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

The weather has warmed up completely. Birds chirped as they flew over Buddha's Palm Rock and soared into the blue sky. A white figure flashed by among the lush foliage; it was a white ape searching for precious medicinal herbs such as Solomon's Seal and Ganoderma lucidum in the mountains.

The white ape is intelligent and doesn't cling to Chen Yu. It usually only appears when Chen Yu summons it to accompany him in pursuit. Chen Yu uses this method to hone his lightness skill. He observes the ape's nimble movements and leaps, learns to use its strengths and compensate for its weaknesses, and strives for perfection. His lightness skill is now becoming increasingly outstanding.

The sun hid behind the unfolding clouds, casting a warm glow of late spring. After reading the letter, Chen Yu handed it to Yang An.

As Yang An read through the text word by word, he had a sense that a storm was brewing.

Jingjia was rational and did not exaggerate the conflict with the Kongtong Sect. Instead, she focused on the situation, mentioning that someone had spread the rumor that Granny Jinhua had gone to sea and the Tianying Sect had secretly dispatched a large ship, and that all the martial arts masters in the Qiantang area were now gathered there.

The Tartar court was making moves, and military officers and Tibetan monks could often be seen active. Jingjia feared that Xie Xun might appear and that the message would not be delivered in time, so she requested her sect's assistance.

Yang An read the letter, folded it, and handed it to Chen Yu, asking, "What is Senior Brother's opinion?"

"First, find the eldest sister and see how Master is doing."

"it is good."

Chen Yu went straight up the mountain from Buddha Palm Rock to seek Jingxuan.

……

As the morning glow gradually turned orange-red at the foot of the mountain, it stretched Chen Yu and Jing Xuan's figures into long, narrow shapes.

Jingxuan read the letter and looked at Chen Yu: "Master is at a critical juncture in breaking through the fascia barrier. How can you go down the mountain at such a crucial moment?"

During the period of Extinction's seclusion, Jingxuan served him, bringing him some pills and food every few days.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yu realized that his master had cultivated the "Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian" to the third stage. Chen Yu was not pleased with his completion of the fourth stage; without the jade ruyi to assist his cultivation, his progress might not have surpassed that of Miejue.

He had already taken the step of strengthening his fascia, and knew he couldn't give up halfway; he had to break through in one go.

Upon hearing Jingxuan's words, Chen Yu said, "Senior Sister Jingjia only mentioned that the situation in Qiantang is tense, but Xie Xun has not shown up. Since Master is at a critical juncture, there is no need to disturb him. I might as well go there. If Xie Xun shows up, even if I cannot obtain the Dragon-Slaying Saber, I should still be able to send a message to the sect while protecting myself."

Jingxuan felt that Chen Yu's words made sense.

"Junior Brother is meticulous and thoughtful, so he's perfect for the job. How about we have Junior Sister Ji, Junior Sister Su, Junior Sister Bei, and Junior Brother Yang accompany us? We can also choose more than ten other disciples."

"It's not the right time yet. The outer sect has recruited quite a few disciples, and Junior Brother Yang still needs supervision. If something happens nearby, he'll be needed even more. Senior Sister Bei, Senior Sister Su, Junior Brother Tang, and the two disciples from Medicine King Cave with superb medical skills are enough."

Jingxuan pondered for a moment and realized that the four of them were capable of using the Four Symbols Sword Formation. With Junior Brother Chen's current cultivation level and the assistance of three junior brothers and sisters, they would have the strength to fight even if they encountered demons like Wei Yixiao and Yang Xiao.

"Very well, thank you for your hard work, junior brother."

"Thank you for your help, senior sister."

"Don't worry, junior brother."

……

Chen Yu returned to the courtyard, burned the manuscript of "Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian" that he had transcribed for his own cultivation, and carried silver, pills, and a precious sword to Xi Jian Ping. Su Mengqing, Bei Jinyi, Tang Zhihu, and the two disciples arranged by Shi Jinkui had been waiting for a long time.

Knowing that this trip would inevitably involve battle, Tang Zhihu carried a bow, a gun, and a sword.

With the disciples of Yaowang Cave accompanying him, Chen Yu intended to rebuild the temple, provide free medical consultations, and offer relief to the people.

A group of six people, amidst apricot blossoms and misty rain in Jiangnan.

Bei Jinyi was overjoyed. She could eat her way through the city. As the saying goes, "Above is heaven, below are Suzhou and Hangzhou," and there are countless famous dishes in Qiantang.

……

A jade flute plays in the Yellow Crane Tower, while plum blossoms fall in Jiangcheng in May.

