El cielo sobre los ríos y lagos está despejado

Capítulo 16

I asked again, "So who exactly was the man who eloped with Yi Ge's grandmother?"

He thought for a moment and said, "That person is also a nobleman from Nandan, I think his surname is Yao. What's strange is that even with such great power as Prince Huda, he couldn't find them anywhere. Since Ai Yina is the Holy Maiden of the Ghost Palace, that person must be the master of the Ghost Palace. I just don't know if he originally built the Ghost Palace in Yunyang or moved it here later."

I asked curiously, "Wasn't the siege of the Ghost Palace by the Yunyang martial arts community quite a large-scale operation back then? Didn't you know that the Ghost Palace came from Nandan, and didn't you even go to take a look?"

He shook his head and said, "Although I am known as one of the Four Young Masters of the Martial World, I am essentially a businessman. I will not get involved in matters of the martial world unless I am involved in business. As for that matter, not only me, but even your father and the eldest son of the Shen family did not go. The only one who might be involved is Young Master Hanyu, Leng Yiwei, the swordsman I mentioned, but we have not heard from him since."

The next day, Yi Ge went to work, and I had nothing to do at home. I thought I'd practice martial arts for a while, and then ask Chun Man for some embroidery tips. My purse-making skills had only just begun. After practicing the whip technique, I noticed that the swift shadow it had gathered resembled a short sword, so I practiced a few sword moves. First, I tried the Hundred Mile Stream Sword, but after practicing four moves, I felt a bit annoyed, thinking, "Why am I practicing the White Horse Manor sword style again?" So I reluctantly stopped. After a while, I recalled the sword moves from that tattered book and slowly began to practice them. I didn't notice that my beautiful father had been watching me for quite a while.

That Butterfly Sword Style, with its beautiful light-chasing effect, is difficult to master; I can never seem to get it right. Suddenly, I heard my beautiful father ask me, "Misty Baby, where did you learn that sword move?"

I said, "I went back to Yi Ge's village with him and found some martial arts manuals in his house. This is one of them, but it has no name. But Yi Ge knows it, and he taught me a few moves. I guess it must be a martial arts manual collected by the Ghost Palace."

My father stepped forward, took my hand holding the sword, and demonstrated the "Chasing the Light and Flying the Butterfly" technique. He then said, "Only by flicking the sword upwards and then lowering it horizontally can you get the feeling of flowing light."

I was shocked and asked, "Beautiful Father, you also know this sword technique?"

His expression was strange, a mixture of surprise, joy, and heaviness. He said, "I have seen this sword move before. Do you know what kind of sword technique this is? This is the Chasing Light Sword Technique, the skill that made Young Master Hanyu famous. If this is also a collection of the Ghost Palace, then it means that Young Master Hanyu is no longer alive."

A thought suddenly flashed through my mind, but it was too fleeting to grasp. After a while, I asked him, "Beautiful Father, do you know what the Ghost Palace Master's signature technique is?"

He thought for a moment and said, "The rumors say it's the Blood Jade Skill and the Tongda Palm, right?"

Yi Ge's words from that day still echoed in my ears: "My mother called it the Sword of Ingratitude. I think it's probably related to my father."

According to Master Gui, Yi Ge is the young master of the Ghost Palace. So, could the owner of this ungrateful sword be the master of the Ghost Palace? But his surname is Yao, and Young Master Hanyu's surname is Leng. Could these two be the same person? Headache.

Before Yi Ge returned, I flipped through the tattered books we brought back from Duwang Village and pulled out the book on Tongda Gong.

After dinner, I asked Yi Ge, "Is this Tongda Gong an internal skill or a palm technique? Did Mother teach you this?"

He took the book and looked at it, saying, "This is an internal energy cultivation method. My mother also made me practice it. My mother did teach me a set of palm techniques, but she called it the Heart-Blocking and Lung-Blocking Palm."

Haha, my mother-in-law is really something else.

I said, "Now I know the name of your ungrateful sword; it's called the 'Chasing Light Sword Technique.' I heard it's the signature technique of Young Master Hanyu. Do you think he's the same person as your father?"

He was stunned. After a moment, he said, "Master Gui didn't mention the Chasing Light Sword Technique, but he did mention the Blood Jade Skill and the Tongda Palm. Perhaps that Cold Jade Young Master and my mother..." He didn't finish his sentence, but I understood. Perhaps he was just a passerby in my mother-in-law's life, or perhaps he was someone etched in her heart, because she could hate him for so long.

