Chapter 55

(Midday update, please give free recommendations daily, and new readers, please add to your collection, I thank you deeply.)

The long, blue-iron saber was sheathed, and a fist-sized, dark red, crystal-clear heart, belonging to the Blood-Eyed Lion beast, was tucked away by Su Qinnian.

A gentleman uses righteousness to define his square and circle, and Su Qinnian used the Xiuming saber to condense a heart of light. But at this point, he had reached his limit. He took one last look at Zhou Qin, whose gaze was extremely complex, left the Blood-Eyed Lion's corpse for him, and walked away without a word.

Wudang's Xiaoyao Valley.

The moon was like a disc, and the moonlight was like water, casting a reflection on the frozen green lake. Su Qinnian walked on the lake's surface, the surroundings vast and open, the cold wind wailing, but with his deep cultivation, his qi and blood burned like a furnace, preventing the cold from penetrating his skin, scattering it before it could reach him.

In front of the bamboo pavilion, the eternal lamp flickered.

Daoist Jingdu stood tall, watching Su Qinnian approach across the lake. The young man's aura had changed remarkably, and it was clear that his brief journey in the world had been fruitful, a sign of great fortune.

"Greetings, Daoist Jingdu."

In front of the eternal lamp, Su Qinnian bowed, took out a cloth bundle, opened it, and the dark red, crystal-clear heart of the Blood-Eyed Lion emitted a strong blood aura.

"Blood-Eyed Lion."

Daoist Jingdu's eyebrows raised slightly. Among beasts, lions, tigers, and bears were the hardest to subdue, with immense strength. Even Wudang disciples who had completed the seventh level of the Turtle-Snake Technique, possessing the strength of a fiery steed, found it difficult to kill them.

Above lions, tigers, and bears were the rhinoceros and elephant beasts. It was rumored that in the deep seas, there were whale beasts with boundless strength. Even if they couldn't transform into human form or cultivate internal energy, their natural physique was unparalleled, far beyond the reach of ordinary martial artists.

"Good."

Daoist Jingdu nodded and said, "You can keep the beast heart. Take this waist tag, and you can go to the Xuanwu Pavilion in the outer courtyard to obtain the eighth, ninth, and tenth levels of the Turtle-Snake Technique."

A black sandalwood tag fell into Su Qinnian's hand. He gazed at it, the character "Du" written in an ancient and simple style, without any flourish or sharp angles, yet it had a mysterious allure, making his heart feel a sense of calm.

...

Baiyun Peak.

One of the seventy-two peaks of Wudang, located west of the Golden Summit of Tianzhu Peak. Purple Cover Peak and Huangya Peak stand to the east and west. Below is a rock called Baiyun, tranquil and spacious. Beside it is a stone cave like a star, called Xingyou. Looking down, one can see the Ten Thousand Tigers Gorge, where the wind roars through the pines and clouds fly.

At the foot of Baiyun Peak is one of the six outer courtyard branches of Wudang.

Walking past Baiyun Rock and Xingyou Cave, and through the Ten Thousand Tigers Gorge, Su Qinnian marveled at the power of nature, the wonders of the world.

"Stop! Who are you?"

At the entrance of the outer courtyard of Baiyun Peak, two disciples shouted.

Su Qinnian was not an outer courtyard disciple. Wearing a dark blue robe, he looked unfamiliar to the two guards. While some outer courtyard disciples did not like gray robes, there was no one named Su Qinnian in the Baiyun Peak outer courtyard. Moreover, if there were visits between outer courtyards, a message would be sent in advance to avoid missing the appointment.

"Qingyang Peak, Xiaoyao Valley, Su Qinnian."

What!

The two outer courtyard disciples were stunned, their expressions strange and curious. They looked Su Qinnian up and down. One frowned and said, "A condemned prisoner who has not been removed from the criminal register, according to Wudang's rules, cannot enter the outer courtyard or other important areas. Step back!"

"This is the Demon-Slaying Order and the waist tag. Please inspect them, Senior Brothers."

Su Qinnian took out the Demon-Slaying Order and Daoist Jingdu's waist tag and handed them over.

"You accepted the Demon-Slaying Order and killed a beast?"

The two outer courtyard disciples were stunned, then showed disbelief. Beasts lurked in the wilderness, occasionally appearing to harm people, extremely cruel. Especially their demonic aura, which could easily seize one's mind. Even ordinary martial artists, if they had not yet established a foundation, would lose a third of their cultivation when facing the demonic aura.

Similarly, those who could go down the mountain to slay beasts, in the eyes of the two outer courtyard disciples, had at least completed the seventh level of the Turtle-Snake Technique, having practiced for many years. Even so, not everyone who went down the mountain returned with success; many were severely injured or even perished in the wilderness.

