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In the peach blossom forest.
Hundreds of elderly soldiers, with their weapons in hand, were training inbat skills among the trees.
Even though they were no longer soldiers of Great Yan, years of military training had be instinctive in their blood. Hundreds of people formed battle formations, charging and fighting in an orderly manner, showing great discipline.
This was a silent army, with no one speaking, but they cooperated seamlessly with each other.
On the other side, dozens of martial artists sat quietly under the trees, not speaking. The forest was quiet, but their eyes met frequently, some smiled, some pondered, each with different expressions.
Several meters away, a three-meter-high wild boar, the size of an elephant, had been cut into pieces and was being roasted over the bonfire, filling the air with the scent of meat.
When Qiao Mu returned to Peach Blossom Vi, this was the scene he encountered.
"After spending about a month in Taotie City, they have mastered the Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique," Qiao Mu nodded."Is Mr. Qiao back?"
"Senior Qiao?"
Several voices could be heard, some near the ears, while others were transmitted through the Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique, directly appearing in Qiao Mu’s mind.
After half a month, the people at Peach Blossom Vi had slightly improved their martial arts skillspared to before, but the difference was not significant.
However, they all seemed to be in good spirits, with abundant energy and vitality.
After all, practicing martial arts takes time and effort.
Some of them had made progress in their martial arts, with a few breaking through to a higher level, mainly due to their previous umtion of skills.
"Is this wild boar… a monster?" Qiao Mu nced at it.
Hai Siyuan handed over a freshly roastedrge piece of meat on a stick, smiling and saying, "Being located amidst the mountains here, unlike therge cities like Linhe City, it’s inevitable to encounter monster attacks."
"Has this mansion been attacked by the monster?" Qiao Mu asked casually.
In the mansion, there are currently three hundred white-headed soldiers, and dozens or hundreds of skilled fighters from the Southwest Province.
Although there are no exceptional martial artists among them, not to mention ordinary monsters, even powerful demons would be defeated.
"One week ago, a monster did attack, but not this one," Hai Siyuan chuckled.
"The taste of the wolf demon from a week ago was quite good… After tasting the vor of monsters, many brave individuals have volunteered to go hunting these days."
These veteran soldiers have all gotten stronger, lookingpletely different from their weak and thin selves in the Hundred-mile Desert.
The most significant change is seen in Hai Siyuan and Li Changshi.
Li Changshi, over eighty years old, had half of his face damaged by Etching Bones Li Fire. Due to longstanding injuries from battles, he could no longer go to war in his old age.
However, at this moment, he looks rejuvenated, with fewer wrinkles on his damaged face.
"Why does it seem like everyone advances quicker in their practice of the ‘Human Path Sutra’ than me?" Qiao Mu thought to himself.
But then he felt at peace with it.
These old soldiers were not your usual martial artists.
As for Qiao Mu?
Ignoring talents, pioneers naturally don’t progress as fast as those whoeter along the path.
When Hai Wuya spent thirty years studying at heavenly prison, he only managed to return from the 9th rank to the 7th rank…
"Enough chit-chat, now that you’re back. Let’s talk through martial arts first."
Qiao Mu didn’t say much either, he didn’t even enter the manor, just sat under the peach tree and began discussing martial arts.
During his trip to Taotie City, he was just getting some food for the fat cat, but ended up meeting Qing Li. Over these days, he gained a new understanding of ‘Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear’. ????ǒ?Ε?
Qing Li wished to learn from her teacher and had no intention of keeping any secrets.
"In this world of martial arts, there are techniques that rely on physical strength and techniques that focus on inner strength…" Qiao Mu started teaching martial arts under a tree.
Soon, the white-headed soldiers and martial artists from the rivers andkes gathered around.
Only the fat cat named Impermanence jumped off Qiao Mu’s shoulder. It showed no interest andzily sunbathed under the peach blossom tree.
With a gentle breeze, the tree branches swayed, and sunlight filtered through the leaves onto the fat cat. Ity therezily, stretching out its paws to groom itself, appearing very rxed.
For some reason, as Qiao Mu watched the fat cat grooming itself, he suddenly felt a rare sense of peace in his heart…
"Hmm?" He quickly noticed the slight change in his mood and then looked around at the crowd.
Indeed, he saw others also experiencing a subtle change, with rxed brows, a sense of peace, and a strong spirit.
