Chapter 1: Departure

Just as her calf began to cramp, Li Sheng grabbed the back of her collar and lifted her up into the air

Majili continued, "There are no restrictions on the methods; all eighteen martial arts can be employed. Even if you use your silver tongue to persuade the senior brother guarding the pillar to give you passage, that is acceptable. Within the time of three incense sticks, if you can remove two paper window flowers, you will be considered to have passed. From then on, you may leave the apprenticeship, but there is one condition—"

Li Sheng glanced at the flower-picking platform several times and asked, "Uncle Ma, is that empty pillar the property of my Li family village?"

Zhou Fei, however, did not have time to feel the pain. She wiped her face, unfolded the red paper window decoration in her hand, and placed it on the ground. It was a small pig representing the zodiac, adorably holding a character for "blessing" and grinning at her. Zhou Fei looked at it for a moment and felt a long-standing frustration in her chest suddenly dissipate, leaving her inexplicably relieved. Then she raised her head and smiled at Li Jinrong, who was a few steps away, saying, "One."

"Master Yu has used two moves." Zhou Fei jumped up nonchalantly and reached out to Li Jinrong, saying, "Mother, lend me your sword to try it out."

Zhou Fei, in a daze, was given a few pieces of candy by her, and since she was just hungry, she simply ate them enthusiastically, not knowing what the elder was doing at Xiushan Hall

Everyone in the arena, except for Li Jinrong, was stunned by Zhou Fei. However, Li Dazhangjia seemed to have anticipated such a turn of events; without changing his expression, he flicked his wrist, and the ancient heavy sword in his hand emitted a low, sigh-like hum. With a gentle sweep, the stone slab on the flower-picking platform was suddenly lifted with a loud bang, aiming to strike Zhou Fei three feet away.

Li Sheng is quite adept at putting on a show. Since he has said so, there must be not even a small flaw. Ma Jili, with a beaming smile, praised Li Sheng from head to toe and then said: "Please wait a moment over there."

Majili pointed with his hand, and Zhou Fei followed the direction of his finger, noticing that on top of those large wooden pillars there was a small hook, which held a palm-sized paper cutout. The red paper was crafted into various shapes, some resembling human figures, while others depicted pavilions and towers, all very exquisite

The young disciples were instantly frightened, standing in a row like a group of little chicks, with their necks retracted and shoulders hunched, trembling as they greeted in unison.

This time the blow was severe, and Zhou Fei felt a surge of blood and energy in her chest, with a slightly sweet taste in her throat. She sat on the ground, unable to help but cough a few times, struggling to catch her breath. Li Jinrong did not leave the area of the wooden pillar, holding the heavy sword upside down, silently watching her.

Zhou Fei did not have to stubbornly take on Li Jinrong's sword. She used a wooden pillar as a base, turned sideways to create an angle, and very cleverly and lightly raised her rusted broken knife to meet Li Jinrong's heavy sword. The scabbard was made with poor craftsmanship, only having an iron support, while most of the material was still wood. As the heavy sword struck, it carved out a long wooden shaving. The strength of the two clashed, and the wooden shaving continued to extend endlessly. If someone were to take a close look, they would see that the wooden shaving was uniformly wide from beginning to end. The scabbard was made with poor craftsmanship, only having an iron support, while most of the material was still wood. As the heavy sword struck, it carved out a long wooden shaving. The strength of the two clashed, and the wooden shaving continued to extend endlessly. If someone were to take a close look, they would see that the wooden shaving was uniformly wide from beginning to end.

Zhou Fei inexplicably said: "How did I mess up again?"

As soon as her voice fell, a buzzing sound was heard, and Zhou Fei suddenly leaped up. Faster than her was the rising entangling net. The stone pillar she had just stepped on must have already sunk, and at the same time, a densely woven reflective net was sweeping up from below. Li Yan gasped in surprise, and Zhou Fei flicked her wrist. The soft willow branch, under the pressure of her internal energy, suddenly straightened like a steel cable and hung onto a line of entangling net, surprisingly not severed by the entangling line.

Three years ago, when Zhou Fei came to tell Old Yu that she wanted to practice the art of seduction, Old Yu unexpectedly pulled out an iron mask and threw it to her, saying in front of her, "Your aptitude is poor, your skills are lacking, your lightness skill is as clumsy as a heavy weight, your heart is even thicker than your waist, and apart from having some achievements in seeking death, the only thing you have left is a face that is barely acceptable. You must not lose this sole advantage, so you must protect it well and absolutely must not disfigure it"

Manager Ma's lips twitched, sensing that these two children would likely not have a good day. He quickly flattered, "The chief is joking. Just by standing here, you are ensuring that the flower-picking platform looks tidy. Not to mention the little ones in our village, even if the first seat of Beidou, 'Greedy Wolf', were to come, would they dare to approach your pillar?"

