the very least, they had learned a crucial piece of information—

They were under protection, and their defensive power was extremely strong!

After leaping up the cliff, Yao Yue ordered the maids, "Slide down this rope."

The maids dared not ask further; they replied in unison and slid down the rope one by one.

"Heroine, what about... what about me? May I leave now?" Gong Gong Guangjie approached with a ingratiating smile.

Yao Yue glanced at him and struck out with a palm without warning; the palm force penetrated straight through his skull, killing Gong Gong Guangjie instantly and utterly.

Gong Gong Guangjie had been very obedient, answering every question Yao Yue asked without playing tricks, but he knew too much!

Yao Yue was inherently ruthless; how could she possibly let him go?

Today, intimidated by her authority, he had spoken freely and held nothing back; tomorrow, encountering other experts, he would surely divulge everything that happened today.

Therefore, a dead man was far more reassuring.

However, considering Gong Gong Guangjie's tactfulness, Yao Yue allowed him to die without pain; he was gone before he even realized what was happening.

The maids of the Shifted Flower Palace standing nearby showed no surprise at the sight, clearly accustomed to such events.

When only Yao Yue and Hua Yunu remained on the cliff, Yao Yue casually swept her gaze over Hua Yunu, and a sudden thought arose in her mind.

If Zhutao, merely a maid, possessed a diary copy, what about her personal attendant, Hua Yunu?

Hua Yunu was even more beautiful than Zhutao!

Upon thinking this, Yao Yue's gaze fixed steadily on Hua Yunu.

Scrutinized so intensely, Hua Yunu felt her scalp go numb and her heart tremble with fear; especially feeling guilty, she appeared all the more flustered: "Elder... Elder Palace Master?"

Looking at her, Yao Yue mimicked Zhong Ling's earlier method and whispered softly, "Diary copy."

Indeed!

She said it!

Yao Yue instantly confirmed that Hua Yunu was also a possessor of a diary copy.

Upon hearing these four words, Hua Yunu was terrified out of her wits; she immediately fell to her knees, trembling like a leaf in the wind.

Yao Yue said coldly, "So you indeed possess a diary copy, yet you still play the fool before this Palace! Speak, why did you conceal this from me?"

With matters having come to this, Hua Yunu dared not disobey and immediately voiced her concerns tactfully.

Upon hearing this, Yao Yue snorted coldly.

Yet she also knew she could do nothing to Hua Yunu; amidst her calmness, she could not help but reflect.

The other party's worries seemed not entirely unreasonable?

However, at this moment, she no longer wished to quarrel with Hua Yunu.

Firstly, Hua Yunu was also under protection.

Secondly, there were simply too many possessors of diary copies; even a mere maid like Zhutao had one, so it was impossible for her to monopolize them, and she simply could not be bothered to care anymore.

Learning that Yao Yue did not intend to hold her accountable, Hua Yunu immediately expressed her profound gratitude.

The master and servant descended the cliff, and Yao Yue ordered all the Shifted Flower Palace maids to search the stone chamber.

Hua Yunu was among them.

Seeing that Hua Yunu was beautiful, Zhong Ling approached to test her; upon discovering she was also a diary copy possessor, her big-mouthed nature flared up again.

Only then did Hua Yunu realize that Yao Yue could no longer control her.

This brought her immense relief; she no longer needed to fear Yao Yue's unpredictability or retrospective reckoning.

However, although her life was now secure, Hua Yunu did not thereby develop any treacherous thoughts.

For she was an orphan who had followed Yao Yue since childhood, enjoying Yao Yue's deep trust, and had even been transmitted one of the Shifted Flower Palace's two great divine arts—Shifted Flower Receiving Jade!

Thus, Yao Yue owed her a debt of rebirth.

Hua Yunu was not someone who would fail to repay kindness; although she usually feared Yao Yue, she also held respect and gratitude for her, so she would naturally not betray her without cause.

The group thus began searching through the cave.

In Suzhou, the escort convoy continued forward as usual.

In less than half a day, Jiang Sishui had mastered "Nine Solitary Swords."

That terrifying comprehension, where understanding one point illuminated a hundred, left Zhao Zhao Zhao Qiying utterly astounded.