For some reason, there seemed to be a subtle force at work, soothing the minds and spirits of those in the peach blossom forest, making them more focused and giving them a sense of calmness.
Qiao Mu furrowed his brow and then focused his eyes on the chubby cat licking its fur at his feet.
After some thought, he reached out and stroked the chubby cat a few times, feeling its smooth and silky fur, which surprisingly made him feel rxed and content.
"You mischievous little sprite, you really know how to charm the heart…" Qiao Mu jokingly scolded.
Initially, he wondered if this chubby cat, who had eaten the Gold Ingot Demon’s demon body, might turn into a lucky cat that brings wealth.
But now, it seemed to have inherited the Gold Ingot Demon’s ability to charm people’s hearts.
Thinking back carefully, when Qiao Mu was imprisoned in Nan Province Heyang City, this chubby cat often apanied the dying prisoners and indeed provided somefort to their spirits.
However, after consuming the Gold Ingot Demon, this ability was enhanced, now subtly influencing arge circle of people around, including Qiao Mu, who was a skilled martial artist.
The essence of "charming the heart" is to disturb others’ emotions and spirits.
In the capricious hands, this ability seemed to have a different purpose.
"In the future, don’t make a fuss about bing a Cat Worshipper." Qiao Mu yfully messed up the fur of a chubby cat by petting it in the opposite direction, then sat beside it watching the cat frantically lick its fur, feeling his mood improve.
After half an hour, Qiao Mu finished his martial arts practice, but Long Shankong and other martial artists came up.
"Senior Qiao, we are here to bid farewell," said Long Shankong.
Earlier, these travelers from the Jianghu were injured in a battle at Xishan Vige, with their initial intention being to treat their injuries at Peach Blossom Vi.
Who knew that staying there for some time, they were drawn to Qiao Mu’s martial arts teachings under the tree, and their injuries unknowingly healed.
Although they wanted to stay longer, these travelers all had families, friends, and sects. If they quietly settled in this mountain vi, they might be mistaken for dead and had to eventually leave.
"It’s up to you to stay or go. I just have one request, a kind of reward for all the martial arts teaching these days, do something for me," said Qiao Mu.
"If Senior Qiao asks, we will definitely do it," everyone said.
"In the future, if you make progress in your learning…" Qiao Mu began.
"If the martial arts learned at Peach Blossom Vi are spread to disciples or fellow martial brothers in the sect, it’s better than letting them go to waste," he added.
Long Shankong and the others were first surprised, then they all felt something stir within their hearts.
Howe the rules of this Qiao family member are different from the traditional prestigious ns.
The prestigious ns treasure their martial arts skills and rarely pass them on to outsiders. Even if an outsider disciple learns it asionally, they hardly ever pass on the true essence of it.
Even if one receives the true essence, they must vow to never disclose the skills, otherwise if everyone in the n mastered them, it would lose its value.
…………..
Half a dayter, in a teahouse in Linhe City.
Long Shankong and several martial arts experts sat in the teahouse hall, preparing to gather information by eavesdropping on the conversations of the other patrons.
After staying at Peach Blossom Vi to recuperate for over half a month, Long Shankong’s first priority when the martial artists from the jianghu emerged was to inquire about thetest happenings in the Southwest Province, so as not to fall behind.
When they arrived at the teahouse, they found the lobby empty, with few customers chatting.
Moreover, the pedestrians on the street were walking hurriedly, with anxious expressions.
"Why is everyone looking so anxious? It’s written all over their faces, isn’t it?" said the familiar teahouse owner.
"The Feather King Army is about to arrive, and in a few days, they will be at our doorstep. Can you me them for being panicked?"
"But you martial artists have your skills, so there’s no need to be too rmed," the teahouse owner shook his head and said.
"The Lord of the Manor has issued a recruitment order in the city, enlisting local volunteers to defend the city. Even you martial artists are wee," the teahouse owner added.
Typically, the court officials had little regard for themon martial world, but this time their attitude had changed.
"This is quite rare… But, are there really people willing to go?" Long Shankong asked in amazement.
"How many people are actually going?" another customer in the lobby chimed in.
"The Feather King Army is much more famous than the royal court here in Linhe City, thergest city in Southwest Province. The taxes are quite high here, not to mention taking care of those divine animals…I mean, taking care of those sacred bulls and horses."
Other tea drinkers also nodded in agreement.