As soon as Li Sheng saw her approaching, he immediately forcefully withdrew his thigh from Li Yan's grasp and turned to leave. Li Yan accidentally glanced at the ink-wash river again, and after failing to stand up for the third time, she had no choice but to crawl on the ground, wriggling forward like a large-eyed meat worm: "Brother, why do you leave as soon as Ah Fei comes up? If you're going to leave, at least give me a hand!"

Li Jinrong did not stop, directly leading Zhou Fei and Li Sheng to the back hall. The supervisor of the back hall was a middle-aged man with a round face named Ma Jili. True to his name, he had a very cheerful appearance, and when he spoke, it felt as if he was there to celebrate the New Year.

You, you, you..." The fish stared intently at the plate of red fruit with a missing piece, feeling an unbearable itch in its heart, wishing it could pull off Zhou Fei's head to fill that gap. It immediately cursed, "Damn it!"

Zhou Fei had no objections; upon hearing the sound, she stepped forward and casually reached for her waist... only to find it empty. It was then that she remembered that she had lent her knife to the weak-legged Li Yan as a walking stick on the cliff by the Ximo River. Thus, she had no choice but to temporarily select a weapon of similar length from the nearby weapon rack, just like Li Jinrong.

Zhou Fei did not dodge or evade, pulling out the knife in her hand... The broken knife from Xiushan Hall had not been used for a long time, it was rusted and had not been drawn.

Li Sheng cautiously observed the positions of the forty-eight wooden pillars on the flower-picking platform, then his figure swayed and he headed straight for the wooden pillar known as "Qianzhong". Li Sheng was clever and adaptable; he could grasp the essence of even the most intricate techniques after just one glance, which was precisely in opposition to the Qianzhong that emphasized strength over skill.

Zhou Fei rubbed her ears, always feeling that Uncle Ma was probably a folk "daocao" (a person responsible for hosting weddings and funerals in the community) in the past. As soon as he opened his mouth, the next line could easily be something like "Please let the bride down from the sedan chair" or "The family rewards one hundred and twenty coins".

We, the people of our generation, are unrestrained and unbound, neither adhering to etiquette nor law. It is of no consequence whether we are remembered for a hundred generations or if we leave a stench for ten thousand years. We only seek to have no regrets towards heaven, no regrets towards the earth, and no regrets towards ourselves

Zhou Fei stood still with her eyes closed, holding a willow branch in her hand

"Brother Ma," Li Jinrong nodded, and then turned to the elderly woman behind Ma Jili, saying, "I apologize for keeping the old lady waiting."

Li Sheng stood in place for a moment, almost jumping up—Xiushan Hall is the place where disciples from the Forty-Eight Villages receive their nameplates. Disciples who have not yet completed their training are usually taken there directly by their masters for an on-the-spot assessment. If they pass, they can receive their nameplates after the assessment, and from then on, they will be considered adults who can enter and exit the mountain gate freely

She had just finished worrying when Zhou Fei surprised her greatly. At this moment, the old lady Wang had not yet finished her praise when a change occurred in the arena—Li Jinrong was brushed past by Zhou Fei, yet she did not leap about in pursuit. Without even raising her head, she turned her hand and struck the wooden pillar, shouting: "Come down!"

Zhou Feiqi said: "Uncle Ma, didn't you say that two sheets would be enough?"

The old woman did not appear to be a person from the martial world; rather, she resembled a somewhat affluent country grandmother. She held a wooden cane in her hand and smiled kindly at Zhou Fei and the others from a distance. This old woman was surnamed Wang and was originally the widow of the leader of the "Xiaoxiang" faction from the Forty-Eighth Village. After her husband's death, due to the lack of outstanding successors within the faction, she took on the role of the village leader in her old age.

Majili seemed to have been struck in the chest by Li Dajiang, immediately grimacing and saying: "Indeed, with Dajiang's strength, there is no need to compare techniques with these juniors; after all, sheer strength can overcome skill."

"Yes," Li Sheng replied, then asked, "Where should I look for you?"

Manager Ma had never seen such an ambitious young man. He forced a dry smile for a long time, and in the face of her aspirations, he truly found it hard to speak insincerely in praise. He could only muster the words: "Not arrogant or impatient, humble and cautious, very good"

"Mingfeng" is a very unique faction among the Forty-Eight Villages, known for its peculiar and mysterious nature. The members of this lineage have always been elusive and hard to track. It is said that before joining the Forty-Eight Villages, they were a renowned group of assassins, skilled in mechanisms and various secret arts. The manipulation of the ink-washing river is a signature technique of the Mingfeng lineage. The weapons of assassins are often small and bizarre, with ordinary long swords and broadswords being quite rare. Consequently, this faction lacks a proper sword manual or sword techniques. However, Zhou Fei was able to grasp the essence of Mingfeng's "strangeness" and seamlessly integrated it into her own swordsmanship, using it to counter Li Jinrong effortlessly. The weapons of assassins are often small and bizarre, with ordinary long swords and broadswords being quite rare. Consequently, this faction lacks a proper sword manual or sword techniques. However, Zhou Fei was able to grasp the essence of Mingfeng's "strangeness" and seamlessly integrated it into her own swordsmanship, using it to counter Li Jinrong effortlessly.

