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

That's exactly what I was waiting for.

Yang Guo did not rush to make a move.

He supported Lu Wushuang with his left arm, while his right hand remained hanging at his side, and his true energy had already pressed down three feet of ground beneath his feet.

The snakes swam to within three feet of him, then dispersed on their own, not daring to cross the boundary.

Cheng Ying was forced to stand in front of the stone wall, the hem of her dress already hooked by snake fangs.

The large cobra raised its head, its tongue flicking in and out, venomous fluid dripping from its fangs.

She held her jade flute across her chest, her wrist aching.

However, his true energy was held back by the yang energy mark within his body, and he could only unleash half of his full power.

"Yang Guo...you..."

When she spoke, she kept her voice very low at the end.

I simply couldn't bring myself to say it.

She grew up on Peach Blossom Island, where Huang Yaoshi's disciples didn't follow many rules.

But the word "unyielding spirit" was etched into his bones from the day he entered the school.

Music, chess, calligraphy, painting, divination, the art of Qimen Dunjia, the Falling Flower Divine Sword Palm, and the Jade Flute Sword Technique.

Everything must be done according to rules and with proper manners.

But this person in front of her never talks about these things.

Yang Guo glanced at her, his tone casual.

"Miss Cheng, was it you who called me just now?"

"The echoes in the valley were too strong, so I couldn't hear clearly."

Cheng Ying's chest heaved faster, and she gripped the jade flute even tighter.

"You clearly heard it."

"Calling me by my name doesn't necessarily mean they're begging me."

Yang Guo said calmly.

"You've been scolding me quite a bit these days, how could I possibly take it all to heart?"

Lu Wushuang nestled in his arms and couldn't help but look up.

"Husband, my cousin really can't hold on any longer."

Yang Guo glanced down at her.

"You sure know how to speak up for her."

"When you pounced on me just now, you didn't seem to care about saving face at all."

Lu Wushuang's cheeks flushed, but she still refused to admit defeat.

"I'm afraid of snakes, not you."

"That's because you're smart."

Yang Guo said.

"In this world, many times, bowing your head is more valuable than stubbornly holding on."

"Your cousin is well-educated, but she just can't seem to settle this score."

Cheng Ying heard it clearly, and her lips tightened.

She could have used the jade flute to protect herself from being half a foot away.

But Yang Guo's words were more unbearable to her than the swarm of snakes.

She would rather be injured by a blow than be manipulated like this in front of Lu Wushuang.

Just then, the withered leaves at his feet stirred.

Two short-tailed vipers slithered along the side of her boots, one of them climbing up the hem of her skirt, its belly pressed against the fabric as it moved upwards.

Cheng Ying flicked her wrist, and the jade flute struck the snake precisely at its seven-inch mark.

The snake rolled twice after landing and then stopped moving.

However, this attack consumed a significant portion of her inner energy.

Taking advantage of her practice, the Yang energy mark was drawn into the Lesser Yin Meridian from her lower abdomen, and a surge of heat rose up along her groin.

Her knees buckled, and her back pressed against the stone wall; she had nowhere left to retreat.

Yang Guo saw it clearly.

The mark left by the Qiankun Technique is not a method of killing.

If the other party behaves itself, it will simply lie dormant deep within the meridians, and may even help the host cultivate internal energy.

If one forcibly stimulates the resistance of the foreign internal energy, it will use the circulation of qi and blood to counteract the meridians.

Cheng Ying's Peach Blossom Island internal energy is characterized by its lightness and agility. When faced with this kind of technique that entangles the meridians, the more she tries to deflect it with skillful force, the more she is restrained.

Yang Guo had three plans for bringing her into the mountains on this trip.

First, find the Bodhi-curved snake.

Secondly, by using her divination skills to identify the terrain, she saved a lot of time.

Third, it is necessary to make her realize the situation.

In Xiangyang City, there is Huang Rong, Guo Jing, and the rules of the Marshal's Mansion.

If he wants to do anything to Cheng Ying, he has to consider all the consequences.

However, there was no one else in this Snake Valley except for Lu Wushuang.

