“Your sword is too murderous. No matter how you try to cover it up with your swordsmanship, the sword energy is crying out, and I can hear it.”
“Master, my thoughts will not change. The purpose of drawing the sword is to injure people. Concealing the killing intent is to strike the target more undetectably. If it is just for fun, why draw the sword at all?” Liu Ying said.
Tong Chou simply shook his head: "I've always felt it's too early to pass this sword on to you, but I don't have time to wait any longer. Whether 'Suwen' is a blessing or a curse, I'll just ignore it."
"You're going to give me 'Suwen'?" Liu Ying repeated in surprise.
Dongchou nodded and handed the pure white sword to Liuying: "Take good care of it. Whether my lineage can be passed down is up to fate."
Neither Xue Qing nor Jian Die understood, only Liu Ying knew the significance of Dong Chou entrusting the sword to her. The sword is a swordsman's life, carried in life and buried in death. Passing on the sword is like passing on one's life. One person can teach martial arts to thousands of people, but a sword can only be passed on to one person. Dong Chou is a true swordsman, valuing the sword even more than his own life. In the past, Dong Chou liked to drink a pot of wine and criticize Liu Ying when he practiced swordsmanship. "Su Wen" was Liu Ying's master's recognition of him. It was the first time he had been recognized by his master since becoming a disciple, and it was very likely the last time.
Seeing the three juniors by the bed with their heads down and looking very dejected, Dongchou wanted to dispel the gloomy atmosphere: "Ahem... Junior sister, I have good news to tell you. Didn't you want to start practicing martial arts again? You know the two strongest internal energy cultivation methods in the world. One is the evil divine skill of the Underworld, and the other is the Yi Jin Jing of Shaolin Temple. Junior sister, you are very fortunate. The abbot told me today that you have extraordinary talent and are a once-in-a-century genius in practicing the Yi Jin Jing. He wants you to come back to Shaolin Temple with him. He wants to pass on the Yi Jin Jing to you."
"...I'm a woman," Xue Qing reminded her. Shaolin Temple doesn't allow female relatives to stay, so it's best not to cause any more trouble for the Buddha, otherwise the Pure Land really won't let her in.
"The abbot said that a demon star is a demon star, and someone disguised as a woman is also a demon star, so there's no need to be afraid of it."
"...Senior brother, I don't want to go." Xue Qing felt deeply that this was a conspiracy, and these words made her not happy at all.
"Not going? Do you know how many people risk their lives to steal the Yi Jin Jing from Shaolin Temple? Even among Shaolin disciples, only a few deacons can practice the Yi Jin Jing. I put in so much effort to get Liu Ying into Shaolin to learn martial arts. It's rare for the abbot to offer to teach it to you. Are you going to refuse?" Dong Chou said excitedly.
"Is Liu Ying practicing martial arts at Shaolin Temple?"
“After my uncle forced my master to accept me as his disciple, my master sent me to Shaolin Temple. My master forbade me to tell my uncle,” Liu Ying replied.
Of course, he dared not tell Xue Qing that he had deliberately sent Liu Ying to Shaolin Temple to be raised in order to avoid trouble, and poor Shaolin Temple was being used as a nursery by Dong Chou!
The Yi Jin Jing! Wasn't the useless You Tanzhi in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils transformed into A Zi's most prized pawn after learning the Yi Jin Jing? Perhaps... she could too. Just imagine how dashing it would be to shake off Yan Ming with powerful internal energy after circulating her Qi in her dantian!
"I'm going! I want to learn!" Xue Qing said excitedly.
Author's Note: ╭(╯3╰)╮ Thank you NS for the landmine!
Shaoshi Mountain
When watching period dramas, Xue Qing's favorite sect was Emei. Emei disciples were known for their many suitors; even the Ming Cult's Bright Envoy and the world's number one swordsman fell for them. Emei only accepted female disciples, much like an all-girls school, and the women there possessed a unique purity that attracted heroes from all directions. Emei was also well-liked in the martial arts world, with no enemies and no need for fighting. For girls who only wanted to enjoy life, it was the perfect time travel destination. Strangely, although Emei was a leading righteous sect, many of its disciples were entangled with evil and wicked people, making it another perfect time travel destination for girls who liked villains.
