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The two boys were crouching on the snowy ground in shock. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, a falcon was circling gracefully overhead, and then it flew down at only about forty zhang elevation above the ground, before flapping its wing and rose high into the sky, flying in the direction of the Great River.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling you-look-at-me-I-gaze-at-you, they were both speechless; so much so that they even lost the will to crawl up.

Using the ‘treading on the snow without leaving any trace’, which was extremely taxing to their true energy, they had been rushing for nearly seven li, followed by running at full speed nonstop for more than three sichen. The Great River was only about fifty li ahead on foot, yet tragically they were discovered by Kang Qiaoli’s flat-feathered beast. This blow was so heavy that they were frustrated!

In addition, they both felt moody and hot-tempered; a feeling that they had never experienced before, only neither of them told the other about it.

Quite half a day later, Kou Zhong smiled bitterly and said, “Kang Qiaoli and the others must be on the boat.”

The feeling of discomfort was getting more intense, they had to rely on the icy-cold snow to suppress the feeling.

Xu Ziling understood what he meant; the pursuing troops must be using the boat to leisurely sail from the Wei River to enter the Yellow River. They released the falcon along the southern bank to search for the two boys’ track. On the currently snow-white world, one falcon was more competent in the searching operation than a thousand troops with ten thousand horses.

The enemy was waiting at their ease for the exhausted enemy, while the two boys’ body was weary, their strength exhausted. Plus against these acute-eyes high in the sky, there was no hiding tactic that they could carry out. The potential for the good and the bad was clearly understood.

Xu Ziling put his face on the snow. The ice-cold feeling calmed him somewhat. Looking up to the distance, he said, “Kang Qiaoli ought to be helping Zhao Deyan dealing with Shi Zhixuan, how could he have the time to mind other people’s business? In my opinion, the falcon ought to belong to Ke Dazhi. The pursuing troops must be the Chang Lin Army.”

Kou Zhong nodded and said, “True! The color of the feather was a bit different.”

Xu Ziling said, “Aren’t you proficient in mountain and river geography? Tell me, where is the nearest city?”

Horrified, Kou Zhong said, “We just escaped from a city, are you telling me you want to walk right into the trap by entering another city? Ay! If you continue forward, across the river will be Wannian and Gaoling, two cities. If you turn back, it will be Weinan. But in those places I am sure there will be pursuing troops waiting respectfully for us.”

The snowy plain where they were this moment was sandwiched between the Yellow River and the Wei River. If the enemy divided themselves into two groups and took the boat to pursue the two boys, they would seal the escape route both in front and behind the two boys. Without the falcon, they might still be able to play some tricks against the enemy. But now they were definitely unable to find any solution, and were at an absolute disadvantage.

Kou Zhong said, “If we bury ourselves in the snow, how long do you think we can hold up?”

Xu Ziling replied in heavy voice, “If the enemy’s good self is about to come, based on our current condition, being able to hold up for a quarter hour will already be extremely extraordinary, but afterwards we will completely lose the ability to fight.”

Distressed, Kou Zhong said, “Currently we won’t have much fighting strength left anyway. Thinking that Ke Dazhi, that kid, has his belly full of skill having been tempered in the desert, it is clear that he is a big expert in following a trail and seeking a trace, just like Old Ba. Even if we want to go, it will be in vain; we might as well take his mother’s moment of rest. We will use this time to restore our energy as much as possible, and when the falcon reappears on the horizon, we immediately bury ourselves in the snow. If we shrink our pores, then even if the opponent dispatch hunting dogs, they won’t be able to smell us.”

Xu Ziling looked back. The footprints on the snow were following them right to this spot. Following his example, Kou Zhong also turned his head around to look at the footprints. While struggling hard to suppress the heat rising up in his body, he laughed and said, “This is called empty is solid and solid is empty; it is especially useful for smart people.”

Xu Ziling sprang up and laughed and cursed, “[email protected] your solid and empty; no-track-no-trace is the most brilliant move.”

