A man stands before the heavens, his sword emerges from the Emei Mountains.

Chapter 116 Before the Storm, Nine Yang

In the last rays of twilight, Chen Yu and Su Mengqing arrived at the Su Family Escort Agency in Guanzhou on horseback.

"Miss, Young Master Chen is back."

The porter on duty at the gate called out and enthusiastically stepped forward.

Is Father here?

"Yes, miss, young hero, please."

The two men handed the reins to the escorts and walked side by side through the grand gatehouse into the security agency, proceeding through corridors and buildings.

There weren't many bodyguards in the escort agency, which meant they had business coming in to escort goods on long journeys.

As the two passed by the martial arts arena, several bodyguards who were practicing stopped and waved to Chen Yu from a distance.

"Is the chief镖头 (chief镖头, a term referring to a bodyguard or镖师, who is not in charge) not here?" Chen Yu asked.

"I went to Chang'an."

"Let's have a friendly competition later."

"Great! I couldn't be happier!" With enthusiastic voices, Chen Yu and Su Mengqing walked towards the council hall, where Su Baichuan had already strode over.

"have not seen you for a long time."

"Uncle Su, are you well?"

"Okay, okay," Su Baichuan replied twice. "Let's go inside for tea and a chat."

"Thank you, Uncle."

The three entered the hall, where maids served tea and snacks.

Su Mengqing handed the cake to Chen Yu and then said, "Junior Brother's Longquan Sword was broken in the Battle of Changchun Valley."

Su Baichuan exclaimed in surprise: "The enemy must be using a divine weapon like the Heaven-Slaying Sword, but that's easy to fix. We can just forge another one."

Chen Yu hurriedly said, "The reason I went to Guanzhou with Senior Sister Su was not to forge a precious sword, but to inquire about the blacksmith from my uncle."

Su Baichuan, being mature and prudent, didn't ask Chen Yu why he was inquiring about the blacksmith, and simply said, "He's in the suburbs."

Chen Yu was secretly delighted, as it matched the location of the blacksmith that Wu Jingcao had mentioned.

"Does your uncle know this person?"

"He is a kind person who has lived in Guanzhou for a long time, but he is not a local."

"What is your name?"

He was not known to outsiders, and his origins were unknown. He was about sixty years old and a harmonious neighbor. He often repaired farm tools for his neighbors. He was once hired by a security escort agency, but he politely declined.

"Thank you for leading the way, Uncle."

"good!"

Although Su Baichuan did not ask why, he knew that Chen Yu had come in a hurry and must have something important to do. Without wasting any time, the three of them went out of the hall, and the old master Su asked Tangzi to lead the horse and headed straight for the outskirts.

Before night had fallen, Su Baichuan led Chen Yu and Su Mengqing out of the city and traveled several miles. After wandering through the alleys between the houses of varying heights, they arrived at the blacksmith shop in the town.

Chen Yu's steps had already slowed down.

Smoke curled from the chimneys of the surrounding houses, but the blacksmith's shop was dark and gloomy.

"How could this be?" Su Baichuan strode forward.

The simple blacksmith shop had its dark wooden door tightly closed and locked. Chen Yu looked through the crack in the window and saw an anvil in the center of the entrance, with coal dust and scrap iron scattered all over the floor and cobwebs hanging from the beams. Clearly, the blacksmith had been gone for a long time.

"Young hero, please wait a moment while I go and ask."

Chen Yu caught up with Su Baichuan, who knocked on his neighbor's door and asked kindly, "Does the old man know where the blacksmith has gone?"

"I don't know. He's been gone for a while. A month ago, I woke up one morning and saw that the blacksmith had closed the doors and windows and was nowhere to be found." The old man sighed after saying this, "The blacksmith was a good man. Now that he's gone, there's nowhere to repair our farm tools and iron pots."

"Thank you, sir."

"polite."

Chen Yu pondered. According to the old man's account, the blacksmith must have left on the eve of the Battle of Changchun Valley. Could it be that Zhuang Zheng heard what Wu Jingcao said and went to Guanzhou to invite the blacksmith to Ruijin Banner? Or perhaps the blacksmith's ancestor was a master craftsman who forged the Heaven-Slaying Sword and Dragon-Slaying Saber in Xiangyang City, and he heard some rumors and sought to avoid danger?