Xue Qing's second choice was the Wudang Sect. The sect's attire was beautiful, and the sect had an elegant and otherworldly temperament. Tai Chi was easy to practice and didn't require too much physical strength. It was a well-rounded sect that could both attack and defend. The sect had a free atmosphere, and the idea of traveling the world alone with a sword was so dashing. For a girl who didn't want to be played by her spouse and was looking for a powerful alliance, it was the top choice for time travel.
I don't know much about Kunlun Palace. It seems to have a bad reputation in the martial arts world. My biggest impression of it is that the sect's clothing is very beautiful. Its aesthetic sense alone is far superior to other sects. Legend has it that Kunlun Palace was originally a music hall. The first sect leader was the head of the music hall. He comprehended the true meaning of martial arts in the musical scores and thus founded the Kunlun Palace sect. All the disciples in the sect are proficient in music and their martial arts are as graceful as dance. I heard that the accommodation is quite luxurious. For girls who pursue a gorgeous appearance, it is the first choice for time travel.
Of all the sects in the martial arts world, Xue Qing had even considered the Beggars' Sect and the Yihua Palace, but the one she hadn't considered was the Shaolin Temple! The Shaolin Temple didn't accept women, so unless she transmigrated into a man, she would have no chance to witness its splendor. So, one shouldn't be too absolute; this opportunity had fallen from the sky! Her innate talent was extraordinary! She was a once-in-a-century prodigy capable of learning the Yi Jin Jing! The transmigrated woman's halo was finally bringing her sweetness, and Xue Qing happily packed her bags.
Liu Ying pushed open the door and came in, holding the Qingyun Sword in her hand: "Uncle-Master, since Master gave me 'Suwen', I'll give you this sword. It's better than the one you're using now."
Xue Qing accepted the Qingyun Sword. Although she didn't know much about swords, the quality of the sword in front of her made her realize how shabby her own rough iron sword was. Moreover, Qingyun was Liu Ying's sword since childhood, and it still carried the warmth of Liu Ying. Xue Qing was happy to accept it.
"You used to practice martial arts at Shaolin Temple. What's Shaolin Temple like?" Xue Qing asked Liu Ying while folding clothes.
“Shaolin Temple is a place of Buddhist practice, and the accommodations and food are quite simple. I don’t know if you can get used to it, Uncle. Also, the abbot shouts a lot at night. Because of his profound internal strength, his voice is a bit loud. Please be understanding, Uncle.” Liu Ying replied.
The inability to eat meat, the shabby living conditions, and the abbot's snoring—none of these bothered Xue Qing. She wanted to become stronger; she didn't want to be a burden anymore; she wanted to atone for the twelve sword wounds on Liu Ying's body. For this, she was prepared for a journey akin to the Long March of the Red Army. Martial arts possess a kind of magic. When you've never been involved, you can observe from the sidelines, unaware of its allure. But once you begin to delve into it, a single sword technique can have hundreds of moves, each with several variations. How you should strike, how your opponent will defend, and whether you have the skill to execute a particular move—all these become captivating aspects of yourself.
When you shatter rocks with a rough iron sword, a sense of accomplishment arises spontaneously. Then you think that you may be able to challenge higher difficulties. After reaching a certain level, you often yearn for a higher realm. Martial arts are the same, because whether it is internal strength or external skills, its achievements are always tangible and visible. Throughout history, how many martial arts fanatics have been obsessed with it? Even if they are already invincible and have unparalleled skills, they will still want to be stronger until they exhaust their lives. This is the destiny of martial arts practitioners.
Abbot Chankong wanted to spend another day with Master Dingni on Qilin Mountain and stubbornly refused to leave. Xue Qing, eager to learn the legendary Yi Jin Jing as soon as possible, wanted to set off immediately with Liuying. After all, Liuying knew the way to Shaoshi Mountain and didn't need the old monk to lead the way. After considering the issue of travel expenses, Abbot Chankong gladly agreed to travel with the two of them.
"Demon Star, if I weren't broke, I would never have been coerced by you," Abbot Chankong said to Xue Qing with disdain.
"Isn't Shaolin Temple supposed to have plenty of donations? Abbot, how come you've fallen so low as to have a demon star sponsor your travel expenses?" Xue Qing was now able to calmly accept Abbot Chan Kong's address to her. Although Shaolin Temple didn't have its own businesses like other sects, other temples would regularly offer donations to Shaolin Temple. The ancients were so superstitious, so donations were definitely plentiful. How could this abbot be so poor?