Su Qinnian from Xiaoyao Valley?

The two outer courtyard disciples felt it was unreal. This young man had only been in Wudang's Xiaoyao Valley for a little over a month, and now he had accepted the Demon-Slaying Order and returned after slaying a beast. How old was he? At most, his bones had just begun to mature, and he had only practiced martial arts for a year. In just one year, the seventh level of the Turtle-Snake Technique? Wasn't that enough to rival the few outer courtyard seniors who had broken through to the ninth level of the Turtle-Snake Technique?

Even in the memory of the two outer courtyard disciples, when Su Qinnian's name first spread from Xiaoyao Valley, a senior from Baiyun Peak's outer courtyard had personally gone to Xiaoyao Valley, asking Daoist Jingdu to send this boy back to the Ministry of Punishments to avoid tarnishing Wudang's reputation. But for some reason, Daoist Jingdu, who guarded Xiaoyao Valley, refused.

Thinking of this, the two outer courtyard disciples' gazes became even stranger. But the Demon-Slaying Order and the waist tag were genuine. One of them said, "Follow me. Although you have successfully slain a beast, you are still a criminal. You can only enter the Xuanwu Pavilion to study the last three levels of the Turtle-Snake Technique and the scripture hall to read the writings of our Wudang ancestors. You cannot enter other areas without permission, or you will be punished according to Wudang's rules."

Su Qinnian's eyes flickered, and he said nothing. The two walked into the courtyard, and as soon as they stepped through the gate, Su Qinnian smelled a faint scent of sandalwood. Looking around, he saw about ten incense towers, each about half a zhang tall, burning. The sandalwood incense, which calmed the mind, was used generously, and the daily consumption was like a stream of silver. Originally, Su Qinnian thought that the five hundred taels of silver in his backpack was a significant amount, but now he realized that his perspective was too narrow, and his experience and vision were still lacking.

Even in the outer courtyard, being in such a place of natural beauty as Wudang, the setting was particularly elegant. Various pavilions and terraces, even mountain springs were channeled into the courtyard, forming a clear pond with a wooden bridge. The intricate carvings depicted the True Wu subduing demons, a blend of majesty and delicacy, sacred and refined, comparable to the grand palaces of Chang'an in its own way.

Passing by the training ground, one could see outer courtyard disciples in gray robes practicing diligently, either practicing boxing stances, pondering the essence of the Turtle-Snake Technique, or practicing the Turtle-Snake Fist, contemplating the trajectory of the movements and the principles of Yin-Yang and Taiji. Some were practicing sword techniques, with two sword shadows solidifying, piercing the air and producing a continuous sharp whistling sound.

In addition, there were palm techniques and finger techniques, but only a few. Each of them had a solemn demeanor, steady steps, and a mysterious aura in their movements, creating an invisible field in the surrounding air, causing other outer courtyard disciples to keep their distance, not daring to approach.

True Qi fluctuations! Entry-level disciples!

Su Qinnian's heart stirred. This familiar aura clearly belonged to those who had established a foundation, opened their dantian, and cultivated internal energy, becoming third-rate martial artists.

Such disciples were not ordinary outer courtyard disciples but had officially entered the sect, with their names inscribed on the ancestral hall, truly inheriting the essence of Wudang.

But compared to the young monk Mingjue and the nameless scholar he had met before, the True Qi fluctuations of these few were too weak, and their martial arts aura was far inferior, a vast difference.

Seemingly noticing Su Qinnian and the other disciple passing by, some disciples looked over, not recognizing Su Qinnian, who was too unfamiliar.

In a corner of the training ground, a Daoist in a pure blue silk robe, a senior, frowned slightly but did not stop them. Wudang had its own rules, and the outer courtyard had its own regulations. He believed the guards would not be unaware.

Xuanwu Pavilion.

A seemingly unremarkable pavilion, but the thick patina on the door beams revealed gleaming golden threads.

Golden-threaded nanmu!

Su Qinnian took a deep breath. Wudang was truly a place of profound heritage, and its audacity was not small. According to the laws of the Han Dynasty, only members of the royal family could use golden-threaded nanmu. If non-royals used it, they would face severe punishment, even the destruction of their families and eternal exile.

At this moment, the guard leading the way turned to Su Qinnian with a playful look, glancing at the Xuanwu Pavilion. A white-haired Daoist lay lazily in an old rattan chair, basking in the sun, with a small octagonal wooden table beside him, a pot of fragrant tea boiling. (Midday update, please give free recommendations daily, and new readers, please add to your collection, I thank you deeply.)