Chapter 80 080 "This girl has bright eyes."
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Jiang Ling'er was awakened by the chirping of birds in the early morning.
Strangely enough, the north is a land of ice and snow with few inhabitants, let alone birds and beasts. Perhaps only the sacred spring of Dagushan Mountain nourishes this land, bringing life to it earlier than other places.
When Jiang Ling'er woke up, she was on her own bed. She had almost forgotten what happened last night, but she did remember the few mouthfuls of wine she had gulped down.
She had no idea what kind of wine that scoundrel Taoist priest had drunk; it had an incredible aftereffect! She was completely drunk after just a few sips. When she woke up, she was lying on the couch, perfectly fine. She knew Pei Xuan had brought her back to her room. Seeing that her clothes were intact and she felt no discomfort, she was relieved and put the matter out of her mind. There were more important things to do now.
She planned to sneak away from the Lingxiao Sect before dawn.
Logically speaking, if she were cunning and clever enough, she should have soaked in the Holy Spring of Dagushan Mountain for ten days to half a month every day to heal her injuries before leaving. The Holy Spring of Dagushan Mountain is a sacred cultivation ground that countless martial artists flock to. Soaking in the pool for a day is equivalent to half a year of arduous cultivation. No matter how you look at it, it's a huge gain, especially since the residual poison of the Heart-Connecting Gu in her body has not yet been completely cleared... But as soon as she thought of this prison that was trapping her, she couldn't wait a moment longer and left without hesitation!
Jiang Ling'er quickly packed her things, grabbed the package she had prepared earlier, and quietly went out. Unexpectedly, as soon as she opened the door, a figure collapsed like a mountain!
He happened to be lying on his back next to Jiang Ling'er's shoes, clutching the back of his head and hissing softly. His phoenix eyes were glistening with pain, and his handsome face still bore the lingering flush of alcohol, including the red marks on his forehead from the heavy blow he had suffered…
This man was none other than the scoundrel Taoist priest, Pei Xuan.
"You..." Jiang Ling'er paused, "What are you doing here?"
Her almond-shaped eyes widened in disbelief: "You didn't... stand guard outside my door all night, did you?"
To be precise, I had a hangover all night.
Last night, he spent a lot of effort to finally drag the person into the room. After they came out of the room, the alcohol hit him again, and he actually fell asleep leaning against the door.
Jiang Ling'er was just thinking about whether to knock this person unconscious before leaving when the young Taoist just frowned and muttered a couple of times before his head lolled to the side and he fell asleep again.
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Jiang Ling'er leaned down and stared intently at the young Taoist's handsome, fair face as he slept for a long time, then shook her head:
"...He's really drunk." This guy's beyond saving.
Ever since I first met Pei Xuan in Qing Shi Town, this guy has either been acting like a lazy, half-asleep person or looking like he's dead drunk right now. Now that I think about it, he's never really been sober, has he?
The thought flashed through her mind but quickly vanished. Jiang Ling'er then tightened the bundle on her back, lifted her leg without hesitation, stepped over the young Taoist, and strode away.
They were just strangers who met by chance; whether he was drunk or sober, dead or alive, was none of her business.
Jiang Ling'er left with a clear conscience, but it wasn't long before she stopped smiling.
The familiar feeling of being spied on has returned.
here we go again.
Someone was following her.
No matter how many times she used her "Thirty-Six Forms of Invisible Legs" or jumped up and down and hid under the eaves or in the artificial hill, she could not shake off the person behind her. The person behind her did not seem to be afraid of her noticing and always kept a distance from her, following her at a leisurely pace.
Jiang Ling'er finally couldn't help but stop and turn around, glaring at the person who had just arrived, even with a hint of dejection:
"Hey, it's you again. What are you doing following me?"
As expected, the person following her was Pei Xuan, who was like a persistent ghost.
