Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
As he ate, Xunuo recalled something. Ever since he began practicing the Huayang Classic, he had not slept for several months. Uncle Lu, also a practitioner of internal martial arts, had accompanied him on his journey, sharing the same eating and sleeping habits. Could it be that his cultivation method was truly unparalleled?
If that were the case, it should not be easily revealed. Although young, Xunuo understood the principle of "holding a gem brings trouble."
After finishing his meal, Xunuo shouldered his pack. Noticing that the river upstream became more secluded and steep, he decided to follow the current upstream.
After traveling for half a day, he arrived at a rarely visited area. On one side of the river stood a sheer cliff, while the other was filled with the sounds of wolves and insects from the forest.
Xunuo found a crevice five zhang high in the cliff that could accommodate him. He took out his Short Blade and widened the crevice slightly so that it wouldn’t feel cramped inside. Then he leaned against the cliff, facing the river and forest, feeling quite pleased as he rested.
From this vantage point, the dense forest stretched endlessly, and the mountain breeze rustled through the trees. It was indeed a good place to clear one’s mind.
After resting for a while, Xunuo took out a Long Robe from his pack. He leaped down into the river and splashed across to the other side where the forest lay. After some time, he returned to the crevice with a bundle of wild fruits wrapped in his Long Robe.
Xunuo planned to purify the impurities within his body before leaving. Thus, he prepared for an extended period of cultivation. He then closed his eyes and began to practice the Huayang Skill.
As expected, each time True Qi circulated through his body, some filth would be expelled, though each time it was less than before.
After expelling filth, Xunuo would leap into the river to wash himself clean before continuing his cultivation. He managed not to make his hiding place filthy.
Moreover, the speed of True Qi's circulation increased significantly. Previously it took several hours to circulate through his entire body; now it only took about an hour.
After practicing for over a month, no more filth was expelled from within him; instead, he felt a refreshing fragrance emanating from his body.
In just a month, Xunuo had grown quite a bit taller, rivaling boys of fifteen or sixteen years of age.
Feeling pleased with this growth, Xunuo considered continuing on the journey. The cultivation method practiced was indeed profound, but it lacked corresponding martial techniques, and Xunuo did not know how to utilize the internal energy effectively. These were things that needed to be learned at the Wuhua Sect; they could not be grasped through mere speculation.
Since reaching the second layer of the Huayang Classic, Xunuo felt increasingly light on his feet. He could leap across the ten-odd zhang wide river with all his strength. His bones and muscles had also grown considerably stronger, as if he possessed boundless energy. After each training session, he would jump into the river to wash off, then dash through the forest, leaping about until he felt exhilarated.
However, he was unaware of any martial arts routines or methods for channeling internal energy. Each time he simply vented his energy randomly, which only made him yearn more for the profound martial arts at Wuhua Sect. So he shouldered his pack and leaped across to the opposite bank of the river, retracing his steps back onto the road.
At this time, the sun was high in the sky, and there were already some travelers on the Main Road.
Xunuo could not run wildly but quickened his pace, striding southward. Even so, this drew curious glances from passersby.
They speculated that he must be a young hero from some sect traveling through the jianghu. None dared speak in front of Xunuo, but once he had passed by, they whispered among themselves.
Xunuo's hearing was exceptional, and he caught all their discussions. He hadn’t expected that even after deliberately slowing down to be inconspicuous, he still attracted attention. It seemed that traveling during the day did not suit him at all.
However, having reached the edge of Dingmeng and Liangzhou, he could no longer blindly head south. When traveling long distances, as long as one maintained a general direction, it was fine to proceed without worry. But when nearing a destination, one could not afford to be reckless; specific routes needed to be followed. It was essential to inquire about the roads clearly before proceeding; ideally, having a map to Wuhua Mountain would ensure success.
Moreover, Xunuo remained concerned about Lu Duhou. This time he aimed to find a larger town to inquire about Lu Duhou's whereabouts.
Thus, Xunuo paid no mind to the chatter of passersby and continued along the official road with large strides. By noon, he suddenly heard a sound of galloping hooves approaching from behind.