"This old monk doesn't carry money when he goes out," Abbot Chankong replied proudly.
"No money? How did you get from Shaoshi Mountain to Qilin Mountain? Don't tell me you flew here." Xue Qing didn't believe it.
“This old monk is begging for alms. Amitabha. Not everyone is as heartless as the Demon Star,” Abbot Chankong said, his hands clasped together.
"Liu Ying, let's go. Let this old man go beg for alms again." Xue Qing turned to Liu Ying and said.
"Junior sister, you're being silly again." Dongchou tapped Xue Qing's forehead and said, "Don't cause trouble for the abbot when you get to Shaolin Temple."
Just as the three were about to descend the mountain, an uninvited guest arrived at Qilin Mountain. She was a tall, dignified woman whom Xue Qing had met briefly in Changsheng Town—Meng Yin, the head disciple of the Kunlun Palace. Meng Yin had been sent by the Kunlun Palace head to present a congratulatory gift for the rebuilt Qilin Pavilion. Knowing the role Kunlun Palace had played in the rivalry between the two pavilions, she knew this gift was not sincere.
Everyone knows that Kunlun Palace has long harbored ambitions towards the Central Plains martial arts world. Xue Qing strongly supports Dong Chou, so naturally she has no good feelings towards Kunlun Palace. She also wants to see what tricks Kunlun Palace is up to. Dong Chou urges her to hurry up and leave: "Hurry up and leave, don't keep the abbot waiting."
Abbot Chankong stood on a stone platform not far ahead, impatiently watching Xue Qing. Xue Qing had a strong urge to give him the middle finger; if she didn't want to learn the Yi Jin Jing, she would have thrown the old man off the carriage halfway there.
Liu Ying's injuries had not fully healed. Although he said he was fine, Xue Qing couldn't bear to make him do anything more. She forced him to sit in the carriage, and Abbot Chan Kong followed Liu Ying into the carriage without hesitation.
Xue Qing said helplessly, "Abbot, do you expect a delicate woman like me to drive the carriage?"
“Amitabha, the demon star has no gender, and... you are very strong.” Abbot Chankong said, still sitting steadily in the carriage.
Xue Qing snapped the curtain down. The old monk's words were too hurtful. How could someone who practices martial arts not have muscles… It wasn't that obvious. Xue Qing looked at her arms; unless you pinched them, you couldn't tell they were muscles. Could she really rely on that old bone? Xue Qing consciously sat in the driver's seat. She had always been the one dozing off in the carriage, waiting for the station to arrive. Suddenly, the role had reversed, and she wasn't used to it. She asked herself honestly, Liu Ying was injured because of her; could she bear to see him suffer? No, she couldn't. Fine, she whipped the horse.
The little white horse neighed, reared up, and snorted angrily at Xue Qing. Xue Qing was heartbroken; she had clearly paid for the horse, had this silly horse mistaken its owner? The little white horse didn't care who held its indenture; it simply wouldn't listen to Xue Qing, refused to leave, and even tried to bite her. Liu Ying sat in the carriage for a long time without the carriage moving an inch. She lifted the curtain and peeked out, only to see Xue Qing and the little white horse glaring at each other. Helpless, she got out of the carriage.
The little white horse became happy as soon as it saw firefly, and playfully pawed the ground with its front hooves. Firefly stroked its mane, and the white horse hummed with a look of enjoyment. Xue Qing cursed inwardly, "This homosexual bastard horse!"
"I'll sit with you in front, otherwise we might still be stuck here when it gets dark," Liu Ying said with a smile, sitting down next to the carriage berth.
Xue Qing scratched her head sheepishly: "I don't know why this horse is so fierce towards me."
“Last time I bought it a bag of carrots and put it in the carriage, but you ate them, and it holds a grudge,” Firefly said leisurely.
Xue Qing remained silent. Indeed, in Sha Ma's heart, she would never be as valuable as a carrot.
Xue Qing wondered if Abbot Chankong would be lonely in the carriage. He probably was, because he focused all his energy on shouting at Xue Qing: "Demon Star, slow down! You're jolting my butt!" "Demon Star, hurry up! Where am I supposed to sleep if we don't get to the inn before dark?" "Demon Star, I miss the nun. Shall we go back and visit her?" "Demon Star, you two aren't allowed to chat and laugh like that up front. It makes me sad."