"I'm very grateful that you took me to Dagushan, and I'm also thankful that you introduced me to the Little Immortal..." At this point, Jiang Ling'er visibly paused, glancing at Pei Xuan from head to toe. She simply couldn't reconcile the dejected young Taoist priest before her, who resembled a rag doll, with the spirited Little Immortal that Yang Dalang had described. She pursed her lips and continued, "But our fate ends here..."
Suddenly, she changed the subject, crossed her arms, raised her chin slightly, and squinted at him:
"What, could it be that you've taken a fancy to me?"
The young Taoist priest, who hadn't even stood properly, paused upon hearing this, rubbing his brow bone, which was sore from a hangover, while chuckling softly, his voice still hoarse from the morning:
"You can think of it that way."
Now it was Jiang Ling'er's turn to be stunned.
However, the young Taoist priest then lazily yawned, his phoenix eyes still sleepy, and quickly said:
"This is so unreasonable! This mountain belongs to my Lingxiao Sect, this road belongs to my Lingxiao Sect, and this road belongs to my Lingxiao Sect. There's only one road, and we can walk on it either way. What, you're allowed to walk on it, but I'm not?"
Jiang Ling'er choked and looked terrible, completely ignoring the little incident that had just happened.
In fact, as soon as Pei Xuan revealed the move of splitting open the mountain gate with his sword sheath, Jiang Ling'er knew that this young man was unfathomably skilled in martial arts and that she was no match for him.
The cat-and-mouse chase just now confirmed that even his lightness skill was inferior to his.
Rather than saying she was avoiding him, it would be more accurate to say that the young Taoist priest maintained a leisurely distance, as if taking a casual stroll, teasing her.
The more Jiang Ling'er thought about it, the more agitated she became. Her small face, pale and delicate as if touched by the morning dew, was cold and icy. Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, were already poised in a defensive posture, a warning to him:
"My mind is made up, and you can't stop me."
She thought that even if she really didn't want to admit that the person in front of her was the Little Immortal Taoist, he was already a senior Taoist priest of the Lingxiao Sect. All the disciples of Lingxiao called him "Uncle-Master," and the Sect Leader even called him "Junior Brother." His seniority was not low, and he must be on the same level as Zhang Liangxiang and the Sect Leader Wuyazi. It was just her bad luck that he caught her sneaking away. This guy was used to being irresponsible and had no sense of propriety. Saying that he was interested in her was fake; he was probably just following her.
Pei Xuan paused, as if he had heard a joke, rubbed his temples which were throbbing from a hangover, and laughed:
"Who said I was going to stop you?"
Jiang Ling'er was taken aback upon hearing this, her eyes showing surprise:
"……ah?"
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In the distance, behind the artificial hill, are pavilions and towers.
Zhang Liangxiang, Zhang Xu, and Wuyazi Zhenren stood with their hands behind their backs, watching the two men bickering and arguing from afar.
At first glance, the man was handsome and the woman was beautiful; they looked like a perfect couple.
Master Wuyazi frowned deeply: "My junior brother has been unreliable all his life. A dignified man actually quarrels with a woman, and she is the daughter of an old friend. What kind of behavior is this!"
Zhang Liangxiang's deep gaze followed Wu Yazi Zhenren's words, passing through Jiang Ling'er, and fixed on Pei Xuanqi's tall figure beside him.
They had met once before.
I don't know when we'll meet again.
[Keep an eye on Jiang Ling'er, follow her, find the Crown Prince, and bring him to see me.]
The young Taoist priest remained silent upon hearing this, a stark contrast to the jovial youth of the moment; he was as rigid as a block of wood, or even as cold as ice. He turned to leave, but was suddenly called back.
Wait a minute.
Pei Xuan turned around, his usual carefree expression completely gone, leaving him expressionless.
Zhang Liangxiang's words were concise and to the point:
If he's a hopeless case, there's no need to bring him to me... I'll kill him.
It sounded as if they were talking about killing chickens and pigs with ease. Upon hearing this, the young Taoist lifted his eyelids and glanced at him, but ultimately remained silent. His seemingly leisurely steps disappeared in just a few turns.
