Chapter 168 Tracing Yin and Yang, the Flower Cage Appears
All things are divided into Yin and Yang, and Yang gives birth to all things.
"Tracing the Yin and Yang, pointing to the origin. Although this characteristic does not strengthen my physique, it makes me see things more clearly. Combined with the power of my double pupils, I can see the origin and, when fighting, I can see through my opponent's weaknesses at a glance."
Li Xianxin had an epiphany. He held his palm to the sky and felt a surge of heat coursing through it. His physique was undergoing a transformation, and his inner energy was becoming refined.
[Skill: Ingestion]
[Proficiency: 1659/2000 Minor Mastery]
As the last wisp of heaven and earth's essence was absorbed into his body, Li Xian gradually returned to the right track.
"Now, each time I consume the essence of heaven and earth, I retain six or even seven strands. The progress is obvious, and the digestion speed is much faster."
"Maintain the momentum and practice slowly."
For several days in a row, he focused on meditation and cultivation. Li Xian consumed precious essences and practiced martial arts, making progress day by day, and his [Iron Copper Body] was also approaching its peak.
Life was peaceful, but not dull. Some time ago, Li Xian was in charge of the Martial Arts Hall, which inevitably meant he had to spare some energy to manage the affairs of Yihe Manor. With the Cao family's affairs temporarily settled, Li Xian, in his spare time from practicing martial arts, enthusiastically instructed the guards in their training.
He grasped the essence of basic martial arts, and while he wouldn't say he knew every single one of them by heart, he was more than capable of instructing the guards in the manor.
Those with exceptional comprehension made remarkable progress after receiving guidance, sometimes experiencing a sudden enlightenment and advancing several steps each day. Even those of duller aptitude gained sudden insight and developed profound admiration for Master Li.
Only now have I realized the difference.
The red flowers in the village are in bloom, their fragrance filling the air and attracting bees and butterflies. In September, the wind is warm yet the air is cool, offering a unique experience.
In your spare time, enjoy the flowers and stroll through the garden.
The steward of the servants' quarters, Luo Fang, was in a terrible predicament. He lived in constant fear, worried about Li Xian's revenge, and cursed Bi Hao as an ingrate. The two uncles and nephews fought each other, and the worst fight ever occurred when Bi Hao bit off Luo Fang's ear.
In his spare time, Li Xian spent his time rectifying the atmosphere of the manor. The focus was on the servants' quarters. Luo Fang, used to eating rich food, had a face full of fat, while the servants below him were barely recognizable as human, living in utter misery.
After this reorganization, Luo Fang was severely punished. He was taken to the torture chamber and flogged several times. He was stripped of his supervisory role and reassigned to the menial ward, starting as a lowly servant.
Let him reap what he sows.
Bi Hao, believing he had won Li Xian's favor, wanted to take over the manager's position. Li Xian, however, ignored him, knowing that Bi Hao and his nephew Luo Fang were essentially the same kind of people. After careful consideration, he chose another person from the guards to serve as the miscellaneous manager.
That man was Zhao Han. He had some acquaintance with Li Xian, and when Li Xian first became a guard, Zhao Han had taken care of him, showing he wasn't a bad person. However, Li Xian's decision to assign him this position wasn't intentional; he was simply being realistic and genuinely believed Zhao Han was capable of the job.
In this way, the atmosphere at Yihezhuang changed drastically, and efficiency increased dramatically. The lady, with her keen eyes and ears, took it all in, a smile playing on her lips.
On the sixth day of the ninth month, Li Xian returned to Qingning and went to the Martial Arts Hall first. The original thirty servants had all recovered from their injuries and were now out of bed practicing martial arts.
Luo Xia, sitting in the Martial Arts Hall, possessed a certain imposing presence. The constables called her "Big Sister," and they got along well.
"How's it going? Have you taken good care of your wife?" Luo Xia teased.
Li Xian's face darkened. "I'm a man of integrity, what nonsense are you spouting?"
Luo Xia smiled without saying a word. The two chatted for a while, talking about the situation in the city, where the three halls and two factions were all keeping to themselves.
Everyone was there. Li Xian, while striving forward, needed a moment's respite. He was moved by their unwavering loyalty despite the torture they had endured. Therefore, he arranged a "Martial Arts Banquet."
Tables and chairs were set up in the hall.
Luo Xia took several dozen taels of silver to buy meat and vegetables and hire a cook. Prices in Qingning were low, so a few taels of silver were enough. Li Xian allocated ten times more, just so that his brothers could eat truly good food.