Zhou Fei swung her knife down in the air, striking the sword sheath of Li Jinrong, who had not yet managed to lower her sword. At the same time, she used the force to leap forward, reaching for the paper window flower.

Li Yan : `` ... ... ''

Majili Road: "Indeed, however... however, this is the only time in a lifetime that the disciples of my village can ascend the Flower Picking Platform. Each person's achievements are recorded in the Xiushan Hall, do you understand?"

Li Jinrong stepped down from the flower-picking platform and said to Ma Jili, "I will trouble Brother Ma with the famous brand—both of you come with me, Old Lady Wang has some tasks to assign."

Zhou Fei casually nodded and said, "Just remember two cards."

A young girl stood at the place indicated by the willow branches, the water was too dark, making it impossible to see the stone pillars and the tethering devices beneath the surface; the girl appeared as if she were standing on the water's surface out of thin air

Li Sheng did not want to see Zhou Fei, so he walked back in silence, taking a shortcut that led him directly into a patch of wild bamboo forest. Suddenly, he halted his steps: "Aunt?"

Yet Zhou Fei remained unflustered

Old Madam Wang let out a soft "Eh," squinting her eyes, her fingers absentmindedly stroking the wooden cane in her hand

Only the low, lingering "buzz" from the river suddenly sharpened, and Zhou Fei abruptly struck with a knife. Li Sheng instinctively dodged backward, as if he could feel the unparalleled sharpness of that knife even across the wide river. Her blade met a fishing line at a minuscule angle, gliding past it like lightning, penetrating through the intersection of the two lines. It was no longer the reckless charge of years ago when she "collided with the southern mountain," but rather almost silent and imperceptible. Her blade met a fishing line at a minuscule angle, gliding past it like lightning, penetrating through the intersection of the two lines. It was no longer the reckless charge of years ago when she "collided with the southern mountain," but rather almost silent and imperceptible.

The roar of the old fish echoed throughout the entire Ximo River: "You little brat, I will have your mother beat you to death!"

Old Madam Wang sighed—just now, Li Jinrong had struck her down with a single palm, serving as a warning to Zhou Fei. In the presence of a true master, all tricks are futile. This little girl actually forgot so quickly; she is likely to suffer some hardships.

Li Jinrong said: "Zhou Fei, it's your turn, come here"

Li Sheng released her and pushed her aside, saying irritably: "What are you shouting for? What is there to be afraid of? I am not going to throw you down."

Zhou Fei looked at him blankly, blinked twice before regaining her senses, and casually changed her words: "Oh, then just two tickets."

At this moment, Li Jinrong suddenly spoke up: "In the past, it was empty; now that I am here today, the forty-eight pillars can finally be gathered together"

Li Jinrong's expression was somewhat astonished

Li Jinrong, possessing profound internal strength, wielded her heavy sword with an added ferocity, striking at Zhou Fei without the slightest restraint in her force. The entire flower-picking platform trembled. Zhou Fei felt as if a towering Taihang Mountain had suddenly appeared above her, crashing down upon her.

Manager Ma could hardly bear to watch

Xiushan Hall is situated in a valley with an expansive view, featuring both front and back courtyards, which gives it a grand appearance

Zhou Fei often found herself at a loss for words, having no choice but to be pursued and hunted down by the Qianji in the Ximo River. Over time, this experience forged her character through relentless trials.

"Xiushan Hall." After Li Jinrong finished speaking, she left

However, Uncle Ma did not utter the words associated with joyous occasions. He looked at Li Sheng, who was walking towards the flower-picking platform, and began to recite the rules word by word: "First, no indiscriminate killing of innocents; second, no acts of adultery and plunder..."

Manager Ma glanced at Zhou Fei, who seemed to be lost in thought, and couldn't help but tease her, saying: "How many can you pick, Ah Fei?"

Li Yan held a large basket in one hand and a bamboo pole in the other, her eyes closed, allowing someone to guide her with the bamboo pole as she walked unevenly towards the banks of the Ximo River. As she walked, she incessantly asked, "How much further is it? I can already hear the sound of water; are we at the riverbank yet?"

