Chapter 271 A beautiful young woman's best friend, imprisoned, with a deep connection, undergoes a transformation in martial arts.
It was about a month ago.
The niece of the Prince of Nan's mansion and the close friend of the Jade Maiden of the Dao Xuan Sect were captured by the Flower Cage Sect. Unable to be rescued, they were trapped in the lower deck of the ship. Both women, driven by intense emotions, attempted suicide by starvation.
Although Ye Cheng was highly skilled in martial arts, he could never force others to eat. He had tried everything—coercion, bribery, intimidation, and threats—but to no avail, so he delegated the problem to someone else.
From then on, disciples of the Flower Cage Sect often had their fingers bitten off, their ears bitten off, or even lost their lives... It was extremely tragic.
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Li Xian nodded in agreement, took the soup and food, and headed down to the bottom floor.
The pleasure boat conceals a hidden world, with three levels above and one below. The bottom level is used to store fruits, vegetables, wine, meat, weapons, gunpowder, and other miscellaneous items.
The road was narrow and winding. The river flowed swiftly here, and the oil lamp flickered, its light turning from one dim to the other. Li Xian walked for a while, and gradually heard a "whooshing" sound. After turning another bend, he saw a prison cell made of black iron.
Two women were bound and captured in the cell. They were bound by special methods, very tightly, with ropes clinging to their skin, making it difficult for them to move, and they were suspended in the air.
It lay face up, limbs bent backward, face down. Hanging precariously in the air, like a fish out of water, it struggled and tried to move, unable to budge an inch. It was utterly pathetic and utterly humiliated.
The firelight flickered.
The two women were very beautiful, with exquisite makeup. One of them wore a blue dress and embroidered shoes, but one of them was missing. Her long hair was loose and braided into a "willow-wind bun," which is an extremely complicated braid. It requires hair as black as a waterfall, with soft texture, and several extremely skillful maids, taking half an hour to braid.
It accentuated her beautiful face.
A woman dressed in a pink dress and wearing tanned leather boots hung loosely on one side of her head as she dangled in mid-air. Her makeup was simple, and her waist was slender, yet she possessed an extraordinary inner strength. She must be a master of "Spine Shaping." Her eyebrows appeared somewhat immature, and she was close in age to Li Xian, but her experience in the martial world was quite limited.
The woman in the light blue dress is named Nangong Liuli, the niece of the Prince of Nan. The woman in the pink dress is named Bian Qiaoqiao, a disciple of the Dao Xuan Sect.
It was clearly delicate at first glance. And because it had been trapped for so long and had not been taken care of, it looked even more disheveled.
"In the past, the Prince of Nan's mansion held a banquet to recruit righteous heroes from the martial arts world to kill the villain who strangled the flower cage and rescue the two women. They were the two women. On that day... Wen Caishang and I ate there for free, and because we had just escaped danger, we didn't want to get involved. Unexpectedly, by some twist of fate, we met the two women here again."
He gazed intently, scrutinizing every detail. The two women were neatly dressed, untouched by sexual assault. Though bound for some time, red welts had appeared where the ropes had tied them. They no longer struggled, hanging silently in the air, swaying gently with the swaying of the boat. Occasionally, they would bump into each other, exchange a glance, and with a mixture of shame, anger, and embarrassment, utter a couple of soft moans before falling silent again.
Presumably, they have tried every possible way to escape this predicament. Having failed and given up hope, they have resigned themselves to their fate.
Li Xian unlocked the iron locks and entered the cell. Nangong Liuli and Bian Qiaoqiao, their eyes closed and dazed, heard the commotion and immediately glared at him angrily, whimpering incessantly, undoubtedly condemning and cursing him.
Li Xian said, "Why are you looking at me? I didn't arrest you." He felt very innocent. Nangong Liuli and Bian Qiaoqiao sobbed and shouted angrily, "You lewd and wicked villains, have the guts to let me down!"
Li Xian pondered, "I wonder how strong these two women are. If they are strong enough, and I manage to release them, could we work together to break through? I'll give it a try."
Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed at Nangong Liuli's black hair. Nangong Liuli was already on guard, twisting her waist and turning sideways to avoid the grab.
