Chapter 3

*Slap!*

A slap landed on the table, and Dongfang Yu, holding a folding fan, shook his head and said, "Let me tell you about Shi Potian, who, adorned with dozens of copper plates, ventured onto the notorious侠客岛 (Xiake Island), where even the bravest warriors tremble. What does this island, which strikes fear into the hearts of the entire martial world, look like? To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next episode."

"What's this? You stop just when it gets interesting," the customers in the audience grumbled in dissatisfaction.

A few days ago, Dongfang Yu, unable to find a place to eat, stumbled upon a tavern. The storyteller there was retiring due to old age, and on a whim, Dongfang Yu volunteered to take his place. What did he tell? A lot, but he started with *The Adventures of a Wandering Swordsman* (*Xiake Xing*), a famous martial arts novel that had captivated the audience.

Dongfang Yu ignored the complaints from the audience, brushed off the non-existent dust from his long robe, and walked off the stage.

"Mr. Dongfang is truly talented. These days, our tavern's business has been much better. Honestly, not only the customers, but even I wish you would keep telling the story. It's truly unbearable to wait," the tavern keeper said with a beaming smile.

As *The Adventures of a Wandering Swordsman* continued, the audience became increasingly hooked, and the tavern's business boomed. Many people even squeezed into the corners and the entrance just to listen to the story.

"Sir, I'm just doing my job," Dongfang Yu smiled and walked to the back of the tavern.

Dongfang Yu's job was simple: he told one episode of *The Adventures of a Wandering Swordsman* each day, which took about half an hour. The rest of the time, he practiced the *Beiming Divine Skill* and the *Lingbo Microstep* in the back courtyard.

After about ten days, Dongfang Yu, practicing both the *Beiming Divine Skill* and the *Lingbo Microstep*, finally sensed the presence of his internal energy. Each day, as he meditated, he could feel his internal energy growing stronger, which motivated him to practice even more. He became increasingly adept at the *Beiming Divine Skill* and very proficient in the *Lingbo Microstep*.

One day, the tavern was as crowded as ever. Even though it was still a while before Dongfang Yu started his story, the tavern was already packed with people vying for seats, all waiting for him to appear.

On the street, two people walked by. One was a monk in his forties or fifties, with a dignified and serene appearance, and the other was a young scholar, looking rather frail.

"Hey, there's a tavern up ahead, and it's packed. You want to take me to Mr. Murong's grave, but shouldn't you let me eat first?" the young scholar, who was clearly Duan Yu, said.

"Very well, I'll comply with your request, Mr. Duan," the monk, who was none other than the Tibetan master, Jiumozhi, replied. Though his goal was the *Six Pulse Sword Technique*, he was still a high-ranking monk and generally reasonable.

"Excuse me, I'm new here. Could you please let me have two bowls of vegetarian noodles?" Jiumozhi, though humble in words, placed his hand on the table and left a palm print about half an inch deep.

Seeing the palm print, the martial artists at the table knew they were dealing with a master and obediently gave up their seats.

The two sat down, and Duan Yu, noticing the tavern's unprecedented crowd, was quite curious. "I've been to many taverns, but I've never seen one this busy."

"Indeed, I'm also curious," Jiumozhi, seeing the tavern packed to the brim, was also surprised and curious. The people there seemed to be eagerly awaiting something, not just there for the food.

"He's here, he's here, Mr. Dongfang is here..." soon, the tavern erupted in excitement.

Jiumozhi and Duan Yu looked in the direction of the excitement and saw a young scholar in a white robe, holding a fan in one hand and a teapot in the other, walking out.

"Mr. Dongfang?" Duan Yu was slightly surprised to see the young scholar.

"Oh? Do you know the young man on stage, Mr. Duan?" Jiumozhi's eyes flickered.

"We've met once," Duan Yu replied, not wanting to involve Dongfang Yu in his predicament.

Sitting on the stage, Dongfang Yu scanned the audience and naturally saw Duan Yu and Jiumozhi. His eyes paused for a moment, then he looked away, cleared his throat, and continued his story, starting with Shi Potian's arrival on Xiake Island.

The highly toxic Laba porridge, which Shi Potian drank eight bowls of, and the revelation of the martial world's secrets, where Shi Potian, unable to read, learned the divine skills from the *Tai Xu Jing* in the stone cave on Xiake Island, and the forced departure of the group, with Axiu and her grandmother following their agreement to jump off a cliff to die...