The sect leader, Master Wuyazi, shook his head, no longer looking at his troublesome junior brother. He and the old镖头 (bodyguard) were close friends. Turning his gaze to Jiang Ling'er's slender back, he couldn't bear it in the end.
"Is it alright to just let her go down the mountain like this? The old镖头's greatest wish before he died was for his only daughter to be healthy and safe..."
Pulled back to reality, Zhang Liangxiang's refined face was unusually calm, almost to the point of being cold-blooded:
“In any case, she can’t get away now, as long as she’s Jiang Leilong’s daughter. Besides… a tiger cub from a military family, since she’s the old head镖师’s daughter, how could she be easily devoured by the wolves and tigers down the mountain?” Zhang Liangxiang stroked his long beard as he spoke, his gaze shifting from the young Taoist to Jiang Ling’er, his eyes deepening. “Master, don’t be deceived by her frail appearance. Although this girl looks weak, immature, and vulnerable… her eyes are exceptionally beautiful. Even my junior brother’s phoenix eyes pale in comparison.”
Master Wuyazi was truly astonished upon hearing this. Zhang Liangxiang was not one to value appearances, much less to casually comment on women. This was the first time in his life he had heard Zhang Liangxiang praise someone's physical appearance, and he immediately adopted an attentive listening posture:
"How so?"
Zhang Liangxiang, a man of few words, succinctly stated: "This girl has bright eyes."
Wu Yazi smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "I have long heard that Lord Zhang has the ability to recognize and appoint people. Please do not keep me in suspense any longer. I would like to hear the details."
Zhang Liangxiang also smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes, making his gaze even more profound: "Because the mind is at peace, the eyes are more spirited. This is the look of someone who has died once. Just based on this, neither you nor I, old men with half our necks buried in the yellow earth, can compare to it."
Wu Yazi immediately stiffened, straightened his expression, and followed Zhang Liangxiang's gaze to look at Jiang Ling'er, who was gradually moving away and almost turning into a small dot.
Zhang Liangxiang smiled but remained silent, saying nothing more, only saying:
"This girl is no ordinary person; let's wait and see."
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Although Pei Xuan kept saying he wouldn't stop her, he followed her like a persistent mosquito, much to Jiang Ling'er's annoyance. She was eventually tricked into revealing his destination by the young Taoist priest in just a few words.
"The road stretches out to the sky; I'm going home, where are you going?"
Jiang Ling'er pondered deeply. Rather than wandering aimlessly to the ends of the earth, if Zhang Liangxiang's words were true—that Xu Fu was dead—and since the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) was the instigator of the so-called "White Snake Alliance," then she should return to the source of everything, which was her home.
The best darts in the world.
Pei Xuan paused upon hearing this, then let out a knowing "Ah," narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, and smiled.
"Home? Do you still have a home?"
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Jiang Ling'er had thought that the little poisoner was the most sharp-tongued person she had ever met, but she didn't expect that Pei Xuan was even more so. Jiang Ling'er was stunned, and then she was filled with anger. She didn't care that she couldn't beat him anymore. She wanted to tear his mouth apart!
He immediately gathered his energy in his palm and struck out with a palm!
Pei Xuan seemed to have anticipated her reaction. Jiang Ling'er only felt a gust of wind sweep across her face before her wrist was in his hand. The young Taoist didn't even blink, silently deflecting her attack with a push and pull. Jiang Ling'er gritted her teeth and launched a sweeping leg attack on his lower body, but Pei Xuan didn't linger. He suddenly grabbed Jiang Ling'er's waist, seemingly amazed by its slenderness upon touching it. He paused, then squeezed it slightly, before lifting her up like a child and carrying her behind a large birch tree.
Not only could they not win, but they were also taken advantage of!
This is outrageous!
Jiang Ling'er's face contorted with rage, and she struggled even more violently. However, this fellow seemed to have seen through her martial arts style, and every single move she made was dodged!