Startled, Kou Zhong said, “If we fully use treading on the snow without leaving any trace, in less than half a li we would be done for.”

Xu Ziling crossly said, “There are experts [orig. gaoshou (high hand)] in treading on the snow without leaving any trace in the world, but there are also inept people [orig. dishou (low hand)] in treading on the snow without leaving any trace. Come on!”

And so he took big strides heading to the east. Every ten paces, he created palm wind to blow across the snow to erase his footprints. However, as he rushed his true qi, the irritability in his heart was growing more intense.

Greatly delighted, Kou Zhong walked beside him, taking turn in erasing the footprints.

Shortly afterwards, the two entered a snowy forest. Xu Ziling looked for a clearing with particularly thick snow. Sitting down, he said, “Let us, two brothers unleash our unique-and-unmatched-in-the-world, the absolute-pinnacle great method of circulating qi from the Jade Annulus of He Clan plus the Demonic Emperor Relics plus the Secret to Long Life. We will succeed or die trying.”

Kou Zhong sat cross-legged down in front of him, he reached out to grab Xu Ziling’s outstretched palm-up hands, and spoke happily, “After snatching the Relics, we have not had time to study meticulously what’s inside it; let’s take advantage of this opportunity to explore it! Ay!”

Powerless to defend himself, Xu Ziling did not want to waste his time to perform an in-depth investigation on why he was sighing. He said, “You send your true qi in from your left hand, I will send my true qi from my right hand to you. After circulating through all the channels in our bodies for a hundred cycles, we reverse the flow, let’s see what will happen.”

Four palms made contact with each other, the two were severely shaken at the same time. The two major innate acupoints on top of Kou Zhong’s head and the center of Xu Ziling’s feet were hit and was opened wide simultaneously. Abundant and universal innate qi pierced through their palms and entered inside their bodies, bit by bit it transformed into primordial qi, which circulated around along with the true qi, surging faster and faster, but also bringing them into critical circumstances.

A never-happened-before event in Wulin history was taking place.

It could be said that the course of events in the two boys’ training for the past many years was circuitous and bizarre. Because they started training quite late, it should be difficult for them to reach the pinnacle of martial art study. However, from the Secret to Long Life’s point of view, they were precisely two pieces of raw fine jade that had not undergone carving process.

There has never been anybody in the previous generations that could successfully reap any benefit from the Secret to Long Life; one of the reasons was naturally the profound, hard-to-understand secret, which led people mistakenly taking the wrong path. But the more important reason was because of their own training; it was difficult for the practitioners to turn back from their deep-rooted practice. Take ‘Mountain-Pushing Hand’ Shi Long for example [Book 1 Chapter 1]. By the time he obtained the Secret to Long Life, he had already trained external martial art for several decades. Just like a sheet of paper densely covered with characters, there was no more empty space to write.

The two boys, on the other hand, did not have such problem at all. Fu Junchuo’s Great Method of Nine Mysteries adequately laid the foundation for them and had provided correct guidance to superior qigong, so that the two boys, separately, inadvertently obtained the secret map to the last two comprehensive and the best feature of the Secret to Long Life, and become the first two persons in history who mastered the Secret to Long Life’s qigong.

Although their aptitude was outstanding, but they started too late; originally, there was no hope whatsoever for them to reach Ning Daoqi’s level in their life time. However, they came across the Jade Annulus of He Clan, which naturally transformed and enlarged the meridians in their body, so that they made lightning-speed progress in their training.

But this kind of progress would inevitably slow down at some point. This was the relationship between the spring and the stream, which illustrates the relationship between the primordial essence and the primordial qi. No matter how far and how wide the flow of the stream, if the water source is small, the river stream will dry up; it will never become Yellow River and Yangtze River.

Therefore, their inner power could not be compared to Shi Zhixuan, Zhu Yuyan, and the like; if it had to be compared, it would still one or two notches below, because they were relying entirely on the Secret to Long Life’s fantastic gongfa [training method] to create the style to contend against the enemy.

