Yang Guo: I'm invincible in the opening battle against Aunt Guo!

After the morning's private detoxification session.

Yang Guo returned to Tingtao Garden.

He didn't have time to savor the moment.

After a short period of rest and consolidation of the internal energy gains from the morning dual cultivation, I took a short break to adjust my breathing.

Following Huang Rong's instructions, he began to concentrate on practicing the first three forms of the "Falling Flower Divine Sword Palm" and the "Spirit Turtle Step".

Palms flashed and feet moved nimbly.

The rhythm of "The Song of the Rising Tide of the Blue Sea" faintly echoed in my mind.

He is making rapid progress and has gradually grasped the essence of "falling petals".

As noon approached, Guo Fu appeared outside Tingtao Garden like a cheerful oriole, carrying a food box.

"Brother Yang Guo! Mother said you've been practicing martial arts hard, so she asked me to bring you lunch!"

She pushed open the courtyard gate, a bright smile on her face, her eyes curiously observing Yang Guo as he finished his practice.

"Wow, you're practicing what looks like my mother's Falling Flower Sword Palm? Mother's starting to teach you that? That's great!"

Yang Guo took the food box and smiled:

"Thank you for your help, Sister Fu. Aunt Guo only taught me the basics; I'm just a beginner and only have a superficial understanding."

"That's still amazing! It took me several months to master the first three moves."

Guo Fu pursed her lips, but then became interested again.

"Brother Yang Guo, Mother is going to test my martial arts skills this afternoon. It's no fun practicing alone. Would you like to practice with me? We can spar!"

Yang Guo initially wanted to decline, as he needed to conserve his energy for the second secret meeting that afternoon.

But seeing Guo Fu's expectant eyes, and thinking that Huang Rong might hope that he and Guo Fu would get along harmoniously, he nodded in agreement:

"no problem."

"Very good!"

Guo Fu was overjoyed, "Then it's a deal! I'll be waiting for you at the training ground outside 'Rongxiang Xiaozhu' at 3:45 PM!"

After seeing Guo Fu off, Yang Guo finished his lunch and began to calculate the time.

If the sparring takes place around 2 PM, then at 1 PM, one must go to the secret room for the second detoxification.

The time was quite tight.

He closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, but the image of Huang Rong trying to remain calm and with her ears slightly red in the secret room that morning involuntarily appeared in his mind.

Seven rounds a day...

I don't know if last night's counts!

Last night, it must have been at least ten rounds!

That is to say, I am young and strong now.

But it probably wouldn't work with just anyone!

After all, Huang Rong is now over 30 years old, which is no joke!

Thirty is like a wolf, forty is like a tiger!

She's at that age where she's full of energy and vitality!

In other words, he is exceptionally gifted!

……

At the beginning of the hour of Wei (1-3 PM), Yang Guo arrived at the hidden stone cave on time.

The stone door to the secret chamber slowly opened, and Huang Rong was already inside.

She changed into a lighter and softer lotus-colored silk shirt, with a matching gauze over it, and her long hair was left unbound.

The hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, losing some of the daytime vigor and gaining more of a domestic gentleness.

His face was pale, and the weariness between his brows was hard to hide.

Upon seeing Yang Guo, her eyes darted away slightly, but she tried her best to keep her voice steady:

"You're here? Time is tight, let's begin."

Without exchanging any pleasantries, the two walked tacitly to the location of the Tai Chi diagram.

This time, Huang Rong seems to have even omitted the posture of "sitting cross-legged facing each other with palms touching".

She removed her gauze outer garment, leaving only her close-fitting silk shirt.

She lay down on the stone bed first, closed her eyes, and her chest rose and fell slightly, showing that her inner state was far from calm on the surface.

Yang Guo took a deep breath, suppressed his distracting thoughts, and acted in accordance with the methods of the "Yin Yang Harmony Chapter".

The practice involves the circulation of internal energy, allowing yin and yang to harmonize and the internal energy to circulate more directly and rapidly.

He could sense that the toxins in Huang Rong's body had been cleared away during the morning.

The heat has not completely subsided; on the contrary, due to the shortening intervals, it is now showing signs of a counterattack, scorching and restless.

