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

The bright moon hung leisurely in the sky, and the Milky Way stretched like a ribbon. From Jizhuang, the night sky looked like a sea of ​​stars. Inside the manor below, people were drinking and making merry, and the lights were as bright as day. The unpleasantness of the evening had already dissipated.

Grandpa Ji hosted a banquet, and Chen Yu, Miejue, Ji Xiaofu, and Ding Minjun sat at the same table.

The small things are revealed in the details.

Knowing that there were no male disciples in the inner sect of the Emei Sect, and that Chen Yu was now openly sitting at the table, Old Master Ji was bound to value him highly. With the keen insight of Su Baichuan of the Su family, Old Master Ji did not underestimate Chen Yu and treated him with great enthusiasm.

"Uncle Ji, are the Iron Palm Clan always this arrogant and domineering?"

Because Chen Yu was familiar with the world of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, he paid close attention to the Iron Palm Clan. Ji Xiaofu had treated Chen Yu well, and his address of "uncle" was sincere, which pleased the old man.

Old Master Ji said, "The world is not peaceful. Not to mention the Iron Palm Clan, even ordinary small sects and even disciples of Ji Manor are prone to acting recklessly."

Chen Yu nodded, "That's true."

"Ji Zhuang runs the docks and several shops. On the north and south banks of the docks, one side is protected by the Iron Palm Gang and the other is run by Ji Zhuang. Sometimes there are conflicts and disputes over business, but they do not resort to violence. The disciples of both sides step in to mediate and keep things peaceful. However, a few days ago, there was a conflict. The Iron Palm Gang was relentless and the disciples of Ji Zhuang were so angry that they injured the disciples of the Iron Palm Gang, which led to today's scene."

One of the elders from the Ji family who was accompanying them said, "It's clearly a deliberate attempt to stir up trouble and monopolize the dock business."

Grandpa Ji said, "Fortunately, the nun intervened in time."

Miejue said, "No need to be polite, but Qiu Qianli's martial arts are not weak either."

"Indeed." Old Master Ji was somewhat disheartened. "Not to mention Qiu Qianli, even Qiu Wanyao was a formidable figure."

"Is the Iron Palm Gang's headquarters in Hanyang?" Chen Yu asked.

"No, that's not it. I heard about their reputation in Hunan years ago, but they only expanded their influence to Ezhou before the new year."

"So that's how it is."

Master Ji said, "Master has come from afar, please stay in Hanyang for a while longer."

"Father, Master has important business to attend to. He shouldn't linger any longer," Ji Xiaofu hurriedly said.

Ji Xiaofu's words were true, but she also had some inner thoughts, fearing that her parents would pressure her to get married.

"Since that's the case, I won't try to keep you any longer."

"No need for such formalities, Master. Are you familiar with the Five Poisons Sect?"

"I've heard a little about it, but I don't know much about it."

Extinction nodded and did not continue on this topic. Extinction was not bad at speaking, but she did not like to chat with men. Chen Yu acted as a go-between, and the welcoming banquet went smoothly.

As night deepened, Old Master Ji arranged accommodations. The Ji family was large and powerful, no less so than the Su family of Guanzhou. The manor was spacious, and Chen Yu was arranged to stay in a quiet, secluded courtyard.

Under the bright moon and by the campfire, Chen Yu, aided by the effects of the jade ruyi, practiced the "Emei Nine Yang Skill" for nearly an hour, focusing his mind on the "Wind and Thunder Hand" technique he had obtained from the stone cave of Qingcheng Mountain.

Chen Yu has been practicing this technique for almost a year and has now achieved considerable skill. He practices diligently without stopping. What he is truly focused on is the technique's balance of yin and yang. The yang energy attacks the opponent, while the yin energy can wrap around the opponent's internal energy, like dense clouds without rain, making it impossible for them to exert their power.

If one achieves mastery, wouldn't one be able to effectively counter the cold Yin internal strength of Wei Yixiao, Lu Zhangke, Cheng Kun, and others?

Enveloping the opponent's internal energy—this ingenious method, if used in the Emei Sect's "Buddha's Light Shines Everywhere" move, would be doubly powerful. Unfortunately, my master has not yet taught me this technique, so I cannot fathom its secrets.

Under the bright moonlight, Chen Yu's thoughts returned. He spurred his movements, thrusting out both palms and silently reciting the key techniques: "If the enemy retreats, quickly advance and strike his eyes, face, and throat with your right palm, while kicking his groin with your left leg. Use the full force of your body to suppress his strength and follow his every move. If the opponent attacks with his left hand, use a grappling technique to hook him back with the force, then advance and strike his face with 'Five Thunderbolts'."

Chen Yu practiced each move one by one, gradually improving his skills. The internal strength of the Emei Nine Yang Internal Force shone outwards, and the sound of wind and thunder could be faintly heard between his palm strikes.

……

The courtyard of Ji Zhuang was winding and the corridors were exquisite. Several small buildings were unique and exquisite. From time to time, the laughter of Su Mengqing, Bei Jinyi and others could be heard. Old Mrs. Ji and Ji Xiaofu walked along the bluestone path and turned through a bamboo forest. The old woman suddenly exclaimed.

