Huang Rong and Mu Nianci

Martial arts world.

A small city in the Southern Song Dynasty.

Because the city’s school had closed, the surrounding villages had been thrown into an uproar. Even the county magistrate was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

It was not that there were no other scholars in the city who could serve as teachers, but Teacher Chu’s ability to educate beginners had simply been too exceptional.

It was said that even some prominent scholarly families planned to send their clan’s children to study at the school.

One had to know that children’s elementary education flourished throughout both the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties. To carve out a path amid such fierce competition, how could he possibly be an incompetent man?

The county magistrate was also puzzled. If the common people had not raised such a fuss all the way to the county office, he would never have heard of such a worthy scholar despite serving here for many years.

After making careful inquiries, he learned that the much-discussed Teacher Chu was merely a young man in his early twenties. The magistrate had read the elementary texts Teacher Chu used to instruct children, and every one of them could be called an enduring classic. Even someone his age had benefited greatly from reading them.

When he thought of how such writings had come from a man barely over twenty, he found it unbelievable and became extremely curious about what Teacher Chu truly looked like.

"County Magistrate! It seems Teacher Chu has returned. Someone saw that the gate to his courtyard was open!"

The county office’s clerk rushed in from outside, tripped over the threshold, and rolled head over heels until he landed before the magistrate.

"What are you panicking for?!"

The magistrate snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and strode out of the room in just as much of a hurry without even looking at the clerk.

"You’re no better yourself…"

The clerk climbed up from the floor, silently grumbled, and hurried after the magistrate.

The magistrate’s surname was Huang. He had just turned forty this year. In modern times, he might still have been an older bachelor, but in the Southern Song Dynasty, he was already old enough to be a grandfather.

Even when a steady man was in a hurry, he still had to keep up appearances. Thus, Magistrate Huang’s sedan chair slowly swayed its way to the Chu family’s small courtyard.

The common folk who came holding their children’s hands arrived even earlier than Magistrate Huang. They stood outside the courtyard with eager expressions, looking exactly like modern parents fighting over kindergarten spots.

The mindset of not wanting one’s child to lose at the starting line had not changed in the slightest, even after a thousand years.

It was no wonder they were anxious. Chu Yang had vanished for several months.

When he went to the Jin Kingdom, he had flown there.

But on the way back, he had traveled on foot, with a whole group of burdens tagging along behind him.

Not to mention Huang Rong. She was naturally lively and loved having fun, and she insisted on dragging Chu Yang everywhere to sightsee, wasting quite a bit of time.

If it had only been Huang Rong, he could have simply flown back with her. He had already revealed Wood Release anyway, so Earth Release would not have made much difference.

Chu Yang did not think he needed to live cautiously and hide everything in this world.

But Guo Jing was following right behind them.

Chu Yang had not had the heart to drive him away.

Guo Jing was famously a good person. He could not do something like diverting trouble onto others or dragging people down with him. What happened last time had been a misunderstanding.

Moreover, Guo Jing had apologized to Chu Yang every day along the way, to the point where it had nearly become a catchphrase. With how tirelessly he worked like an ox or horse without complaint, it was difficult to stay angry at him.

Behind Guo Jing came Yang Tiexin’s family.

Yang Kang had become incomparably obedient. He rushed to do every chore, and his diligence was second only to Guo Jing’s.

There was no other reason. He was simply afraid that Chu Yang might one day become unhappy and use him as a sacrifice, so he did everything he could to make himself more pleasing to the eye.

Whenever Yang Kang thought of how arrogantly he had acted before Chu Yang while relying on tens of thousands of Jin soldiers, he wanted nothing more than to slap his own face with the sole of a shoe.

Seeing Yang Kang become so sensible, Yang Tiexin and his wife were deeply gratified.

And they also had Mu Nianci, an even more thoughtful daughter, by their side.

Originally, after reuniting with Guo Jing, Yang Tiexin had intended to betroth Mu Nianci to him. However, Guo Jing had muddled his way through with the excuse that marriage was a major matter that required his mother’s approval.

Yang Tiexin believed his explanation and planned to travel with him to Mongolia after Guo Jing and Yang Kang fulfilled their agreement to compete, so they could visit Li Ping, his former sister-in-law.

Along the road, Bao Xiruo, with her delicate and perceptive heart, noticed Guo Jing’s feelings for Huang Rong. During their private conversation at night, she carefully told Yang Tiexin about it.

"Brother Tiexin, Jing’er seems to be fond of Miss Huang. I think we should forget about his marriage with Nianci. You and I have both suffered from lovesickness before, so let us not make things difficult for the young ones."