Anyway, if we find the Ghost Palace, we might find the answers we're looking for. Besides the Rainbow-Chasing Blade, I suddenly became very interested in the Ghost Palace.

The martial arts tournament set the date for gathering in Lingnan as the first day of the fourth lunar month. Lingnan was indeed quite far from the capital, so we decided to set off in early February.

Qi Longqian and Qianqian walked with us, and as usual, Brother Yuan asked us to bring Eunuch Jing and Chunman along.

The beautiful man's father also said that perhaps soon he would go to Lingnan. He wanted to know the whereabouts of Young Master Hanyu.

Not long after we set off, I noticed a group of soldiers following us, about a hundred of them. I was very surprised. Was I really that unreliable that I needed so many people to protect me just for a trip? Or were they protecting Qi Long?

Qi Long did indeed give me an explanation. He said that this trip to the Ghost Palace was not just for entertainment; the treasure hunt might involve the interests of the four kingdoms. Thinking back to what my cousin had asked me to take Uncle Xu to Lingnan before the New Year, I realized that none of them were simple.

Author's Note: I just got back tonight, so I'm posting this chapter first. I've been writing slowly these past two days, and haven't really had any updates. Updates might be slower, maybe every other day. Please forgive me, everyone.

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Journey

My plan is to go to Yuncheng first, then Nanjun, and then Lingnan. I don't know where the Ghost Palace is, but Master Gui knows, and I believe he will definitely go there.

February was still chilly, but our journey was quite lively. With my brother and Yi Ge by our side, and Qianqian being a cheerful and playful person, even the usually serious Grandpa Jing often had a smile on his face.

I seized the opportunity to interrogate Qianqian about how her attitude towards Qilong had changed so drastically, and whether something had happened that I didn't know about. She blushed and smiled as she spoke.

Last October, she heard from the elders of the Si Xie Palace that her father had sent Qi Long to represent the palace at the martial arts tournament. She felt a mixture of anger and resentment; anger because her father had once again dashed her hopes, and resentment stemming from her jealousy of Qi Long. So, in a fit of rage, disregarding her experience of leaving the palace alone, she ran off without a single person. "Actually, my constant criticism of Qi Long is also a reflection of my dissatisfaction with my father. I feel that Father has never cared about me, only knowing how to spoil you two siblings, especially Qi Long. I really don't know which one is his true son. But I also like you playing with me, so I only vent my anger on Qi Long, even though I've always known, when I calm down, that he's been letting me have my way."

I said, "Your fourth uncle has always loved you, but he's the kind of person who just doesn't say it. I'm sure he knew you ran away, and that's why he sent people to follow you."

She paused for a moment and said, "I don't think so, because he refused to marry my mother, even though I'm already sixteen, almost seventeen this year. But this time, he didn't send anyone to follow me; instead, he sent a message by carrier pigeon to Qi Long, who had set off earlier. I actually ran away only one day later than Qi Long. After I ran away, although I had a lot of anger in my heart, I also felt sorry for myself, feeling lost and helpless, and extremely miserable. Later, I met a man who was very considerate and gentle to me, and he was also good-looking, so I regarded him as a confidant, and I was almost sold to a brothel."

I widened my eyes: "Your martial arts skills aren't as good as mine, but you're still quite skilled, okay? You almost got sold out?"

She lowered her head: "When I realized something was wrong, I had already been drugged with muscle-relaxing powder and couldn't move. I knew that person carried me onto the carriage, and all I could do was curse, but he silenced me by striking my pressure points. However, the carriage couldn't move. A man in a silver mask appeared out of nowhere, knocked him down, and took me away. It's ridiculous that I trusted that person so much before, but after being rescued, I became wary and constantly on guard against the silver-masked man. I couldn't see his expression, but his tone sounded very helpless. He was quite considerate. Before the muscle-relaxing powder wore off, I couldn't even lift a bowl, so he fed me. At first, I refused to eat, but he said, 'With your skills, I could easily subdue you. Why would I need to drug you?' Although I was unconvinced, I also felt he had a point, so I ate it."