Suddenly, I got slapped on the waist.
A slap that was neither too light nor too heavy, but it was solid.
"Stop fooling around."
The young Taoist's voice was clear and cold, with a hint of impatience, as if he were scolding a naughty child.
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Jiang Ling'er stood frozen for a long time, then her cheeks suddenly flushed red, not only from anger, but also from shame!
"I kill you!"
Even if I can't beat her, I'll fight this guy to the death!
Since her moves had been figured out, Jiang Ling'er simply abandoned her established kung fu routine and attacked Pei Xuan with a flurry of punches, managing to get him to take several heavy blows!
The young Taoist priest was quite rude, hoisting her onto his shoulder as if carrying a sack of potatoes, and walked straight behind a large birch tree without saying a word.
Finally, X landed a punch on the corner of the man's mouth. Hearing Pei Xuan's soft hiss from his throat, Jiang Ling'er felt a surge of satisfaction. Just as she was about to throw a punch at his eye socket, her wrist was suddenly grabbed. With a forceful spin, she was repositioned, her back pressed against a tree trunk. She heard the young Taoist's rather clenched teeth voice in her ear:
"If you want to go home, just stay quietly."
At almost the same time, a strange male voice came from behind the tree trunk.
"Did you see the carefree immortal carrying a girl back yesterday?"
Jiang Ling'er was taken aback upon hearing this and stopped struggling.
Two Lingxiao disciples, who had been cleaning together since early morning, strolled over.
"Of course I saw it. My master carried that woman and swaggered into the mountain gate. In less than half a day, the news spread throughout the entire sect. Who doesn't know? Master Xiaoyaozi is really getting more and more out of control. It was one thing to cause trouble outside the mountain, but this time he actually brought a woman back with him."
"You have no idea how furious Fourth Senior Brother Gan Zishi is! I heard that woman is having an affair with Little Poison. The entire Seven Masters of Lingxiao Sect rushed back from all over the country to capture Little Poison and bring her back to the sect to confess her crimes. I never expected that Master Xiaoyao would release a woman, a fallen flower who was having an affair with Little Poison, back into the mountains, letting the face of our Lingxiao Sect be trampled underfoot! If it weren't for Senior Brother Gan Zishi stopping him, Senior Brother Gan Zishi would have already stormed into Master Xiaoyao's residence to confront him!"
The constant use of terms like "affair" and "milky way," especially the phrase "fallen flower," made Jiang Ling'er's teeth ache. She pressed her fingers against the birch tree until her knuckles turned white, wanting nothing more than to rush out and teach these two filthy Taoists a lesson. But when she looked up, she saw that Pei Xuan, the other person being discussed, seemed completely uninvolved, his expression indifferent and blank. When she looked over, he even had the aura to smile slightly at her.
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
The young Taoist priest looked disgusted: "It's easy for you to say. I'm afraid by the time Fourth Senior Brother goes looking for him, Master Xiaoyaozi will have already disappeared somewhere carefree! I think it's best if he doesn't come back! Six years ago, in the fierce battle with Shui Rong and Huo Wu of the Demonic Sect, not only was a copy of the 'Longevity Manual' lost, but of the Seven Sons of Lingxiao, only he survived." The young Taoist priest became more and more agitated, practically filled with righteous indignation, "Why wasn't it him who died but the other fellow disciples? Why... why did this cowardly coward have to come back alive?!"
Jiang Ling'er was taken aback upon hearing this, her breath hitched, and she blinked rapidly with her almond-shaped eyes.
I never expected to hear... such inside information.
Jiang Ling'er tried to hold back, but couldn't help glancing at the young Taoist out of the corner of her eye.
Pei Xuan was tall and slender. From Jiang Ling'er's angle, all she could see was his prominent Adam's apple, and above that, his well-defined jawline. The young Taoist still had a detached expression, with no extra emotion, and even patiently waited for the two young Taoists to finish their conversation.
