I began to understand the myriad things by chopping wood

Chapter 212: Second Transformation of Qi and Blood
The cold winter has passed, and flowers are blooming everywhere in the mountains.

Different from the uneven scene of "the flowers on earth are gone in April, and the peach blossoms in the mountain temple are just beginning to bloom", due to the concentration of spiritual energy, the climate on Yunshan Mountain is generally more similar to the pleasant climate at the foot of the mountain, and even a little more pleasant.

In the mountains where it is spring all year round, when the real spring comes, the mountains and fields are full of blooming flowers, which is a breathtaking sight.

However, when practicing in a sect, one must not be too gaudy. The mountains where the Sword Sect is located have undergone years of tidying up and selecting, and are mostly dominated by fresh and pleasant pear blossoms, white magnolias, etc., with occasional oleanders and purple-leaf plums as embellishments. The overall look is white but not plain, and it is solemn yet lively.

Ruyun Peak is covered with thick clouds, and the sun is rarely seen all year round. There are fewer flowers, but it is full of green and vitality everywhere, and you can tell that spring has arrived at the first glance.

Xie Yuan opened the gate of the small courtyard on the cliff, and as far as the eye could see was a thousand-foot cliff. In the drifting white mist, occasional glimpses of green mountains and fields of mountain flowers made one feel broad-minded.

With such a magnificent scenery, whenever Xie Yuan felt tired from practicing, he would just open the door and take a look, and he would feel relaxed and refreshed, and all his tiredness would disappear.

The location of the house can probably reflect each person's personality. Of the four people who entered the inner gate from the outer gate, Lin Cheng chose a small courtyard on a flat meadow at the back, while Lin Zhen chose a small house by the stream further back. This was probably because they were born in wealthy families and were peaceful in nature despite the great changes they had experienced. Pei Yu chose a place with strange scenery among the rocks and few people, which was in line with his aloof and lonely personality.

As for Xie Yuan, he chose to live directly on the edge of the cliff. Living by the abyss, he overlooks the mountains and valleys every day, which really helps him to increase his courage when practicing martial arts.

This choice was somewhat inconsistent with Zhang Shan's simple and honest character, but naturally no one noticed such a small detail. Even if they noticed it now, Xie Yuan would not care much.

"A few months have passed, and it seems that everything that happened on Jianfeng has been forgotten. Everyone is busy with their own practice, and no one mentions it, so who has the time to care about other people's anecdotes."

Xie Yuan pondered.

As the saying goes, maturity means understanding that 99% of the things you do are of no concern to others.

Even though he caused a huge uproar in the sect at the time, due to the intentional or unintentional neglect from the higher-ups, gradually no one mentioned it anymore.

Now, Xie Yuan is just an ordinary disciple of the inner sect. He signs in every day to practice martial arts, but no master is interested in him anymore.

A month ago, some people were whispering about this, wondering why the Grand Master came all the way but didn't take him away. But no one could explain why. People talked about Xie Yuan behind his back, made fun of him, or ridiculed him. As time went by, the matter was gradually forgotten.

Whether the disciples paid attention or not was secondary. The elders didn't seem to treat him as a special one anymore, which made Xie Yuan feel relieved.

"I don't know if those elders went to the sect master to argue, but they all exposed his dirty laundry. It seems that the sect master was not an easy person to deal with in the past... Maybe an easy person can't become the sect master. But since then, everything has been back to normal. Everyone really treats it as if nothing happened."

Xie Yuan didn't know whether Li Xingtuo had explained anything to the elders, or whether everyone had reached a consensus. However, at the moment, he was indeed just an inner sect disciple, harmless, honest and dutiful, and the master could rest assured.

And Xie Yuan himself was also relieved.

In this situation, he finally calmed down and devoted himself to hard training and self-improvement. With what he gained from the pagoda, after this winter, his cultivation progress was as rapid as the wind under the cliff.

Blood Ganoderma Lucidum is worthy of the title of a holy blood tonic, and Mountain King Ganoderma is also the king of mountain ginsengs. These two precious medicines, together with other miscellaneous gains, will comprehensively advance Xie Yuan's progress in martial arts.

The most fundamental thing, of course, is that the Golden Bell Cover is about to break through to the fifth level, which represents the second level of Qi and blood transformation.

[Golden Bell Cover·Fourth Level: (4960/5000)]

If you practice hard behind closed doors, you will be able to make a breakthrough in no more than three days.

Xie Yuan had been practicing hard behind closed doors for days, and now he went out just to get some fresh air and get rid of his fatigue.

"Junior Brother Zhang!"

A familiar voice called out from behind. Xie Yuan knew without turning around that it must be Lin Cheng who was practicing sword skills on the lawn behind him and came to greet him when he saw him.

As expected, Lin Cheng ran down from the lawn, smiling and waving his hands:

"Junior Brother Zhang, you are tired from practicing, so why come out to get some fresh air?"

