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

"rise!"

The heavy iron sword slashed upwards at an angle.

The moment the sword touched the water curtain, the water pressure came crashing down like an avalanche.

Yang Guo's arm muscles bulged high, and the Nine Yin Manual energy in his meridians circulated wildly.

The current was too strong.

This isn't splitting water; it's like trying to hold up a collapsed mountain.

The reaction force from the sword made his hand ache.

The stone surface under Yang Guo's feet was very slippery. His footing loosened slightly, and he was swept back two steps by the current.

With a whoosh.

The heavy iron sword slammed into the water, splashing up a large spray that completely covered Yang Guo's face.

He wiped the water off his face and spat out a mouthful of fishy-smelling pool water.

"This is fucking difficult."

Yang Guo cursed under his breath, gripped the sword hilt tightly with both hands, and steadied himself again.

The red and black primordial energy beads in his dantian continued to rotate, and the medicinal power of the snake gall provided a steady stream of heat, protecting his heart and resisting the coldness of the pool water.

The water veins of the cold pool are completely different from ordinary streams.

This place is located beneath the belly of Sword Tomb Mountain, and is constantly eroded by underground currents. The cold air from the water can penetrate the skin and flesh into the meridians.

Those who practice external martial arts in the martial arts world should avoid entering such waters when their internal energy is depleted.

In mild cases, it can cause joint soreness and numbness; in severe cases, it can cause cold pathogens to enter the meridians, hindering future exercise.

Yang Guo dared to go into the water because he relied on the protection of his Nine Yin Manual and the medicinal power of snake gall to support his blood and qi.

However, the Xuan Tie Heavy Sword was heavy, and the water curtain was pressing down from above. Every swing of the sword required consuming a layer of physical strength and then a layer of true energy.

If they try to hold on, even the red and black energy beads might not be able to stay stable.

On the shore, Lu Wushuang did squats while panting and shouting.

"Husband, are you sure you can handle this? I bet you've already been beaten down before you could even break through the water."

Yang Guo turned around and glared at her.

"How many have you done? You still have the energy to talk; it seems you haven't squatted low enough."

"Straighten your back, press your butt down, and give me another hundred!"

Lu Wushuang's legs went weak, and she sat down directly on the rocky beach.

"I'm quitting. My legs are killing me. If I keep squatting like this, I'll have trouble walking tomorrow."

Seeing her acting spoiled, Yang Guo softened his tone.

"Don't play the victim. You used to avoid using your left leg for too long. You've just recovered from an old injury, so the thing you should be training most is your lower body."

"If you're lazy today, you'll regret it tomorrow."

Lu Wushuang bit her lip and lowered her head to rub her calves.

She was most afraid of people talking about her lameness, but Yang Guo didn't mock her when he said it.

She remained silent for a moment, then stood up, supporting herself on her knees.

"Then I'll make fifty more, not one more."

"Okay, fifty it is. After you're done, go warm yourself by the fire, don't catch a cold."

"If I don't see any cooked snake meat when I get ashore later, I'll hold you responsible."

Upon hearing this, Lu Wushuang felt much better.

"My husband is the best. I'll roast the snake meat until it's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, so you can eat it before you go get a beating from the waterfall."

Yang Guo almost laughed out of anger at her.

Cheng Ying stood by the pool, a corner of her pink Taoist robe dampened by the water vapor.

She didn't make any jokes; she just stared at the spot where Yang Guo had just drawn his sword.

She watched for a while before speaking.

"Brother Yang, you're using the wrong method."

Yang Guo, leaning on his heavy sword, stood in water that was above his thighs, panting for breath.

"Butler Cheng, of course your back doesn't hurt when you're standing."

"There's no trickery involved in this waterfall crashing down; it's all about brute force."

Cheng Ying shook her head.

"Water is not an iron plate."

"The formation of Peach Blossom Island emphasizes the flow of Qi and the presence of both real and feints in the water."

"The middle water column is the thickest and hits the heaviest point, while the sides are deflected by the mountain wind."

"Every time you raise your sword from the very center, it's like you're using your arm to catch the entire curtain of water."

She bent down, picked up a twig, and drew a few arcs on the wet mud.

