Chapter 42

Chapter 41: The Third Best in the World

Mu Wanqing was taken aback by the words, feeling a sense of disordered absurdity. This conversation seemed so familiar. She soon turned cold, raised her arm, and said, "Get lost, or I'll shoot you with a poisoned arrow!"

"Sister is so fierce! Dog Egg is scared," Song Qingshu quickly moved to the side, muttering, "So fierce, I wouldn't even want you as a wife."

Although Song Qingshu deliberately lowered his voice, he made sure Mu Wanqing could hear what he said. She couldn't help but feel a deep hatred, but remembering that Yun Zhonghe was still around, she quickly gathered her strength and prepared to defend herself.

"Mu Wanqing, what's so bad about following me? Big Brother is very good at taking care of people, you know," Yun Zhonghe said with a lecherous tone, his eyebrows twitching.

"Shameless!" Mu Wanqing raised her hand and shot a butterfly sleeve arrow. Yun Zhonghe, who was already on guard, quickly moved close to her side.

Song Qingshu was startled by this move. Yun Zhonghe's martial arts weren't great, but his lightness skill was top-notch. He would have to rely on his internal energy to outlast him if he wanted to catch up.

As Yun Zhonghe approached, Mu Wanqing's face turned pale, and she quickly swung her sword to defend herself. Yun Zhonghe moved like lightning, pointing at a pressure point on her waist. Mu Wanqing had been mentally distracted since Duan Yu became her brother. Now, captured by Yun Zhonghe, she thought of the impending nightmare and fainted from anger.

"What a beautiful lady, even when she faints, she looks so pretty," Yun Zhonghe rubbed his hands, drooling as he looked at the beauty on the ground, "Should I wake her up and have some fun, or have some fun first and then wake her up?"

"If she wakes up, she'll probably try to kill herself, ruining the mood. But right now, she's like a piece of wood, lacking some excitement..." Yun Zhonghe was caught in a dilemma.

"Ah, the reputation of the world's lechers is ruined by scoundrels like you." A voice from the side startled Yun Zhonghe.

Looking up, he saw the foolish boy, and his eyes turned fierce: "Brat, you were just pretending to be stupid to mock me."

"Lord Duan is the true master among lechers. He steals hearts first, then deceives the body, and the women are willing. In the end, he still gets a reputation for being suave and handsome. Unlike you, who ruins your reputation and makes everyone despise you," Song Qingshu's expression of disappointment made Yun Zhonghe speechless.

But his words stung Yun Zhonghe's nerves, and he said resentfully, "Duan Zhengchun is the noble prince of Dali. Just by revealing his identity, many women are willing to throw themselves at him. Besides, he looks good, has good martial arts, and is rich. How can we, the common people of the江湖, compare to him?"

"So you just give up?" Song Qingshu raised an eyebrow, suddenly curious, "Have any of the women you've harmed over the years been as beautiful as Duan Zhengchun's lovers?"

Yun Zhonghe's face turned awkward, and he had to admit, "No..."

"I told you, instead of improving your skills, you've gone astray. Look at you now, thin as a stick, clearly drained by wine and women. With such a repulsive appearance and your bad reputation, only a blind woman would look at you," Song Qingshu sneered.

"I don't need women to look at me..." As he spoke, he suddenly realized, and Yun Zhonghe became furious, "Where did you come from, brat, to mock me!"

Song Qingshu shook his head, "I'm telling you this because I see how much of a failure you are. I hope you can reflect on it in your next life."

Yun Zhonghe laughed dryly and attacked with his silver crane claws. Song Qingshu flipped in a strange angle, finding a gap, and pointed at Yun Zhonghe's armpit. Yun Zhonghe felt a tingling sensation and couldn't move, his face turning pale, "How did you know my weakness is in my armpit?"

"Being uneducated is truly terrifying. 'Crane and Snake Eight Strikes, the armpit is the weak point,' it's common knowledge," Song Qingshu said easily, but in his heart, he was grateful to Wang Yuyan. If it weren't for her pointing out Yun Zhonghe's weakness in the original story, he wouldn't have been able to easily capture him with his lightness skill.

