Chapter 3: The Great Completion of the Nine Yang (First Update)

Before he knew it, Li She had spent three months in the Green Valley. Without the hustle and bustle of the city or the presence of people, Li She roamed the entire valley like the protagonist in "I Am Legend." In the Green Valley, Li She became the apex of the food chain. His life was quite comfortable, thanks to the thorough preparations he had made before coming.

Unlike Zhang Wuji, who subsisted mainly on fish for five years, Li She had a powerful military crossbow with an effective range of one hundred meters. Thus, the goats in the Green Valley suffered greatly. Moreover, the cave where Zhang Wuji had lived for five years was thoroughly ransacked by Li She. In Li She's modern eyes, Zhang Wuji's cave was no better than a wild man's den, not even as good as the shelters under the bridges where homeless people lived. Therefore, the wooden pots and jars were all used by Li She as firewood.

With ample food and no disturbances, Li She's practice of the "Nine Yang Divine Skill" progressed rapidly. Today, sitting cross-legged on the ground, Li She began to tackle the content of the fourth volume of the scripture. The dynamics of movement lie in yin and yang, ultimately converging in the mind. When the mind converges, the qi stirs, refining the qi and returning it to the mind. The momentum shifts, the spirit focuses. The opening and closing are well-proportioned, the real and the void are clear. When the left is void, the right is solid; when the right is void, the left is solid. The void is not entirely powerless; the momentum must be flexible. The solid is not entirely rigid; the spirit must be focused. The key lies in the transformation within the chest, waist, and legs, not on the outside. Power is borrowed from others, qi is emitted from the spine. How can qi be emitted from the spine? Qi sinks downward, gathered by the shoulders into the spine, and concentrated in the waist. This is the qi moving from top to bottom, called "closing." From the waist, the qi spreads to the spine, distributed to the arms, and extended to the fingers. This is the qi moving from bottom to top, called "opening." Closing is receiving, opening is releasing. Understanding opening and closing means understanding yin and yang. At this level, the Nine Yang breathes, embracing unity, and can be named the "Nine Yang Divine Skill." From this point on, each day of practice brings greater skill, gradually leading to the ability to act as one pleases, with everything going smoothly.

Bare-chested, Li She's mouth was dry, and the scorching true qi of the Nine Yang Scripture circulated through his body, making his skin appear abnormally red. The air around him became thick, and sweat continuously seeped through his pores, only to be evaporated by the scorching Nine Yang true qi. This cycle of evaporation created a cloud of steam that enveloped Li She. It was as if he were in a sealed sauna, with the temperature continuously rising. Enduring the pain throughout his body, Li She knew this was the final stage of the "Nine Yang Divine Skill." If he could endure it, he would achieve the great completion of the skill.

Li She remembered that Zhang Wuji ultimately completed the "Nine Yang Divine Skill" thanks to his encounter in a bag. But where could Li She find the bag of the Bag Monk? However, Li She had a body transformed by the world barrier. The spirit of the Divine Thief Order had once said that each journey through countless worlds was also a process of transforming oneself. It was precisely because his body had been transformed by the world barrier that Li She could reach the fourth volume of the "Nine Yang Divine Skill" in just three months. Zhang Wuji, the protagonist of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," who was favored by the world's fortune, took five years to master the skill.

Unconsciously, the steam around Li She had completely obscured his figure. From a distance, only a white cloud could be seen. Suddenly, a series of "cracking" sounds came from within Li She's body. Water and fire complemented each other, and the dragon and tiger met. Li She felt as if streams of mercury were flowing through his veins, bringing immense comfort.

As the white steam slowly dissipated after Li She dispersed his qi, he roared to the sky, "Hahaha!!! I have mastered it!" The excitement was evident on his face.

In his excitement, Li She began to practice boxing. The Divine Thief Order had passed down only the ever-evolving art of thievery. Skills like wall-climbing, throwing knives, and hidden weapons had all been lost. Therefore, the boxing style Li She practiced was Muay Thai, but it was the more lethal ancient Muay Thai.

- Curved steps for outer defense

- Bird flying into the forest for inner defense

- Enno's sword for inner elbow strikes

- Javanese spear for outer elbow strikes

- Bowing to Mount Sumeru for low punches to the jaw

- Kind monk's eyes for high punches to the jaw

- Mongol defense for kicks and punches

- Striking the wooden wedge for elbow strikes and kicks

- Crocodile's tail for leg kicks and punches

- Breaking the elephant's tusk for elbow strikes and leg strikes

- Dragon's hidden tail for foot and knee strikes to the leg

- Heavenly King's transformation for kicks and punches

- Reducing the flame for blocking and counter-punching

- Devil King's monkey for kicks and punches

- Breaking the elephant's spine for pulling and knee strikes

The fifteen moves of ancient Muay Thai, performed by Li She, displayed extraordinary power. With the "Nine Yang Divine Skill" already mastered, the thick Nine Yang true qi infused his punches, kicks, elbows, and knees, turning them into lethal weapons. For a moment, the entire Green Valley was filled with the sound of punches and the force of kicks. Within a twenty-meter radius around Li She, boulders and trees were devastated, and the lush grass on the ground was plowed like a field, with the force of his kicks creating deep grooves in the earth.