Suddenly, the willow branches flexibly sprang open, and a tender leaf that had just sprouted was severed in half. Zhou Fei gently landed on another stone. That stone had lost its foundation, relying solely on two tethering lines to hold it, drifting aimlessly in the river, causing Zhou Fei to rise and fall with it. The large net of tethering lines pulled up from the water spread out overhead around her, and a droplet of water slowly formed, suddenly falling onto Zhou Fei's eyelashes. She quickly blinked, shaking off the droplet, while simultaneously lowering her head to draw out the long knife at her waist. With a 'clang,' the massive stone beneath her feet suddenly sank, splashing water over a person's height in the river, and the entire net of tethering lines unexpectedly contracted, attempting to ensnare Zhou Fei in the middle.

Zhou Fei glanced sideways at the incense table beside her, noticing that the first stick of incense was nearly burnt out. She then looked at the red paper window decoration above the pillar of the Li family village, which had just been shaken by a palm strike from Li Jinrong. Turning back, she smiled at the well-meaning, chatty senior brother, twisted a few times with effort, and finally managed to remove the rust, pulling out the blade. Next, Zhou Fei patted the dust off her clothes, jumped up, and continued walking towards the pillar.

The disciple's face turned even redder, and after stammering for a while, was unable to speak. In a flash, she greeted Li Sheng and ran away as if the wind was at her feet. Li Yan also wanted to run, but she did not dare to on the cliff by the river—she was afraid of heights. Just a glance down from the cliff made her imagine seven or eight ways to fall to her death

Li Yanqi asked, "What is Ah Fei trying to do?"

Li Sheng did not look back, employing his lightness skill to slip away swiftly. After his adventures at the Ximo River, Li Sheng endured over three months of nightmares, shivering at the mere mention of the words "Ximo River." When he first heard Li Yan mention that Zhou Fei went to the Ximo River every day without fail, he thought Zhou Fei must be out of her mind.

Li Sheng did not even look at her, but nodded gently at the bewildered youth and said: "She has too many faults, do not indulge her to the point where she becomes arrogant and bullies you all."

Li Yan screamed in fright, almost pulling down her brother's pants, and surprisingly, Li Sheng didn't even bother to hit her

Zhou Fei looked up at those lively and vivid paper cuttings and felt that Manager Ma was truly a model of excellence in his profession. She then asked, "How can it be considered as having been taken down? Is it counted as soon as it is in hand, or does it have to wait until it is completely off the stage to be considered?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his long-faced sister's knees buckled, and she instinctively crouched down. Li Yan casually set her large basket aside, grasped the grass stems sprouting from the ground with one hand, and clutched Li Sheng's thigh with the other. Trembling, she took a couple of deep breaths to compose herself before bursting into loud sobs.

At this moment, Manager Ma exclaimed loudly: "The incense has burned out!"

Li Jinrong had already pursued with a sword, while Zhou Fei, with both hands gripping a knife, unexpectedly bent her entire body in mid-air. She took a deep breath and channeled all her strength into her hands. With a sound of "clang," the broken knife in her hand could not withstand the dual pressure and shattered into four or five pieces, with the blade piercing straight into the ground beneath the flower-picking platform. Li Jinrong's heavy sword immediately veered off, and Zhou Fei was sent flying like a kite. As she reached out to catch the red paper window flower, her back violently slammed against a nearby wooden pillar, causing her mouth to bleed instantly, and she tumbled down in a disheveled manner. Li Jinrong's heavy sword immediately veered off, and Zhou Fei was sent flying like a kite. As she reached out to catch the red paper window flower, her back violently slammed against a nearby wooden pillar, causing her mouth to bleed instantly, and she tumbled down in a disheveled manner.

Zhou Fei let out a soft "tch" and decided not to draw her sword. Instead, she executed a grand and sweeping move called "Wan Shan He" using the scabbard, forcefully carving a path through the flying stone slabs, perfectly wide enough for her to pass through. This was a result of her countless experiences navigating through intricate webs of entanglement. Li Jinrong silently praised her but did not show it on her face, leaping forward to press down with her sword from a position of advantage.

Li Yan was terrified on the spot: "Brother! Big brother! Biological brother! Spare me! There's a murder!"

In the next moment, Zhou Feiyan leaped out from the small pavilion in the middle of the river like a swallow, narrowly avoiding a furious strike from her grandmaster. After a couple of ups and downs, she climbed back up the hemp rope that hung down from the cliff, swinging and swaying her way up, and then shouted down at the furious Old Fish, who was stamping his feet in anger: "Old man, you are so petty, I won't play with you anymore"

Li Jinrong finally nodded to her

Zhou Fei was taken aback and couldn't help but glance back at Ma Jili, noticing that his chubby little round face had tightened up, rendering him unexpectedly solemn.

Majili felt a twitch in his eyelids and hurriedly advised, "If you don't want to change, then don't. Your brother took fifteen, broke one, and there are still thirty-two left, which should be enough for you. Just be cautious with your first move and choose wisely..."

Zhou Fei remained silent, and Li Cheng glanced at her, saying: "It's me."

