Starting with The Eagle Shooting Heroes: I gain a year's worth of skill every day.

A month later.

Behind Zhongnan Mountain, there is a training ground made of bluestone.

Before the morning mist had dissipated, Shen Mo sat cross-legged on a boulder at the edge of the cliff.

He was enveloped in a light blue halo, which was not dazzling but rather warm and smooth like jade. If Wang Chongyang were still alive, he would surely be able to see that it was a sign of the release of innate true energy.

A month ago, he had a hundred years of internal energy; a month later, he now possesses a full one hundred and thirty years of innate true energy.

What kind of concept is this?

Of the Five Greats, only Wang Chongyang had ever reached the Innate Realm. According to Shen Mo's calculations, when Wang Chongyang broke through, his internal energy was only about 180 years old. And that was just Innate True Energy; what Shen Mo is currently cultivating is Innate True Qi.

True Qi and True Qi Gang, though differing by only one character, are fundamentally different. If we compare innate True Qi to cotton, then innate True Qi Gang is like a diamond; they cannot be compared.

Over the past month, the innate true qi river within Shen Mo's body, formed from a century's worth of internal energy, has expanded by more than 30%. Each strand of true qi is extremely pure, with a density several times that of ordinary innate true qi and hundreds of times that of acquired true qi.

Shen Mo opened his eyes.

He raised his right hand, palm up.

hum-

A ball of azure light condensed in his palm, about the size of a fist, yet it emitted a chilling aura.

This is the external manifestation of innate true energy.

Even the most profound internal energy of an ordinary martial artist can only circulate within their body, at most condensing into their weapon to aid in killing enemies.

The innate masters are different.

Their true energy has undergone a qualitative change, allowing it to detach from their bodies and transform into the sharpest weapons, while true qi is several times stronger than true energy.

He remained silent, his five fingers slightly clenched.

The ball of blue light compressed instantly, condensing into a thin strand of energy as fine as a hair.

laugh!

The energy shot out and silently disappeared into a boulder ten feet away.

The next moment—

Boom!

The boulder, as tall as three people, shattered from the inside, sending fragments flying and filling the air with dust.

The entire boulder was completely shredded from the inside by a single, hair-thin burst of energy.

Shen Mo withdrew his hand, his expression calm.

This is the power of 130 years of innate true energy.

If he were to unleash his full power, he was even confident that he could shatter a small mountain with a single palm strike.

However, his gains over the past month have not been limited to an increase in true qi.

Shen Mo took out a yellowed Taoist scripture from his pocket. The cover had three large characters written in ancient seal script: "Xiantian Gong".

This is the supreme mental cultivation method of the Quanzhen School, and it was also the foundation upon which Wang Chongyang broke through to the Innate Realm.

For the past month, Shen Mo has spent his days teaching Li Mochou swordsmanship and studying this Taoist scripture diligently.

He already had a foundation in the century-old Taoist mental cultivation method, and after nearly four months of hard study, he finally mastered the basics of this innate skill yesterday.

Although it was only the beginning, Shen Mo could already sense the profoundness of this mental cultivation method.

It differs from the domineering and fierce Dragon Elephant Prajna Kung Fu, instead emphasizing the harmony of Yin and Yang and the unity of heaven and man.

If the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill is to overcome all laws with force, then the Innate Skill is to overcome hardness with softness, using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds.

The two complement each other, allowing Shen Mo's strength to reach a new level.

For the past month, Shen Mo has personally instructed Li Mochou in swordsmanship every morning.

That child had exceptional comprehension skills, learning each move and technique very quickly, and what was even more remarkable was his earnestness.

Although Shen Mo remained outwardly indifferent, he was increasingly satisfied with this disciple—unlike the one in the original story who was trapped by love, she had instead embarked on the right path under his guidance.

This brought a touch of indescribable comfort to that soft corner of his heart, softened by memories of his past life.

Deep in his mind, the ancient mirror rippled slightly.

With a thought, Shen Mo granted the girl in the mirror permission to contact him.

"Shen Mo, Shen Mo! That palm strike you just delivered was incredibly powerful!"

A clear and melodious female voice rang in my mind, filled with undisguised excitement.

"That rock was at least three people tall! You shattered it with a single palm strike! You're much more capable than the guards at my uncle's mansion!"

This is Yang Yuhuan, and also the mysterious woman who had contacted him twice before. That sheltered young lady from a prominent family established a connection with Shen Mo through that mysterious mirror.

But this connection is not arbitrary.

