Reborn Ouyang Ke: From The Condor Heroes to the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 57 Innate Purple Qi

A lone boat on the riverbank.

At the bow of the boat, a boatman wearing a straw hat silently poled his long pole, the bamboo pole entering the water and creating ripples that spread to both banks.

Inside the cabin, Ouyang Ke sat cross-legged, his eyes slightly closed, his breathing long and even. After his battle with Yuwen Huaji, he took a short break to recover before immediately setting off from outside Yangzhou.

It should be noted that Yuwen Huaji was deeply trusted by Yang Guang. Although he was forced to retreat due to the loss of his arm, Ouyang Ke still left the courtyard in advance to prevent him from returning with his men.

Upon internal inspection, the swirling purple mist that had enveloped Ouyang Ke's dantian had dissipated, replaced by wisps of purple-gold energy, as thin as hair yet exceptionally resilient.

As they flow slowly, with each rotation, a cool and warm sensation simultaneously enters the meridians. This is the innate purple energy, possessing both yin and yang, and combining strength and gentleness.

Strangely, the path of the innate purple energy is quite different from that of the earlier Nine Yang Divine Skill.

The true qi originates from the Tianling acupoint on the top of the head, passes through the Tianchi acupoint on the upper palate, down the Ren meridian, up the Du meridian, and then along the left Yang meridian to the left palm. Next, it travels along the Yin meridian of the right palm, then along the Yang meridian of the middle finger, along the right elbow to the Jianggong acupoint, passing through the Chonglou acupoint, through the Chong meridian to the Dantian, then along the Yang meridian of the outside of the right leg, past the toes to the Yongquan acupoint on the sole of the foot, and finally returns to the Jianggong acupoint via the Yin meridian of the inside of the right leg, and then down to the Yongquan acupoint on the sole of the left foot.

If the two dragons were present at this moment, they would probably be dumbfounded—Ouyang Ke's current innate purple qi circulation path is exactly the method of the sixth and seventh diagrams of the "Longevity Technique" that the two of them cultivate. However, Ouyang Ke's innate purple qi combines these two paths into one, combining the strengths of the two dragons' longevity true qi, and also integrating the essence of the original "Nine Yang Divine Skill".

The Yuwen Clan's "Ice Profound Force" was bone-chillingly cold, freezing the meridians wherever it passed. However, as Ouyang Ke's innate purple energy circulated within him, like snow melting in the spring sun, the cold energy was gradually melted away.

About half an hour later, Ouyang Ke suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes gleamed with a purple light, and his entire body was enveloped in a vibrant purple aura. Bathed in the sunlight streaming into the cabin, he seemed to glow. He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, and the purple light in his eyes gradually faded.

After his battle with Yuwen Huaji, he gradually understood what the "Innate Purple Qi" he had cultivated by chance was.

The Nine Yang Divine Skill is "pure Yang," while the Twin Dragons Longevity True Qi is "cultivated separately from Yin and Yang but sharing the same origin." When the three converge, they form a pattern of "mutual benefit of Yin and Yang, and the unity of the three powers." His pure Yang True Qi is "neutralized" and "stimulated" by the Yin and Yang True Qi of the Twin Dragons, thus transforming from "pure Yang" into innate True Qi that "possesses both Yin and Yang." This process is similar to the Taoist concepts of "water and fire in balance" and "drawing water from Kan and filling fire from Li," transforming the pure Yang body into an innate body with Yin and Yang balance.

Although the "Nine Yang Divine Skill" also possesses both Yin and Yang after its mastery, there are still subtle differences between the two. At least, the innate purple energy is far superior to the earlier Nine Yang True Energy in terms of "quality".

Only after reaching this point, when Ouyang Ke had cultivated the innate purple qi, did he have the confidence to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Demonic Sect, which possessed the "Heavenly Demon Strategy," and the Cihang Jingzhai, which possessed the "Cihang Sword Manual."

Of course, this is not without its costs.

The "swirling purple energy" within his body actively responded and merged with the true energy of the two dragons. After circulating through the three bodies along the unique energy pathways of the two dragons, the "swirling purple energy" transformed into "innate purple energy".

Ouyang Ke's entry into the Innate Realm was equivalent to dispersing his cultivation and starting over, resulting in a significant decrease in the total amount of his true energy. This was precisely because his true energy had just undergone a qualitative change and needed a solid foundation; it was not advisable to over-stimulate it.

He was injured in the battle with Yuwen Huaji because his innate purple qi was still in its early stages and insufficient in quantity, allowing the ice-purple energy to invade his body.

However, compared to the gains, this drawback is insignificant. This is because after mastering "Innate Purple Qi," one's own Qi recovery speed is faster, the essence of true Qi is higher, and it also possesses the "evil-repelling" characteristic of the earlier Nine Yang Divine Skill against Yin-damaging techniques.

