A man stands before the heavens, his sword emerges from the Emei Mountains.

Miejue found Chen Yu and took Zhou Zhiruo as a disciple of the Emei Sect. Bai Guishou was captured by the Five Poisons Sect. She decided to rush back to Mount Emei to prepare to wipe out Bashan Tankou. Following the clues, she investigated how the Five Poisons Sect knew about Chen Yu's background and who the sect leader was.

Chen Yu, Yang An, Ji Xiaofu and others had earned a lot of money in Wushan, which they carried with them. Yang An hired a large boat, planned a route, went from the Han River to the Yangtze River, and then went upstream to Sichuan.

This arrangement was convenient for Chen Yu's cultivation.

Ding Minjun and Li Mingxia secretly groaned, as Chen Yu had forced them to cultivate themselves, practicing palm and sword techniques in the large ship's Class A.

Looking out the window, Miejue saw everyone practicing diligently, as if she could see the thriving future of Emei Mountain.

Zhou Zhiruo gave a wonderful surprise. Su Mengqing and Ji Xiaofu bought her clothes and helped her dress up. She looked completely refreshed. At such a young age, she possessed the spirit of water and the elegance of mountains, and was a stunning beauty in the making.

That's secondary. Miejue once told Chen Yu that martial arts are related to talent. While some martial arts can be mastered through arduous practice, many techniques cannot be forced by human effort. The Emei Sect's techniques are like this, emphasizing comprehension.

Zhou Zhiruo was an outer disciple. During the journey, Yang An taught her basic breathing techniques and the Yue Nu Sword Technique. Zhou Zhiruo's comprehension ability and extraordinary memory caught Yang An's attention.

Miejue secretly observed and was quite pleased; Chen Yu had found a treasure for himself.

People are in high spirits when they have a happy occasion. Ji Xiaofu, Ding Minjun and others asked her about some martial arts techniques. Miejue explained them in detail and in a kind and gentle manner, which made Ding Minjun and Li Mingxia, who were less perceptive, extremely uncomfortable.

In this atmosphere, the riverboat arrived in Xiangyang.

Compared to other towns along the Han River that Xiangyang passes through, the other towns are much more prosperous. Villages and markets face each other on both banks, with the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking. The closer you get to the dock, the more restaurants and teahouses line the streets, and the more bustling the atmosphere becomes.

The sunset was infinitely beautiful. Chen Yu stood at the bow of the boat, surrounded by blooming flowers and green willows along the riverbank, the river waves bathed in a red glow. He felt his heart was as vast as the sea and as high as the sky. From now on, he only needed to relentlessly investigate and attack the Five Poisons Sect, and many things hidden behind the scenes would come to light. Once he mastered the Quanzhen Sword Technique and the Jade Maiden Sword Technique, his swordsmanship would at least be considered top-tier in the world.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Emei's situation will undergo a dramatic transformation, and the path of the martial arts world in the world of Yitian can be considered stable.

"Yang An".

The sound of extinction pulled Chen Yu back to reality, and he turned around to look.

"Let the boatman dock so we can pay our respects to Master Guo and his wife."

"Understood." Yang An replied solemnly.

Chen Yu straightened his expression upon hearing this.

The riverboat docked at the pier, and the group went ashore to buy incense, candles, paper money, and other offerings. As they walked, they suddenly heard several men who looked like they were from the martial arts world talking.

"The Yangtze River's waves push the previous waves forward, and new talents emerge in every generation."

"Indeed, the Dongting River bandits were elusive and had been a problem for a long time, but they were wiped out by Young Hero Song's sword attack."

"The name of Meng Chang, the Jade-faced Man, is well-deserved."

"The Wudang Sect has Master Zhang, who stands tall above the world, and the Five Heroes, who are famous throughout the martial arts world. Now, Young Hero Song has also made a name for himself as a hero. It is not impossible for the younger generation to surpass the older generation in the future. Perhaps the order of Shaolin and Wudang should be changed."

"Yes, from now on it will be Wudang and Shaolin."

"Master Zhang has been vanquishing demons for sixty years. Now the world is in chaos, and evil spirits run rampant. Perhaps the next sixty-year demon-slaying campaign will depend on Young Hero Song."

On the occasion of Zhang Sanfeng's 100th birthday, Yang An had accompanied Ji Xiaofu to Wudang Mountain. He whispered, "Young Master Song is the son of Master Song, Zhang Sanfeng's first disciple."

Extinction nodded without speaking, but her expression was displeased.

If there is truly another sixty-year cycle to vanquish demons, it will surely be my disciple Chen Yu.

Chen Yu glanced at Miejue and chuckled inwardly, thinking to herself that she must be comparing herself to Song Qingshu.

Ding Minjun blurted out, "Last time when Sixth Hero Yin came to Mount Emei, he didn't get to see Young Hero Song. I wonder what kind of demeanor he has."

When Ji Xiaofu heard Ding Minjun mention Yin Liuxia's visit to the mountain to deliver a letter requesting the Emei Nine Yang Skill, her expression changed slightly.

"Hmph," Miejue said unhappily.

Ding Minjun felt like she had a thorn in her side.

Chen Yu smiled inwardly again. Ding Minjun wasn't entirely useless; at least she was loyal to Emei. He wondered how to guide her. Thinking this, he glanced at Zhou Zhiruo, who was following Ji Xiaofu closely.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, Chen Yu saw a sorrowful face.