Li Xian thought to himself, "Not bad! This woman has also been trained in spinal manipulation. Her waist and spine contain hidden strength, so even if she is tied up and suspended in mid-air with her hands and feet bound, she can still swing and dodge."
The two women were united in their hatred of the enemy. When Bian Qiaoqiao saw Nangong Liuli being attacked, she twisted her waist and her shoulder slammed into him. Li Xian raised his hand and grabbed it, immediately feeling an extremely strong internal energy hidden in the shoulder, sharp and piercing.
Li Xian felt a sharp pain in his palm, leaving a sword mark. No blood was drawn, only a slight redness and swelling. It subsided in an instant. Bian Qiaoqiao was speechless with shock, but her shoulder was already gripped. No matter how she twisted and turned, thrashing like a fish, she couldn't escape his grasp.
She stirred her inner energy, creating a silent, ethereal melody. But she sensed her opponent's immense inner energy, a continuous, pulling force. As her inner energy surged, her opponent retreated. As her inner energy receded, her opponent surged forward again.
Anxious and entangled.
She felt extremely frustrated, unable to move her limbs, angry yet helpless, wishing she could immediately draw her sword and unleash her ultimate techniques in a fierce battle. Her only means of defense was her internal energy, but the ropes binding her body hindered its flow. Having gone without food or water for several days, her body was extremely weak. Now, having exhausted all other options, she cried out, pleading for help from Nangong Liuli.
Nangong Liuli was surprised to see that this scoundrel was quite strong, as she knew the disciples of the Flower Cage Sect were extremely despicable and their strength varied greatly. Fearing that Bian Qiaoqiao would be humiliated, she swayed her waist like a giant pendulum, striking Li Xiantan's central acupoint. This was a fatal acupoint, and her move was clearly intended to kill.
Li Xian laughed, "Well done!" He grabbed the woman's shoulder with his left hand, subduing the two women. With a jolt, he used the force to play the "Self-Protection Melody."
The ethereal music remained silent, unspoken to mortals. Furthermore, its subtlety made it extremely difficult for others to detect. Nangong Liuli and Bian Qiaoqiao, filled with resentment and anger, thought to themselves, "If we were free, how could we let this little thief be so arrogant?"
I also noticed his handsome appearance and young age. If he had joined a reputable and righteous sect, his future would have been bright, and he might have achieved great things. Instead, he chose to join a despicable and wicked sect, aiding and abetting evil, which I found even more shameful.
Li Xian laughed, "Stop." He pushed her away. Nangong Liuli and Bian Qiaoqiao cried out in alarm, feeling dizzy and disoriented as the surroundings of the cell spun before their eyes. The two women were filled with shame and indignation, knowing that Li Xian's push had applied a spinning force. The two women, already hanging horizontally in the air, naturally spun and swayed endlessly, completely helpless.
The two women were spun around, their long hair disheveled. Every now and then, they would cry out "Ouch!" and crash into each other. For a noblewoman from such a prominent family to suffer such an ordeal was truly unbearable; the humiliation was indescribable.
Only after the spinning force dissipated did they barely manage to hover. The two women were exhausted and extremely humiliated. After catching their breath, they glared defiantly at Li Xian.
Li Xian laughed, "You wanted to kill me, yet I only punished you slightly. I've been very magnanimous. If you keep glaring at me like that, I'll do it again." He took two steps closer, nearing Nangong Liuli. Nangong Liuli was shocked and terrified, her eyes filled with despair; she was destined to be humiliated today.
Li Xian pinched her chin, gently channeling his internal energy. Three numb walnuts were stuffed into her mouth. These walnuts were soaked in a secret medicine, possessing the effect of "numbing the body and blocking energy." They could only be barely removed with the help of others.
Li Xian pushed his internal energy outward. The walnuts fell to the ground with a few "thuds".
Nangong Liuli's cheeks flushed red. She glanced at the walnuts on the ground, her mouth still moist from being blocked for days, making her feel extremely embarrassed and ashamed. Bian Qiaoqiao mumbled angrily, and Li Xian followed suit, removing the numb walnuts from her mouth as well.
It was hot and humid here. After their recent fierce battle, the two women were at a disadvantage, and their defeat had exhausted them greatly. Their foreheads were covered in fragrant sweat.
