Chapter 6: The Jade Maiden's Sutra

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Chapter 6: The Jade Maiden's Sutra

Xiaolongnü took out a porcelain bottle from her bosom and handed it to Yang Guo, saying loudly, “This is a honey syrup for treating bee poison. Take it to Zhao Zhijing.” Yang Guo, who had long harbored resentment towards Zhao Zhijing, reluctantly complied with Xiaolongnü’s wishes. He quickly stepped forward and placed the honey syrup heavily on the ground in front of Zhao Zhijing. Hearing that Xiaolongnü had returned to the palace, the group initially thought she came for revenge on behalf of Grandma Sun. They tightened security and sent word to their masters Ma Yu and Qiu Chuji, only to be astonished to find that she had come to deliver an antidote. Speechless, they watched as Yang Guo set down the porcelain bottle, gave Zhao Zhijing a contemptuous look, and turned to leave.

Seeing Yang Guo, Lu Qingdu’s anger surged, and he exclaimed, “You little traitor, just like that you leave your sect?” That day, he had knocked Yang Guo unconscious with the Toad Skill. Though Yang Guo held his breath for a moment, his martial arts were shallow, and his injuries were not severe. After several massages from Qiu Chuji and a few days of recuperation, he had fully recovered. Now, Lu Qingdu stepped forward, intent on avenging the push from that day.

Xiaolongnü said, “Guo’er, don’t fight back today.” Hearing footsteps behind him and feeling the approaching palm wind, someone reached for his collar. Yang Guo had spent eight nights on the cold jade bed in the Tomb of the Living Dead and practiced catching sparrows for eight days. Although Xiaolongnü had only taught him a little about catching sparrows, this was the essence of the Ancient Tomb Sect’s lightness skills. At that moment, instead of moving forward or backward, he ducked just as Lu Qingdu’s hand was about to grab him and took the opportunity to pull on the hem of his clothes. Lu Qingdu could never have imagined that in just a few days, his lightness skills had improved so much. Enraged and underestimating his opponent, Lu Qingdu lunged forward, missed, and lost his balance, tumbling forward heavily.

By the time he got up, Yang Guo had already run to Xiaolongnü’s side. Lu Qingdu shouted angrily, preparing to charge again, but suddenly someone burst through the crowd, seemingly floating on air, and grabbed his arm, pulling him back into the crowd. Lu Qingdu was caught, and his body went numb. When he looked up, he realized it was his uncle, Zhen Zhibing, and the words he was about to shout were swallowed back.

Zhen Zhibing loudly said, “Thank you, Lady Dragon, for the medicine,” and bowed deeply. Xiaolongnü ignored him, holding Yang Guo’s hand and saying, “Let’s go back.” Zhen Zhibing said, “Lady Dragon, Yang Guo is a disciple of our Quanzhen Sect. You took him by force. How shall this matter be resolved?” Xiaolongnü was taken aback and did not respond, instead quickly walking into the forest with Yang Guo on her arm.

Zhen Zhibing, Zhao Zhijing, and the rest of the group stood there, looking at each other in astonishment.

The two returned to the tomb and went to the main hall. Xiaolongnü said, “Guo’er, your skills have improved, but the way you fought that fat Taoist was wrong.” Yang Guo replied, “That fat Taoist beat me so badly, but today I listened to you and didn’t hit him enough. Why shouldn’t I have fought him?” Xiaolongnü shook her head, “It’s not that you shouldn’t fight him, but you fought him the wrong way. Instead of knocking him down, you should have made him fall on his own, making him look even more ridiculous and humiliated.” Yang Guo was delighted and said, “That sounds interesting. Teach me how, Auntie.” Xiaolongnü said, “I’ll be Guo’er, and you’ll be the fat Taoist. Try to catch me.” With that, she began walking slowly.

Yang Guo, smiling, reached out to grab her. Xiaolongnü seemed to have eyes on her back; whenever Yang Guo sped up, she would also quicken her pace, and when he slowed down, she did the same, always maintaining a distance of about three feet. Yang Guo said, “I’ve got you now!” and lunged forward. Xiaolongnü did not dodge. Just as his hands were about to encircle her neck, she slid out from his grasp. Yang Guo quickly turned to grab her, but in his haste, he lost his balance and fell backward, landing heavily on his back, which began to ache.

Xiaolongnü reached out, grabbed his right hand, and helped him up. Yang Guo exclaimed, “Auntie, this method is great! How can you move so quickly?” Xiaolongnü said, “If you catch sparrows for another year, you’ll be able to do it too.” Yang Guo was puzzled, “I can already catch them.” Xiaolongnü scoffed, “You think that’s catching them? The skills of the Ancient Tomb Sect are not that easy to master. Follow me.”

She led him to another stone chamber. This chamber was about twice the size of the previous one where they caught sparrows. There were already six sparrows inside. With more space, catching the sparrows became much more difficult. Xiaolongnü taught him some additional lightness techniques and grappling skills. After eight or nine days, Yang Guo could catch all six sparrows in one go.

The stone chambers kept getting bigger, and the number of sparrows kept increasing. Eventually, he was catching eighty-one sparrows in the main hall. The techniques of the Ancient Tomb Sect were profound, and the Cold Jade Bed greatly enhanced the practice of internal skills. After three months, Yang Guo could easily catch all eighty-one sparrows. Xiaolongnü was pleased with his rapid progress and said, “This initial technique is called ‘Soft Net Style.’ Now we’ll go outside the tomb to practice.” Yang Guo was overjoyed to hear they were going outside. Xiaolongnü said, “What’s there to be so happy about? This skill is very hard to master. Not a single one of the eighty-one sparrows can escape.”

They went outside the tomb. It was late spring, and the branches were lush with green leaves. Yang Guo took a deep breath, filling his chest with the sweet and fresh scent of flowers and grass, feeling indescribably comfortable and refreshed.

Xiaolongnü opened the cloth bag, and the sparrows flew out. She waved her slender hands, blocking and tapping, her hands fluttering like a thousand palms. No matter how the sparrows fluttered and flew, they could not escape the circle formed by her hands. Yang Guo watched in awe, realizing she was teaching him a marvelous palm technique. Concentrating, he observed how she blocked and struck, noting each movement. Although her palm strikes were fast, each move was clear and distinct.

Xiaolongnü continued for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, then raised her palms, and the sparrows, freed from their confinement, flew into the sky. Xiaolongnü said, “To keep them from flying away, this technique is called ‘Swaying the Sky in a Gentle Breeze.'” She suddenly leaped up, her long sleeves fluttering, and with a whoosh, the sparrows fell to the ground, chirping in confusion. After a while, they regained their strength and flew away.

Yang Guo was overjoyed and grabbed her sleeve, saying, “Auntie, I bet even Uncle Guo can’t do this.” Xiaolongnü said, “Each sect has its own unique skills. ‘Soft Net Style’ followed by ‘Swaying the Sky in a Gentle Breeze’ are techniques created by our Ancestor Granny. You must practice diligently.” She then taught him over ten palm techniques, which Yang Guo learned diligently. Within a dozen days, he had mastered the eighty-one moves of ‘Soft Net Style’ and practiced them to perfection. Xiaolongnü caught a sparrow and had him practice blocking it. At first, he could block it two or three times before it slipped through his hands. Xiaolongnü, waiting nearby, would block the sparrow back to him. He continued practicing, and although he sometimes missed the timing or the speed, he gradually improved.

As spring turned to summer, Yang Guo’s skills steadily improved. His natural talent and hard work allowed him to catch more sparrows. By mid-autumn, he had mastered ‘Soft Net Style,’ able to block all eighty-one sparrows. Occasionally, a few would escape, but it was only because his skill was not yet perfect, which could not be achieved overnight.

One day, Xiaolongnü said, “You have mastered this set of palm techniques. The next time you encounter that fat Taoist, you will be able to knock him down effortlessly.” Yang Guo asked, “What about when I face Zhao Zhijing?” Xiaolongnü didn’t reply, thinking, “From what I saw when Zhao Zhijing fought with Granny Sun, if he hadn’t been poisoned by the bees, Granny Sun might not have won. Your current skills are still far from his level.” Yang Guo understood her silent answer and said, “It doesn’t matter if I can’t beat him now. In a few years, I will surpass him. Auntie, the martial arts of the Ancient Tomb Sect are indeed stronger than those of the Quanzhen Sect, aren’t they?”

Xiaolongnü looked up at the stone ceiling and said, “Only you and I believe that. Last time, when I fought against that old Taoist from the Quanzhen Sect named Qiu, my skills were not as good as his. However, this doesn’t mean the Ancient Tomb Sect is inferior to the Quanzhen Sect. It’s just that I haven’t mastered the most advanced techniques of our sect yet.” Yang Guo, who had always been worried that Xiaolongnü couldn’t defeat Qiu Chuji, was delighted to hear this. He said, “Auntie, what is this technique? Is it hard to learn? Can you start practicing it now?”

Xiaolongnü said, “Let me tell you a story so you can understand the origins of our sect. Before you became my disciple, you already paid respects to our founder. Her name was Lin Chaoying. Several decades ago, she and Wang Chongyang were the top martial artists in the world. They were equally matched, but later, Wang Chongyang got busy leading a militia to resist the Jin invaders, while our founder devoted herself to martial arts, eventually surpassing him. But because our founder never cared for fame and rarely showed off, few people in the martial world knew of her. Later, after Wang Chongyang’s militia failed, he retired to this Living Dead Tomb, where he delved into martial arts to pass the time. During this time, our founder was ill twice and wasn’t in good spirits, so by the time Wang Chongyang emerged again, she was not his match anymore. Eventually, they had a duel, and Wang Chongyang lost, thus giving up this tomb to her. Come, I’ll show you the relics left by these two predecessors.”

Yang Guo clapped his hands and said, “So this stone tomb was won by our founder from Wang Chongyang. Knowing this makes me even happier to live here.” Xiaolongnü, with a slight smile, said indifferently, “You don’t really enjoy living here, do you? It’s too stuffy and boring, isn’t it?” Yang Guo replied, “No, as long as I’m with you, I’m happy anywhere.” Xiaolongnü smiled faintly and shook her head, leading him to a stone chamber. Yang Guo noticed that this chamber had an unusual shape: it was narrow at the front and wide at the back, forming a trapezoid, with a semicircular east side and a triangular west side. He asked, “Auntie, why is this room shaped so oddly?” Xiaolongnü explained, “This was where Wang Chongyang studied martial arts. The narrow front was for practicing palms, the wide back for punches, the round east side for sword techniques, and the triangular west side for internal energy training.” Yang Guo wandered around the room, feeling its profound mystery.

Xiaolongnü pointed upwards and said, “The essence of Wang Chongyang’s martial arts is all up here.” Yang Guo looked up and saw that the stone ceiling was covered with various patterns and symbols, carved with sharp tools, some deep, some shallow, with no apparent order. He couldn’t comprehend their meaning at first glance.

Xiaolongnü walked to the east side, reached into the semicircular base, and pushed a few times. A large stone slowly moved aside, revealing a hidden door. Holding a candle, she led Yang Guo inside. The next chamber was identical in layout but reversed, with a narrow back and a wide front, and a round west side with an angular east side. Yang Guo looked up and saw that the ceiling was also covered with countless diagrams.

Xiaolongnü said, “This contains the martial secrets of our founder. She used her intelligence to win the tomb, but her actual martial skills were not as strong as Wang Chongyang’s. After moving into the tomb, she first deciphered Wang Chongyang’s martial arts and then, through diligent study, created techniques to counter his. All of it is recorded here.” Yang Guo exclaimed, “This is great! No matter how strong Qiu Chuji or Hao Datong are, they can’t be stronger than Wang Chongyang. If you master our founder’s techniques, you’ll definitely beat those stinky Taoists.” Xiaolongnü said, “That’s true, but unfortunately, I have no one to help me.” Yang Guo declared, “I’ll help you.” Xiaolongnü gave him a sideways glance and said, “Unfortunately, your skills aren’t sufficient.” Yang Guo blushed with shame.

Xiaolongnü continued, “Our founder’s technique is called the ‘Jade Maiden Heart Sutra.’ The more advanced parts require two people practicing together, helping each other. At that time, our founder practiced with my master. Shortly after mastering it, our founder passed away, and my master didn’t fully master it.” Yang Guo, turning shame into joy, said, “I’m your disciple; I can practice with you.” Xiaolongnü pondered and said, “Alright, let’s give it a try. First, you need to master all the basic skills of our sect. Second, you must learn the martial arts of the Quanzhen Sect. Third, we’ll practice the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra to counter their techniques. When my master passed away, I was only fourteen. I had learned all the skills of our sect but had only begun learning the Quanzhen techniques, let alone the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. I’ll teach you the first step, and we’ll figure out the second and third steps together.”

Generally, practicing internal martial arts is about enhancing internal power. The same punch, kick, palm, or sword move, when used by someone with average internal power, can only knock down or injure an opponent or block an attack. But once internal power is enhanced, a light palm strike can severely injure or even kill an opponent. A sword block can rebound the opponent’s heavy weapon, injuring their hand or causing them to drop their weapon. The level of martial arts often depends on the depth of internal power. When Guo Jing was learning martial arts from the Six Freaks of Jiangnan in the Mongolian desert, his progress was slow. But after receiving high-level internal power training from Ma Yu of the Quanzhen Sect, his skills improved rapidly. The Ancient Tomb Sect’s method of practicing internal power is quite different from conventional martial arts. As internal power grows, the practitioner becomes more agile, able to move swiftly and strike multiple times in the time it takes an ordinary person to make one move. However, their strikes do not gain corresponding power. Agility and heaviness are opposites. Seeking agility means giving up heaviness, and achieving heaviness requires sacrificing agility.

