Апрель

Глава 59

However, her master showed no mercy, forcing her to practice those two hours of grappling techniques every day. One day, she couldn't take it anymore and secretly ran away to pick wildflowers, not returning home until dark.

The master got angry for the first time and didn't say a word to her for three whole days.

She was scared, so she obediently admitted her mistake, looked miserable, and practiced her skills diligently every day until her master calmed down.

Three years passed like this. Then her master smiled and told her that she only needed to practice it once a day from now on. She was overjoyed and asked her master the name of this set of grappling techniques.

The master readily replied: I haven't thought about it yet.

Xiao Xiao froze, unable to speak for a long time.

The master smiled and said: "Whatever you like to call it, that's what it is."

So, Xiao Xiao happily said: Then let's call it "must practice", or else "two hours"!

The master was taken aback for a moment, then lowered his head and chuckled.

Xiao Xiao was dissatisfied: Master, you told me to choose the name myself, so don't laugh!

The master immediately suppressed his smile and said seriously, "Then let's call it, 'I have to practice.'"

When she was fifteen, she finally realized how poorly chosen her name was. So she came up with some "good" names, such as "Cloud-Leaving Hand," "Wind-Entangling Hand," and "Zuo's Capturing Technique," but her master smiled and rejected them one by one.

The little girl wanted to cry but had no tears, while her master smiled cunningly.

Thus, this set of grappling techniques that Xiao Xiao was most skilled at was destined to have a name that would make people ashamed.

When she learned the reason why her master had forced her to practice this set of grappling techniques, she realized how fitting the name was. Indeed, it was "unavoidable." This set of grappling techniques emphasizes "sticking" and "entanglement." While it cannot kill, it can restrain an opponent's moves. No matter the martial art, if one is entangled like this, they will be unable to use their skills effectively. And in this way, escaping becomes much easier.

As Xiao Xiao pondered this, she couldn't help but laugh. Master, your foresight is truly astounding... But if the opponent were to use the "Nether Thunder Palm," how many moves could this "must-learn" technique withstand?

As she was pondering, the wall suddenly opened, and Shen Chen and Ling You rushed in, carrying Gui Jiu.

Xiao Xiao immediately jumped up from the couch, and Ling You did not hesitate either, immediately raising his hand to shoot the needle.

Startled, he bent over to avoid it.

Seeing this, Lingyou suddenly drew his needle and stabbed at his lifeless walking corpse son. Instantly, the walking corpse stood up and attacked Xiaoxiao.

Xiao Xiao was startled, but immediately intervened, deflecting the zombie's attacks. At that moment, Xiao Xiao noticed that, unlike the previous girls, this zombie's attacks were sharp and relentless, showing no signs of numbness. Was it truly the effect of the "Longevity Gu"?

Seeing the zombie locked in combat with Xiao Xiao, Shen Chen felt relieved. He looked at Gui Jiu and said, "Master Ling You, it's a waste to keep this kid alive. Quickly remove the female Gu from his body and end his life!"

Guijiu had been rendered unconscious by the magic needles sealing his acupoints. Lingyou took out a small knife, about to stab him.

In an instant, Shen Yuan rushed over and grabbed Ling You's hand that was holding the knife.

"Yuan'er!" Shen Chen roared angrily.

Shen Yuan raised her eyes, her voice trembling slightly, and said, "Father, I can't let you make the same mistake again!"

"presumptuous!"

Shen Chen rushed forward, seemingly to stop Shen Yuan, but his eyes narrowed and he threw a punch at Ling You.

Caught off guard, Ling You took the punch. Although Shen Chen had no martial arts skills, this punch, delivered with all his might, still knocked Ling You to the ground, rendering him unable to move.

“You…” Ling You was shocked and furious.

Shen Chen smiled and said, "Master Lingyou, there is only one Longevity Gu. Please don't blame me."

"Father!" Shen Yuan exclaimed in surprise.

"Shut up!" Shen Chen roared. "You unfilial daughter, if you continue to obstruct me, don't blame me for disregarding our father-daughter relationship!"

Shen Yuan cried out in tears, "Father!"

Shen Chen looked at Yan Ji on the bed, "Eight years. I have done everything I can to protect her body. Now, I can finally wake her up! She can finally smile at me again!" His voice was full of the joy of getting what he wanted.

Suddenly, Ling You rolled over and pierced Shen Chen's body with a needle. Shen Chen was stunned, his eyes widening.

Ling You laughed, a trickle of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with smugness. "Master Shen, you're right. There's only one Longevity Gu. How could I bear to let you give it to that woman? Heh, wouldn't that be a waste?"

Shen Chen fell to the ground, but his eyes were fixed on Ling You.

"Father!" Shen Yuan cried out in alarm, about to step forward. Ling You turned around, grabbed her, and, in the same manner, pierced her body with a divine needle.

Shen Yuan was caught off guard and immediately fainted.

Ling You laughed and said, "Don't be afraid, Master Shen. I won't kill you and your daughter. Hehe, I still have a lot of Gu worms to feed live meat. You two will surely make the most of them."

Xiao Xiao was busy dealing with the zombies and had no time to talk, but she heard the conversation all too clearly and felt a chill in her heart.

Ling You glanced at Zhao Yan, who was trembling with fear beside him, smiled contemptuously, and then, without a second thought, pulled up Gui Jiu and plunged his knife into the Fengfu acupoint at the back of his head. A spurt of turbid blood gushed out, and a Gu worm about an inch long flowed out with it. The Gu worm was completely transparent, appearing and disappearing, extremely eerie.

Lingyou carefully picked up the Gu worm, a hint of pleasure in his eyes.