Only then did Yang Tiexin realize it. His thick, dark brows immediately drew together as he smiled bitterly. "Of all people, Jing’er had to fall for her. Miss Huang’s quirky personality is one thing, but her relationship with Teacher Chu seems far from ordinary…"

Bao Xiruo covered her mouth and smiled. "Teacher Chu truly has the bearing of an immortal. He is also kind and easygoing, so it is not strange for Miss Huang to like him."

At this point, Bao Xiruo could no longer hold back her laughter. Her voice gradually grew louder until she was laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath. "They are such a perfect immortal couple, yet Teacher Chu seems to have no such thoughts. He even calls Miss Huang ‘good brother’ from time to time, making her absolutely furious."

Yang Tiexin also shook his head and laughed, but he soon could not laugh anymore.

"It is just that I feel sorry for our Nianci. She only dares to stand at a distance and secretly watch Teacher Chu, watching him fool around with Miss Huang while swallowing every bitter and sweet feeling by herself."

The smile on Bao Xiruo’s face gradually faded. She herself had spent eighteen years longing for Yang Tiexin day and night. Only the one who drank the water knew whether it was warm or cold.

Now, it seemed that their daughter Mu Nianci might have to walk the same path she had.

"Xiruo, are you saying… Nianci feels the same way as Miss Huang?"

Yang Tiexin looked at his wife in astonishment.

"Brother Tiexin, you have always been bold and rough around the edges, so it is normal that you did not notice. Now that you know, do not force Jing’er and Nianci together. The two of them are destined to walk different paths."

Bao Xiruo earnestly reminded Yang Tiexin.

Yang Tiexin nodded and fell into deep thought.

Bao Xiruo watched him curiously, sensing that he seemed to be making some sort of plan.

"Since Teacher Chu has no such intentions toward Miss Huang, perhaps Nianci could be with Teacher Chu…"

Bao Xiruo’s eyelid twitched. Instinctively, she felt that this was inappropriate.

She wanted to persuade him further, but Yang Tiexin loved his daughter too dearly and had already made up his mind. Thus, for the rest of the journey, the two of them constantly created opportunities for both sides.

Poor Yang Kang was caught in the middle. Though he noticed his parents’ intentions, he dared not voice his anger. He still had some thoughts toward Mu Nianci.

But then he reconsidered. If Mu Nianci could become husband and wife with Teacher Chu, then as her nominal elder brother, would he not be in the perfect position to benefit from their connection?

Yang Kang had coveted Chu Yang’s "immortal methods" for a long time. If their families became connected, then when he sought guidance from Chu Yang, the other party would surely find it difficult to refuse him.

Unable to resist the temptation, Yang Kang chose to join his parents in their efforts to bring Mu Nianci and Chu Yang together.

Yang Tiexin’s family followed Chu Yang into the small city.

They had barely set down their luggage when the outside was already packed so tightly that not even water could pass through.

Someone outside the courtyard quietly called out, "Teacher Chu," while even more people waited silently despite the urgency on their faces.

Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo exchanged a glance. Only then did they learn that he was a local teacher with quite a reputation.

After Chu Yang tidied up the dust-covered rooms, he came out and saw Huang Rong’s slender figure darting around everywhere like a little mouse that had entered a granary.

"What are you looking for?"

Huang Rong replied as if it were only natural, "I’m picking a room. So many rooms here are dirty and messy. Don’t you ever clean them?"

Chu Yang stared at her in confusion. "I live alone. Why would I clean so many rooms every day? It’s troublesome and completely pointless."

Huang Rong planted her hands on her hips, looking full of vigor. "Now they have a purpose! I need somewhere to sleep, and I need a clean kitchen to cook in…"

"Stop!" Chu Yang raised a brow and held out his hand to tell Huang Rong to be quiet before saying, "When did I say you could live here?"

Huang Rong’s eyes abruptly widened.

Her jade-like finger pointed at Chu Yang as it trembled, but she could not speak for a long while.

She looked as though she had been abandoned after being used and discarded.

Huang Rong indignantly demanded, "Why can’t I live here?"

Chu Yang sincerely explained, "I have neurasthenia. I can’t stand noisy people like you, chirping nonstop from morning to night."

"What… weakness?" Huang Rong looked confused. After realizing what he meant, she viciously said, "Who are you calling someone who chirps all day long?! And if I don’t live here, where am I supposed to stay?"

Chu Yang rolled his eyes. "Wherever you stayed when you were a beggar, stay there now. You know this county better than I do. Do you really think I’m afraid you’ll get lost?"

Huang Rong gritted her teeth in fury and was just about to turn around and leave, never to see this awful fellow again. But when she remembered how Chu Yang had crossed the border to Yanjing City to save her, she found herself unable to move.

After Chu Yang finished speaking to Huang Rong, he saw Guo Jing and Yang Kang awkwardly standing by the doorway with their luggage in their arms. They had heard the conversation between Chu Yang and Huang Rong.