On this day, Xiaolongnü said, “You have mastered this palm technique. The next time you encounter that fat Taoist, you can make him tumble without any effort.” Yang Guo asked, “What about Zhao Zhijing?” Xiaolongnü didn’t answer, thinking, “When Zhao Zhijing fought with Granny Sun, his skills were impressive. If he hadn’t been poisoned by the bees, Granny Sun might not have won. Your current skills are still far from his level.” Yang Guo understood her silence and said, “It doesn’t matter if I can’t beat him now. In a few years, I will surpass him. Auntie, isn’t our Ancient Tomb Sect’s martial arts superior to the Quanzhen Sect’s?”

Xiaolongnü looked up at the stone ceiling and said, “Only you and I believe that. Last time, when I fought against Qiu Chuji of the Quanzhen Sect, my skills were not as good as his. However, this doesn’t mean the Ancient Tomb Sect is inferior to the Quanzhen Sect. It’s just that I haven’t mastered the most advanced techniques of our sect yet.” Yang Guo, who had always been worried that Xiaolongnü couldn’t defeat Qiu Chuji, was delighted to hear this. He said, “Auntie, what is this technique? Is it hard to learn? Can you start practicing it now?”

The founder of the Ancient Tomb Sect, Lin Chaoying, created this martial art with the sole purpose of surpassing her beloved Wang Chongyang. Her goal was to catch her opponent off guard, gently patting the back of his neck or heart, or poking him lightly. She didn’t want to cause him any real pain or injury; she just wanted both parties to laugh it off, and for Wang Chongyang to admit defeat willingly, fulfilling her heart’s desire. Therefore, the faster and lighter the technique, the better. The moves didn’t need to carry any force, but they had to be executed in a surprising and unexpected manner. This approach was completely contrary to traditional martial arts. The techniques passed down were those that had been effective against Wang Chongyang, who was a martial arts master, undefeated in the world, and crowned as the best during the Huashan Sword Debate. To land a light touch on him, making him concede defeat, was truly challenging. Lin Chaoying racked her brains day and night, following an unconventional path in martial arts. In later generations, Li Mochou, a seemingly weak woman, could use these unpredictable techniques and her peculiar whisk techniques, derived from swordsmanship, to intimidate the martial world and strike fear into the hearts of many heroes.

After teaching Yang Guo the basic skills and ensuring he had mastered them, Xiaolongnü went out and caught three sparrows, releasing them into a narrow-front, wide-back stone chamber. She let them fly freely and then, when one sparrow flew low, she leaped forward to intercept it, eventually confining all three sparrows into a small circle, preventing their escape.

Xiaolongnü said, “Previously, you mastered the ‘Soft Net Technique,’ where you ensured that eighty-one sparrows couldn’t escape the circle. Now, you need to practice allowing the sparrows to fly freely and then use your palm to force them down, keeping them from escaping your palm’s reach. Eventually, you need to be able to confine all eighty-one sparrows. This technique is called the ‘Heavenly Net Technique,’ and it’s much harder than the ‘Soft Net Technique.’ Sparrows can fly high, and no matter how good your lightness skill is, you can’t leap five or six feet high to bring them down. You need to be quick with your eyes and hands, moving lightly and swiftly. The moment you see a sparrow flying up, you must immediately reach out and force it down. This skill requires you to be faster than the sparrow. Sparrows have no strength, so a light tap or block will stop them from flying. Therefore, the internal skill you practice should focus on agility, moving as soon as you think, and striking like lightning, without needing any force.”

Yang Guo nodded and asked, “Auntie, our martial arts are extremely fast, but if we don’t use force when striking, what if the opponent uses strength against us in a hand-to-hand fight? Their force might be overwhelming. What should we do then?”

Xiaolongnü replied, “Alright, let’s try it! Use your strength to strike my palm!” She lightly pressed her right palm toward his face. Yang Guo struck out with his right palm, aiming to meet her hand forcefully, hoping for a loud clap as their palms met. However, just as his palm was about to make contact, Xiaolongnü’s palm suddenly shifted direction, lightly brushing the back of his head, and then her left hand flicked out, her fingers gently tapping his right elbow’s Tianjing point. The Tianjing point is located an inch above the elbow bone between two muscles. Immediately, Yang Guo’s right arm went limp and weak, hanging loosely. He exclaimed, “You’re tricking me! I won’t do this anymore!”

Xiaolongnü smiled slightly, lifted his right arm with her left hand, and gently massaged the areas around his Tianjing, Sidu, and Qinglengyuan points with her right hand. The numbness in Yang Guo’s right arm gradually subsided. He said, “Auntie, I understand now! We don’t compete with the opponent’s strength; we aim to be faster, catching them off guard.”

Xiaolongnü smiled and said, “Yes, our practice is about being faster, striking unpredictably so that the opponent can’t anticipate our moves even if they think about it for three days and nights.” Yang Guo scratched his head in delight and said, “Auntie, that’s wonderful.” Xiaolongnü said, “The striking techniques and angles passed down from our founder are ingenious. You just need to remember them. As for being faster than your opponent, even faster than martial arts experts, we need to practice diligently. Not only you, but I also need to practice. Fortunately, we have the cold jade bed to help us; eventually, we will succeed.” She then taught him some lightness skills for the “Heavenly Net Technique” involving high leaps and low dives. Yang Guo said, “The ‘Heavenly Net Technique’ encompasses everything! Even if the opponent escapes to the ends of the earth, we can use this technique to capture them.”

Thereafter, Xiaolongnü taught Yang Guo the secrets of the Ancient Tomb Sect’s internal energy techniques, fist and palm techniques, weaponry, and hidden weapons, one by one. After two years, Yang Guo had mastered all that was taught. Thanks to the help of the cold jade bed, his progress was astonishingly rapid, although his internal strength remained relatively shallow. The martial arts of the Ancient Tomb Sect were created by a woman, and the three generations of masters were all women. Consequently, the techniques were characterized by their flexibility and grace, but they lacked substantial power. Yang Guo, with his naturally quick and agile temperament, found these techniques well-suited to his disposition.

As Xiaolongnü grew older, she became even more remarkably beautiful. By this year, Yang Guo had turned sixteen. He had grown taller, his voice had deepened, and he had become a handsome young man, no longer the child who had first entered the tomb. Xiaolongnü, having grown accustomed to his presence, still regarded him as a child. Yang Guo had great respect for his master, and over the past two years, he had not disobeyed her even once. Whenever Xiaolongnü thought of something to do, Yang Guo would complete it before she even opened her mouth. He also often took the initiative to cook and fetch water, trying to prevent his master from laboring. Despite Xiaolongnü’s cold and indifferent demeanor, which remained unchanged, and her lack of smiles and warmth, Yang Guo did not mind. Sometimes Xiaolongnü would play the zither, and the music would be calm and indifferent, reflecting her detached attitude. Yang Guo would sit quietly by her side, listening intently.

One day, Yang Guo was in the narrow room, and he managed to corral all eighty-one sparrows that had been released, preventing them from flying away. He had mostly mastered the lightness skill “Heavenly Net Technique” that Xiaolongnü had taught him, though his internal strength was still insufficient. He couldn’t yet move as swiftly as lightning or strike with the speed of a flash. Xiaolongnü said, “Alright, Guo’er, you have practiced well. Let’s go outside to practice.” Upon hearing the words “go outside,” Yang Guo’s eyes lit up, and his face beamed with joy.

The two of them went outside the tomb. Xiaolongnü and Yang Guo used the “Heavenly Net Technique” to force the flying sparrows to the ground. Some sparrows flew too high, making it impossible to reach them, so they ignored those. Sometimes, when a sparrow was too nimble for Xiaolongnü to bring down, Yang Guo would leap forward to assist her, and together they managed to bring it down. Xiaolongnü said happily, “That’s right, Guo’er. The techniques we’ve been practicing are only the first and second levels of the Ancient Tomb skills. Once we move on to the third level, many of the techniques require us to join forces against the enemy.”

Yang Guo was overjoyed. He flipped backward and said, “Auntie, if we can join forces to beat those Daoist priests and challenge the Quanzhen Sect, that would be incredibly fun!” Xiaolongnü said, “We can’t challenge the entire Quanzhen Sect. Those Daoists only killed Grandma Sun, and they haven’t done anything else wrong. We should only settle the score with Hao Datong. My master said that these Daoists have done a lot of good deeds in the martial world, helping the weak and saving the distressed, so they are considered righteous.” Yang Guo said, “There are many bad people in the martial world. Let’s join forces to fight them.” Xiaolongnü replied, “Let the bad people do as they please; it has nothing to do with us. As long as we stay in this tomb, they can’t harm us.”

Hearing this, Yang Guo felt stifled at the thought of spending his entire life in the tomb. He wanted to argue, but then he remembered Xiaolongnü saying, “We can live freely in the tomb,” and thought, “If Auntie is willing to let me stay in the tomb with her forever, never separating, and if she says ‘live freely,’ it means she doesn’t mind me staying with her forever. That’s wonderful.” He blurted out, “Auntie, I want to stay in the tomb with you forever. You promised Grandma Sun that you’d never drive me away!” Xiaolongnü smiled faintly and said, “That depends on whether you behave.”

Yang Guo said, “I will behave. I will always listen to you so that you won’t want to drive me away.” Xiaolongnü said, “Do you think you’re a treasure? Why wouldn’t I want to drive you away? If you leave, I can take in a female disciple and won’t feel lonely.” Yang Guo said, “A female disciple would be silly and not as good as me!” Suddenly, he felt fearful and sorrowful. He threw himself onto the grass and cried, “Auntie, when I grow up, please don’t drive me away. If I misbehave, you can hit me or kill me, but I will never leave you!” He started crying louder, almost as if he was intentionally throwing a tantrum.

He had only cried when he first entered the tomb and when Grandma Sun died; he hadn’t cried since. Xiaolongnü, completely taken aback by his outburst, felt helpless and said, “Don’t cry, don’t cry! I’m not driving you away.” Yang Guo said, “Then you must never scare me by saying you’ll drive me away.” Xiaolongnü said, “Whenever you hear ‘go outside,’ you get so excited. I thought you must feel stifled in the tomb.” Yang Guo said, “As long as I’m with you, I’m not stifled at all. In fact, I’m very happy. If you don’t let me stay with you, I’ll kill myself with a sword.” Xiaolongnü said sternly, “As long as you behave and listen to me, that’s all that matters. You can’t threaten me with suicide. If I want to drive you away, whether you die or not has nothing to do with me, and threatening me won’t work.” Hearing her say, “whether you die or not has nothing to do with me,” Yang Guo felt extremely hurt and began crying again. Xiaolongnü said, “You’re not a child anymore. Crying at every little thing, is that being good or bad?”

Yang Guo jumped up and said, “Auntie, I won’t cry anymore!” He saw a pair of butterflies flying by and immediately leaped forward. He made a circle with his hands and caught the pair of butterflies in his hands. Butterflies flew much more slowly than sparrows, so with Yang Guo’s current lightness skill and techniques, catching butterflies was effortless. Xiaolongnü said, “These butterflies are beautiful; don’t hurt them.” Yang Guo said, “Alright!” He opened his hands, letting the butterflies flutter away. His cheeks were still wet with tears, and he wiped them away with his sleeve, smiling and saying, “Free in the air!”

That evening, after they had finished dinner, Yang Guo cleaned up the dishes, washed them thoroughly in the kitchen, placed them on the wooden rack to dry, and then scrubbed the pots and pans. He returned to the cold jade bed to lie down and practice the internal martial arts techniques Xiaolongnü had taught him. At this time, Xiaolongnü still shared a room with him, allowing her to immediately guide him if he encountered difficulties during his practice, preventing any internal energy deviations caused by extreme cold or heat. The two of them treated each other with utmost respect day and night, with no thoughts of gender differences in their hearts. Xiaolongnü did not consider sleeping in a separate room.

That night, after washing her face, hands, and feet, Xiaolongnü entered the bedroom, hung up the long rope, and slept on it. Yang Guo practiced his master’s internal techniques once and was about to close his eyes when he noticed Xiaolongnü’s slender white feet turning on the rope as she changed position. He had seen this many times and was usually indifferent, but after his emotional outburst earlier that day about whether she would drive him away, he found her white feet inexplicably endearing. He thought to himself, “As long as I obediently listen to her, Auntie won’t drive me away. Watching her little white feet for a lifetime would make me very happy.” He let his mind wander for a while, then quickly fell asleep.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when he suddenly felt a warm sensation in his chest, slowly moving down to his abdomen. He saw a pair of white butterflies fluttering up and down, left and right before his eyes. Watching them for a while, he found them fascinating, jumped up, and used the “Heavenly Net Technique.” With his right hand blocking high and his left hand gently grabbing, he caught one white butterfly, then quickly caught the other with his right hand. He felt the butterflies were cold to the touch, soft but extraordinarily chilly. After a moment, he noticed the butterflies gradually warming and gently trembling. Afraid of hurting them, he loosened his grip but didn’t let go, fearing they might fly away. Suddenly, the butterflies slipped out of his hands, and someone shouted, “Guo’er, what are you doing?”

Startled awake, Yang Guo realized he was holding Xiaolongnü’s feet, standing in front of the long rope where she slept. Terrified, he jumped back to his bed, landing with a thud on the cold jade bed. Trembling, he stammered, “Aunt… Aunt… I’m sorry, I was dreaming, catching a pair of butterflies, but I caught your feet instead. I really didn’t mean it…” The cold from the jade bed seeped into him. In his panic, he didn’t use his internal energy to resist it, and he shivered, his teeth chattering.

Xiaolongnü said, “Don’t be afraid, it’s alright as long as you didn’t mean it.” She gently patted his chest. Yang Guo felt a warm current flow to his “Tanzhong” acupoint, gradually warming his entire body. He calmed down and used his internal energy to counter the cold. Xiaolongnü returned to her rope bed, curled her knees, and tucked her feet under her skirt, so Yang Guo couldn’t see her bare feet anymore.