"Speaking of which, Grandma Shi was truly resolute. When Bai Zizai went to Xiake Island, she said that if he didn't return by the agreed time, she and Axiu would jump off a cliff to die together. She truly meant what she said. Can Shi Potian save them from a hundred feet away? Stay tuned for the next episode..."

"What's this? It's over again?" The customers were once again disappointed.

"Mr. Dongfang, could you come over for a chat?" As soon as Dongfang Yu stood up, Jiumozhi called out to him.

"Sure," Dongfang Yu, neither humble nor arrogant, walked over to Jiumozhi's table and sat down. The waiter brought an extra set of utensils.

"Brother Duan, it's been a while. I didn't expect to see you as a prisoner today, ha ha," Dongfang Yu raised his cup and joked to Duan Yu.

"Brother Dongfang, don't tease me," Duan Yu looked embarrassed and a bit uncomfortable.

"Let me toast to the Venerable Mingwang," Dongfang Yu raised his cup and toasted Jiumozhi first.

Jiumozhi didn't mention the monk's vow of abstinence from alcohol but looked at Dongfang Yu with interest. "Why do you toast to me, Mr. Dongfang?"

"I toast to you because I admire your character. In the entire martial world, there are few people I admire, and you are one of them," Dongfang Yu drank the cup in one go and said.

"Brother Dongfang, you're mistaken. This monk came to my Dali to forcibly take the *Six Pulse Sword Technique*. How can he be a good person, and you admire him?" Duan Yu couldn't accept Dongfang Yu's words.

"Mr. Duan, I have repeatedly said that I seek the *Six Pulse Sword Technique* only to fulfill my agreement with Mr. Murong. I will not peek at it," Jiumozhi clarified with a dignified expression.

"My toast to the Venerable Mingwang is for his sense of righteousness. Even if he truly covets the *Six Pulse Sword Technique*, his loyalty to Mr. Murong is still admirable," Dongfang Yu shook his head and smiled.

This was the truth. Although Jiumozhi coveted the *Six Pulse Sword Technique*, he had never killed Murong Fu despite defeating him multiple times, showing his gratitude for the care Murong Bo had shown him in the past. Moreover, at the Shaolin Temple, facing the three brothers Qiao Feng and Xiao Yuan Shan, Jiumozhi stood by Murong Bo out of loyalty, a rare display of righteousness in the martial world.

"Brother Dongfang, don't be fooled by this monk. He's just using Mr. Murong as a pretext to deceive Dali's *Six Pulse Sword Technique*," Duan Yu, who saw Jiumozhi's actions as purely for the *Six Pulse Sword Technique*, didn't believe he had much loyalty to Murong Bo.

"Mr. Duan, I have treated you with respect all along. Don't force me to take drastic measures," Jiumozhi, displeased with Duan Yu's words, raised his palm, and a scorching, overwhelming aura emerged, like a flame, which was his self-created technique, the *Flame Blade*.

"Venerable Mingwang, calm down. Mr. Duan is just voicing his grievances," Dongfang Yu said, then changed the subject, "The story I just told is called *The Adventures of a Wandering Swordsman*. What do you think of it, Venerable Mingwang?"

"Although I've only heard one part, I found it fascinating, especially the *Tai Xu Jing*. Is there really such a miraculous skill in the world? Even if practiced incorrectly, one can still become a top expert, and it was learned by a young man who couldn't read. Truly, fate is capricious," Jiumozhi, thinking about the story, was very interested in the *Tai Xu Jing* in the stone cave on Xiake Island.

"Venerable Mingwang, you are too focused on the form," Dongfang Yu smiled and shook his head.

"Oh? What do you mean, Mr. Dongfang?" Jiumozhi asked in surprise.

"The many experts on Xiake Island all had different interpretations of the *Tai Xu Jing*, but each became very strong. How can it be simply summarized as practicing incorrectly? Is there any skill in the world that can be practiced in a thousand ways and still be so powerful?"

"Hmm, that makes sense," not just Jiumozhi, but even Duan Yu nodded in agreement, and many other customers in the tavern gathered around, eager to hear Dongfang Yu's explanation.

Then, Jiumozhi asked, "What is your opinion, Mr. Dongfang?"