Just like Xie Yuan had been practicing martial arts in the courtyard for the past few months and then going out for fresh air, Lin Cheng also used almost every minute to practice swordsmanship on the lawn in front of the door. Therefore, whenever Xie Yuan went out, he could almost always see him.

Lin Cheng walked to the edge of the cliff and stood side by side with Xie Yuan. Looking at the thousands of mountains below, he couldn't help chanting:
"You will be at the top of the mountain, and you will be able to see all the mountains and small mountains at a glance!"

Ruyun Peak is second only to the main peak among the Yunshan peaks and is higher than other peaks.

"Junior Brother Zhang, every time I see your aura in front of the gate, I think you have chosen a good position."

Lin Cheng sighed.

Xie Yuan smiled and said:
"Brother Lin, there's room on the other side. Why don't you move in if you like?"

Lin Cheng shook his head like a rattle:

"Forget it. If I practice sword skills here, I'm afraid the mountain wind will blow me down... Well, it's not impossible. Maybe I can find a cave ruin down there and inherit the skills from a master. This has always been a classic plot in storytelling."

Xie Yuan smiled. To be honest, he was indeed curious in his spare time. He went down the cliff in front of him to take a look as if he was practicing the Cloud Dragon Step.

The Yunlong Step is extremely exquisite. Not to mention that the ground below is not a cliff, even the thousand-foot-high peak of the main peak can be climbed.

However, after strolling a few times and descending dozens of feet, I saw a lot of beautiful scenery, but I didn't find any relics or secret treasures. I guess that even if there are relics left by the predecessors here, they are not easy to find.

"Brother Lin, you are almost at the threshold of the transformation of Qi and blood, are you still afraid of this mere mountain wind?"

It has to be said that the world is a marvelous place. After one year in the sect, even Lin Cheng is about to reach the stage of Qi and Blood Transformation... Xie Yuan didn't mean to look down on him.

However, considering his talent that was difficult to obtain admission into the sect at the beginning, no one could have imagined that he would reach this level within a year.

Sometimes, when it comes to a person’s destiny, we have to consider both personal struggle and the course of history... Well, the name of this historical process is Xie Yuan.

Lin Cheng smiled and said:

"We are just touching the threshold, but we are still a long way from there."

Xie Yuan asked “curiously”:
"Brother Lin, with what you have gained in the pagoda, the Blood Dragon Pill is complete, it shouldn't be difficult to break through the Qi and Blood Transformation Realm, right?"

Not everyone has the opportunity to enter ancient ruins, and it is even rarer to enter unscathed, escape unscathed, and reap a bountiful harvest.

Such an achievement is enough to push an ordinary person to the Qi and Blood Transformation Realm, not to mention that Lin Cheng and his sister and others are already disciples of the Sword Sect with a foundation and their platform is already high.

Lin Cheng looked at the cliff with his hands behind his back and said calmly:

"If I take all my stock, I can indeed try to break through. But that would be too fast and not stable. Cultivation is not about who can walk faster, but who can walk farther. Sometimes it is better to walk more slowly so that you can walk more steadily."

While Xie Yuan was stunned, the mountain breeze blew Lin Cheng's sleeves backwards. Combined with his determined expression and philosophical words, he inexplicably felt that Lin Cheng was not the same as he knew him at the beginning.

While he was deep in thought, Lin Cheng turned around and laughed:
"Junior Brother Zhang, am I speaking in a masterly manner?"

Seeing that he had failed in an instant, Xie Yuan silently gave him a thumbs up:
"Brother, your opinion is brilliant. It really enlightens me."

Lin Cheng patted Xie Yuan and laughed:

"This is not what I thought of myself. My sister told me. She also relayed Elder Luo's opinion. Even among the elite disciples on Yaoyue Peak, many of them were not fully prepared for their breakthroughs before, which led to slow progress and stuck at the first level of Qi and Blood Transformation. This kind of thing is common in the sect, and it is also a major reason why the number of brothers and sisters in the second level of transformation is so small compared to before. Everyone who can break through is extraordinary. Hey, cultivation is really full of obstacles... Well, I digressed. My sister relayed this to me and told me not to rush. I thought it made sense, so I kept it in mind."

The number of warriors is like a pyramid, the higher the level of cultivation, the fewer there are. There are not too few people in the inner sect who have reached the first level of Qi and Blood Transformation, but the number of people in the second level of Qi and Blood Transformation has dropped sharply, and the number of people in the third level of Qi and Blood Transformation has even dropped. The more you go back, the harder it is. If you have the cultivation level of the second level of Qi and Blood Transformation, you can be a steward or something like that in the sect.

It turned out that Lin Cheng was the master who stole the master's words. Xie Yuan nodded. Lin Zhen has officially become Luo Shuang's disciple, and has been preparing to break through the Qi and Blood Transformation Realm recently. He has initially demonstrated his outstanding talent.

