Starting from the world of martial arts in the Condor Heroes, practicing martial arts across the hea

A series of rapid, chaotic hoofbeats came from the long official road in the distance, suddenly breaking the silence of the mountains and forests.

The man in the blue robe sat upright on horseback, his posture as straight as a pine tree. Even after days of travel, he showed no sign of hunching over, only a deep melancholy lingered between his brows. His brows were slightly furrowed, and his thin lips were tightly pursed. His blue robe was already covered in dust and dirt from the journey, with worn edges and grime from the roadside, a testament to the weariness and vicissitudes of a long and arduous journey.

This person is none other than Jiangnan.

They traveled at breakneck speed from Kunlun Mountain, day and night, and arrived in the Central Plains and Jiangnan region in a month.

Through wind, frost, rain, and snow, enduring hardships and sleeping in the open, galloping on horseback by day and resting on the ground by night, they never stopped for a moment, their only thought being to reach Zhongnan Mountain as soon as possible to verify their conjecture.

The horse beneath him was panting heavily, its hooves thrashing about, showing signs of exhaustion. White breath was constantly coming out of its mouth and nose, and its speed was gradually slowing down.

"Alas! Horses without true qi are no good; they can't even match the speed of a blue ox pulling a cart."

He secretly regretted it; if he had more time, he could have made some changes.

"In other words, I don't have time to waste. Otherwise, I would definitely teach this horse how to operate its internal energy, and increase its wisdom, endurance, and speed."

The method of cultivating internal strength and generating internal power in animals was experimentally verified in Jiangnan's previous life on the Green Ox and the Yellow Ox.

Having been raised in Jiangnan, they are impervious to ordinary swords and knives, can travel thousands of miles without tiring, and possess a spirituality far exceeding that of ordinary animals. They can understand human speech and intentions, far surpassing ordinary animals in the world.

However, cultivating an animal's internal strength is not something that can be accomplished overnight.

Not only does it take a very long time, but it also requires the use of dozens of rare medicinal herbs to brew a secret elixir, continuously replenishing qi and blood, nourishing meridians, and strengthening the body's foundation, so that the transformation can proceed gradually and steadily without harming the animal's fundamental nature.

Well... how should I put it? In a fantasy world, these pills would be beast-breeding pills, but in this low-level martial arts world, they're just like rolling mud balls. Not Naruto's Rasengan from Naruto, but real-world pills, little mud balls.

In other words, the skill level of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners in Jiangnan is high. They are well-versed in the properties of herbs, the circulation of qi and blood, and the structure of the body. In addition, they have accumulated countless experiences through years of animal training experiments and have also verified the results through animal experiments. Otherwise, this "Beast Training Pill" could not have been developed so easily.

There was no other way. In order to keep up with the journey and not delay the trip, over the past month, whenever a horse was exhausted and unable to continue, it was sold on the spot in towns and cities along the way in Jiangnan. The money was used to buy a better horse with a faster pace and stronger physique, so that the horse could gallop at full speed and not delay the journey by even a little bit.

Jiangnan couldn't even remember how many horses he had changed in the past month.

Jiangnan's mind wasn't on the trivial matters of traveling. He was preoccupied with Huang Rong and Xiaolongnu from his previous life, and even more worried that Huang Rong and Xiaolongnu in this life would be exactly the same as in the previous life. That would put him in a dilemma!

Snatch it! Forced fruit isn't sweet, but it might quench your thirst!

Don't fight or grab, just let nature take its course! His thinking is so flawed, it's better to just snatch it!

Jiangnan was in turmoil, a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind, refusing to settle. Just as he was feeling agitated, a group of monks suddenly appeared and blocked his path.

Jiangnan snapped out of his daze, focused his gaze, and looked ahead. "Where did these bandits come from to rob us again? They're all reckless."

In the middle of the official road ahead stood five ugly men with short hair, thick beards, dark skin, and burly builds, each carrying a heavy ringed sword slung across their back. The road was empty, without any traps such as deer antlers, chevaux-de-frise, tripwires, or barbed wire, suggesting it was a spur-of-the-moment robbery.

