Chapter 43

Chapter 42: A Smile

"Although I may disregard etiquette, I still keep my promises," Song Qingshu said, seeing that he did not believe his words, "I can swear a deadly oath, but you must also swear a deadly oath, that if you ever harm women again..."

At this moment, Yun Zhonghe, feeling like fish on a chopping block, could not find any other good solution and could only nod in agreement. After listening to Song Qingshu's deadly oath, he also swore, "If I continue to harm virtuous women in the future, I will surely be struck by lightning and die." However, he inwardly sneered, "Struck by lightning? Is there really such a way to die in this world?"

Song Qingshu noticed the trickery in his oath but did not mind, because he knew that in all of Jin Yong's martial arts novels, there was an ironclad 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 eyes of the thunder god if he continued to do evil...

After both had sworn their oaths, Yun Zhonghe hesitated for a moment but still revealed the secret of the "Walking Without Leaving Footprints" technique: "...dispersing the momentum, it is the manifestation of the spirit. When used, it must follow the gaps and move accordingly..."

Song Qingshu's eyes grew brighter as he listened. When Yun Zhonghe finished speaking, Song Qingshu felt his body become much lighter. He aimed at the cliff face dozens of feet away, focused his mind, and with a push of his foot, his body shot out like a sharp sword. In the blink of an eye, Song Qingshu had reached the opposite cliff face. He flipped over, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and flew back with the speed of lightning.

"Are you a man or a ghost!" Yun Zhonghe looked at Song Qingshu in horror, unable to believe that he had learned the "Walking Without Leaving Footprints" technique so quickly and that his lightness of body had already far surpassed his own.

"Alright, since I'm in a good mood, I'll let you go this time." Overjoyed, Song Qingshu released Yun Zhonghe's acupoints and waved his hand, "Go, and I advise you to remember that there are gods watching over you, and remember your oath."

Yun Zhonghe picked up the broken silver crane claw from the ground and looked at Song Qingshu with a complex expression, "Your talent is truly remarkable. Given time, you will surely become the best in the world at lightness of body." With a somewhat dejected expression, he left the mountain.

Song Qingshu had not expected that he would have such a talent for lightness of body. The "Walking Without Leaving Footprints" technique suited him perfectly, and with time, he would surely achieve great mastery.

Thinking about how he had no particular talent for other martial arts but was most compatible with lightness of body and soul manipulation, Song Qingshu's expression became somewhat strange.

A soft moan came from beside him as Mu Wanqing slowly woke up. Song Qingshu's face returned to its usual foolish look, and he squatted beside her, grinning at her.

Mu Wanqing, upon waking, remembered being struck by Yun Zhonghe and felt a heavy heart, thinking she would have to die to repay Duan Yu.

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

Mu Wanqing finally came to her senses and looked at him, Chapter 42: A Smile

wearing her familiar clothes, and asked uncertainly, "Are you the one called Dog Egg?"

"Yes, yes, beautiful sister, you remember me?" Song Qingshu's face lit up, and he moved closer.

"Ah~ Don't come near me!" Mu Wanqing screamed, suddenly remembering Yun Zhonghe. She examined herself and found her clothes neat, with no signs of anything untoward. She asked curiously, "Where is that skinny guy?" She thought Song Qingshu was a simple villager and described Yun Zhonghe's appearance instead.

"Oh, the one you're talking about, I drove him away," Song Qingshu said with a simple smile.

"You?" Mu Wanqing looked at him suspiciously, seeing his disheveled appearance and foolish look, she found it hard to believe.

"Don't you believe me?" Song Qingshu seemed to guess her thoughts and raised his fist, "I'm very strong. I grew up in the mountains and often fought bears and gorillas. I can punch a water buffalo with one blow." He raised his chin, like a child showing off.

"Bluffing!" Mu Wanqing snorted and turned away, refusing to look at him.

"Then let me show you," Song Qingshu, feeling insulted, looked anxious, rolled up his sleeves, and punched a nearby tree.

With a crack, the tree, thick enough for one person to hug, was broken in half. Mu Wanqing, in disbelief, looked at this fool with shock.

Song Qingshu sighed inwardly. This punch was the Great Demon Fist from the Nine Yin Manual, extremely powerful and yang. But thinking of Zhang Wuji's Seven Injuries Punch at the Bright Summit, which could turn a tree of the same thickness into powder, he realized the obvious difference.

Regaining his composure, Song Qingshu turned to Mu Wanqing with a smile, "What do you think, am I very strong?"

