Chapter 25: Mountain Girl Is a Tiger

Jiang Ni seemed to have developed an obsession with watching vegetables and fruits grow, little by little. Whenever she had a moment, she would squat in the garden, staring intently. Her poor divine talisman dagger had to serve as both a hoe and a firewood knife. One night, under a clear sky, Xu Fengnian, with good intentions, went to fertilize the garden. However, he was spotted by the sleepless Jiang Ni, who, in a frenzy, chased him with the dagger across half the mountain. For the next few days, Xu Fengnian didn't dare return to the hut, surviving on roasted wild game for every meal. Initially, Hong Xixiang hesitated to join in the feast of meat, but eventually, his cravings got the better of him. Once he started, there was no stopping him; whenever he saw the prince, he would wink and grinningly ask what they had caught that day. This behavior was a stark contrast to the strict monastic rules of the mountain.

Xu Fengnian greatly admired his own patience in enduring the constant chatter of the cow-riding man, who buzzed in his ear like a gadfly on the backside of that green ox.

Having brought hundreds of books up the mountain, Xu Fengnian certainly wasn't aiming to become a mere walking bookshelf. When he encountered something he didn't understand, he would grab Hong Xixiang to explain it. The most fascinating aspect was discovering that many seemingly unsolvable advanced techniques often had counter-methods detailed in other secret manuals. These contradictions, which required patient searching, benefited Xu Fengnian the most. While it was hard to say how skilled the prince's swordplay had become, his insight had certainly ascended to a new level. During this period, Xu Fengnian took out "The Great Bear Combat Techniques," a long-lost martial arts manual, to use for physical training. Its moves were simple yet fierce and domineering, aiming for a single fatal strike. He also requested an unnamed boxing style from Wudang, which leaned towards softness and fluidity. Xu Fengnian initially disliked it, but Hong Xixiang shamelessly championed it, praising it to the heavens, almost declaring it the best under heaven. At first, Xu Fengnian remained unconvinced. The parched-throat Senior Martial Uncle had to put on a show-stopping performance, so impressive that even Xu Fengnian had to admit he was truly astonished. The cow-rider plucked a handful of bamboo leaves, scattered them casually in a strong wind, then moved with the leaves, extending a palm. Xu Fengnian watched him sway like a drunkard, seemingly "randomly jumping about," yet he managed to gather all the bamboo leaves back into his palm.

Chewing on a wild pheasant leg, Xu Fengnian, who had the boxing manual but still couldn't grasp its essence, finally had to ask, "The more I practice this boxing style, the more it feels like something women play with. You're not deliberately tricking me, are you?"

The Senior Martial Uncle, whose mouth was full from eating, wiped his greasy lips and formally declared, "How would this humble Taoist dare to deceive Your Royal Highness!"

Xu Fengnian asked suspiciously, "Who created this boxing style?"

The Senior Martial Uncle's eyes darted around. Gulping down a large mouthful of pheasant meat, he gave a dry chuckle and said, "Your Royal Highness, I mustn't delay your sword practice. I need to go tend to the ox."

Xu Fengnian pressed his scabbard onto Hong Xixiang's shoulder and sneered, "If you don't tell me, I'll make you throw up everything you've eaten."

The Senior Martial Uncle said mysteriously, "This humble Taoist stumbled upon it by chance on the top floor of Xuan Yue Palace. Its age is immense and untraceable, so it must be the culmination of efforts from a true master of ancient times."