Ordinary food was insufficient to enhance the occasion. Li Xian personally went up the mountain and hunted down a strange tiger. He carried it back to the Martial Guard Hall.
Other dishes were left to the cooks. But this tiger-slaying soup was something only Li Xian could do. Just as the ancient butcher Ding skillfully dissected an ox, Li Xian skillfully dissected a tiger.
His physique is a result of eating tigers. After skinning and removing the organs, the tiger bones are tough and heavy, difficult to cut with ordinary pig-slaughtering knives, and need to be smashed with a blunt instrument.
Pour out the tiger marrow and boil it into soup.
Li Xian had a sudden inspiration: he would start cooking again and brew a pot of Dragon and Tiger Soup. He already had tiger meat, but he lacked dragon meat. Dragons were creatures of the heavens and earth, extremely rare. Li Xian didn't even know if they existed.
As a second-best option, they used venomous snakes instead. Li Xian ordered his servant "Liu Fang" to catch a few wild venomous snakes and pick a few large lotus leaves.
Liu Fang was a snake catcher. He was an expert at catching snakes, and he immediately ran into the mountains. He caught venomous snakes such as the five-step snake, the red-spotted snake, and the heart-rotting snake.
Li Xian removed the venomous fangs and chopped off the snake's head. After cooking, he marinated it in cooking wine before throwing it into the tiger soup. He chopped lotus leaves and added garlic, scallions, and other ingredients.
Cook over high heat.
Tiger meat is tough and requires three hours of intense heat before it's barely palatable. Li Xian, annoyed by the slow wait, rode back to Yihe Village and picked up some scraps of "Dragon's Roar Charcoal."
They were thrown into the fire. The flames blazed brightly, and in just half an hour, a pot of "Dragon and Tiger Essence Soup" was ready. Everyone received a portion of soup and a palm-sized piece of tiger meat.
Enjoying a variety of dishes, strong liquor, and delicious food, one feels extremely happy.
Luo Xia said, "You're quite something. The Cao family suffered such a great loss, yet you've stopped relentlessly attacking them." Li Xian said, "A single punch can ward off a hundred more."
[You consumed the Dragon Tiger Soup, which increased your skill proficiency by 7.]
Li Xian gulped down the soup. The surface was glistening with oil, but the lotus leaves added a refreshing sweetness that cut through the richness. The taste was quite good; his cooking skills had improved again. He said:
"The Cao family is powerful, so this matter is only temporarily resolved. Only by improving our own strength can we cope with various crises."
After enjoying the meal to his heart's content, Li Xian entered the inner courtyard to practice martial arts. His [Iron and Copper Body] technique was nearing its peak, and his Sunset Blood Sword technique was becoming increasingly refined.
"The Sunset Bloodstained Sword is powerful, but it consumes too much internal energy. I won't use it unless it's a life-or-death battle. Given my current condition, it's best to..."
"I need to find a way to get my hands on a low-grade or mid-grade martial arts manual... In this way, I will have both a foundation and a trump card, a secret technique. I can then deal with any situation as needed."
"But I still owe Madam three thousand taels. Where will I get the money? Although the three schools and two factions have financial resources, if I openly rob them, they will definitely resist. There is no reason in this world to not fight back when you are beaten."
"One month... First, urge the prefectural city to release the reward money as soon as possible. We'll have to find another way to get the rest of the money!"
Li Xian took a deep breath. He pounded his chest with his palm, his body trembling. His Iron Body proficiency accumulated to three points. He repeated this several times…
Proficiency +3
Proficiency +2
Suddenly, a commotion was heard outside. Zhang Hou returned and reported, "Lord Wu, there are guests outside."
Li Xian immediately went outside and saw a beautiful and spirited woman with a slight sweat on her forehead.
Li Xian cupped her hands and said, "Sister Lin, it's been a long time!"
This woman was none other than Lin Aoshan, a member of the Qiongtian Lin clan and currently the Xuanhou of the Xuntian Division. She disappeared for several days without a word. Now that everything was settled, she has reappeared.
Lin Aoshan took a light sniff and said, "It smells so good! What kind of soup is this?" Li Xian replied, "It's Dragon Tiger Soup that I cooked myself. Would you like to try it, Sister Lin?"
"Dragon and Tiger Soup?" Lin Aoshan said, "Did you use Dragon Roar Charcoal to make it? I can smell Dragon Roar Charcoal."
Li Xian smiled and admitted, secretly thinking that Lin Aoshan was knowledgeable and extremely capable. Lin Aoshan said, "I'm exhausted from my journey. Could I have a bowl to try?"
