Chapter 104 The Secret of Biluo, the Lady is Captured?

The interior of the ship is luxuriously decorated, and the entire ship is made of expensive wood, which is smooth and warm, like precious jade.

In the center stands an incense burner. The fragrance wafts gently, creating an atmosphere like being in a fairyland. To the right is a jade bed, with pale purple gauze curtains hanging down, resembling a waterfall from the heavens.

To the west of the bedroom is a large terrace with a view of the river.

"They really know how to enjoy themselves. Lying in bed and watching the scenery of the great river is truly wonderful."

Li Xian murmured softly.

He lifted the pale purple gauze curtain and saw the lady's figure, but was speechless. He saw her in a delicate situation on the jade bed. She sat cross-legged, her posture graceful, her eyes slightly closed.

She resembles a fairy in seclusion.

Even without a close look, the ropes binding him were already quite conspicuous. They crisscrossed, like bites into flesh, with no rope superfluous, clearly binding all his joints tightly.

Ankle, knee, wrist, elbow...

This rendered the lady unable to move.

Elegance and beauty appear simultaneously.

The lady suddenly opened her eyes, gazing at the great river. Seeing the beautiful scenery, her eyes revealed a tranquil and contented look. But she seemed unable to break free, her pretty face slightly flushed.

It doesn't seem like he was captured.

...

...

Li Xian broke free from the initial state of enlightenment and suddenly understood. He observed the river and understood the river; he observed the water and understood the water. The vast and powerful force of the Azure Palm, layer upon layer, came from the winding river.

The water crashing against the riverbank is a magnificent sight.

The binding and entanglement of the Azure Palm was related to the lady's state. Li Xian originally thought that the lady, gazing at the river and seeing the surging waters, thought of all the rivers vying to flow into the main river.

In retrospect, that was a mistake.

"It seems that the lady is... practicing some kind of martial arts?" Li Xian thought to himself. Just now, when they were only inches apart, he felt very strange. He felt as if the lady had descended from her pedestal.

"Why think about these things? Focusing on martial arts training is the most important thing."

Li Xianping cleared his mind of distractions.

He then began practicing martial arts again. Having witnessed the initial stages of martial arts, his palm techniques became smoother. There were even more aspects to explore.

After breaking through to the Great Perfection stage, the Qi Lake gradually grew larger, reaching a size of three zhang (approximately 10 meters).

With abundant vital energy and vigorous spirit, one is immune to all diseases.

...

...

Around the end of February, the tail end of winter is finally over.

Time flies in the mountains; only when the ice and snow melt away do we realize that winter has passed.

Li Xianxi was undisturbed. His daily life was simple: practicing martial arts, hunting, and eating. Every ten days or so, he would go to Blackwater Harbor to sell his catch and exchange it for money to accumulate wealth.

I ate quite a lot of crabs during that time.

However, this dish is extremely wasteful of pot materials; after cooking fine food twice, the bottom of the pot will inevitably crack.

By sheer luck, Li Xian managed to absorb a wisp of the essence of heaven and earth. But such luck is rare, and "crab generals" are not common either. Since then, the essence of heaven and earth dissipates as soon as it is consumed, and not a single trace can be retained.

Unconsciously, it has already "rejuvenated".

But who knows how long it will take to wash this clay figure before it can be considered to have achieved its goal and reveal the extraordinary sight of the "essence-consuming" martial artist, and then grasp that ethereal immortal secret in its palm.

This day.

Li Xian secretly cooked crab essence overnight.

"These mountain crabs can ensure that I have a stable supply of the essence of heaven and earth to eat. But the quantity is too small. Even after boiling them more than ten times, they may not be as good as a single sip of the lady's fine soup."

"Moreover, each time we go into the mountains to catch crabs, it takes at least two days, and sometimes three or four days. Add to that the time spent cooking and preparing the crabs, it is too time-consuming."

Li Xian added firewood.

The fire at the bottom of the pot burns even brighter.

The water in the pot boiled, and steam rose from it. When the water was almost gone, Li Xian skillfully added cold water.

Despite the many inconveniences, Li Xian is quite content with her current situation.