Xu Fengnian put away his sword, focused his qi in his lower abdomen, and, following the boxing style, traced six consecutive circles in the air, one inside the other, looking quite proper. Yet, he still felt his movements were miles away from the cow-rider's wrist-flicking performance in the bamboo grove that day; not only was it far from being as fluid, but even the form was merely passable. The Senior Martial Uncle, busy leading the green ox away, glanced at Xu Fengnian's stance, nodded slightly, and smiled brightly. "This set of boxing forms is derived by reverse-deducing from Bagua to Sixiang, Sancai, and then to Liangyi, though it's still far from Taiji and Wuji. Your Royal Highness's technique is already remarkably nimble and fluid, with controlled opening and closing movements, which is extremely difficult. You're much faster than I was at your stage. There are just a few minor flaws that need correcting. If 'The Great Bear Combat Techniques' is a method of crushing a thousand pounds with ten thousand pounds of force, then this boxing style is a clever trick of deflecting a thousand pounds with a mere ounce. When practicing, Your Royal Highness must remember one point: 'punching in a cow's sleeping spot,' seeking smallness, not largeness, seeking stillness, not movement. Only then can you grasp the wonder of creating myriad things from one, reaching the pinnacle where not a single feather can be added, not a fly can alight, where a falling leaf signals autumn, and a sprouting bud signals spring."

Xu Fengnian mulled over the explanation, then sneered, "Only the 'punching in a cow's sleeping spot' part seems useful. The rest is just nonsense."

Hong Xixiang chuckled, offering no rebuttal.

Xu Fengnian squinted and smiled, "Cow-rider, since you love eating meat so much, and there are so many yellow cranes on this mountain, why don't you trick one down for us?"

Hong Xixiang gave a dry chuckle. "Oh no, absolutely not. The immortal cranes of Wudang are spiritual beings, and they were my childhood playmates. Killing them would be more painful than killing myself."

Xu Fengnian joked, "Can you ride on a crane's back and show off? Isn't there a Taoist legend of immortals ascending to heaven by riding cranes?"

Hong Xixiang shook his head. "I've never considered that. I've been afraid of heights since I was a child."

Xu Fengnian said disdainfully, "Afraid to go down the mountain, afraid of heights, afraid of women... Is there anything you're not afraid of?"

Hong Xixiang sighed heavily, his face etched with worry.

The cow-rider suddenly perked up his ears and said cautiously, "Your Royal Highness, I'll go get the ox first. You'd best return to the hut and take a look."

Xu Fengnian tightened his grip on his Embroidered Winter saber and sprinted back. Who on this mountain would be audacious enough to cause him trouble? If by chance there was someone, they certainly wouldn't be ordinary. Upon seeing the hut, Xu Fengnian abruptly stopped, then moved slowly through the bamboo grove. Outside the hut stood three unfamiliar, uninvited guests. They were not wearing Wudang's coarse linen or silk Taoist robes. The central figure was a delicate young master, dressed in opulent and beautiful clothes. Xu Fengnian, deeply familiar with the habits of the wealthy elite, could tell at a glance the extent of their family's immense riches. The Shu embroidery on this young man's attire was exquisitely crafted, a rare item virtually priceless in the market, but that was secondary. In his hands, he was casually tossing two luminous pearls of exceptional quality, renowned as Dragon Pearls and Phoenix Eyes. Each was a top-tier collectible, and finding a pair was even more incredibly difficult, akin to imperial tribute items.

Beside the arrogant young master stood two middle-aged men. One was exceptionally burly with a thick waist, possessing the classic fierce features of a "swallow-jaw, tiger-beard, leopard-head, and ringed-eyes." Xu Fengnian's assessment was that this man looked like he could ward off ghosts and evil spirits. This large man carried ancient twin sabers, one long and one short, at his waist, and he stood slightly further back. The other man, pale, beardless, and somber, stood closer to the young master. He was slightly bent at the waist, with his hands clasped behind his back, wearing a plain white robe, always giving off the chilling impression of a silver-ringed snake.

Jiang Ni stood in the vegetable garden, her eyes red, glaring intently at the three men. She had bitten her lips until they bled. A five-fingered handprint, red and swollen, marred her delicate cheek.

Her meticulously cultivated vegetable garden had been completely destroyed. Wooden trellises were toppled, young seedlings were snapped, and the ground was practically turned upside down.