It's as if they're talking about a completely unrelated person.
Another young Taoist priest quickly grabbed the angry one: "Hey, ancestor, keep your voice down! Be careful someone hears you! No matter what... no matter what, Master Xiaoyaozi was once famous throughout the world, revered by countless people, known as the 'Little Immortal Who Can Freely Wield a Sword That Can Chill Fourteen Provinces.' Have you forgotten that you once admired Master Xiaoyaozi, saying he was an unparalleled genius..."
The young Taoist priest seemed to have been hit where it hurt, and immediately retorted loudly, as if his past admiration for Xiaoyaozi was something he was ashamed to let anyone know:
"That was then! If he did it, why would he care what others say?! If it weren't for the Sect Leader, you can count on your fingers, apart from that idiot Meng Xiaochuan, who in the entire Lingxiao Sect would respect him? Ha, 'Little Immortal Who Does Nothing'? That was so many years ago! The Little Immortal died six years ago. Now this guy is just a drunkard who can't even lift a sword. I bet his Frost Sword is already rusting!"
--
The two young Taoist priests cursed each other sternly and played around for a while before leaving.
Jiang Ling'er and Pei Xuan remained silent after leaving behind the enormous birch tree.
That's embarrassing.
Very embarrassing.
Jiang Ling'er suddenly felt a little afraid to look at Pei Xuan.
The two young Taoist priests were relatively restrained at first, but later they were practically pointing their fingers at each other and cursing each other by name. It was no different from openly insulting each other.
However, the two young Taoist priests did manage to vent her anger.
Who told him to mock her for not having a home... even though he was telling the truth.
Jiang Ling'er paused suddenly as she thought about it. She suddenly realized that not only did she have nowhere to stay, but this guy probably... did too.
Although he was the junior brother in the eyes of the sect leader, Wu Yazi, and everyone addressed him respectfully as "Uncle-Master" and "Master Xiaoyaozi," he was secretly despised. And she, in full view of everyone, was trampled under Zhao Xiao's shoe, stripped of her status as the young master of the world's number one镖师 (bodyguard/escort), and even forbidden from returning as "Jiang Ling'er."
Ultimately, they are all just poor, homeless people.
Jiang Ling'er was slightly moved: "You..."
Pei Xuan took a step back, crossed his arms, and said calmly, "Your Thunderclap Palm has a flaw."
Two voices unexpectedly rang out at the same time.
Jiang Ling'er was stunned for a moment: "...What?" Then she raised her voice, like a chick protecting its chicks, "Impossible!"
Thunderclap Palm is her family's secret technique, a unique internal martial art in the Jiangzhe region. In particular, the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) taught it to her completely in the dungeon. She practiced it hundreds of times in her dreams day and night, and she could not possibly make a mistake. She would never allow anyone to touch it!
Upon hearing this, the young Taoist priest shook his head modestly: "What I'm talking about is not the Thunderclap Palm."
Jiang Ling'er subconsciously replied, "That is..."
Pei Xuan said succinctly: "You're not good enough."
Jiang Ling'er paused, her eyes instantly turning red with anger. Pei Xuan, sensing the danger, spoke before she could erupt:
“Of course, you’re still far from being as good as your father. But you’re not completely hopeless, you’re just missing that final push. That final push is—” Pei Xuan paused, then pointed at Jiang Ling’er’s right shoulder, “Come on, throw a punch.”
Jiang Ling'er was seething inside; anyone would be indignant to hear that they were inferior. It was rare to see Pei Xuan so serious and earnest; for a moment, she even saw the strict teacher-like Uncle He Yong in him.
Thinking this, he subconsciously shouted as he was told and threw a punch.