No wonder Lang Lang Fanyun, who modeled himself on heaven and earth, taught himself, and ultimately shattered the void to ascend, was so formidable; after merging with his talent template, Jiang Sishui seemed entirely reborn.

This even made Zhao Zhao Zhao Qiying envious.

Subsequently, the two stood in the carriage, using their fingers as swords, and began dissecting each other's moves.

First, Zhao Zhao Zhao Qiying would execute sword techniques, mostly those she had learned previously, while Jiang Sishui was responsible for countering them.

Later, having observed her moves extensively, Jiang Sishui not only mastered them but could also infer other cases from one instance, devising new sword techniques to execute, forcing Zhao Zhao Zhao Qiying to counter them in turn.

Through this back-and-forth exchange, they both found great joy and benefited immensely.

Meanwhile, the affection between the two was rapidly intensifying.

Regarding Jiang Sishui's little maneuvers, Zhao Zhao Zhao Qiying no longer resisted; as long as they were not too excessive, she let them be.

This delighted Jiang Sishui immensely.

The journey remained peaceful; under the banner of the Central Plains Escort Agency, no one was blind enough to come looking for trouble.

After a day and a half passed like this, it was not until the evening of the next day that Jiang Sishui began writing the sixth diary entry.

[Having high comprehension is so comfortable; I mastered the "Nine Swords of Senior Senior Dugu" in less than half a day.]

[In "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," Linghu Chong was taught by Feng Feng Qingyang for an entire night, with Tian Tian Boguang as a sparring partner, and only after ten-odd days did he master this sword technique.]

[Yet he achieved only minor success, whereas I comprehended it in less than two days; now, I have at least achieved major success!]

[Feng Feng Qingyang was the worst; he cultivated for a full three months, and his progress was probably similar to Linghu Chong's after ten-odd days.]

Seeing the diary finally updated, all the women breathed a sigh of relief.

Since Jiang Sishui had not written in the diary this morning, they all feared some accident had befallen him and were filled with anxiety.

It was not entirely out of concern for Jiang Sishui's life or death, but rather worry that if he were gone, the diary would no longer grant them their daily Qi reward.

Shanzhou, Huashan.

Yue Yue Lingshan cried out in surprise, "Ah! Mother, so in the book, Grandmaster Feng chose Senior Brother Linghu as his successor!"

"No wonder Grandmaster Feng only took a liking to Senior Brother Linghu and ignored everyone else."

"Is Senior Brother Linghu's talent so much higher than Grandmaster Feng's? Grandmaster Feng is a Grandmaster; could Senior Brother Linghu possibly hope to become a Heavenly Being in the future?"

"Still, Big Brother Jiang is the most formidable; he mastered a divine art so quickly."

Yue Yue Lingshan kept muttering to herself until she suddenly realized Ning Zhongze had not responded, so she looked over in puzzlement.

She saw that Ning Zhongze wore a serious expression, her brows knitted in worry.

"Mother, what is wrong?" Yue Yue Lingshan asked, looking at her in surprise.

Hearing her daughter's voice, Ning Zhongze came to her senses and did not hide her thoughts, pointing to the content on the diary copy: "Tian Tian Boguang is a notorious lecher; how could he serve as a sparring partner for Chong'er?"

Hearing this, Yue Yue Lingshan paused for a moment, glanced at the diary for two breaths, and said, "Perhaps the Senior Brother Linghu in the book is different from our Senior Brother Linghu?"

"Chong'er has always been carefree and uninhibited; he... ah, never mind, let us hope it is so." Ning Zhongze sighed, choosing not to dwell on events that had not yet occurred.

Yue Yue Lingshan knew her mother's doubts remained unresolved, but she could do nothing about it, so she lowered her head to read the diary again.

["Nine Swords of Senior Senior Dugu" is quite powerful, with comprehensive functions offering counters to all manner of attack methods; no wonder it dares to claim 'One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Techniques.']

[However, all this is relative; against a Heavenly Being, it would likely begin to show its limitations.]

["Nine Swords of Senior Senior Dugu" holds a high conception, elucidating many supreme principles of the Sword Dao, yet unfortunately, most exist only in theory without specific methods of practice.]

[Simply put, it merely points out a direction for those learning the sword; the path ahead must be explored and comprehended by oneself.]

[No wonder this sword technique places paramount importance on comprehension.]