Jiangnan looked at their attire and felt it was familiar.

He was certain he had never seen these five people before. Anyone who had seen them would remember them vividly. Their attire resembled that of Tantric monks or Wu Song's ascetic robes. Anyone who had seen such an awkward outfit would surely remember it upon seeing it again.

After a brief moment of thought, Jiangnan instantly understood.

  

If someone knows this kind of setup without ever having seen the real person, they must be a background character. After all, the main character isn't that ugly, or rather, not that twisted.

In Jin Yong's world of martial arts, the main characters are all outstanding and extraordinary, while only the villains and minor characters are ugly and strangely dressed, becoming stepping stones to advance the plot.

Considering the time, place, and the overall situation of the martial arts world, this location is on the border of Zhongnan Mountain, near the territory of the Mongols. Given the attire of this Tibetan monk, the answer is already obvious.

If this really is the world of Condor Heroes, then these five people...

Just as Jiang Nan was pondering to himself, the five Tibetan monks opposite him spoke arrogantly, using vulgar and extremely mocking language.

"..."

"Hey! You pretty boy on horseback, are you deaf? Didn't you hear what we grandpas said!"

"Those who know what's good for them, dismount now and hand over all your money as tribute to us!"

"Money alone isn't enough! Quickly dismount, crawl on the ground a few times, bark like a dog, and make Grandpa happy, then I'll spare your dog's life!"

The language was foul, the shouting arrogant and clamorous, and it was extremely offensive.

The five men grinned mockingly, their eyes filled with greed and contempt. They regarded Jiang Nan as a weak and powerless rich young master, and ridiculed him at will.

Jiangnan remained calm and composed, his eyes showing no emotion, his heart filled with indifference, treating the few inhuman creatures blocking his path as barking mad dogs!

This kind of clown is noisy and arrogant, like a mad dog barking at the sun.

Jiang Nan remained expressionless; he couldn't understand what the dog was saying... Ugh! Bah! Such a description is an insult to a loyal and good dog, a gross disgrace to the animal. He should apologize to the dog!

With a slight thought, Jiang Nan took out five throwing knives from his satchel with his right hand. He secretly channeled his true energy, exerted force in his wrist, and flicked his fingertips to release the force. Five cold lights silently pierced through the air, as fast as lightning, without making a sound!

Unique skill – Little River Flying Knife!

Precise, swift, and deadly!

Five "Little Jiang Flying Daggers" appeared in the throats of those five ugly creatures!

In the blink of an eye, it was done in one go!

Five creatures, whose forms were inhuman, had their mocking and sinister smiles still frozen on their faces, their greed and arrogance still lingering in their eyes. Before they could even feel a shred of fear, their breaths stopped instantly, and their bodies stood stiffly in place.

Kill without tormenting, and settle the karma with a single stroke!

Jiangnan sat calmly on his horse, his expression serene, without a trace of murderous intent.

Now, he has only been cultivating for a month. Although his internal energy cultivation method is superb, his realm is profound enough, his true energy is condensed and pure, and its quality far surpasses that of masters of the same level, and his foundation is extremely solid, he has only been cultivating for a short time and his internal energy reserves are still shallow and not deep enough.

In a short time, one can easily use internal energy to perform light footwork, unleash techniques, and control hidden weapons, making it effortless to handle ordinary battles in the martial arts world. However, if one were to compete with a seasoned martial artist in terms of internal energy, while one might be fine in the short term, over time, the recovery of internal energy would not keep up with the consumption, easily putting one at a disadvantage.

Moreover, fighting in the martial world is a life-or-death matter. If it can be resolved from a distance, Jiangnan will never get close. Otherwise, wouldn't all his efforts to hone his archery and throwing knife skills to the highest level have been in vain? If it can be resolved safely and reliably, why risk getting close and gambling on the worst-case scenario?

Jiangnan lightly spurred his horse forward, dismounted, and approached the five men. He drew an iron sword he had casually bought at the blacksmith's shop, and with a flash of light, severed their heads. He then delivered a final blow to prevent anyone from faking their death and escaping.

