The Peng Manor was quiet in the dark night. Not far away, the West Lake gently lapped at the shore. The manor grounds were dotted with lights. Thanks to the high walls and the fact that the back hills were also part of the estate, there was little concern that prying eyes would notice anything unusual.

Those who had travelled a thousand *li* to Jiangnan were somewhat weary. They had eaten very heartily in Hangzhou City that day. A full stomach encourages sleepiness. Before long, the lights gradually dimmed, and most people sank into deep, sweet dreams. Only two rooms behind the manor still had lights on – a bedroom and a study.

In the bedroom, Si Si was dozing off, but valiantly trying to mend the sleeve of the garment that Fan Xian had torn in Shazhou, while she waited for him.

In the study, Fan Xian sat at his desk, his brow slightly furrowed, as he studied a small notebook. Haitang sat diagonally across from him, also holding a notebook and looking at it with a serious expression. The writing on the notebook was still fresh, clearly something that had just been written.

After a long silence, the two of them, with remarkable understanding, simultaneously looked up, exchanging a wry smile that lasted for a long time.

Finally, Fan Xian spoke first: "Duoduo, it seems like there's some conflict."

The Haitang girl shook her head: "It's not 'seems like,' and it's not 'some.' These two cultivation methods are completely contradictory. It's impossible to continue practicing them."

The notebooks in their hands at that moment were absolutely priceless treasures in this world. The one Fan Xian was looking at was the supreme mental cultivation method of the Heavenly One Path of Northern Qi. The one Haitang was reading was the first volume of the nameless cultivation technique that Fan Xian had copied from memory.

It was said that Ku He had obtained the Heavenly One Path's mental cultivation method after kneeling in prayer for several months on the blue stone steps in front of the Divine Temple. Although Fan Xian, after his nighttime conversation with Xiao En in the mountain cave, of course knew that this was an absurd rumour, the cultivation method itself was still a miraculous technique that martial arts practitioners all over the world fervently pursued. Fan Xian's nameless cultivation technique, while not famous, had been able to transform a young man without an internal energy teacher into a current ninth-rank expert. Haitang naturally understood the significance of a technique so domineering, savage and peerless.

Fan Xian was not stingy when it came to sharing knowledge. Since Haitang had so generously brought the Heavenly One Path's supreme mental cultivation method, he naturally had to offer his own treasure in return.

However, after studying it under the lamplight for half the night, the two young people reached a conclusion that was somewhat disheartening.

The styles of the two cultivation methods were completely different – as different as the North and South Poles, or a horse and a cow. Moreover, they were subtly contradictory. Fan Xian's domineering technique followed a direct, unyielding and rough path, focusing on tempering the inner spirit and solidifying the meridians. The most difficult part was the first hurdle of entry, where the powerful *zhenqi* that arose spontaneously erupted from the Snow Mountain behind the waist, causing powerful tremors in the practitioner's meridians. This was the so-called "shaping."

However, Haitang had cultivated the Heavenly One Path's technique for more than ten years, and her meridians had already been shaped. It was impossible for her to disperse her entire body's worth of power and start cultivating again. Moreover, she could not, like Fan Xian, return to infancy and rely on the trace of innate *qi* that had not completely dissipated in her body to resist. Nor did she have the precious mental experience of someone with myasthenia gravis from a previous life. This first hurdle was simply insurmountable.

For Fan Xian, the Heavenly One Path's technique was also an icy beauty that he could only admire but not touch. This set of cultivation methods followed nature, corresponding to the *yuanqi* inside and outside the body. It was indeed incomparably profound, especially in its approach to the flow of internal *zhenqi*, which progressed gradually and gently, accumulating like water droplets to form a river, using the power of nourishment to cultivate the spirit. Unfortunately, the domineering technique that Fan Xian had cultivated for the past ten years had already widened the meridians in his body to an unimaginable extent. Even if he could condense dew in accordance with the technique, it would take countless years for these droplets to coat the walls of the entire meridian tubes and form trickling streams.

