Chapter 235 Showing His Potential, the Little Wolf Cub

The next day, at dawn.

The mountains are shrouded in mist, and the first rays of sunlight filter through the gaps in the trees.

Li Xian carried Wen Caishang on his back, the tendrils winding around her waist and legs... securing them tightly. Wen Caishang, thinking of the "wild boar" incident, spat out a curse. Only Li Xian in the whole world would compare her to a wild boar.

Li Xian inspected his gear. He tied his backpack to his chest, a sword to his left and a dagger to his right. The Yellow Path Bow was strapped to Wen Caishang's back. With everything settled, Li Xian looked at his reflection in the stream, finding amusement in his predicament, and couldn't help but joke, "Does this count as me having a family to support?"

Wen Caishang was immediately struck by the sight of the wicked servant bullying his master and becoming increasingly arrogant. Li Xian, having confirmed that everyone was unharmed, looked serious.

He thought to himself, "The journey ahead is fraught with danger, but I am not entirely without the power to fight back." He considered countless times that if he could hide and maneuver, he could buy himself a few days of respite.

But it's truly useless. Only by taking great risks can one seek great survival.

“You’ve bullied me because I’m weak, so I’ll teach you a lesson.”

Li Xian patted his narrow sword and headed southeast. His steps were steady, and his leaps and bounds were incredibly fast. After traveling for several miles, he gradually heard the tracks of a patrol, but he still did not encounter the real person.

Wen Caishang asked, "Li Xian, are you going to force your way in?" Seeing that Li Xian was not hiding his whereabouts, she secretly agreed: "It's difficult to avoid him either way. If we hide and die, we might as well fight our way out."

Li Xian said, "It's not about forcing our way in, but about cleverly infiltrating." Wen Caishang was puzzled; forcing one's way in was forcing one's way in, how could it be clever? Suddenly, a patrol team appeared. Li Xian took out his Yellow Path Bow and shot two arrows. At the same time, he moved like a fierce tiger, pouncing forward and slashing straight down with his narrow blade.

The patrol team consisted of three men, all dressed in Sword Rain Pavilion uniforms. Before they could react, two of them were shot dead. The remaining man, still in shock, heard the wind whistling overhead, and a sword slashed down, piercing his chest and killing him instantly.

Li Xian leaped into the air, making quite a commotion. Suddenly, he turned and ran in another direction. He had memorized the layout of the forest. After traveling several more miles, someone ahead shouted, "Found him! Found him! He's really here!" The disciples of Huangshamen had spotted Li Xian.

Li Xian snorted coldly and said, "I think you've got a death wish!" He was about to draw his arrow to shoot, but seeing that he only had a limited number of arrows, he hesitated. So he lunged forward, landed on the ground, picked up three pebbles, and used his "Soaring Cloud Hand" technique to shoot them out.

The attack was incredibly powerful. The three men from Huangshamen raised their swords to parry, but with a loud clang, the stones shattered and turned into dust that flew into their eyes. The immense force dislocated their wrists, sending them staggering back several steps, screaming in horror.

Wen Caishang exclaimed, "What a heroic figure!" Li Xian plucked three leaves and flicked them lightly. From a distance of several dozen feet, they slashed the necks of the three men, causing blood to gush out.

This simple move contains the wonders of "Cloud Hand" and "Gentle Breeze Leg".

Li Xian combined the "Sending You the West Wind" move from the Cloud-Soaring Hand with the "Riding the Wind into the Gap" move from the Clear Wind Leg. The essence of "Sending You the West Wind" lies in the word "sending." When holding hard objects such as darts or pebbles, the release of the weapon must be swift and accurate. However, when holding soft objects such as thin leaves or needles, seeking speed and force will inevitably lead to inaccuracy.

But how can one injure someone if one is neither fast nor fierce? This is where the "Sending You the West Wind" technique comes in. It's a gentle, yet sustained, release of force, like a small gift carrying profound meaning. Simultaneously, the palm extends forward, sending forth a "west wind." The wind carries a light object; its speed is slow, its destructive power is weak, but it is extremely difficult to dodge.

It can harm people invisibly.

The "Riding the Wind into the Gap" move of the Qingfeng Leg is originally a leg technique. Its aim is to deliver a dense barrage of kicks, striking through gaps in the opponent's defenses, as seamless as the wind. When applied here, it adds the essence of a gentle breeze, making the move even more powerful.

Li Xian headed straight there, unleashing his full martial arts skills. The commotion quickly attracted attention.