The next day, fearing that Yang Guo might dream again, Xiaolongnü hung her long rope in the adjacent stone room to sleep. Yang Guo pleaded, “Auntie, I promise I won’t dream about catching you again. I’ll tie my hands, and if I do, you can cut me with a sword. The pain will wake me up immediately.” Xiaolongnü said, “I believe you didn’t mean it, so I forgive you. Your progress in internal skills has advanced, and you won’t easily lose control. Just be careful.” Yang Guo dared not ask further. From then on, he practiced diligently, taking extra care, and nothing untoward happened.

That day, Xiaolongnü said, “You have mastered all the martial arts of our Ancient Tomb Sect. Tomorrow, we will start practicing the skills of the Quanzhen Sect. These old Taoist skills are not easy to learn. Even my master didn’t fully understand them, and I comprehend even less. We’ll have to practice together from the beginning. If I interpret something incorrectly, feel free to point it out.”

The next day, the master and disciple went to the first oddly-shaped stone chamber and began practicing according to the symbols and diagrams Wang Chongyang had carved on the ceiling years ago.

After a few days of practice, Yang Guo, who already had a solid foundation in martial arts and was naturally intelligent, quickly grasped many concepts, progressing rapidly at first. However, after about ten days, he suddenly found himself regressing instead of progressing, becoming increasingly frustrated with the practice.

Xiaolongnü also found it increasingly difficult as they tried to understand and practice the techniques together. She said, “When I was learning the Quanzhen Sect’s martial arts from my master, I also struggled to progress after a while. At that time, our founder had already passed away, and there was no one to consult. I knew it was because we lacked the essential formulas and instructions, but we were at a loss. I once suggested going to the Quanzhen Sect to steal the secrets, but my master scolded me severely. So, we gave up on practicing these skills. Since it’s the Quanzhen Sect’s martial arts, it’s not crucial if we don’t learn them. However, we could solve this problem by capturing a Quanzhen Taoist, knocking him on the head, and forcing him to teach us the basics. Let’s go.”

This remark sparked an idea in Yang Guo. He suddenly recalled that Zhao Zhijing had once taught him the “Quanzhen Da Dao Song,” which included lines like: “In initial practice, the Great Way opens the nine orifices, the nine orifices originate at the Weilu point. Start from the Yongquan point at the soles, rise through the knees. Pass the knees and gradually reach the Weilu, rapidly rotating at the Niwan at the top of the head. The Golden Lock passes through the Magpie Bridge, descending through the twelve towers into the palace.” He recited these lines aloud.

Xiaolongnü carefully analyzed the meaning of the song and said, “This indeed seems to be the essence of the Quanzhen Sect’s martial arts. Since you know it, that’s excellent.” Yang Guo then recited all the formulas Zhao Zhijing had taught him. Although Zhao Zhijing had imparted the fundamental formulas of the Quanzhen Sect’s advanced internal skills, he hadn’t explained their application or the meanings of terms like “Yongquan,” “Twelve Towers,” “Niwan,” and others. Yang Guo had memorized them but couldn’t make use of them. Now, Xiaolongnü carefully analyzed and explained that the “Yongquan point” was located at the soles of the feet, the “Weilu point” at the end of the spine, and the “Niwan” was the “Baihui point” at the top of the head. The same acupoint had six different names, which could be confusing. With Xiaolongnü’s explanation, Yang Guo immediately understood. Within a few months, they had largely comprehended the martial arts essence that Wang Chongyang had left on the ceiling of the stone chamber.

One day, after finishing a sword practice session in the stone chamber, Xiaolongnü sighed, “Initially, I underestimated the martial arts of the Quanzhen Sect. I thought they were reputed to be the orthodox martial arts of the world but weren’t much more than that. Now, I realize that they are indeed profound. Although we understand their secret techniques, it will take who knows how long to master them and make our strength come naturally.” Yang Guo said, “Although the Quanzhen Sect’s martial arts are excellent, since our founder left techniques to counter them, there must be skills superior to theirs. It’s like there’s always a higher mountain.” Xiaolongnü said, “Starting tomorrow, we’ll practice the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra.”

The next day, they both went to the second stone chamber and practiced according to the symbols and diagrams on the ceiling. This practice was much easier than learning the Quanzhen Sect’s martial arts. The methods Lin Chaoying had created to counter Wang Chongyang’s techniques still originated from her own martial arts. The symbols and diagrams on the ceiling were the key points of the Heart Sutra, and Lin Chaoying had also left oral instructions detailing the practice and essentials of the Heart Sutra’s martial arts. This Heart Sutra was divided into ten chapters, starting from the basics and progressing to the advanced techniques. Xiaolongnü’s master didn’t pass it on to her first disciple, Li Mochou, but to her second disciple, Xiaolongnü. Li Mochou mistakenly believed there was a written record of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, not knowing that it was passed down orally without any written documentation.

After a few months, the two of them had mastered the external techniques of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. Sometimes, Yang Guo would use the Quanzhen sword techniques, and Xiaolongnü would counter them with the Jade Maiden sword techniques. When Xiaolongnü used the Quanzhen sword techniques, Yang Guo would counter them with the Jade Maiden sword techniques. The Jade Maiden sword techniques were indeed the nemesis of the Quanzhen sword techniques. Every move and stance precisely suppressed the Quanzhen sword techniques, rendering them ineffective and countering them at every step, with each move seizing the initiative. No matter how the Quanzhen sword techniques changed or maneuvered, they could not escape the encompassing net of the Jade Maiden sword techniques.

The sword techniques they practiced were extremely fierce, but following the instructions in the scriptures, they dulled the tips of their long swords and hammered the edges to bluntness. These swords could no longer stab or injure, becoming swords with only form and intent but unable to harm, known as “blunt swords.” Li Mochou used a horsetail whisk instead of a sword because, while the Ancient Tomb Sect’s sword techniques were exquisite, they were not very effective in causing injury. Thus, she employed the horsetail whisk to execute sword moves, and with her refined and unpredictable techniques, she often won battles quickly.

It was not widely known that the “blunt sword” was not meant to harm. Lin Chaoying had created these techniques solely to counter the Quanzhen Sect’s swordsmanship without genuinely fighting to the death with Wang Chongyang. The aim was to compare skills, with one win being enough, and to ensure no harm came to either party. Hence, the Ancient Tomb Sect’s “Jade Maiden Blunt Sword” had techniques that were fantastical and unpredictable, appearing mundane at first but suddenly transforming into astonishing moves. Just when it seemed the practitioner would admit defeat, an unexpected move would emerge, leaving the opponent bewildered and unable to react. Lin Chaoying and Wang Chongyang, while dueling, took it seven parts seriously but three parts playfully. Lin Chaoying’s martial skills were on par with Wang Chongyang’s, and they were equally matched. Knowing her competitive spirit, Wang Chongyang often allowed her to win by yielding a move or two in critical moments, letting her playful and mischievous tactics secure victory.

These sword techniques were ideal for sparring among allies. When used against an enemy, the numerous feints and false moves made it hard for opponents to distinguish between real and fake, easily deceiving them. By the time the opponent realized the truth, they would already be at a disadvantage, making it too late to recover.

After mastering external techniques, they turned to internal skills. Quanzhen Sect’s internal skills were vast and profound, and creating new methods to surpass them was no easy task. Lin Chaoying, with her extraordinary intelligence, found a unique way to gain the upper hand. Xiaolongnü looked up at the diagrams on the ceiling, pondering silently and frowning.

Yang Guo asked, “Aunt, is this skill very difficult to learn?” Xiaolongnü replied, “I heard from my master that this Heart Sutra’s internal skill requires two people to practice together. I thought we could practice it together, but it turns out we cannot.” Yang Guo was anxious and asked, “Why not?” Xiaolongnü explained, “If you were a girl, then it would be possible.” Yang Guo hurriedly said, “What’s the difference? Aren’t men and women the same?” Xiaolongnü shook her head and pointed to the diagrams on the ceiling. Yang Guo looked where she pointed and saw countless human figures, seemingly female, in various postures with fine lines radiating outward from their bodies. Still not understanding, he turned to her.

Xiaolongnü explained, “My master once told me that while practicing this skill, the body’s heat must be allowed to disperse freely in an open, empty place. If not dispersed promptly, it would accumulate inside, causing severe illness or even death. She said we must practice without clothes to ensure the heat can dissipate immediately.” Yang Guo suggested, “Then we can practice without clothes.” Xiaolongnü responded, “Eventually, as we guide and protect each other’s internal energy, facing each other without clothes is improper for a man and woman.”

Over the past two years, Yang Guo had focused solely on martial arts and had not considered the differences between men and women. Now he realized it was indeed inappropriate to face his master unclothed while practicing. Xiaolongnü, though over twenty, had grown up in the Ancient Tomb and was ignorant of worldly matters. The sect’s teachings emphasized suppressing emotions and desires, so despite being a young man and woman living together daily, one was indifferent and the other respectful, with no inappropriate behavior. Discussing practicing without clothes was seen merely as a difficulty, with no other thoughts. Yang Guo suddenly suggested, “I have an idea! We can sit side by side on the Cold Jade Bed to practice.” Xiaolongnü said, “Absolutely not. The cold jade will push the heat back into us. After a few days, we would both be dead.”

Yang Guo pondered for a while and asked, “Why must two people practice together? Can’t we practice separately and discuss any difficulties I encounter slowly with you?” Xiaolongnü shook her head, “No. This internal skill is challenging at every step, with constant risks of deviation. Without someone to help, it would lead to severe problems. Only by supporting each other can we navigate these dangers together.” Yang Guo remarked, “Practicing this internal skill seems troublesome.” Xiaolongnü said, “Let’s focus on perfecting our external skills. That should be enough to defeat the Quanzhen Taoists. We’re not looking to fight them to the death. Even if we can’t beat them, it’s no big deal. We can skip the internal skill practice.” Yang Guo agreed with his master’s decision.

That day, after finishing his training, Yang Guo went out of the tomb to hunt for some food like deer and rabbits. He caught a yellow deer and then started chasing a gray rabbit. The rabbit was exceptionally agile, darting left and right. Although Yang Guo had become very proficient in lightness skills, he couldn’t catch the rabbit immediately. His playful spirit arose, and he decided not to use hidden weapons to harm it but to compete in lightness skills, wanting to exhaust the rabbit until it could no longer run. One person and one rabbit ran further and further away. The rabbit turned around a hill and suddenly darted under a large bush of red flowers.

This bush of red flowers stretched out for several meters, densely packed with layers of flowers emitting a strange fragrance. By the time Yang Guo rounded the bush, the rabbit had disappeared. After chasing the rabbit for a long time, Yang Guo had grown fond of it. Even if he caught up, he would have spared it, and not finding it was no big deal. He noticed that the bush of flowers looked like a large screen with red petals and green branches, quite beautiful, shaded by trees all around, forming a natural flower house. An idea struck Yang Guo, and he hurried back to bring Xiaolongnü to see it.

Xiaolongnü said indifferently, “I don’t like flowers. If you like them, play here by yourself.” Yang Guo replied, “No, aunt, this is an excellent place for our training. You stay on this side, and I’ll go to the other side of the flower bush. We can both take off our clothes, but neither of us will see the other. Isn’t that perfect?” Xiaolongnü thought it was a good idea. She jumped onto a tree and looked around, seeing that the surroundings were tranquil with only the sounds of streams and birds, and no signs of people. It indeed seemed like an ideal place for training, so she said, “You came up with a good idea. Let’s start practicing here tonight.”

That night, after the second watch, the master and disciple came to the depths of the flower shade. In the stillness of the night, the flower fragrance was even more intense. Xiaolongnü recited a section of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra’s mantra and techniques, and Yang Guo asked about the unclear parts. The two then went to either side of the flower bush, took off their clothes, and started practicing. Yang Guo extended his left arm through the bush to touch Xiaolongnü’s right palm. Whenever one of them encountered difficulty during practice, the other would sense it and immediately provide assistance with their internal energy.

When practicing the seventh section of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, it was all about two people working together to face an opponent, with their swords complementing each other. When the man attacked, the woman defended, and when the man defended, the woman took the opportunity to attack. With both attacking and defending in unison, the attacker could exert full force without worrying about counterattacks, doubling the power of their offense. The defender, knowing the attacker was ready to strike, would weaken the enemy’s attack, making it easier to switch to offense. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü, even without an actual opponent, imagined fighting Quanzhen Taoists, often picturing Hao Datong. In their minds, Hao Datong was thoroughly defeated and would sometimes beg for mercy. Occasionally, they even imagined Qiu Chuji begging for mercy. The master and disciple found great joy in this, laughing heartily together.

Xiaolongnü, remembering her master’s teachings against extreme emotions, quickly restrained her laughter. Yang Guo, rarely seeing Xiaolongnü smile, found her radiant and endearing at this moment. Her effort to suppress her laughter made her even more charming, and he couldn’t help but want to embrace and kiss her. But recalling that she was his master, he quickly withdrew his arms. Xiaolongnü asked, “What move was that?” Yang Guo replied, “I was worried that Qiu Chuji might suddenly use ‘Fore and Aft Tricks’ to hurt you while kneeling, so I had to protect you with all my might.”

This was exactly the essence of the seventh section of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. When Lin Chaoying created this sutra, she was already in the stone tomb, but Wang Chongyang refused to join her. In her lonely seclusion, she developed these ingenious martial arts, expressing her helpless yearning through her techniques. She imagined herself in danger and Wang Chongyang risking everything to save her. Yang Guo’s casual lie surprisingly aligned with the original intention of the sutra. Xiaolongnü nodded in agreement.

