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

Yang Guo's feet were firmly planted on the loose stones at the bottom of the valley.

A soft, grinding sound came from beneath my feet.

The valley floor was wetter than the upper part, with moisture trapped between the rock walls, and the earthy smell mixed with the stench of decaying grass filled the nostrils.

The sunlight overhead was mostly blocked by the cliffs on both sides, and the remaining light fell into the valley, leaving only a dim sliver.

The four stone walls are covered with holes of different sizes.

These holes have smooth edges, which is definitely not the result of natural weathering of the rocks.

Yang Guo ran his finger along the edge of the nearest cave entrance, his fingertip picking up a small amount of sticky fluid and some fine scale marks.

He withdrew his hand and wiped it on his sleeve.

There are indeed snakes roaming around here.

However, the Bodhi Serpent he was looking for did not appear.

According to my memories from my previous life, this strange snake was golden all over, had fleshy horns on its head, moved extremely fast, and the medicinal power in its gall could strengthen muscles and open meridians.

Such exotic species usually don't live alongside ordinary venomous snakes for long. If they are indeed nearby, there should be traces of their presence in the valley.

But the holes in front of me are messy and the aura is mixed, making it seem more like an outer snake pit.

Yang Guo looked up at the vines above and called out:

"Wushuang, bring your cousin down here."

The vines swayed a few times.

Lu Wushuang climbed down using the old vine.

She practiced the Yi Jin Duan Gu technique, and her tendons and bones were no longer what they used to be. Her old injured leg was also properly healed by her true qi.

She used the protrusions in the rock wall to gain momentum twice, and when she landed, she only crushed a few withered leaves.

"My lord, it's so dark down there, and it smells pungent."

Lu Wushuang wrinkled her nose, placed her right hand on the hilt of her willow-leaf knife, and unconsciously took half a step closer to Yang Guo with her left foot.

Yang Guo did not reply to her.

He looked up at Cheng Ying in mid-air.

Cheng Ying fell very slowly.

She was unwilling to come along in the first place, but the Yang Qi imprint of the Qiankun Technique in her body was still pressing down on the Shaoyin Meridian.

As long as she exerts force in her waist and legs, that little bit of heat will be drawn along her meridians, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Her light green long robe was blown up by the valley wind, and the hem of her skirt brushed against the stone wall, revealing a section of her calves.

She gritted her teeth and gripped the vines, her fingertips already raw and red, but she still refused to ask for help.

When she was still a foot off the ground, Cheng Ying pushed off the stone wall with her right foot, trying to use the momentum to stabilize herself.

But the stone surface was covered with moss, and when the soles of my shoes slipped, the strength in my hands dissipated.

She fell downwards.

Yang Guo shifted his feet, stretched out his arms, and caught her in his embrace.

Cheng Ying fell into his arms, her waist held by his palm.

Even through the fabric, she could still feel the hand pressing lightly on her lower back, yet without any extra force, leaving her with no reason to lash out.

After landing, she hurriedly pushed Yang Guo away and retreated to the stone wall.

A chill ran down her back, and she realized she had retreated too quickly, her back already pressed against the rock face.

Her chest heaved a few times, and she forced out two words:

Thank you.

Yang Guo brushed the stone powder off his sleeve and laughed:

"Miss Cheng's skill in throwing herself into someone's arms is even more adept than the light-footed kung fu of Peach Blossom Island."

"If Lord Huang were here, he would probably ask you how you mastered the art of lightness to get into my arms."

Cheng Ying turned her face away, pressing her lips tightly together.

Lu Wushuang gave a low hum, wanting to laugh, but not daring to laugh out loud for the sake of her cousin.

Just then, a rustling sound came from deep within the stone wall.

At first, only a few holes made noise, but soon they connected into one.

The sound traveled along the rock wall, fine and dense, making one's neck tighten.

Yang Guo glanced around, his left hand behind his back, and his right hand with two fingers bent.

He did not rush to make a move.

Snakes emerging from their burrows in fright is a common occurrence in the mountains.

However, these venomous snakes did not attack directly, but instead surrounded the area without attacking, indicating that there is another set of rules for life in the valley.

If the Bosphorus snake is indeed nearby, these common venomous snakes would be the best guides.

A short-tailed viper poked its head out from about three feet to Cheng Ying's side.

The snake's body was covered in crisscrossing black and brown stripes, its head was an inverted triangle, its red tongue flicked in and out, and its vertical pupils were fixed on the tips of Cheng Ying's boots.

Article 2, Article 3.

A few breaths later, venomous snakes emerged from the holes in the stone wall, the piles of dead leaves, and the crevices of the mossy rocks.

Short-tailed vipers, cobras, spotted snakes, and several other mountain venomous creatures that Yang Guo couldn't name.

The snakes swam down from below, their bodies intertwined, their scales brushing against the dead leaves with a chilling rustling sound.

Lu Wushuang tightened his grip on the knife.

When she killed someone at Fujulou, she swiftly brought down the knife without even flinching.