Yang Yuhuan could only contact Shen Mo once every three days. And she could only observe everything on Shen Mo's side with his permission.

Otherwise, the ancient mirror would fall silent, and she would see nothing and hear nothing.

Shen Mo's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

Although Yang Yuhuan's appearances were restricted, every time they met once every three days, she would pour out all the things she had accumulated over those three days.

"Tell me, if I could cultivate martial arts like you, wouldn't I be able to leave this secluded mansion?"

"Oh, right, the swordplay you taught that little girl the other day was so beautiful! Could you teach me too? Even though I can't practice here..."

"Alas, do you know? I lost my father at a young age, and my uncle raised me. Although my uncle treated me well, I didn't even have a single friend to talk to. Those maids and servants only knew how to flatter and fawn over me; they never dared to tell me the truth."

Yang Yuhuan's voice carried a hint of melancholy.

"My uncle said that a lady from a respectable family should follow the rules and not associate with outsiders casually. So all I did all day was read, embroider, and practice the zither... It was so boring."

"But things are different now!" Her tone brightened again. "Ever since I found this mirror, even though I can only see you once every three days, I feel like you're my closest friend!"

After a moment of silence, Shen Mo finally responded in his heart.

"Does your uncle's mansion have guards?" His voice was calm, yet carried a hint of barely perceptible inquiry. "It seems your family is well-off."

"Mmm!" Yang Yuhuan's voice carried a hint of pride. "My uncle, Yang Xuangui, is an official in the court. Although his official position is not particularly prominent, he is still quite well-known in Chang'an. There are more than a dozen guards in his mansion, as well as many maids and servants."

Shen Mo's heart stirred slightly.

Chang'an, an official family, the Yang family... These pieces of information, when put together, reminded him of a name from his past life.

But he didn't press the matter immediately. Instead, he continued calmly, "You just said you spend all your time reading, embroidering, and practicing the piano? It seems your uncle is very strict with you."

"That's right!" Yang Yuhuan's voice was full of helplessness. "My uncle said that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent, but he still wants me to learn this and that. He said that I should marry into a good family in the future and not bring shame to the family."

She paused, a hint of envy in her voice: "Unlike you, you can go wherever you want and do whatever you want. Sometimes I really envy you江湖人 (jianghu people), so carefree!"

Shen Mo already had some guesses in his mind, but he still asked calmly, "How old are you this year?"

"Fifteen!" Yang Yuhuan's voice carried the unique coquettishness of a young girl. "Although my uncle says I'm still young, the old women in the manor have already started talking to me about marriage. They say that a girl should be engaged by the age of fifteen or sixteen, otherwise she'll become an old maid."

Her voice suddenly dropped: "Actually, I don't know who I will marry in the future... My uncle said that he will make all the decisions, and I just need to listen to him."

Fifteen years old, from an official family in Chang'an, surnamed Yang, she lost her father at a young age...

Shen Mo already had the answer in his heart.

If he wasn't mistaken, the chattering young girl in front of him was very likely the legendary Yang Guifei from history—Yang Yuhuan.

However, right now she is just an ordinary girl confined to her boudoir, and she still has a long way to go before she becomes the peerless beauty who can "make all the beauties in the palace pale in comparison with a single glance."

A complex mix of emotions welled up in Shen Mo's heart.

In her past life memories, Yang Guifei's life was full of legendary color, but also full of tragedy.

She was favored by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, but this also drew her into the vortex of the An Lushan Rebellion, where she ultimately perished at Mawei Slope.

Now, this girl, who has not yet experienced those storms, has established a connection with him through the mirror in her mind.

"You..." Shen Mo hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Has your uncle said where he's going to send you in the future?"

"Ah?" Yang Yuhuan seemed a little surprised by the question, and said in a charmingly innocent tone, "My uncle did say that if there was a chance, he would like me to enter the palace as a lady-in-waiting or something. He said that would bring glory to the family and give me a good future."

Her voice held a hint of confusion: "But I don't really want to go... I've heard that there are a lot of rules in the palace, even stricter than in the manor. And once you enter the palace, you can forget about ever leaving."

Shen Mo was startled.

As expected! History continues to unfold in its predetermined direction. Yang Yuhuan did indeed enter the palace as a female official initially, before being favored by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and becoming a concubine.

But right now, none of this has happened yet. This fifteen-year-old girl is still just an ordinary girl filled with confusion and anxiety about the future.

After a moment of silence, Shen Mo finally spoke slowly: "If you don't want to go, then don't go."