Even Huang Rong could not stay here, much less people like them, who were neither relatives nor close acquaintances.

Yang Kang was shrewd. Before Chu Yang could say anything to drive them away, he laughed heartily. "My family has already received Teacher Chu’s life-saving grace. How could we dare impose upon you further?"

Guo Jing also felt it was not right to disturb Chu Yang, so he nodded and said, "I still need to go look for my masters…"

Huang Rong’s eyes rolled around as she thought of an excuse to stay. When she turned and saw the enormous crowd outside, she immediately changed the subject. "Little Chu, are all those people outside looking for you?"

Chu Yang looked up. The courtyard was packed with people, and many pairs of eyes rested on him with intense hope.

He had gone away for several months. Some people, afraid of delaying their children’s early education, had sent them to other schools.

But as time passed, not only did the children fail to improve in their studies, they also became less lively in speech and behavior than before. They seemed increasingly stiff and dull.

Before, they had merely thought that Teacher Chu had a knack for teaching and nurturing children. They had never expected the gap between him and other teachers to be so great.

As long as the Chu family’s school remained closed, these parents would grow more anxious.

Besides the children who had originally studied under Chu Yang, many others had come because of his reputation.

With so many people, the places in the elementary school became exceptionally precious. After all, the courtyard was only so large, and there was only one teacher—Chu Yang.

The competition was extremely fierce. Everyone wanted Chu Yang to remember their face.

But these people did not know that after returning from the Soul Palace, Chu Yang had abandoned any plans to reopen the school in the near future.

He had returned this time to organize and pack up, then travel far and wide to collect martial arts techniques and strange skills that could help his other selves in other worlds.

No matter what, that was the most important matter. They would all suffer together or prosper together.

"Everyone, Chu still has some matters to settle. The school cannot reopen for now. I have made you come here for nothing, and I apologize."

Chu Yang cupped his hands toward the surrounding townspeople.

The light in the parents’ eyes quickly dimmed, while light appeared in the eyes of some of the children instead.

They only knew that Teacher Chu’s vacation seemed to have been extended again…

After hearing Chu Yang’s firm answer, the people outside gradually began to disperse.

However, some parents did not leave.

"Teacher Chu, when the school reopens, can my second boy still come study here?" A woman dressed in coarse hemp clothing nervously held her child’s hand and stared at Chu Yang with an almost pleading gaze.

More and more people were competing for places at the school, including many wealthy and powerful families. Her family was merely ordinary poor folk. When they first sent their child to Chu Yang for elementary education, it had only been because the tuition was cheap.

"Of course he can come." Chu Yang frowned and sneered. "And make sure he finishes his homework. He’s always the loudest one shouting when school lets out. I’m going to inspect his homework. If he dares to half-ass it, hmph…"

The woman’s face lit up with joy. She pushed the child toward Chu Yang and excitedly said, "Did you hear that? Why aren’t you thanking Teacher Chu? When we get home, hurry up and do your homework, or I’ll whip you!"

As she spoke, Second Boy received a slap to the back of the head. He immediately looked aggrieved. When he saw Chu Yang grinning in schadenfreude, his lips quivered, and with a "Waaah!" he burst into loud sobs.

His mother had not hit him hard, and he did not feel any pain. He cried solely because the homework Chu Yang assigned was difficult and plentiful, and he simply could not finish it. All he could do was cry until his face was covered in tears and snot.

Seeing him cry so miserably, the Resentful Energy Chu Yang had accumulated during his student days instantly dissipated, leaving him feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Because Laozi had once been soaked by the rain, he was going to tear up all your umbrellas—and call in a water truck too, so you could all run wild through the downpour.

After the townspeople left, Chu Yang returned to the house. Yang Kang and Guo Jing had already carried back out the luggage they had moved in.

Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo approached Chu Yang with apologetic expressions. "Teacher Chu, my wife and I were too presumptuous. We hope you will not blame us."

Chu Yang shook his head and smiled. "What I said to Huang Rong earlier was only a joke. Please do not take it to heart. The truth is that I need to travel far away, so it would be inconvenient to leave anyone at home."

Only then did Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo understand. Mu Nianci, who had been helping pack the luggage, suddenly raised her head when she heard that Chu Yang was leaving on a long journey. She seemed to want to speak, but hesitated.

Huang Rong spoke before her, clapping her hands and laughing. "Hehe, the outside world is more fun, right? What is so interesting about this little county town? You stay cooped up here every day. We can visit all those wonderful places I told you about last time!"

Chu Yang glanced at her. "I never said I was taking you with me."

Huang Rong froze. This time, she could not get angry. Instead, her eyes unconsciously filled with mist as grievance surged in her heart. "Father doesn’t want me, and now even you won’t take care of me. Little Chu, I’ll never speak to you again!"