Thanks to this talented sister, Lin Cheng could occasionally hear some useful instructions from the master, which made his practice easier. In addition, since Lin Zhen was a direct disciple of Yaoyue Peak, his days in the inner sect were very comfortable.

The two siblings have established themselves firmly in the Yunshan Sword Sect, and their progress in cultivation is quite fast. Their start was much smoother than Xie Yuan's in the beginning.

However, everyone has their own destiny. Xie Yuan thought that in the early days, his talent might not be as good as Lin Cheng. It was only through his continuous improvement and successive encounters that he became what he is now.

He could have a fortuitous encounter, and so could the Lin brothers and sisters who joined the Sword Sect. Everyone had their own luck, so much so that Lin Zhen's realm seemed to be catching up with his - of course, it was just an appearance.

Xie Yuan could enter the second stage of Qi and Blood Transformation in a few days, and although Lin Zhen had a master, he would still need to hone his skills for a while before he could enter the Qi and Blood Transformation Stage. And to enter the second stage of Transformation, unless there was a great adventure, it would take at least several years of accumulation. Although they seemed to be at similar levels, the gap was actually getting bigger and bigger, and the gap was only a few years. Each level of the Transformation Stage was very far away.

You can have adventures, but the most important and unique talent is Xie Yuan’s own perseverance and hard work, and a little help from the golden finger.

"Junior Brother Zhang, you must remember what I just said. Don't be too hasty! Although you are still some distance away from the Qi and Blood Transformation Realm, remember it in your heart first."

Lin Cheng warned seriously.

I understand, Senior Brother Lin. I will try my best to advance steadily to the Second Transformation Realm...

Seeing Lin Cheng's earnest concern, Xie Yuan put away his joking thoughts and said seriously:
"I understand, Brother Lin."

A few days later.

[Golden Bell Cover·Fourth Level: (4995/5000)]

Feeling the blood and energy in his body surging, it seemed to have reached a limit, and Xie Yuan began his last practice in the first stage of Qi and Blood Transformation.

Xie Yuan sat cross-legged on the couch in the room, with his five hearts facing the sky, like a cross-legged arhat.

The pure energy and blood in his body were thick and surging, flowing continuously along the trajectory of the Golden Bell Cover, constantly strengthening his physique and defense, and enhancing the golden light that protected his body.

4995…4997…5000.

Half a day passed, and the energy in his body increased little by little. The numbers in front of him also increased little by little, and finally crossed the 5000 mark.

[Golden Bell Cover·Fifth Level: (1/10000)]

Xie Yuan suddenly felt that he had crossed an invisible boundary. His body shook and his blood surged like a roar, rushing through his meridians.

Looking from the surface of his body, even with the naked eye one could see his veins bulging out, constantly throbbing like snakes, with a terrifying aura.

Xie Yuan's skin turned red, his muscles swelled, and he looked bigger.

The muscles under the skin kept spasming and trembling for a whole stick of incense before the movement gradually stopped and the blood color on the body gradually faded.

Xie Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, revealing an intimidating aura, and then he slowly calmed down.

He waved his hand, feeling the enormous force contained in the casual blow, and sighed:
"It is true that every change is a mountain of change, and every breakthrough is a transformation."

Xie Yuan felt as if he had gone through the transformation process from external training to the first level of Qi and blood transformation again. His physical fitness increased dramatically again, and his strength and speed were on a different level from before. He could crush anyone in a competition.

With such a huge improvement in physical fitness, the upper limit of blood and qi in the body has expanded again, and the middle dantian that stores blood and qi seems to have become vaster.

Seeing that the breakthrough points for the next level have doubled directly, not to mention that the fifth level of the Golden Bell Cover itself is even more difficult to practice, it seems that practicing is not as simple as doubling.

but……

Xie Yuan waved his hand slightly, and a brilliant golden light suddenly appeared around him, like a big bell that was knocked down, covering him.

The golden light is dazzling, steady and firm, revealing a sense of indestructibility that makes people feel at ease just by looking at it.

Xie Yuan stretched out his finger and flicked it lightly. The golden light spread out like water waves, causing slight ripples. The sound of a bell rang in the room. The sound of the Buddha was heavy and the lingering sound was long. The small courtyard on the cliff seemed to have turned into a Buddhist temple.

He withdrew his hand, and the golden light immediately retracted and shrank, covering his skin and becoming invisible.

However, if you look closely, you can seem to see a golden glow on his skin, which is inexplicably sacred and almost awe-inspiring. If it weren't for his thick hair, you would immediately call him a master.

"If it can be placed outside the body, this Golden Bell Cover can be said to have reached the level of mastery, and its defensive power will be greatly increased."

Xie Yuan smiled with satisfaction. Just now, with a brief estimation, he knew that the defense of the Golden Bell Cover was amazing. If an enemy of the same level wanted to break it, it would probably take some effort. By the time the opponent had thought of a way, Xie Yuan would have already attacked with his long sword or axe. The goal of standing still first and then dealing damage, which he had set since the beginning of his martial arts training, was now perfectly achieved.