"No rush, no rush, I just arrived as well," said Old Lady Wang. As soon as she spoke, she sounded even more like a country old woman. "I'm old now, my legs aren't as nimble, so I came over a bit earlier and walked slowly to avoid troubling you all to wait... Oh dear, look at that, Sheng'er is taller than your aunt now, truly a young man! And little A Fei, come here, help this old woman a bit, it has been a while since I visited my mother-in-law, hasn't it?"

After she finished speaking, without waiting for the old fisherman to react, she directly threw the fruit, which was missing a piece, back onto the plate. The red fruit, already unremarkable after being touched by her, refused to stay in its proper position, rolling around a couple of times, tilting its neck towards the sky, with a bite mark on top.

It is appropriate that there is a hierarchy of age and status, Majili responded cheerfully, and then raised his voice, "The disciples of the Forty-Eighth Village are going to the flower platform to light incense"

Zhou Fei swiftly cleared the entangling threads and immediately leaped out. As soon as she freed herself, the dense entangling threads coiled into a mass, crushing the very stone where she had just landed. In mid-air, Zhou Fei executed a nimble "Dragon Tail Sweep," wrapping the entangling threads around the willow branch in her hand. Like a whip, the willow branch propelled Zhou Fei up to a height of ten feet, and then she decisively released her grip. Without the support of strength, the willow branch instantly broke into three pieces

Li Sheng plucked the first "flower" but did not linger or come down. He tucked the red paper window flower into his sleeve and directly leaped from the wooden pillar of a thousand bells, soaring to the adjacent second wooden pillar. The guard at the pillar did not anticipate his exceptional lightness of skill; by the time he pursued, he had already lost the opportunity, allowing Li Sheng to effortlessly snatch the second one.

Since ancient times, there has been a saying of "striking a cow across the air." Li Jinrong, however, directly transmitted her palm's force through a large wooden pillar that could not be embraced, hitting Zhou Fei without any alteration. At that moment, Zhou Fei was unable to catch her breath and was directly knocked away by her strike through the pillar

Manager Ma could not help but exclaim, "It's been many years since I've seen such a capable young man. Can you guess how many he can uncover?"

Suddenly, this senior brother glanced again at her rusted knife, which looked as if a piece had been bitten off, and felt utterly dismayed: "Alas... this broken thing, with such a significant event at Xiushan Hall, only happening once in a lifetime, you are being too casual about it. Quickly go find Uncle Ma to exchange for a proper weapon before coming back."

Majili led them into the main hall of the back courtyard, where there was a high platform. On the platform stood forty-eight towering wooden pillars, with a person standing beneath each pillar

Majili explained to her: "It is not based on obtaining it, nor is it based on stepping down—rather, it is based on landing. While you are in the air, the guardian can compete with you, but once you have landed, the guardian can no longer take action. Otherwise, what would happen if the guardians on the flower-picking platform all rushed in? Furthermore, if the younger generation of disciples were to defeat their senior brothers and sisters, it would be too harsh.

The old fish angrily exclaimed: "Who allowed you to take it?"

The Xiaoxiang School also employs the sword, with a sword technique that is light, ethereal, and graceful. The disciple guarding the pillar shares a certain similarity with Li Sheng, as the two engage in a delightful and prolonged duel. In a moment of carelessness, they accidentally tore a corner of the red paper window decoration.

For instance, the move "Wan Shan He" that she initially executed to sweep away the stone slab is a technique from a sect in the village called "Cang Hai". Subsequently, her cunning evasion, with her body like a ghost and her blade striking in an enigmatic manner, showcased yet another style.

In the future, when boasting to the younger generation, one might say, "I once picked fifteen paper window flowers on the flower-picking platform"—there is no need to ask, for this must surely be a standout among peers from that time

Majili whispered, "Why do I feel that her demeanor has a hint of 'Mingfeng'?"

It is said, "In the mountains, there are no cycles of sixty years; when the cold ends, one does not know the year."

Li Jinrong asked: "Who taught you?"

Zhou Fei let out a dry laugh; her cunning was truly honed by Old Yu. Throughout his life, Old Yu had never been one to keep his word. For instance, he had promised to set up six stepping stones for the tethering line, and just when she finally managed to jump out of the range of those six stepping stones, before she could catch her breath, she found that the stepping stones beneath her feet had shifted again—Old Yu had said that although he promised six stepping stones, he never specified that those six could not be changed!