"Look here, the water falls from the cliff, is first cut by the protruding rock above, spreads slightly on the left, but then rolls back on the right."

"If you raise your sword from the right side, the blade will be pressed down by the force of the receding water."

"If you enter from the left at an angle, first walk half a foot close to the water's flow, then turn your waist to exert force; the burden will be much lighter."

Yang Guo took two steps closer and looked at the marks on the mud.

Cheng Ying's words had the influence of the divination techniques of Peach Blossom Island.

The Huang Yaoshi lineage not only practices martial arts, but also has expertise in esoteric arts, music, medicine, and mechanisms.

She could discern the subtleties from the placement of the water droplets; it wasn't just casual advice.

"Butler Cheng, you've got some skills."

Yang Guo looked up at the waterfall.

"But you make that sound so easy. I can barely stand up in there, let alone have time to look left and right."

Cheng Ying pursed her lips.

"So don't rush to swing your sword."

"Since Senior Dugu instructed his descendants to practice heavy sword under the waterfall, what they were practicing was not necessarily sword techniques, but more about the harmony of body movements and qi."

"If you only use brute force, you may not be able to master the basics even if you damage your muscles and bones."

She paused for a moment, then added another sentence.

"Brother Yang, please take care of yourself. I'm doing this for your own good."

Yang Guo couldn't help but laugh when he heard this catchphrase.

"After you said that, I have a feeling I'm about to be set up."

Cheng Ying blushed slightly and turned to look at the surface of the pool.

"If you're willing to listen, I'll continue; if you find it annoying, I won't bother."

"No!"

Yang Guo shouldered his heavy sword. "Master Cheng is giving a lecture, how dare I skip it? You continue, I'll take the beating."

Lu Wushuang chimed in from the side.

"Cousin, don't explain it to him too clearly, or he'll get all cocky."

"Wushuang, go roast your meat."

Yang Guo said, "If I can say one more thing, I'll increase my squats to 800."

Lu Wushuang carried the snake meat and ran towards the fire, muttering to herself.

Yang Guo withdrew his gaze, inserted the heavy sword into a crevice in the rocks at the bottom of the water, and stretched his shoulders and back.

His hands were already raw from the several hard clashes he had just endured.

The water in the pool soaked the wound, and the pain crept up my arm.

He didn't rush to suppress the pain, but instead let it remind him that he couldn't act rashly anymore.

A heavy sword has no edge, and a heavy sword has no skill.

If these eight characters are only interpreted as having great strength, then that would be far too superficial.

A figure like Dugu Qiubai would not leave a piece of heavy iron for his descendants to practice brute force.

The so-called "no edge" means that without the sharpness of a sword, one must rely on momentum.

The so-called great skill lies in the profoundness hidden within its complexity. To outsiders, it appears simple, but when it is truly in operation, every bit of force has a source.

Yang Guo closed his eyes and first withdrew the released true energy, leaving only a layer to protect his heart meridian.

The water splashed against his shoulders and back, and the subtle changes that had been blocked by his true energy finally came through one by one.

The left shoulder bears more weight, while the right arm bears less weight.

There was a swirling undercurrent in front of his chest, and a horizontal force of water below his knees, which was impacting his stance.

If the soles of the feet are completely nailed down, the body will be overturned sooner or later.

If you drift back half an inch with the current, and then use your waist and hips to catch up, you can save a lot of energy.

He began to move his feet.

step.

Half a step.

The soles of the feet are on the slippery stones, the toes grip the narrow gaps, and the knees use the force of the water to deflect the impact.

The Golden Goose Skill is originally a light and agile martial art, but underwater, it can be used to adjust the center of gravity.

The Nine Yin True Qi then sinks into the legs along the Foot Shaoyin Meridian, giving the feet a stronger foundation.

Cheng Ying watched his footwork and whispered a reminder.

"Don't raise the sword tip first; let the spine of the sword touch the water first, and then raise it after the receding water force has subsided."

Yang Guo did as he was told.

The Xuan Tie Heavy Sword moved slowly in the water, encountering great resistance, but with less chaotic force than before.

His arm was still sore and numb, but the sword no longer wobbled.

A moment later, he inhaled deeply, stepped back half an inch, and then twisted his waist and hips.

