Sword drawn from the constellations, poison as its edge.

Chapter 131 Little Uncle

Li Qingluo spoke with absolute certainty, and Jiang Mingzhe nodded in agreement, but a perfectly measured hint of disbelief appeared in his eyes.

This slight disbelief is quite significant—

If it's too much, then it becomes hypocrisy; if it's too little, Li Qingluo won't notice. The beauty lies in the fact that it's just the right amount, so that people can see through it without it seeming like she's looking down on someone. Instead, it's seen as a kind and understanding act of protection.

Jiang Mingzhe's success in the business world, his ability to thoroughly investigate and uncover hidden secrets, was all thanks to this one subtle glance.

Li Qingluo fell for the trap as expected and laughed, "Don't you believe me, little brother? Hehe, to be honest, the Murong family is not an outsider. My unlucky husband is the elder brother of the Murong family matriarch. The previous head of the Murong family, Murong Bo, has passed away. The current head of the family, Murong Fu, is my nephew and Yu Yan's cousin."

Jiang Mingzhe looked surprised and laughed, "What a coincidence! Well, since I've taken over the Murong family's banner, I'm not working for outsiders. To be honest, my original plan was to take advantage of any benefits and refuse any dangerous situations, aiming to only gain advantages and not suffer any losses..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Yuyan exclaimed urgently, "How could you do this?"

Li Qingluo, however, looked appreciative and nodded repeatedly.

Jiang Mingzhe laughed and said, "My dear niece, the world of martial arts is full of treacherous people. Apart from one's own sect or brothers who have shared life and death experiences, no one else can be trusted. Think about it, Yan Longyuan and I are not related, so why did he teach me fist and sword techniques so well? Is it because I was young, handsome, and exceptionally talented? Of course, that's part of the reason..."

Li Qingluo laughed out loud, pointed at Jiang Mingzhe, and said to Wang Yuyan, "I'll have him teach you, but don't learn his shameless ways."

Wang Yuyan couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh. She thought to herself, "We're all young people, so why is my cousin always so gloomy, while this guy seems to be having a great time? Everything he says becomes a funny joke. If only my cousin could be a little more cheerful and make me laugh, how wonderful that would be."
Jiang Mingzhe laughed with them for a while, then said seriously, "What the woman surnamed Yan really cares about is my master and the Xingxiu Sect!"

Wang Yuyan wasn't really stupid; she immediately realized, "Oh dear, he's trying to get through to you, to win over my grandfather and the Starry Sky Sect to his side."

Jiang Mingzhe gave a thumbs-up and praised, "I knew you were smart! You guessed it right away! Have you ever caught birds in winter?"

His praise and question were completely off-topic, and Wang Yuyan had no idea what the bird had to do with it. She glanced at her mother and shook her head blankly: "No, but I saw my cousin use a hidden weapon to shoot at a bird."

Jiang Mingzhe said, "Impressive! My Xingxiu Sect is also known for its hidden weapons, but unfortunately I haven't had time to learn them yet... Let me tell you about catching birds. In winter, when it snows heavily and the world is white, the birds have nowhere to eat. The bird catchers use a small stick to prop up one corner of a basket, scatter grains underneath, tie a rope to the stick, and when a bird goes in to eat, they pull the rope from a distance and catch the bird."

Wang Yuyan exclaimed, "That's so much fun! If you pull too slowly, the bird will fly away!"

Jiang Mingzhe said, "You're right. But think about it again. If the bird eats the grain and flies away before the bird catcher pulls the rope, it's eating the bird catcher's grain for nothing. Wouldn't that be considered unethical and unfair to the bird catcher?"

Wang Yuyan said seriously, "Of course not, that grain was originally... Oh, Uncle, I understand, you mean the old man's boxing and sword techniques that he taught you were actually the bird catcher's grain?"

She and Jiang Mingzhe felt closer as they chatted, and she blurted out the words "little uncle" without thinking.

Jiang Mingzhe smiled at Li Qingluo and said, "Sister, what do you think? I told you, how could your child be stupid? He understands everything immediately!"

Li Qingluo laughed and said, "I think you have the patience to coax a child. I don't have the mind to reason with her like this. Go on, you originally planned to only take advantage and not suffer any loss... Oh my, you truly deserve to be a disciple of the Xingxiu Sect, you have quite the style of my father!"

Jiang Mingzhe chuckled and said, "It's still a long way off. If I can learn even a tenth of my master's methods, it will be enough to dominate the martial arts world. If I can learn even a tenth of his wisdom, it will be more than enough to become an official in the imperial court. Although I only have one percent of his wisdom, it will be enough to deal with the Murong family! But since Sister Qingluo is the aunt of the current head of the Murong family, I shouldn't scheme against them. If they need help in the future, I will help them."

He winked at Wang Yuyan and said, "My dear niece, you're quite right to call me 'little uncle,' aren't you? Because of you, your cousin has gained a brave and capable general."

Wang Yuyan was radiant upon hearing this, feeling that she had done Murong Fu a great favor. She also felt a little guilty towards Jiang Mingzhe, since, according to him, he could have manipulated the Murong family at will, but he was willing to be the captured bird for her sake.

