Chapter 18

Amidst the vast misty rain, a solitary boat drifted downstream. A scholar in a green robe stood at the bow, facing the surging Yangtze River, standing silently. Behind him, a delicate red-clad girl held a book, scratching her head in deep thought, sighing and shaking her head repeatedly.

"Brother Chen! Do I really have to learn all these things to learn your skills?" She pouted, disappointedly spreading the book on the table, looking at the four large characters 'Elements of Geometry' on the cover, feeling a headache.

"Honey! If your IQ isn't up to it, don't learn my martial arts. I have a simpler 'Purple霞神功' (Purple霞Mystic Art), but you need to read 300 volumes of the Daoist Canon first, and memorize the 30 classic volumes of the Complete Perfection School. Then I'll teach it to you!" Chen Ang smiled and patted her head, but his words were blunt.

"Ugh!" Qu Feiyan lowered her head in pain, her eyes showing a pitiful, puppy-like gaze. "Is there no martial art that doesn't require learning all this? I heard you know the 'Star Absorption Technique.' This clumsy skill shouldn't have any conditions, right? Even Ren Woxing, that brute, can learn it, so why can't I?"

"That's called the 'Northern Abyss Fragment.' If you want to learn it, you need to memorize the 'Nanhua Jing' today. Tomorrow, I'll give you a few volumes of 'Nanhua Commentary' and 'Taiping Jing.' First, finish the 36 volumes of the 'Taiping Qingling Dao.' Then copy the relevant scriptures from the Daoist Canon and Nanhua several times. You should be able to barely enter the door!"

Qu Feiyan listened, gesturing the height of the stack of books, and rolled her eyes at Chen Ang, wailing, "Is there no easy-to-learn, easy-to-master martial art? Why does even a light skill require 'Fluid Mechanics'? What is this? Ah!" The last note was drawn out, her voice full of frustration.

Chen Ang put away a Daoist scripture in his hand, looking at the listless Qu Feiyan, and smiled. "If you want to learn an easy and simple skill, I received such a martial art a few days ago. It's easy to start, progresses very quickly, and although only men can practice it, I've modified it so women can too. Just follow the steps, and you can become a top-notch expert. With a bit of effort, you'll have a place in the world!"

Qu Feiyan's eyes lit up. "Such a good martial art, you only tell me now? No, I remember you once said there's no instant success in martial arts. Skills without accumulation are not the right path. This skill, isn't it a quick method with many hidden dangers?"

"You're wrong! This martial art doesn't have such issues. The cultivation process itself is a deep accumulation. It has a broad future and can become increasingly profound over time, making it a top-notch skill." Chen Ang said.

"Really?" Qu Feiyan's eyes were full of disbelief. After seeing the 'Tendon Separation Hand,' which claimed to be complete in three months but required dissecting 300 corpses of different ages and genders, her trust in Chen Ang had dropped even further.

"Of course, there's a small price to pay!" Chen Ang answered without turning his head, looking at the Daoist scripture in his hand.

"Oh!" Qu Feiyan made a voice of confirmation, but couldn't help asking, "What kind of price?"

"I've already said, this skill is for men. For women to practice it, they have to deceive heaven and pretend to be men. It's not a big deal, just a rough voice, dark skin, muscular body, a rugged appearance, and possibly a beard."

"The final result is just that anyone who sees you will exclaim, 'What a mighty man!' That's all!" Chen Ang reached out to take a clay pot from the red stove on the boat, poured himself a cup of warm wine, and smiled.

"You might as well not say anything!" Qu Feiyan said, deflated.

Chen Ang said seriously, "Although there's a small difficulty at the beginning, this skill will have a surprising transformation later on. After achieving great success, the practitioner's body will transform into their most perfect form, the most beautiful person in the world!"

"Is it really that magical?" Qu Feiyan looked at him curiously.

"The most magical part is that the practitioner, regardless of gender, will eventually become one type of person, without gender differences or characteristics, like a celestial being!" Chen Ang said seriously.

"You... What kind of martial art is this, so strange, neither male nor female, it's completely a monster!" Qu Feiyan said in shock.

"Not a monster, but a genderless being, ah! No, a celestial being, a self-transformed celestial being!" Chen Ang answered seriously.

After saying that, he smiled and slightly opened the boat's curtain, pointing outside. "Look, those are the real monsters!"