When they reached the nineteenth move, “Graceful Canopy,” Xiaolongnü reiterated her master’s teachings: “In this move, if I can’t match the enemy and get knocked down by a punch or a kick, the enemy will pursue and try to harm me further. You must rush over to shield me, taking the blow yourself. When the enemy raises their fist, palm, or sword to strike you, you must spread your legs, brace yourself, and hold firm so your upper body doesn’t actually press down on me. I will then thrust my sword through your legs, straight into the enemy’s abdomen. The enemy, thinking we’re both incapacitated, won’t expect this move. They won’t see the sword coming from ‘nothingness,’ so they’ll be caught off guard and unable to dodge, naturally getting pierced in the abdomen.”

Yang Guo shook his head and said, “Aunt, this move is indeed very clever and unexpected, but it seems a bit too treacherous.” Xiaolongnü replied, “What’s treacherous about it? If the enemy sees us down and stops attacking, we wouldn’t need to use this move. Since the enemy pursues to harm us, it’s only right to use it against them. This move is meant for bad people, not good ones.” Yang Guo nodded, “Exactly, the ancestor meant to deal with bad people.”

Unbeknownst to him, when Lin Chaoying created these moves, she imagined herself in danger and Wang Chongyang, out of deep love, risking his life to save her. The techniques were an expression of her unfulfilled affection, created more out of self-pity and longing, rather than any practical need.

Yang Guo, following the instructions from the second half of the seventh section of the Heart Sutra, memorized the moves and practiced them one by one with Xiaolongnü. At that time, the two had completed the initial stages of the internal skills from the Heart Sutra. Their movements were extremely swift and light, full of strange and rapid techniques. Previously, when Yang Guo sparred with Xiaolongnü, he always held a sense of deep respect in his heart, careful not to even touch the edges of her clothing. But practicing the second half of the seventh section required each move to be about fiercely protecting the other. Imagining an enemy’s fierce and deadly attacks, Yang Guo naturally felt that Xiaolongnü, unable to fend off such attacks, needed his utmost protection. As they practiced for a long time, he began to see Xiaolongnü not as a superior master but as a fragile person needing his protection.

Though Xiaolongnü was a few years older, she had grown up in the stone tomb, rarely seeing daylight. The Jade Maiden’s skills she practiced slowed aging and preserved her appearance. Comparing the two, Yang Guo seemed to be older. As they practiced this martial art, Yang Guo started seeing Xiaolongnü as a little sister needing his protection, not just as his master. His moves naturally became about shielding her from attacks, disregarding his own safety. Thus, they practiced the second half of the seventh section of the Heart Sutra to perfection, not just in technique but also in embodying the principles and intentions behind the martial arts.

As Xiaolongnü relied on Yang Guo’s protection during their practice, she subconsciously began to feel dependent on and obedient to him. The strict master-disciple dynamic dissolved, and their eyes occasionally met with mutual understanding—one protecting, the other seeking help. This mutual understanding was the core intention of the Heart Sutra’s internal skills, which were difficult to achieve through internal training alone but naturally emerged when combined with external techniques.

One day, while practicing a move called “Willing to be Armor,” Yang Guo had to encircle Xiaolongnü with his arms as if forming a protective armor around her. Xiaolongnü had to stay still and regulate her internal energy. Yang Guo moved forward, his arms forming a virtual embrace, not touching her, but his eyes were filled with deep affection, determined to sacrifice himself to protect her. Meeting his gaze, Xiaolongnü blushed, feeling uneasy, and softly said, “Guo’er, this isn’t right!” Yang Guo immediately jumped back.

They had spent a long time together in the ancient tomb, and feelings had long since developed, although one remained aloof and the other respectful. Even in their conversations, they had never overstepped their boundaries. Now, practicing this martial art required them to exert their full strength and imagine themselves in life-or-death situations, causing formalities and caution to weaken. Naturally, their inherent human emotions surfaced. That day, when practicing the move “Graceful as a Canopy,” Xiaolongnü exclaimed, “Oh!” and stumbled forward. Yang Guo leaped to cover her, spreading his legs to support himself and keeping his upper body from pressing on hers. In this position, Xiaolongnü was to thrust her sword between his legs into the enemy’s abdomen.

Yang Guo used his waist and back to support himself, avoiding pressing on Xiaolongnü, but seeing her blushing face and playful expression, he felt an uncontrollable warmth. Unable to restrain himself, he hugged her and moved to kiss her cheek. Xiaolongnü, though not devoid of feelings herself, felt a surge of emotion when embraced by Yang Guo. Seeing his affectionate gaze, she couldn’t help but respond emotionally. However, her lifelong training in restraint quickly reminded her that this wasn’t right. She jumped up, broke free from his embrace, and smacked his buttocks hard, shouting, “You’re being naughty! No more practice!” and ran back to the tomb.

Yang Guo, both shocked and ashamed, hurried after her. Luckily, Xiaolongnü hadn’t closed the tomb door. Yang Guo knelt outside her room, holding a broom, and said, “Aunt, I was wrong today. Please punish me heavily!” raising the broom over his head. Xiaolongnü said, “I won’t punish you. It’s enough that you realize your mistake. We won’t practice that move again.” Yang Guo replied, “Not practicing it is fine. If real enemies come to harm you, I’ll protect you with my life.” Xiaolongnü hummed in response, saying, “So you are obedient and don’t bully me.” Yang Guo, relieved, said, “I’ll always protect you and never bully you.”

From then on, they trained at night and rested in the tomb during the day. Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü were vigilant to avoid repeating their near-mistake. Over two months passed peacefully.

The essence of the Heart Sutra’s internal skills was to enhance their agility and speed of attack rather than increasing brute strength. The need for two people to practice together was not just to aid each other in case of inner demons but to ensure their hearts and minds became one in times of crisis. Lin Chaoying and Wang Chongyang’s ill-fated love was largely due to misunderstandings and uncommunicated feelings. Lin Chaoying, reserved and shy, never expressed her feelings openly, hoping that through shared internal training, they would understand each other. However, if two people are in love, expressing feelings directly is more straightforward. Using internal training to achieve mutual understanding was roundabout. As internal training progressed, it often increased enmity and reduced affection.

Wang Chongyang never practiced the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra with Lin Chaoying, and her painstaking creation only benefited future disciples. Yang Guo was a humble learner, and Xiaolongnü sincerely taught him, their mutual affection growing without enmity.

The ninth section of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra focused entirely on internal skills, divided into nine segments. That night, Xiaolongnü had already reached the seventh segment, while Yang Guo had completed the sixth. Both were practicing their respective segments on either side of the flower bush, their bodies emitting heat that intensified the floral fragrance. As the moon reached its zenith, they were close to completing their segments. Suddenly, footsteps and voices approached from behind the mountain.

The odd-numbered segments of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra focused on “yin advancement,” while the even-numbered segments emphasized “yang retreat.” Yang Guo was practicing a “yang retreat” technique and could stop at any time, but Xiaolongnü’s “yin advancement” required uninterrupted progress. She was at a critical stage of her practice, completely unaware of the approaching footsteps and voices. Yang Guo, however, heard everything clearly, became alarmed, and quickly expelled the qi from his dantian, stopping his practice. He recognized the familiar voices as those of his former master, Zhao Zhijing, and Zhen Zhibing, arguing as they walked closer.

Zhao Zhijing was saying, “Zhen Shidi, there’s no point in denying it any longer. I’ll report this to Elder Qiu, and let him investigate.” Zhen Zhibing retorted, “Why are you so insistent? We all know it’s because you want to compete with me for the position of the third-generation head disciple, aiming to become the sect leader.” Zhao Zhijing sneered, “You violated our sect’s rules and committed a grave offense. How can you remain the head disciple?” Zhen Zhibing challenged, “What grave offense?” Zhao Zhijing shouted, “The fourth rule of Quanzhen Sect: the prohibition against lust!”

Yang Guo, hidden among the flowers, peeked out and saw the two Taoists facing each other. Zhen Zhibing’s face was pale in the moonlight, devoid of any blood. He growled, “What prohibition against lust?” As he spoke, he placed his hand on his sword hilt. Zhao Zhijing continued, “Ever since you saw that Xiaolongnü from the Tomb of the Living Dead, you’ve been distracted and daydreaming, fantasizing about holding her in your arms and being affectionate with her. Our sect emphasizes cultivating the mind and nature. With such thoughts, haven’t you already violated the prohibition against lust?”

Yang Guo, deeply respectful of his master, felt a surge of rage hearing Zhao Zhijing’s accusations, growing even more resentful of the two Taoists. Zhen Zhibing, his voice trembling, retorted, “Nonsense! How could you know my thoughts?” Zhao Zhijing sneered, “I don’t need to know your thoughts. To capture that renegade Yang Guo and bring him to justice, I stationed Lu Qingdu and three other disciples in the forest outside the tomb, waiting to catch him when he came out. They couldn’t catch him, but they discovered something else. They saw a certain Zhen Shishu wandering around the forest near the tomb, muttering ‘Xiaolongnü, Xiaolongnü’ under his breath.”

Zhen Zhibing, infuriated, shouted, “Utter nonsense! When did this happen?” Zhao Zhijing said, “Even if they didn’t hear you speak, it’s undeniable that you’ve been wandering around that forest repeatedly. The sect leader forbade anyone from going near the forest by the tomb. I stationed four disciples to guard against Yang Guo, and everyone in the sect knew, except the elders and masters. You went to the forest to wait for Xiaolongnü; isn’t this violating the prohibition against lust? If you don’t admit it, we’ll present this to the sect leader and Elder Qiu.”

Zhen Zhibing accused, “You just want to strip me of my title as the head disciple to prevent me from becoming the sect leader. Your intentions are clear, but no one will believe you. Even if you manage to remove me, there are still others like Li Zhichang, Wang Zhitan, and Song Defang who are far more capable than you. It won’t necessarily be your turn.”

Zhao Zhijing sneered, “Is it nonsense? On Xiaolongnü’s twentieth birthday, who left a box of candied peaches and two jars of honey dates outside the tomb with a note saying ‘Happy Birthday to Lady Long’? Who wrote that note?” Zhen Zhibing retorted, “You remember her birthday so clearly.” Zhao Zhijing said, “Everyone remembers because on her eighteenth birthday, demons attacked and burned the Chongyang Palace. Do you deny sending those birthday gifts and the note signed ‘Respectfully, Zhen Zhibing of Chongyang Palace’? Lu Qingdu collected the note. Let’s compare the handwriting with Elder Qiu to see if it matches yours or if I’m falsely accusing you.” He pulled out a red piece of paper and waved it, saying, “Is this your handwriting? Let’s take it to the sect leader and Elder Qiu.”

Zhen Zhibing could no longer contain himself. With a flash, he drew his sword and thrust at Zhao Zhijing. Zhao Zhijing dodged and tucked the red paper back into his robe, sneering, “Trying to kill me to silence me? Not so easy.” Zhen Zhibing, furious, lunged three more times, each time missing. On the fourth thrust, Zhao Zhijing drew his sword, and the two clashed fiercely by the flower bush. Both were top third-generation disciples of the Quanzhen Sect. Zhen Zhibing was Qiu Chuji’s second disciple, and Zhao Zhijing was Wang Chuyi’s first disciple, making their skills comparable. Zhen Zhibing fought with all his might, while Zhao Zhijing taunted him, trying to provoke a mistake.

Yang Guo, having learned all the Quanzhen Sect’s sword techniques, observed their fight. Despite the variety of moves, he found them predictable and thought, “Master’s teachings are indeed superior.” After exchanging dozens of moves, Zhen Zhibing attacked relentlessly, while Zhao Zhijing defended steadily, mocking, “I know all your moves. You can’t kill me.” Zhen Zhibing’s relentless assault started to push Zhao Zhijing toward Xiaolongnü. Alarmed, Yang Guo thought, “If they fight near my master, it’ll be disastrous!”

Suddenly, Zhao Zhijing counterattacked, forcing Zhen Zhibing back. Zhao Zhijing advanced three steps, and Zhen Zhibing retreated three steps. Yang Guo was relieved to see them move away from Xiaolongnü but then saw Zhen Zhibing switch his sword to his left hand and launch a fierce palm strike. Zhao Zhijing mocked, “Even with three hands, you can’t kill me.” He met the palm with his left hand, and they continued their fierce battle, now combining sword and palm strikes.

Xiaolongnü, deep in her internal cultivation, remained unaware of the commotion. Yang Guo, anxious as they neared Xiaolongnü, relaxed slightly when they moved away.

As the fight intensified, Zhen Zhibing, in a fit of rage, stopped defending and attacked wildly. Zhao Zhijing, realizing Zhen Zhibing would rather die than be exposed, found himself at a disadvantage. After a few more exchanges, Zhen Zhibing used the Quanzhen Sect’s “Triple Rings” move: left sword thrust, right palm strike, and a sweeping left leg.

Zhao Zhijing leaped over a meter high, swinging his sword downwards. Zhen Zhibing threw his long sword with all his might and simultaneously thrust out both palms with a loud “hey.”

Seeing these fierce and unexpected moves, Yang Guo felt cold sweat on his palms, realizing these techniques were beyond his knowledge. He saw Zhao Zhijing suspended in mid-air, unable to dodge, and it seemed those two palms would break his bones. But Zhao Zhijing, in this extremely perilous moment, suddenly flipped in the air and retreated rapidly over ten feet, landing lightly on the ground.