"Ling You! Do you think you can get away unscathed just because you obtained the female Gu? Without me, you won't be able to leave this underground palace at all!" Shen Chen said angrily.

Ling You laughed loudly, "Master Shen, there's no need to worry. My son's martial arts are unparalleled. As long as he is resurrected, those people outside will be no match for him..."

Suddenly, his voice went hoarse. He froze for a moment, then slowly turned around.

Zhao Yan stood behind him, her expression showing fear, but even more so, a cold cruelty. She slowly stepped back, leaving a hairpin on Ling You's back.

“You wretch…” Ling You cursed angrily.

Zhao Yan was not afraid at all. She pushed Ling You hard, knocking him to the ground, and took the female Gu from his hand.

Zhao Yan's voice trembled slightly, "The only person who can be resurrected is my mother..."

Shen Chen shouted loudly, "Yan'er, quickly put the female Gu into Yan Ji's mouth!"

She resolutely turned around, looked at Yan Ji on the bed, hesitated slightly, and then did as she was told.

The female Gu trembled slightly and crawled into Yan Ji's throat. In an instant, Yan Ji's fingers twitched, and then she slowly opened her eyes.

“Mother…” Zhao Yan called out.

Yan Ji slowly sat up, her eyes filled with numbness.

"The male Gu, quickly get the male Gu!" Shen Chen continued to shout.

On one side, Xiao Xiao was having a headache dealing with the painless and ignorant zombie, but she had clearly seen Ling You's strike earlier. So, she drew her sword, dodged the zombie's attack, then leaped over its head and plunged the sword into its Fengfu acupoint at the back of its head.

Since zombies are neither dead nor injured, they are naturally vulnerable to attack, and Xiao Xiao's slash didn't take much effort.

“Kong Qing!” Ling You cried out in a broken voice, his voice filled with heart-wrenching pain.

The zombie fell straight down, and a completely transparent Gu worm crawled out from behind its head. At that moment, the numb Yan Ji turned her head, got up, and walked towards the male Gu.

Blood splattered on her small body, she looked at Yan Ji, then at the male Gu. Then, she slowly lifted her foot.

"No!" Zhao Yan cried out.

Xiao Xiao ignored it and was about to step on it when Ling You shouted, "Stop! That's the culmination of my years of hard work! You can't destroy it!" He struggled to his feet, trembling, and crawled over.

She lowered her eyes slightly, remembering those girls.

"To be able to bring the dead back to life, a feat that will last for a thousand years... young lady, you understand. Don't you have any loved ones you can't bear to lose?... As long as we have the Longevity Gu, no one will die anymore... no one will die anymore..." Ling You's voice was shrill, like a lament.

The little girl smiled and stomped down hard.

Inside the room, all sound was silenced in that instant. The longevity gu, sought by thousands, vanished without a trace, turning into a transparent stain on the sole of the girl's shoe.

At the same time, the door to the secret room opened. The person who entered heard the girl's casual remark.

"Don't use such disgusting things to insult my master."

Everyone was stunned for a moment. Then, Shi Mi glanced at Gui Jiu, who was lying on the ground, and Ling You, his walking corpse son, and noticed Yan Ji walking slowly to the side.

"Where is the Longevity Gu now?" Shi Mi asked, her voice icy.

Startled, she then noticed the crowd. She glanced at Lian Zhao, took a step back, and said, "I... I accidentally stepped on one..." She pointed to the ground, feigning innocence.

Shi Mi frowned, then raised her hand and shot the divine needle at Yan Ji.

After Yan Ji was hit by the needle, she stopped completely and remained motionless.

"Mother!" Zhao Yan rushed forward and protected her.

“Miss Zhao…” Wei Qi stepped forward and said, “I know you love your mother dearly, but now is not the time for you to offend the sect leader.”

Zhao Yan was terrified, but she didn't move an inch.

Shi Mi slowly stepped forward, glanced at the ghost mortar on the ground, and said, "Hiko, heal your wounds."

Upon receiving the order, the man hurriedly stepped forward and examined the patient.

“You…” Ling You said in a hoarse voice, “You… I’ll die with you!” He leaped up angrily and pounced on Xiao Xiao.

For a moment, Xiaoxiao didn't know whether to raise her knife to attack him or to avoid him.

In a flash, someone stepped in front of her, blocking Ling You's attack.

"Lian Zhao..." Xiao Xiao called out the name with a bit of confusion.

At that moment, Wen Su rushed forward and with a single slash, ended Ling You's life on the spot.

Xiao Xiao froze, warm blood splattered on her face. In her mind, Ling You's shrill voice echoed: "No one else will die..."

Lian Zhao glanced at Wen Su, frowned in disgust, then turned to look at Xiao Xiao.

Her eyes were watery, as if she was about to cry.

"Xiaoxiao..." Lian Zhao called her name, somewhat at a loss.

She raised her eyes slightly, a smile spreading across her face, "Lian Zhao..."

Seeing that smile, Lian Zhao suddenly couldn't describe his feelings. She seemed sad, yet she was smiling. That moment about her felt so distant…

"Master Shen, you have betrayed the Celestial Master. Do you know what your fate will be?" Xi Yuan said to Shen Chen on the ground.

Shen Chen looked around and laughed, "Fine... You're ruthless, so I'll be ruthless too! The underground palace of Jiyu Manor will be your burial ground!" After he finished speaking, he pushed over a stone bench.

The ceiling of the underground palace then collapsed with a deafening roar.

She looked up slightly and was stunned.

At that moment, she was sheltered in a warm embrace.

Lian Zhao held her and whispered, "Don't cry..."

...

Three families gathered