The two of them exchanged a look, and sighed helplessly.

"Read it more, and maybe we can find some connections and gain some insights."

Haitang said softly. She and Fan Xian were both top figures among the younger generation, especially since she had already entered the realm of the ninth rank superior, but she had always been unable to touch the threshold for a breakthrough. The threshold seemed extremely close, yet it was ethereal and elusive. She had originally thought that she might benefit from Fan Xian's help, but she had not expected Fan Xian's *zhenqi* cultivation method to be such a freakish existence. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Fan Xian responded: "It just seems that my method is useless to you. I would never allow you to try reshaping your meridians, not to mention the suffering involved, and the danger."

Haitang raised an eyebrow and said clearly: "I am not a reckless, courageous idiot." Then she frowned and said: "Your cultivation method is indeed strange. How can there be such a strange cultivation mental method that injures oneself before injuring others? Probably only a monster like you can cultivate it."

Fan Xian remembered what Fifth Bamboo had said before, shook his head, and said: "That's not necessarily true. As far as I know, someone has cultivated it before."

"Who taught you this mental method?" Haitang asked tentatively, not expecting Fan Xian to answer her.

Unexpectedly, Fan Xian was frank: "My mother left it to me."

"Miss Ye's family?"

"Yes."

Haitang smiled slightly astringently: "Most people hide their treasures and dare not show them. It is rare for people like you and me to fool around like this. It is probably a rare scene in the world to have two such wonderful truths in front of us, but unfortunately... there is no result."

Fan Xian's face was also slightly dim. From ancient times to the present, the only people who have been able to bravely give away their family assets without the privacy of a teacher, are probably the strange young men and women like himself and Haitang. This should be a beautiful picture of knowledge sharing and a place in history in this world, but…

He suddenly turned a page, and a smile appeared in his eyes: "Don't rush to sigh... Isn't there also a method of dual cultivation written on it?"

……

……

Haitang frowned and said: "Dual cultivation of life, what is life? What is inherent in nature is called life, and what is done by oneself is called nature. Spirit is nature, and heart is life. If the spirit does not guard internally, then nature will be shaken by the heart. If the heart is not solid internally, then life will be taken away by sensual pleasures. Do not destroy emotions, do not transform the Dao, and going back and forth is called reversal... It is clearly written on it, but how can you practice it? You spend all day maneuvering in the officialdom, how can you find a place away from sensual pleasures."

"When the heart is far away, the land is naturally biased." Fan Xian answered her question with a poem by Tao Yuanming.

Haitang's eyes lit up, and then she smiled calmly: "There is still a biggest problem, unless you rebuild your meridians, otherwise with the rough *zhenqi* in your body, the newly generated bit of *zhenqi* will definitely not be able to survive. Could it be that you are willing to shatter your own powerful *zhenqi* meridians and start cultivating from scratch?"

Fan Xian did not answer this question, but instead asked about some of the difficult points in the Heavenly One Path mental method. Haitang pointed them out carefully, without hiding anything. And Haitang thought that although she could not practice the domineering kung fu, if she could memorize this kung fu and pass it on to future generations of the Heavenly One Path, it would also be a great fortune for the people of the country, so she was also reading attentively. Of course, if there were any points that she did not understand, she did not hesitate to ask, and Fan Xian, like her, was open and honest, saying everything he knew.

Red candles were in the room, stars were in the sky, the two studied together, and they were very happy.

Gradually, the two began to immerse themselves in the profound realm contained in these two kung fu methods. Although they did not practice in person, they already tasted it in their hearts. They stopped asking questions, but instead turned sideways, sitting back-to-back, quickly memorizing the contents of the book.

……

……

After an unknown amount of time, Fan Xian, who had been keeping his back to her, suddenly said quietly: "Actually... after the assassination at the Hanging Temple, my *zhenqi* exploded and my meridians were broken, and flowed into my body, and up to today... I have not gathered it back."

Haitang was still facing away from him, but her shoulders trembled slightly. After a long while, she whispered back: "You are finally willing to admit it."