To Yang Guo’s horror, Zhao Zhijing’s landing trajectory was directly towards the flower bush where Xiaolongnü was seated. In his panic, Yang Guo didn’t have time to think. He leaped up, his left palm passing under his right, supporting Zhao Zhijing’s back with a move called “Throwing the Ball on the Colored Tower,” and forcefully threw Zhao Zhijing’s large body two meters away. However, Yang Guo’s internal strength was still insufficient. Using too much force, he lost balance, and his left foot stepped on a flower branch. The branch snapped back, hitting Xiaolongnü’s face. This light touch shocked Xiaolongnü immensely. Sweat poured out of her body as the rapidly circulating internal energy rushed into her dantian and failed to return, causing her to faint instantly.

Zhen Zhibing was stunned to see Yang Guo suddenly appear and even more so to see the woman he longed for hiding in the flower bush. He stood in a daze, unsure if it was real or a hallucination. By this time, Zhao Zhijing had stood up, clearly seeing Xiaolongnü’s face in the moonlight. Seeing her faint on the ground with disheveled clothes, he exclaimed, “Wonderful! So she was here having a tryst!”

Enraged, Yang Guo shouted, “Neither of you wretched Taoists is allowed to leave. I’ll deal with you later.” Seeing Xiaolongnü unmoving after her fall, he remembered her repeated instructions that they must protect each other fully during practice, even against accidental intrusions by deer or rabbits. Knowing she was seriously frightened and harmed, he was extremely anxious. He touched her forehead, feeling it cold, quickly covered her with her clothes, and lifted her, calling, “Aunt, are you alright?”

Xiaolongnü responded with a faint “Mm” but didn’t speak. Yang Guo felt slightly relieved and said, “Aunt, let’s go back first, and I’ll come back to kill these two scoundrels later.” Xiaolongnü, weak and leaning in his arms, let him carry her past the two Taoists. Zhen Zhibing stood there in a daze, while Zhao Zhijing laughed loudly, saying, “Zhen Shidi, your beloved is here doing unspeakable things with someone else. Instead of killing me, why don’t you kill him!” Zhen Zhibing acted as if he hadn’t heard and remained silent.

Hearing the phrase “doing unspeakable things,” Yang Guo, though not fully understanding, knew it was a vile curse. Furious, he gently laid Xiaolongnü on the ground, resting her back against a tree, broke off a branch, and pointed it at Zhao Zhijing, shouting, “What nonsense are you spouting?”

After two years, Yang Guo had grown from a child into a tall, handsome young man. Zhao Zhijing hadn’t initially recognized him. But hearing his voice again and seeing his face in the moonlight, he realized it was his former disciple. Embarrassed and angry from being thrown by him, Zhao Zhijing shouted, “Yang Guo, so it’s you, you little beast!” Yang Guo retorted, “Curse me all you want, but how dare you insult my aunt?” Zhao Zhijing laughed and said, “They say the Tomb Sect is a sect of maidens, all pure and chaste, but in reality, they’re filthy, having numerous lovers, be it monks, Taoists, disciples, or masters. They do it day and night, anywhere they can!”

Xiaolongnü, waking up at that moment, heard his words, felt a surge of anger and shock, and the newly regulated energy in her body reversed. The conflicting energies caused immense chest pain, and knowing she was internally injured, she spat out a stream of blood like a fountain.

Both Zhen Zhibing and Yang Guo were shocked and rushed forward. Zhen Zhibing asked, “What’s wrong?” leaning in to check her condition. Yang Guo, thinking he intended harm, pushed him away. Zhen Zhibing deflected the push. Familiar with Quanzhen techniques, Yang Guo flipped his hand, grabbed Zhen Zhibing’s wrist, pulled, and pushed him away.

Though Yang Guo’s training time was short and his skills were far inferior to Zhen Zhibing’s, Lin Chaoying had meticulously devised techniques to counter Quanzhen moves, unknown to its disciples. Surprised and emotionally disturbed, Zhen Zhibing was caught off guard and, though not entirely thrown, stumbled two meters away, standing next to Zhao Zhijing.

Yang Guo said, “Aunt, don’t mind them. I’ll take you back first.” Xiaolongnü, panting, replied, “No, kill them… don’t let them go out and… talk about me…” Yang Guo responded, “Alright.” He leaped forward, pointing the branch at Zhao Zhijing’s chest. Zhao Zhijing, not taking him seriously, slightly moved his sword to slash the branch. But Yang Guo’s move, countering Quanzhen techniques, bent the branch tip and struck Zhao Zhijing’s wrist. Zhao Zhijing’s wrist went numb, realizing he was in trouble. Yang Guo’s left palm struck his left cheek, an unexpected move from an impossible angle. To protect his sword, Zhao Zhijing had to take the hit, or he had to release the sword.

With great skill, Zhao Zhijing released the sword and dodged the blow. Yang Guo seized his sword and Zhao Zhijing tried to reclaim it. However, Lin Chaoying had anticipated such counters from Quanzhen experts and devised strategies against them. Zhao Zhijing’s move, thought to be clever, had long been dismantled by Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü. Seeing his left palm flash, Yang Guo knew his intent, and thrust the sword, forcing Zhao Zhijing to retract his hand. Yang Guo’s sword tip reached his chest, and he commanded, “Lie down!” With a hook of his left foot, Zhao Zhijing, defenseless, fell on his back. Yang Guo raised the sword to stab his abdomen.

Suddenly, a sword whooshed towards him from behind. Zhen Zhibing shouted, “How dare you kill your master!” This attack forced Yang Guo to turn and parry. The swords clashed with a clang. Zhen Zhibing, impressed by Yang Guo’s quick and accurate counter, felt his sword being drawn towards his opponent’s. Startled, he tried to reclaim it with force. Though Zhen Zhibing’s internal strength was superior, Yang Guo’s move was designed to lure this reaction. Releasing the sword slightly, he struck Zhen Zhibing’s chest with both palms while the sword hilt rebounded, attacking in three directions. Despite his skills, Zhen Zhibing couldn’t block such a bizarre and overwhelming assault.

At this moment, Zhen Zhibing had no choice but to release his sword and use both hands to protect his chest. He quickly blocked the attack, but his arms were bent too far inward to exert force. Fortunately, Yang Guo’s internal strength was not strong enough to break his arms, but it still caused intense pain in his chest and numbness in his arms. He quickly retreated three steps. Zhao Zhijing seized the opportunity to jump up and stood shoulder to shoulder with Zhen Zhibing to face the enemy together. Yang Guo, wielding two swords, attacked both of them.

In a few moves, Zhao Zhijing and Zhen Zhibing, facing a young boy who had just started, found themselves in a chaotic struggle. Both were shocked and angry and did not dare to be careless. They stood side by side, using their palm techniques defensively without attacking, trying to figure out Yang Guo’s martial arts style. Although Yang Guo held two swords while they were bare-handed, their defense was so tight that he couldn’t catch them off guard like before. Lin Chaoying’s goal was to surpass Wang Chongyang; using sharp swords against bare hands was not considered an honorable victory, and she did not put much effort into devising countermeasures for Quanzhen Sect’s hand-to-hand combat techniques. Therefore, the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra’s swordsmanship did not include ways to counter Quanzhen Sect’s palm and fist techniques. Additionally, Zhao Zhijing and Zhen Zhibing had superior skills and were united in defense, seeking to remain undefeated. Despite Yang Guo’s rapid and powerful sword movements, he couldn’t find an opening, and he gradually fell behind. Zhao Zhijing’s palm strikes grew increasingly powerful, pressing down on Yang Guo’s swords.

Zhen Zhibing steadied himself, thinking it would be disgraceful for two seniors to fight a young boy together. Seeing victory within reach, he also worried about Xiaolongnü’s safety and shouted, “Yang Guo, you should help your aunt back. Why tangle with us?” Yang Guo replied, “My aunt is furious at your slander and insists I kill you both.” Zhen Zhibing struck his left-hand sword aside with a loud slap and leaped three steps to the left, shouting, “Wait!” Yang Guo responded, “Trying to escape?” Zhen Zhibing said, “Yang Guo, it’s impossible for you to kill both of us. But to set your aunt’s mind at ease, I, Zhen Zhibing, swear that if I reveal a single word about tonight’s events, I will immediately kill myself. If I break this vow…” He raised his left hand to the sky and continued, “May I, Zhen Zhibing, die a horrible death, suffer eternally in the eighteenth level of hell, and be reborn as a dog or pig, forever a beast!”

Yang Guo hesitated, hearing his sincere tone, and shouted, “Zhen, becoming a pig or dog suits you!” He took two steps forward and suddenly thrust his sword backward, aiming directly at Zhao Zhijing’s chest.

This move, “Mulan Shooting,” was extremely treacherous. Zhao Zhijing, fully focused on the conversation, didn’t expect a sneak attack. By the time he realized it, the sword tip had already pricked his lower abdomen. He felt a slight pain and immediately channeled his energy to his dantian, causing his lower abdomen to retract half a foot. He swiftly kicked up with his right leg, knocking Yang Guo’s sword out of his hand. Without waiting for Zhao Zhijing to retract his right leg, Yang Guo jabbed his finger into Zhao’s knee, hitting a pressure point. Though Zhao Zhijing escaped with his life, he could no longer stand and knelt before Yang Guo on his right knee.

Yang Guo caught his falling sword from mid-air and pointed it at Zhao Zhijing’s throat, saying, “I once knelt before you as my master and kowtowed eight times. Now you’re no longer my master, so return those eight kowtows.” Zhao Zhijing was so furious he almost fainted, his face turning a purplish black. Yang Guo applied a bit more pressure, and the sword tip pierced Zhao Zhijing’s throat. Zhao Zhijing cursed, “Just kill me if you want. Why talk so much?” Yang Guo was about to thrust the sword when he heard Xiaolongnü’s voice behind him, “Guo’er, you can’t kill a master. Make him swear not to speak of tonight’s events, and let him go.”

Yang Guo revered Xiaolongnü’s words like a divine command. Hearing her, he said, “Swear an oath.” Zhao Zhijing, desperate to save his life, said, “I won’t say anything. Why swear an oath?” Yang Guo replied, “No, you must swear a venomous oath.” Zhao Zhijing said, “Fine, only the four of us know about tonight. If I tell a fifth person, may I be disgraced, expelled from the sect, scorned by my peers, and die a miserable death!”

Neither Xiaolongnü nor Yang Guo was worldly-wise and believed he had genuinely sworn a venomous oath. Zhen Zhibing, however, sensed the hidden meaning in Zhao Zhijing’s words but hesitated to warn Yang Guo. He watched as Yang Guo carried Xiaolongnü swiftly around the mountainside.

Yang Guo carried Xiaolongnü back to the ancient tomb and placed her on the Cold Jade Bed. Xiaolongnü sighed, “I am seriously injured. How can I resist the cold?” Yang Guo exclaimed in alarm, thinking to himself, “So, aunt’s injury is that severe.” He then carried her to the adjacent room, which was her own bedroom. As soon as she lay down, she vomited a large mouthful of blood, spraying Yang Guo’s bare chest with blood. She gasped a few times, then vomited more blood. Yang Guo, panicked and at a loss, could only cry.

Xiaolongnü smiled faintly and said, “Once I have expelled all the blood, I won’t vomit anymore. What’s there to be sad about?” Yang Guo pleaded, “Aunt, don’t die.” Xiaolongnü replied, “Are you afraid of death?” Yang Guo was taken aback and said, “Me?” Xiaolongnü said, “Before I die, I will naturally kill you first.” She had said these words more than two years ago, and Yang Guo had long forgotten them. He was surprised she brought it up again. Seeing his puzzled expression, Xiaolongnü said, “If I don’t kill you, how could I face Granny Sun in the afterlife? If you’re left alone in this world, who will take care of you?” Yang Guo was thrown into a state of panic, unsure of what to say.

Despite continuously vomiting blood, Xiaolongnü remained calm and composed, acting as if nothing was wrong. Yang Guo had a sudden idea, ran to fetch a large bowl of Jade Bee honey, and fed it to her. The honey had miraculous healing properties, and soon after, she stopped vomiting blood and fell into a deep sleep. Yang Guo, slightly relieved, exhausted by the fright and fatigue, could no longer hold on and fell asleep against the wall.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when he suddenly felt a cool sensation on his throat and woke up immediately. Having lived in the ancient tomb for many years, he couldn’t see in the dark as well as Xiaolongnü, but he could navigate without a candle. He opened his eyes and saw Xiaolongnü sitting on the edge of the bed, holding a long sword with its tip pointed at his throat. Startled, he cried out, “Aunt! You…”

Xiaolongnü calmly said, “Guo’er, my injury will not heal. Now, I’ll kill you so we can go see Granny Sun together!” Yang Guo could only call out urgently, “Aunt!” Xiaolongnü asked, “Are you scared? It will be quick, just one stab.” Seeing the determined look in her eyes, Yang Guo, driven by a strong desire to live, rolled and kicked at her sword hand.

Though seriously injured, Xiaolongnü’s movements were swift as usual. She dodged his kick and the sword tip once again pointed at his throat. Yang Guo changed his moves several times, but every move had been taught by Xiaolongnü, so she anticipated them all. The sword followed his throat closely. Yang Guo broke into a cold sweat, thinking, “I can’t escape death today; Aunt will surely kill me.” In his desperation, he clapped his hands together and struck out, hoping she lacked the strength to counter his move due to her injury.

Xiaolongnü understood his intention, sidestepped, and said, “Guo’er, stop fighting.” She then made a subtle move with the sword, which trembled and pointed at Yang Guo’s throat with the “Parting the Flowers and Brushing the Willows” technique. She intended to thrust the sword into his throat but, seeing his pleading eyes, suddenly felt a surge of compassion, and her hand went limp. The sword fell to the ground with a clang.