Unexpectedly, the young Taoist immediately frowned, his voice light but unforgiving:
"Whether it's external or internal martial arts, the emphasis is on continuous movements, stances, and a unified flow of energy. The form may break, but the intention remains; the stance may break, but the energy remains." But your starting stance was flawed; your punches were weak and powerless. Even if the Thunderclap Palm is unparalleled in the martial world and possesses a magnificent momentum, in your hands it's nothing more than a lot of noise and little effect, hardly of any use. He added at the end, "This is also why I was able to control and see through your moves just now. You revealed your true strength the moment you made a move; how can I fight you?"
The young Taoist priest spoke bluntly, making Jiang Ling'er blush with embarrassment. She thought to herself, "What does this scoundrel Taoist priest who is used to wielding a sword know?"
Her starting stance and punch are from a child's kung fu style. Has she lived this long... and still gotten the most basic punching technique wrong?
No, that's impossible!
If her punching technique was truly wrong, Uncle He Yong, Fifth Uncle, the old镖头 (bodyguard), and everyone in the镖门 (bodyguard sect) would have already told her!
"But no one has ever told me about this..."
Pei Xuan shrugged, looking indifferent: "Now you know."
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
The young Taoist priest looked at Jiang Ling'er's almost pale lips, thought for a moment, and patiently said:
"The Thunderclap Palm technique is powerful and fierce, and is not suitable for women to practice."
Jiang Ling'er paused, then bit her lower lip hard, her eyes reddening. Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched into fists. She waited for this guy to utter nonsense like, "So you should just give up practicing Thunder Palm..." It wasn't the first time she'd heard it.
From childhood to adulthood, she has met all sorts of people, some of whom she has never met, as well as the old bodyguard who watched her grow up and cherished her. Even her strict mentor, Uncle He Yong, once advised the old bodyguard whether they should train a successor.
As a child, she often asked Uncle He Yong if she hadn't performed the Thunderclap Palm technique well.
Uncle He Yong has always been very sparing with his words.
It's not that it's bad, it's just that it's not good enough.
She didn't know what "enough" meant, because no matter what she did, it never seemed "good enough".
Uncle He Yong rarely praised anyone. Sometimes, when she practiced hard, she would only receive two short words from him: "Not bad."
If she asks again, she'll get at most half a sentence back—
The Thunderclap Palm technique is powerful and difficult for a woman to master; yours is already quite impressive.
Again, it was "not bad" and "not enough." Just as Pei Xuan said, she always seemed to be missing something.
This feeling persisted until the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) taught Zhao Xiao the Thunder Palm technique. When she saw Zhao Xiao split the willow tree with a single "thunder" strike and saw the admiration in the old镖头's eyes, she seemed to suddenly understand where her lack of confidence lay.
So from that day on, that feeling of resentment never dissipated and remained bottled up in my heart.
Until the day she was defeated and trampled underfoot by Zhao Xiao with the same Thunder Palm technique, that breath almost drowned her.
Sometimes she even thought that perhaps the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) didn't teach Zhao Xiao the Thunder Palm technique because he pitied his Uncle Zhao Ji's death.
Instead, they groomed Zhao Xiao as their successor and the future chief镖头 (chief镖头, head of the world's number one镖师,镖师 is a term used to describe someone who is skilled in镖师, meaning镖师, or镖师) of the镖师.
Because the Thunderclap Palm is a legendary palm technique that only the future number one镖头 (chief镖头, a high-ranking镖师, a bodyguard/escort) in the world can learn. No one understands this better than the old镖头, right?
The metallic, sweet taste of iron that seeped from her lower lip quickly filled her mouth, pulling Jiang Ling'er back from her chaotic and disorganized thoughts.
Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared intently at Pei Xuan's thin lips as they moved. She thought to herself that it was fine if the people inside the escort agency didn't recognize her, but no matter what, it was not Pei Xuan's place to criticize her or tell her that she was no good!
"so……"
Jiang Ling'er's fingernails dug deep into her palms. If he dared to utter a single word, she would beat him to the ground. Even if she was no match for him, she was determined to make this rogue Taoist swallow back the words he had uttered!
"Therefore, women have to put in a hundred times more effort than men."