Good habits for navigating the martial world must be cultivated, maintained, and passed down. Don't let your guard down just because this is the familiar world of Jin Yong's martial arts novels. After all, the world is vast, everyone is a protagonist, and human nature is unpredictable! Otherwise, you might not even know how you died one day.

The five men from Jiangnan who searched the corpse obtained some gold and silver, as well as the five large knives.

"The materials used to forge the sword are good, but the forging technique is not good. Let's keep it for now and find a place to open a furnace when we have time to melt it down into materials for making weapons."

In my previous life, Jiangnan would never have given this material a second glance, but now that I've just arrived in this world, I'm so poor!

Lao Tzu said: "I have three treasures, which I hold and cherish: the first is compassion, the second is frugality, and the third is not daring to be the first in the world."

Compassion breeds courage. Frugality breeds abundance. Not daring to be the first in the world leads to the ability to achieve great things.

If one abandons compassion for courage, frugality for generosity, and the principle of putting others first while leaving those behind, then one is doomed.

So be frugal, a dog's life is more important!

After packing up the supplies, Jiang Nan abandoned the five corpses without giving them another glance, mounted his horse, and continued along the official road.

There was a small town ahead, where there should be a horse market. His horse was about to give out, so he decided to change horses.

Wenxianglou, second floor.

A seat by the window.

Jiangnan called over the waiter, "Bring four of your signature dishes... and a bowl of rice to start."

"Alright, sir! We'll arrange it for you right away! Is there anything else you'd like to order?" The waiter replied quickly, his face full of eagerness.

Jiangnan tossed him a bag of loose silver he'd looted from the five robbers. "Sell my horse and get a new one, one that's fast. The rest is your payment."

"Alright, sir! Don't worry, I'll take care of it for you right away, no problem!" The waiter was overjoyed, took the money, and quickly went downstairs to carry out the task.

Not long after, the food was served.

Boiled mutton, golden chicken, roasted venison, stir-fried wild rabbit with scallions, and a large bowl of local rice.

Jiangnan picked up her bowl and chopsticks, took a few bites of each dish, and tasted the flavor.

The dishes were cooked to a standard standard, with ordinary seasonings, nothing particularly amazing, just the normal level for a Guanzhong restaurant, nothing outstanding. But the strength lay in the fact that all the ingredients were freshly picked and hunted that day, retaining their original flavor, without any stale or fishy smell, and were tender and delicious.

Jiangnan wasn't picky about food; he ate heartily while listening intently to the lively conversations of the other patrons in the restaurant.

"The northern Tartars are mobilizing troops again, and the checkpoints outside the Jingzhao Prefecture are becoming increasingly tight. In the past, grain and goods from Guanzhong flowed freely between the north and south, but now checkpoints are set up everywhere on the official roads, and taxes are increasing year by year. It will be difficult to do business in the future."

"It's not just merchants who are suffering. This summer drought has greatly reduced the water volume of the Wei River's tributaries, leaving the fields without water, and the government is relentlessly pressing for the payment of summer taxes."

"..."

"Everyone says that the Little Dragon Girl of the Ancient Tomb is unparalleled in beauty and lives alone in a secluded valley, far from human habitation. Now that she has announced that the winner will be able to marry her, all the young heroes of the martial world have gone mad."

"..."

"I've heard that the imperial court in Lin'an in the south is still in a state of peace and prosperity, with high-ranking officials only concerned with enjoying themselves, while the military preparations and provisions for the border are delayed again and again. We commoners are in the north, so we can only pray for our own good fortune."

"..."

"This excitement is a once-in-a-century event. The winner can marry the Dragon Maiden of the Ancient Tomb and obtain the martial arts manuals and gold and silver treasures from the tomb. Prince Huo Du and the leaders of various caves and strongholds have already set off for Zhongnan Mountain. Even if they can't defeat the Dragon Maiden, a trip to Zhongnan Mountain will allow them to see the much-praised beauty of the Ancient Tomb."

"..."

"..."