Before long, a white horse rushed past him. On it sat a petite woman dressed in a green outfit with a white veil hat atop her head. The white horse galloped over a hundred zhang before abruptly turning around and blocking the road ahead.
Xunuo felt a sinking sensation in his heart as he thought, "What a misfortune, to encounter trouble so soon after setting out."
However, he quickly reconsidered: over the past month, both his height and appearance had changed somewhat. If he didn’t say anything, it would be difficult to connect him with the wanted Xunuo. Surely, no one would turn and flee just because they saw a young girl blocking the road.
With this thought in mind, he steeled himself and continued forward.
As he approached, he saw a white horse snorting and standing in the middle of the road. There was only about three or four feet of space left on either side.
On the horse sat a girl in emerald attire and green pants, with a blue ribbon tied around her waist. The veil of her straw hat hung down to her chin.
A gust of wind lifted the veil, revealing most of her face—she was merely a girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old.
Xunuo nearly choked in surprise upon seeing her.
Just as he stood still, intending to step around the horse, the girl pulled on the reins and moved forward a few steps, completely blocking the path.
Xunuo felt both anger and amusement but didn’t want to resort to force against this girl. He asked, “Sister, is there something you need if you’re blocking the road?”
The girl on the horse raised her whip and pointed it at Xunuo. “I just heard someone say that there’s a young hero ahead who is quite remarkable. I suppose they were talking about you.”
Upon hearing this, Xunuo understood that she wasn’t here because of any wanted notice against him. He felt a sense of relief wash over him.
Still, he didn’t want to stir up any trouble.
Although Huayang Classic had been practiced to the second level, granting him a body as light as a swallow with strong muscles and bones, when it came to the use of energy and martial arts, he was still a novice.
He simply moved faster than ordinary people, which surprised them. Xunuo certainly did not think of himself as some young hero.
Thus, he hurriedly said, "Sister, you misunderstand. I am just naturally strong but clumsy. I am no young hero. If there is such a hero, it surely isn't me. You might find him ahead; perhaps he is up there."
The girl in green, being innocent by nature, was intrigued by the mention of a young hero and wanted to see for herself. She believed Xunuo's words without suspicion and rode her horse down the main road in pursuit.
Seeing that he had easily shaken off the entanglement, Xunuo chuckled and continued south along the Main Road.
After a short while, he heard the sound of hooves and wheels approaching from behind.
Turning around, Xunuo saw a convoy of carriages rolling towards him.
In front were four or five fine horses ridden by robust men dressed in Green-Clad Short-Sleeved Men. Behind them was a Black Carriage pulled by four horses. The carriage was luxurious and spacious, with gauzy curtains covering the windows.
As the convoy drew near, Xunuo stepped aside to let them pass.
When the convoy passed by him, a soft exclamation came from within the carriage. After that, it continued rolling southward.
Xunuo paid it no mind and resumed his brisk pace southward.
After walking for another half an hour, a Tea House appeared ahead.
A carriage was parked beside the Tea House, and the horse that pulled it was grazing in a trough nearby.
Upon closer inspection, Xunuo noticed that the white horse was among them. Thinking of the willful girl ahead, he couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety. He could only steel himself and pretend not to see, quickening his pace.
Just as he arrived at the Tea House, an old man under the awning called out loudly, "Young Friend, take your time. On such a hot day, it's better to have a cup of tea before you go."
Hearing this, Xunuo could no longer pretend not to hear.
He paused for a moment, contemplated briefly, and then cupped his hands in greeting. "Father-in-law, you are too kind. I would be honored to accept your invitation for a cup of tea."
With that, he turned and walked towards the Tea House.
The Tea House itself was simple, just an awning and a table. Besides serving tea and wine, they only had steamed buns.
The old man who had called out to Xunuo appeared to be in his sixties. He stood tall and healthy with a ruddy complexion, though his hair was completely white, indicating his age.
He wore a long robe and held a folding fan, exuding an air of elegance.
On either side of the table sat a middle-aged strong man on one side and the girl in the green shirt on the other.
Comment 0 Comment Count