The Demonic Emperor Relics was precisely the flawless complement for this deficiency. From the moment the two boys directly touched the Demonic Emperor Relics, nearly 70% of the primordial essence in the Relics, which was stored by more than a dozen generations Demonic Emperor, was unexpectedly shared by the two boys.

Water can keep the boat afloat but can also capsize it. Taking the primordial essence for their own was just the beginning. Only when they were able to transform the primordial essence into primordial qi that they could apply into power that they could use – would it be considered a success.

It was a long, difficult and dangerous process. Even with Shi Zhixuan’s ability, wisdom and skill, with his deep understanding of Xiang Yutian’s great method of training the essence and transforming the qi, he still set a one-year period for himself. In first-class innate qigong, the most important xinfa was in being and doing, and it was very easy to sink into lower quality result, or even suffer fire deviation.

Fortunately, the two boys practically did not know what they were absorbing from the Relics; everything followed its natural course, which conformed to the Taoist doctrine of inaction instead. But the danger was still there. Each of the two boys’ body was like a warehouse storing gunpowder. Once triggered, the aftermath really cannot be imagined; they could suffer snapped channels and burst arteries and veins and could die any moment.

Fortunately, their meridians have been transformed by the Jade Annulus of He Clan; otherwise, the primordial essence, which had barely entered their body, would be enough to make them breathe their last.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had been rushing over the snowy plain for several sichen in one breath, their true qi had been circulating continuously, their primordial qi was exhausted, the wondrous Secret to Long Life qi cannot be pressed down even lower, so that their primordial essence, which had been in hibernation, had begun to stir, which caused various uncomfortable feeling in the two boys’ body. If they did not encounter the falcon, which forced them to sit down and attempt to restore their power, perhaps before reaching the Yellow River, they would have been hit by the primordial essence shock and fall dead along the way.

‘Boom!’

Their true qi circulated for less than ten cycles, the two boys’ brains felt like being fried by a thunder, enormous-without-equal primordial essence surged forward like mountain flash flood breaking the dam, rushing through the river, charging through every blockage in their meridians, like escaping wild horse bashing sideways and colliding straight on [idiom] – coursing through inside their body, causing their qi and blood to turn over, their five viscera and six bowels felt like they were being unbearably ripped apart.

But what made them in so much pain that they wished to die was their cranial nerves; their whole head felt like exploding. This kind of unbearably wild, violent, and fierce feeling was really not one in ten thousand that any words can describe.

The ni wan gong [lit. mud pill palace], located between the eyebrows inside their brain was precisely the place where the primordial essence was stored.

The true qi no longer under control, it pierced through the top of the head and the bottom of their feet, and blended inside their body, triggered by their innate energy. With astonishing speed, the primordial essence was transformed into primordial qi, which then surged uncontrollably inside their meridians. It was increasingly difficult to bear, yet they were helpless to wash it away.

Fortunately, the two had undergone the precious experience with the Jade Annulus of He Clan. Completely without any way to dissolve it, they had no choice but to maintain a bit of clarity on their lingtai [top of the head], and clench their teeth to withstand the increasingly violent attacks one by one, to see how long they would last.

The four hands clasping tightly became two channels through which the true qi was traveling back and forth, so that Xu Ziling’s true qi, which was leaning toward yang and hot, and Kou Zhong’s true qi, which was leaning toward yin and cold, revolved inside the two boys’ body like a wheel. Two streams of true qi, one yin, one yang, gradually merged. Were it not for this, it would be difficult for the primordial essence to turn into primordial qi, plus the two would have suffered fire deviation and died on the spot early on.

Even in the world of ice and snow, the two boys were sweating; their bodies, from head to toes, were soaked. Nobody knew how much time has passed, they did not even know that the setting sun has been replaced by the bright moon. The moon sprinkled its light over the snowy forest.

They were like two lonely skiffs in the middle of the angry sea, constantly being tossed about in the wind and the waves, yet were still struggling to survive on the peak of the waves, striving to evade the calamity of the boat capsizing and the people perishing.