But seeing these long snakes crawling in from all directions, the strength in his legs was already diminished by a third.

A short-tailed viper fell from a slanted, withered branch and landed with a thud next to her boot.

The snake raised its head, less than half a foot from her ankle.

"what!"

Lu Wushuang screamed, and without even drawing her willow-leaf dagger, she lunged at Yang Guo.

She wrapped her legs around Yang Guo's waist, her arms around his neck, buried her face in his chest, and whispered with her eyes closed:

"Husband, save me! Quickly drive them away!"

Yang Guo was knocked back half a step by her, then he caught her with both hands and lifted her up a little.

"You were pretty brave when you were chopping people up, but you're like this after seeing a few snakes?"

As he spoke, he gently patted her back with his palm, steadying her body.

Lu Wushuang dared not look up, clinging to him, her voice trembling:

"I'm not afraid of knives, nor am I afraid of blood."

"But these things crawl out from under the leaves, and I feel disgusted just looking at them."

"Husband, hurry up, my legs are too weak."

"If word gets out that swordsmen are afraid of snakes, the head of the intelligence department will lose half his prestige."

"If you dare tell anyone, I'll bite you."

Lu Wushuang pressed her forehead against his chest, speaking fiercely but holding him even tighter.

Yang Guo chuckled softly and supported her with one arm.

Lu Wushuang was agile, and after practicing the Yi Jin Duan Gu technique, her waist and leg lines were more toned than before.

As she embraced him, her soft chest pressed against Yang Guo's Taoist robe, its rise and fall barely concealed even through the fabric.

Yang Guo glanced down at her, and his mood improved considerably.

He ignored the several venomous snakes that were tentatively approaching his feet, and simply pressed his innate energy onto the soles of his feet.

The snakes stopped when they got within three feet of each other, flicked their tongues a few times, and then circled away to another place.

Ordinary poisons fear the aura of the strong.

This rule is more effective in the mountains than in the human world.

On the other side, Cheng Ying was also cornered by the swarm of snakes.

More than a dozen cobras around her had raised their forelegs, stretched their necks, and were hissing softly.

Cheng Ying held the jade flute, the veins on the back of her hand taut, but her shoulders and back still maintained the dignity of a Peach Blossom Island disciple.

She is terrified of snakes.

Even more so than Lu Wushuang.

Lu Wushuang was afraid of the worms themselves, but Cheng Ying was afraid of these poisonous creatures crawling through the rotten leaves and mud, their scales covered in mud and slime, and then getting close to her clothes and shoes.

She learned her craft on Peach Blossom Island from a young age. The island was serene and the living quarters were tidy.

Under Huang Yaoshi's tutelage, one must be particular about all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting; even the placement of a zither table must be in accordance with the proper orientation.

The foul air in the snake pit was making her stomach churn.

But she couldn't throw herself into Yang Guo's arms like Lu Wushuang.

She was Huang Yaoshi's last disciple and Huang Rong's junior sister.

If she were to ask Yang Guo for help, all the face she had managed to save in the past few days would be trampled on by him.

"Get out of here!"

Cheng Ying brandished her jade flute, unleashing the Peach Blossom Island Jade Flute Sword Technique. The tip of the flute struck twice, knocking away the two approaching vipers.

She was quick and accurate in her shots.

The Jade Flute Swordplay originated from musical variations, emphasizing the interplay of feints and real attacks, and varying speeds.

Although she had no sword in her hand, her jade flute could serve as a substitute, making it easy to strike the snake at its vital point.

The problem is, there are too many snakes.

The valley floor was narrow, and the fallen leaves were thick, allowing venomous snakes to move about undetected.

For every two she forced back, three to five more would fill in from the side.

If it were flat ground, she could sweep away a patch with the Falling Flower Divine Sword Palm, but here the dampness made her feet slip, and her true energy was bounced back by the stone wall after she released it, consuming far more energy than usual.

Yang Guo, who was standing nearby, could see it all clearly.

Cheng Ying's Peach Blossom Island internal energy cultivation follows the Shaoyang and Jueyin meridians, exhibiting a light and agile quality but lacking a robust and sustained strength.

If we were to remain trapped here for too long, our breathing would become disordered within half an incense stick's time.

A cobra darted out while she was changing her move and bit the hem of her pale green skirt.

The snake's teeth hooked into the fabric.

Cheng Ying stiffened, looked down and saw the snake's head pressed against the hem of her skirt, and stood frozen in place.

She tried to shake off the snake, but despite her nausea, she couldn't get rid of it.

Instead, the swaying of her skirt attracted even more venomous snakes to her feet.

Yang Guo stood a zhang away, holding Lu Wushuang in one arm, and said:

"Miss Cheng, the martial arts of Peach Blossom Island are indeed remarkable."

"But there are at least a thousand snakes in this valley. Even if you break your jade flute while dancing, you may not be able to kill them all."

"If you are afraid, just ask me for help."

"I have an arm free. I'll lend you my arm for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, no charge."