Manager Ma: "Niece, it seems you cannot graduate yet; you will need to return and practice for a few more years"

The onlooker Li Sheng suddenly clenched his fist. Although Zhou Fei had only made one strike, Li Sheng knew that her gaze must be extremely sharp to find the moving thread among hundreds and thousands of entangled lines. Her strike had to be precise, aimed at the left wing of a fly without injuring the right wing, in order to separate the biting entangled lines. Furthermore, her internal energy must not falter, allowing her to forcefully push away the tentacles of the giant creature in the river. Three years ago, she had relied on luck with her eyes closed, wielding knives in both hands, exerting all her strength, and after several attempts of 'colliding with the southern mountain,' she had finally shaken the entangled lines. Now, she had already mastered the art of doing so without a trace.

Having recited the thirty-three rules, Majili paused for a moment, then spoke with clear enunciation: "We, the people of our kind, are unrestrained and unbound, indifferent to propriety and law. It matters not if we are remembered for a hundred generations, nor does it matter if we are reviled for ten thousand years. All we seek is to have no shame before heaven, no shame before earth, and no shame before ourselves"

A guardian by the pillar, feeling a bit sympathetic, bent down to help Zhou Fei up and said softly: "There are thirty-two pillars in the entire venue, why must you go over there to seek a fight? Do you look down on your senior brothers?"

Old Madam Wang stroked her wooden cane and said, "It is the 'Broken Snow Blade'"

"Not bad," Majili said, "The leader has been busy with matters in the village over the years and has not taken in any disciples. The Li family village has no guardian for the pillar, so that pillar has remained empty—sigh, young man, obtaining the paper cuttings on the empty pillar does not count."

Manager Ma smiled warmly and rubbed his hands together, appearing somewhat embarrassed: "These paper window flowers were all cut by me in my spare time. Please don't laugh; my skills are lacking, and the paper is fragile. It tears easily, so be very careful when 'picking flowers.' If you break them, they won't count."

Li Sheng would never forget the feeling of the cold river water, as the fishing line with a murderous intent swam past him. Since then, he has never ventured into the Ximo River again

She spoke in a nonchalant manner, yet it was utterly arrogant and presumptuous, as if implying, "What's there to boast about?" Li Sheng had previously observed her expression with some complexity, but upon hearing this remark, his face instantly turned pale. If it weren't for the fact that the leader was still standing at the flower-picking platform, he would have almost stormed off.

Zhou Fei grabbed a hemp rope that was hanging down from the cliff, leaped and swung herself onto the roof of the small pavilion in the middle of the river. She flipped down from the roof, sheathed her long knife, and without greeting anyone, reached out for a fruit plate in front of Old Fish. She picked a red fruit that was neither perfectly ripe nor unripe, rubbed it in her palm a couple of times, took a bite, spun around in place, and said to Old Fish: "Hmm... really sour, Master Uncle, what do you think? Not a single bruise on it."

If a person were to weave in and out of the intricate web of life every day, brushing past the threads that can cut gold and jade or grind great stones countless times, and has become accustomed to it... then there may not be many things in this world that could truly fluster her

Li Sheng turned a deaf ear and directly dragged her to the edge of the cliff. Under the bright blue sky, the mist over the Ximo River dissipated, revealing the exceptionally fierce river water. The towering stone cliffs on both sides hung perilously low, and the buzzing of the machinery mixed with the noisy sound of the water, forming a tremendous roar that surged towards the banks.

Li Jinrong glanced at her and threw the heavy sword in his hand towards her

Indeed, Li Jinrong seemed to furrow her brow for a moment, then she hurled the scabbard of the heavy sword in her hand upwards. The ordinary wide scabbard whistled through the air, shooting towards Zhou Fei like a sharp arrow. This time, Zhou Fei likely had experience from previous beatings; she instantly let go, freeing herself from the wooden pillar. The wide scabbard struck heavily against the pillar, causing it to bounce aside, with wood chips flying everywhere

In the front yard, voices were bustling, and people were coming in and out of the stockade, all required to register their names here. A group of young disciples seemed to be preparing to go out on a mission, likely seizing a rare opportunity to get some fresh air, each one looking quite pleased. While some were registering over there, they were chattering and playfully teasing each other over here, caught up in their excitement, when they unexpectedly ran into Li Dazhang, who was striding in with great purpose.

During the examination at Xiushan Hall that year, I managed to pass with two sheets, which was just enough to get by. This clearly does not seem impressive; it is quite possible that I was let off the hook due to some form of bribery involving the senior students who were in charge.

Zhou Fei's temper was so bad that it could not be improved at all. Li Sheng felt that she would surely lose her temper on the spot. To his surprise, she silently took the mask and put it on, and from that day on, for three years, it was the same, with no breaks even during the holidays.

She has never passed on the Snowbreaker Blade to her juniors, as Li Sheng wields a short sword, being more contemplative and less decisive, with insufficient insight. Zhou Fei resembles Zhou Yitang somewhat, her frame being slightly more slender than that of other girls of similar size, which gives her a natural advantage in practicing lightness skills. However, the Snowbreaker Blade carries a heavy aura of aggression, possessing the sharpness of "breaking ten thousand pounds without resistance," making it ill-suited for her. If she forces herself to use it, she will achieve little despite great effort, and may even injure her muscles and meridians.