After I recovered, he asked me where I was going. I said Hengshan Mountain, and he said we could go together for a while. I didn't want to talk to him, and secretly left before dawn that day. Unexpectedly, less than half an hour later, I found him following me. Luckily, he was with me. When I was climbing the mountain, I encountered a leopard returning to its den. I thought to myself, "Even if I climb a tree, I probably won't escape." But he rushed forward, helped me up a pine tree, and then climbed down to lure the leopard away. We watched as we went far away, and it didn't return for a long time. I was alone in the tree, tears welling up in my eyes. I climbed down, thinking I had to go see him no matter what, when I heard someone above me say, "Are you worried about me?" I looked up and saw him standing in front of me, covered in blood and carrying a leopard skin. I was both crying and laughing, but I stubbornly said, "I'm just scared to be alone."

She suddenly smiled at me and said, "I think I fell for him around that time, but I hadn't seen him for more than three years and didn't know he was Qi Long. Later, when we got closer to Hengshan, he said that it was safe here and he had something to do, so he had to go ahead. He said he would go to Qingyu Manor to attend the martial arts tournament and hoped to see me there."

"Then how come you were a day late?"

She said shyly in a low voice, "I got lost again." I almost fainted: "You're such a reckless fool. You're clearly terrible with directions, yet you still wander off by yourself."

It turns out that on the first two days of the martial arts tournament, her frantic glances weren't just looking for Qi Long (or rather, Qi Long), but also for that promise. No wonder she was so shocked when she saw Qi Long wearing a mask and quietly left.

I asked, "After the martial arts tournament, when I escorted you back to Si Xie Palace, didn't Fourth Uncle say anything?"

She said, "He probably figured something out, but he didn't say anything. Qi Long invited him to the Prince's Mansion for the New Year, so he brought my mother and me along."

I laughed and said, "That's why I told you, your fourth uncle may seem stern and unsmiling, but he actually cares about you. Think about it, your mother is such a quiet person, yet you're so feisty. Isn't that because your fourth uncle spoils you? And think about it, when has your fourth uncle ever truly punished you? When you were fighting with my brother over something, although he made you return it to my brother, didn't he always find a way to make it up to you afterwards? What things have your fourth uncle given us that you haven't had? Every time he goes back to Yuncheng, doesn't he bring you back to the Helan family? I think he's just a normal father, except he doesn't laugh and joke with us like Kun's father or Meiren's father. It's just that you always think he's abusing you."

She lowered her head and said, "But he would smile at Qi Long and praise him in front of others, but he never praised me. When I learned something and thought I was very proud of it, I would tell him, and he would just nod and say 'oh,' not even bothering to say 'good.' Also, he never wanted to marry my mother, and I thought it was because my mother gave birth to me, a girl. So he especially liked Qi Long. Whenever I had a conflict with him, I was always the one who was punished by standing, copying, or not being allowed to eat. So at that time, I resented Qi Long even more, even though later he would always help me finish copying the books and secretly bring me food."

I chuckled and said, "Do you know that in our family, when Qi Long and I were naughty together, he was always the one who got punished? He'd be forced to kneel, copy books, not allowed to eat, and might even get beaten. So, according to you, our family still hopes to have a girl, and boys are discriminated against? Your fourth uncle really cares about you. He doesn't praise you in front of you, but he does in front of us. Don't you know that when you were little, your fourth uncle came to Xuefeng Mountain and proudly held up a calligraphy scroll, saying, 'My Qianqian can write now.' I still remember that scene. Your unresolved issue is probably still with your mother. But your fourth uncle isn't necessarily heartless towards your mother. Think about it, in all these years, besides your mother, has your fourth uncle ever had any other women by his side? There must have been quite a few women in the Si Xie Palace who had their eyes on your father, right? Would they dare to do anything to your mother, who had no status or position? Never, right? If your fourth uncle really wanted a son, he would have had someone help him have one long ago. Why would he wait for more than ten years and focus all his attention on raising Qi Long?"

She bit her lip and said, "Yes, there used to be a beautiful female protector in the Si Xie Palace who stayed by my father's side all day long. She also said some hurtful things to my mother, but then she disappeared."

I said, "Look, when Fourth Uncle's face turns sour, which woman would dare to pounce on him?"

She laughed, but then said, "But I don't dare to be intimate with him now. It's not that I'm afraid, it's just that it feels awkward. Unlike you and your second uncle."

We were having a private conversation on the carriage to Yunyang. The further south we went, the warmer it got, and the more beautiful the scenery became. Qianqian had let go of her resentment towards her fourth uncle, and while we were strolling through bustling towns, she even thought about buying things for him and her mother.