The sounds of soft music and the laughter of women came from the river and the building. Bei Jinyi cheered and jumped ashore from the riverboat. "I don't even remember what the tofu pudding tasted like last time I had it in Hanyang."

When Pei Jinyi spoke, the smile at the corner of her mouth leaped to her dimples, like water falling into a bottle.

"Salty," Tang Zhihu joked with a laugh.

"No, that's not it. Why don't you take your senior sister to try it again, Junior Brother Tang? See, it's salty."

"no problem."

After visiting Jinghui in Wushan County, Chen Yu and his entourage traveled down Emei Mountain. They then took a riverboat south, stopping in Hanyang along the way to visit Master Ji and, incidentally, the nunnery built by Jingxu.

The dock was bustling with activity. Sunlight filtered through the trees as Chen Yu and his companions walked from the shade of the trees toward the market. Not far away, two men from a nearby boat also moved toward the dock.

The man on the left was quite old and unremarkable, while the young man on the right was handsome and dashing.

As the two walked on, the scholar-looking young man said to the man, "Second Uncle, the daylight is just right, why don't we go for a visit to the Yellow Crane Tower?"

The older man said, "Business is more important. Let's go to a few well-established pharmacies and buy more ginseng, lingzhi, and polygonatum to take to Wuji."

"Qingshu doesn't distinguish between important and trivial matters; he's muddle-headed."

"It's only natural to appreciate beautiful scenery, there's no need to feel guilty," the man said with a smile, but in his heart he thought of the poem, "The Yellow Crane has flown away and will never return, while the white clouds drift aimlessly for a thousand years," and he couldn't help but feel a pang of melancholy.

At that moment, a lewd laugh rang out from several Tartar military officers who had just boarded the dock: "What a pretty little girl, why don't we take her back and give her to Mr. Lu?"

"Good idea."

Chen Yu, the man, and the handsome scholar all heard the voice and looked over. Suddenly, a loud curse rang out, "Where did this little beggar come from, stealing my purse?"

In Chen Yu's field of vision, several people, including a slender young girl, were surrounded by Tartar military officers, while a little beggar nimbly ran away. The Tartar military officers abandoned the girls and others and chased after the beggar. In a few strides, they drew their swords.

Without thinking twice, Chen Yu stepped in to save the person.

The handsome young man said to the man beside him, "Second Uncle, I'll kill these Tartars."

The man nodded, offering no further words of advice.

As the Tartar officer's longsword slashed down with lightning speed, Chen Yu swiftly moved past, grabbing the officer's neck, disarming him with his left hand, and simultaneously lowering and leaning his right shoulder. The officer was sent flying several feet away, crashing into a large tree, his teeth stained crimson, his sternum caved in.

The young man was a step behind Chen Yu. Seeing him make his move, he praised his martial arts skills and then took a step to the side. A blue light suddenly appeared in his hand, like twinkling stars. He used the "Nine Linked Strike" move with great skill. A Tartar officer quickly swung his longsword to block and parry. Although the "Nine Linked Strike" was only one move, it contained nine variations, making it difficult to defend against due to its feints and real attacks.

With a few clangs, the Tartar officer received three sword strikes. The fourth move was a feint, but the young man's longsword broke through the center, killing his opponent on the ground.

Immediately afterward, the young man let out a long roar, took a step back, and dodged another Tartar who slashed him in the waist. Suddenly, his long sword flashed horizontally, slicing open the opponent's body.

During the young man's attack, Chen Yu casually swung his sword twice, and two Tartars who had encountered him rolled away, covered in blood. The girl who had been teased by the Tartars also possessed martial arts skills. She pointed her finger at one of the Tartars' chest, snatched his long sword, and slashed him to the ground.

In just over ten breaths, several Tartars who had been committing atrocities on the dock were killed.

The young man flicked his wrist, twirling his sword gracefully, and said politely to the woman, "You have excellent skills, young lady."

"Thank you for saving me, young master."

"It's kind of you, young lady, to help someone in need." As the young man spoke, his gaze searched, and Chen Yu found herself in front of the beggar.

"Young man, you're alright."

"fine."

With light and agile steps, and martial arts skills, he could be a disciple of the Beggar Clan. Chen Yu looked at the little beggar again; his face was dark, making it difficult to determine his exact age, but his eyes shone like stars.

"How insightful!" Chen Yu quickly replied, "The Tartar soldiers will be here soon, so the farther away you are, the better."

The little beggar blinked, then turned and disappeared into the chaotic crowd.

"May I ask your honorable surname, young hero?"

Suddenly, a man's voice came from beside Chen Yu.

The moment he turned around, Bei Jinyi's surprised voice rang out.

"Yu the Second Hero".