In the next moment, Zhou Fei suddenly leaped up, landing on the wooden pillar, while Li Jinrong's sword was even faster than her movement. In the blink of an eye, the two exchanged over ten moves in a space no larger than a square inch. With each clash of blades, the onlookers, including Old Madam Wang, felt that Zhou Fei's sword would break. However, this rusty sword, which made a creaking sound, swayed dangerously from side to side, showing no signs of imminent demise.

The unparalleled thin blade sliced through like cutting into a block of tofu, effortlessly parting the two guiding strings. Then, Zhou Fei suddenly flicked her wrist, wielding the knife like a full moon. The entire net of guiding strings moved in response, and with just this one strike, she created a passage large enough for a single person to pass through.

Majili hurriedly said: "Wait a moment, wait a moment, allow me to replace the torn paper cuttings with new ones."

Old Lady Wang laughed and said: "Back in the day, Master Li Er managed to cut out twelve paper window flowers in the time it takes to burn three incense sticks. I saw that this young man had solid skills, and he could also deceive while performing; he truly surpassed his teacher."

Li Jinrong said: "She doesn't need it, just light the incense."

The true Li family knife technique is a fragmented manuscript passed down through generations, which the old village chief spent twenty years perfecting. It has gained worldwide fame and was once used by Li Jinrong to break through the heavily guarded Northern Capital. The complete set of the Li family's Broken Snow Knife consists of nine forms, demanding exceptionally high qualifications, comprehension, and both internal and external skills from its practitioners

The one who handed her the bamboo pole was an unknown disciple from one of the villages, a young boy about the same age as Li Yan. He blushed as soon as he spoke to her, and his voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz. Before he could even start buzzing, Li Yan felt the bamboo pole in her hand being tugged and pulled. She exclaimed "Oh!" and opened her eyes to see Li Cheng standing in front of her with an impatient expression.

The large wooden pillar of Lijiazhuang could not withstand the sword wind of the chief, and it was swaying slightly. Zhou Fei glanced up, deflected Li Jinrong's sword with a strike to the chest, and then suddenly changed her movement technique, surprisingly employing the same tactic again, using Mingfeng's technique as if she intended to forcibly climb up the wooden pillar

Li Sheng felt that the womb she had once inhabited had been deeply insulted, wishing she could kick it away with a single blow

"Tsk, how rare, yet it is not sweet at all," Zhou Fei disdainfully glanced at the small red fruit that she had taken a bite of, "Then I shall put it back for you."

The red paper cuttings at the top swayed along, suddenly detaching from the small hook, and began to float down gently!

Zhou Fei absentmindedly said: "One."

In the Forty-Eight Villages, when entering the door, each master brings their own disciples. However, once the disciples have established a solid foundation and begin to formally learn martial arts, there are no boundaries between the sects. As long as the disciples have the energy, they can freely visit other sects to learn different skills. The elders are all acquainted with one another, and whenever they have the time, they are willing to teach. Therefore, although Zhou Fei was brought in by Li Jinrong, the skills she learned from the books may not necessarily be those taught by Li Jinrong.

Majili listened and first praised her, saying: "Ah Fei's thoughts are truly meticulous"

At the beginning, the fishing machine could only be operated under the supervision of Old Yu for a small portion. Even so, she would leave every day with a body covered in shocking bloodstains. Once she adapted slightly, Old Yu would add more fishing lines for her. Li Cheng had once been unwilling to admit defeat; since Zhou Fei could do it, what was it that he could not achieve? ... He even followed her down twice ... ... only to find that he simply could not do it. When the fishing lines filled the river, the nightmare he had struggled to forget seemed to resurface. The first time he entered the river, he was flustered and almost beheaded, and it was Zhou Fei who could not bear to watch and pulled him out. Li Cheng had once been unwilling to admit defeat; since Zhou Fei could do it, what was it that he could not achieve? ... He even followed her down twice ... ... only to find that he simply could not do it. When the fishing lines filled the river, the nightmare he had struggled to forget seemed to resurface. The first time he entered the river, he was flustered and almost beheaded, and it was Zhou Fei who could not bear to watch and pulled him out. The second time, he mustered his courage and vowed not to stand foolishly in place, but in his panic, he fell directly into the water. If it had not been for Old Yu withdrawing the fishing lines in time, he would have likely been cut into a pile of minced meat.

At that moment, a slight tremor was felt on the ground, and the mechanism in the Ximo River showed unusual activity. Li Yan was startled and clung tightly to Li Sheng's thigh, peeking with one eye open and the other closed, trembling as she glanced down. She saw an old man with white hair and beard sitting cross-legged in a small pavilion in the middle of the river, holding a willow branch in his hand, and he shouted, "Zhou girl, all mechanisms are activated today, be careful!"