Yun Zhonghe, who had committed many evils, was quite cunning. His eyes flickered, and he came up with a plan, "Young brother, from your words, I see you are a kindred spirit. If you fancy this beauty, please go ahead. I will step aside."

"Spit! Who is your kindred spirit?" Song Qingshu, hit a sore spot, jumped up, "Besides, you are in my control now. If I really had ill intentions towards this lady, why would I need your permission?"

"Yes, yes, I spoke out of turn. Sir, you are handsome, elegant, and suave..." Yun Zhonghe's words made Song Qingshu impatient, and he waved to stop him, "No matter how much you flatter me, you won't escape today. I will uphold justice and avenge the women you've wronged."

Yun Zhonghe was alarmed but noticed a gap in Song Qingshu's tone, "Sir, if you let me go, I will give you my secret skills."

"What good are your third-rate skills?" Song Qingshu said disdainfully.

"My skills may be nothing to you, sir," Yun Zhonghe laughed awkwardly, "But my lightness skill ranks third in the world." His tone was full of pride.

"Oh? Who are the top two?" Song Qingshu became interested. He had no skills that could rank in the top ten in the world.

"The best lightness skill belongs to Wei Yixiao, the Green-Winged Bat King of the Brightness Peak of the Ming Sect. His lightness skill is a natural gift..." Yun Zhonghe spoke with admiration, "The second best is Dongfang Bubai of Blackwood Cliff. His ghostly movements are far beyond me." Yun Zhonghe's tone was full of fear.

"Third is you?" Song Qingshu sneered, "Arrogant."

Yun Zhonghe laughed awkwardly, "Sir, you are wise. There are indeed many people whose lightness skills are not inferior to mine, but none are clearly better. I shamelessly claim the third place." Seeing that Song Qingshu was not moved, he quickly added, "My lightness skill and Wei Yixiao's come from the same source. I just lack the talent and internal energy to achieve the highest level."

"Oh? What lightness skill is it?" Song Qingshu was truly interested now.

"Step on Sand Without a Trace!" Seeing his interest, Yun Zhonghe quickly said, "If you let me go, I promise to reform and never harm virtuous women again."

"Fine! Tell me the secret of the lightness skill, and I will let you go after I verify it." Song Qingshu's heart was pounding. If he learned 'Step on Sand Without a Trace,' it would be no less powerful than 'Lingbo Weibu'!

Seeing his quick agreement, Yun Zhonghe was unsure, and he smiled awkwardly, "What if I tell you the lightness skill, and you go back on your word..."

"I may not care about etiquette, but I keep my promises," Song Qingshu said, seeing that he didn't believe him, "I can swear a deadly oath, but you must also swear one. If you harm women again..."

Yun Zhonghe, now at his mercy, had no other choice but to nod. After Song Qingshu swore a deadly oath, Yun Zhonghe also swore, "If I continue to harm virtuous women, I will be struck by lightning and die." He inwardly laughed, "Struck by lightning? Is there really such a way to die?"

Song Qingshu noticed his trickery but didn't care. He knew that in all of Jin Yong's martial arts novels, there was a rule: those who break their oaths will eventually face the consequences. Since Yun Zhonghe had sworn to be struck by lightning, he would likely not escape the wrath of the heavens...

After both had sworn, Yun Zhonghe hesitated for a moment and then recited the secret of 'Step on Sand Without a Trace': "...Disperse the momentum, it is the will of the spirit. Use it, and move through the gaps..."

Song Qingshu's eyes grew brighter with each word. When Yun Zhonghe finished, Song Qingshu felt his body become much lighter. He aimed at the cliff face dozens of feet away, focused his mind, and kicked off. His body shot out like a sword, and in the blink of an eye, he reached the opposite cliff face. He flipped, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and flew back as fast as lightning.

"Are you a human or a ghost!" Yun Zhonghe was shocked, never expecting Song Qingshu to learn 'Step on Sand Without a Trace' so quickly and surpass him in lightness skill.