Before anyone could answer, she scooped up some soup and drank several mouthfuls. Clearly, she was extremely thirsty; with a few gulps, she finished the bowl. Li Xian introduced everyone, and Luo Xia and Lin Aoshan greeted each other.
Lin Aoshan quenched her thirst and said, "Li Xian, you are quite capable. I heard on the way here that you even dared to kill a county magistrate."
"Could it be that Sister Lin's Celestial Patrol Division has come to punish me?" Li Xian asked.
“Hmm…” Lin Aoshan said, “Your behavior could be called rebellious. But in this remote place, sometimes it’s just a matter of opening your mouth.”
“The situation in the prefectural city is complex, and the Cao family is not the only dominant force.”
"If the Cao family can't handle it all, someone else will. Don't worry, I bet the next county magistrate won't be a member of the Cao family. He'll probably be extremely respectful and obsequious to you, just to secure his position."
Li Xian said, "I did not oppose the Cao family. It was the Cao family that bullied me because of their power. I had no choice but to fight back. If they don't give up, so be it. I will keep them company."
"What ambition!" Lin Aoshan's eyes flashed. "Actually, the situation has evolved to this point entirely because the Cao family thought you were a member of the Lin family. Therefore, they wanted to eliminate you."
Li Xian asked, "This matter is over, and I'm too lazy to deal with the entanglements involved. However, I do have a favor to ask, Sister Lin. I have several Crimson List Fierce Corpses here that I haven't reported to the Sky Patrol Division yet."
"Could you report this directly to me, so I can avoid layers of bureaucracy and receive a larger reward?"
"Oh?" Lin Aoshan was taken aback, then delighted. Thinking of something, she smiled and said, "Of course. Absolutely. Not only that, I can also pay you the reward in advance."
"Really?" Li Xian was overjoyed.
"Aren't you with Madam Zhejian? Why are you so short of money?" Lin Aoshan asked, turning the question around. "As far as I know, your wife is extremely wealthy. She owns many properties in the prefectural city, and her silk fabrics are highly sought after."
“That’s Madam’s money,” Li Xian said frankly. “To be honest, I still owe Madam three thousand taels.”
"Ah!" Lin Aoshan feigned surprise, pinching her chin and tapping the ground with her toes, she said in a deep voice, "Three thousand taels... that's not a small amount. Even a martial artist could use it for a while. What do you want to do?"
Li Xian said, "I'll try my best to repay it, I don't want to think too much about it."
Lin Aoshan's eyes darted around, and she said, "I can help you. Speaking of which...aren't you curious about where I've been lately?"
"I'm not curious," Li Xian said with a smile.
“I’ll tell you even if you’re not curious.” Lin Aoshan rolled her eyes, sat down at the table opposite, and asked Zhang Hou to fetch her another bowl of tiger soup. She was travel-worn, her clothes were damp on the back, and smelled of sweat mixed with the fragrance of her hair, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
She said, "Some time ago, the Flower Cage Sect gathered a crowd in Huaiyin Prefecture, but I don't know what they were plotting. This sect is definitely an evil sect, and they have offended countless forces in the martial arts world. They seem to want nothing more than to cause chaos in the world. Since they have gathered a crowd, the Sky Patrol Division has received the news and decided to surround and kill them."
"But when the Flower Cage Gate received the news, they immediately scattered and fled."
"As the Marquis of Xuan, Qingning County, though far from Huaiyin Prefecture, is located to its northwest. If we were to encircle and block their path, we could certainly kill many disciples of the Flower Cage Sect."
"So they staked out the 'Liuli Mountain' area to ambush and kill the disciples of the Flower Cage Sect."
"However, the Flower Cage Sect was well-informed and managed to escape by taking a detour, leaving me to lie in ambush for more than ten days, empty-handed and in a very sorry state."
Li Xian thought to himself, "So that's how it is. The Sky Patrol Division must be running around everywhere, it must be quite tiring."
Lin Aoshan rubbed her legs and said, "But heaven rewards those who persevere. On my way back, I discovered a group of Flower Cage Sect members who had actually fled to the vicinity."
"Things are urgent, and the Flower Cage Sect is extremely cunning. Although I am strong, I really dare not face the Flower Cage Sect alone. Sending people from elsewhere will inevitably alert them, and in the end, it will all be for nothing. If you help me, I will take care of the three thousand taels of silver for you."
"What do you think?"
(End of this chapter)
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