Things in the world are always so mysterious. Originally, it was impossible for Fan Xian to destroy his meridians and re-cultivate the mental method of the Heavenly One Path, but now his meridians were already broken and riddled with holes, so it was just right to repair them. But Haitang was still unable to gain any benefits from it. In comparison, Fan Xian had taken a big advantage. He originally wanted to muddle through, but after the two faced back-to-back for a long time, the feeling of discomfort in his heart became more and more intense. After thinking about it for a while, he finally said it sincerely and naturally.

Fan Xian did not turn around, and continued: "I can't hide it from you for too long, and I guessed that when the rumors of my background reached the north, you were already going south with this kung fu... Are you hiding it from National Preceptor Ku He?"

Haitang hummed.

Fan Xian felt a little moved, and also a little wary, and frowned and asked: "Why?"

Haitang's floral cotton jacket was blooming like a flower in a painting in the dim yellow light: "It's very simple, I guessed that you must have encountered something, otherwise you would be shameless, it is impossible to ask me for the mental method in the letter, even a fool should be able to guess that this kind of thing is a national secret, how can it be given to you. Since you have something to do, of course I want to help you solve it, after all... there are still many years to go before the agreement between you and me."

Fan Xian was slightly stunned and then asked: "Then what should I do now? Originally, I couldn't practice your mental method, but at this time my meridians are all broken, so I can just use the Heavenly One Path mental method to rebuild the foundation and restore the roots. The one I gave you... is useless to you."

Haitang replied calmly: "It's useless to me, it's always useful to future people, I believe you won't mind me passing it on to future generations."

"Your descendants... is it possible that something will happen to me?" Fan Xian's knot in his heart gradually disappeared, and he laughed loudly, taking advantage of the girl in his words.

Haitang pretended not to understand the vulgar joke, and said coldly: "I won't care about it for the sake of your being honest enough with me."

Fan Xian turned around with a smile, waved the book in his hand, and said shamelessly: "Anyway, the thing is in my hands, so I'm not afraid of you going back on your word?"

Haitang also turned around at this time, stood up directly, and walked to his side. Fan Xian thought she was really angry, and was so frightened that he quickly hid the book in his arms.

Haitang looked at this person, her mood was slightly chaotic, and she thought to herself that this person was young, and he already held great power, and he was accomplished in both literature and martial arts. In front of outsiders, he always looked gentle and sinister, but why does he always look like a rogue hooligan from the market every time she looks at him? She said angrily: "Let me change a few sentences for you. The teacher has tampered with it. If you continue to practice according to it, I don't care if you become an idiot."

Fan Xian was stunned, took out the book and stayed for a long time, but he didn't feel that the mental method he had read before had the slightest hindrance. He couldn't help but admire Ku He's state, he actually made the forgery so beautiful, but then he was furious, thinking that the old bald donkey was really insidious. If he hadn't used the supreme secret of "remembering everything with the heart," he would have been eaten to death by his female disciple, and he really didn't know how he would die in the future.

"Are you starting to prepare to make me an idiot?" Fan Xian looked at Haitang and said angrily.

Haitang said calmly: "This matter between you and me is already a bit absurd. If it is spread out, I am afraid it will shock the world. How can we not be careful? The key is that you and I must be honest. If there is a trace of concealment, I will not dare to trust you. "

"If you didn't admit to me earlier that you had completely lost your *zhenqi*, it's your own fault if you become an idiot."

Fan Xian was stunned, thinking that there was good reward for being a good person.

After Haitang changed a few key sentences, Fan Xian picked it up again and took a look, and immediately felt like it was a picture that was already extremely beautiful, and then a national master of Danqing painted a few essential parts, and the whole picture suddenly brightened up, and the mountains, rivers and figures in the picture immediately became vivid.