Concentrating on recovering his strength, he was temporarily too weak to curse Li Xian.
Li Xian placed the soup box on the ground. Inside were two servings of soup, both dishes of excellent quality: millet wine, stir-fried delicacies, braised prawns, broad beans with minced meat, and two bowls of fragrant white rice.
All were carefully stir-fried.
Li Xian thought to himself, "Born into a prestigious family, even if I'm imprisoned, I'll still be treated to fine wine and meat." He said, "Come on, please have a meal."
“I won’t eat the food of a lecherous scoundrel!” Bian Qiaoqiao said angrily.
Nangong Liuli said coldly, "If you know what's good for you, quickly let us both down. If my uncle comes looking for us, I might say a few nice words and leave you with a whole corpse."
Li Xian said, "It's been so long, where is your uncle?" Nangong Liuli looked unwell, hesitated to speak, and looked utterly hopeless.
Bian Qiaoqiao remained silent, filled with despair and helplessness. She had heard of the extreme cunning of the Flower Cage Sect. Over the years, countless powerful figures from the sect had been captured and never found again, their whereabouts unknown.
Having suffered such a cruel fate, she feared she would not survive. Bian Qiaoqiao burst into tears, recalling her carefree days and the impending loss of old friends. She said in grief and indignation, "Sister Liuli... let's just starve to death like this, so we won't suffer their humiliation and live a wretched life."
Nangong Liuli and Bian Qiaoqiao were both in danger, tears streaming down their faces, their expressions weary. Nangong Liuli said, "Alright, Sister Bian, we'd rather starve and thirst to death than eat a single bite of their food."
Li Xian originally intended to invite the two women to fight their way out of the pleasure boat, leaving their fate to be decided by him.
Seeing this scene, they hesitated. Though their strength and foundation were formidable, their will was weak; unable to unleash their power, it was all in vain. The two women were filled with sorrow and despair, their resolve to die fading, utterly hopeless. Their predicament was indeed dire, understandable. But it was too early. They were unlikely to escape, but their martial arts skills remained; why worry about not finding a good opportunity to act?
Li Xian pondered, deliberately trying to provoke them, and said, "What does a temporary danger mean in this life? Is this enough to give up hope?"
Bian Qiaoqiao said, "Easy for you to say. If you were tied up like this, you would definitely be crying and making a scene. You're just making sarcastic remarks, you shameful scoundrel. Give up on that idea, we would rather die than eat this filthy stuff."
Nangong Liuli said, "Sister Bian, why waste our breath on this scoundrel? Let's close our eyes and ears and let them talk, ignoring them completely." Bian Qiaoqiao said, "That's right. Let's just starve to death like this."
Li Xian shook his head and sighed, "What a pity, what a pity."
Bian Qiaoqiao asked curiously, "What's a pity?" Nangong Liuli frowned, thinking to herself, "Bian, why are you still paying attention to this thief? This gives them an opportunity to take advantage of us." She sighed softly, feeling utterly helpless.
Li Xian said, "It's a pity that the two beauties died young. They died here in such a pathetic way."
Bian Qiaoqiao's eyes reddened, and she cried out, "You scoundrel, do you think we care? If we die, you'll be struck by lightning, punished by heaven, and suffer a terrible death!"
Nangong Liuli sneered, "When a person dies, everything is over. There's no need for your crocodile tears. Get lost and stop spouting nonsense."
"If I could move my hands and feet, I could subdue you in three moves and kill you in four. Wouldn't that be easy? Hmph! It's a pity that my luck is like this. You're so arrogant, you little bastard. But someone else will always take care of you!"
"No, no."
Li Xian said, "I'm not crocodile tears, but rather showing compassion for women."
He paced back and forth, swaying in front of the two women. He boasted, "A beautiful face requires the skillful craftsmanship of the heavens, exhausting all their thoughts and energy, burning their blood and sweat, and even pulling out their hair... just to create it. How much effort must the heavenly craftsmen have put into creating these two beauties?"
Bian Qiaoqiao was slightly pleased to hear Li Xian praise her beauty, his words quite amusing and quite different from clichéd phrases like "fish falling from the sky" and "the moon hiding its face and flowers blushing." She even smiled slightly. But she immediately stopped and glared angrily at him.