"In this life, you should live for yourself at least once. Other people's arrangements may not be the best."

Yang Yuhuan was stunned. She seemed not to have expected Shen Mo to say such a thing.

After a long while, her voice rang out again, this time carrying a hint of indescribable emotion.

"Shen Mo...you're so kind."

Her voice was soft, yet exceptionally sincere.

"You're the first person to say something like that to me. Everyone in the manor, including my uncle, only ever tells me things like 'be obedient,' 'be sensible,' and 'think of the family'... No one has ever asked me what I want."

She paused, her voice trembling slightly, "Thank you, Shen Mo. Although we've never met, I feel... like you're my friend, my only friend."

Shen Mo's heart softened slightly.

Over the past month, he had gradually gotten used to this contact every three days. Although Yang Yuhuan would chatter on and on each time, he had to admit that her presence brought an indescribable warmth to his heart, which had become cold from killing.

It's like a well-bred young lady trapped in her secluded chambers finding a mysterious mirror and finally discovering someone she can confide in.

And without realizing it, he began to regard this girl he had never met as something special.

It's not a burden, but... a form of companionship.

a friend.

"Me too," Shen Mo replied in his mind, his voice carrying a rare gentleness.

"If you ever run into trouble, or if someone forces you to do something you don't want to do, remember to tell me."

He paused, then his tone became serious: "I will help you."

Yang Yuhuan's voice was full of surprise: "Really?!"

"Really." Shen Mo's voice was calm and firm.

"I mean what I say."

Just then.

"Coo coo—"

A cooing sound came from the horizon.

Shen Mo looked up and saw a carrier pigeon swooping down from the clouds and landing precisely on his shoulder.

"Huh? Another letter?" Yang Yuhuan's voice was filled with curiosity. "Did that Tie Youxia send you another message?"

Shen Mo removed the bamboo tube from the pigeon's leg and unfolded the paper strip inside.

For the past month, Tie Youxia had been sending letters every few days. Each letter contained detailed records of the crimes committed by corrupt officials, villains, and death row inmates in various regions of the Song Dynasty.

From the initial dozens of names, it has now accumulated to thousands.

Every name was personally verified by Tie Youxia to ensure that the crime was unforgivable and there was no injustice.

But this time, the letter contained something different.

"Master Xuanmo, there has been a change in Lin'an. The Emperor wishes to invite you to come out of the mountains and bestow upon you the title of Protector of the Nation. The Ministry of Rites has prepared the ceremonial guard, with a prince of the imperial family as the chief envoy and myself as the deputy envoy. We will depart for Zhongnan Mountain immediately."

"May I ask, Master, if you would be willing to leave the mountain? Also, I have completed compiling the lists of corrupt officials, details of villains in the martial arts world, and death row inmates from various regions that I have investigated over the past month, and I have attached them here. I hope you will take a look."

Signed: Tie Youxia.

"Wow! It's really here!" Yang Yuhuan's excited voice rang in his mind. "Shen Mo, hasn't that Tie Youxia been sending you messages for the past month? I told you he's a good official!"

Shen Mo put away the note and took out another roll of fine silk from the bamboo tube.

He slowly unfolded it.

The fine silk was three feet long, and thousands of names were densely recorded on it in tiny characters.

This is the complete list that Tie Youxia has accumulated over the past month by sending messages every now and then.

Behind each name is a detailed record of that person's crimes.

"Zhao Wenyuan, the prefect of Lin'an, embezzled 300,000 taels of disaster relief funds, which led to widespread famine and death in Jiangnan due to drought, with more than 10,000 people dying."

"Qian Dayou, the Vice Minister of War, withheld military pay, which led to a mutiny among the border troops, resulting in the Jurchens breaking through the pass and massacring more than 5,000 border civilians."

"Zhang San, the 'Bloody Hand Butcher,' a notorious villain in the martial arts world, robbed seventeen villages and killed more than three hundred people with cruel methods."

"Wang Ermazi, a death row inmate from Huainan, forcibly abducted thirteen women and murdered them to cover it up; his crimes are heinous."

"..."

Each name, each crime.

Every single one is shocking, every single one is steeped in bloodshed.

Shen Mo's gaze grew increasingly cold.

"These people...they truly deserve to die." Yang Yuhuan's voice also turned serious. "Shen Mo, you must go. You must make these evil people receive the punishment they deserve!"

A smile appeared on Shen Mo's lips.

What a fantastic Iron Summer Tour!

He certainly didn't disappoint!