They killed several groups of people, and the commotion gradually spread.

Suddenly, a loud "bang" rang out overhead. Someone had set off fireworks as a signal to gather their companions for an ambush. Li Xian had anticipated this; he glanced around and plunged into the depths of the jungle.

He swiftly and decisively killed any enemies he encountered along the way. Li Xianyuan was armed with a bow and arrows, a stone-throwing weapon, and swords. Although his cultivation was shallow, his actual strength was not to be underestimated.

When they came to a narrow pass.

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared, and a man leaped down from above, slashing fiercely. He roared, "You insolent little thief!"

This man has a wide face and thick ears, with his features squeezed together. He has a fierce look on his face, and this move is truly remarkable.

Li Xian dodged. He saw the broadsword slam into the ground with a loud "boom," sending up a cloud of yellow sand. Li Xian was both surprised and puzzled, realizing he had finally encountered a formidable opponent. But the mountains and forests were all damp black mud; where did the yellow sand come from?

The man let out a loud shout, and a powerful gust of wind surged from his chest, whipping up yellow sand that hurtled towards him. Li Xian unleashed the Great Luo Blade Technique, infusing it with the intent of four-directional fist techniques. The blade's shadows wove together into a dense net, tightly protecting his front and deflecting the sandstorm.

But there are always gaps in the net. Li Xian's arms and wrists were hit by grains of sand, leaving red spots. He sensed that each grain of sand contained extremely strong internal energy.

Li Xian thought to himself, "This man struck the ground with his blade, instantly kicking up a cloud of yellow sand. Then he roared, causing the sand to scatter even further. These two moves are incredibly powerful! I need to be careful to avoid being caught off guard and suffering a greater loss than I gain. Besides... I haven't properly experienced the power of this disciple from a major sect yet!"

Even though he was trapped, he remained calm and composed, focusing intently on dealing with the deadly attacks. With each horizontal and vertical slash, the man cleaved through trees, weeds, and shrubs. It was utterly devastating; Li Xian noticed that the branches and leaves of the trees he struck immediately withered and died.

After a few exchanges, yellow sand filled the surroundings. The man wielded his broadsword, each strike followed by an endless cloud of sand. Li Xian, however, was no less formidable. Before even unleashing his many martial arts techniques, he used only his clothing to deflect all of his opponent's attacks.

Li Xian sheathed his sword. He then took out a change of clothes from his chest pouch. The clothes were made of a special, extremely tough material, which allowed him to block the blade's attack.

As the yellow sand rushed towards him, he billowed his clothes around it, deflecting it all. Then, he channeled his inner energy and struck out. The sand ricocheted back, causing the other man to suffer a great loss as well.

The man brandished his sword, gathering yellow sand. Li Xian took three steps back, his feet firmly planted, his palm glowing green, and gently pushed forward.

A mist rose, and the palm strike was like a raging wave. The two moves clashed, the mist swirling like sand, the palm force resisting the broadsword. The power was immense.

The man twisted his waist, his fighting spirit intensifying as he realized he was still helpless. He closed in several steps and swung his blade upwards. This was "Flying Sand Sweeps the Sky," the upward slash carrying immense killing intent. And when the first strike missed, the yellow sand rose again, obscuring his opponent's vision.

He roared, his momentum surging, unleashing a relentless barrage of sword strikes. Li Xian dodged several blows, the swirling yellow sand unable to obscure his vision, remaining composed throughout. Yet, he couldn't help but think, "This man is indeed formidable. I've fought my way here, killing many disciples from the Yellow Sand Sect, Sword Rain Pavilion, and Taixin Sect. Although those disciples came from major sects and had to form formations, their martial arts skills were mediocre, and their cultivation level hadn't reached the Essence Refining stage. This opponent... is completely different."

Li Xian snorted coldly, his chest heaving as he unleashed "Thunderous Chest Drum," the thunderous sound reverberating through his fingertips. He swiftly extended a finger.

This move was extremely powerful, with unparalleled shockwaves capable of shattering rocks and armor with ease. Yet, it was utterly ineffective against that person. A single finger strike to the side of his waist caused the man to shudder slightly, suffering no harm whatsoever. Li Xian was greatly surprised and immediately changed his move, transforming his finger into a fist and smashing it towards the chest. At the same time, numerous fist shadows appeared, striking in rapid succession.

Li Xian clearly sensed that with each punch he landed, four-tenths of the force was neutralized, as if striking a water sac. However, Li Xian's Qi power was extraordinary; after several punches, his opponent coughed up blood and was rendered powerless.

