Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

Xia Liuqing waved his hand with a smile: "Alright, alright, I only helped you because I was curious and wanted to try. Besides, I didn't really help you in any way, so there's no need to be so serious."

Xia He immediately stepped forward and took Xia Liuqing's arm, smiling and saying, "Grandpa Xia, don't be modest! You've been a great help, at least you helped the little Taoist priest see a path after he died... uh, I mean, you helped him see a path clearly!"

"From now on, if we find any good tea or hear about any fun places, we'll definitely think of you first!"

Xia Liuqing was all smiles as Xia He coaxed her, and she kept saying yes.

The matter was temporarily settled. Cheng Mo did not plan to leave Kirito immediately. He had previously said that he wanted to help Old Man Xia discipline Wang Zhenqiu, and he had to keep his word.

So, when Xia Liuqing felt the time was right and was about to formally instruct Wang Zhenqiu on some basic techniques for performing arts, Cheng Mo followed beside him.

He didn't say anything, just crossed his arms and calmly looked at Wang Zhenqiu, making Wang Zhenqiu feel a chill down his neck.

Wang Zhenqiu held back for a while, but finally couldn't help but force a smile at Xia Liuqing: "Grandpa, when we're passing on our skills, wouldn't it be better to ask any bystanders to step aside for a bit?" He glanced at Cheng Mo.

Before Cheng Mo could speak, Xia Liuqing stroked his beard and said slowly, "Qiu'er, this is no ordinary person. This is Brother Cheng Mo, the head of the Punishment Hall, whom I specially invited."

"I'm getting old, and it's not easy for me to teach my apprentices properly. If one of them is unruly and rebels at the slightest dissatisfaction, I won't have the strength to discipline him. So I'd like to ask Brother Cheng to help out and, if necessary, discipline him on my behalf."

Wang Zhenqiu stared wide-eyed in shock, looking at Xia Liuqing, then at Cheng Mo: "Brother Cheng... Brother Cheng?! Grandpa, this... this person is suddenly a generation older than me?"

Xia He chuckled beside her: "Golden Hair, your focus is really interesting. You're not worried about whether the little Taoist priest will beat you up, but you're worried about his seniority being higher than yours?"

"I'm so smart and respectful of my teachers, I must be my master's most filial son, how could I possibly get beaten up?" Wang Zhenqiu looked at Xia He with a puzzled expression, speaking with a straight face, spouting nonsense...

"But you, I remember you called me Master Xia, right? According to this hierarchy, shouldn't you call me Uncle? Then wouldn't you have to call your little sweetheart 'Grandpa'?"

Xia He wasn't annoyed at all. Instead, she smiled and replied, "We each have our own way of doing things. I call him Grandpa Xia because he's worthy of respect. As for you and the little Taoist priest, you can discuss it yourselves."

Wang Zhenqiu muttered, "...That's really fancy."

Xia He frowned: "What did you say, Golden Retriever?!"

Cheng Mo had already started moving his wrists and ankles, and his neck was swaying from side to side, making a slight "clicking" sound. He looked at Wang Zhenqiu and said in a calm tone, "Come on, let me teach you what it means to respect others, especially women."

旁边早就对王震球又爱又恨的傩戏班众人，立刻兴奋地围成一个圈，纷纷起鬨：「揍他！程小哥揍他！」

Wang Zhenqiu remained completely unfazed, even flashing a confident smile: "Watch this move I just mastered—the Love-Based Horse-Killing Technique!"

This is his "Love-Slaying Chicken," a culmination of Xia He's supernatural abilities, Nuo opera rhythms, and miscellaneous knowledge.

This technique requires physical contact to transmit a seductive aura. Previously, even a light touch was enough to make the young men in the Nuo opera troupe orgasm on the spot. Even the sixty-year-old sweeping master with the best self-control lost his integrity in his later years.

The members of the opera troupe were all plunged into shameful memories, yet they couldn't help but hope that Cheng Mo would fall victim to their schemes. Their own experiences were certainly painful, but seeing others make fools of themselves was still incredibly satisfying.

Cheng Mo did not stop at all, but casually changed his fist path. Before Wang Zhenqiu's fingers could even touch him, he felt a fierce wind pressing down on his face. He immediately changed his move to block, and the Qi of "Love Kills the Horse Chicken" spread all over his arms.

boom!

The next second, a heavy punch landed on Wang Zhenqiu's arm.

"Ouch!" Wang Zhenqiu cried out in pain, staggering backward, his face filled with disbelief. "How is this possible! Even sixty-year-old Grandpa Zhang couldn't withstand it for even a fraction of a second! You... you're not human!"