Nangong Liuli narrowed her eyes slightly. Being older, she was more composed. Hearing this, she secretly felt this person was difficult to deal with. For someone from the Flower Cage Sect to possess such appearance and speak such words was certainly not a good thing for the martial world.
A sense of gloom immediately settled over her. She couldn't escape this prison; the affairs of the martial world were none of her concern.
Li Xian continued, "But such a beautiful woman, in such a miserable and wretched state, starved to death here. Don't you think it's a pity?"
Bian Qiaoqiao pouted and cried, "What can we do then..." Nangong Liuli said, "Sister Bian! Don't listen to this scoundrel's bewitching words anymore."
"Ah!" Bian Qiaoqiao said, "Yes... Sister Liuli, don't worry, I won't listen to that scoundrel again!"
Li Xian said, "You woman, you're so hard to understand. Am I wrong?" Nangong Liuli turned her head away.
Bian Qiaoqiao said, "The first sentence is somewhat correct." Nangong Liuli sighed, "Sister Bian..." She thought to herself, "Well, Sister Bian and I have been trapped here for a long time. We are unable to move and it is extremely boring. Now that we can speak, this thief is humorous and handsome... It is inevitable that we will talk to him."
Li Xian laughed and said, "Actually, I'm just a nobody. Your desire to die has nothing to do with me."
"Sigh, it would be better if he died. It would save me the trouble of feeding him every day. But... with such a beautiful face, what if he starves until he's skin and bones, pale and emaciated? This exquisitely crafted face would become ugly and unsightly. Wouldn't that be a pity?"
"When your bodies are stiff and still in this position, we might find it unlucky and just leave them by the roadside."
"Once a bright pearl and a radiant moon, now turned into roadside mud. Truly... truly..."
Nangong Liuli was a little older, in her early twenties. She appeared somewhat composed, but was still quite inexperienced. Listening to Li Xian's description, she couldn't help but think about what would happen after death.
It was truly desolate and terrifying.
Li Xian continued, "I am a very kind person. If you really starve to death, I will help you buy coffins. However, as a newly arrived disciple, my abilities and wealth are limited."
"We can only make simple purchases. Get some coffins made of miscellaneous wood, not too big. Since you have starved to death like this, your bodies must be stiff. With your limbs bent over like this, you probably can't be twisted back. Just stuff them into the coffins like this, and then try to send them back to the Southern Prince's Mansion and Daoxuan Mountain."
"The Southern Prince's Mansion received the box. Seeing your corpses, once beautiful women, now skin and bones, heavily bound... such a miserable state. Tsk tsk, they will surely be deeply grieved. Alas... warriors, even with severed heads and spilled blood, dying in battle, their limbs incomplete, still retain a spirit. Who dares to look down on them, who dares to laugh at them? But to be so utterly wretched, bound and starving to death, that is truly..."
Nangong Liuli and Bian Qiaoqiao trembled. They thought to themselves, "Bian and I died such a shameful death. If our family or sect saw us like this, what would they think of us? We're already ashamed to be seen in this state. Starved and emaciated, to be starved and then have our relatives and friends feast on us after death… wouldn't our parents suffer… wouldn't they…"
A chill ran through her. Nangong Liuli stammered, "You...you demon. You...you have such a sinister and treacherous scheme."
Li Xianhe smiled and said, "Of course. If you don't die, I will treat you well. I can't even get to eat these delicacies... but you can enjoy them to your heart's content."
Nangong Liuli remained silent. Bian Qiaoqiao said, "Sister Liuli...I...I don't want to die." Nangong Liuli thought to herself, "Even if I live on, it's still better than dying like this."
She swept her gaze coldly over Li Xian's face, her hatred intense and unforgettable, and said, "You've won, you scoundrel. Now feed us."
"Excellent!" Seeing that the two women's will to die had faded, Li Xian could now slowly plan for the rest of the matter. He smiled and said, "I've talked too much and made the food cold."
He picked up the white jade delicacy rice, covered it with broad beans and minced meat, and stirred it evenly with bamboo chopsticks. He then brought it to Nangong Liuli's mouth and fed her with chopsticks.
Nangong Liuli's pretty face flushed slightly. This was truly her first time eating like this. Suddenly, she heard a "glug-glug" sound, realizing she was extremely hungry. Embarrassed, she opened her mouth and ate the rice and meat.