Fan Xian knew that this was the true face of the Heavenly One Path's supreme mental method, and his heart trembled. He knew that by cultivating according to this, it would not take long for him to follow the path of harmony between man and nature, and naturally repair the riddled meridians in his body. The state that had been away from him for too long was finally about to return. Thinking of this, even he, who was as persevering as he was, could not help but feel some emotion. Suddenly, a thought came to his mind.

"I'll draw a few pictures for you later." He looked at Haitang and said calmly with a thick face: "The domineering kung fu that I gave you should be practiced with the *zhenqi* route on the pictures. If you mess it up, you might end up with a dozen blood holes on your body when you enter the gate."

Haitang looked at him blankly, and after a long while, she said quietly: "When can there be less deceit in this world... at least, between you and me."

Fan Xian fell silent, and then said: "I will try to learn hard in the future... of course, you also need to learn."

……

……

After a long time, the two of them got rid of this somewhat awkward silence. Perhaps to ease the atmosphere, Haitang said softly: "Let me take a look at your injuries."

Fan Xian silently nodded. Although the art of internal observation was subtle, sometimes the bystanders were always clear, especially people like Haitang who had reached such a realm were more likely to discover the problem and propose corresponding solutions with their own profound knowledge.

Haitang walked behind him, and without making any gestures to exercise her power, her right hand naturally touched Fan Xian's *Yumen* acupoint on his back.

A gust of wind rose inexplicably in the study, the lights on the table flickered on and off, and a wave of extremely gentle power suddenly appeared in the air.

Haitang closed her eyes and carefully transmitted the *zhenqi* in her body to Fan Xian's body, examining his injuries.

At this time, the surrounding environment suddenly became quiet, there was no wind at all, the flame on the lamp was straight up, and the air seemed to be stagnant, but it was not sticky, but rather had a clear feeling.

The *zhenqi* in the body of a ninth-rank superior expert overflowed, but it instantly achieved perfect harmony with the surrounding environment. The Heavenly One Path's wonderful formula of respecting nature was indeed miraculous.

After a long while, Haitang, who had closed her eyes, frowned, as if she had encountered some strange situation.

Fan Xian didn't feel anything at this time, he only felt warm all over, very comfortable, a stream of fresh *zhenqi* spread quickly throughout his body after spreading behind his waist, like taking a wooden barrel bath, or sunbathing in Hawaii. The whole person was extremely relaxed, and he was about to fall asleep.

Suddenly, he heard a girl behind him groan lightly. Without thinking, Fan Xian asked with a yawn, his eyelids not yet opened: "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Haitang frowned and replied: "Don't fall asleep."

"Hey, the Heavenly One Path is really powerful, you can actually chat while treating the disease." Fan Xian laughed: "But if this is considered treating injuries, I am willing to be injured every day, it's more comfortable than a massage."

"Can you shut up?" Haitang said calmly: "Otherwise, I can't guarantee that I won't suddenly increase the power if my mind is disturbed."

Fan Xian heard the girl's threat, but he was not afraid at all, and said shamelessly: "Do you want to murder your husband?"

……

……

Two muffled groans came from the mouths of the two at the same time. The air in the study suddenly exploded, and countless vortexes of air flow came out of their bodies and disappeared in an instant, but they swept the books collected by the former Prime Minister Lin Ruofu into the air, and the paper filled the sky, so embarrassed!

Fan Xian and Haitang were not injured, but Fan Xian sat in the pile of paper on the ground, looking at the girl who was gently stroking her hair with lingering fear, and said in a trembling voice: "I really want to kill someone."

Haitang stared at his eyes, suppressing her anger, and said calmly: "I said, don't disturb my mind at this time."

Fan Xian choked and was speechless, but he slandered in his heart, then you didn't make it clear first, I thought you liked to flirt while working.

Haitang calmed her slightly panting chest, and looked at Fan Xian with strange eyes: "Although the *zhenqi* is scattered in the internal organs, the *zhenqi* accumulated at the Snow Mountain behind your waist... is still very majestic, and the degree of violence is even more terrifying than when we last fought. Now there is no meridian circulation, it will only become thicker and thicker."