It's no wonder that martial artists in the world need to be supported. Without support, how can one walk the path of martial arts comfortably?

"I wonder how my younger brother is doing now."

Li Xian leaned against a tree trunk, gazing towards the city.

Separated from their brother, their longing for each other is naturally profound. The moon is full at this moment, and I imagine the younger brother is also gazing at the moon, thinking of his elder brother.

Once a pot of broth is cooked, open the crab shell.

Put the milky white crab roe into your mouth.

[You consumed inferior refined food, proficiency +9]

A pitiful wisp of the essence of heaven and earth, locked in a stalemate with Li Xian for a long time, finally broke through the Qi circulation and overcame the closed orifices of the blood-stabilizing system...

The path of martial arts is long and uncertain.

All we can do is be patient, master the martial arts, and do every step well.

...

The next day.

Li Xian carried a long sword at his waist, which was perfectly suited to his attire, and he conducted a simple patrol in the fields.

After the winter solstice passed, the people of Heihe Village got busy.

Figures of people working in the fields are scattered like stars.

"Sir, thank goodness you came."

“Every year after winter, there’s a fight in our village. After all, some fields are adjacent to each other, and no one is willing to admit who has more or less land.”

"Now everyone is united. Even if there are disputes, they are willing to listen to what this old man has to say."

Uncle Fu followed behind Li Xian, saying with a smile.

"That's good too." Li Xian nodded. Seeing the harmony in the fields and the vitality in the village, Li Xian suddenly thought, "In this kind of world, I don't have the ability to be a good person. I need to survive first and gradually become stronger. Only on this premise can I help others."

He didn't take Uncle Fu's compliments to heart.

The inspection along the way revealed calm and tranquility. The Mountain Wind Stronghold had not raided the area again. Such is the way of the world; when weak, even breathing is a sin.

After Li Xian arrived, he killed several leaders of Shanfeng Village, making them wary, but nothing happened to him.

After passing through farmland, Li Xianxun arrived at the mouth of the stream, then traversed several mountains, casually surveying the surrounding area.

If someone is seen stealing firewood, they should be called out to drive them away. Besides poor people, there are also some scoundrels who steal firewood. They do nothing but steal timber to exchange for money, and then spend their time in gambling dens, teahouses, and other similar places.

Li Xian would be ruthless when dealing with this kind of person. He would drive them away to prevent them from coming back later.

They patrolled to the riverbed overgrown with grass.

Li Xian took out his waist knife and slapped it among the weeds on the riverbed. Lizards, poisonous snakes, toads, centipedes... all darted out.

"The last time I came here, the riverbed was warmer than elsewhere."

"Since our inspection has reached this point today, why don't we go down and investigate?"

Li Xian's curiosity was piqued. He drew his sword, channeled his inner energy, and slashed across the riverbed. He cleaved through the tall weeds in half before leaping down into the river.

Boots were covered in mud.

It was rather muddy.

"For me, winter is actually better."

The riverbed was teeming with mosquitoes, but Li Xian, with his blood-nourishing and pore-closed constitution, was not bothered by them. However, the constant buzzing was quite irritating.

It's been the same on my last few trips into the mountains.

Leeches and poisonous insects gradually appeared, and if you spent the night in the forest without prior preparation, you would surely be sucked dry in one night.

[You cut grass, skill level +2]

[Great Luo Sword]

[Proficiency: 1546/5000 (Mastery)]

After traveling along the riverbed for several miles, they suddenly saw a black mud figure.

Li Xian had once bought a similar clay figure on the black market for a mere tael of silver. Now, comparing them, he found them to be virtually identical, and even more so to the stone lions in front of the Blackwater Gang's gate, made of the same material.

"In this Blackwater River, there are stone lions, clay figures... I wonder what other treasures there are."

Li Xian slashed with his sword.

A venomous snake, lying prone and waiting to strike, was severed. Li Xian picked up the snake and threw it onto the riverbank. Suddenly, he was startled and noticed that a crimson fruit seemed to have formed in the dense grass.

"It's said that venomous snakes, these kinds of mountain beasts, will seek out treasures on their own. If this place is protected by a venomous snake, it must be extraordinary!"