Yang Guo, prepared to die, was stunned when she didn’t stab him. He turned to escape but, looking back, saw Xiaolongnü slumped on the ground, blood trickling from her mouth, her usually pristine face looking somewhat ashen. Heartbroken, Yang Guo thought, “Aunt is dying; I won’t leave her. If she wants to kill me, so be it.” He rushed back, sat against the wall, and gently lifted Xiaolongnü, resting her against his chest. He grabbed the bowl of honey from the table and carefully fed it to her.

Xiaolongnü drank a few sips of honey, slowly opened her eyes, and saw Yang Guo holding her. Overjoyed, her face brightened, and she asked, “Why didn’t you run away when I tried to kill you?” Yang Guo replied, “I can’t bear to leave you! Even if you kill me, it doesn’t matter. If you really die, I’ll commit suicide so you won’t be alone in the afterlife.” Moved by his sincere words, Xiaolongnü felt peaceful, her breathing became steady, and she drifted off to sleep. Yang Guo gently laid her on the bed, covered her with a thin blanket, and lit a candle on the table. He saw that her face had regained some color and her previous critically injured state had significantly improved.

Xiaolongnü opened her eyes slightly and said, “I need ginseng, tianqi, safflower, and angelica to treat my injuries. Without them, I won’t stop bleeding, and my injuries won’t heal.” Yang Guo replied, “I’ll go find the medicine right away. You rest here.” Xiaolongnü softly said, “Be careful!” Yang Guo responded, “Yes, aunt. I don’t want to leave you alone.” Xiaolongnü said, “Go ahead. Even if I’m dying, I’ll wait for you to come back.”

Yang Guo thought that there was no money in the tomb to buy medicine, so he decided he would either steal or rob the medicine from a shop when he reached the town. As he stepped out of the tomb, he was greeted by bright sunlight, fresh air, and the scent of flowers— a stark contrast to the gloomy atmosphere of the tomb.

He returned to the place where he had been practicing his martial arts earlier by the cluster of red flowers, but Zhao Zhijing and Zhen Zhibing were nowhere to be seen. He immediately set off down the mountain using his lightness skills. By noon, he had reached the foot of the mountain and slowed his pace, walking along the creek where he washed the bloodstains from his body. After a while, his stomach began to growl with hunger. Having roamed the Jianghu since childhood, he was quite adept at finding food. He spotted a large patch of corn growing on the western hillside and went over to pick five ears of corn. Although the corn was not fully ripe, it was still edible. He gathered some dry twigs and was about to start a fire to roast the corn when he heard light footsteps approaching from behind a tree.

He turned sideways to shield the corn to avoid being caught red-handed by a farmer. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw a young Taoist nun approaching. She was dressed in a pale yellow Taoist robe and moved gracefully, with a pair of swords strapped to her back. The red tassels on the sword hilts fluttered in the wind, indicating she was skilled in martial arts. Yang Guo thought she was likely from the Chongyang Palace on the mountain, probably a disciple of Qingsheng Sanren, Sun Bu’er. He decided not to provoke her and kept his head down, continuing to gather dry twigs.

The Taoist nun approached him and asked, “Hey, how do I get up the mountain?” Yang Guo thought to himself, “How can a disciple of the Quanzhen Sect not know the way up the mountain? She must have ulterior motives.” Without turning his head, he casually pointed toward the mountain and said, “Just follow the main road up.” The nun noticed his bare upper body and dirty, ragged pants, which were stained with something that looked like paint or vegetable juice, and concluded he was a common peasant. Confident in her beauty, she believed any man would stare at her, but this boy only glanced at her once and then ignored her, as if he were blind. She felt a surge of anger but then thought, “These ignorant country bumpkins don’t understand beauty.” She said, “Stand up, I have something to ask you.”

Yang Guo, already harboring deep resentment toward everyone in the Quanzhen Sect, pretended not to hear her. The nun said, “Stupid boy, did you hear me?” Yang Guo replied, “I heard you, but I don’t want to stand up.” The nun couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Look at me. I’m the one telling you to stand up!” Her voice was coquettish, sweet, and sticky. Yang Guo felt a shiver and thought, “Why does she speak so strangely?” He looked up and saw her fair complexion, flushed cheeks, and eyes glistening as she glanced at him without malice. After one look, he lowered his head again to gather twigs.

The nun asked again, “Do you know where the big tomb on the mountain is?” Yang Guo was taken aback but continued to keep his head down, bluntly replying, “No!” The nun noticed his odd expression and thought he might be afraid of the tomb. Seeing his childish face and lack of interest in her, she wasn’t angry and thought, “He must be a simple-minded country boy. These country people don’t understand beauty but always covet money.” Eager to find her way, she decided to use money instead of her charms. She took out two silver ingots from her robe and clinked them together, saying, “Little brother, if you listen to me, these silver ingots are yours.”

Originally, Yang Guo didn’t want to get involved with her, but her strange way of speaking intrigued him. He decided to pretend to be foolish and stared blankly at the silver ingots, saying, “What’s that shiny thing?” The nun laughed and said, “It’s silver. You can buy new clothes, a big hen, or white rice with it.” Yang Guo, pretending to be confused, thought, “If I take her silver, I can buy medicine for aunt at the foot of the mountain.” He said, “You’re lying. I don’t believe you.” The nun laughed and said, “When did I ever lie to you? Hey, boy, what’s your name?” Yang Guo replied, “Everyone calls me Fool. Don’t you know? What’s your name?”

The nun laughed and said, “Fool, just call me Immortal Sister. Where’s your mother?” Yang Guo replied, “My mother scolded me and went up the mountain to chop wood.” The nun said, “Hmm, I need an axe. Go home and get it for me.” Yang Guo, feigning confusion, widened his eyes, let his mouth hang open, and shook his head, saying, “No, I can’t lend the axe to anyone.” The nun laughed and said, “Your parents will let me borrow the axe if they see the silver.” She then tossed one of the silver ingots at him.

Yang Guo reached out to catch it but pretended to fumble, letting the silver hit his shoulder and fall to the ground, where it then hit his right foot. He grabbed his right foot, hopping on one leg and crying out, “Ouch, ouch, you hit me! I’m going to tell my mother!” He picked up the silver and ran down the mountain, intending to buy medicine.

The nun found his antics amusing and smiled slightly. She untied her belt and whipped it towards Yang Guo’s right foot. Yang Guo heard the sound, turned around, and saw the belt coming. He was startled, thinking, “This is the martial arts of the Ancient Tomb Sect! Could she not be a Quanzhen Sect nun?” He didn’t dodge, letting the belt wrap around his right foot, and fell to the ground, completely relaxed, allowing her to drag him back. He became wary, thinking, “If she’s heading up the mountain, she might be after aunt.”

Worried about Xiaolongnü’s fate, he let the nun drag him in front of her. She saw his face covered in dirt but noticed his handsome features and thought, “This country boy is quite good-looking, but he’s just an embroidered pillowcase with nothing inside.” Hearing him still crying and babbling nonsense, she smiled and said, “Fool, do you want to live or die?” She drew her sword and pointed it at his chest.

Yang Guo recognized the move “Embroidering the Flower Brush” as an Ancient Tomb Sect technique, confirming his suspicions that she was likely a disciple of his shishu, Li Mochou, and had come to cause trouble for Xiaolongnü. Seeing her skills were not weak, he decided to continue pretending to be foolish to lower her guard. With a terrified look, he pleaded, “Immortal Sister, don’t kill me. I’ll listen to you.” The nun laughed and said, “Alright, if you don’t obey, I’ll kill you with one strike.” Yang Guo quickly said, “I’ll listen, I’ll listen.” The nun flicked her belt, which coiled back around her waist with a light snap, looking very graceful. Yang Guo silently admired her skill, but his face remained blank. The nun thought, “How could this fool understand the difficulty of this move? It’s like casting pearls before swine.” She said, “Go home and get the axe quickly.”

Yang Guo had initially intended to buy medicine first, assuming the nun couldn’t catch up with him. However, knowing she was Li Mochou’s disciple and might harm Xiaolongnü, he couldn’t leave her unattended. He ran towards a nearby farmhouse, deliberately making his steps heavy and clumsy. The nun found his awkward gait annoying and called out, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Hurry back.” Yang Guo replied, “Got it!” He peeked into a farmhouse and saw no one inside, likely everyone was working in the fields. He took a chopping axe from the wall and picked up an old coat from a bench, returning with a foolish grin on his face.

Although he was playing tricks on the nun, he was worried about Xiaolongnü’s safety, which showed on his face. The nun scolded, “Why the sad face? Smile for me.” Yang Guo forced a silly grin. The nun frowned and said, “Come up the mountain with me.” Yang Guo quickly said, “No, my mother told me not to wander off.” The nun threatened, “If you don’t obey, I’ll kill you right now.” She grabbed his ear with her left hand and raised her sword with her right, ready to strike. Yang Guo screamed like a pig being slaughtered, “I’ll go, I’ll go!”

The Taoist nun thought, “This person is as stupid as a pig or a sheep, just perfect for my purposes.” She grabbed his sleeve and started up the mountain. Her lightness skills were quite good, and she moved swiftly. Yang Guo, however, stumbled and tripped, with his left foot high and his right foot low, trailing far behind her. After a while, he sat on a roadside stone, continually wiping sweat and panting heavily. The nun repeatedly urged him to hurry. Yang Guo said, “You walk as fast as a rabbit, how can I keep up?” The nun, seeing the sun already leaning westward, grew impatient. She turned around, grabbed his arm, and rushed up the mountain. Yang Guo, unable to keep up, stumbled, and accidentally stomped heavily on her foot.

The nun cried out in pain, “Ouch! Are you trying to die?” Seeing him panting heavily and truly exhausted, she extended her left arm to support his waist, shouted, “Let’s go!” and sped up the mountain with him in tow. With her lightness skills fully deployed, they covered several miles in no time. Yang Guo, feeling her soft warmth against his back and smelling her fragrant scent, decided not to use any strength and let her carry him up the mountain. The nun, after running for a while, looked down and saw him smiling contentedly, which made her both angry and amused. She let go of him, throwing him down, and scolded, “Are you having fun?” Yang Guo, rubbing his butt, cried out, “Ouch, ouch, the Immortal Sister hurt my bum!”

The nun was both angry and amused, scolding, “How can you be so stupid?” Yang Guo replied, “Yes, that’s why they call me Fool. Immortal Sister, my mom says my surname isn’t Fool, it’s Zhang. Are you surnamed Immortal?” The nun said, “Just call me Immortal Sister; what does my surname matter?” This nun was actually Hong Lingbo, the disciple of the Scarlet Serpent Deity Li Mochou, the same young Taoist nun who had been driven away by Wu Niangzi when she went to kill Lu Liding’s entire family. Yang Guo wanted to find out her name, but she refused to tell.

She sat on a rock, arranging her wind-blown hair. Yang Guo tilted his head and thought, “This nun is quite beautiful, but she doesn’t compare to Aunt Guo from Peach Blossom Island, and even less so to my own aunt.” Hong Lingbo glared at him and laughed, “Fool, why are you staring at me?” Yang Guo said, “I’m just looking. What’s wrong with that? If you don’t want me to look, I won’t. What’s the big deal?” Hong Lingbo burst into laughter and said, “Fine, look all you want! Do you think I’m pretty?” She took out a small ivory comb and slowly combed her hair.

Yang Guo said, “You are pretty, but…” Hong Lingbo asked, “But what?” Yang Guo replied, “But not very fair.” Hong Lingbo, who always prided herself on her fair complexion, was furious and stood up, shouting, “Fool, do you want to die for saying I’m not fair enough?” Yang Guo shook his head and said, “Not very fair.” Hong Lingbo angrily demanded, “Who is fairer than me?” Yang Guo said, “The one who slept with me last night is much fairer.” Hong Lingbo asked, “Who? Your wife or your mother?” A thought crossed her mind: she might have to kill this woman whose complexion was fairer than hers. Yang Guo said, “Neither, it’s my family’s white sheep.” Hong Lingbo burst into laughter, saying, “What a fool! How can a person be compared to an animal? Let’s go.” She grabbed his arm and quickened her pace up the mountain.

When they reached the main road leading directly to Chongyang Palace, Hong Lingbo turned west towards the direction of the Ancient Tomb. Yang Guo thought, “She is indeed looking for my aunt.” After a while, Hong Lingbo took out a map from her bosom and began searching for the path. Yang Guo said, “Immortal Sister, the way ahead is blocked; there are ghosts in the woods.” Hong Lingbo asked, “How do you know?” Yang Guo replied, “There’s a big tomb in the woods, and it’s haunted. No one dares to go near.” Hong Lingbo was overjoyed and thought, “The Ancient Tomb must be here.”

In recent years, Hong Lingbo had improved significantly in her martial arts skills under her master’s tutelage, helping her master defeat many martial artists in Shanxi, thus gaining Li Mochou’s favor. She had heard her master talk about the clashes with the Quanzhen disciples and said that if she could master the “Jade Maiden Heart Sutra,” she wouldn’t fear those Quanzhen Daoists. Unfortunately, the book detailing this martial art was left in the Ancient Tomb on Mount Zhongnan. Hong Lingbo asked her why she didn’t go to the tomb to study the martial arts. Li Mochou had vaguely answered that she had left the place to her junior sister and that the two of them were not on good terms and never interacted. Li Mochou, being highly competitive, had attempted to enter the Ancient Tomb several times but had been defeated and forced to retreat, something she was unwilling to admit to her disciple. Instead, she claimed that her younger sister was too young and not worth fighting. Hong Lingbo urged her master to take over the tomb and seize the martial arts manual. In truth, Li Mochou had never forgotten this idea but was hesitant due to the many unknown mechanisms within the tomb. Hearing her disciple’s eagerness, she only smiled without responding.