Even when the prince had merely watered and fertilized the garden with good intentions, Jiang Ni had chased him relentlessly. Given the devastation of the garden, she must have fought desperately, but her opponents were numerous, powerful, and utterly ruthless, so she suffered a silent loss. Perhaps in Jiang Ni's eyes, the Prince of Northern Liang's Residence was a luxurious yet desolate birdcage, but apart from the prince, who was "raising the bird," who would dare to dictate to her? Let alone slap her across the face.

Xu Fengnian, his hands wrapped in cloth and gripping his saber, his face as still as water, walked barefoot directly towards the three men.

*Jiang Ni, I may torment her, but you cannot!**I don't care who your parents are!*

The suave young master, whose nose was dotted with fine freckles, slightly tilted his head. He glanced at Xu Fengnian approaching him, a look of disdain on his face. When his gaze fell upon the Embroidered Winter saber in Xu Fengnian's left hand, he slowly said, "Oh, that's a beautiful saber. I like it very much. Go, break his hands. The saber is mine."

Upon hearing this, the burly man looked at Xu Fengnian, a hint of pity in his eyes.

From start to finish, Xu Fengnian did not utter a single word.

When ten paces from the burly man, Xu Fengnian suddenly lunged forward. The Embroidered Winter saber flashed from its sheath, and three paces later, he unleashed an incredibly crisp and clean strike, whistling through the air like a gust of wind.

The burly man, who had not originally intended to draw his saber, had his brass-bell-like eyes gleam with a sharp light. Without anyone seeing how he drew it, the short saber from his left hip had already parried Xu Fengnian's fierce strike.

The hilt of the short saber was wrapped in gold and silver thread; it was exquisitely crafted, an excellent weapon specifically designed for foot combat.

When the edge of Xu Fengnian's saber was blocked, he did not simply rely on brute strength. Instead, he used the rebounding force to carve a stunning large arc, his body turning with the movement, and instantly unleashed a second, sweeping strike.

The massive, burly man showed a hint of surprise, quickly abandoning any thoughts of underestimating his opponent. He took half a step back with his right foot, swung his left arm in a wide wheel, and chopped down through the air. This was no longer a defensive stance; he intended to use his innate divine strength to crush everything in his path, to sweep the young man with the saber away, rendering him unable to lift his weapon ever again.

Xu Fengnian, who had long been taught by the white-haired old master when to build up and when to retract force, deftly avoided the saber's edge. He suddenly unleashed a hidden three-tenths of extra power, moving almost as fast as the twin-saber wielder could draw his weapon. In a flash, he narrowly dodged the big man's wild, brutal swing. Xu Fengnian, either intentionally or subconsciously, incorporated the cow-rider's boxing style into his saber technique. His body spun like a top, circle after circle, his speed increasing rather than decreasing. Combined with his self-taught "rolling saber" technique, his movements became utterly seamless. In the face of the imminent danger, he instantly erupted into a state he had never before reached, truly achieving a fluid, continuous flow of qi. Xu Fengnian's breathing remained steady and calm, such that his second sweeping strike with the Embroidered Winter saber far surpassed the first in power.

The man, whose strike had missed, glared, his eyes wide with anger. This young man, he thought, didn't know his place, rushing recklessly into danger. His single saber technique was strange, and his angles were cunning; it was truly rare for someone his age, a pity to waste such talent. Finally enraged, though he still hadn't drawn the long saber from his right hip, his left short saber began to move without holding back. With a sudden creak from his wrist, the saber blade abruptly flicked upwards, as if pulling a great whale from the East Sea, and slammed violently into the exceptionally bright edge of the Embroidered Winter saber. Xu Fengnian's mind inexplicably flashed back to the phrase "not a single feather can be added, not a fly can alight." Instinctively, he retreated with all his might, his feet tracing a series of disordered small arcs, finally managing to steady himself.

He swallowed a mouthful of fresh blood, yet the Embroidered Winter saber in his hand remained perfectly steady.

The twin-saber wielder was in no hurry to pursue, standing firm and unmoving.