"What?" Qu Feiyan was slightly stunned. She looked out and saw a vast white river suddenly filled with several large ships. On them, people were scattered in groups, all dressed in strange outfits, holding peculiar weapons, looking anything but good.

These large ships formed a triangular pattern and quickly surrounded the small boat where Chen Ang was. Dozens of figures stood on the large ships, both men and women. Qu Feiyan frowned and suddenly called out, "They are from our Sun Moon Cult! But they are all monsters from the mountains and lakes. Could it be that Miss Ren has come?"

"Maybe not!" Chen Ang raised an eyebrow, looking at them with interest.

As they spoke, the people on the large ships suddenly parted, making way for a central path. On the most luxurious ship, a seductive voice reached their ears.

"Is the famous doctor of Jiangnan on the boat?" A girl in Miao ethnic clothing, with bright colors and a golden headpiece, walked forward and called out to the small boat.

"I dare not call myself a doctor, and I'm not famous in Jiangnan. I'm not even close to being a 'Hua Tuo.' But I am Chen Ang. What do you want with me?" Chen Ang raised his cup and smiled at her.

The Miao girl laughed and said softly, "What else could we want from a doctor? Our group of poor people are sick, and we need the doctor to save us!"

"Hmph!" Qu Feiyan looked at her revealing clothes and suddenly snorted, "Who invites a doctor with strong bows and crossbows, on a warship, with dozens of people, all armed with swords and spears?"

"Ha! Isn't this Qu sister?" The Miao girl's eyes flicked over Qu Feiyan's flat chest, saying meaningfully, "There's a sour smell!"

"Doctor Chen is not just any doctor." The Miao girl looked at Chen Ang seductively.

"If any weak doctor could defeat the leaders of the Taishan, Hengshan, and Huashan sects, and beat Ding Mian and Lu Bai like dogs, and cripple Fei Bin, and force the Shaolin disciples to retreat in disgrace, then our Sun Moon Cult wouldn't even exist in the martial world!"

"Is that so?" Chen Ang smiled.

"But I think you're not here for the Sun Moon Cult, but to be traitors!"

At these words, the people on the large ships were stunned. Soon, an angry voice came through, "Lan Fenghuang, why are you wasting time with that boy? Tell him, with so many of us, if he doesn't comply, he will die!"

Lan Fenghuang shouted back coldly, "Oil-soaked loach, if you speak again, I'll tear you apart first!" Then she glanced at the agitated crowd and sneered, "Even if you all attack together, you're no match for Mr. Chen. What are you waiting for? Show Mr. Chen our sincerity!"

The strange and evil people opened the large boxes on the ships, and a dazzling light of gold and jewels shot up, blinding everyone. Dozens of boxes of gold and jewels were placed in front of Chen Ang, and even Qu Feiyan couldn't help but catch her breath. Chen Ang, however, didn't even look at the gold and jewels, but instead stared at a few unremarkable scrolls.

In a flash, Lan Fenghuang saw Chen Ang appear on the large ship, holding a scroll and slowly unrolling it. These unremarkable items were actually more valuable than the jewels.

"Amazing!" Lan Fenghuang was secretly shocked. She hadn't even reacted when Chen Ang had moved so quickly. This level of lightness skill was far beyond hers. If not on the river, Chen Ang might not have been stopped by so many people. Lan Fenghuang secretly rejoiced.

"The Cold Food Post!" Chen Ang sighed, "Indeed, it's the best in the world!"

He casually put the post back in the box and took out a few ancient books, caressing the yellowed covers. Chen Ang slowly said, "Unfortunately, except for these ancient books, the rest are mere trinkets to me, worth nothing!"

Lan Fenghuang was stunned. She looked up and saw Chen Ang's calm face and clear eyes, looking at the gold and jewels as if they were common stones. She was surprised, "No one in the world doesn't want wealth and honor. Sir, you are alone, yet you don't care about these things?"

"Indeed!"

Lan Fenghuang laughed, tears welling up in her eyes. Suddenly, she raised her head and said sternly, "Sir, if you don't care about these gold and jewels, are you interested in our skills? Also, with our service, what wealth and power can't you obtain? You have a big appetite! Wanting me, Lan Fenghuang, to be your slave, dream on!"

"Ha!" Chen Ang couldn't help but laugh, "I think you're overestimating yourself!"