Chapter 25

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Under the ancient osmanthus tree, leaves danced in the air. This seemingly melancholic scene was terrifying to Jiang Qingliu and his companion.

Being in the midst of it, Zhao Qinghu was utterly horrified. From the moment that hand pressed down, he felt his strength completely out of his control.

He felt like a puppet, held in someone's hand, unable to move, as an invisible force field enveloped him. He could feel the power in the other's palm growing stronger, initially weaker than his, but in an instant, it far surpassed his own.

Mastery of the essence!

This was clearly the realm of mastery of the essence. Zhao Qinghu had once watched the Jing generation uncles and aunts of the outer court perform martial arts. The fourth move, "Panfeng Zuoshui" (Wind-Disciplining Water-Seated), naturally formed a yin-yang field after reaching mastery of the essence, like a miniature Tai Chi array. Just like now, the yin and yang forces rotated, instantly neutralizing the opponent's strength, and ultimately, through the Tai Chi's circular motion, all the force was returned to the opponent without any loss.

Crack!

While pondering, Zhao Qinghu let out a惨cry and was flung away. In the last moment before losing consciousness, he vaguely saw a precious blood-sweating horse stepping through the air, its large hooves landing, and his fiery red steed, which was like a newborn foal, was instantly crushed into a bloody pulp.

The fat Taoist and Qingye were stunned, the sudden change leaving them dazed.

Looking at the figure before them, it seemed to be a young man around the age of twenty, but he was not wearing the outer court's Taoist robe. Instead, he was dressed in tattered clothes, unkempt, and even somewhat disheveled.

Ten paces away.

Jiang Qingliu and Huang Qingli were both frightened. They stared intently at the figure in front of them, a young man about their age, but one they did not recognize. From his attire, he seemed to be a poor student, but they had heard of some skilled poor students in the outer court, and none of them matched the appearance of this person.

This was not the most important thing. After all, there were over a thousand students in the outer court, and six branch courts in Wudang Mountain. It was not unusual for some to remain hidden, not wanting to stand out, and to cultivate in obscurity. The most important thing was that this person had intervened, and such a mastery of the Turtle-Snake Fist was rare, even among the outer court. Even some students who had successfully built a foundation and cultivated internal energy did not have such skill.

According to what Jiang Qingliu and his companion knew, the Jing generation uncles and aunts had once said that once the Turtle-Snake Fist reached mastery of the essence, its offensive power would see a qualitative improvement. The two could not gauge the cultivation of the person in front of them, but to have such skill at this age, his cultivation must be even higher than theirs. Perhaps only those who had cultivated internal energy and reached the Heaven-Opening realm could match him.

"Why must you get involved, Brother?" Jiang Qingliu said with a smile, trying to calm himself. "This will make it difficult for me to explain to Senior Brother Yan Qingyu."

"And Senior Brother Gu Yuehe would not agree either," Huang Qingli said, his voice heavy with tension.

Under the ancient osmanthus tree.

The fat Taoist Qingye's pupils contracted. The two people behind them were these two.

Whether it was Yan Qingyu or Gu Yuehe, both were outstanding among the over a thousand students in the outer court, having successfully built a foundation and cultivated internal energy. They might not be among the very top, but they were still considered outstanding, and had already begun to travel the world, traversing several provinces, battling beasts, and even confronting the hidden demons in the human world, earning some renown.

At this moment, the muscles under Qingyu and Qingye's Taoist robes tensed. Even poor students were not a monolithic group. While most were lone travelers, some would eventually choose to rely on the strong. As for the character of this sudden stranger, the two had no idea.

The atmosphere in the secluded valley became tense. Seeing the hesitant look on the disheveled young man's face, Jiang Qingliu and his companion exchanged glances, feeling confident. However, before they could speak again, a calm, almost indifferent voice rang out.

"Leave."

The fat Taoist and his companion widened their eyes, and Jiang Qingliu and his companion's expressions turned awkward. They were hesitant to act, knowing they were no match for such a person, a hidden dragon in the outer court.

"Please leave your name, Brother. We will seek your guidance in the future," Huang Qingli said through gritted teeth, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword behind his back, then letting go and finally dropping it in resignation.

"Leave."

Again, a single, calm word, devoid of anger or emotion, but for Jiang Qingliu and his companion, it was a great insult, a complete disdain and contempt, as if they were not even worth considering.

"Brilliant!"

Taoist Qingyu laughed, the young Taoist, though severely injured, exuding a sense of freedom and wildness.

"Three dogs, relying on others' strength, leave! Leave! Leave!"

The fat Taoist Qingye was even less polite, cursing without a trace of a scholar's demeanor, more like a ruffian in the marketplace, making Qingyu roll his eyes.

With a look of iron and a flash of resentment in their eyes, Jiang Qingliu and his companion carried Zhao Qinghu and turned to leave, their steps quick, even leaping and running, quickly leaving the secluded valley, disappearing from sight. They could not stay any longer, their hearts burning with anger, fearing they would not be able to control themselves if they stayed any longer. The fat Taoist and his companion's words were too harsh, leaving no room for face.

Watching Jiang Qingliu and the others disappear, Su Qinan relaxed the fist he had been holding in his sleeve. If the two had chosen to act, even with his recent breakthrough and mastery of the fourth move of the Turtle-Snake Fist, "Panfeng Zuoshui," the difference in skill and the presence of a weapon would have made the outcome uncertain.

Of course, his appearance, now a few years older and looking like a young man in his early twenties, was only possible after achieving the first level of the "Mihun Dafa" (Great Soul-Bewitching Technique). With this level of mastery, he could use his mental power to alter a few parts of his body, creating illusions and changes. This was also a form of soul-bewitching, but not ordinary, involving various applications of mental power, without attacking the opponent's spirit, and with minimal energy consumption.

According to the "Mihun Dafa," such illusions were difficult to see through, even by someone one level higher, unless they were skilled in mental martial arts or had reached the peak of enlightenment.

Therefore, Su Qinan acted without concealment, as only those above the third-level Heaven-Opening realm could see through his disguise. With the skills of Jiang Qingliu and his companions, they could not detect anything.

The secluded valley became even quieter.

The fat Taoist and his companion looked at Su Qinan, their eyes calm, and they did not speak.

Turning around, Su Qinan did not hesitate. His eyes were clear and honest. "I only want half, what I deserve. Of course, if you have difficulties, it's fine. I acted on my own initiative."

If not for the urgent need to enhance his martial skills, such actions would be akin to seeking repayment for a favor for a scholar like Su Qinan.

As Su Qinan spoke, the fat Taoist and his companion exchanged glances, showing surprise, clearly not expecting this outcome.

"Even if you took it all, we would be powerless. Half! That's what you deserve! You even took less," the young Taoist Qingyu struggled to stand, looking at Su Qinan seriously. "Brother, you acted with righteousness. We don't like owing favors. In the martial world, owing favors is the most feared. We don't want to go astray on the day we build our foundation due to human relationships."

"That's right. When we were in trouble, Brother, you acted, showing you are a righteous scholar and a man of integrity," the fat Taoist coughed up blood but also stood. "This wild ginseng is very important to us, but if it weren't, we would have given it all to you. What do you think, Qingyu?"

The young Taoist Qingyu's eyes flashed, looking at Su Qinan again, and after a moment's thought, he said, "Fine! A scholar repays kindness with a spring of water. Though we are from poor families, we have feelings and righteousness, unlike some scholars who, despite their noble backgrounds, only learn to show off and scheme." (Please give recommendations and add to your favorites, the climax is just beginning, stay tuned.)