Chapter 24

As Su Yi and Qiu Chuji walked down the mountain, after a long while, Qiu Chuji suddenly asked, "Now that you've won the competition, what do you plan to do?"

Su Yi pondered and replied, "I plan to travel down the mountain for a while. Staying on the mountain and practicing in isolation is not a good method. Just like today, after a fierce battle with Senior Brother Zhao, I felt my sword skills improved greatly in just a short time, far more than a month of hard practice on my own!"

"What you say makes sense. Although your martial arts are not yet at the top level, ordinary people can no longer easily harm you. Traveling down the mountain is a good idea, but..." Qiu Chuji turned his head and looked at Su Yi seriously, "Don't mention Senior Brother Zhao again. It's good that you don't hold grudges, showing your kindness, but remember, if you don't finish off a snake, it will come back to bite you. In the martial world, don't be so soft-hearted."

Su Yi chuckled, "Master, don't you know who I am? Zhao Zijing is already crippled, so I let him off. If his internal skills were still intact, I wouldn't have let him off so easily. I just gave a face to Master Zhang."

"It's best that you understand..." Qiu Chuji stroked his beard in satisfaction and smiled.

"I came back specifically to see your and Zhiping's competition. Now that it's over, I won't stay in the Quanzhen Sect any longer. I should go down the mountain to help the weak and fight the strong. You have little experience in the martial world, so be very careful. If you have time, visit your mother; her life is hard."

"Yes..." Su Yi nodded in agreement.

Seeing Su Yi's straight posture and handsome appearance, Qiu Chuji sighed, "If your father were still alive, he would be very happy to see how outstanding you are. I can finally say I haven't let down my old friend. Even if we meet in the afterlife, I can face him without regret."

Su Yi couldn't help but secretly pout, "Fortunately, it's me. If it were the original Yang Kang, you would probably be in deep trouble by now."

After a moment of sighing, Qiu Chuji put away his thoughts and said, "Enough talk, I'm leaving now..."

With a long whistle, he waved his sleeves, and Qiu Chuji soared into the air like a large bird, lightly touching the steep mountain path with his feet, quickly becoming a small figure and then disappearing completely.

Seeing Qiu Chuji's lightness, Su Yi couldn't help but admire, "Master is truly a master. My Spiral Nine Shadows has made some progress, but compared to him, there's still a gap..."

But this old man has been practicing martial arts for decades, while I've only been practicing for a few months. I won't compare...

Su Yi instantly shook off his disappointment and happily walked down the mountain. As the saying goes, money makes the world go round. Having a rich stepfather and a mother who looks poor but is actually rich is great. I can just buy what I need... I don't even need to pack, there's nothing in the wooden house worth taking. I'll stay one more night and leave early tomorrow, no need to linger...

That night, Su Yi sat by the fire, slowly stewing chicken, feeling particularly relaxed.

Having the freedom to leave the mountain, Su Yi's mood was especially bright. The mountains seemed clear, the water beautiful, and even the wild chicken in the pot looked delicious. Even Yin Zhiping, sitting across from him, looked handsome...

"Huh?" Su Yi exclaimed. "When did you come over?"

Yin Zhiping said, "I've been here for a while. You were just smiling foolishly and didn't see me. Are you really that happy about being able to leave the mountain freely?"

"Are you not happy?"

"Not really..." Yin Zhiping said indifferently. "I've been in the top four every year, and I've been able to leave the mountain freely for the past few years. Do you think I've been coming to see you often these past few months? It's not easy for ordinary disciples to leave the Quanzhen Sect."

Su Yi was stunned, never expecting such a class enemy to be right next to him.

"Ah..." Yin Zhiping nudged Su Yi with his elbow, looking slyly as if asking for a favor. He whispered, "I didn't expect you to have such a dramatic background..."

"What background?" Su Yi asked indifferently.

Yin Zhiping suddenly became excited, gesturing wildly, "Two orphans who escaped, a gentleman's agreement among several martial arts masters, and a duel eighteen years later... Don't you think it's very dramatic?"

"Not really..."

Yin Zhiping was unhappy, "You're no fun... Hey, do you know why Master Zhang called me earlier?"

"No, can you tell me?"

"I think it's fine to tell you..." Yin Zhiping said with a hint of displeasure. "Master Zhang asked me to go to the desert. He wants me to find the young man who has the eighteen-year agreement with you, to see how his martial arts skills have developed, and to give him a package..."

"Is it a package? I can tell just by touching it. It's a book, definitely a Quanzhen Sect martial arts manual..." Yin Zhiping said angrily. "Master Zhang is really something, helping others against his own disciples, even giving away our sect's secret techniques. He doesn't think about what will happen if you lose, where will our master's face be?"