After the excitement, Li She looked at his handiwork in amazement, unable to speak. His ancient Muay Thai, though a formidable combat skill, was not so powerful in the real world, where it could only handle seven or eight ordinary men at most. But with the internal power of the "Nine Yang Divine Skill," it had undergone a transformation, turning the mundane into the miraculous.

"In a world where martial arts prevail, like in 'The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber,' martial arts are indeed the ultimate path. No wonder the top-level experts can disregard the presence of thousands of soldiers. A set of fifteen moves of ancient Muay Thai can have such power when infused with Nine Yang true qi. What about the high-level martial arts of other schools?" Li She thought to himself.

The "Nine Yang Divine Skill" was Li She's first goal in entering the world of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber." This divine skill could be considered a fortune treasure of the world. Imagine something that can change a person's life, turning an ordinary person into a protagonist. Is it simple? It's like the "Nine Yin Manual" in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes." If Guo Jing hadn't relied on this divine book, could he have transformed from a naive boy into a great hero?

So, is it the fortune treasure that changes the fate of the world's favorite, or is it the protagonist who achieves the fame of the fortune treasure? To unlock the restrictions of the Divine Thief Order, does one need to steal these fortune treasures?

As Li She pondered, the spirit of the Divine Thief Order, which had been dormant, suddenly spoke, "Kid, have you figured it out?"

The sudden voice startled Li She, who laughed and scolded, "Spirit, don't do that, you'll scare me to death. I've just got a vague idea."

The spirit, who was connected to Li She's mind, said disdainfully, "You're thinking too simply. The general direction is right, but the result is wrong. Do you think stealing those fortune treasures can unlock the restrictions of the Divine Thief Order? Ha, you're thinking too simply. Or perhaps you're underestimating the protagonist of this world. Rules create the world, and the world creates will. This will controls everything in the world. Each era has a protagonist, the favorite of the world. Do you think it's easy to steal the fortune that belongs to him?"

Hearing the spirit's words, Li She began to reflect. Zhang Wuji was the protagonist of this world, the favorite of the world. Why? His background in both the black and white worlds. Two of the Ming Cult's Dharma Kings were related to Zhang Wuji, he was the grandson of the Eagle Claw Sect, the adopted son of Xie Xun, the designated successor of Yang Dingtian, and the great-grandson of the legendary Zhang Sanfeng. He also possessed the Ming Cult's divine skill, "Heavenly Shift." His personal combat skills were on par with the old masters. Most importantly, his unparalleled eloquence allowed him to turn danger into safety. Would it be safe to oppose him?

So, Li She chose to follow Zhang Wuji and pick up the leftovers, which was a safer choice. Before entering the world of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," Li She had done extensive preparation, reading the novel multiple times and studying historical records of the Yuan Dynasty.

In the book, Zhang Wuji is a contradictory character, having endured many hardships from a young age while maintaining a pure heart. Even when the Ming Cult's heroes recommended him to be the leader, Zhang Wuji initially declined.

But for Li She, who was also an orphan and had endured hardships not unlike Zhang Wuji's, was this true? Similar experiences shaped similar personalities. Was Zhang Wuji really so righteous?

In Li She's eyes, it was not. As an orphan, he had to fight for survival, pretending to be well-behaved to survive. Following his master, though the training was exhausting, young Li She knew that only by staying with his master could he survive. This resilience was not something his peers could possess, let alone Zhang Wuji, who had seen his parents forced to commit suicide before his eyes. At that moment, Li She believed that a seed of hatred was planted in Zhang Wuji's heart. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so well-behaved to win Zhang Sanfeng's favor.

Imagine if Zhang Wuji, after losing his parents and being severely injured by the Profound Ice Palm, had cried all day. Even if Zhang Sanfeng liked his father, he would have disliked Zhang Wuji.

The five years of wild life in the Green Valley did not weaken Zhang Wuji's will but made him even more resilient.

When the Ming Cult's heroes recommended him to be the leader, Zhang Wuji's reluctance and the production of Yang Dingtian's will, in Li She's eyes, were just a show to legitimize his position. With Xie Xun's unknown fate, he, as Xie Xun's adopted son, became the first successor. Combined with the great favor of saving the Ming Cult with the "Heavenly Shift," even the wise Yang Chao couldn't object. With the support of the Eagle Claw Sect and the Five Elements Flags, it would be strange if he didn't become the leader.

Would such a meticulous and resilient person give up the leadership for love and retire with Zhao Min? Impossible. Talking about loyalty to love and choosing one out of many is nonsense. Li She wouldn't believe it. This is "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," the Song Dynasty trampled by Genghis Khan's iron hooves, where human life was worth less than a dog's. Love was a luxury in that era, a time of supreme power and polygamy. The idea of choosing between Xiao Zhao, Zhou Zhiruo, Zhao Min, and Zhu'er was ridiculous. This wasn't the era of Aunt Qiong's princes.

Because of these uncertainties, Li She felt that the waters of the myriad worlds were deep.

Standing up, Li She began to pack his things. Regardless of the unclear causes and effects, his biggest goal in the world of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" had been achieved: he had successfully obtained and mastered the "Nine Yang Divine Skill." He believed that this fortune treasure of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" would indeed bring him the ability to act as he pleased, as described at the end of the fourth volume: "From this point on, each day of practice brings greater skill, gradually leading to the ability to act as one pleases, with everything going smoothly."

As for the other unclear things, as long as he didn't touch the protagonist Zhang Wuji's interests, he believed there wouldn't be much risk.

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