After Hong Lingbo mentioned it several times and seeing her master’s indifferent attitude, she secretly kept it in mind and asked her master for detailed directions to the Ancient Tomb on Mount Zhongnan, creating a map in private. However, she didn’t know that Li Mochou hadn’t shared all the information. This time, her master sent her to Chang’an to kill an enemy without significant martial skills. After completing the task, she went directly to Mount Zhongnan and unexpectedly encountered Yang Guo. She then ordered Yang Guo to use the axe to clear a path through the thorns.

Yang Guo thought, “If I continue clearing the path like this, it will take a year or half before we reach the Ancient Tomb.” He acted foolishly and followed her orders, clearing the path slowly. After working for half an hour, the sky had turned completely dark, and they had barely covered a mile. They were still far from the Ancient Tomb. Yang Guo grew increasingly anxious about Xiaolongnü and wanted to check on her. He thought he could subdue the young Taoist nun and wasn’t afraid of any tricks she might have. He swung the axe randomly a few times, aiming at a stone, causing sparks to fly, and the axe blade became nicked. He shouted, “Ouch, ouch, there’s a big rock here. The axe is ruined. My father will beat me for this. Immortal Sister, I have to go home now.”

Hong Lingbo was already very impatient, seeing that they couldn’t reach the tomb tonight, she scolded, “Fool, you’re not allowed to go back!” Yang Guo asked, “Immortal Sister, are you afraid of ghosts?” Hong Lingbo replied, “Ghosts are afraid of me. I can cut them in half with one sword stroke.” Yang Guo said happily, “Really? You’re not lying?” Hong Lingbo said, “Why would I lie to you?” Yang Guo said, “If the ghosts are afraid of you, I’ll take you to the big tomb. If the ghosts come out, you have to drive them away.” Hong Lingbo was overjoyed and said, “You know the way to the big tomb? Take me there quickly.” Yang Guo, fearing she might become suspicious, repeatedly made her promise to kill the ghosts. Hong Lingbo reassured him repeatedly, saying she would kill even ten ghosts if necessary.

Yang Guo held her hand and walked out of the flower thicket, turning towards the secret path leading to the Ancient Tomb. By this time, it was near midnight, and there was no light from the stars or moon. Holding her hand, he felt its warmth and softness, which surprised him. “Both aunt and she are women, but why is aunt’s hand always cold while hers is so warm?” Unconsciously, he squeezed her hand a few times. If anyone in the martial world had been this disrespectful to Hong Lingbo, she would have drawn her sword and cut them down immediately. However, she considered Yang Guo a fool, and since she had a favor to ask of him and found him handsome, she did not get angry. Instead, she thought, “This fool isn’t entirely foolish; he knows I’m good-looking.”

In less than the time it takes to eat a meal, Yang Guo had led Hong Lingbo to the tomb’s entrance. He had left in a hurry to find medicine for Xiaolongnü and had not closed the tomb door. His heart was pounding, and he silently prayed, “I hope aunt isn’t dead!” He stepped inside. Hong Lingbo thought, “It’s strange how this fool suddenly became so bold.” She didn’t have time to ponder it further and followed him closely in the dark. Her master had told her that the tomb’s paths were intricate and winding, and taking a wrong step would immediately lead one astray. However, she saw Yang Guo confidently moving forward, making turns here and there, opening doors and shifting stones as if he knew the place like the back of his hand. Hong Lingbo was puzzled, “Are the paths in the tomb really that difficult? Could Master have been trying to deceive me, afraid I would sneak in?”

In no time, Yang Guo had led her to the center of the tomb, to Xiaolongnü’s bedroom. He gently pushed open the door and listened but heard no sound. He wanted to call out “Aunt!” but remembered Hong Lingbo was there and quickly held back, whispering, “We’re here!”

The room was dark, with the candlelight extinguished. Though Hong Lingbo was skilled and brave, she felt uneasy and hurriedly took out a fire striker to light the candle on the table. She saw a woman in white lying on the bed. She had expected to meet her master’s junior, Xiaolongnü, in the tomb but was surprised to see her lying there so calmly. She didn’t know if Xiaolongnü was in a deep sleep or simply ignoring her. Pointing her sword at her chest, she said, “Disciple Hong Lingbo greets Shishu.”

Yang Guo’s mouth fell open, his heart nearly bursting from his chest as he watched Xiaolongnü’s every move. She lay motionless for a long time before softly murmuring, “Hmm.” From the moment Hong Lingbo spoke until Xiaolongnü responded, Yang Guo was extremely anxious, wanting to rush forward and hug his master, crying out loud. Hearing her voice, he felt as if a heavy stone had fallen from his heart. Overcome with joy, he couldn’t help but cry out, “Wah!” and burst into tears. Hong Lingbo asked, “Fool, what are you doing?” Yang Guo, sobbing, replied, “I… I was so scared.”

Xiaolongnü slowly turned over and said softly, “You don’t need to be afraid. I died once just now; it wasn’t hard at all.” At that moment, Hong Lingbo saw her stunningly beautiful face and was shocked, thinking, “There is actually such an extraordinarily beautiful woman in this world!” She felt a sense of inferiority and said again, “Disciple Hong Lingbo greets Shishu.” Xiaolongnü asked weakly, “Where is my senior sister? Did she come too?” Hong Lingbo replied, “My master sent me ahead to ask how Shishu is doing.” Xiaolongnü said, “You should leave. This place is off-limits to even your master.”

Seeing Xiaolongnü’s face pale with illness, her chest stained with blood, and her weak breath, Hong Lingbo let down most of her guard, thinking, “This is truly fate. I never imagined I, Hong Lingbo, would become the inheritor of the Ancient Tomb.” Fearing Xiaolongnü might die suddenly and leave no one to reveal the whereabouts of the “Jade Maiden Heart Sutra,” she quickly said, “Shishu, my master sent me to retrieve the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. Give it to me, and I will immediately treat your injuries.”

Xiaolongnü, who had long suppressed her emotions, suddenly felt a surge of anger and anxiety at her words, losing control and fainting. Hong Lingbo rushed forward, pinching her philtrum, and Xiaolongnü slowly came to, saying, “Where is my senior sister? Bring her here; I have something to say to her.” Hong Lingbo, seeing the precious secret manual within reach, couldn’t wait any longer. With a cold laugh, she took out two long silver needles and said sharply, “Shishu, do you recognize these needles? If you don’t quickly hand over the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, don’t blame me for being rude.”

Yang Guo had suffered greatly from these “Ice Soul Silver Needles” before. Even touching them accidentally could poison someone, so being stabbed by one would be disastrous. Seeing the urgent situation, he shouted, “Immortal Sister, there’s a ghost over there! I’m scared!” He rushed forward, hugging her back and quickly pressing her “Shoulder Well” and “Capital Gate” acupoints with his fingers. Hong Lingbo, never imagining that this “fool” had such high martial skills, was about to scold him for talking nonsense but found herself paralyzed and slumped to the ground. Yang Guo, fearing she might release her blocked acupoints on her own, immediately pressed her “Great Bone” acupoint heavily with a few more fingers and said, “Aunt, this woman is really bad. Should I use the silver needle to stab her a few times?” He wrapped his fingers in his clothes and picked up the silver needles.

Though Hong Lingbo couldn’t move, she heard everything clearly. Seeing him pick up the silver needles and smile at her, she was terrified, her soul nearly leaving her body. She wanted to beg for mercy but couldn’t speak, only showing a pleading look in her eyes. Xiaolongnü said, “Guo’er, close the door to prevent my senior sister from coming in.” Yang Guo replied, “Yes!” Just as he was about to turn around, a charming female voice said, “Junior sister, how are you? I arrived a while ago.”

Yang Guo turned around in shock and saw, standing gracefully at the door in the candlelight, a beautiful Taoist nun with apricot eyes and peach cheeks, her mouth showing a half-smile. It was the Scarlet Serpent Deity, Li Mochou.

When Hong Lingbo was inquiring about the roads within the Tomb of the Living Dead, Li Mochou had already anticipated that she would come on her own to steal the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. She had intentionally arranged for her to go to Chang’an to kill someone, among other tasks. Li Mochou had been secretly following her all along, witnessing how she met Yang Guo, entered the tomb, forced Xiaolongnü to hand over the sutra, and how she fell into the trap. Because of her swift movements and light steps, neither Hong Lingbo, Xiaolongnü, nor Yang Guo had noticed her until this moment when she revealed herself.

Xiaolongnü jolted up and called out, “Senior Sister!” followed by a bout of coughing. Li Mochou asked, “Where is Granny Sun?” Xiaolongnü replied, “Granny Sun is dead!” Li Mochou felt even more at ease. Xiaolongnü noticed the joy on her face upon hearing about Granny Sun’s death and secretly blamed her for being so cold-hearted.

Li Mochou coldly pointed at Yang Guo and asked, “Who is this person? The ancestor’s command was that no man should step foot into the tomb. Why did you allow him here?” Xiaolongnü coughed violently, unable to speak. Yang Guo stood protectively in front of Xiaolongnü and said loudly, “She is my aunt. You don’t need to meddle in this!” Li Mochou sneered, “Good fool, you’re really good at pretending!” She swung her horsetail whisk, sending out three swift strikes. Although these three strikes came one after another, they arrived almost simultaneously, showcasing the formidable techniques of the Tomb Sect’s martial arts. Practitioners of other martial arts, if unaware of its intricacies, would have their bones broken upon the first encounter. Yang Guo, having trained extensively in these techniques, though not as proficient as Li Mochou, easily dodged her combined strike “Three Sparrows Returning to the Forest.”

Li Mochou retracted her whisk, secretly surprised, seeing that his evasive maneuvers were from her sect’s martial arts. She asked sternly, “Junior Sister, who is this little thief?” Xiaolongnü, afraid of coughing up blood, spoke softly, “Guo’er, pay respects to your grand-master.” Yang Guo spat and said, “What kind of grand-master is she?” Xiaolongnü said, “Come closer, I have something to tell you.”

Yang Guo thought she was going to ask him to kowtow to Li Mochou and was reluctant but still leaned in. Xiaolongnü whispered softly, “At the corner of the bed, there’s a protruding stone slab. Push it to the left with all your strength, and then immediately jump onto the bed.” Li Mochou also assumed she was instructing her disciple to beg for mercy, not paying much attention as she was contemplating how to coerce her junior sister into handing over the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra.

Yang Guo nodded and said loudly, “Alright, disciple pays respects to grand-master!” He slowly reached towards the corner of the bed where Xiaolongnü indicated, finding the protruding stone slab and pushing it with all his might, then leaping onto the bed. They heard a grinding sound as the stone bed began to sink. Li Mochou was alarmed, knowing that the tomb was full of mechanisms. Their master had favored her junior sister, revealing all the secrets to her while keeping them hidden from herself. She immediately lunged at Xiaolongnü.

At this moment, Xiaolongnü was powerless to resist. The stone bed continued to sink, but Li Mochou moved with lightning speed and almost managed to pull her off the bed. Yang Guo, shocked, struck her hand away with all his strength. In an instant, everything went dark, and with two loud thuds, the stone bed had descended into the lower stone chamber. The stone slabs in the ceiling closed, separating Xiaolongnü and her disciple from Li Mochou and her disciple above.

In the dimness, Yang Guo saw what looked like tables and chairs. He approached the table and used a fire striker to light a half-burned candle. Xiaolongnü sighed, “I am too weak to use my inner strength to heal my injuries. Even if I were uninjured, the two of us combined couldn’t defeat my senior sister…” Hearing her mention “weak blood flow,” Yang Guo didn’t wait for her to finish. He lifted his left hand, bit down hard on his wrist, and blood spurted out. He placed the wound at Xiaolongnü’s lips, letting the blood flow into her mouth.

Xiaolongnü’s body, which had been cold, gradually warmed as the hot blood entered her. She knew this was not a proper solution and tried to struggle, but Yang Guo held her firmly around the waist, preventing her from moving. After a while, the wound clotted, and Yang Guo bit open his right wrist, continuing to feed her his blood. After several rounds of this, Yang Guo felt dizzy and weak, finally sitting upright. Xiaolongnü stared at him for a long time without speaking, sighed softly, and began to meditate. Yang Guo saw that the candle was about to burn out and replaced it with a new one.

That night, both of them practiced their internal skills. Yang Guo was recovering from blood loss, while Xiaolongnü, invigorated by Yang Guo’s blood, felt her spirit lift. Two hours later, she knew her life was saved. She opened her eyes and smiled faintly at him. Yang Guo noticed her once-pale cheeks now had a faint blush, like a light layer of rouge on white jade. Overjoyed, he said, “Aunt, you’re better!” Xiaolongnü nodded. Yang Guo was so happy he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know that to properly replenish lost blood, it should be done through transfusion, and consuming blood might not effectively replenish it. However, Xiaolongnü’s extremely weak state, on the brink of death, was greatly improved by the sudden boost in qi and blood, revitalizing her spirit and strength.

Xiaolongnü said, “Let’s go to Granny Sun’s room; I have something to tell you.” Yang Guo asked, “Aren’t you tired?” Xiaolongnü replied, “It’s fine.” She reached out and triggered a mechanism on the stone wall, causing a stone slab to slide open, revealing a door. Yang Guo didn’t recognize the path beyond. Xiaolongnü led him through the dark, winding passages to Granny Sun’s room.

She lit a candle and wrapped Yang Guo’s clothes into a bundle, placing her pair of gold-threaded gloves inside. Yang Guo watched her in confusion and asked, “Aunt, what are you doing?” Xiaolongnü didn’t answer, placing two large jars of jade bee honey in the bundle. Yang Guo exclaimed, “Aunt, are we leaving? That’s great!”

Xiaolongnü said, “You should go. I know you’re a good child; you’ve treated me very well.” Yang Guo was shocked and asked, “What about you?” Xiaolongnü replied, “I swore to my master that I would never leave this tomb. Unless… unless… well, I’m not leaving.” She shook her head sadly.