Martial arts manual? Su Yi was stunned. This isn't in the original story. I only remember that Yin Zhiping did go to the desert, but he didn't take anything... Could the butterfly effect have already started?

"Should we take a look at what's inside?" Su Yi asked tentatively.

Yin Zhiping quickly put the package away, shaking his head like a rattle drum, "One thing is one thing. I promised Master not to open the package or let anyone else see it. Sorry."

"Stingy guy..." Su Yi turned away, annoyed.

"Junior Brother Yang, don't be angry. I have great confidence in you. You beat Zhao Zijing, who is on par with me. How can you not beat a little Sh靖 (Jing)? Don't worry, I'll test the young man's skills for you before I go to the desert. If he's really strong, we can ask our master to teach you some powerful techniques. No need to worry..."

"I'm not worried. I'm just curious about what's in the manual..." Su Yi knew clearly that Ma Yu had already taught Guo Jing the Quanzhen Sect's techniques. So what could be in this package?

Forget it, if he won't let me see, I won't. As a穿越者 (穿越者, time traveler), can I not deal with a guy who was born with a brain injury? Not to mention just Quanzhen Sect's techniques, even the *Kuihua Manual* wouldn't be a problem. I can crush you without mercy!

Yin Zhiping suddenly asked, "Why don't you come with me to the desert? Master didn't say I couldn't bring anyone. We can go and see together?"

Su Yi was instantly tempted. This could be interesting... But then he thought, what can I do in the desert? See a brain-damaged guy? Or see those two birds? Or see a cute girl... who is someone else's!

"Never mind, you go by yourself. I don't want to suffer the hardships of living outdoors!"

Su Yi refused without hesitation.

"Alright, I'll go by myself... Let's not talk anymore. The chicken is almost done. Let's eat quickly..." Yin Zhiping licked his lips. "We probably won't have the chance to eat wild game together for a few months..."

Sorry, we probably won't have the chance to do this again... Su Yi glanced at Yin Zhiping. He planned to burn the wooden house when he left tomorrow morning and probably wouldn't return to the Quanzhen Sect... He probably wouldn't see this guy, who seems gentle but is actually a pervert, again.

"Really, how did I become friends with you?" Su Yi glared at Yin Zhiping. "A lifetime of shame! If others know I'm friends with Yin Zhiping, I'll be cursed as a pervert..."

"I don't understand why you keep calling me a pervert. I've never done anything to little girls. Forget it, let's eat the meat quickly..."

The two of them laughed and fought over the food!

...

Zhao Zijing lay quietly in his master Ma Yu's room, motionless, his heart dead... He knew he was crippled. The true qi in his body caused unbearable pain whenever it passed through his chest... Master Qiu's kick was like a divine punishment, completely destroying him...

Should he really become a wealthy man as his master suggested? Zhao Zijing clenched his teeth, unwilling to accept it...

But what could he do? Now that he was crippled, no one would pay attention to him anymore. Even Ma Yu, who had always been kind to him, only comforted him a few words and then hurriedly went to the outer room to copy something, and then left, seemingly to send it to someone...

Thinking about this, Zhao Zijing's heart stirred. He forced himself to stand up despite the excruciating pain and slowly moved out of the inner room. On the desk outside, the writing materials were scattered in a mess, something he had never seen Ma Yu do.

It must be something very urgent and important, otherwise Master wouldn't be so out of character.

Holding his chest, Zhao Zijing slowly approached and moved the messy white paper aside, revealing an ancient book underneath.

*先天功* (*Xiantian Gong*)!

Zhao Zijing's eyes turned red. Wasn't this the world-renowned technique that Master Wang Chongyang used to become the first under heaven? He never thought this secret technique was still passed down in the Quanzhen Sect.

Zhao Zijing suddenly thought of something, his face twisting. He gritted his teeth and whispered, "With this world-renowned technique, I can definitely recover from my injuries. You old man, you didn't give it to me but told me to be a wealthy man... Ma Yu, I see you for who you are today!!!"

Zhao Zijing had always been narrow-minded and never admitted his own faults. Seeing that Ma Yu had a way to help him recover but didn't, he instantly forgot the years of care and protection Ma Yu had given him and even hated him.

"Wait, Ma Yu! Yang Kang! I will pay you back for everything you've done to me, bit by bit, hahaha..."

Zhao Zijing clutched the *Xiantian Gong* and laughed maniacally.

That night, Zhao Zijing mysteriously disappeared from the Quanzhen Sect, along with the sect's most precious treasure, the *Xiantian Gong*!