The characteristic of the second transformation state of Qi and blood is that the Qi energy is condensed like substance, emanating from the body, and its power is unpredictable.

Xie Yuan's heart moved, he picked up the sword and walked to the yard. He exerted force and a golden sword light over a foot long suddenly spit out from the sword, like a burning golden flame, expelling demons and cleansing evil with astonishing power.

However, the sword light could not last long. Xie Yuan only activated it for a short while before he felt he could no longer control it and wanted to strike it out. He retracted his sword and the sword light, and breathed a sigh of relief:

"The power of the sword is indeed extraordinary! If I learn the unique trick to trigger it, it will be like Senior Sister Ning Zi's attack that pierced the sun, and it will be impossible to resist."

He didn't dare to try it here easily, otherwise if the courtyard wall collapsed or something, it would be difficult to explain.

But even without the experiment, the light that just came out from the sword tip was enough to demonstrate its power, at least increasing the sword's lethality by 30%.

The sword aura is already so powerful, how powerful will it be when the sword aura reaches the third level of Qi and Blood Transformation? The sword aura can be stimulated stably, and it is extremely dangerous when it is used in conjunction with sword moves. Recalling the battle between the two sects when they discussed sword skills, Xie Yuan was looking forward to it.

Xie Yuan tried to stimulate the sword light with the health-preserving technique again, and the sword light that came out was a green sword light, which looked peaceful and pure, but contained great power. The external and internal skills had different feelings, and now it looked much more low-key than the golden flame. It was a pity that the cultivation of the sword energy technique was not enough to stimulate the sword light.

After testing his strength after the breakthrough, Xie Yuan was satisfied. After two transformations, he was not far from the ultimate human body, only the last one was left.

"With a progress of 10,000 points, two and a half years of practice should be enough. At that time, he was only 20 years old, and he was already a warrior at the third level of Qi and Blood Transformation. I think he was not weaker than others in any way."

[Chopping wood: (7761/100000)]

[Golden Bell Cover·Fifth Level: (1/10000)]

【Health-preserving Exercises·Fifth Level】

[Bagua Mountain Shaking Fist·Minor Achievement: (588/3000)]

[Moon-Slashing Axe: Minor Skill: (739/3000)]

[Heavenly Hidden Technique·Minor Achievement: (3017/5000)]

[Black Book: (107/1000)]

[Cloud Dragon Step·Mastery: (196/2000)]

【Running Wolf Sword Technique·Perfection】

【Yunshan Sword Style·Perfection】

[Cloud Dragon Nine Styles·Minor Achievement: (563/5000)]

[Yunshan Sword Qi Jue·Fourth Level: (899/2000)]

[Cloud-Entering Sword Technique·Mastery: (18/2000)]

All the hard work over the days and months, plus the gains from the pagoda ruins, were digested and applied to himself, and finally green buds sprouted, and then blossomed and bore fruit.

The Golden Bell Cover successfully advanced to the fifth level, turning him into a genuine Qi and Blood Second Transformation Realm warrior. His basic strength had just been tested and was far superior to his previous levels.

The health-preserving technique has also reached the fifth level. This wonderful Taoist technique that silently supports the whole body and provides endless internal strength has finally broken through to the end, providing a great improvement in his strength.

It was a pity that the health-preserving skills passed down by the Taoist priest ended here. There was no more content behind the thin booklet. Without any hint, Xie Yuan's panel could not unlock the following areas. It seemed that there had to be a lead, just like the iron shirt and the golden bell cover, to have a chance to comprehend the following content. He even didn't know whether the skills that the Taoist priest had casually adapted would have a follow-up.

But even the current health-preserving skills are powerful enough, especially its unique effect of transforming all things, which can be developed into different uses. Xie Yuan's sword energy skills are not very high now. If he learns more advanced skills in the future, he may be able to make a quick breakthrough with health-preserving skills, or constantly replenish them during battle.

Even though Xie Yuan has been fully devoted to sword training in the Sword Sect recently, he has not completely given up advanced fighting styles such as the Eight Trigrams Mountain-Shaking Fist and the Moon-Chopping Axe, and has always maintained a considerable level of proficiency in them. He just no longer practices them primarily, but only as a means of attack.

Needless to say, the Tianyin Technique requires constant use and practice. No matter how advanced and difficult it is, it is still better than the Nine Styles of Yunlong, and the progress is constantly increasing.

Although he was very interested in the Black Book, on the one hand, he had been practicing hard in recent months and did not have much free time. On the other hand, he was being watched by Li Xingtuo and did not dare to run around. Therefore, he could only go to the sword cave every few days to get some fresh air. Although the progress was slow, it was better than nothing.

The Cloud Dragon Step also gradually reached the level of proficiency, which was not too low. With the blessing of this superb step, Xie Yuan's former shortcomings were now considered strengths among people of the same level.