Chen Yu leans towards the latter.

Su Baichuan said to Chen Yu with some regret, "After returning to the escort agency, I had the escorts and porters inquire around. With his blacksmithing skills, he could make a name for himself anywhere. It wouldn't be difficult to find out."

Escort agencies have advantages that the Emei Sect cannot match. Escort teams travel all over the country, getting to know the heroes and outlaws of the Three Mountains and Five Peaks. Moreover, the places they escort are mostly wealthy cities, and they have many interactions with local escort agencies, sharing information such as where the trade routes are good and where bandits who have taken over the mountains have emerged. In addition, local escort agencies often have business dealings with blacksmith shops, so it is indeed convenient to gather information.

Upon hearing Su Baichuan's words, Chen Yu replied, "Thank you for your trouble, Uncle."

"There's no need for such formalities. Let's return to the escort agency and talk by candlelight tonight."

"I'll listen to my uncle."

The three mounted their horses and headed straight into the city. Birds were chirping and singing. On a sunny midday, Chen Yu, who had returned to Emei from Guanzhou, appeared at Ciyun Temple.

"Yu'er is back?"

"Hmm." Chen Yu took the teapot from the stove, poured tea for Miejue, and sat down beside her, saying, "The blacksmith left long ago, and his whereabouts are unknown."

Having witnessed the shock of the sorcerer Yunze's aliasing as Faqiu and his stay at Leiyin Temple, and Ji Xiaofu's childbirth, the news Chen Yu was bringing now barely stirred any waves in Miejue's heart. She calmly asked, "What do you think?"

"The blacksmith had lived in Guanzhou for a long time. His sudden departure was probably due to hearing some news. He sought good fortune and avoided misfortune by going to a distant place."

"Hmm, that makes sense. In that case, we should take this time to cultivate diligently. Lian Zhenjia and the demon monk Yunze have disappeared without a trace. In my opinion, healing is secondary. The main thing is to observe the situation in Qiantang. Once Granny Jin Hua finds the Dragon-Slaying Saber or the villain Xie Xun appears, these people will definitely show up, and then things will get turbulent."

What Miejue said was Chen Yu's deduction during the journey. The Five Poisons Sect captured him simply because they wanted the original owner's ancestor to forge the Heaven-Slaying Sword.

He came with the sword and the Dragon-Slaying Saber, but he never expected that he would settle in Emei, break through the deadlock time and time again, join forces with Wudang and Hengshan Sects, and wipe out Changchun Valley with the help of the Yellow-Clad Woman. If there is another mastermind behind the Five Poisons Sect, given the depth of their scheming, the current situation will inevitably lead them to wait for Granny Golden Flower to appear, seize the Dragon-Slaying Saber and the Heaven-Reliant Sword, and then capture him or even attack Emei.

"Master is wise," Chen Yu replied, following Miejue's deduction.

"Xiaofu came to me and inquired about matters concerning Dadu."

After a moment's consideration, Chen Yu said, "How about we send Senior Sister Ji and Senior Sister Zhao to Hanyang? Senior Sister Jingxu has superb cultivation and a calm demeanor. She also has rich experience in building temples. Jingyun Temple is now on the right track. We can send her to Dadu together."

"Okay, you can arrange this."

"This disciple takes his leave."

"Go."

"Um.

""

Chen Yu got up, walked through the courtyard, left the temple gate, and went to find Ji Xiaofu and Zhao Lingzhu.

Time flies, and two days have passed.

Chen Yu saw them off, and Ji Xiaofu and Zhao Lingzhu led more than ten inner and outer sect disciples and junior sisters from the Medicine King Cave down the mountain. The group would head straight from Emei Mountain.

After a brief stay in Hanyang, Jingxu and I headed towards Dadu.

The early winter sun still carried a hint of warmth. As the group reached the foot of the mountain, Ji Xiaofu said, "Junior Brother, please wait."

"Take care on your journey, senior sister."

"Mm." Ji Xiaofu nodded, then said to Bu Hui, "When Mother goes to Dadu, Bu Hui must listen to your martial uncle on the mountain."

"I understand, Mother. Once I've mastered martial arts, I'll come to Dadu to find you."

"I won't regret it, my dear." Ji Xiaofu squatted down, gently hugged the other person, and then strode away.