She was starving and suddenly felt that this was heavenly food. Li Xian slowly picked up more vegetables and meat and fed them to her.
Nangong Liuli sighed inwardly: "The women of the Nangong family... only on their wedding night do men and women feed each other. It symbolizes drinking the essence together and seeking immortality. But now we are in this situation, being fed and drunk by others."
She had intended to use Li Xian to get closer, but suddenly opened her mouth and bit off his finger. However, as if possessed, she obediently ate it. Li Xian laughed, "That's a good girl!"
Nangong Liuli glared angrily. Bian Qiaoqiao, extremely hungry, watched and swallowed hard. Li Xianshi had already figured out the two women's personalities. Nangong Liuli's makeup was exquisite, and she was stunningly beautiful. She seemed gentle, but in reality, she had an extremely fierce temper and was much calmer.
Bian Qiaoqiao is innocent and romantic. Li Xian only needs to win over Nangong Liuli, and Bian Qiaoqiao will surely follow. Therefore, he will pursue Nangong Liuli first, and then Bian Qiaoqiao.
Nangong Liuli ate half of it. Only then did she realize what was going on and secretly feel that this man was deep in thought. She had originally decided to commit suicide, but after his persuasion, she gradually changed her mind.
Li Xian peeled the shrimp shells and fed one to Nangong Liuli. She finished hers, and Li Xian repeated the process, placing the shrimp in front of Bian Qiaoqiao, and asked with a smile, "Sister Bian, are you extremely hungry?"
Bian Qiaoqiao snorted, "Who's your sister Bian?" Li Xian first picked up a piece of braised pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, and asked with a smile, "Is this the first thing to eat, or the last?"
Bian Qiaoqiao said, "We'll eat this piece first. We'll save the prawns for last."
Nangong Liuli was exasperated. Seeing that Bian Qiaoqiao was already engrossed in the delicious food, she didn't say anything more. Li Xian, seeing that the vegetables and meat were all gone, considered his task complete. He picked up the walnuts from the ground, wiped them clean, and returned them to their rightful owner.
Li Xian carried the wooden box, locked the cell, and smiled, saying, "Goodbye."
Nangong Liuli and Bian Qiaoqiao watched them leave. Nangong Liuli, quick-witted, thought, "This boy was so frivolous when we first met. Yet, he was extremely well-behaved when we fed him. He even mentioned... that he's a newly registered disciple who just arrived?" Her eyes gleamed.
The cell was quiet.
The lights flickered, and Nangong Liuli and Bian Qiaoqiao exchanged a glance. Bian Qiaoqiao noticed that the usually gentle, refined, calm, and elegant Nangong Liuli was now missing a shoe, her sole a delicate pink. She looked disheveled and alluring. Nangong Liuli, seeing Bian Qiaoqiao's greasy lips and her swaying back and forth uncontrollably, felt embarrassed and embarrassed. They imagined themselves in a similar state, and both lowered their heads, listlessly wasting time.
On the other hand...
Li Xian walked out of the cell, and Ye Cheng walked over with a big laugh, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Good! Good! You've solved my problem as soon as you arrived. I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"
Li Xian felt a chill run down her spine: "Ye Cheng really did eavesdrop on our conversation just now. Luckily, I was on guard and he probably didn't show anything unusual." She cupped her hands and said, "Elder Ye, to be honest, I am particularly good at dealing with women."
Ye Cheng laughed and said, "I can see that! Your words just now certainly touched on fear. But if it weren't for your appearance, it might not have been effective."
Ye Cheng and Li Xian walked side by side. Li Xian took the opportunity to ask, "Elder Ye, these two young girls are as beautiful as flowers. Yet they seem to have remained unpicked?"
Ye Cheng said, "What's wrong? You've gotten lustful?" Li Xian said, "Well... not really. After all, I'm a man, and seeing them like this, looking like they're at my mercy, it's natural to have such thoughts."
Ye Cheng said, "The reason is actually quite simple. These two women are both from wealthy and noble families, not ordinary disciples of the Flower Cage, and no one would dare to treat them badly."