After crying out a few times, Huang Rong raised her leg to leave. Chu Yang could only grab her with a headache and explain, "I really have things to do, and the plan is uncertain. I might have to wander all over the world. Why should a minor like you follow me…"

Huang Rong did not speak. She only forcefully shook off Chu Yang’s hand. It was clear that she was truly hurt this time.

"Fine, fine, fine. Go wherever you want to go. I really give up on you. You love running around so much, be careful you don’t get kidnapped by human traffickers!"

Chu Yang helplessly compromised. He could just treat it as taking a cook along on a trip. Besides, this girl’s cooking was quite good.

One moment she had been weeping beautifully, and the next, she was beaming with joy. With a swipe of her sleeve, Huang Rong’s little face was perfectly clean, without even a trace of tears at the corners of her eyes.

Such an astonishing face-changing technique left Chu Yang dumbfounded. He could not help but slap the table in admiration.

Guo Jing and Yang Kang were stunned as well.

"Tell me, where are we going? We may not have a plan, but there should at least be a first stop, right?" Huang Rong eagerly leaned close to Chu Yang.

The Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill was the Esoteric Sect’s ultimate art in Mongolia, so naturally, their first stop would be…

"Mongolia!"

Chu Yang sighed.

Huang Rong’s autumn-water eyes immediately lit up. She jumped and clapped her hands. "Mongolia is great! I’ve never been to Mongolia! I heard there are vast grasslands there."

When Guo Jing heard that Chu Yang was going to Mongolia, he became excited as well and interrupted, "Miss Huang, there are also many flocks of sheep on the grasslands, fierce horses, and soaring eagles. We can herd sheep and horses together!"

Huang Rong, who had been delighted just moments ago, immediately darkened her face. She had been speaking enthusiastically, only to be interrupted. How could she be happy?

"What the hell does it have to do with you? Who wants to herd sheep and horses with you?!"

Huang Rong truly wanted to poison Guo Jing mute. Hearing his voice now annoyed her.

Guo Jing closed his mouth in grievance, not knowing what he had said wrong. He looked pitifully at Chu Yang.

Chu Yang laughed. "Guo Jing, don’t you still need to find your masters? How do you have the leisure to go to Mongolia with us? Have you abandoned your masters?"

Guo Jing opened his mouth wide, completely speechless.

Then his whole body wilted like a deflated ball.

That was right.

His masters had not been found yet. How could he go back to Mongolia with Miss Huang?

Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo frowned deeply.

They had originally wanted to become Chu Yang’s neighbors, thinking that if they spent every day together, Chu Yang might gradually develop feelings for Mu Nianci.

But they had not expected him to leave on a long journey.

Yang Tiexin felt that if Chu Yang and Huang Rong went off together like this, by the time they returned, they might already have children old enough to run errands!

Mu Nianci seemed to feel the danger as well. She gathered her courage and went to ask her parents for help that night. The entire family, including Yang Kang, put their heads together to devise plans for Mu Nianci.

Meanwhile, Chu Yang was preparing his own plans.

To perfect the sword techniques of Source Breathing, he needed to study more advanced sword arts.

To improve his close-combat abilities, he needed exquisite martial techniques even more.

Among the many martial arts in this world, quite a few could even improve one’s aptitude, produce all kinds of wondrous effects, and unlock the human body’s potential.

These were all things Chu Yang needed.

But!

There was something even more important!

Although the martial arts world’s combat power could not compare to worlds like Bleach or Hokage, this place possessed something far deeper than combat power.

The Dao!

It could also be called a law.

To become a higher-level existence, merely stacking power was clearly not enough.

The reason the Bleach world was stronger than other worlds was because Zanpakuto were, in a sense, manifestations of laws.

Though there was still some distance between them and true laws.

Other worlds were even further behind.

Only in martial arts worlds—or rather, worlds with Eastern culture—could Chu Yang touch upon such concepts.

For example, Zhang Sanfeng’s "Taiji Scripture."

Or… the "Great Mystery Scripture" from Heroes’ Island.

Both of these martial arts were existences extremely close to the Dao within the martial arts world!

Comprehending the Dao was very important to Chu Yang. It was a seed that could grow into a towering tree in the future, determining how far Chu Yang could rise.

But whether it was the "Taiji" or the "Great Mystery Scripture," Chu Yang had no easy way of obtaining either.

Zhang Sanfeng was no pushover. Chu Yang could not simply do whatever he pleased to the man.

The techniques were in someone else’s head. Even if he could defeat the renowned Master Zhang, you could lead a horse to water, but you couldn’t make it drink. He could not force the information out of the man.

Heroes’ Island was even more mysterious, on par with the Bermuda Triangle.

There was not even a map, and he wanted to find it? Dream on.

So, Chu Yang decided to put his plans into action and first collect some practical martial arts.

