Huang Rong from The Return of the Condor Heroes: Brother Jing, let's get a divorce.

Yang Guo carried Lu Wushuang all the way back to Zhongnan Mountain.

The night wind was strong, blowing against the two of them. Lu Wushuang lay on Yang Guo's back, her chin resting on his shoulder, her breathing steady.

Yang Guo walked steadily, his feet barely touching the ground. The Kanli Technique within his body operated on its own, and his Yang energy surged forth continuously, making it effortless to carry someone on his back.

"Hey Miss Lu, you've been eating all this time on the mountain without gaining any weight, all that weight gain must be in your temper," Yang Guo said as he walked, breaking the silence of the night.

Lu Wushuang pinched his back. "Shut your stinking mouth. I'm slim, what do you know?"

"She's slim, but lacks a bit of curves." Yang Guo chuckled, making no attempt to hide his seasoned nature. "She should eat more papaya to nourish herself. A woman needs to have curves in the right places. She's so thin and bony, it doesn't feel good to the touch."

Lu Wushuang had no idea about the papaya joke. But she could tell Yang Guo wasn't trying to be nice. Her cheeks flushed, so she simply turned her head away and stopped responding.

The mountain path was rugged. Yang Guo used his Golden Goose Skill, lightly touching the rocks with his toes, and glided forward a great distance. This lightness skill was extremely energy-efficient.

"Your lightness skill is quite useful." Lu Wushuang, clinging to his back, finally couldn't help but speak up. "It's much better than the Snake-like Leap you taught me. The Snake-like Leap just rolls around on the ground, getting covered in mud. Yours is so much more impressive."

"Don't bite off more than you can chew." Yang Guo didn't even turn his head. "The Snake-like Leap and the Weasel-like Flip are life-saving tricks. If you can't beat them, run away. Running fast is the key. The Golden Goose Technique consumes a lot of internal energy. With your meager skills, you won't be able to run two miles before you're panting for breath."

Lu Wushuang was speechless. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh. She vowed to master her martial arts and never let this lecherous man look down on her again.

Back in the sect leader's courtyard, Lu Wushuang jumped off Yang Guo's back. Clutching the pile of rouge, face powder, and new clothes, she ran into the outer room with her head down and closed the door tightly.

Yang Guo stretched, his bones cracking a few times, and then turned and went into the inner room.

Early the next morning, the stone square in front of Chongyang Palace was packed with people.

Several hundred Quanzhen Sect disciples stood in neat rows.

Yang Guo stood in the middle of the crowd, carrying a fine steel longsword. Today he was dressed in a neat short-sleeved Taoist robe, with the cuffs tightly tied, making him look exceptionally energetic.

Lu Wushuang also came out.

She changed into the pale yellow silk spring dress Yang Guo had bought for her yesterday. Fine fabric really does nourish the body. The silk clung to her skin, clearly outlining her waistline. Her hair was also neatly combed, adorned with the plum blossom silver hairpin. She walked to the edge of the square, carrying a tea tray with a pot of hot tea on it.

Yang Guo turned his head to look. Clothes make the man. This girl had taken off her faded old Taoist robe and put on new clothes, making her look much brighter. Although her chest was flat, her face was fair and pretty, with a touch of stubbornness that refused to admit defeat.

Yang Guo withdrew his gaze and raised the long sword in his hand.

"Watch closely. The Chongyang Sword Technique emphasizes expansive and powerful strikes, directly targeting vital points." Yang Guo's voice echoed throughout the square, and everyone heard it clearly.

With a flick of his wrist, he thrust his longsword forward. The blade sliced ​​through the air, creating a whooshing sound. He didn't use any internal energy, relying solely on his physical strength. His movements were broken down into meticulous steps. Each chop, slash, sweep, and thrust was paused for half a second, allowing his disciples to clearly see the point of force application.

"This move is called 'Gale Sweeping Leaves.' You need to strike quickly with your wrist, not swing your arm," Yang Guo explained as he practiced.

"This move is called 'Kui Xing Kicks the Dipper.' The sword tip points downwards to protect the lower body, and the body rotates accordingly."

After completing the entire sword technique, Yang Guo sheathed his sword and stood still. He was neither out of breath nor changed his expression.

He beckoned to Lu Wushuang. "Come here."

Lu Wushuang carried the tea tray over. She walked slowly, her left leg slightly limping. But among the hundreds of Taoist priests present, none dared to give her a second glance. The three Taoist priests who had mocked her a few days ago were still sweeping latrines on the back mountain. No one dared to gamble with their future.

Yang Guo took the teacup, took a sip, and pointed to the open space beside him, saying to Lu Wushuang, "You just stand here. I'll teach them swordsmanship every morning, and you can watch. How much you understand and learn is up to your own fate."

As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding disciples were in an uproar.

The Chongyang Sword Technique is a closely guarded secret of the Quanzhen Sect. How could the sect leader allow a maid to listen in and then personally teach it to her?

The disciples below began to whisper among themselves.

"Isn't this against the rules? She hasn't even taken on a master."

"Exactly! How can such a unique skill be taught to outsiders?"

The sound was mixed and buzzing.

Lu Wushuang's hand holding the tea tray trembled slightly. The teacup struck the tray with a crisp sound. She looked up at Yang Guo.

"I'm not a member of the Quanzhen Sect. It's against the rules for me to learn your swordsmanship," Lu Wushuang said in a low voice. She knew her place and couldn't cause trouble for Yang Guo in this situation.

Yang Guo placed the teacup back on the tray, raising his voice to silence the murmurs in the room. "In the Quanzhen Sect, I, Yang Guo, am the rule. If I tell you to learn, you learn. If anyone dares to utter a single word of nonsense, the sect gates will be opened wide at any time."