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Ling'er visibly trembled, her long eyelashes fluttering for a moment like the fluttering wings of a butterfly.
She was like a string stretched to its limit, her clenched fists brimming with power yet striking cotton. After a moment of silence, she stiffly and slowly looked up to meet Pei Xuan's gaze, her face blank.
Why is the answer... not quite what I expected?
The young Taoist priest noticed Jiang Ling'er's unusual behavior. Her lower lip was bitten and mottled, and the bloodless color made her lips appear even more eerily red. He was startled; a rare look of surprise and panic crossed his usually nonchalant, fair-skinned face.
"...What, am I wrong?"
After a long silence, Jiang Ling'er slowly shook her head.
Pei Xuan then asked, "Have you ever had a female master who taught you how to practice the Thunderclap Palm?"
Jiang Ling'er shook her head again.
Pei Xuan asked again, "Or rather, are there other women besides you who have practiced the Thunderclap Palm? Is the Thunderclap Palm only taught to men?"
However, this time Jiang Ling'er stiffened her neck and didn't react for a long time because she didn't know whether to shake her head or nod.
Indeed, no other woman besides her had ever practiced the Thunderclap Palm. Firstly, only the future head of the world's number one镖师 (bodyguard/escort) could learn the Thunderclap Palm; even Uncle-Master He Yong only knew one or two moves. Secondly, the Thunderclap Palm seemed inherently unsuitable for women to practice; it was too arduous.
The old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) was a straightforward and unpretentious person, and he would never have such a ridiculous rule as "passing down the skills to sons but not daughters".
Although Jiang Ling'er didn't answer, Pei Xuan was a cunning old fox, and he could guess most of what was going on from her expression.
He nodded thoughtfully, "Just as I thought." Suddenly, he slapped his forehead and laughed angrily, "Brother Jiang is such a boor! How could he even betray his own daughter?"
Jiang Ling'er: "?"
Jiang Ling'er: "???"
Looking into the young Taoist's almond-shaped eyes, she felt even more bewildered.
“It seems your father didn’t tell you anything.” Pei Xuan felt both annoyed and amused when he thought about it. “Your father developed and created the ‘Thunderbolt Palm’ by practicing boxing during a thunderstorm after he was drunk. He was already in his forties then, in his prime. All the power generation methods of the Thunderbolt Palm rely on your father, or rather, on the power generation points of the muscle groups in a man’s body. Women are not naturally at an advantage in this area. To put it bluntly, it’s not that you can’t do it, it’s that the Thunderbolt Palm is not suitable for women to practice. If you follow your father’s method, you will never be able to catch up with him in your entire life.”
Jiang Ling'er listened intently, perhaps without even realizing it herself. She was so engrossed in the conversation that she even forgot to breathe.
“Therefore, in order to unleash the full power of the Thunderclap Palm, you cannot learn the old-fashioned way of punching. In order to make up for your innate physical deficiencies…” Pei Xuanfeng stared at her with cold, focused eyes, his finger lightly tapping various acupoints on her right arm. His voice was extremely cold, like jade striking jade, yet also like a river slowly flowing into his body through his ear canal. “Although women are inherently less strong, they also have the advantage of combining softness and strength, using two to deflect a thousand pounds. Try using the way your shoulder and elbow drive your arm to punch. When you move, it is as sudden as a whirlwind sweeping away clouds; when you are still, it stops abruptly, like a calm lake.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a punch was thrown out of thin air. It seemed like an extremely light and casual punch, but a shockwave rippled outwards in the air, and birch leaves and snow fell all over them.
Just as the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, the morning light shone through the swirling snowflakes like a kaleidoscope, casting a dazzling array of colors.
Jiang Ling'er was enveloped and dizzy by the light, standing there stunned for a long time, her voice still a little hoarse:
"...No one has ever told me this before."
Pei Xuan said the same thing again: "Now you know."
Jiang Ling'er's long eyelashes, like dense water plants, trembled, and in the instant they opened slightly, colorful light fell into her clear almond-shaped eyes.
