Chapter 19

Zhao Ying gritted her teeth and tried her best to hold on, but she felt increasingly desperate. The swords from all directions were about to cut her down, and there was also Senior Brother Chu. Could it be that the two of them were going to die here?

She tried hard to clear her mind, focusing entirely on her sword technique, looking for opportunities to strike, trying to hold on for as long as possible.

"Senior Brother, you go first!" she shouted.

Chu Li sighed, drew his sword, pressed the saddle, and leaped into the air, diving down like a hawk, his sword flashing like lightning.

"Ah! Ah!" The cries of pain echoed one after another. Zhao Ying felt a sudden relief as the pressure was greatly reduced. She turned her head to see Chu Li moving like a ghost, his sword like a bolt of lightning, striking and extinguishing, causing one person after another to fall.

In the blink of an eye, before she could even use her third move, the ground was already littered with bodies, and no one else was standing except for the two of them.

"Senior Brother..." Zhao Ying was surprised.

Chu Li leaned on his sword, his face growing even paler. He smiled bitterly and said, "Let's go, we shouldn't stay here too long!"

"Okay!" Zhao Ying nodded.

This time, she didn't need Chu Li to remind her. She stabbed the people on the ground one by one with her sword, then helped Chu Li onto the horse. The two of them rode away, finally leaving the territory of Tiger Mountain.

Once they left Tiger Mountain, Zhao Ying let out a long breath and turned to look at Chu Li. His face hadn't improved; it was still as pale as paper.

"Senior Brother Chu, let's find a place to rest. We're out of Tiger Mountain now, so we don't have to worry about being robbed."

"Let's go a bit further, just in case they catch up."

"Can you hold on?"

"No problem," Chu Li smiled. "I'm fine, just a bit tired from overexerting myself."

Zhao Ying shook her head. Being tired couldn't make him look like this. He must have been injured and used a secret technique to stimulate his potential, causing the aftereffects to flare up. Especially just now, he must have used the secret technique a second time, worsening his injuries.

Thinking about this, she felt guilty. She was too useless, with low martial arts skills, unable to fulfill her duty as a guard, and instead becoming a burden. This was a disgrace!

Chu Li smiled and said, "Junior Sister Zhao, don't blame yourself. Martial arts skills are not something you can control. Just practice hard."

"Okay." Zhao Ying lowered her head.

Chu Li said, "You haven't fully grasped the subtleties of the Swallow Sword Technique. It would be best to observe swallows or other birds in flight. I'm sure it will give you some inspiration."

"Right!" Zhao Ying looked up, her face lighting up with excitement. "I should observe swallows!"

Chu Li smiled. "There will be opportunities."

The two of them continued talking and rode for another ten miles before finally stopping in a forest.

It was already evening. Zhao Ying climbed a tree to look around and shook her head. "Senior Brother Chu, we might have to spend the night outdoors."

"I'm not that delicate," Chu Li smiled.

He sat cross-legged on a thick layer of dry leaves, and a steady stream of internal energy flowed from the earth into his body, nourishing him. His meridians, like a parched land receiving a gentle rain, quickly recovered.

After his meridians had recovered somewhat, he began to practice the Small Meridian Cleansing Technique to speed up the recovery.

Zhao Ying looked at Chu Li's face.

Chu Li smiled. "I'm really fine, just need to rest a bit."

"It's all my fault..." Zhao Ying said softly.

Chu Li said, "Junior Sister Zhao, thinking like this will only make you suffer. If anyone is to blame, it's me for not being skilled enough."

Zhao Ying shook her head.

Chu Li smiled. "Can Junior Sister Zhao cook?"

"Of course!"

"Then let's have a good meal!"

"Okay!" Zhao Ying nodded vigorously. "We need to eat well to have the strength to heal!"

She turned to gather some wild vegetables and mushrooms. She was very knowledgeable about mushrooms; most wild mushrooms were inedible and could cause poisoning, but the few that were edible were extremely delicious.

Finally, she used dried meat and rice, along with the wild vegetables and mushrooms she had gathered, to cook a pot of porridge. She simmered it for two hours, and the aroma was irresistible.

After Chu Li drank the porridge, he felt a warm, comfortable sensation throughout his body. The porridge was perfectly cooked, and it tasted even better in his exhausted state.

The moonlight was like water. Chu Li sat quietly practicing, and Zhao Ying sat three steps away, listening to his deep, steady breathing, feeling a sense of peace.

She glanced at Chu Li, who had a solemn expression, as if he had merged with the earth, exuding an inexplicable aura of authority and power.

She quickly closed her eyes, afraid of being noticed. Thinking about the disgrace of the day, she felt a surge of determination to practice hard. As she circulated her internal energy, her meridians stabilized, and she completed two full cycles, which was twice as many as she usually could manage!

This meant her cultivation speed had doubled, which was astonishing!

She had felt her meridians stabilize during the day, but she hadn't expected such a significant improvement. The effects of the medicine had only fully worn off now, and the benefits were finally showing.

She glanced at Chu Li again and lay down to sleep.

When she woke up in the morning, she turned her head and didn't see Chu Li. She quickly climbed a tree and saw that the two horses were still there, but there was no sign of Chu Li. Just as she was about to call out, she heard footsteps, and Chu Li emerged from the depths of the forest, carrying two deer.

"Senior Brother Chu!" she called out.