Li Xian picked the red fruit.

A gentle sniff revealed a fragrant aroma. Breaking the fruit open, the flesh inside was stringy and fibrous. It didn't seem poisonous, so I tasted it.

To everyone's surprise, the effect was extraordinary.

Li Xian felt a jolt throughout his body, and a faint crimson glow emanated from his pores.

The medicinal properties of this fruit are strengthening his physique.

[You consumed the miraculous fruit, your proficiency increased by 32]

"Although I don't know what this fruit is called, it's very useful to eat, so I'll look for it some more." Li Xian's eyes lit up; there really were good things in the riverbed.

“I heard Commander Pang say that the truly high-quality treasures are born from heaven and earth. These kinds of delicacies obtained from demons are all inferior.”

"If we're lucky, we might find such a treasure..."

But we traveled along the riverbed for more than ten miles.

He found only three crimson fruits, ate them all, and his body became much stronger.

Li Xianshi was unaware that he had already squandered a precious resource.

This thing is called "River Death Fruit," and it grows from the veins of rivers that have "died suddenly." Heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers all have their own rhythm and energy. When a river vein dies suddenly, its energy and rhythm dissipate.

In certain circumstances, through the mysterious workings of heaven and earth, the vital energy and spirit are captured by growing plants and trees, forming the "River Death Fruit." This fruit is extremely rare, with a very low probability of occurrence.

Besides the [essential treasures] that allow martial artists to undergo a complete transformation, there are also [rare treasures] with varying effects. Although this River Demise Fruit lacks the [essence of heaven and earth], it still possesses remarkable medicinal properties.

It is the main ingredient in a certain prescription; if properly combined, a single dose can be worth a fortune.

The medicine's effects are to strengthen bones, toughen the body, and restore vitality. The crimson glow flows through the flesh and blood, and the energy of the river veins washes over the body, replenishing the body's blood and vital energy.

For some martial artists who are deficient in qi and blood and whose qi circulation is already late, taking this fruit can restore their physical vitality and prolong their martial arts lifespan.

However, Li Xian was young and vigorous, and his energy was almost depleted. He did not experience the effects of the [restoration], but only felt that his physique was slightly stronger.

...

As evening fell, I returned to the wooden house.

Li Xian unfastened his waist knife, feeling relaxed, and began practicing his palm techniques.

[Azure Palm]

[Proficiency: 1659/12000 (Mastery)]

The Azure Palm technique is of a higher grade, requiring greater proficiency. However, it brings significant benefits; Li Xian has now mastered palm techniques, sword techniques, and fist techniques to their peak, and his leg techniques are also perfected…

His archery skills were also top-notch!

He thoroughly studied all the martial arts he learned.

This level of martial arts skill and accumulation is something that even others could not match after decades of hard work.

He ate until he was strong and healthy, and his strength was many times greater than when he first arrived in Heihe Village.

"It's the end of February now, and I've been in Heihe Village for over two months."

"I wonder... with my current strength, if I were to fight Commander Pang, who would win?"

Pang Long has practiced martial arts for decades, exploring more than a dozen or twenty different styles, including swords, spears, staffs, fists, feet, and palms, but he has not mastered any of them.

There are only six major categories of mastery; the rest are minor, advanced, or entry-level.

Comparing the two... Li Xian only learned four styles: Four Directions Fist, Azure Palm, Gentle Breeze Leg, and Great Luo Saber, from the highest level to the lowest level of mastery.

Their foundation is naturally slightly weaker, and their internal energy is naturally inferior.

However, if one were to also master archery, and thus contend with him, playing to one's strengths and avoiding one's weaknesses, one might already be qualified to compete with Pang Long.

"Never be arrogant or complacent!"

"My journey is still long!"

Li Xian calmed down.

[You have diligently practiced your palm technique; proficiency increased by 2.]

He swung his palms out one after another.

The primary goal at this moment is to perfect the [Azure Palm]. If that's the case, even if we encounter Zheng's Blood Palm, we should be able to hold our own!

As for the Great Luo Sword...

You can set that aside for now. Keep one mastered sword technique for the enemy, so they will underestimate you.

(End of this chapter)