After the shock, Mu Wanqing noticed that his face mask was off. Despite the dirt, she could see his clear features and asked softly, "How did your mask come off?"

"My mother said that the woman who removes my mask, I will marry her," Song Qingshu paused deliberately, his smile making Mu Wanqing feel uneasy, "But then I remembered that my mother once said that girls are shy and have... have... what's the word... it's so hard to say..."

"Modesty!" Mu Wanqing said irritably from the ground.

Song Qingshu's eyes lit up, "Right, my mother said modesty! I thought, sister is so beautiful, she must be a very modest woman. Even if she likes me, she wouldn't dare to remove my mask herself. As a man, I should do this small favor for you."

"Nonsense!" Mu Wanqing was so angry that she trembled, "Who likes you?"

"Isn't it?" Song Qingshu looked puzzled, "In the plays, a beautiful girl is kidnapped in the wilderness, and a young hero appears, that's me! He drives away the bad guys and rescues the girl. Shouldn't the girl offer herself in return?"

"Who says a woman must offer herself after being rescued!" Mu Wanqing was both embarrassed and angry. She had lived with her teacher and had never seen any other young men except Duan Yu. This made her flustered, and she didn't know how to respond, "Besides, besides, what kind of young hero are you!"

"Wow, wow," Song Qingshu rolled on the ground, crying, "Mother was right, you must think I'm ugly, not as handsome as those young heroes in the plays."

Mu Wanqing turned to see Song Qingshu crying bitterly and felt a pang of sympathy, "It's not like that."

Hearing her words, Song Qingshu jumped up, "So you're willing to be my wife?"

Mu Wanqing almost choked on his words, but thinking about the darkening sky and the isolated wilderness, and being unable to move because of the acupoints being struck, she smiled and said softly, "Dog Egg, you can release my acupoints first, then we can talk about this."

Mu Wanqing had been cold and distant, but this sudden smile was like the melting of ice and the blooming of flowers. Song Qingshu felt a heavy blow to his chest and regretted, "I was just teasing her, but if I get too involved, it will be a loss."

Chapter 43: Living Apart, Dying Together

Song Qingshu chuckled, rubbed his hands, and let his fingers wander over the highest points of Mu Wanqing's body, "But I don't know how to release the acupoints, should I press here or here?"

"Don't touch me!" Mu Wanqing screamed, closing her eyes, her face losing its color.

"Since you're my wife, what's the harm in touching you?" Song Qingshu's fingers moved closer to Mu Wanqing's body.

"If you dare to touch me, I'll bite my tongue and die!" Mu Wanqing glared at him, her teeth biting her lower lip.

"But how can I release the acupoints without touching you?" Song Qingshu looked innocent.

"Find a stick, bring it over, and I'll teach you." Mu Wanqing was almost in tears.

"Alright!" Song Qingshu jumped up and ran to the side, returning a few breaths later, "Wife, is this stick thick enough?"

Hearing him call her wife, Mu Wanqing didn't have time to be angry before she saw Song Qingshu holding a thick branch, and she felt like she was going crazy!

"Don't use such a thick one, find a thinner one." Mu Wanqing wished she could shoot him with a sleeve arrow.

"Oh, your body can't handle such a thick stick, you should have said so earlier." Song Qingshu muttered as he turned around.

Mu Wanqing was almost enraged to the point of breaking her acupoints, looking at him suspiciously and seeing his foolish look, she said fiercely, "Dog Egg, if I find out you're deliberately teasing me, I'll kill you."

"Wife, what does teasing mean?" Song Qingshu turned back, looking puzzled.

"You..." Mu Wanqing was speechless, impatiently saying, "Never mind, just find the stick."

"Oh~" Song Qingshu picked and chose, finally finding a suitable stick, "Wife, what now?"

"I was struck at the Yaoyu point, hit the Jixia point with the stick to release it." Mu Wanqing's ears turned red as she spoke.

"Where is this... Jixia point?" Song Qingshu asked with wide, innocent eyes, though the Nine Yin Manual had a section on striking and releasing acupoints, he knew it well but was just teasing her.

Mu Wanqing hesitated for a moment and said, "On the inner thigh..." Her voice grew softer, and she turned her face away in embarrassment.

"Ah, I see~" Song Qingshu seemed to be thinking. Just as Mu Wanqing was about to speak, she saw him poking around her inner thigh with the stick.

"Wrong place!" Mu Wanqing's voice was tinged with tears, "It's three inches above the knee."

Seeing Mu Wanqing's tears falling like pearls onto the grass, Song Qingshu felt a lump in his throat and slowed down his movements.