He couldn't help but hold his hands and say gratefully, "Uncle, you're so kind."

Li Qingluo, however, put on a serious expression and said, "Little brother, although the Murong family and my family are related, my relationship with my sister-in-law is not good. If you have the ability, you can help them, but please don't be foolish and rush into battle. You are one of us, and I won't hide anything from you. What the Murong family wants to do is almost wishful thinking. Don't go crazy with them."

Jiang Mingzhe also became serious and nodded, saying, "What you said is exactly what I find strange. I've heard a lot of news in the martial arts world. Many sect leaders and elders have died from their own ultimate moves. Heh, using their own methods against them. If it really was the Murong family who did it, what are they trying to achieve by making enemies on all sides?"

Li Qingluo said, "I do know a little about this matter. Ma Dayuan, the deputy leader of the Beggars' Sect, also died from his own signature move. Murong Fu is rushing to Luoyang to prove his innocence. He probably didn't do this. But I can tell you that the Murong family has huge ambitions. They are descendants of the former Yan royal family, and for generations they have been thinking about restoring the country and becoming emperor. Don't let them use you as a pawn."

Wang Yuyan cried out urgently, "Mom!"

Li Qingluo raised her eyebrows and scolded, "What? If I don't make this clear, your uncle, who is so chivalrous, might be taken advantage of by them, and then your grandfather will inevitably be implicated."

Jiang Mingzhe clapped his hands and exclaimed in surprise, "Sister Qingluo, your insight is no less than that of Zhuge Liang! That Yan fellow is probably planning just this. There are several countries in the world now, and the weakest one is Qing Tang Tubo. It just so happens that our Xingxiu Sect is located in its territory, and we are all experts in using poison. If we are well prepared, we can be equivalent to an army of 100,000!"

Li Qingluo nodded and said, "That's exactly right! You're young and righteous, but don't be so greedy as to risk your life for a little benefit. I think you should stick to your original idea of ​​only taking advantage and not suffering losses."

Jiang Mingzhe laughed and said, "Don't worry, Sister Qingluo. I'm not stupid. The Murong family is using other people's martial arts as a favor. They're not even as good as bird catchers. At least those birds have their own grain."

Li Qingluo laughed and said, "That's the right way to think. Besides, you're my little brother. How could you lack the time to practice and be greedy for their meager possessions? My Langhuan Jade Cave is much more luxurious than their Huanshi Water Pavilion. Are you full? If you are, come with your sister to broaden your horizons."

Jiang Mingzhe said with emotion, "Besides my master, Sister Qingluo is the one who treats me the best in the world." They ate and talked for a while, and by then the sky was completely dark.

The maids brought over a golden basin of clean water. The three of them washed their hands and wiped their mouths before getting up. Li Qingluo said, "Yuyan, you are most familiar with those secret manuals. Come with me to accompany your uncle."

Upon entering, they found more than ten maids waiting, each carrying a lantern. Li Qingluo and her daughter led Jiang Mingzhe through a series of winding paths, and after a short while, they arrived at an exquisite little building by the lake.

The maids opened the door and went up to light the lamps, and the building gradually brightened up, floor by floor.

After the maids came downstairs, Li Qingluo entered. Jiang Mingzhe followed her and her daughter in, only to find the building empty and devoid of any objects.

They then followed Li Qingluo to the second floor, which was much smaller than the small building. It had cabinets, tables and chairs, and writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones on the table, clearly a study.

Jiang Mingzhe looked at the bookshelf, where there were only seventeen or eighteen books scattered about. He thought to himself: Isn't this the Jade Cave of Langhuan? Otherwise, why would there only be these few books?
The thought had barely formed when Li Qingluo picked up the candlestick from the table, then reached out and pressed down on the inkstone, gently turning it. A clicking sound came from inside the wall, followed by a creak as the bookcase slid open, revealing a hole in the wall.

Jiang Mingzhe peered into the cave and saw a dark room filled with cabinets, stacked high. Each cabinet door was engraved with the four characters "Langhuan Jade Cave". Li Qingluo smiled and said, "Little brother, look, this is the most secret place of my Mantuo Manor. I dare not say that it has all the martial arts in the world, but to say that it has eight or nine out of ten is not an exaggeration."

He added, "Yu Yan knows this place much better than I do. She knows where to find any martial art you want to learn." With that, he handed the candlestick to Wang Yu Yan.

Wang Yuyan smiled and asked, "Uncle, what kind of martial arts do you want to learn?"

Jiang Mingzhe thought to himself, "Brilliant! The first golden finger of Tianlong has been activated!"

He quickly said, "My dear niece, it's like this. I once had a strange encounter. I saw an incredibly venomous toad battle an incredibly venomous centipede. The centipede was called the Flying Centipede King. I don't recognize the toad..."

Wang Yuyan exclaimed in surprise, "Uncle, isn't your wording a bit inaccurate? Think about it, if the toads and centipedes are all incredibly poisonous, then who can eat whom?"