It was precisely because Yuwen Huaji's "Ice Profound Strength," which he had painstakingly cultivated for many years, was just one step away from being completely neutralized by him.

Based on this alone, although his innate purple aura possesses the characteristics of the twin dragons' "longevity true qi", it also has advantages that neither of them has.

Thinking of this, Ouyang Ke suddenly raised his head and looked into the distance, a purple light flashing in his eyes.

As he circulated his internal energy, he could faintly sense an aura, similar to his own, pulsating like a heartbeat from over a hundred miles away, echoing his own from afar.

He understood that this must be a remote connection with the true energy of the Twin Dragons' "Longevity Technique".

After the three of them merged their true energy, a mysterious connection was established between them.

Sensing the aura of the twin dragons over a hundred miles away, Ouyang Ke was pleasantly surprised. It should be known that this mysterious and profound technique had appeared three hundred years ago in the hands of the "Peerless Sword Saint" Yan Fei and the "Celestial Master" Sun En. They were rivals, yet their minds could sense each other remotely.

In the Hongwu era of later generations, before the decisive battle at Dongting Lake, the "Demon Master" Pang Ban and the "Overturning Rain Sword" Lang Fanyun could lock onto any opponent with their own spirit. No matter who it was, once they were locked onto by the two of them, they would not be able to escape death even if they fled to the ends of the earth.

Just like Shan Yuru, who founded the "Heavenly Mandate Sect", she has reached the highest level of seductive arts. Her nickname is Cuixiu Huan. Not only has her martial arts reached the level of the world's top masters, but her sexual cultivation technique has also reached the pinnacle. Therefore, she can remain young and eternally youthful. Her seductive methods are beyond the imagination of anyone who has never seen them.

Yet even such an exceptional figure was ultimately locked down by Lang Fanyun's mental control, leaving him with no way to escape, and in the end, he could only watch helplessly as Lang Fanyun crippled his demonic arts.

Such a mysterious and profound method should not be within Ouyang Ke's reach at present, but now, because it shares the same origin as the Twin Dragons' "Longevity Technique" true energy, it has actually gained the ability to remotely sense the two of them, which is truly unexpected.

However, this method is limited in scope compared to the telepathic connection between Yan Fei and Sun En, and the soul-locking technique of Pang Ban and Lang Fanyun. According to his mysterious perception, as long as the two dragons travel a few dozen more miles, they will be able to break free of his mental connection.

Meanwhile, after escaping, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling ran along the riverbank until Yangzhou City completely disappeared from their sight, at which point they gradually slowed down.

They came across a small village with only a dozen or so households, of which only two or three had lights on. It was clear that the people here were living in poverty due to the frequent wars and had to live frugally. The two felt as if they had returned to the world of the living and walked towards the village.

Suddenly, a loud barking erupted, and a pack of dogs responded, several large ones advancing and retreating as they moved towards them, emboldened by each other. The two were secretly alarmed and on guard when, fortunately, some villagers came out to scatter the dogs and warmly invited them to rest for a while.

After a short rest, still shaken, they dared not linger and continued walking for more than ten miles, where they came across a small town.

The town was quite populous, with stone bridges and tiled houses standing side by side. It was a prosperous water town in the Jiangnan region. Although it was only a quarter the size of the smallest market in Yangzhou and had no high walls or city gates, the two of them felt an immediate desire to stay.

What attracted them most was the town's women's exquisite clothing; both the tailoring and embroidery showcased the delicate beauty and ingenuity of the water town girls. What pleased them even more was that the women, draped in embroidered shawls and shoes, with pleated skirts around their waists, appeared even more charming and graceful as they paraded through the town in groups, making them itch with desire.

Especially now that the two are no longer the poor hooligans they used to be, their mood is very different, and they stand much more upright.

A group of young women approached with smiles. Upon seeing the two men, each with their own unique appearance and imposing physique, they immediately raised their eyebrows and exchanged pleasantries, making the two young men overjoyed.

This was the first time since birth that the two had received such appreciation from the opposite sex, which greatly boosted their confidence. In fact, after cultivating the "Longevity Technique" true energy, and coinciding with their puberty, the two not only grew taller and stronger, but most notably, their demeanor exuded an indescribable youthful charm.

The two were quickly captivated by the rich folk customs and local sentiments of the water town, secretly thinking that even staying here, getting married, and having children wouldn't be bad. The reason they had been dreaming of getting rich in Yangzhou all day was because they were dissatisfied with their current situation and had suffered a lot of bullying. Now that they had arrived in this place, which seemed like a paradise, with its simple and honest folk customs, they felt extremely refreshed and their spirits naturally relaxed.

But Xu Ziling kept frowning, then suddenly said softly, "Young Master Zhong, do you feel like someone is watching you?"

Upon hearing this, Kou Zhong's tiger-like eyes showed a hint of doubt. After concentrating on sensing for a moment, he nodded and said, "If Xiao Ling hadn't reminded me, I wouldn't have noticed this anomaly."