The Nine Styles of Cloud Dragon were difficult, but they also improved slowly. This kind of master-level swordsmanship would be fine if it was not used, but once it was used, it would definitely kill with blood.

Then came the Yunshan Sword Qi Jue, which had already reached the fourth level. Together with the Yang Shen Gong, Xie Yuan's internal energy was now quite profound.

It's just that the health-preserving skills have reached the top, and the Sword Qi Jue is just an entry-level skill after all, and the level is not that high. Generally, the disciples of the Sword Sect have to switch to advanced internal skills later.

Xie Yuan’s internal strength is sufficient now, but if he wants to continue to improve, he has to put this matter on the agenda.

However, in the past few months in the inner sect, Lu Liangdong did nothing else except teaching him a new sword technique.

The Cloud Sword Art is the second level of swordsmanship of the Yunshan Sword Sect disciples above the Yunshan Sword Style. It is more powerful and higher in grade than the Yunshan Sword Style, and is considered quite good. Xie Yuan practiced casually and reached a proficient level. It can be regarded as a supplement to the swordsmanship, tempering the blood and energy realm, and indirectly promoting the breakthrough of cultivation.

But for him, who had already mastered the Nine Styles of Cloud Dragon, the sword skills that the inner disciples were happily practicing were nothing but useless to him.

"The next step is to find a way to learn an internal skill... Otherwise, if the blood and energy realm is raised, it will be like a long leg short when it reaches the third transformation realm, which will be extremely disadvantageous for future breakthroughs."

Xie Yuan nodded slightly, took note of the matter, and then sorted out all his efforts.

He suddenly discovered that his external skills were strong enough to make him invincible in the same realm, and his internal skills were one mellow and one sharp, which complemented each other. They were deep and long-lasting, and he had too many ways of fighting and killing to count on one hand. He had a variety of means, and he could use three kinds of weapons alone, which he could switch at will - and he had magical and ever-changing weapons, so the enemy would never be able to react in time during the battle.

Moreover, there are also the profound sword techniques such as Yunlong Jiushi that are overwhelming in the same realm, and the powerful weapon of sweeping thousands of troops, coupled with the body movements that are also the famous unique skills of the masters of the Flying Dragon Ranking...

Such configuration and strength can be called luxurious. Except for Situ Qin, whose inheritance is probably better than his own, other peers are expected to be unable to gather such a set of skills at this level!
Xie Yuan suddenly became curious. If he were to fight with those geniuses on the Hidden Dragon List, what would be the outcome?

Although I have just broken through the second level of transformation, I don’t think I will lose?

Xie Yuan let out a long breath, feeling a little emotional.

I guess I have a little bit of strength now.

After all, the second level of Qi and Blood transformation makes him an absolute expert in the martial arts world.

And if one can enter the Hidden Dragon List, he will be worthy of the title of a master.

Now I should be considered to have left the Novice Village, right?

After all, even Li Tai and Aunt Hong had set the second transformation of Qi and blood as a threshold for Situ Qin to go out and make her own way.

Xie Yuan nodded, recalling the previous agreement with Situ Qin, and felt a little excited.

He immediately wrote her a letter, informing her that he had made a breakthrough and would try to go down the mountain to meet her in a few days.

Another ten days passed, and Xie Yuan estimated that his realm had stabilized. The most important thing was that the fluctuations in his qi and blood caused by the breakthrough had subsided and should not be noticeable.

So he found Lu Liangdong, claiming that he wanted to go back to visit his relatives and asked for a long vacation of about half a month.

As an inner sect disciple, he still has this right, but Xie Yuan has sneaked down the mountain several times in the past few months to meet Situ Qin, and the frequency of visits to relatives is somewhat frequent. Seeing him coming again, Lu Liangdong said coldly:
"You need to ask the Sect Master for such a long vacation."

"Ah? I don't need to trouble you with this little matter, right?"

Xie Yuan was a little surprised and a little reluctant.

Li Xingtuo was unfathomable and he really didn't want to meet him.

As a result, Lu Liangdong dispelled his idea with just one sentence:

"I've already reported it, and he said that next time you ask for leave, just contact him directly."

...This inhuman old man.

Xie Yuan had no choice but to bid farewell to his old instructor, and then he went up to the main peak to ask for an audience with the sect leader.

Fortunately, the sect leader was diligent and conscientious, and he still spent his daytime in the study to handle sect affairs. Xie Yuan didn't have to wait for a while before he was summoned by this capable sect leader.

"I've met the sect master!"

Xie Yuan entered the large study and bowed, thinking to himself that it was a good thing that he waited ten days before asking for instructions for the sake of safety, otherwise Li Xingtuo would definitely see that the surge of energy and blood was a sign of a recent breakthrough.

Hearing Xie Yuan's greeting, Li Xingtuo raised his head from the desk, then buried his head in his review, and said casually:
"Breakthrough?"

"...I have gained a little from the Cloud-Entering Sword Technique."