Jiang Mingzhe laughed and said, "Since neither of them could eat the other, they fought to the death, which is how I got the benefit. I swallowed their inner cores and gained sixty years' worth of internal energy for nothing. Therefore, the martial arts I need most are those that can make full use of my internal energy advantage."

The plot of monsters fighting each other to the death, with the protagonist picking up the corpse and becoming a god overnight, has been overused in later online novels. However, Wang Yuyan heard it for the first time and found it very interesting. She inquired about the details, and Jiang Mingzhe, not to be outdone, immediately fabricated a story about the Manggu Zhuha fighting the Flying Centipede King. However, he dared not mention the name Manggu Zhuha, only saying that it was a big blue toad. Wang Yuyan exclaimed in surprise, her face turning red with excitement.

After thinking about it carefully, he said, "Internal strength is the foundation of martial arts. If one's internal strength is strong, every move will have great power. Even the most ordinary skills can be transformed into something extraordinary. However, if the opponent's internal strength is not strong, then it depends on who has the more powerful ultimate move. Since my uncle's internal strength is strong, it would be perfect if he could learn the Beggar Clan's Twenty-Eight Subduing Dragon Palms!"

Jiang Mingzhe knew perfectly well that the Langhuan Jade Cave did not possess this divine skill, but he deliberately feigned delight: "Alright, alright, I'll learn this."

Wang Yuyan immediately looked apologetic and timidly said, "No..."

"Uh……"

Seeing Jiang Mingzhe's expression turn to disappointment, Wang Yuyan quickly said, "But Uncle, don't worry. Besides the Great Vajra Pestle, the Shaolin School also has the Great Vajra Palm, the One-Slap Two-Scatter Palm, the Doro Leaf Finger, and the Maha Finger, all of which are powerful and fierce. Not only can they fully display the power of internal energy, but their moves are also very skillful. Hmm, there's also the Demon-Subduing Sword of Qingliang Temple on Mount Wutai, the Immortal-Asking Palm of the Kunlun School, the Great Handprint Miraculous Skill of Dalun Temple on Mount Daxue, and the Ten Thousand Crocodiles Devouring Dragon Palm of the South China Sea School..."

She kept talking, reciting more than twenty different martial arts techniques, all of them fist, palm, and sword techniques, including even the palm technique of the Crocodile God of the South Sea.

Finally, he said, "That's about it. Uncle, what do you want to learn?"

Jiang Mingzhe, remembering that Ding Chunqiu might arrive at any moment, had a sudden thought. He pretended to think and slowly said, "In that case, in terms of fist and palm skills alone, the Great Vajra Pestle is enough. Knowing every move is not as good as having one skill well. Are there any good movement techniques, lightness skills, or unique skills like fan techniques?"

He was afraid that if he fought with someone in front of Ding Chunqiu, Ding Chunqiu would notice something amiss.

In terms of fist techniques, the origin of the Great Vajra Pestle is not to be exposed. As for internal energy, the Northern Darkness Divine Art can convert power at will, so it can still be used according to the internal energy of the Zhou Tian Stars Tribulation Scripture. However, Ding Chunqiu will probably recognize the Lingbo Steps and the Chuiyun Sword Technique at a glance.

In particular, the Lingbo Weibu (a martial arts technique) is an important foundation of his combat power. If he does not use this skill, the danger he faces when facing enemies will inevitably increase. Therefore, he wants to take the opportunity to find a substitute.

Wang Yuyan, worthy of being called a humanoid computer, thought for a moment and then listed seven or eight light-body skills, explaining their advantages and disadvantages in detail. One of them was called "Snake Walking and Crane Flying," which had both close combat techniques and high-flying light-body skills. Jiang Mingzhe found it very familiar, as if it were the light-body skills practiced by Yun Zhonghe.

According to Wang Yuyan, this martial art originated from a small sect called the Snake Crane Sect of Sanqing Mountain. Later, it was destroyed, leaving only a very few disciples who traveled the world incognito. The steel claw technique of the Snake Crane Eight Strikes also came from this sect.

Upon hearing the words "steel claw," Jiang Mingzhe deduced that it belonged to Yun Zhonghe's school and decided to learn this skill.

He now possesses the Lingbo Weibu (Light Steps on Waves) and Chuiyun Sword Technique, and his movements, whether agile or soaring, surpass those of the snake-like and crane-like forms. It shouldn't be too difficult for him to learn them.

As for fan techniques, there are relatively few. Wang Yuyan only knows three styles, and Jiang Mingzhe cannot distinguish their merits. Following Wang Yuyan's suggestion, he chose the Azure Dragon Fan Technique, mainly because this technique includes the skills of striking and releasing acupoints, which Jiang Mingzhe is quite interested in.

The Jade Cave of Langhuan is filled with countless secret manuals, yet Jiang Mingzhe only chose one lightness skill and one obscure fan technique. Li Qingluo saw this and nodded secretly, thinking to herself, "My father always says that his disciples are all cunning and treacherous, but this little brother is an honest and upright person. I should take good care of him."

From then on, Jiang Mingzhe practiced martial arts under Wang Yuyan's guidance, but trouble came again after only two days!

(End of this chapter)