If Cheng Yingruo harbors rebellious thoughts and stays by Huang Rong's side, she will inevitably cause trouble sooner or later.

He doesn't like trouble.

He especially dislikes women around him who cause him trouble.

"Miss Cheng."

Yang Guo spoke up.

"I'll only count to three."

"If you still insist on holding on after the third call, then I will consider you to truly have the backbone of Peach Blossom Island."

Cheng Ying gritted her teeth.

"You're despicable."

"one."

"Using a mark to subdue me, and then forcing me with a snake—is this what the leader of the Quanzhen Sect is capable of?"

"two."

"Yang Guo!"

"three."

As the third sound rang out, Yang Guo lightly touched the ground with his toes.

A burst of energy traveled along the ground, only stirring a few withered leaves near Cheng Ying's shoes, without harming the snake.

However, the snakes were extremely sensitive to vibrations. Several venomous snakes hidden under the leaves were startled and raised their heads, all converging on Cheng Ying's feet.

Cheng Ying wanted to leap up, but her meridians were restricted.

She had just gathered her inner energy when the hot current from the Lesser Yin Meridian suddenly swerved in.

Once the internal energy is disrupted, the footwork becomes half a beat slower.

The thick cobra seized the opportunity, sprang forward, and aimed straight for her face.

Cheng Ying's jade flute was too late to defend.

She closed her eyes, and the sound was squeezed out from her throat.

"Yang Guo, save me!"

Yang Guo remained motionless.

"That's not the right way to say it."

Cheng Ying opened her eyes, which were already red.

"What else do you want?"

"I already taught you that."

Yang Guo said.

"When you ask someone for a favor, you should act like you're asking for a favor."

"Miss Cheng is intelligent, so don't pretend to be confused."

Lu Wushuang grabbed Yang Guo's collar.

"My lord..."

Yang Guo raised his hand and pressed it against the back of her neck.

"Wushuang, don't choose for her."

"If she refuses to say a word, things will only get worse in the future."

As Cheng Ying watched the approaching snake head, the jade flute in her hand tilted half an inch to the side.

She could smell the fishy odor from the snake's mouth, and her stomach churned.

She thought of the bamboo forest on Peach Blossom Island, and the image of her master, Huang Yaoshi, standing with his hands behind his back by the sea.

She also recalled how Huang Rong comforted her in the Marshal's Mansion.

But none of those people are here.

Only Yang Guo is here.

As for that mark, only Yang Guo knew about it.

She finally lowered her eyes, her voice hoarse.

"Good brother... save me."

Yang Guo spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Too light."

Cheng Ying's shoulders were tight, and tears slid down her cheeks.

"Good brother, save me!"

This sound was much clearer than the first, echoing between the valley walls.

Yang Guo then moved.

He shifted his feet and his figure darted away.

His left arm still protected Lu Wushuang, while his right hand formed a sword with his fingers together, and the golden light at the tip of his finger condensed into a three-inch shape.

The One-Finger Divine Skill originated from the Duan family of Dali, emphasizing the refinement of internal strength and the ability to penetrate acupoints and break through meridians.

He has now cultivated to the fifth rank, and he still cannot kill enemies from several feet away, but within this distance, he can take the life of a poisonous snake without breaking a sweat.

With a flick of his finger, he struck the snake's head precisely.

The snake's head collapsed with a thud, and its body crashed heavily onto the withered leaves.

Yang Guo reached out and grabbed Cheng Ying's waist, pulling her out of the snakes.

Her legs gave way and she crashed into his arms.

The jade flute was still in his hand, but he could no longer lift it.

Lu Wushuang breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that her cousin was out of danger.

Cheng Ying was pressed against Yang Guo's right side, breathing rapidly.

She wanted to back away, but her legs were weak, and she would slide down after only half an inch, so she could only hold onto Yang Guo's arm.

Yang Guo looked down at her.

"Didn't Miss Cheng just say she'd rather die than beg?"

"Now it's holding on quite steadily."

Cheng Ying turned her face away, refusing to reply.

Yang Guo added, "If you were a little more assertive, I would have an easier time."