The young master, who had declared he would break Xu Fengnian's hands, began whispering with the beardless man beside him.

Xu Fengnian, whose left hand was covered in fresh blood, unexpectedly picked up his saber's scabbard. Was he afraid of being at a disadvantage facing twin sabers with only one?

The former Eastern Yue royal, witnessing this, gave a cold sneer.

Xu Fengnian once again charged recklessly, his "rolling saber" technique accumulating force like a snowball, fully showcasing the achievements of half a year's practice. The former Eastern Yue royal, like a lingering lone spirit, effortlessly countered each of Xu Fengnian's unconventional moves. He deliberately waited for the precise moment Xu Fengnian's qi had to shift, intending to deliver a fatal blow. This torture was like holding a saber to someone's throat but forbidding them to breathe. The instant his qi was depleted in his dantian, Xu Fengnian endured his opponent's powerful, heavy diagonal slash. At the same time, he flung the saber scabbard in his left hand with extraordinary force, launching it like an arrow directly towards the young master's chest. The Eastern Yue saber expert's eyelid twitched. Violating a major taboo of combat, he turned his head to ensure that the damned projectile would not cause irreversible consequences.

This would have been Xu Fengnian's prime opportunity to injure his opponent, but the moment his peripheral vision caught the big man's right hand making a slight movement, Xu Fengnian knew something was wrong. He forcibly suppressed the impulse to take an opportunistic strike and retreated further and further. Indeed, as the former Eastern Yue royal turned his head, the Jian Dang Barbarian Saber was already drawn from its sheath, and a two-foot-deep crack appeared in the muddy ground in front of Xu Fengnian.

It was a shocking sight.

Xu Fengnian seized the moment, not only to adjust his qi flow but also to glance at the Embroidered Winter saber's scabbard.

He saw the pale man in the white robe extend an arm, lightly catching the scabbard that Xu Fengnian had thrown with such certainty of striking its target.

The young master, whether entirely oblivious to the danger or possessing a natural composure befitting a great commander, laughed heartily. "You, a mere embroidered pillow, with such petty tricks, think you can kill me? Aren't you afraid of making a fool of yourself? Do you even know who these two men before you are?!"

Seeing that the Eastern Yue saber expert showed no intention of drawing his weapon, Xu Fengnian finally had the chance to scrutinize the young master, whom he had previously only noticed for a few freckles. Understanding dawned on him instantly, and he smiled, saying, "My dear young lady, why don't you tell me? Let's see if you can truly scare me."

The young master's face flushed crimson. He kicked the pale middle-aged man beside him and shrieked, "Kill him!"

The man finally spoke, his voice sharp and grating, neither distinctly masculine nor feminine. "You're seeking death," he said.

Without a visible movement from him, the Embroidered Winter saber's scabbard shot towards Xu Fengnian's neck with the force of a thunderclap.

The Eastern Yue saber expert, who was standing in front of Xu Fengnian, merely shifted his weight to the balls of his feet, clearing the path.

Had he not moved, he would have been the first to be pierced through, leaving a gaping hole.

Xu Fengnian closed his eyes, not in resignation, but in a gamble with his life.

A sudden gust of wind erupted. The countless towering green bamboos in the prince's grove all bent towards the group, forming a bowing posture, just like the eighty-one peaks bowing to the Great Peak. It seemed as though the very workings of heaven were being influenced.

An old Taoist floated out, possessing an indescribable immortal bearing.

He casually "scooped up" the scabbard. After settling, he lightly released it, and it perfectly sheathed the Embroidered Winter saber in Xu Fengnian's hand.

The old Taoist stood serenely by Xu Fengnian's side.

The person disguised as a young master, whose female identity Xu Fengnian had already discerned, again kicked the man who had thrown the scabbard and cursed, "Worthless thing! Kill them, kill them all for this princess!"

Hidden in the bamboo grove, the young Senior Martial Uncle sighed with emotion. "This mountain truly cannot be descended from," he murmured. "The women down there are all tigresses!"