Of course, she was used to antagonizing Qi Long, and it was inevitable that she would pick fights with him along the way, glaring at him angrily. However, in my eyes, it was more like flirting. Once, Qi Long somehow offended her, and as a result, she launched into a long and unforgiving tirade. Eunuch Jing, feeling sorry for Qi Long, said to me, "Princess, why don't you go and talk to her?" When I arrived, I was about to cross my arms and observe for a while before intervening when I saw Qi Long staring at Qianqian's parting lips. Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, silencing her insults. I watched as Qianqian struggled, making "woof woof" sounds, while Qi Long closed his eyes and kissed her passionately. It took him a long time to release her. Qianqian's face was flushed red, and she couldn't speak. Qi Long, however, said triumphantly, "You finally stopped scolding me."

I tremblingly raised a finger and pointed at him, saying, "You beast!"

Qi Long seemed to only then notice that there was another onlooker, and said coolly, "Don't you know that you shouldn't look at what you shouldn't? What makes you look like a beast?"

"If you don't resemble animals in any way, then you're worse than beasts. It's better to be like beasts."

Qianqian snapped out of her daze and said to me, "Awu, you're being silly again."

I said seriously, "I'm here to mediate the fight."

Qi Long scoffed and said, "You've managed to make things complicated even when there was nothing wrong."

I casually went back and said to Eunuch Jing, "Don't call me next time you hear them arguing. They were clearly just flirting." Chunman covered her mouth and chuckled.

But I later told Qianqian, "If you don't have anything to do, you shouldn't make fun of arguing. After all, arguing can hurt feelings. You know, many people have come to propose marriage to the Huaiyi Prince's Mansion in the capital. My brother sent me away, and his next target is him. I don't know how many ministers have submitted portraits of their daughters to the Huaiyi Prince's Mansion. It's like choosing a concubine. My brother has even taken a liking to the daughter of the Dingbei General (my brother and the Dingbei General are really good friends. Last time he wanted to sell his second son to me, but this time he's pushing his daughter to Qilong). Although there was an element of scaring her, it was also true. However, I absolutely do not approve of the Dingbei General's daughter entering the Huaiyi Prince's Mansion, because she is that talkative Duolan. A snobbish person entering the mansion will only muddy the atmosphere of the Huaiyi Prince's Mansion."

Scaring Qianqian was quite effective; she honestly asked me how to be a lady, even though she didn't look like one at all. But I still sold her my father's theories on women.

Two days later, Qi Long came to me with a worried look on his face: "Wu'er, go and find out from Qianqian what I did to offend her this time?"

I said nonchalantly, "No, I didn't hear her arguing with you."

He said, "That's what's scary. She must have offended someone badly. She's been barely speaking these past two days, barely audible. When I touched her forehead, she flinched, but I still managed to touch it. She doesn't have a fever."

I was stunned. Qianqian was really decisive, using all that coy resistance and soft-spoken mannerisms. But why was my brother so scared?

I then asked, "Has she tried to get anything from you these past two days?"

He thought about it for a moment and said, "Yes, there is. But I thought she was being sarcastic. Didn't she used to just snatch things when she wanted them?"

I explained the whole story to him. He was both amused and exasperated. Who told her I liked ladies? Would that still be her? Her arrival had made me very anxious.

So I told Qianqian, "My brother wants to argue with you and take advantage of you, so just let him have his way." Qianqian's voice became strong again, and it really was a little argument, but it was quite sweet. Looking at how my brother was always holding Qianqian's hand these days, and then looking at Yi Ge riding his horse and following the carriage silently, I felt both envious and jealous.

Yi Ge and I really can't get into arguments. These days, he always keeps a safe distance from me in public. When we go to the market, he leads the way, and he carries the things I buy, but he'll never help me choose things like Bai Yifei does. He won't compliment me on a new hairpin; at most, his eyes will light up. In short, in public, he's a protective bodyguard. In bed, he's passionate, but I have to ignite it. If I don't give him a hint, he'll resist, and eventually, he doesn't even dare to hold me while we sleep. Thankfully, Granny Lan is gone. If she saw that I'm the one who always seduces Yi Ge, his reputation for debauchery would definitely spread.

In reality, the closest we ever got in public was when he helped me out of a predicament at Hengshan. This left me somewhat wistful, but then I asked myself, I hadn't intended to fall for him when I pointed him out, and I probably didn't have any expectations of him. Our relationship was already much better than I imagined, so why was I still unsatisfied?

One day, I scolded him, "Why won't you even hold my hand in front of others?"