Xie Yuan was silent for a moment, making his final effort.

There seemed to be a sneer coming from behind the desk, which made Xie Yuan's face hot.

Li Xingtuo put down his pen, looked at Xie Yuan for a few times, and said with a half-smile:

"Want to take a leave? Do you think it's almost time for you to go out into the world with your partner?"

"..."

Xie Yuan was completely silent.

Why does this guy seem to know everything?
Of course, I didn't hide the letter when I sent it, I just asked the errand disciple to deliver it, and anyone who was interested could find out where it was. But even such a small matter was known by Li Xingtuo, I don't know if he was paying too much attention to me, or if he actually had a clear view of the big and small things in the sect?
Could this Floating Light Sword be used to spy everywhere? A clan leader who particularly likes to stand at the back door and peek?

Thinking of the revelations of those masters, Xie Yuan couldn't help but feel a little suspicious.

However, he had a new understanding of Li Xingtuo's insight. Thinking of his previous self-righteous and self-willed cover-ups, which might have been seen through long ago, Xie Yuan couldn't help but tap his toes a few times.

Forget it, I’ll eat your food and use your things, and sooner or later I’ll learn all the skills of your sect, then we’ll be even!

Li Xingtuo laughed:
"Forget it. Our Yunshan Sword Sect is not a prison. If you want to take a leave, just ask for it. But how many days do you plan to take off? Where are you going to train? It's not peaceful outside right now."

Xie Yuan pondered for a moment and said:
"Master, I am going to take a leave of absence for half a month. My friend and I heard that women and children have been missing at the Yunyan border, and the impact is widespread, so we are going to investigate."

Li Xingtuo listened and nodded in appreciation:

"Very good! Helping the weak and punishing evil are exactly what we, the Sword Sect disciples, should do. You don't eat free meals here every day, making the kitchen staff at Ruyun Peak complain... Wait."

He seemed to remember something, flipped through the files next to him, took out a page and looked at it, frowning slightly:
"We had disciples investigate this matter, but... it seemed to be related to the local authorities, so we were unable to proceed."

Li Xingtuo pondered for a moment and said slowly:
"This matter involves a lot of people, and it may not be easy to investigate all at once. If you encounter any difficulties, don't act recklessly, just come back and ask for help. This matter may not be simple."

The implication is that this matter is somewhat complicated in Li Xingtuo's eyes, and he does not think that the two young people can sort out the myriad of issues and resolve it smoothly.

"Yes! Disciple accepts the order."

Xie Yuan bowed.

Li Xingtuo nodded and waved goodbye:

"Go ahead. But if you find out something, I'll give you a credit for your merit, and you can exchange it for advanced techniques or something."

He said it casually, but it made Xie Yuan pause again, and he retreated obediently.

Advanced skills… He had just learned the Cloud-Entering Sword Technique, so it was obviously not going to allow him to change his sword technique.

That could only be the Sword Sect's internal strength, the thing he had just listed as a target.

Why do I feel like I'm naked in front of Li Xingtuo, and my underwear has been seen through long ago...this old peeping Tom.

But I didn’t expect that I would receive an unexpected message just for asking for leave.

Before Xie Yuan's breakthrough, he and Situ Qin had set a goal for this trip together, which was mainly to pass by the Yunyan border and solve this major case of human trafficking.

Both Xie Yuan and Situ Qin hated the trafficking of women and children. They didn't expect that the reason why they couldn't handle it was actually related to the local government...

Xie Yuan nodded slightly, went back to pack up, informed Lin Cheng, and went down the mountain by himself.

It seems that there will never be a shortage of people in Yunzhou City. It is still crowded with people and traffic is always busy.

Xie Yuan walked to the tall alley with familiarity, entered the large house that took up half of the street, and was led by a maid to the waterside pavilion and the piano stage.

Before he even entered the water pavilion, Xie Yuan heard the melodious sound of a piano coming from inside. Every sound was as pleasant to the ears as heavenly music.

Xie Yuan stood at the entrance of the waterside pavilion and listened quietly for a while. When the song was over, he heard Situ Qin's smiling voice coming from inside:
"Thank you, Captain Escort. Why are you standing at the door and eavesdropping? Why don't you come in?"

Xie Yuan then walked into the waterside pavilion and clapped his hands, saying:

"I haven't seen you for a while, but Miss Qin's piano skills have improved. When she plays a piece, it's like being in a state of paralysis, unable to move. I'm so moved that I almost cry!"

"This flattery is too much, fight it back and do it again!"

Situ Qin sat on the railing facing the lake, giggling.

Today, Situ Qin was wearing a lake blue long dress with tiered hems that fell to the ground, making her look graceful and charming, revealing her beauty. Xie Yuan's heart was moved when he saw her.

Even her big eyes were still extremely lively. She looked at Xie Yuan with her black pupils, as if she had a lot to say. In the end, she curved her eyebrows and smiled.

