Chapter 26

In the following days, Yang Ji's outings became completely irregular. Sometimes he would stay in his room for an entire day, reading and practicing calligraphy to prepare for the imperial exams, or he would immerse himself in studying the techniques of the "White Snake Martial Arts." At other times, he would enter the deep mountains at irregular intervals to practice.

This greatly reduced the risk of exposing his whereabouts, to avoid being tracked and dealt with by people sent by the First Lady.

Whoosh!

In the early morning mist, a small black shadow darted out from Yang Ji's shed, swiftly circling the surroundings without a sound, then hissed at Yang Ji's door.

"Xiao Ji, you've worked hard."

The door opened, and Yang Ji quietly stepped out of the shed, patted Xiao Ji's head, and then with a flick of his sleeve, tucked it away.

During this period of seclusion, Yang Ji had always felt the presence of shadows around him, clearly sensing that many people were monitoring him. This greatly inconvenienced his practice.

"Finally, I can come out. Xiao Ji, you're amazing."

Yang Ji sighed in relief, then lowered his head. A series of hisses of satisfaction came from his sleeve.

The perception of the King Cobra was clearly much more sensitive than Yang Ji's. During this time, Yang Ji relied on it to stand guard outside. Only when Xiao Ji confirmed that no one was watching did Yang Ji dare to venture out.

"Let's go!"

Yang Ji slung his bow and arrows and hurriedly left the shed.

Entering the deep mountains, Yang Ji did not go to his usual spot but chose a different place. He closed his eyes slightly, spread his legs, relaxed his body, and began practicing the "Divine Dragon Bone Strengthening Pile Standing."

Streams of faint tree essence gathered from all directions, continuously merging into Yang Ji's body. Feeling this cool power once again, Yang Ji took a long, deep breath and then merged into the vast, calm void.

"It's been a while since I felt this comfortable."

Yang Ji sighed in relief.

After this practice session, Yang Ji felt his strength had increased significantly, bringing him closer to the Ninth Stage of Breathing. The Ninth Stage of Breathing, known for its quickness like a fox, was his next goal.

In the sparring at the training ground, Yang Ji had only achieved the speed of a fox through his understanding and mastery of the "White Snake Martial Arts" and the techniques he learned from Xiao Ji. In reality, his running speed was not as fast as Yang Xu's.

The Ninth Stage of Breathing, quick like a fox, made "catching a rabbit with bare hands" a simple task. Some talented individuals could even catch a madly galloping horse.

All of this required a strong and robust skeleton.

In nature, animals that run faster than humans, whether horses, cheetahs, lions, or fierce beasts, can leap far with a single bound, all thanks to their strong and robust skeletons.

Yang Ji was currently only at the stage of absorbing tree essence to strengthen his lungs and organs, far from the stage of absorbing essence to nourish his bones.

"Unfortunately, I have too little time to practice."

Thinking of the constant surveillance, Yang Ji sighed and frowned.

Although he had anticipated this, it still made him feel restless.

His sixteenth birthday was approaching.

This event felt like an invisible shackle tightly bound around him.

At this rate of practice, it was uncertain when he would reach the Ninth Stage of Breathing, let alone the "Martial Realm" that the First Lady used to threaten him.

"I must find a way to break free from this situation!"

Yang Ji thought to himself.

Suddenly, an idea struck him.

"Qingming Festival is coming soon. Every year at this time, I go up the mountain to sweep my parents' graves. I can use this opportunity to leave the clan and practice in peace, preparing for the imperial exams!"

Qingming Festival was a significant event, and in a large clan, filial piety was paramount.

Even if the First Lady was dissatisfied with Yang Ji, she could not refuse his request. If he could practice in peace for a few months, Yang Ji was confident he could make significant progress.

"That's what I'll do!"

Yang Ji's mind raced, and he quickly calmed down.

"White Snake Swallowing the Message..."

Yang Ji's body shot forward, gliding several yards along the ground, and with a flick of his hand, he snapped a branch as thick as a child's arm. He began practicing the subsequent techniques of the "White Snake Martial Arts."

...

Returning from practice, it was already late, and the night was dark. Yang Ji did not disturb anyone, quietly slipping back into his room.

"A gentleman reflects on himself three times a day. I should record today's practice insights first."

Yang Ji unfolded a piece of paper, took a brush and ink, dipped it, thought for a moment, and then began to write down his various experiences and insights from today's practice.

Although Yang Ji had confirmed his path through the sparring at the training ground, the journey of self-exploration was bound to be bumpy, with no room for luck.

Yang Ji could only forge his own path with diligence and wisdom.

Scribble, scribble...

The shed gradually quieted, with only the sound of Yang Ji writing.

After an unknown amount of time, Yang Ji finally looked up.

"I'm really hungry."

Yang Ji felt his stomach rumbling and chuckled to himself.

He hadn't eaten much, but his focus on martial arts had made him lose track of time. Now, the hunger was even more intense.

"Let's eat something."

Yang Ji thought to himself.

On the table were a few dishes prepared by Uncle Liang, covered with ceramic bowls, still warm.

Yang Ji took a bowl of rice and picked up his chopsticks, ready to enjoy his meal. But just as he extended his chopsticks, something unexpected happened—

Snap!

A light sound, and before Yang Ji could react, his chopsticks were knocked out of his hand.