Pei Xuan finished speaking and meticulously shook off the remaining snow from his clothes. Suddenly remembering something, he raised his eyes and asked, "By the way, what were you going to say?"
Jiang Ling'er was stunned for a long time before she came to her senses: "...What?"
It was only later that she realized the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) and this guy were probably not just casual acquaintances.
Their relationship was probably deeper than she imagined.
Pei Xuan paused, noticing Jiang Ling'er's obvious absent-mindedness, and sighed softly, "...Never mind."
While chatting and laughing, they had unknowingly arrived at the mountain gate.
Pei Xuan glanced at the path behind Jiang Ling'er, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said seemingly casually:
"This isn't the road to becoming the world's number one escort. Where are you headed?"
“Tell Uncle Shui…” Jiang Ling’er answered subconsciously, then abruptly stopped, almost biting her tongue. She hadn’t forgotten that she and this guy didn’t get along, even though he had just… kindly given her some pointers. Then, with a sour face, she said, “It’s none of your business.”
Upon hearing this, Pei Xuan chuckled softly, seemingly puzzled, and turned to leave.
The young Taoist priest, who had been so persistent just moments before, was now acting decisively and unexpectedly, displaying two completely different sides. Jiang Ling'er was bewildered.
Finally, unable to resist the urge any longer, he stepped forward and asked:
"where did you go?"
The young Taoist priest didn't even turn his head:
"Sharpening the knife."
Jiang Ling'er was stunned upon hearing this:
"Why?"
The young Taoist priest glanced at her sideways and said, "Didn't you hear rust?"
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Jiang Ling'er choked, subconsciously glancing at the long sword hanging at his waist. She thought to herself that she had thought he was really as carefree and heartless as he appeared, but it turned out that he had heard every word the two young Taoists said.
Of course, this also reached Jiang Ling'er's ears.
She was genuinely curious about what had happened six years ago. According to Zhang Liangxiang, the thirty-two boys who had hidden the Crown Prince were divided into four groups. Since Yang Dalang knew about the Little Immortal, then Yang Dalang's group must be Pei Xuan's group. According to the two young Taoist priests, their group was attacked by Shui Rong and Huo Wu, two of the seven assassins of the Demonic Sect. Of the Seven Sons of Lingxiao, only Pei Xuan survived by chance... What exactly happened back then?
Jiang Ling'er asked what was on her mind.
Upon hearing this, the young Taoist priest finally stopped.
He turned around, crossed his arms, and glanced at her: "You really want to know?"
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Jiang Ling'er gritted her teeth, took a few deep breaths, and then suddenly turned her head away: "...Fine, don't tell me then."
"secret."
Jiang Ling'er paused, then quickly turned around, her ears perked up: "What secret?"
The young Taoist priest, who had just been so agreeable and easy to talk to, suddenly turned into a dead man, completely unyielding.
"If you want to know, exchange it for information about Lian Sheng."
Jiang Ling'er immediately frowned, already impatient: "I told you I don't know you..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was abruptly interrupted by a cold voice: "Then find it."
Having grown accustomed to the young Taoist's frivolous and playful demeanor, this was the first time Jiang Ling'er had been rebuked by him. Her first reaction was to freeze in place, followed by a burst of anger. However, this fellow seemed even angrier than she was, almost to the point of rage.
He took a few steps closer, his height advantage giving him a commanding gaze as he stared down at her, almost aggressively, speaking each word with a sharp edge:
"Your father died because of him, and how many people in the镖门 (bodyguard agency) have lost their lives because of him? Don't you hate him?"
Every word was like a thorny, interrogative question. Under such scrutiny and in the cold north wind, Jiang Ling'er stood there, stunned.
In an instant, my back was soaked with sweat.
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Author's Note: ①② are from "Tracing the Footsteps of Ancient Sports Science". Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2024-04-04 20:02:18 and 2024-04-09 07:11:41!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Weiwan (7 bottles);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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