He replied, "Intimacy is a matter between two people, and others need not know about it."

But if there is affection in one's heart, won't it naturally show itself without one's awareness? I can only sigh.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: An Unexpected Event

Upon arriving in Yuncheng, my cousin indeed sent Uncle Xu with a small squad of imperial guards to accompany me. Of course, like the guards of the Northern Barbarians, they had all changed into civilian clothes. My elder brother and cousin had probably already discussed it beforehand. Yunyang completely ignored the people we brought into the country, so I suggested to Uncle Xu that they follow us from a distance, and only Uncle Xu should accompany us.

That day, when we arrived in Laishui, Uncle Xu said he was going to visit a friend. Since we weren't in a hurry, we said we would wait for him in Laishui. Three days later, he returned, but he brought back a girl of about sixteen or seventeen years old. He came to me somewhat apologetically and asked, "A friend entrusted his niece to me to take back to Lingnan. May she come with us?"

Of course that's fine. The carriage is big enough to seat four people. Besides, Qianqian and I won't stay in the carriage for long; we'll also come out for a ride.

The little girl's name was Mu Ying. She was petite and charming, and indeed, her voice lived up to her name, melodious like a nightingale's song. She was also a lively person. At first, she was a little reserved, but after a day she opened up and said to me, "Sister, you're so peaceful and approachable, not at all like a princess." I laughed and said, "Don't think of me as some kind of princess." Mu Ying was originally from the Mu family of Lingnan. Although the Mu family had declined somewhat, it was still a prominent family. Mu Ying said, "I'm just from a side branch, not really a young lady from a prominent family." This girl was straightforward, which pleased me.

The closer it gets to April, the further south we go, the more martial arts figures we encounter. Our plan is to visit my maternal grandfather in Nanjun first. The last time we visited Nanjun was the winter before last. This time, we're bringing Yi Ge along, and it's the first time he's met my grandfather.

Both of my uncles were present. When my maternal grandfather saw that Qi Long and I had returned together, he came out to greet us and said, "It has been four years since I last saw Xiao Long. Wu'er has brought a beautiful guest to our door again. I want to see her."

We stayed at the Xin family's house in Nanjun for several days. Uncle Xu, my maternal grandfather, and my second maternal uncle were already acquainted, so this was a reunion of old friends, and we had a very pleasant conversation. My maternal grandfather also liked Yi Ge quite a bit, saying that he was calm and steady and could keep me in check. Apparently, in his eyes, I was like a floating duckweed that needed to be pulled and kept still in the water.

The eldest uncle sighed, "Wu'er is already married, and Xiaolong's good fortune is just around the corner. It seems like only yesterday that your mother gave birth to you two; Qi Feng held you both in his arms... he was so happy he fainted." He then added, "But my sons Zibu and Ziqian are still unmarried. Those who come to propose don't seem to like them. Perhaps we should let them go and find their own way." Hearing that martial arts figures were gathering in Lingnan, he sent both Zibu and Ziqian there. The second aunt especially agreed, saying that Ziqian was gentle and needed a woman from the martial arts world to help him.

So, when we set off from South County, our group had grown a bit more.

As we traveled westward from Nanjun, the mountains gradually became more numerous. That day, we were walking through the mountains. Even in the southern March, the sun was quite intense. By noon, some of us were already tired and our horses were exhausted, so we found a stream and decided to rest in the woods. Everyone dismounted and wandered into the forest.

After we ate a little something, Mu Ying said she wanted to learn how to drive. It wasn't entirely unexpected; she had mentioned it earlier on the way, but Uncle Xu hadn't allowed it because we were in a hurry. Now, she said, "I won't go far, just try it out. None of you should get in the carriage." Although we were in a mountainous area, it was a small valley, relatively flat, so Uncle Xu gave in this time. Eunuch Jing gave her a brief lesson, then got out of the carriage and watched her take the reins and crack the whip. At first, she was cautious, but after circling around once, she found it wasn't too difficult and started again. This time, she seemed more relaxed and whipped the horse. The carriage was drawn by two horses, and Eunuch Jing usually only whistled, but Mu Ying whipped one of them, and the yellow horse immediately galloped off. The other horse was also pulled along, but because it couldn't keep up, it was hit by the carriage shaft at an angle, neighed, and ran off. The two horses were out of balance, and the carriage swayed and wobbled all over the road. Mu Ying screamed in alarm from inside the carriage. Jing Gonggong and I were closest to her, so we both chased after her. If the horse ran wildly, it would be bad if it threw the carriage off the mountainside at the bend.