The "Nine Yin Manual" was the general outline of all martial arts. Besides exquisite techniques, it also recorded the principles behind martial arts. One could find corresponding concepts for any kind of martial art within it. It could practically be called an encyclopedia of martial arts.

It was extremely beginner-friendly for a martial arts novice like Chu Yang.

The other two martial arts that were very friendly to beginners were the "Nine Yang Divine Skill" and the "Great Shift of the Universe."

After mastering the "Nine Yang Divine Skill," one’s internal energy would generate itself endlessly. Even ordinary punches and kicks could unleash tremendous power.

Its defensive power was unmatched. Its automatic body-protection ability could rebound external attacks, granting one a Vajra Indestructible Body. The practitioner’s lightness skills and movement techniques would surpass every master of lightness skills in the world. It was also a sacred healing art, immune to all poisons and specifically capable of breaking all cold and yin-poison internal energy.

The "Nine Yang Divine Skill" was highly compatible with Chu Yang. It enhanced almost every ability he already possessed, as though it had been tailor-made for him.

The "Great Shift of the Universe" was likewise a martial art that encompassed the essence of the martial way. Similar to the "Nine Yin Manual," aside from borrowing force to strike back and redirecting an enemy’s power, it could also stimulate one’s potential.

With those two martial arts combined, even trash like Zhang Wuji could become one of the top five masters in the martial arts world after learning them. Their value spoke for itself.

In any case, compared to the "Great Mystery Scripture" on Heroes’ Island, these two books were far easier to find.

There were many similar martial arts: Shaolin Temple’s "Muscle Change Classic" and "Marrow Cleansing Classic," the "Divine Illumination Scripture" that could bring the dead back to life, and the many supreme arts of the Xiaoyao Sect.

But the highest priority was another martial art.

"Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill"!

The effects of the "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill" were simple and brutal. Every level cultivated granted the strength of one dragon and one elephant, for a total of thirteen levels.

Just imagine how terrifying the power of Chu Yang’s Black Flash would be if he possessed the Dragon-Elephant Power of all thirteen levels.

At that point, smashing heaven, earth, and air would not just be talk.

Even Gojo Satoru’s overpowered Limitless would definitely be finished.

Sukuna would be even less of a problem.

Basically, aside from powerhouses on Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni’s level, there was no need to even consider anyone else. They would definitely be instantly killed. There would be no second outcome.

A Black Flash at that level could even threaten that old man Yamamoto.

Unfortunately, the "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill" was absurdly powerful, and its difficulty of cultivation was even more absurd.

To put it in the original terms, an ordinary person would need one year to cultivate the first level, two years for the second, four years for the third, and so on.

To reach the highest level required 2 to the 13th power in years—8,192 years.

More than eight thousand years!

Even fucking cultivating immortality would let someone ascend by then!

That was an amount of time utterly beyond the reach of any normal person.

But Chu Yang was not normal.

With talent sharing, Chu Yang could accelerate his cultivation. Golden Wheel Monk had greatly shortened his cultivation time through talent alone, so there was no reason Chu Yang would be worse than him.

Secondly, there was a high chance the "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill" could be cultivated using the cheat that was the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.

Because it was an external martial art, it did not require internal energy during cultivation, neatly bypassing the drawback that Multiple Shadow Clones could only circulate Chakra.

Any martial art that did not involve internal energy should work.

Of course, Chu Yang would have to verify that himself.

The next day.

Sunlight streamed through the edge of the window into Chu Yang’s bedroom.

Bang!

The door was violently pushed open.

Chu Yang, still asleep, jolted awake.

The moment he opened his eyes, he saw Huang Rong charging toward him fiercely.

Wearing only a single robe, he was horrified. "What are you trying to do? We’re brothers!"

Huang Rong rolled her eyes. Irritated, she grabbed his hand and tried to yank him out of bed. "Uncle Yang and the others are gone!"

Gone?

Chu Yang looked baffled. "Didn’t they sleep here last night? Did they go out this early?"

"They didn’t go out!" Huang Rong stamped her foot anxiously. "They left without saying a word, and they even left Sister Mu behind. She’s standing alone in the courtyard and has no idea what to do."

They had all left?

Only Mu Nianci had been left behind?

What kind of act was this?

For a moment, Chu Yang was completely at a loss.

He could only change clothes under Huang Rong’s urging and head into the courtyard.

In the courtyard.

Mu Nianci fidgeted with her hair awkwardly. Her cheeks were flushed red, and she kept her head down, not daring to look at Chu Yang or Huang Rong.

"Ahem, Miss Mu, where did Uncle Yang and the others go?"

Chu Yang gave a dry laugh and slowly approached Mu Nianci.