"Xiao Ji?"

Yang Ji frowned, about to scold, but then remembered something and smiled.

"I forgot, you're hungry too. Let's eat together."

Yang Ji took some meat and placed it in front of Xiao Ji. The longer he lived with Xiao Ji, the more he treated it like a family member, often sharing his food.

Snap!

Yang Ji extended his chopsticks again, but they were knocked away by Xiao Ji.

It raised its body, ignoring the food Yang Ji had given it, and wrapped itself around the bowl, hissing as if trying to tell Yang Ji something.

"Xiao Ji, stop playing around."

Yang Ji was taken aback, then shook his head.

"Let me finish eating, and then we'll play, okay?"

"Hisss!"

Xiao Ji stood straight, its black eyes fixed on Yang Ji, shaking its head firmly and stubbornly.

Yang Ji was surprised; Xiao Ji rarely acted this way. But with hunger gnawing at his stomach, he didn't have time to think much and extended his chopsticks again.

Crack!

A black shadow flashed, and this time the force was greater. Not only were the chopsticks broken, but Yang Ji's wrist also went numb.

"Xiao Ji, what are you doing?!"

Yang Ji was displeased. Being interrupted three times without reason, even his patience was wearing thin.

"Hisss, hisss!"

Xiao Ji couldn't speak, but it coiled on the table, head raised, continuously hissing and shaking its head.

Yang Ji was about to get angry, but his gaze swept over Xiao Ji's black eyes, and he suddenly calmed down. He saw a hint of anxiety in Xiao Ji's eyes.

This wasn't just playing around!

Looking at the food on the table and then at Xiao Ji, Yang Ji suddenly felt a sense of unease.

"Xiao Ji, do you mean to tell me there's something wrong with the food?"

Yang Ji asked tentatively.

The next moment, to Yang Ji's shock, Xiao Ji hissed and slowly nodded.

Hisss!

Yang Ji drew a sharp breath.

Really!

Xiao Ji was actually warning him that the food was poisoned!

At that moment, a chill ran up Yang Ji's spine, spreading throughout his body. Looking at the "delicious" food in front of him, he felt numb and lost all appetite.

Poison in the food? How could this be!

Yang Ji's food had always been prepared by Uncle Liang, with no issues for over a decade. But Xiao Ji's reaction was clear, and as the king of venomous snakes, its sensitivity to toxins was unquestionable.

Taking a deep breath, Yang Ji flipped his wrist and pulled out a small piece of silver from his pocket.

This was from the last time he confiscated it from Zhou Kuang.

Hisss!

When the silver piece was immersed in the soup, it instantly turned black. Yang Ji's heart sank to the bottom.

Poisoned!

The food was really poisoned!

Yang Ji was both shocked and angry. Countless thoughts raced through his mind. Uncle Liang would never harm him, and the only person in the Yang clan with the motive to harm him was the First Lady!

"Poisonous woman!"

Yang Ji gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with deep resentment. If not for Xiao Ji, he would have been dead by now.

"Bad! Uncle Liang! ——"

Yang Ji's mind raced, and his face suddenly changed. He leaped out of the window like a large python.

Uncle Liang had always lived with him, sharing the same food. He had returned late, but Uncle Liang...

Yang Ji didn't dare to think further, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. If anything happened to Uncle Liang, he would never forgive himself.

"Uncle Liang, Uncle Liang, please be okay!..."

Yang Ji's heart burned with anxiety as he rushed over. For the first time in his life, he felt deep fear and shock.

"Whoosh!"

The night was pitch black, with only the sound of the wind howling. Yang Ji clenched his teeth and ran frantically. The short 800-meter distance felt longer than ever.

After an unknown amount of time, a dark, small house finally appeared ahead, with a small lamp lit, casting a familiar shadow on the window paper.

"Nothing! Uncle Liang is fine! Uncle Liang is still alive!..."

Seeing the shadow, Yang Ji was overjoyed, almost shouting in excitement. But the next moment, seeing the shadow of the raised bowl and chopsticks on the window paper, his face changed dramatically.

"No! ——"

Yang Ji shouted, using the "White Snake Lying in the Grass" technique to leap several yards and rush into the room.

Clang!

Yang Ji broke the old steward's bowl and chopsticks with one palm, looking at the spilled food, he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Master?"

The old steward looked at the intruding Yang Ji, still half-asleep...

...

Leaving the old steward's room, Yang Ji's back was wet with sweat, and he still felt deep fear.

"The Qingming Festival can't be delayed any longer."

Yang Ji looked at the night sky, thinking to himself.

He had thought that hiding in the clan, the First Lady would not dare to harm him openly due to various considerations, making him safe. But this incident reminded him of the deep danger he was in!

"An open spear is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to guard against." This poisoning was the best lesson.

The old steward was old, and this time, he was only saved by chance because of his relationship with Yang Ji. When the incident happened, he was too tired and had gone to bed early, allowing Yang Ji to arrive in time. But there might not be such good luck next time.

"Prevention can only last for a while, not forever. Uncle Liang was implicated because of me. Only by leaving here will he be safe. The First Lady has already decided to kill me, and the clan is no longer safe. I must quickly improve myself to protect myself."

Many thoughts raced through Yang Ji's mind, and he finally became determined.