Seeing her solemn expression and firm tone, Yang Guo knew she wouldn’t let him argue. He didn’t dare to speak further but finally mustered the courage to say, “Aunt, if you don’t go, I won’t go either. I’ll stay with you.” Xiaolongnü said, “My senior sister is surely guarding the exit, trying to force me to hand over the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. My skills are far inferior to hers, and I’m injured. There’s no way I can defeat her, right?” Yang Guo replied, “Yes.” Xiaolongnü continued, “Our remaining food will last barely twenty days, and with some honey, we might stretch it to a month. What then?” Yang Guo was stunned and said, “We can fight our way out. Although we can’t beat my senior, we might escape.” Xiaolongnü shook her head and said, “If you knew your senior’s skills and temperament, you’d know we can’t escape. If we try, we’ll not only suffer humiliation but also die a painful death.” Yang Guo said, “If that’s the case, I have even less chance of escaping alone.”

Xiaolongnü shook her head, “No! I’ll lure her into the depths of the tomb, and you’ll have a chance to escape. Once you’re out, move the big stone on the left of the tomb and pull the mechanism inside. Two massive boulders will fall, sealing the tomb forever.” Yang Guo became increasingly alarmed and asked, “Aunt, can you activate the mechanism to come out?”

Xiaolongnü shook her head and said, “No. When Wang Chongyang started his rebellion against the Jin dynasty, this stone tomb served as his main storage for money, grain, and weapons. The tomb is filled with intricate mechanisms, meticulously arranged, and at the entrance, there are these two massive stones called ‘Dragon Severing Stones.’ He anticipated that if his righteous army failed to rise and the Jin soldiers found out and attacked, he would lower the stones, sealing the tomb and ending his life. The invaders would also find it impossible to escape. Once the Dragon Severing Stones fall, they cannot be lifted again. You know the tunnel to enter the tomb is very narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time. Even if there are thousands of enemies, they can only form a long line, and only the person at the front would reach the blocked entrance. No matter how strong they are, they couldn’t lift the stone. The old Taoist set it up this way, preferring to die rather than surrender, ensuring the enemy would perish with him. After his rebellion failed, he lived alone in the tomb. The Jin ruler discovered his location and sent dozens of top fighters to kill him, but he either captured or killed all of them. None escaped. After the Jin ruler’s sudden death, the succeeding emperor didn’t pursue him, so these Dragon Severing Stones were never used. When Wang Chongyang handed over the Tomb of the Living Dead, he disclosed all the mechanisms to our Grandmaster Granny.” She spoke slowly, gasping for breath.

The more Yang Guo listened, the more alarmed he became, tears streaming down his face as he said, “Aunt, I want to stay with you whether I live or die.” Xiaolongnü replied, “What good is it for you to stay with me? You said the outside world is fun, so go out and enjoy it. With your current skills, those dirty Taoists from the Quanzhen Sect won’t trouble you anymore. You outsmarted Hong Lingbo, proving you’re much cleverer than me. You no longer need me to take care of you.”

Yang Guo rushed forward and embraced her, crying, “Aunt, if I can’t be with you, I’ll never be happy for the rest of my life.”

Xiaolongnü, who had always been cold and emotionless, speaking with finality, suddenly felt a rush of warmth in her chest after hearing Yang Guo’s words. Her eyes welled up, and she couldn’t help but shed tears. She was shocked and remembered her master’s dying words, repeatedly warning her, “The martial arts you practice are of the highest order, meant to sever all seven emotions and eliminate all six desires. If you ever shed tears for a man, not only will your martial arts suffer greatly, but it could also endanger your life. Remember this well.” She pushed Yang Guo away forcefully and said coldly, “Whatever I say, you must obey.”

Seeing her sudden sternness, Yang Guo dared not argue. Xiaolongnü tied the bundle on his back, took a long sword from the wall, handed it to him, and said harshly, “When I tell you to leave, you must go immediately. Once you exit the tomb, drop the stone to close the door. Your senior master is extremely formidable, and timing is crucial. Will you listen to me?” Yang Guo choked, “I will.” Xiaolongnü said, “If you don’t follow my instructions, I will die hating you forever, even in the afterlife. Now go!” She took his hand and opened the door.

In the past, whenever Yang Guo touched her hand, it was always icy cold. But now, as she held his hand, it felt alternately hot and cold, very different from before. His mind was in turmoil, with no time to ponder this. He followed her as she led him out. After a while, Xiaolongnü felt along a stone wall and whispered, “They are inside. Once I lure my sister away, you will escape through the northwest side door. If Hong Lingbo chases you, use the Jade Bee Needles to stop her.” Yang Guo, in his confusion, nodded.

The Jade Bee Needles were a unique weapon of the Ancient Tomb Sect. Lin Chaoying had two most formidable weapons: the Ice Soul Silver Needles and the Jade Bee Needles. These were fine as hairs, made from refined steel and coated with several layers of gold, then dipped in the venom of the Jade Bee’s sting. Although tiny, they were heavy due to the gold coating, allowing them to be thrown far. However, because the weapon was so insidious and hard to guard against, Lin Chaoying rarely used it. After her martial arts became extraordinary in her middle years, she didn’t need to use such weapons. Xiaolongnü’s master passed on the Ice Soul Silver Needles to Li Mochou because Li refused to vow to stay in the tomb forever to inherit the teachings. As a result, she didn’t pass on the Jade Bee Needle technique to Li. Yang Guo had learned this from Xiaolongnü.

Xiaolongnü focused for a moment, activated the mechanism on the stone wall, and the wall moved left with a grinding sound. She immediately swung her silk ribbons, attacking both Li Mochou and Hong Lingbo simultaneously, her body following the movement swiftly. At this moment, Li Mochou had already unsealed Hong Lingbo’s pressure points, scolded her a bit, and was calculating the layout of the tomb to find a way out. Suddenly seeing Xiaolongnü’s attack, the master and disciple were both startled. Li Mochou swung her horsetail whisk, deflecting the silk ribbons. Both the whisk and the silk ribbons were extremely flexible, using softness to counter softness. However, Li Mochou’s internal power was much stronger, and as the weapons clashed, Xiaolongnü’s silk ribbons recoiled.

Xiaolongnü’s left ribbon retracted while the right one struck out, launching several quick strikes. The ribbons moved with extraordinary agility. Li Mochou was both surprised and angry, thinking, “Master was indeed biased. When did she ever teach me this technique?” She believed she could counter the attacks and didn’t feel the need to kill immediately. First, without obtaining the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, killing Xiaolongnü would make it difficult to find it within the vast tomb. Second, she wanted to see what other skills her master had taught Xiaolongnü.

Hong Lingbo, always proud of her cleverness and abilities, didn’t expect to fall into the hands of a young boy, being fooled by his act all day without seeing through it. This had left her fuming with anger. She shouted, “Fool! You are truly devious!” and attacked with her twin swords. Yang Guo had to raise his sword to defend himself. Normally, he would have taunted her and made more jokes, but thinking about parting from Xiaolongnü, his eyes filled with tears, blurring his vision. He could only block her attacks without the will to fight back. Hong Lingbo saw that although she couldn’t injure him, his defenses were weak, and she regretted not being more cautious earlier.

Li Mochou exchanged more than ten moves with Xiaolongnü, then twisted her whisk and ensnared Xiaolongnü’s left silk ribbon. She laughed and said, “Sister, let me show you your elder sister’s skills.” With a burst of force, the ribbon snapped in two. In ordinary combat, cutting an opponent’s weapon was already remarkable. To break a soft weapon like a whisk with a silk ribbon was ten times more difficult, showcasing her immense strength. Li Mochou’s face showed satisfaction after this display of skill.

Xiaolongnü remained calm and said, “So what if you’re skilled?” She swung the broken ribbon, entangling the whisk’s strands. The right-hand ribbon swiftly wrapped around the whisk’s wooden handle, pulling in opposite directions. With a crack, the whisk broke in two. Although this maneuver didn’t demonstrate as much raw power as Li Mochou’s earlier feat, it was executed with incredible speed and precision, catching Li Mochou off guard. Startled, Li Mochou dropped the whisk handle and moved to seize the ribbons, forcing Xiaolongnü to retreat repeatedly.

After exchanging over ten more moves, Xiaolongnü retreated to the east stone wall, realizing she had no room left to retreat. Suddenly, she swiped her hand across the stone wall and shouted, “Guo’er, go quickly!” With a clatter, a hole appeared in the northwest corner. Li Mochou was greatly surprised and hurriedly turned to stop Yang Guo. Xiaolongnü dropped her silk ribbon and pounced forward with both palms attacking fiercely. Li Mochou had no choice but to turn back and defend herself. Xiaolongnü shouted, “Guo’er, why aren’t you leaving?”

Yang Guo looked at Xiaolongnü, knowing there was no turning back. He called out, “Aunt, I’m going!” He swiftly thrust his sword three times, the sword tips pointing directly at Hong Lingbo. Hong Lingbo had always seen his sword moves as weak, but suddenly the force behind his strikes grew stronger. In her panic, she had to leap back. Yang Guo bent down and dashed through the stone door, turning back for one last look at Xiaolongnü.

Xiaolongnü and her senior sister were fighting hand-to-hand. Although severely injured, Xiaolongnü’s moves, learned from the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, were unpredictable. She could hold her own for dozens of moves. However, when she saw Yang Guo’s figure disappearing at the entrance, thinking she would never see him again, her chest grew hot, and her eyes welled up with tears. She had never felt true emotions before, but today she had almost cried twice. This frightened her greatly. In a high-level fight, there could be no room for distraction. Additionally, the strength she had gained from Yang Guo’s blood was nearly exhausted. Li Mochou saw her momentary daze and immediately seized the opportunity, grabbing her left wrist’s “Hui Zong” acupoint and tripping her. Xiaolongnü fell to the ground.

Yang Guo, turning back, saw his master being tripped by her sister. Seeing Li Mochou about to harm Xiaolongnü, his blood boiled. He shouted, “Don’t hurt my aunt!” and rushed back through the stone door, grabbing Li Mochou around the waist from behind. This move was unconventional, born out of desperation. Li Mochou, intent on capturing her sister, hadn’t expected Yang Guo to return, and his grip was so tight she couldn’t break free.

Despite her ruthless nature and disregard for customs, Li Mochou had kept herself pure, never involved with a man. Suddenly being held tightly by Yang Guo, she felt a surge of emotion. When Yang Guo was a child, holding her had already stirred her feelings. Now that he was older, the warmth of his body transmitted to her heart, making her feel a mixture of excitement and weakness. Her whole body softened, and her face turned red, losing strength in her arms. Xiaolongnü seized the chance to reverse the hold on Li Mochou’s wrist, but Hong Lingbo’s sword tip was now pointed at Yang Guo’s back.

Lying on the ground, Xiaolongnü saw the sword approaching and immediately rolled to the left, pulling both Yang Guo and Li Mochou aside, causing Hong Lingbo to miss. Xiaolongnü leaped up and shouted, “Guo’er, get out!”

Yang Guo held onto Li Mochou’s slender waist tightly and shouted, “Aunt, you leave first! I’ll hold her; she won’t escape.” In that moment, Li Mochou’s mind raced with thoughts. Knowing the situation was critical and life hung by a thread, yet feeling the intoxication of being held by Yang Guo, she didn’t struggle. Xiaolongnü found it strange: “How could my sister, with her martial arts, be so easily restrained by Guo’er? Could her acupoints be sealed?” She saw Hong Lingbo thrusting her sword at Yang Guo again and immediately pushed the flat side of the sword with her two fingers, causing the sword to leap and strike Hong Lingbo’s other sword. With a clang, both swords fell from Hong Lingbo’s hands, shocking her into jumping back.

The clash of the swords produced a few sparks. In that flash, Li Mochou saw her sister’s strange expression and felt deeply ashamed. She scolded, “You brat, are you looking for death?” With a burst of strength, she broke free from Yang Guo’s embrace, stood up, and struck at Xiaolongnü with her palm.

Xiaolongnü, watching Yang Guo, suddenly felt Li Mochou’s palm strike. Unable to counter with a technique, she could only block it. The force of her sister’s palm caused a faint pain in her chest. Seeing Yang Guo get up and come to her aid, she shouted, “Guo’er, are you truly not listening to me?” Yang Guo replied, “I’ll listen to everything you say, except this. Aunt, I’ll stay with you in life and death. If you die, I’ll die with you. We must look after each other forever.” Xiaolongnü, moved by his sincerity, saw Li Mochou striking again. Knowing her own strength was diminished, she couldn’t take another hit. She ducked, grabbed Yang Guo, and ran out through the stone door.

Li Mochou, following closely, reached out to grab her back, shouting, “Don’t go!” Xiaolongnü turned and threw more than ten Jade Bee Needles. Li Mochou smelled a sweet honey scent and, knowing the danger, quickly fell back, colliding with Hong Lingbo, and both fell.

There were faint sounds of the needles hitting the stone wall. Then, with two more grinding sounds, Xiaolongnü, holding Yang Guo, escaped the stone chamber, activated the mechanism, and blocked the entrance again.

Note:

In the original version of this book, the young Taoist who falls for Xiaolongnü was originally written as Yin Zhiping. However, Yin Zhiping was a real person, known by the Taoist title “Qinghe Zhenren” and was a disciple of Qiu Chuji. He later became the head of the Quanzhen Sect. Portraying him as having questionable morals tarnishes the image of this historical figure. Therefore, in this third edition, the name has been changed to Zhen Zhibing, a name that sounds similar but is entirely fictional and has no real-life counterpart.

Table of Contents

Previous: Chapter 5: The Tomb of the Living Dead

Next: Chapter 7: The Inscription Left by Chongyang

Chapter 6: The Jade Maiden's Sutra

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