An idea struck him, and he stepped forward, saying, "I'll burn some paper money for your father later too."

"Thank you, Senior Brother." Zhou Zhiruo looked up, tears welling up in her eyes.

What was said in jest was taken to heart by the listener. Miejue thought to herself that she had overlooked the fact that Zhiruo had lost her father. Observing Yu'er's demeanor since coming from Emei, she was meticulous, composed, and had the air of a great general. She was more than capable of succeeding her.

Unaware of Miejue's intentions, Chen Yu bought more paper money and offerings. The group then found an auspicious spot on Xian Mountain outside Xiangyang City, burned incense and offered sacrifices. On their way back, they bought some food, boarded the ship, and set sail.

Chen Yu went to the stern of the ship and began to comprehend the Qi circulation methods of the Jade Maiden Sword Technique and the Quanzhen Sword Technique.

……

When the "Flowers Before the Moon" move of the "Jade Maiden Swordplay" is executed, the long sword trembles like flowers waving in the wind, and the back and forth slashes are like flowing river waves. When the "Light Silk Fan" move of the "Willow Dance in the Wind Swordplay" is mastered to the extreme, it can slash horizontally and shake nine times in a row. The two moves have similar effects, but the former has the addition of a sweeping sword, with internal strength shining outward and the power coming from the wrist bone. It should be that the qi comes from the Jingqu and Taiyuan acupoints, which is the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, not the Hand Taiyang Meridian of the Emei Swordplay.

"The move 'Searching for Plum Blossoms in the Snow' is similar to 'Looking Back and Inserting Flowers' in the Jade Maiden Swordplay, but the latter has an additional sideways shift and turning back. This involves internal energy flowing through the groin and spine, but does it travel along the Bladder Meridian or the Governing Vessel?"

Thinking this way, Chen Yu followed the pattern carved by Shaolongnu, using his mind to guide his qi, and his body to move his steps, taking a step and shifting to the side. The Nine Yang internal qi passed through his groin and flowed towards the Du meridian. The internal qi traveled rapidly all the way to the Mingmen point on his back, where his spine suddenly felt a tingling numbness. Before this abnormality could be amplified, Chen Yu guided the internal qi, which was about to rush around erratically, towards the Bladder meridian. This change was as if there was a source of living water. Chen Yu's side-shifting, turning, and flower-inserting sword movements, which had been slowed down, suddenly became smooth and flowing.

It should be understood that different sword techniques require different skills and knowledge. This is why those with photographic memory can observe and memorize the moves of other schools of swordsmanship, but cannot grasp their essence.

The method of using techniques to reverse the flow of Qi, as Chen Yu did, seems simple, but in reality, if one's mind is unsettled or agitated, it is easy to suffer from Qi deviation and demonic possession. However, for Chen Yu, thanks to the presence of the jade ruyi, there is no need to distract himself from fighting the inner fire. He can subtly sense the changes in the ripples of Qi during circulation, prevent problems before they occur, and solve the problem easily.

Chen Yu used his intention to guide his qi, connecting the two sword styles "Flowers and Moon" and "Looking Back and Inserting Flowers". The Nine Yang internal force was generated from the dantian, like a torrent rushing through a valley, flowing directly from the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin to the Jingqu and Taiyuan acupoints on the wrist.

His inner strength surged forth, and suddenly he stepped forward in a bow stance, raising his sword to slash horizontally. A sudden artistic conception arose, like water chestnut leaves swirling on the waves and lotus leaves fluttering in the wind. Immediately afterwards, he shifted his position, like a dragon turning around. A sword flashed and danced, and as the sword's momentum was about to end, the tip of the sword trembled rapidly, like layers of flower stamens blooming, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion.

"Hey, Junior Brother Chen's 'Light Silk Fan' move is wrong," Ding Minjun, who was practicing her skills at the bow of the boat, blurted out.

"Searching for plum blossoms in the snow" is also quite strange.

"Senior brother, I feel like Senior Brother Chen's sword move has a hint of a 'returning spear'," Tang Zhihu said to Yang An.

Yang An scratched his head. "I'm a little confused too."

Miejue watched with admiration. Chen Yu's first sword move consisted of horizontal and vertical strokes followed by an upward sweep, somewhat like the "Light Silk Fan." While lacking in agility, its strength lay in the unpredictable and cunning upward sweep, catching the opponent off guard—essentially concealing a deadly attack. It must have been a sword technique Yu'er learned in the valley. Forcefully channeling the energy, the sword strike was incredibly powerful; Yu'er had even figured out a method to control her internal energy, displaying extraordinary talent. Minjun and Mingxia were truly annoyed at their blindness.

"Minjun".

"Your disciple is here."

"Practice the 'Light Silk Fan' exercise a hundred times as punishment."

Mingxia practiced "Searching for Plum Blossoms in the Snow" a hundred times.

Ding Minjun and Li Mingxia were stunned.

Why?

Chen Yu was completely absorbed and oblivious to what was happening at the bow of the boat. He continued to study the Quanzhen Sword Technique and the Jade Maiden Sword Technique. By the time the riverboat reached Ezhou, he had fully comprehended the principles of qi circulation in the two schools of sword techniques, which totaled ninety-eight forms.

Exactly one day.