Goodbye, Mother.

"Go back, all of you." Ji Xiaofu turned around and waved, then turned back again, never looking back.

Chen Yu watched Ji Xiaofu leave before asking Bu Hui, "Will you miss your mother?"

"Yes, but now that I'm in Emei, I don't have to live in fear like before. And if I learn martial arts well, I can be with my mother."

""

"That's right, let's go, up the mountain."

Chen Yu led Bu Hui forward, asking her questions about her cultivation techniques along the way and explaining them in detail. When they arrived at the Sword Washing Platform, Bu Hui joined the outer disciples in practicing standing meditation. Chen Yu returned to his courtyard, where he first took out a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone and wrote down the Wudang Nine Yang Skill he had memorized. Then, he began to analyze the technique based on the Emei Nine Yang Skill.

He had an extremely solid foundation in martial arts, and was well-versed in Buddhist and Taoist classics. With his exceptional comprehension, he soon understood the differences between the two schools of martial arts.

Guo Xiang's self-created Emei Nine Yang Skill circulates Qi through the three Yang meridians of the hands, the Yang Qiao meridian, and the Yin Qiao meridian. When practicing the Emei Nine Yang Skill, she had already begun to temper these five meridians, laying a foundation for her future Emei lightness skills and swordsmanship. Her internal energy appears gentle and mild, but it is mainly yang in nature.

Wudang Nine Yang Skill focuses on the Liver Meridian, Gallbladder Meridian, and Ren and Du Meridians to balance the five elements of the internal organs, emphasizing the harmony of water and fire, and the unity of yin and yang.

To master the Emei Nine Yang Skill, one must open the Ren and Du meridians and build a bridge between heaven and earth, which requires exceptional talent. The Wudang Nine Yang Skill, on the other hand, focuses on strengthening the internal organs and clearing the Ren and Du meridians from the outset. The Ren meridian governs Yin blood, while the Du meridian governs Yang energy; one is the sea of ​​Yin, the other the sea of ​​Yang. With Yin and Yang in harmony, building a bridge between heaven and earth is naturally much easier.

In short, if the Emei Sect did not have Guo Xiang's legacy, the "Forging Bones Chapter of the Book of Changes," even if its disciples practiced diligently for a lifetime, only Chen Yu could open up the Ren and Du meridians with the help of the Jade Ruyi. Apart from the three heroes of Wudang, even Song Qingshu, if he progressed step by step, would have had time to open up the bridge between heaven and earth.

Moreover, once the Wudang Nine Yang Skill is mastered, its internal energy is inexhaustible and long-lasting, with a strong aftereffect. The Emei Nine Yang Skill, lacking the internal strength of the internal organs, is unable to maintain a smooth flow of internal energy during intense combat.

Perhaps this is the fundamental reason why, even Zhou Zhiruo, who had cultivated the Nine Yin Manual, was destined to lose in prolonged battles against Song Yuanqiao, Yu Lianzhou, and others in the world of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber".

A grandmaster of his generation, truly deserving of the title.

Chen Yu tidied up his notes and went to the training room converted from the west wing. He lit sandalwood incense, sat cross-legged, and guided his Qi with his mind. The warm and pure Nine Yang internal energy rose from his Dantian and traveled along the specific meridian pathways of the Emei Nine Yang Gong. He calmed his mind, closed his eyes, and focused his inner vision, guiding his inner energy to the coccyx acupoint of the Du meridian. Following the Qi circulation path of the Wudang Nine Yang Gong, he ascended from the coccyx to the kidney gate, then along the spine and the two gates to the Tianzhu and Yuzhen acupoints, finally reaching the Niwan Palace at the top of his head. He paused for a moment, pressed his tongue against the upper palate, and let his inner energy descend from his face, down from the Shenting acupoint to the Queqiao and Chonglou acupoints, then to the Huangting acupoint, and slowly descended to the Dantian.

Once a full cycle of Qi circulation is completed, and the internal energy descends to the dantian, a wondrous sensation suddenly arises.

As if summoned, the vast energy of the Yin and Yang seas of the Ren and Du meridians surged along the spine to the limbs and bones. Chen Yu was overjoyed and immediately began to use this thick and surging energy to transport blood and refine internal strength.

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