Yang Guo surveyed the entire scene. Wherever his gaze fell, the disciples all lowered their heads.

The square was deathly silent. No one dared to provoke them. Even their great masters, like Qiu Chuji, were completely subdued by the sect leader; how could these ordinary disciples dare to utter a word?

Lu Wushuang bit her lower lip and lowered her head. She gripped the edge of the tea tray tightly. Yang Guo's unreasonable and domineering protectiveness shattered all her previous concerns. She stepped aside, her eyes fixed on the sword in Yang Guo's hand, afraid of missing a single move.

She needs to become stronger, because only by becoming stronger can she break free from fate and have the opportunity to choose.

After teaching the sword techniques, the disciples dispersed.

Yang Guo tossed the long sword in his hand to the steward beside him and turned to walk towards the side room on the side of the main hall.

Thirteen young Taoist priests stood in the side room. These were all third-generation disciples, around twenty years old. They were originally marginal figures at the bottom of the Quanzhen Sect. They were usually responsible for carrying water and chopping wood, and suffered a lot of bullying from Zhao Zhijing's direct disciples. They did the hardest work every day and ate the worst food. Some of them didn't even have a thick quilt in the winter and shivered from the cold.

Yang Guo pushed open the door and walked in, sitting down in the armchair in the center.

The thirteen disciples bowed in unison and shouted, "Greetings, Master!"

Yang Guo waved his hand, signaling them to stand up straight.

He scrutinized these people. These thirteen were the ones he had secretly observed and selected over the past few days. They were quick-witted and adept at reading people. Most importantly, they had no roots in the sect and could only rely on him.

"The rules of the Quanzhen Sect will be drastically changed tomorrow," Yang Guo announced.

A thin, short Taoist priest standing at the front stepped forward. His name was Li Zhiqing, and he was usually very clever and quick-witted. He used to help out in the kitchen and often managed to get some leftovers to share with everyone.

"Please give your orders, Master. We will attack wherever you point." Li Zhiqing's voice was extremely loud, and his response was swift.

Yang Guo leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the armrest, making a soft, rhythmic sound.

"The Quanzhen Sect now has several thousand members. Grandmasters Qiu Chuji and Hao Datong are getting old and can't manage them all. I've just established new rules for both the inner and outer sects, and it's inevitable that some will outwardly comply but inwardly defy me. They'll agree on the surface but sabotage me behind my back." Yang Guo went straight to the point, "I'm going to establish an inner hall. You thirteen people will be the first group of people in the inner hall."

The thirteen disciples exchanged glances, their breathing becoming heavy. The Inner Hall—the very name suggested real power.

Yang Guo continued, "The inner hall is not under the jurisdiction of the grandmasters; it only obeys my orders. Your task is simple: keep an eye on everyone in the sect. Write down anyone who complains about the new rules in private, anyone who slacks off at work, and anyone who bullies others, and report them directly to me."

Li Zhiqing swallowed hard. This was tantamount to handing over the power to supervise the entire sect to them. Previously, they were the lowest rungs, constantly bullied; now, they had transformed into the sect's imperial envoys. The change in status was enormous.

"Sect Leader, do we still need to practice martial arts regularly?" Li Zhiqing asked boldly. Having power alone isn't enough; if their martial arts skills aren't good, what if someone sneaks up on them and beats them up?

"Practice? Of course we need to practice." Yang Guo took out two gold bars from his pocket and threw them on the table next to him. The gold bars hit the wooden table with a crisp sound.

The gleaming gold dazzled their eyes. The thirteen disciples stared wide-eyed. They had never even seen a piece of silver, let alone such thick gold bars.

"This is your settling-in allowance." Yang Guo stood up and walked to them. "Follow me, Yang Guo, and you'll live the high life. Grandmaster Wang Chuyi's alchemy hall will soon produce its first batch of Qi-replenishing pills. I'll have him distribute the best pills to you first. You can choose any of the advanced sword techniques from the martial arts hall. All resources will be poured into you."

Yang Guo walked up to Li Zhiqing and patted him on the shoulder. The force was neither too light nor too heavy.

"What I want is loyalty. As long as you handle things well and keep a close eye on the Quanzhen Sect, I guarantee you'll be able to roam the martial world with impunity. Anyone who dares to betray me..."

Yang Guo didn't continue. He raised his right hand, circulating the internal energy of his One-Finger Divine Skill. A three-foot-long pale golden aura emanated from his fingertip. The aura flickered and pulsed, carrying a menacing sharpness.

With a casual wave of his hand, a hardwood chair next to him was cleaved in two by the energy. The cut was smooth, not even a splinter flew out.

The thirteen disciples were so frightened that their legs went weak, and they all knelt on the ground with a thud. They had never seen such miraculous martial arts before.

"We swear to serve the sect leader to the death! We have no other intentions!" the crowd shouted in unison. Their heads slammed against the bluestone slabs with a loud thud.

Yang Guo withdrew his inner strength and nodded in satisfaction. The combination of a harsh punishment and a sweet treat works in any era.

"Get up. Divide the gold on the table. Li Zhiqing, you lead the way. This afternoon, I want to see a list. Find out all the details about the people in charge of each branch. Write down who is close to whom and who has a grudge against whom."

"Yes!" Li Zhiqing took the lead in agreeing, picking up the gold bars on the table with both hands. His hands were trembling.

Yang Guo turned and walked out of the side room.

The sunlight shone on his face. He had calculated everything clearly. The Quanzhen Sect was a huge piece of meat. He couldn't control several thousand people with martial arts alone; he needed his own core group.

These thirteen die-hard fans were his eyes and ears planted in every corner of the Quanzhen Sect.

The old Taoist priests handled logistics and appearances, while he controlled core power and intelligence.

Only in this way can the Quanzhen School truly be considered to belong to the Yang family.