"Father said… I should first go to Mongolia and visit Auntie Guo. They’ll come later…" Mu Nianci buried her face against her chest, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s. Chu Yang had to strain to make out those words.

He turned to look at Huang Rong. The two stared at each other.

"Uncle Yang wants you to go to Mongolia alone?" Huang Rong eyed Mu Nianci suspiciously, her expression unfriendly. "It’s such a long distance. Isn’t he afraid something will happen to a young woman like you? Southern Song Dynasty and Mongolia are separated by several countries! This isn’t an ordinary Jianghu journey."

Chu Yang suddenly recalled the bizarre geography of this world. If Huang Rong were not with him, he really would not know which way was which. He only had a map leading to the Jin Kingdom.

Huang Rong’s questioning made Mu Nianci lower her head even further. The roots of her ears were red as blood, and she could not help blaming Yang Kang for coming up with such a rotten idea.

"It’s all right. I can do it…"

In the end, Mu Nianci could not bring herself to say it. Too embarrassed to follow the lines Yang Kang had prepared and ask Chu Yang to take her to Mongolia, she could only grit her teeth and say she could travel alone.

But hearing her say that made Huang Rong feel a little guilty. The little girl was kind-hearted at her core, and she and Mu Nianci had gotten along fairly well during the journey.

Having grown up on Peach Blossom Island, Huang Rong did not have many friends. After running away from home, she had no family or companions at all. Mu Nianci was one of the few people of her generation with whom she had formed a deeper connection!

"I really don’t know what they’re thinking. Fine, fine. We can’t really let you go to Mongolia alone, can we?"

Huang Rong turned to Chu Yang in a huff. "Little Chu, let’s take her along while we’re at it. Once we get there, we’ll drop her off, and then we can do our own thing!"

Chu Yang also had a headache. If it were only Huang Rong, he would merely have to accompany her for a few extra days, then travel by flying at night. But taking a third person was different.

He could not fly with them.

Chu Yang’s Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique had only just begun. He could barely use it to fly himself. If he had Huang Rong hanging from his left and Mu Nianci from his right, they would probably crash.

As if sensing Chu Yang’s hesitation, Mu Nianci suddenly clenched her fingers into fists. She raised her head and looked sincerely at Chu Yang. Though her face grew hotter and hotter, she never looked away.

"Haah…"

"Let’s go, then. One sheep or two, it’s all the same."

Helpless, Chu Yang told the two women to pack their luggage at home while he went to the market to buy a carriage.

Huang Rong was a sly little imp. The moment Chu Yang left, she began probing Mu Nianci. "Sister Mu, is Uncle Yang in such a rush to make you meet Guo Jing’s mother because he plans to marry you off to him? Does he want his future daughter-in-law to meet her mother-in-law first?"

Mu Nianci waved her hands in panic and hurriedly denied it. "It’s not like that! Brother Guo already has someone he loves. There is no romantic relationship between us at all. It’s simply that my parents haven’t seen Auntie Guo in eighteen years and miss her terribly. Besides, the matter of the martial contest has already been settled, so they had no choice but to resort to this."

"It really is a bad plan. The worst kind of bad plan." Huang Rong muttered and snorted, then curiously asked, "You said that fool has someone he likes? Who does he like? That guy is so dumb and clumsy. Whoever he likes is the unlucky one."

Mu Nianci smiled awkwardly. She did not dare say that the unlucky person Guo Jing liked was Huang Rong herself.

By the time the two finished packing, Chu Yang had also returned from the market with food. It was noon, and their stomachs had been growling with hunger.

"It’s wontons!"

Huang Rong happily sat down. She had just been craving wontons, but she still said, "Actually, we could buy the ingredients and make them ourselves. I’m very good at wrapping wontons too."

Chu Yang pushed the wontons in front of him toward Huang Rong and said helplessly, "I know you’re good at cooking, but we don’t have time today. Finish packing and get moving. Don’t drag this out until nightfall."

Mu Nianci smiled. "I still remember that the first time I met Brother Chu was at a wonton stall."

Chu Yang nodded. "I also remember that you weren’t very friendly when you first met me."

Mu Nianci: "…"

Huang Rong immediately burst out laughing. "Little Chu, you really hold grudges."

Chu Yang sighed. "Can’t help it. I was born petty."

"I even remember how, when we first met, you took my money pouch and left me starving for days."

Huang Rong: "…"

Mu Nianci lowered her head and chuckled softly.

After lunch, Chu Yang led out Guo Jing’s little red horse. Since Guo Jing had not taken it with him, Chu Yang could only put it to good use and bring it back to his hometown.

The carriage Chu Yang had bought from the market already had an adult horse harnessed in front. Together with the little red horse, one big and one small would be enough.

When they reached the carriage, Chu Yang suddenly asked a question from the depths of his soul. "Which of you has a driver’s license?"