This time, the "detoxification" was more efficient due to the different postures and the different circulation paths of the exercises.

But the intimacy of their intertwined breaths also increased several times over.

The only sounds in the stone chamber were suppressed breathing and the faint rustling of clothes.

Huang Rong bit her lower lip tightly, her hands unconsciously gripping the edge of the stone bed beneath her.

She forced herself not to think about what was happening, focusing all her attention on guiding her internal energy and refining the poison.

After an unknown amount of time, a pure and powerful energy flowed back into Yang Guo's body from the point of their union. He shuddered, and his internal energy surged and grew stronger once again, faintly touching the threshold of the mid-stage of the first-class level!

Huang Rong let out a very soft moan, and her aura fluctuated. Her early-stage Grandmaster realm became even more stable, and she even took a small step towards the middle stage.

The practice gradually came to an end.

The poison has been neutralized!

Huang Rong quickly straightened her clothes, sat up with her back to Yang Guo, her shoulders trembling slightly, and after a long while whispered:

"...You can go now. It's three-quarters past noon...Don't forget your promise to Fu'er."

Her voice was terribly hoarse, carrying a heavy weariness and a complex emotion that was hard to describe.

"Yes, Aunt Guo, please take care as well." Yang Guo straightened his clothes, bowed respectfully, and quietly left the secret room.

The stone gate closed, separating the inside from the outside into two worlds.

Huang Rong remained alone in the stone chamber, listening to the footsteps outside the stone door fade into the distance.

Finally unable to hold on any longer, she leaned weakly against the cold stone wall, burying her burning cheeks in her knees.

Twice a day... and this is just the beginning.

Five more times...

And it needs to be done for seven consecutive days.

How is she supposed to cope with this?

But the internal strength within his body was truly increasing, and the burning pain from the toxicity was gradually lessening.

Yet it was like the whisper of a devil, tempting her to continue.

"Brother Jing... Rong'er is so sorry," she murmured silently, tears finally streaming down her face, wetting her silk robe.

……

Yang Guo returned to Tingtao Garden and quickly changed into clean clothes.

After calming his breathing, he headed to the training ground outside Rongxiang Xiaozhu.

Guo Fu had been waiting impatiently for a long time. When he arrived, she complained:

"Brother Yang Guo, why are you so late? I've been waiting for ages!"

"I'm sorry, Sister Fu, I was so engrossed in my practice that I forgot the time."

Yang Guo said apologetically, his expression remaining unchanged.

"Alright, alright, come quick!"

Guo Fu, being simple-minded, quickly put aside her unpleasantness and enthusiastically got to work.

"Let's start with a palm strike! Watch my 'Flying Flowers of Jiangcheng'!"

Her palm technique was light and graceful, and she had indeed mastered some of the agility of the Falling Flower Divine Sword Palm, but her skill was still lacking, and the variations were somewhat stiff.

Yang Guo's vision has broadened considerably, and his internal strength far surpasses that of Guo Fu.

However, he kept his identity in mind and only used the basic palm techniques he had just learned to deal with the situation.

He countered each move with a deliberate reduction in speed and force, appearing to be "barely matched."

Even so, Guo Fu had a great time fighting.

She just felt that Brother Yang Guo was really good at understanding, and he was able to counter her moves after only half a day of learning.

Moreover, the force was controlled just right, so that it would not hurt oneself, but would force oneself to use all one's strength.

"I'm not fighting anymore, the palm techniques are even!" After several dozen moves, Guo Fu jumped away, panting, her eyes darting around.

"Let's have a sword fight! I also know a few moves of the Jade Flute Sword Technique that my mother taught me!" he said, taking a wooden sword from the weapon rack next to him.

Yang Guo also took out a wooden sword, and the two fought again.

Guo Fu's swordsmanship was more refined than her palm techniques, but her weaknesses were still obvious.

Yang Guo's understanding of martial arts is deepening.

It is further enhanced by the rhythmic feel of "The Song of the Rising Tide of the Blue Sea".

He always managed to skillfully deflect Guo Fu's attacks at crucial moments, as if it were second nature.

Guo Fu became increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed, even though she felt her swordsmanship was faster and more formidable.