"What's wrong, Mother?"

"It's thundering."

"Mother is talking nonsense. The moon is bright and clear, how could there be thunder and rain?"

"I'm not old and my eyesight is failing yet, daughter, listen."

Ji Xiaofu smiled gently, "That's my junior brother practicing martial arts."

"Master Yang?"

"Junior Brother Chen."

The old woman exclaimed, "He doesn't seem very old."

"She's almost fifteen years old. When it comes to martial arts, I'm afraid even my daughter is no match for her."

"Heroes have always emerged from among the young." Old Mrs. Ji exclaimed in admiration, then changed the subject, "In the future, he will surely be a figure like the Sixth Hero Yin."

"Mother, I'm going to check on my senior and junior sisters."

"You're not allowed to leave." Old Madam Ji said sternly, "You saw what happened today. If you marry Yin Liuxia, will the Iron Palm Clan still be able to act so arrogantly?"

"mother……"

"Daughter, what do you really think?"

"My daughter has her reasons."

"Nonsense, everyone else is overjoyed."

"Mother, the Emei Sect now faces the formidable Five Poisons Sect as an external enemy, and Bai Guishou has appeared. This also involves Master's deep-seated hatred. How can we think about marriage? After this is over, I will definitely give you an explanation."

"It was a promise."

"How dare a daughter deceive her mother?"

"Alright then."

The mother and daughter walked forward. Ji Xiaofu sighed, thinking to herself that Junior Brother Chen was righteous and courageous, and resourceful. Once he succeeded as the sect leader, she would tell him about this matter so that he could take care of her daughter. "Only by dying for my sect can I repay my master's kindness in raising and teaching me."

……

As dawn broke and the air carried a hint of the chill of the previous night, Grandpa Ji saw them off as the riverboat set sail.

"Father, Mother, take care." Ji Xiaofu waved from the bow of the boat.

"Remember what you promised your mother."

"Um."

"Compared to my senior sister, I'm lucky. At least it's easier for me to go back to Guanzhou. Let's go. In the world of martial arts, one's fate is not one's own." Su Mengqing took Ji Xiaofu's arm, who looked sorrowful.

Chen Yu, observing Ji Xiaofu's demeanor, watched her walk into the room, lost in thought.

Later, Chen Yu went to the stern deck and instructed Zhou Zhiruo in the Four Symbols Stance. He then began to practice the Quanzhen Swordplay and the Jade Maiden Swordplay. He had already mastered the Qi-guiding principles of the two schools of swordplay, and now he only needed to diligently practice his swordsmanship to achieve perfection.

……

As night fell and the city lights flickered, the Kunlun Sect disciple who had been stabbed by Zhou Zhiruo wept bitterly in a guest room of the inn.

"Master has finally arrived."

"You're spineless. Speak properly."

A breeze from the river entered through the window, forcing the lamplight down to a low level. On either side of the square table sat two of the Five Elders of Kongtong, Chang Jingzhi and Tang Wenliang.

The disciple accused: "We and Senior Brother Jian went south to inquire about Bai Guishou of the Tianying Sect. In Hanyang, we encountered a group of people from the Emei Sect. Senior Brother Jian had seen Emei disciple Chen Yu talking with the group of women who captured Bai Guishou at Xianren Ferry on the Han River, so we inquired about the information."

Tang Wenliang said, "Could it be that the Emei Sect knows but is keeping quiet?"

"Uncle-Master, not only that, but they also mocked and ridiculed us. Senior Brother Jian was furious and tried to reason with them, but the Emei Sect was even more unreasonable, and a conflict broke out. I was tricked by Chen Yu and stabbed in the back by a little girl from Emei."

"This is outrageous!" Chang Jingzhi exclaimed angrily.

Jian Jie then said, "That's not all. That very night, one of my junior brothers went missing and has not been found to this day. He was neither found alive nor dead."

Tang Wenliang then realized that one of the disciples who went down the mountain was indeed missing.

The disciple added fuel to the fire, saying, "It must be a dirty trick by the Emei Sect."

"Don't talk nonsense," Tang Wenliang said.

"Apart from the Emei Sect, we disciples have no enemies. Since we came down the mountain, we have been safe and sound. We have never lost a man when we encountered the Tartars. How could something strange have happened after we had a conflict with Chen Yu and his group in Hanyang?"

"That's right," Chang Jingzhi said.

"Let's ask the disciples of Emei first," Tang Wenliang said.

To put it simply: "The leader of the Emei Sect was also in Hanyang at the time, but he had already left by boat ten days earlier. I saw it with my own eyes at the dock."

Tang Wenliang touched his chin in deep thought.

"Senior brother, now that the Emei Sect knows the background of the woman who captured Bai Guishou, why don't we just go to Mount Emei instead of making baseless accusations?" Chang Jingzhi suggested.

"Okay," Tang Wenliang said after careful consideration.

"We must give an explanation for their extermination," Chang Jingzhi said fiercely.