Huang Rong: "???"

Mu Nianci: "???"

Chu Yang spread his hands. "I can’t drive."

Mu Nianci immediately understood and volunteered, "Brother Chu, I learned how to drive a carriage. Let me do it."

Chu Yang nodded without the slightest embarrassment.

He could learn, and driving a carriage was not difficult, but he would rather lie in the carriage and sleep.

Huang Rong beat them into the carriage.

The next second.

"Ah?!"

An incredulous scream came from inside!

Mu Nianci nervously followed her in.

As expected.

The same scream followed.

"Ah?!"

The two were utterly stunned by the sight before them. The interior of the carriage was alarmingly spacious, nearly as large as a small courtyard.

"My heavens…"

Huang Rong stared blankly.

Even though she was highly adaptable and had already seen the "immortal arts" Chu Yang displayed in Yanjing City, the shock of such a miracle was still immense.

Mu Nianci was in an even worse state. She looked as if she had nearly lost her mind.

Chu Yang pulled aside the carriage curtain and stuck out half his body. Looking at their expressions, he laughed irritably. "Don’t make such a fuss. Things like this will happen often in the future. You two should wipe the drool from your mouths first!"

"Little Chu, are you really an immortal?"

Ever since returning from Yanjing City, Huang Rong had avoided bringing up this subject. If Chu Yang admitted it, the distance between them would become as vast as light-years.

During her time away from home, Huang Rong had heard many storytellers recount tales of love between immortals and mortals. Their endings were almost always tragic.

Though the stories were always about ordinary men falling in love with immortal maidens, would it not be about the same in reverse?

Thinking of this, Huang Rong could not help clutching her clothes nervously as her little face gradually turned pale.

Mu Nianci had much the same thoughts. She silently lowered her head, her eyes dim.

Chu Yang did not notice anything unusual about them. He reclined against the cushioned corner in a textbook Ge You slouch and yawned. "Thanks for thinking so highly of me. It would be great if I really were an immortal. They’re just a few minor spells, nothing as amazing as you imagine…"

Huang Rong immediately became lively again, her eyes sparkling.

Mu Nianci let out a long breath.

Huang Rong asked curiously, "Little Chu, where did you learn your spells?"

Chu Yang knew what Huang Rong was thinking and smiled. "Stop dreaming. You can’t learn it. This depends on one’s constitution. Aside from me, there may not be a second person in this world who can learn it."

"How can it be like that?!" Huang Rong stamped her feet in frustration and began acting cute while tugging at Chu Yang’s sleeve.

It was not that Chu Yang was keeping secrets. Rather, he was restricted by the world’s rules.

The reason Chu Yang was not restricted was because of the Soul Palace.

After letting Huang Rong fuss for a while, Chu Yang reminded Mu Nianci to set off. Seeing that Chu Yang would not budge, Huang Rong understood that it truly was impossible and sulked by herself.

The layout of this world was quite bizarre. Southern Song Dynasty, Northern Song Dynasty, Jin Kingdom, and Liao Kingdom all bordered one another, while Mongolia and the Ming Dynasty faced each other farther away.

Dali, Western Xia, Tubo, and other countries lay between them.

To travel to Mongolia’s Esoteric Sect and obtain the "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill," they would have to cross several countries in one go.

Since it was such a long route, Chu Yang naturally wanted to gain the most from it. If he only obtained the "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill," it would be somewhat of a waste of time.

Therefore, Chu Yang set his first stop at Mount Zhongnan, on the border between Southern Song Dynasty and Northern Song Dynasty.

If he remembered correctly, before Wang Chongyang died, he had carved part of the "Nine Yin Manual" inside the Tomb of the Living Dead.

As for the upper and lower volumes of the "Nine Yin Manual" carried by Mei Chaofeng and Zhou Botong, Chu Yang chose to ignore them because they would require a detour.

The Song Dynasty had split into the Southern Song Dynasty and Northern Song Dynasty.

The Southern Song Dynasty was less than half the size of the Northern Song Dynasty and faced off against the Jin Kingdom.

The Northern Song Dynasty possessed vast territory, while the opposing Liao Kingdom was likewise a colossal power.

The four powers had fallen into a strange balance, though friction between them had been constant in recent years.

The Southern Song Dynasty and Northern Song Dynasty were still relatively manageable. After all, they were brothers from the same root. No matter how fiercely they argued, it was limited to literary condemnations between scholars or arena battles between Jianghu masters.

There had never been excessive clashes along their borders, nothing that rose to a confrontation between nations. When the situation became urgent, the two countries would even coordinate their forces and resist the enemy together.

Jin and Liao were nowhere near as friendly. If not for the Southern and Northern Song Dynasties watching them closely from the side, forcing them to lay down their arms, these two hereditary enemies would have beaten each other’s brains out long ago. Cooperation was absolutely impossible; at most, they would refrain from kicking each other while they were down.