Toward the outside world, they neither hear nor question [idiom]; in fact, they were powerless to care. The only thing they knew was to protect the barely-there clarity on their lingtai, while quietly endured the pain of their meridians about to burst and their bones about to bore into their heart.

If their ears were able to hear, they would have heard the sound of barking dogs coming nearer and nearer; if their eyes were able to see, they would have seen the torches painting the sky on the horizon red.

The two gradually approached the brink of collapse. Blood gradually seeped out of their eyes, ears, mouth and nose, even their skin. Were it not for their transformed meridians, which enhanced their tolerance far beyond any warriors trained in qi, how could they endure to this moment?

The innate true qi has long stopped entering their body, yet the primordial essence source of disaster has been completely initiated, the qi transformation process gradually slowed down. When the qi transformation process has stopped, the primordial essence would then invade the five viscera and six bowels like flash flood breaking the dike, with a power that could no longer be suppressed the slightest bit, and would result in the two boys meeting their death.

The two boys intuitively felt that this would be their inevitable tragic end, yet clearly they were unable to turn around from this hopeless situation, they were completely without any means to save themselves.

In this life and death crisis, although they had a faint feeling that it had something to do with the Demonic Emperor Relics, they were actually still no sure what happened inside their body; even if they died, they would die without knowing the reason.

From fast, the true qi circulation turned slow, before suddenly stopped completely. It was just like the deathly stillness before the big storm’s arrival.

‘Boom!’

The meridians in their entire body shook, and then swelled and opened. While they were crying inwardly, ‘My life thus endeth!’ suddenly they felt sharp, penetrating-the-heart pain on their heads, their back, their hands, and many other places.

‘Bang!’

Like a flood suddenly found an opening, the primordial essence and primordial qi immediately rushed out. The two boys’ body relaxed, the pressure lessened, clarity was returning to their mind.

Opening their eyes at the same time, they discovered that they were trapped inside the enemy’s heavy siege. Torches were so bright that even the fine hair on the body were visible.

They heard groaning noise all around. Eight enemy soldiers, the-troops-broken-the-people-injured, were sprawling all over the place, their mouth and nose were seeping out blood.

Focusing their mind, the two boys looked, and found that their bodies had many more wounds, and thus they started to realize that these enemies, who were launching sneak attack on them – had become sacrificial victim who saved their little life instead. Springing from the ground, they met Li Yuanji, Ke Dazhi, and the others’ bewildered, suspicious eyes. ‘Close call!’ they cried inwardly. Their wound was only skin and flesh. It was clear that when the enemy’s weapons made contact with their skin, the true qi immediately shocked the weapons and inflicted serious damage on the enemies.

Such a universally shocking martial art, perhaps even Ning Daoqi would not be able to accomplish. No wonder in just one move the enemy was horrified and scared away.

The King of Qi Li Yuanji shook the Splitting Horse Spear in his hand and shouted, “This time, even if you grew wings, it will still be difficult for you to fly. If you are sensible, just end your own life, this King respects the two of you as real men, I will definitely let you keep your body intact.”

Standing proudly, Xu Ziling scanned the area with his eyes. The forest was full of flickering shadows. Apart from Li Yuanji, Ke Dazhi, Mei Xun, Yuwen Bao, Qiu Wensheng, these top-quality martial art masters, there were also more than two hundred other martial art masters. Even if the two boys’ power was advancing by leaps and bounds, if they continued this desperate battle, they would definitely run out of luck.

Fortunately, this was a snowy forest, which was disadvantageous for tangled battle, unlike on the snowy plain, where they would not have the slightest bit of chance to break the siege and escape.

This moment Ke Dazhi slyly pulled the Sandstorm Saber from his back and said with a calm laughter, “Xiaodi admires two gentlemen more and more. You have the audacity whilst running for your life still have the guts and determination to train here, which really broadened Xiaodi’s horizon. I wonder if Shao Shuai is willing to bestow instructions, and for Qi Wang to make an exception by allowing this battle to occur; before life and death are decided, no third party is allowed to intervene.”