Li Xian muttered, "Since it's a fight to the death, don't blame me for showing no mercy." He pressed his advantage. To prevent the enemy from launching a counterattack, he grabbed a vine and swung it far away. He wrapped it around the enemy's neck and pulled hard.

The man flew towards him. Li Xian kicked with his toe, sending the fallen broadsword flying. It struck the man with a "bang," and blood splattered everywhere. The scene was horrific, and the head was severed instantly.

Li Xian resisted the urge to touch the corpse and quickly ran away.

Wen Caishang said, "That person must have some status in the Huangsha Sect. He has already joined the sect."

"The Stream School?" Li Xian asked.

Wen Caishang said, "A martial arts school is one that has several or even a dozen martial arts techniques that complement each other and lead to a qualitative change."

"The distinction between schools of thought is especially common among martial arts sects. Within the same sect, different schools may have different focuses. The person you just faced has already taken the first step into a school of thought. He has learned three martial arts: 'Water-Severing Blade,' 'All-Body Skill,' and 'Yellow Sand Heart Sutra.' They complement and reinforce each other."

Li Xian pressed for details. Wen Caishang immediately explained in detail, analyzing the various schools of thought and using practical examples to teach.

This is the Huangsha school.

The Water-Severing Blade is a basic-grade weapon. Purely in terms of swordsmanship, it possesses great power and a continuous, flowing style. It has no major flaws, nor any particular strengths. However, its training method is quite unique. During training, one must abstain from drinking water to avoid dying of thirst.

However, practicing swordsmanship inevitably leads to sweating and water loss, which cannot be replenished, so how can one not die? The wonder of this swordsmanship lies in its ability to strengthen the spleen and kidneys. External sword practice strengthens the internal organs, mobilizing the spleen and kidneys to work together, transforming the body's fluids, and ensuring internal circulation so that not a single drop of water is lost.

In this way, when the Water-Cutting Blade is fully mastered, the spleen and kidneys will be far superior to those of others.

The school's second martial art, the Body-Wide Skill, relies on two vital organs as its foundation. The kidneys store water vapor, and the spleen transports it throughout the body, creating a water-like film under the skin. When struck by external force, it is as if hitting water, with only three-tenths or even seven-tenths of the force being lost.

The 'Yellow Sand Heart Sutra' is a lower-level martial art, a secret of the Yellow Sand Sect. Wen Caishang doesn't know much about it, but she knows it can absorb moisture from all things to replenish itself. If it hits a person, the wound will dry, crack, and be difficult to heal, making it extremely powerful.

In this way, the three martial arts complement each other. The Water-Severing Saber strengthens the kidneys and spleen, which in turn cultivate the Body-Wide Skill. The Body-Wide Skill circulates water, while the Yellow Sand Heart Sutra draws upon water. Each element is interconnected.

Wen Caishang said, "The most powerful master of this school of martial arts is Huangsha Patriarch of Huangsha Sect. He combines various martial arts techniques to drain a person's life force and then replenish himself. In addition, Huangsha Sect has another school called the 'Golden Saber School,' which focuses on the ultimate saber technique."

Li Xian had memorized everything. He thought to himself, "My iron-copper body strengthens my lungs, my lungs invigorate my chest, and my chest transforms into thunder... This can be considered a certain school of thought. Of course, it's a school of thought that I created by chance, a school of thought that strengthens the body through thunder."

The practice of both the Iron Body and Thunder Finger techniques strengthens the blood and qi, increasing strength. Their combined effects are highly effective.

Suddenly, a strong man appeared and blocked his way. Although Li Xian knew that the Thunder Finger and the Iron Body were perfectly matched, he had never used them at the same time.

He immediately focused his breath and trembled, his entire body bursting forth with dark light. The "Thunderous Finger" move of the Gang Lei Finger technique was unleashed. Both martial arts techniques reached their pinnacle, evolving to their limits, manifesting extraordinary phenomena.

His fingertips seemed to be covered in dark lightning, emitting a strange "clanging" sound. It was neither like a lightning-infused finger technique nor a body of iron and bronze. As this finger struck, the opponent raised his hand to parry.

The instant the touch touched my fingertips, my entire body went numb, as if struck by lightning. I lost consciousness instantly.

Wen Caishang looked resentful, not knowing that Li Xian had such abilities. He hadn't shown them when he stabbed him with a sword to interrogate him before. She scolded angrily, "Well, all your previous obedience was an act, you little wolf cub!"

(End of this chapter)