I needed to hurry. With great difficulty, I managed to catch one of the horses running ahead at the mountain wall. Mu Ying, regaining her senses, caught the other horse, but it was still jumping and thrashing about. Eunuch Jing caught up and tried to pull the somewhat unruly horse away. Whether it was because of the horse's struggle or because the carriage hadn't been properly secured after watering, the harness suddenly snapped. The long carriage frame swept towards me, and before I could react, I felt a hard impact on my lower abdomen. I lost my balance and stumbled back several steps. The carriage was going downhill, and the mountain path wasn't wide. After a few steps, one foot slipped. My heart skipped a beat, and I involuntarily fell backward. Eunuch Jing, seeing this, panicked, but was caught in the carriage and couldn't reach me in time. He cried out in alarm.

A figure, swift as an eagle, touched the roof of the carriage and instantly grabbed my arm, pulling me into his embrace. A faint scent of pine emanated from his strong chest, and I felt a sense of relief as he held me, allowing me to land safely. The carriage, separated from the horses, began to slide rapidly downwards. Looking up, I saw that Zibu and Ziqian had managed to stop the carriage, and Muying sat frozen in the carriage, her face pale.

I breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt an unbearable pain in the spot where I had been hit, which gradually spread to my lower abdomen. I could barely stand, and I hunched over, cold sweat pouring down my back. If Yi Ge hadn't been holding me, I probably would have collapsed to the ground.

Yi Ge noticed something was wrong with me and scooped me up in his arms, his usually cool eyes showing anxiety: "How are you? Are you hurt?"

I've always been afraid of pain, and now the pain was so intense I couldn't speak, only pressing my hand to my abdomen. Yi Ge hurriedly tried to untie my belt, but I blushed, unable to speak, my stomach aching, and I couldn't muster any strength, only pushing him away. He eventually realized his mistake and stopped. He then instructed Eunuch Jing, "Is the carriage still working? Quickly fasten it, we need to get going." He had never spoken to Eunuch Jing in such a commanding tone before. Eunuch Jing was slightly taken aback, but quickly did as he was told.

Qi Long, Qianqian, and Uncle Xu, who had been resting on the other side of the stream, caught up. Seeing my pale face, Qianqian said to Mu Ying, "Miss, why don't you learn something proper? Instead of learning, you're trying to drive on a mountain road! Look what you've done to A-Wu!"

Mu Ying looked guilty, tears welling up in her eyes, and lowered her head in silence. After a moment, she came close to me and said, "Sister Qi, I, I, I'm sorry."

I shook my head at her and Qianqian: "Never mind, she didn't do it on purpose."

The carriage was fine, and Eunuch Jing quickly harnessed it and calmed the horses. Once back in, Qianqian pulled me close, and Chunman loosened my sash. On my fair abdomen was a small, dark mark the size of a cup. I looked at it for a moment and sighed, "This carriage frame feels like it punched me hard. Luckily it wasn't in my heart, or I'd be internally injured." Muying held some medicine and rubbed it on my wound, tears streaming down her face. I hissed as she rubbed it, saying, "Hey, I'm in so much pain and I'm not crying, why are you crying?"

She cried, "At home, my brother always blames me for being reckless. This time I've really gotten myself into trouble."

Seeing her crying so pitifully, I could only try to comfort her: "Oh dear, when you're out in the world, you're just a wanderer of the martial arts world. It's nothing for a wanderer of the martial arts world to suffer such a little injury, is it?" Thinking about it carefully, I realized that I had never been injured since I started practicing martial arts. My first injury as a wanderer of the martial arts world was caused by a carriage.

My lower abdomen kept hurting. Fortunately, we were in a bustling town just outside the mountain pass, and we quickly found an inn. Yi Ge went out to find Lang Zhong. A short while after he left, I needed to urinate, so I asked Chunman to help me up. As we walked to the chamber pot behind the bed, before I even undressed, I felt a warm sensation below, and something flowed out. I was terrified—had I lost control of my bladder?

Upon closer inspection, there was blood on the pants. After calculating the date, it turned out that the menstrual period had started.

When the doctor arrived, I awkwardly asked Yi Ge to come to my side and whispered, "Your period has started, so your stomach is already hurting. There's no need to call the doctor."

Yi Ge said, "Since it's still injured, let's have a doctor take a look."