Xu Ziling said, "Ever since we stepped into this small village, I've had this feeling that we're being watched."

Among the two dragons, Xu Ziling was born with a magical sense of perception, so when Ouyang Ke used his innate purple energy to sense the auras of the two, he was the first to notice.

However, given their current limited cultivation and lack of experience in the martial world, they naturally didn't understand the reason behind it. They cautiously looked around and, finding no wanted posters of the two at the town hall, felt somewhat relieved.

Kou Zhong glanced around at the peaceful village and asked疑惑地问道, "Could it be that we've just escaped death and are a bit tense?"

Xu Ziling's brow relaxed slightly. The feeling of being watched suddenly and inexplicably vanished. Realizing this, he could only believe Kou Zhong's story.

Looking at the peaceful and tranquil Jiangnan water town before him, Kou Zhong couldn't help but think of Ouyang Ke, who was still fighting a powerful enemy on the riverbank, and sighed, "Xiao Ling, who do you think won between Brother Ouyang and that Yuwen Huagu?"

Xu Ziling shook his head: "I don't know." He paused, then added: "But I have a lot of confidence in my elder brother. At first, Yuwen Huagu used us to threaten him, but now that we're no longer a burden, even if he's no match for us, he can easily retreat."

Kou Zhong nodded: "That's right! Brother's martial arts are superb. I really don't know when we'll be able to reach that level—" At this point, a surge of heroic spirit suddenly welled up in his heart. He reached out and hugged Xu Ziling, "Xiao Ling, since we are rivals that even Brother acknowledges, we must make a name for ourselves in the martial arts world so that Brother can soon—"

A surge of heroic ambition rose within Xu Ziling, but he feigned nonchalance and said, "What do you mean, 'early'? 'early'? 'early' to watch us make a fool of ourselves?

Kou Zhong chuckled: "They've been looking at us with new respect for a long time!"

The two joked and played around for a while, then used their remaining silver coins to buy some dry food to fill their stomachs in the town. Looking at each other's dirty appearance, they came to a stream outside the village.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling stripped naked, first washing their clothes in the stream, then hanging them on the bushes beside the stream to dry in the afternoon sun. The rubbing of the "Secret of Longevity" given to them by Ouyang Ke was carefully placed on a blue stone.

Then, with a whoosh, the two swam freely in the stream, washing away the mud and stench from their frantic run.

The two were still young at heart. Having fled to this mountainous area more than a hundred miles from Yangzhou, they were too exhausted to walk any further. However, thinking that they were far from danger, their mood improved.

Just as they were having fun splashing in the water, a soft moan suddenly came from the shore.

The two were startled and looked in the direction of the sound. They saw a woman wearing a bamboo hat and dressed in white standing gracefully on the bank. Her beautiful eyes, peering through her veil, coldly scrutinized them, showing no concern whatsoever for their nakedness.

The two boys let out a strange cry, squatted down, and subconsciously reached out to cover their lower bodies.

Xu Ziling cried out, "Don't look at what you shouldn't see! Please, elder sister, spare us!"

Kou Zhong also shouted, "One coin for each glance. The young lady seems to have looked at you at least a hundred times. Let's charge her at half price, or sixty percent. Leave a hundred copper coins and you can go."

A cold smile escaped the corner of the woman's mouth as she softly said, "You little brat, you're asking for a beating."

The next moment, she stretched out her delicate, spring-green hand and casually flicked two fingers.

With two "splashes," the two groaned in pain and tumbled into the stream. It took them a while to emerge from the water, having suffered greatly.

The woman in white said calmly, "You must answer my questions honestly, or I'll teach you two brats a lesson."

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had retreated to the other side of the shore, but dared not climb ashore naked. They were caught in a dilemma, extremely bewildered. They were no longer the ignorant fools they once were, and could naturally see that the woman in white before them was a master of the same caliber as Yuwen Huaji and Ouyang Ke.

Kou Zhong, a master of adaptability, smiled obsequiously and said, "I will answer all your questions without reservation, Miss. Please feel free to ask."

Seeing that he was dressed in a scholarly manner, yet somehow incongruous, the woman in white sneered, "What courage do you, little brat, need to ask?"

Xu Ziling quickly replied, "My brother here is never good with words, so please feel free to ask, Miss."

The woman in white remained expressionless and as still as water as she asked, "Are you connected to Ouyang Ke?"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged a glance, then one nodded and the other shook his head.

When the wind struck again, their pressure points were hit, their knees buckled, and they fell back into the water. It took them a while to struggle to their feet, looking utterly disheveled.

The woman in white said nonchalantly, "If I hear another lie, you'll never get back up."

Her gaze swept across the scroll on the bluestone, and with a swift movement, the rubbing of the "Longevity Manual" was in her hands.

She looked down at the incredibly familiar scribbles in the booklet, and a smile suddenly appeared on her lips.

Upon seeing this, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling both frowned.

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