Otherwise, in terms of actual military strength, the Jin-Liao Alliance was stronger than the Southern and Northern Song Dynasties.

Among the four nations, the friction between the Northern Song Dynasty and the Liao Kingdom was especially fierce. They had minor skirmishes every three days and major battles every five.

The Northern Song Dynasty was often at a disadvantage, and its troops suffered heavy losses.

Fortunately, the Northern Song Dynasty produced Jianghu masters in abundance. In particular, Qiao Feng, leader of the Northern Beggars’ Sect, led the heroes in blocking the enemy beyond the battlefield.

The upper ranks of the military either vanished or committed suicide, making the Liao Kingdom deeply wary and unwilling to advance its troops on a large scale.

Chu Yang had previously heard a storyteller at an inn recount rumors of Qiao Feng battling Hong Qigong. In the end, the matter had been left unresolved because Liao soldiers invaded the border and Qiao Feng had gone to defend the city.

While staying in small county towns far from the war, they had yet to realize how harsh the world was. Once they left the city, especially the closer they traveled to the border, Chu Yang saw many unspeakably tragic sights.

It had not reached the point of corpses carpeting the fields or people exchanging children to eat, but he had still witnessed horrifying scenes of countless headless bodies drifting downstream.

Huang Rong was badly frightened. For several days and nights in a row, she slept poorly, and even while having nightmares, she kept muttering under her breath.

At this time, Mu Nianci displayed astonishing maternal warmth.

Not only did she not hold Huang Rong’s earlier rudeness against her, she gently comforted Huang Rong to sleep every day. Their friendship developed rapidly.

After seeing corpses soaking in the river, no one dared casually draw water in the wilderness unless it was spring water from the mountains.

Chu Yang obtained a large water vat, expanded its interior with an Undetectable Extension Charm, then filled it with fresh water using magic.

But as a result, the interior space, already packed with supplies, became even more cramped.

Once he realized the space was insufficient, Chu Yang felt it was necessary to improve the carriage’s internal layout.

More importantly, sleeping was terribly inconvenient. Chu Yang was used to sleeping completely naked, but with girls beside him, he could only sleep in his clothes.

A month and a half later, the carriage arrived at a small town beneath Mount Zhongnan.

The three found an inn in town to rest, while Chu Yang began tinkering with the carriage in the rear courtyard.

After further expanding its interior space, he used Wood Release to partition several rooms and added some furniture. The carriage had now completely become a "motorhome."

After resting for the night, the three bought supplies in town and set off again, entering Mount Zhongnan at noon.

Even the strongest sunlight, shining into the mountains’ overlapping peaks and ridges, only left mottled shadows, adding an eerie air to the mysterious mountains.

Normally, a carriage could not travel mountain paths, but Chu Yang knew magic, so he cast a Levitation Charm on it.

Among the mountains, two horses pulled a floating carriage as if traveling on level ground. Coupled with Mu Nianci’s stunning appearance in red, it was easy to think of those widely told ghost stories.

Before Chu Yang and the others had even figured out the location of the Tomb of the Living Dead, they had already frightened six or seven young Quanzhen Sect disciples gathering herbs in the mountains into fainting.

"How about we find somewhere to leave the carriage and continue on foot?" Mu Nianci cautiously suggested, worried about frightening more people and afraid of provoking Chu Yang’s displeasure.

Chu Yang nodded. They would have to get out once they found the place anyway; the carriage could not enter the Tomb of the Living Dead.

After the three got out of the carriage and walked for a while, they suddenly noticed that the atmosphere around them had turned gloomy and terrifying.

Sunlight could barely penetrate the depths of the mountains, and mist shrouded everything around them.

"Little Chu, is this Tomb of the Living Dead you’re looking for actually dangerous? If some demon or ghost jumps out, you have to protect me!"

Huang Rong nervously clutched Chu Yang’s clothes and looked around, as if something terrifying would burst out of the woods at any moment.

Even the valiant Mu Nianci, who had roamed the Jianghu for years, followed behind Chu Yang with a frightened expression. The distance between her leading foot and Chu Yang’s trailing foot was no more than the width of a finger.

If a traffic cop saw it, he would probably remind her to maintain a safe following distance.

"Could you two stop being so tense? You’re making even me nervous!"

Chu Yang reached out and pressed their foreheads, pushing them away irritably. "Reactions like yours are no different from raising death flags in a horror movie. Usually, this is the perfect moment for ghosts and monsters to appear and scare the audience."

The moment his words fell.

A white shadow flew through the air!

Then a white silk sash brushed across Huang Rong’s face!

Huang Rong froze.

Her cherry-red lips trembled.

"Ghost!! Aahhh!!!"