Yet he was always forced to change his moves by Yang Guo's seemingly slow and casual sword strikes.

There's a feeling of frustration, like you have the strength but can't use it.

She defiantly shouted repeatedly, her sword strikes becoming even more rapid, yet revealing more openings in her defense.

Finally, Yang Guo flicked his wooden sword, passing through Guo Fu's sword net at a clever angle and gently touching her wrist.

"Ouch!" Guo Fu's hand went numb, and the wooden sword slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground.

Her pretty face flushed red, and she stamped her foot, saying, "It doesn't count! You cheated!"

Yang Guo sheathed his sword and smiled, "Sister Fu's swordsmanship is exquisite; I used a trick."

"Hmph, all you know is how to flatter me," Guo Fu said, sounding dissatisfied.

But in his heart, he admired Yang Guo even more. He picked up the wooden sword, moved closer, and asked curiously:

"Brother Yang Guo, did you learn some very powerful sword techniques before? I feel that you're not using the Falling Flower Divine Sword Palm style entirely."

Yang Guo felt a slight chill in his heart, but his face remained expressionless:

"When I was wandering around, I learned a few tricks from here and there, but I'm not good at anything. I hope you'll forgive me, Sister Fu."

"Oh..." Guo Fu seemed to understand but not quite, then suddenly lowered her voice.

She asked mysteriously, "Brother Yang Guo, don't you think my mother is acting a little strange today?"

Yang Guo's heart skipped a beat: "What's strange about it?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it," Guo Fu said, frowning. "It just feels like Mother is particularly tired today, and her complexion isn't very good either. After teaching you martial arts this morning, she said she was going into seclusion to heal her injuries, and even had lunch brought to her room."

Even when Mother was in seclusion before, she wouldn't act like this... Besides, I think I just saw the mute servant deliver tea and snacks to the west side of the island. Apart from the hot springs and a few abandoned stone houses, there's hardly anyone there. Is Mother in seclusion there?

As Guo Fu spoke, she herself felt puzzled.

She is simple-minded, but not stupid.

Her mother's unusual behavior and certain details still caught her attention.

Yang Guo smiled inwardly, but on his face he showed concern:

"Aunt Guo's battle with the villains must have taken a toll on her health; she needs to rest. Sister Fu, let's not disturb her and allow her to recover peacefully. As for the west side of the island… perhaps the mute servant went to tend to the hot springs?"

"Maybe..." Guo Fu said with a hint of doubt.

Seeing Yang Guo's calm and concerned expression, they temporarily suppressed their doubts.

He then pestered Yang Guo to tell him some anecdotes about the martial arts world until the sun was setting. After agreeing to practice swordsmanship the next day, he reluctantly let him go home.

Yang Guo returned to Tingtao Garden.

Guo Fu had already begun to suspect something, though it was only a vague feeling. But if she got curious and actually went to the west of the island to investigate, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Although he can now detoxify Aunt Guo, and he is not afraid of Guo Fu finding out.

But Guo Fu is someone who can't keep secrets. What if she sends a message to Guo Jing by carrier pigeon?

What if Guo Jing finds out then?

Then I'll be in big trouble!

We must remind Huang Rong to be more vigilant; perhaps... we need to adjust the location or method of "treating the poison"?

He glanced at the sky; the third secret meeting was scheduled for 7 PM.

Before that, he needs to sign in.

"System, check in at Tingtao Garden on Peach Blossom Island."

[Ding! Significant check-in! The system detected a significant improvement in the host's internal energy today, triggering a minor cultivation feedback reward!]

[Congratulations, host! You have obtained:]

1. Cultivation Consolidation: The first-class mid-stage realm has been completely stabilized and slightly improved.

2. "Qimen Dunjia: Peach Blossom Formation Explained (Beginner)": Includes basic variations and identification methods of the outer formation of Peach Blossom Island.

A warm current flowed into his limbs and bones, and his internal energy, which had been fluctuating slightly due to the rapid improvement, instantly solidified and became firm, standing firmly at the mid-stage of first-class, and steadily advancing towards the later stage.

At the same time, a large amount of information about the Peach Blossom Island formation flooded into his mind.

Although it was only basic, it gave him a clearer understanding of the island's layout.