"Fine, I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let you go." Song Qingshu, overjoyed, released Yun Zhonghe's pressure points and waved, "Go, and remember, there is a god watching over you. Keep your promise."

Yun Zhonghe picked up his silver crane claws, looked at Song Qingshu with a complex expression, "Sir, your talent is truly rare. In time, you will be the best in the world in lightness skill." He then left the mountain with a melancholy expression.

Song Qingshu was surprised by his own talent in lightness skill. 'Step on Sand Without a Trace' was a perfect fit for him, and with time, he would surely achieve the highest level.

Thinking about his other martial arts skills, which he had no talent for, but which were perfectly suited to lightness skill and soul transfer, Song Qingshu's expression became strange.

A soft moan came from Mu Wanqing, who had just woken up. Song Qingshu's face turned back to its usual foolish look, and he squatted beside her, grinning.

Mu Wanqing, just waking up, remembered being incapacitated by Yun Zhonghe before she fainted. She felt a deep sense of despair, thinking she would have to die to avenge Duan Yu.

Opening her eyes, she saw Song Qingshu's face close to hers and screamed in fright. Song Qingshu, also startled, quickly moved three feet away.

Mu Wanqing finally came to her senses and looked at him.

Chapter 42: A Smile

"I may not care about etiquette, but I keep my promises," Song Qingshu said, seeing that he didn't believe him, "I can swear a deadly oath, but you must also swear one. If you harm women again..."

Yun Zhonghe, now at his mercy, had no other choice but to nod. After Song Qingshu swore a deadly oath, Yun Zhonghe also swore, "If I continue to harm virtuous women, I will be struck by lightning and die." He inwardly laughed, "Struck by lightning? Is there really such a way to die?"

Song Qingshu noticed his trickery but didn't care. He knew that in all of Jin Yong's martial arts novels, there was a rule: those who break their oaths will eventually face the consequences. Since Yun Zhonghe had sworn to be struck by lightning, he would likely not escape the wrath of the heavens...

After both had sworn, Yun Zhonghe hesitated for a moment and then recited the secret of 'Step on Sand Without a Trace': "...Disperse the momentum, it is the will of the spirit. Use it, and move through the gaps..."

Song Qingshu's eyes grew brighter with each word. When Yun Zhonghe finished, Song Qingshu felt his body become much lighter. He aimed at the cliff face dozens of feet away, focused his mind, and kicked off. His body shot out like a sword, and in the blink of an eye, he reached the opposite cliff face. He flipped, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and flew back as fast as lightning.

"Are you a human or a ghost!" Yun Zhonghe was shocked, never expecting Song Qingshu to learn 'Step on Sand Without a Trace' so quickly and surpass him in lightness skill.

"Fine, I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let you go." Song Qingshu, overjoyed, released Yun Zhonghe's pressure points and waved, "Go, and remember, there is a god watching over you. Keep your promise."

Yun Zhonghe picked up his silver crane claws, looked at Song Qingshu with a complex expression, "Sir, your talent is truly rare. In time, you will be the best in the world in lightness skill." He then left the mountain with a melancholy expression.

Song Qingshu was surprised by his own talent in lightness skill. 'Step on Sand Without a Trace' was a perfect fit for him, and with time, he would surely achieve the highest level.

Thinking about his other martial arts skills, which he had no talent for, but which were perfectly suited to lightness skill and soul transfer, Song Qingshu's expression became strange.

A soft moan came from Mu Wanqing, who had just woken up. Song Qingshu's face turned back to its usual foolish look, and he squatted beside her, grinning.

Mu Wanqing, just waking up, remembered being incapacitated by Yun Zhonghe before she fainted. She felt a deep sense of despair, thinking she would have to die to avenge Duan Yu.

Opening her eyes, she saw Song Qingshu's face close to hers and screamed in fright. Song Qingshu, also startled, quickly moved three feet away.

Mu Wanqing finally came to her senses and looked at him.