Old Madam Wang could not help but exclaim: "Spare the leader!"

After speaking, he feared that he had been too obscure, and could not help but remind Zhou Fei and Li Sheng: "With forty-eight pillars, you can simply remove two paper window flowers. Each of the forty-eight strongholds has its own strengths. As martial artists, we only need to master one skill to excel in all areas; there is no need to cover everything. Just choose what you are good at—who among you will go first?"

He then turned around, looking at Li Jinyong with some anticipation. Seeing a faint smile on Li Jinyong's face and a nod in his direction, Li Sheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. He took out the red paper cuttings he had collected along the way and presented them to Uncle Ma, saying: "Uncle Ma, please take a look, I am not sure if any of them are damaged."

Li Jinrong stood with his hands behind his back in the forest, two leaves resting on his shoulder. He had probably been waiting for quite some time. He nodded to him and instructed, "Go call A Fei, and the two of you come over to find me."

Majili came out early to greet an elderly woman with a head full of white hair, and from a distance, he bowed to Li Jinrong, saying: "Greetings, esteemed leader"

Old Madam Wang nodded slightly, a hint of a smile appearing on her face: "This girl, truly..."

Fish old: "... ..."

Zhou Fei caught it in one hand and turned to stab at the nearest guard. The guard had not yet recovered from Zhou Fei's move, the "Breaking Snow Blade," when he saw her thrusting a sword at him. Instinctively, he wanted to retreat, but Zhou Fei merely feigned a strike. After bypassing the guard's disciple, she leaped into the air, driving the heavy sword in her hand into the wooden pillar. She then flipped over and stepped on the sword's hilt, and with a slight tiptoe, she plucked the red paper window flower from the hook, swiftly obtaining the second one. The guard's disciple did not react at all throughout the entire process.

Li Sheng landed and did not count his achievements; instead, he bowed his head to greet the pillar guardians: "Thank you, senior brothers and sisters, for your mercy."

Both Manager Ma and Old Madam Wang were taken aback, as they saw Li Jinrong casually grab a heavy sword from the nearby weapon rack. She lifted it with one hand, weighed it for a moment, and then slowly walked to the pillar of the Li family stronghold. The forty-seven disciples beside her immediately felt as if they were facing a formidable enemy, straightening their waists a bit and staring intently at Zhou Fei and Li Cheng.

In the blink of an eye, three springs and autumns have passed

The disciples guarding the pillars gradually understood Li Sheng's tactics. Apart from the two guardians who were caught off guard at the beginning, obtaining the red paper window flowers was not so easy. However, Li Sheng maintained a measured approach, rarely becoming impatient, and moved forward steadily, occasionally employing diversionary tactics. By the time the three incense sticks were nearly burnt out, Li Sheng had already collected fifteen red paper window flowers, ultimately stopping at the wooden pillar of the Xiaoxiang Sect

In the next moment, the wood chips suddenly broke, and Zhou Fei decisively flipped her wrist in the air. With a twist of her long knife, she leveraged Li Jinrong's strength to propel herself to a higher position on the wooden pillar

Zhou Fei leveraged her strength to spin around, precisely slipping through a gap in the entangling net. The deadly entangling line condensed the sunlight and the shimmer of water into a single line, almost glistening as it flashed across her face, yet she did not even glance at it, as if she had long since become accustomed to it

Zhou Fei presented two red paper cuttings in front of Ma Jili to report her task. Ma Jili's lips twitched slightly: "The second incense stick has not yet burned out, how could you have come down?"

Li Yan exclaimed, "What are you doing! You scared me to death!"

Majili smiled and said: "This is the place where we specifically assess our disciples in the back hall. Your senior brothers and sisters have named these forty-eight large pillars 'Zhaihua Platform'. These forty-eight standing pillars represent our forty-eight strongholds, and beneath each wooden pillar is a guardian of the respective sect. You must try to obtain the paper window flowers above within the time of three incense sticks."

The disciple guarding the pillar crossed a spear to block his path, but Li Sheng suddenly leaped three feet into the air, spiraling around the pillar like a flower weaving through trees. Just as the disciple was about to pursue, Li Sheng unexpectedly turned around, drew two short swords from his waist, and swooped down from above, executing a move called "Mount Tai Toppling." The disciple guarding the pillar was caught off guard and had to push the long spear upward to withstand the attack. Li Sheng clamped his legs around the wooden pillar, spun around like a nimble fox, and as the swords and spear clashed, he used the force to spring upward, swiftly tearing down the red paper window decoration above.

He had not finished speaking when he was frightened into silence—what a bold and audacious little girl, she went straight to Li Jinrong!

Majili's mouth was open and did not close. After a long while, he asked in a low voice: "This is ... ... "