"If there's one less person in Snake Valley, there's one less mouth to feed on the road."

Cheng Ying's fingertips twitched, the jade flute pressed against her palm, but she did not make a move.

She knew very well that if she dared to use even a fraction of her true energy at this moment, the mark in her body would immediately activate.

Yang Guo had not lied to her.

Her life or death may not be entirely in his hands, but whether she is in a sorry state or not is certainly under his control.

"You took advantage of someone's misfortune."

She whispered.

"If I were really taking advantage of someone in distress, I would have made you fall right into a snake pit just now."

Yang Guo retaliated without hesitation.

"When those snakes crawl into your clothes, that'll be quite a sight."

Cheng Ying looked up at him, her lips already showing faint bloodstains from biting them.

Yang Guo didn't press her any further.

There should be a sense of proportion when disciplining someone.

A string stretched too tight will break.

Cheng Ying is not Lu Wushuang.

Born on Peach Blossom Island, she is thoughtful and proud. If she is suppressed too much, it may cause other unforeseen problems.

He gently pressed his palm against her lower back, and a wisp of Nine Yin True Qi flowed into her.

The true energy did not enter the dantian; it only traveled a small circle along the Shaoyin Meridian before temporarily suppressing the mark of the Qiankun Technique back to its original position.

Cheng Ying relaxed and finally regained her balance.

She glanced at Yang Guo, then quickly looked away.

That look in her eyes contained anger, shame, and a hint of apprehension that she herself was unaware of.

After losing their target, the snakes on the ground swam more and more rapidly.

The scent of the dead snake's blood aroused the venomous creatures behind, and snake shadows could still be seen emerging from the holes in the cave wall.

Yang Guo put away his joking expression.

He put Lu Wushuang down and placed his right palm on her shoulder.

"Stand behind me and don't step on the fallen leaves."

"The snake will be attracted by the vibrations, and the more it runs away, the more trouble it will cause."

Lu Wushuang gripped the willow-leaf knife tightly and nodded heavily.

Cheng Ying also stepped back half a step, holding her jade flute horizontally in front of her, still unwilling to get too close to Yang Guo.

Yang Guo looked around.

These snakes did not gather randomly.

The valley floor is damp and smells strongly of herbs. Snakes nest in holes in the rock walls and likely have a fixed range of activity.

After being startled, the snakes did not scatter into the hole, but instead retreated into the depths of the valley.

This indicates that there is something deep inside that suppresses them.

This also shows that that is the right path.

He circulated the Nine Yin Manual, and the red and black energies in his dantian swirled around the innate primordial energy pearl.

Going forward protects the heart, while going against the flow sinks into the soles of the feet.

The two streams of true energy separated but remained orderly, pressing into the ground through the Yongquan acupoint.

This is not something that can be achieved by simply using brute force to shake the snake.

The Nine Yin Manual contains both methods of capturing souls and seizing spirits, as well as techniques for intimidating beasts with qi.

Using his innate vital energy as a guide, Yang Guo compressed his own aura into a single mass, which then spread outwards for several feet.

Although venomous snakes lack intelligence, they are most afraid of this kind of aura that directly points to the source of life and death.

The vanguard of the snake swarm stopped.

The snakes behind were still pushing forward, while the snakes in front were starting to retreat.

A few breaths later, the entire swarm of snakes was thrown into chaos.

Yang Guo lifted his foot and stomped hard on a protruding blue stone.

The stone surface cracked open with a sound, and the force traveled out along the earth's veins.

The closest venomous snake was thrown over by the shock, and the snakes in the distance were startled and retreated along the narrow path at the bottom of the valley.

Lu Wushuang was somewhat stunned by what she saw.

"Husband, is this also a skill from the Nine Yin Manual?"

I guess so.

Yang Guo said.

"When the Nine Yin Manual is practiced to a high level, it is no longer just about techniques."

"Meridian pathways, qi circulation, and the five senses can all be used to fight enemies."

"You'll be in charge of the intelligence department from now on, so don't just focus on practicing your sword skills."

"Listening to the wind to pinpoint locations and recognizing people's presence are more effective than simply killing them."