"rise!"

The heavy iron sword slashed upwards from underwater.

This sword strike did not slash directly at the center of the water curtain, but instead entered from the left side, barely touching the center.

The sword's spine first traveled half a foot along the water flow, then the sword body flipped, and the Nine Yin True Qi flowed into the hilt through both arms.

A slit was cut in the water curtain.

The gap lasted only a moment before it was filled by water falling from above.

But this breath was enough for Yang Guo.

He didn't try to take credit for himself; instead, he sheathed his sword, sank backward, and used the force of falling into the water to push the heavy sword back into the pool.

In this way, the force of the shock was greatly reduced, and the tiger's mouth was no longer cracked.

"It has become half a sword."

Yang Guo exhaled a breath of stale air, his face becoming more serious.

Cheng Ying said, "If you had turned your waist half a beat earlier, the sword momentum would have been broken. You stopped right."

Yang Guo raised an eyebrow.

"Butler Cheng, could you please give me a few more compliments? What I just did deserves a high-energy theme song in a short video."

Cheng Ying couldn't understand the second half of the sentence and assumed he was just talking nonsense again.

"You've only avoided the heaviest water force; you haven't yet taken advantage of the water's momentum."

"Only when you can let the water help you press down on your sword, and then smoothly raise your sword, can you be considered to have touched the threshold."

Yang Guo nodded without refuting.

He began to repeat it over and over again.

He drew his sword, then sheathed it.

Each time, I only hoped to hold on for one more breath, not to split the water curtain apart.

The heavy iron sword in his hands became controllable instead of cumbersome. Although it was still not agile, it no longer struggled against the water at every turn.

Half an hour later, his shoulders and back were numb from being hit, and his arms were so sore that he couldn't lift them.

The medicinal power of the snake gall was largely consumed in the meridians, and the rotation of the red and black energy beads also slowed down.

He still didn't stop.

After practicing more than ten sword strikes, halfway through the last strike, a hidden force suddenly surged from the right side of the water curtain.

Yang Guo could have taken the blow head-on, but he changed his mind and decided to loosen his grip by a third, letting the sword sink down with the hidden force.

The heavy sword slammed into the bottom of the pool, splashing water, and he was pushed back two steps.

This time, he didn't fall.

Yang Guo looked at the water and secretly memorized the source of that hidden force.

The waterfall at Dugu Sword Tomb was probably not chosen randomly.

The protruding rocks above, the hidden currents at the bottom of the pool, and the direction of the cold air all hone one's physical skills and breathing.

If we can master the greatsword here, we'll have a better chance of defeating the snake king.

Lu Wushuang's shouts came from the shore.

"Husband, the snake meat is almost burnt! If you don't come up soon, I'm going to eat it all myself!"

Yang Guo then dragged his heavy sword toward the shore.

With each step, water dripped down his clothes.

When he came ashore, he placed the Xuan Tie Heavy Sword next to the stone. The wound on his palm had turned white from being soaked in water, and there were large red marks on his shoulders and back, with several places already turning purple.

Lu Wushuang handed over the roasted snake meat, her tone much softer than before.

"My dear husband, eat up! I've been baking this for ages, it smells amazing!"

Yang Guo took the branch and took a big bite.

Snake meat is very chewy, with a unique sweet and fishy taste, and it leaves a warm feeling in your stomach after swallowing it.

"Your skills have improved; all the pampering I did for you was worth it."

Yang Guo praised him.

Lu Wushuang proudly raised her chin and handed another string of skewers to Cheng Ying.

"Cousin, you should eat too."

Cheng Ying took the snake meat and ate it in small bites, but her gaze remained fixed on Yang Guo.

Yang Guo took off his soaked outer robe and sat shirtless by the fire.

My shoulders and back were covered in red welts from the water, and some places had even turned purple.

Lu Wushuang's eyes reddened as she looked at the red marks.

"My dear husband, your back is all swollen."

She put down the grilled meat in her hand, leaned over, and gently touched it with her finger.

"Does it hurt?"

Yang Guo tensed his muscles, avoiding her hand.

"Don't touch me like that. I'm just tempering my body. This little bit of pain is nothing."

He took the roast meat and took a big bite.