As soon as he heard it, Li Yuanji understood his intention. Although their side was occupying the upper hand with many men, a great force, but Kou and Xu, two men had the advantage of the snowy woodland. Remembering the opponent’s glorious record in breaking a siege time and again, who would dare to guarantee that tonight they would not be able to force their way out of encirclement again? Besides, around the two boys, there were still eight of their men lying injured on the ground. Once the chaotic warfare broke, the first to suffer a calamity would be these eight men. Both in terms of situation and reasons, he ought to give serious consideration to this arrangement. If Ke Dazhi could kill Kou Zhong in one move, naturally it would be most ideal. Even if Ke Dazhi were unfortunate and perished in battle, he would certainly cause wear and tear to most of Kou Zhong’z true energy, perhaps even cause him to sustain injuries, which would increase his confidence in besieging and annihilating the two boys.

Therefore, he made his decision, “Let’s do it as Ke Dazhi asked, only I don’t know whether Kou Shao Shuai dares to accept the challenge. This King will definitely not go back on my word. Do you hear?”

His men all accepted the order in unison, all shouted in one voice, as if a thunder suddenly arose in the snowy forest for no reason at all, shocking the snow on the trees and branches that snow accumulation fell like rain, hanging icicles snapped and fell, precisely offsetting the pressing down qi momentum that Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong built earlier, where they used their true qi to shock and injure the eight men mounting a sneak attack on them.

Mei Xun and Yuwen Bao cheered inwardly. They always felt that Ke Dazhi’s overbearing, tyrannical attitude was unpleasant to the eye. It would be best if he and Kou Zhong fought until both sides suffer, so it would be one move, two gains. But inwardly they also admired Ke Dazhi’s self-confidence and heroic spirit.

Kou Zhong exchanged a glance with Xu Ziling first; the two boys’ minds were interlinked, right away they were able to see clearly, without any doubt, what the other side was thinking. This was indeed the battle that Kou Zhong was looking forward to. It’s a pity that neither the time nor the location was suitable.

Kou Zhong boldly met Ke Dazhi’s brimming-with-challenge look; he laughed indifferently and said, “If Ke Xiong is willing to go alone with Xiaodi outside the forest, not only Xiaodi will be honored to keep you company, it is also something that I seek, but fail to get.”

Xu Ziling added, “Before life and death are decided, Zaixia guarantee that I will stay inside the forest, and will in no way break the siege.”

Ke Dazhi looked at Li Yuanji, asking for his opinion. Just by looking at his expression, both sides already felt that he longed for this battle.

Hearing that, Li Yuanji’s eyebrows were deeply knitted; he mused inwardly that if, under this situation, where his side did not occupy the least bit of advantage – Ke Dazhi were unfortunate and die in battle, how would he answer Li Jiancheng and the Tujue people?

Although Ke Dazhi’s saber technique was unrivalled, but the opponent was the Shao Shuai, Kou Zhong, whose name shook the world. Furthermore, he had just witnessed with his own eyes the astonishing and peculiar skill, which, by using the ‘true qi protecting his body’, not-afraid-of-any-weapon, he shocked and injured eight of his men. Hence the reason he was hesitating.

The forest was silent without any noise. Everybody was waiting with bated breath for Li Yuanji to make his decision.

The moon shed its weak light low in the horizon, faintly illuminating the snowy forest.

Li Yuanji slowly raised his Splitting Horse Spear; pointing it at Kou Zhong from a distance, he shouted loudly, “Turns out Kou Zhong is only a chicken-hearted disciple. Kill them!”

As soon as the word ‘kill’ was out, the spear in his hand changed into a sharp rainbow; the man and the spear became one, he shot toward Kou Zhong, whose saber has not left its scabbard.

The rest of his men immediately charged forward.

The big battle was in full swing.

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