Lu Wushuang carefully wrote it down.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Ying's eyes flickered slightly.

Born on Peach Blossom Island, she was already well-versed in Qimen Dunjia and the changes in Qi.

Yang Guo's words were not mysterious at all; on the contrary, they were all in line with the principles of martial arts.

She was unwilling to admit it, but she understood that this person's martial arts skills had improved extremely quickly, and it wasn't entirely due to the effects of the medicine.

The snakes retreated quickly.

A path was cleared in the valley, leaving only dead snakes, broken leaves, and mud tracks on the ground.

Yang Guo's gaze was fixed on the end of the valley.

There was a tall stone wall there, with a large hole at the base of the wall.

The cave entrance was taller than two people, and the inside was pitch black. A wind blew out from inside, carrying the bitter smell of herbs and the unique odor of beasts that had long inhabited their burrows.

He walked to the cave entrance and squatted down to examine it.

There were many serpentine tracks on the muddy ground, crisscrossing each other.

But in the middle of these traces, there were several huge footprints.

The three toes are clearly defined and burrow very deep into the ground.

The edges of the footprints were very firm, indicating that the object that left the mark was extremely heavy and had been frequenting this area for many years.

Lu Wushuang followed and asked in a low voice.

"My lord, what kind of bird footprints are these? They're bigger than a bowl."

"Things that live long in the mountains cannot necessarily be viewed with ordinary eyes."

Yang Guo stood up.

Don't underestimate it.

"If it is indeed the one I am looking for, in terms of strength alone, even a top-tier expert would have several bones broken if hit by it."

Cheng Ying did not look at the footprints.

She walked to the side of the cave entrance and reached out to touch the stone wall.

There were several deep sword marks there.

The mark is very deep, extending from top to bottom, penetrating the stone several inches deep.

The stone wall is made of extremely hard material; ordinary swords and knives can only leave a white mark at most when they strike it.

However, the edges of these marks were perfectly neat, and the force penetrated straight into the stone, which could only be done by someone with strong internal strength.

Cheng Ying said, "Someone here once tested their skills with heavy weapons."

"The moves haven't changed much, but the force has been kept extremely stable."

"The person who made the move has reached an extremely high level of control over internal energy."

Yang Guo glanced at her.

"Miss Cheng, you may be afraid of snakes, but you still have good eyesight."

Cheng Ying withdrew her hand, her tone curt.

"No need for your praise."

Yang Guo smiled and stopped teasing her.

He reached out and pressed his hand on one of the sword marks, and the Chongyang Sword Intent within his body stirred slightly.

The sword intent of the character "重" that had not yet been mastered was originally just a vague prototype in his meridians, but now, drawn by the sword marks on the stone wall, it actually showed some reaction.

The two are not from the same origin.

However, they have similarities.

Wang Chongyang's swordsmanship emphasizes discipline, grandeur, and magnificence.

The sword marks on the stone wall, however, focus solely on the word "force," simplifying the complex and leaving no room for error.

A hint of interest flickered in Yang Guo's eyes.

If he can comprehend the principles of the heavy sword here, and further temper his physique with the gall of the Bodhi snake, his gains from this trip to the Sword Tomb will likely go far beyond simply breaking through a barrier.

Just then, a low, hoarse cry suddenly came from deep within the cave.

The call was unlike any ordinary bird song; it was short and harsh, and it even made the rubble at the cave entrance tremble slightly.

Lu Wushou gripped the hilt of the knife and subconsciously took a half-step back.

Cheng Ying also gripped the jade flute tightly. The embarrassment she had just suffered from being forced out by the snakes had not yet dissipated, and she dared not be distracted in the slightest.

Yang Guo stood at the cave entrance and raised his hand to signal the two to stop.

In the darkness, the sound of heavy footsteps could be heard.

step.

Another step.

That thing is walking towards the cave entrance.

Huge bird footprints, plus the marks left by a heavy sword on the stone wall.

Can't go wrong.

This is the entrance to the Sword Tomb where Dugu Qiubai is buried!

The divine eagle that has lived for countless years, and the Bodhi snake that can transform a person, are both near this cave!