Cheng Ying stared at her feet, her breathing erratic, yet she still refused to look at him.

"I don't need your fake kindness. I'd rather die here than beg a scoundrel like you!"

Yang Guo nodded.

"That's courageous. It's a pity the snake doesn't understand Island Master Huang's rules, nor does it recognize Peach Blossom Island's reputation."

After he finished speaking, he flicked his right hand, which was hanging by his side, with his fingers.

A thin stream of Quanzhen internal energy skimmed across the ground, missing the snake's body but striking the withered leaves at Cheng Ying's feet.

The withered leaves were stirred up by the force of the energy, and several venomous snakes were startled, standing up and surrounding Cheng Ying even more tightly.

Cheng Ying noticed the commotion and looked up at Yang Guo.

From a distance of a few steps, she couldn't see what Yang Guo had done, but she knew his character all too well.

The more she refused to back down, the more he wanted to force her to speak.

"Yang Guo, how dare you..."

Before she could finish speaking, the yang energy mark within her body was activated.

The mark was originally dormant deep within her meridians, but she suppressed it all the way using the internal energy of Peach Blossom Island.

At this moment, drawn by an external force, heat rises from the lower abdomen, descends along the Shaoyin meridian, and penetrates into the groin.

Cheng Ying's knees buckled, and the jade flute nearly slipped from her grasp.

She hurriedly used the Falling Petals Heart Technique to suppress it, but as soon as the Lesser Yang True Qi passed over, it was entangled by that heat.

The two types of true energy countered each other in her meridians, neither harming her life, but causing her to lose most of her strength.

This is what makes the Qiankun Technique so difficult to master.

Unlike ordinary acupressure, which opens up with a single sip, this method is not effective.

Once the Yang energy imprint is planted, it connects with the meridians. The more forcefully it is suppressed, the more it will affect the Qi and blood.

Unless Yang Guo uses a corresponding method to resolve the situation, they can only be slowly controlled.

Cheng Ying clenched her teeth, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

More and more venomous snakes gathered at their feet.

A spotted snake swam from her left side to the edge of her shoe, its belly brushing against the boot.

Cheng Ying trembled, and with a sweep of her jade flute, she sent it flying.

But with this movement, the cobra that was biting the hem of the skirt was pulled to the side of the leg, and its body hung up half a foot along the fabric.

"what……"

She suppressed a short gasp from her throat, and the last bit of composure on her face crumbled.

Hearing the commotion, Lu Wushuang lifted half of her face from Yang Guo's embrace and saw Cheng Ying surrounded by snakes. She hurriedly reached out and tugged at Yang Guo's clothes.

"Husband, please save my cousin. She's really afraid of this."

Yang Guo looked down at her.

Aren't you jealous?

Lu Wushuang bit her lip and snorted:

"No matter how stubborn she is, she's still my cousin."

"There are so many snakes here. If someone gets bitten, it will be hard to explain to Sister Rong."

Yang Guo smiled.

This girl has really grown up; she's even bringing up Huang Rong.

However, he did not make a move.

Cheng Ying is proud by nature. If she is not made to speak up in a place like this, she will still look for an opportunity to retaliate in the future.

Yang Guo was going to take Lu Wushuang to Dali. The situation in Xiangyang was not stable. If Cheng Ying stayed by Huang Rong's side and said or did anything reckless, it would cause trouble.

Today's trip to find snakes is just one part of the story.

The second point is to make Cheng Ying understand who can save her and who can control her.

The snake's lair in the mountains is deserted, yet bears the marks of yang energy within.

This place is more suitable for teaching etiquette than the front hall of the Marshal's Mansion.

Cheng Ying took another half step back, her back hitting the stone wall.

She had nowhere to retreat.

Several cobras stood in front of her, their mouths open, their fangs glistening wetly in the dim light.

She held the jade flute in her right hand and pressed her left hand against her lower abdomen, trying to suppress the surging heat, but the more she pressed, the more chaotic it became.

Yang Guo spoke:

"Miss Cheng, I'll count to three."

"If you still don't beg me after three calls, I'll assume you're truly fearless."

Cheng Ying gritted her teeth and said:

"You're despicable."

"one."

"What kind of skill is it to use such despicable means?"

"two."

"Yang Guo!"

"three."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Guo lightly touched the ground with his toes.

A wisp of energy brushed past Cheng Ying's shoes, startling several withered leaves.

Drawn by the commotion, the snakes swarmed toward her feet.

Cheng Ying tried to gather her strength and leap up, but the Yang energy imprint was stuck in her meridians, making her legs weak.

She struggled to lift the jade flute, and just as she forced back a cobra directly in front of her, another thick snake shadow sprang up from the dead leaves on her right.

The snake was larger than the previous ones, its neck stretched open, its mouth agape, and venom dripping from its fangs.

It lunged at Cheng Ying's face.

Unable to move, Cheng Ying could only close her eyes in despair and let out an extremely piercing scream:

"Yang Guo! Save me!"