Jiangnan listened for a while, but it was all jumbled up and nothing new came of it; he didn't hear anything he wanted to hear either.

He no longer focused on the diners, but concentrated on eating to replenish his energy.

After the meal, the waiter had already arranged for the horse and brought over a strong and swift steed from Guanzhong.

Jiangnan mounted his horse and set off again, heading straight for Zhongnan Mountain.

On the official road leading to Zhongnan Mountain, Jiangnan encountered more and more wandering martial artists, but no one stopped him from robbing him anymore.

Perhaps because there are so many people in the martial arts world, they don't know who is the most powerful, and they are afraid of kicking a hornet's nest, so they restrain their temper, or perhaps they are afraid of incurring the wrath of the masses...

In short, although there was some tension between them, no one actually started a fight; they were all focused on getting on their way.

Jiangnan was happy to have some peace and quiet. He rode his horse at full speed, and as long as no one bothered him, he kept going straight to Zhongnan Mountain.

Not just one day.

On this day, Jiangnan rode his horse to the foot of Zhongnan Mountain.

He did not enter the mountain at the foot of the mountain where the Quanzhen Sect's Chongyang Palace was located, but instead chose to enter from the foot of a mountain that was quite far away.

Jiang Nan didn't even need to go to Chongyang Palace to know that it was heavily guarded by Quanzhen Sect disciples, patrolling day and night. Even a fly would have to be separated into male and female to get in. He was there to investigate the world situation, not to wage war against the Quanzhen Sect, so he chose a secluded entrance.

He had spent ten years in seclusion in Zhongnan Mountain in his previous life, and that wasn't for nothing. He couldn't say he knew Zhongnan Mountain inside and out, but he was certainly very familiar with it. He knew how to enter Zhongnan Mountain without the help of Quanzhen disciples.

In autumn, the Zhongnan Mountains are ablaze with color, offering a vast and desolate vista.

The lush green of the mountainsides has faded, replaced by fiery red maples and golden smoke trees, their varying shades of color carpeting the peaks and valleys. A mountain breeze sweeps by, and fallen leaves rustle down, carpeting the forest floor. The sky is high and the clouds are light, the vast expanse of clear sky revealing the elegant and majestic outlines of the distant mountains.

The mountain streams grow thinner in autumn, the springs become clearer and colder, and the sound of the water is long and drawn out. Birds and beasts in the forest gradually hide away, and birds fly back to their nests more hurriedly. The whole mountain has lost the lushness and liveliness of spring and summer, and has gained a sense of desolation and ancient tranquility.

Everything seems to be just like it used to be.

I dismounted in Jiangnan, stood at the foot of the mountain, and looked at the forest in front of me.

He had seen many similar forests along the way, including Zhongnan Mountain's forests, for ten years, but now, looking at these forests again, he had a feeling that he couldn't quite describe.

It is more timid to be close to hometown, and I dare not ask people.

He stood there for a long time, hesitant to step into the mountain.

Deep in my heart lay the deepest unease and fear.

Indeed, Jiangnan was hesitant to go in, fearing that he might actually see the houses he had left behind while grinding for experience in the Zhongnan Mountains.

Doesn't that mean he only traveled through time within the same world, not across different worlds? Then, where did Rong'er and Long'er go?

Where did he wake up?

How can there be such similar valleys? And they're both in the Kunlun Mountains?

………………

"Inhale...exhale...exhale..."

Jiang Nan took a deep breath, then released the horse beside him. He circulated his inner energy, used the Golden Goose Skill, lightly touched the ground and tree branches, and disappeared into the forest.

Following his memory, Jiangnan deliberately searched for the hidden buildings he had built in the past and the simple formations he had originally set up.

They searched carefully in the mountains for three days, but found nothing.

Only then did Jiang Nan finally breathe a sigh of relief. "It wasn't time travel, at least Rong'er and Long'er didn't have to worry for more than ten years for nothing."

"But I wonder what their situation is now. If time could stand still, that would be fine, otherwise..."

Jiang Nan suppressed his negative thoughts and could only try to think positively. He was powerless to change anything, so this was all he could do.