Xie Yuan sat directly next to the zither and said:
"I have reached the second stage of Qi and Blood Transformation. When are we going to set off?"

"I got your letter and I'm ready."

Situ Qin gathered her hair and said in a strange tone:
"But I didn't expect you to be so quick..."

Xie Yuan coughed:
"To put it another way, rapid progress is better."

Situ Qin blinked and asked in confusion:
"What's the difference?"

"In the future you...haha, it's nothing. Isn't my cultivation not as fast as yours? You have already broken through."

Xie Yuan braked hard and turned abruptly.

Situ Qin shook his head and sighed:
“But my cultivation level was much higher than yours at first. I didn’t expect that you, Chief Xie, could actually catch up slowly, even though there’s still a little gap…”

Situ Qin's tone was one of surprise and admiration. She stretched out her slender little hand and made a little gesture with her index finger and thumb.

Xie Yuan felt quite proud when he heard the beautiful lady's praise, but he also understood that "a little bit" was just a humble statement. If Situ Qin really wanted to practice, his progress would not be slower than his.

"Since everything is ready, let's take a short rest and then set off?"

Xie Yuan asked Situ Qin for his opinion.

Situ Qin nodded her little head:

"Yeah."

Both of them had been looking forward to this first "trip" for a long time. Now that they were about to set off, they were both impatient. After a quick lunch, they each led a horse, left Yunzhou City, and headed northeast.

It was spring, and the two of them rode side by side along the way, reciting poems, appreciating the scenery, and pointing out the mountains and rivers, just like they were out for a flower-viewing outing, and they were very excited.

In fact, the scenery along the way was not necessarily good everywhere, but the two looked surprised and happy no matter where they went. Even a small pond could give them the scenery of a big lake. They only regretted that they could not go boating on it.

It was said that the two of them had secretly discussed changing their names two months ago, for example, calling each other brother and sister; however, when their birthdays were compared, they suddenly discovered that they were born in the same year, and Situ Qin was a few months older, which made her very angry - especially after Xie Yuan called her sister many times in a row, which made her sulky for a while.

As for other nicknames, the two thought about it, but they were too thin-skinned to call them out, so they finally called them as they were, which was more natural. The nicknames were just code names, and what was important was the two people's state of mind.

Besides, Xie Yuan is no longer the escort leader, and now the only one who calls him like that is Situ Qin, which can satisfy her little wish.

We enjoyed the spring scenery for several days along the way and arrived at the border between Yunzhou and Yanzhou, and a large county town here called Wuhe County.

The two men continued talking and were about to enter the city when they suddenly saw an old beggar lying on the ground begging by the side of the road, gasping for breath.

Situ Qin's eyes showed pity, and Xie Yuan also sighed. Seeing that the beggar was so old, he dismounted, took off his water bag and dry food, and handed them to the beggar, but did not give him any money.

The beggar said weakly:
"Thank you, sir."

After saying that, he picked up the water bag and started drinking it.

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin were both a little surprised. This beggar spoke so politely and even looked like a scholar?

He asked curiously:
"Old man, have you also read the words of the saints?"

"I am ashamed to say that I have read the words of the saints, the Three Classics and the Four Meanings. My surname is Fan, and I was a scholar before."

After drinking some water, the old beggar regained some energy and said with a bleak face.

Upon hearing this, Xie Yuan was even more surprised. A scholar also had achievements, so how could he end up in such a situation?

He asked as soon as he thought of it, but he didn't expect to hear Mr. Fan's answer:
"I used to be a teacher in the city, with a small amount of land. I had a daughter when I was old, and I loved her like a jewel in my palm. My life was quite comfortable...

"However, my little daughter went missing two years ago, and my first wife was so sad that she died of depression. I buried my wife and spent all my wealth to find my daughter, but found nothing. In the end, I could only wait at the city gate, hoping that I might run into her..."

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin looked at each other. They didn't expect to encounter such a thing before entering the city.

His mood became a little heavy, and his thoughts raced as he asked:

"Mr. Fan, do you have any information about how your daughter got lost or who kidnapped her?"

Fan Xiucai looked confused, and his cloudy eyes became moist:
"I don't know, I don't know! I just don't know. She disappeared in the blink of an eye. I don't know where she was taken..."

Seeing him like this, Xie Yuan sighed and asked tentatively:
"Mr. Fan, have you heard of any rumors about this from the local forces or government?"

"Government? Impossible!"

Fan Xiucai was stunned for a moment, and said firmly:
"I used to study in the same academy with County Magistrate Yao Zhizhang. After he learned about this, he wanted to help me. I didn't want to accept favors from others. Lord Yao is incorruptible and wholeheartedly serves the people. He also manages the local gangs and martial arts schools very well. I guess he is from Yanzhou!"

After Xie Yuan heard this, he found that there was no more information, so he shook his head secretly, gave Fan Xiucai some change, and said in a gentle voice:

"Mr. Fan, take the money and raise the child first. There is no rush. I will check for you."