"Although my Flower Cage Sect is despised by the martial arts world, it has very strict rules. Unless one is born into a wealthy family, my Flower Cage Sect will never capture anyone. Whoever captures someone has the right to keep them."
"These two women were captured by my friend Zhang Kaifeng. Unfortunately, he was surrounded and killed some time ago."
Li Xian said, "So, the two women belong to Elder Ye?"
Ye Cheng shook his head and said, "No, no... it's not mine. So if we follow the rules, I have no right to deal with this woman. Don't ask too many questions, go back to your room and rest."
"Remember to get to the deck around 3-5 AM. Besides... there doesn't seem to be anything important on board. Well... I'll leave the task of feeding the two girls to you."
"Once the ship docks, you only need to master the basic martial arts of our sect. Then you can be promoted to a disciple holding a command. Hehe... Let me give you a heads-up. If you like these two women, you at least need to be a 'disciple holding a command'."
Ye Cheng rounded the bend, his echo lingering. Li Xian hurried after him, but could not find him. The flower boat contained a hidden world, with crisscrossing paths, allowing Ye Cheng to easily go wherever he wanted.
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Inside the bedroom.
Li Xian meditated and practiced internal cultivation, his essence and blood were abundant, and his spirit was vigorous. He had prepared for many days, and his blood and energy had accumulated to a sufficient level to practice the "Blood-Spitting Scripture".
The remedy for vomiting blood requires "thunderous chest drumming," which involves rhythmically vibrating a drum to induce blood secretion from the chest and lungs without causing injury. Vomiting the blood then produces a remarkable effect.
Li Xian tested his martial arts. The sound of his chest drumming thundered, shaking his lungs. However… he cultivated the Iron Body, tempering his lungs into “Iron Lungs.”
His lungs were very strong, so the blood-vibration technique had very little effect. Li Xian thought that although there was a slight conflict between the two moves, it could still be resolved.
He intensified the chest contraction, concentrating the force inward. Blood, stored in the lungs and accumulated in the chest cavity, was then expelled towards the wall. He practiced according to the classic text on vomiting blood.
[Your proficiency in the Blood-Spitting Manual has increased by 1.]
Blood mist filled the room, mixed with powerful internal energy, instantly turning the room into a bloodstain-filled space. Li Xianxi lit a stove in his belly, boiling away the blood and clearing away the impurities. He exhaled white mist, dissolving the bloodstains.
Their whereabouts were all concealed.
[Proficiency +1]
[Proficiency +2]
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[The Blood-Spitting Manual]
[Proficiency: 79/600 Beginner]
Li Xian practiced diligently, even expending his chest blood, leaving his face slightly pale. His internal organs recovered, his blood nourished, and he quickly returned to normal. He was extremely lacking in martial arts manuals, and the "Blood-Spitting Manual" depleted his blood and energy, making it seem less than ideal.
But in this situation, he needs to do everything he can to improve his strength and foundation.
Once he had recovered his strength, Li Xian focused his energy again, internally resonating his chest cavity. He then began practicing the "Blood-Spitting Scripture" martial art. His blood spitting out was like mist, like a cocoon, like a powerful force, like poison…
Li Xian did not cultivate poisonous blood, so he could not vomit blood as if it were poisonous. Therefore, he focused on practicing the two tests of "vomiting blood like mist" and "vomiting blood like a cocoon".
He suddenly had a brilliant idea: "I possess the characteristic of heart fire. If I boil my blood, and then use the Blood Spitting Manual to spit out the blood... wouldn't the boiling blood be scalding hot and greatly increase my killing power?"
He went to try it. The characteristics of [Heart Fire] manifested, boiling his blood, turning his skin red, and the blood vessels under his skin faintly glowed red.
He spat out blood, and the two martial arts techniques could actually resonate in harmony... The blood mist was scarlet, and it transformed into a raging black and red flame!
It contains both the turbidity of blood and the intensity of yang fire.
The combination of martial arts techniques secretly formed a school, producing miraculous effects. Li Xian was overjoyed. He exhaled white mist, cleaned the bedroom, and then resumed his martial arts practice.
Enjoying it so much, I lost track of time.
When they came to their senses, the Qi Lake had finally accumulated to seventy-two zhang, surging and surging, undergoing another transformation.
(End of this chapter)
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