Cheng Mo ignored him and chased after him, his movements swift and decisive, targeting the thickest and most painful spots.

Wang Zhenqiu tried to dodge, but all his efforts were in vain in the face of Cheng Mo's absolute speed and power.

A moment later, Wang Zhenqiu, with dark circles under his eyes and a face swollen like a pig's head, grinned and respectfully handed half a bowl of tea to Xia Liuqing.

Offering half a bowl of tea signifies that Xia Liuqing only teaches skills, does not accept apprentices, and does not bear the title or karmic consequences of a master.

Xia Liuqing then began to formally instruct her.

He also had An Baoqing, the troupe leader, listen and watch from the side.

An Baoqing was overjoyed, but said, "Master Xia, I'm afraid I can't learn your true skills, but among my disciples, there are indeed a few promising talents. It was my useless master who held them back in the past. I implore you to take care of them and give them some guidance."

He promoted his two most valued young apprentices.

Xia Liuqing glanced at An Baoqing, nodded, and agreed.

Watching from the side, Cheng Mo felt even more respect for the character of Master An.

Cheng Mo and Xia He only observed for most of the day. Seeing that Xia Liuqing's teaching was well-organized and Wang Zhenqiu was learning with exceptional seriousness, they did not stay any longer and took their leave.

Before leaving, Cheng Mo deliberately found an excuse to take Wang Zhenqiu to a secluded place for another "sparring session".

Wang Zhenqiu crouched down, covering his head in defense, and shouted in frustration, "Hey! I've been learning properly! Why are you still hitting me?!"

Cheng Mo stopped, dusted off non-existent dust from his clothes, and said calmly, "Nothing else, I just don't like you."

He had seen it; this kid had used that "love-killing chicken" trick to prank the others in the group before.

Cheng Mo thought that although he had strong enough willpower to not be affected, he still felt that... he deserved to be hit.

Xia He covered her mouth and chuckled to herself, feeling a sense of satisfaction as she looked at Wang Zhenqiu's new bruises.

The two left the small town, which was filled with the charm of ancient Nuo opera and the hustle and bustle of new life, and continued their journey.

Leaving Kirito's territory, the two walked slowly along the county road.

Xia He turned her head, her pink hair fluttering in the wind: "Little Taoist priest, where are we going next?"

Cheng Mo looked at the winding road ahead and shook his head: "I do want to find someone, but I don't know where that guy is. Anyway, I'll try my luck."

"Who would want to try their luck?" Xia He's eyes lit up. "Someone who can help you solve your Qi connection problem?"

"I don't know," Cheng Mo said honestly. "I'll give it a try. I don't have anything else to do anyway, so I'll just treat it as a trip."

Xia He nodded vigorously, her ponytail swaying slightly: "Mmm, let's go on a trip!"

……

The long-distance bus slowly climbed the winding mountain road, with endless green terraced fields visible outside the window.

Xia He fell asleep against the car window, while Cheng Mo looked at the map in his hand, his finger gently tracing the outline of a certain mountain range.

We changed trains, passed through tunnels, and the light flickered.

Xia He excitedly pointed to the Miao stilted houses flashing past the window, while Cheng Mo quietly peeled an orange and gave her half of it.

The last part of the journey requires hiking.

The two carried simple bags and hiked deeper into the mountains and forests. The leaves rustled under their feet, and occasionally a squirrel would leap from the branch, standing out against the lush greenery.

At dusk, they lit a small campfire in a sheltered mountain hollow.

Cheng Mo poked at the fire with a twig.

Xia He sipped the hot water, the firelight reflecting on her face, and suddenly asked, "Little Taoist priest, is the person we're looking for in these mountains?"

Cheng Mo paused, holding the branch in his hand. "Let me correct you. It's the person I'm looking for. You're here to help."

Xia He pouted: "It's all the same. So, who exactly are you looking for?"

"An honest man." Cheng Mo raised his head, his gaze piercing through the flames to look at her. "So, we have to lie to him."

"Wow," Xia He's eyes lit up instantly, and she leaned closer. "You even lie to honest people? You're so naughty—" she drawled, a smile playing on her lips, "—I like it so much~"

"..."

Cheng Mo glanced at her expressionlessly and continued poking at the fire: "It's precisely because she's an honest person that she's easy to fool. When we meet her later, we'll do this... and this, and this."

At the edge of the firelight, an old road sign with faded writing was stuck diagonally—direction to Liupanshui.