"Ah? You? May I ask who the master is..."

Mr. Fan had a dazed look on his face.

"I do good things without leaving a name."

Xie Yuan shook his head, and he and Situ Qin led the horses into Wuhe County.

The two of them settled down in the inn first. Situ Qin frowned and asked:

"Thank you, Chief Escort. What do you mean? Where do you plan to start?"

When the two met Mr. Fan, they felt sad to see that their previously well-off family was broken up because of their missing daughter. They were immediately pulled away from the beautiful spring scenery and came to the melting pot of reality.

"Since the Sect Master has said that there is something wrong with the government here, of course we should go straight to their door."

Xie Yuan pondered for a moment and said:

"We will disguise ourselves as kind-hearted young disciples from small sects and go to the county government to explore the way!"

Situ Qin blinked and said:
"Getting straight to the point is a good idea!"

The two men went out hand in hand, walked to the gate of the county government office, and directly struck the drum for reporting, which immediately caused a commotion.

After a while.

"Who is here, and why are you beating the drum?"

The gaunt-faced county magistrate sat high on the platform, his expression serious and stern.

Xie Yuan cupped his hands and said:

"My name is Shi Yuan, this is my junior sister Xie Qing, we are from the Gongdao Sect in Nanshan County, Yunzhou."

When Situ Qin heard this, her pretty face turned red and she pinched him secretly.

"The Gate of Justice?"

County Magistrate Yao Zhizhang frowned and thought for a moment, then looked around and saw that everyone was shaking their heads. It seemed that this was a small sect he had never heard of.

The name is strange.

"So you are the disciples from Gongdao Sect. Why are you two beating the drums?"

Seeing that he was not a commoner, the county magistrate became much more friendly.

"I heard that many women and children in your county have gone missing. I couldn't bear it, so I came to ask you. I wonder if the county magistrate has any advice for me?"

Xie Yuan said loudly.

When Yao Zhizhang heard this, his expression changed slightly and he said in a deep voice:

"Mr. Shi, where did you hear that? Although this county is not without its problems, there hasn't been a criminal case for a long time, and no one has beaten this drum for a long time."

"Do I need to hear about it? People are talking about it everywhere in the city's taverns and teahouses. Three children have gone missing this month and their whereabouts are unknown. County Magistrate, is this true?"

Yao Zhizhang's face darkened and he snorted:
"I don't know what you mean. How come I haven't heard of it? Mr. Shi, the court is not a place for you to joke around. Don't make a fuss, or you will not be able to bear the consequences. Get out!"

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin were "escorted" out by a group of yamen runners. Looking back, they saw Yao Zhizhang's expressionless face behind the door that the yamen runners had not yet closed.

The two looked at each other and nodded in unison:

"There is indeed a problem."

"This Yao Zhizhang is basically threatening openly, and he's a bit arrogant. Could it be that he thinks our Gongdao Sect is not big enough? If I mentioned the Yunshan Sword Sect, I'm afraid he would be too polite."

Situ Qin pursed her lips and said:

"Although Yao Zhizhang has exposed some of his secrets, he won't take the challenge. What should we do now?"

Xie Yuan hesitated for a moment, and suddenly heard Situ Qin whisper:
"I just heard in the inn that the largest gang here is called the Wuhe Boat Gang. Logically speaking, if they are involved in human trafficking, this boat gang..."

Xie Yuan understood what he meant, and immediately played the Situ Qin, saying:
"Let's go check out the boat!"

Situ Qin was obediently held by his hand, and the two of them trotted all the way to the pier. Looking at the imposing three-story building next to the pier, they were discussing how to get in when Xie Yuan pulled Situ Qin into the alley next to it.

"Hey, what are you doing in this secluded place..."

Situ Qin was feeling a little nervous when she suddenly saw Xie Yuan's figure shake and he seemed to have become a different person.

Situ Qin blinked and felt that the person in front of him instantly turned into the county magistrate Yao Zhizhang. He was so scared that he was about to let go.

"Miss Qin, what are you doing!"

Xie Yuan smiled and showed his true face to her.

Situ Qin finally reacted and complained:

"I've grown old and not handsome anymore. I don't want to hold your hand!"

"Then I'll show you my true colors."

Xie Yuan smiled slightly, went to hold her hand, and used the Sky Hidden Technique to cover both of them. Only Situ Qin could see his true appearance.

With his current attainments in the art of Tianyin, these are just trifles.

Situ Qin was satisfied and said in a tender voice:
"Then remember this, and be like this from now on! Don't hide anything from me."

"no problem."

Xie Yuan laughed and said:

"Now that we're gone, it makes sense for the county magistrate to take his concubine to find the local gang leader!"

Seeing Situ Qin's eyebrows raised, Xie Yuan hurriedly pulled her, and the two of them got out of the alley and rushed into the Wuhe Boat Gang.

(End of this chapter)