Even though the Feather King Army has its secrets, it can’t be worse than the Great Yan Imperial Court, right?
"Are you local martial artists from the martial world?" A tea drinker in the hall examined Long Shankong and the others and asked.
"Recently, there was a lot of talk about the legacy manual ‘Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear’ left behind by the Spear Saint. If you are part of the martial world, you must have heard about it too, right?" they inquired.
"Yes, that’s true," Long Shankong replied.
"I heard…," the tea drinker inquired, "that the descendants of the Spear Saint were all wiped out? They say a group of martial artists raided Xishan Vige, took the ‘Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear,’ and ughtered everyone, leaving no survivors. Is this true?"
Long Shankong blinked in surprise and said, "Is that so? Who told you such a thing?"
"Well, this rumor is spreading everywhere in the city… If it weren’t for the imminent arrival of the Feather King Army, these teahouses and taverns would probably be discussing this non-stop…"
In the past, the Spear Saint was a respected and honorable person. Who would have thought that his descendants would bring trouble upon themselves by inviting danger into their home?" The tea guest sighed.
Long Shankong and the others didn’t argue, but instead subtly tried to find out where the tea guest had heard the information from.
When they left the teahouse, they felt heavy-hearted, no longer as carefree and peaceful as they were at the mountain vi.
"Obviously, someone is spreading rumors," Long Shankong whispered.
"Compared to a martial artist who inherited the Spear Saint’s teachings and selflessly passed on the Spear Saint’s book ‘Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear’ to others… a group of martial artists invading Xishan Vige to steal the secrets, this incident has surely captured the public’s attention."
As for these people involved rifying the situation?
Long Shankong didn’t even consider it.
Regarding the Xishan Vige incident, apart from their group of survivors, there are also cultivators from the Yunxiao Sect.
It’s clear that a member of the Qiao family wouldn’t spread such rumors, so the source of this rumor is probably…
"Whoever rifies, is like revealing their identity, maybe an Immortal Gate cultivator wille knocking soon." Long Shankong said helplessly:
"We are being unfairly med, and we can’t argue back…"
……………….
Xishan Vige.
This mountain vige halfway up the mountain, is now deserted, the whole vige empty.
Qing Li walked around this mountain vige, holding the Feather King mask in her hand, her face showing little emotion, just walking by herself, neither fast nor slow.
She walked from one end of the vige to the other, and back, without saying a word, just unconsciously slowing down her pace.
The mountain wind blew, and the loose wooden door mmed shut, making a loud noise.
The mountain wind came again, the wooden door slowly creaked open, the creaking sound echoing far in the mountains.
Qing Li looked at the wooden cabin and felt something strange, she started walking faster without realizing it.
As she approached the door, a squirrel suddenly ran out of the house in a panic, disappearing into the bushes in the blink of an eye.
Qing Li looked up and saw a portrait of Spear Saint and an ancestral tablet hanging in the hall of the house. The half-melted candles on both sides were crooked and moldy spots had appeared on the white buns ced in front of them.
Qing Li remained silent, squeezing the mask in her hand unconsciously until her knuckles turned slightly white.
She walked up to the ancestral tablet of Spear Saint and threw the Feather King mask to the ground, shattering it with a stomp.
"At this point, whether I am called ‘Feather King’ or ‘Qing Li’, what’s the difference?" she said slowly to the portrait.@@novelbin@@
"Feather King…." a figure appeared at the door behind her, it was her loyal follower, Jade Carp.
Jade Carp’s expression showed some sympathy. Since Feather King had taken off the mask ande to Xishan Vige, the identity she had been hiding was no longer a secret.
The reputation of Demon Spear Qin Li was well-known, and so was that of Feather King.
"It’s time to go," said Feather King slowly. "Within three days, the army must reach Linhe City."
"And about Qiao Pian… I heard that he lives in a vi near the capital, teaching martial arts."
"Feather King," Jade Carp sounded a bit anxious.
"The matter of Xishan Vige seems to beplicated. The Qiao family members have always been honest, it’s unlikely they would wipe out the entire Xishan Vige for a manual."
"In my opinion, there may be someone else behind this…"
Jade Carp kept analyzing non-stop beside him, and Qing Li didn’t interrupt her, just listened quietly until she finished speaking before speaking:
"Jade Carp, don’t think I’m too foolish." She turned around and walked down the mountain:
"It’s time to go to war."