Chu Li lifted the two deer and smiled. "We're in for a treat!"

"You should have told me!" Zhao Ying floated down to him, gave him a playful glare, and took the deer. "Are you feeling better?"

Chu Li smiled. "I'm fine!"

Zhao Ying smiled. "That's good. What would you like to eat, Senior Brother?"

"Whatever you're good at," Chu Li smiled.

Zhao Ying had a set of pots and bowls on her saddle, small and elegant, essential for a guard. Eating someone else's food while on duty was risky, even with silverware to test for poison, it wasn't safe. It was best to eat her own food.

"Watch me!" Zhao Ying smiled.

The two of them had a meal of stewed deer meat, with wild mushrooms added, creating a rich and unique aroma that made their mouths water. After a satisfying meal, they continued on their journey.

The rest of the journey was smooth, with no more robbers. By evening, they arrived at a valley.

This valley was very secluded, appearing to be just a small depression beside a hill. But once inside, it was a different world, with dense forests, lush vegetation, and fertile soil.

Chu Li marveled at the power of the Duke's residence, able to find such a wonderful place that was so inconspicuous.

"Is this the place?" Zhao Ying followed into the valley, looking at the dense trees, and said helplessly, "Has anyone ever been here?"

Chu Li nodded. "That's why it's so secluded. Starting today, we can't leave the valley!"

"How long will we stay?"

"A month."

"What can we do in a month?"

"Plant Immortal Grass. You've never heard of it, right?"

Zhao Ying shook her head; she had never heard of it.

Chu Li explained about the Immortal Grass and then started working. The three long knives came in handy, cutting through trees like tofu. Chu Li cut down a few trees and, with Zhao Ying's help, built two wooden huts, simple but sturdy.

There was a clear pond at the base of a rock wall in the depths of the valley, and they fetched water from there.

Zhao Ying was responsible for cooking and practicing, while Chu Li cultivated five acres of land to plant Immortal Grass and Moon Dream Flowers.

He found four stalks of Sinew Grass in the valley, combined them with Earth Dragon Grass, and refined sixteen Sinew Pills. They split them evenly. While the Sinew Pills were precious and hard to come by for others, they were easy for him to obtain.

Zhao Ying didn't fuss and accepted them gratefully. After taking them, she found her meridians had strengthened twofold, allowing her to practice from night to morning, making rapid progress. Chu Li's progress was even faster.

In ten days, she had broken through thirty acupoints. Breaking six more would bring her to the peak of the Later Heaven stage. For a guard, if her martial arts skills didn't hold her back, she could reach the Seventh Rank and become a Seventh Rank Guard.

Unfortunately, the transition from the peak of the Later Heaven stage to the Early Heaven stage was a significant hurdle. The Early Heaven stage was extremely difficult, and countless people were stuck here, unable to break through. Out of ten martial artists, nine were stopped, like carp trying to leap the Dragon Gate, the critical leap.

The key to breaking through to the Early Heaven stage was cultivation. A solid foundation and good talent made it easier to break through. A weak foundation and poor talent meant a lifetime of stagnation.

One morning, after Zhao Ying got up and washed up, she began practicing the Swallow Sword Technique, recalling Chu Li's guidance from the previous day. She repeatedly pondered and made minor adjustments, which greatly enhanced the power of the Swallow Sword Technique.

Chu Li's eyes were like lightning, always finding the weaknesses in her sword technique. In just ten days, Zhao Ying felt her sword technique had undergone a complete transformation, with its power vastly improved.

After finishing her practice, she went to Chu Li's hut. Chu Li was practicing the Illusion-Breaking Sword Technique, moving slowly and gracefully, almost as if he were just waving his sword around, not looking particularly impressive.

She shook her head. Zuo Feiyang didn't practice this way; he practiced with intense speed, saying that to break through an opponent's sword, one's own sword must be faster. Otherwise, even if you saw a weakness, if your sword wasn't fast enough, the opportunity would be lost.

Now, she trusted Chu Li more. Zuo Feiyang's actions were childish, and his martial arts knowledge was far inferior. Chu Li must have a reason for practicing so slowly; he wouldn't waste time.

"Senior Brother!"

"Ah, take the flower on the table and eat it."

"What flower?"

"Just something I planted for fun. It tastes good."

"Are you trying to trick me?" Zhao Ying stared at him.

She had noticed Chu Li's playful nature, often teasing her. Sometimes she couldn't help but laugh, even when she wanted to be angry.

Chu Li smiled as he practiced. "It's a good thing, don't regret not eating it!"

"If I have any problems, I'll hold you responsible!" Zhao Ying huffed.

She went to the wooden table, opened the wooden box, and saw a crystal-clear flower, like an ice sculpture, incredibly beautiful. She hesitated to eat it.

"How do I eat it?"

"Just pick the petals and eat them. They taste great."

Zhao Ying looked at him uncertainly, then, with a deep breath, picked a petal and put it in her mouth. The cool, sweet, refreshing taste flowed down her throat, making her feel incredibly comfortable. She picked another petal.

By the time she realized it, she had eaten the entire flower and felt a bit embarrassed as she looked at Chu Li.

Chu Li smiled. "That's the Moon Dream Flower, good for women."

"What does it do?" Zhao Ying asked curiously.

She didn't feel any discomfort, only a warm, comfortable sensation.

Chu Li smiled. "It can help you stay youthful forever."