She shook her head and said: "Fortunately, I came in time, otherwise, after half a year, your Snow Mountain *Mingmen* will explode, and it will be really over."

Fan Xian has two teachers in his life, one is Fifth Bamboo and the other is Fei Jie. One teaches to cut radish shreds, and the other teaches to put poisonous seasonings. He has always been self-taught in the cultivation of *zhenqi*. In this way, in the subtle knowledge of the *zhenqi* mental method, he is far behind these Xuanzong orthodox sects, so he has never discovered the greatest danger he faces. Today, after hearing what Haitang said, he realized that he had been in danger for the past few days, and he couldn't help but feel a little scared.

He frowned and said: "Since the Hanging Temple incident, I have stopped practicing. Why is there still more and more accumulation in the Snow Mountain?"

Haitang thought for a while and said: "Probably it is because you have been practicing since you were young, and you have developed a habit, so even when you are sleeping..."

Fan Xian raised his right arm, stopped her from continuing, and shook his head: "That's the reason."

For Fan Xian, meditation and sleeping were integrated entertainment from childhood. If it were another cultivator, he would definitely envy him, but now it has become an extremely dangerous reason.

He didn't know what he thought of, his face was a little gloomy, and he said in a cold voice: "I don't understand, Mr. Fei doesn't understand, but can't Hong Gonggong see it?"

"Huh?" Haitang didn't know that he had begun to suspect a certain nobleman, and was a little puzzled.

Fan Xian shook his head and said: "It's nothing... Thank you for your hard work."

At this time, the room was in a mess, with paper flying everywhere. Fan Xian didn't dare to let his servants do the work, so he and Haitang cleaned it up a little. The two extremely precious mental methods were put back into their arms, respectively. As for the messy pieces of paper under the desk, they didn't bother to care about them.

"Start practicing from tomorrow." Fan Xian said very sincerely: "I have taken a big advantage in this matter, but I also need to trouble Duoduo to protect me this month."

Haitang didn't mind temporarily acting as his bodyguard, and nodded lightly. Suddenly, she turned and asked: "Anzhi, tell me the truth, was the black-clothed man that my senior brother met in front of the Xishan Cliff in Shangjing, you?"

Fan Xian fell silent, knowing that Haitang had finally confirmed that the nature of the violent *zhenqi* in his body was very similar to that of Lang Tao. It was just that the matter was related to Xiao En, and related to the Divine Temple. The matter was too big. After a long while, he answered seriously: "Actually, that morning, you went to the embassy to find me, you should have guessed something, but... you also know, I will never admit anything."

"The teacher should have guessed something too." Haitang smiled and said: "But you don't have to be too nervous, he said that your mother was kind to him in the past."

Fan Xian sneered: "Giving me a fake mental method, is this considered repaying a kindness?"

"Although the previous mental method was fake, it was not harmful, and this was the decision that the teacher had to make after hearing that you were the son of the Southern Qing Emperor..." Haitang said sternly, "This mental method is the supreme secret of our sect, please Fan Xian adult keep it safe."

Fan Xian pointed to his head: "Take it back later, destroy it or whatever, I have already remembered it."

Haitang frowned, surprised by the other party's abnormal memory. She wondered who taught this little monster when he was a child? Thinking of other things, her heart moved, and she said sincerely: "I heard the teacher say that there is a blind master by your side. I wonder if Duoduo has a chance to meet him?"

As a martial arts genius of a generation, what she was most interested in was of course the blind man who was able to injure Ku He, but had no fame in the world. At this time, she asked purely to pay homage to Fifth Bamboo as a junior and ask for some advice.

Fan Xian shook his head and smiled bitterly: "I found that it is indeed difficult to have any secrets in front of National Preceptor Ku He, but unfortunately, you can't see my uncle recently. He doesn't know what's going on these years. He has fallen in love with Ye Liuyun's style and likes to travel around alone."

Haitang was a little disappointed, and then asked: "Anzhi, although the teacher didn't tell me clearly, but his words revealed information that your mother should have some connection with the Divine Temple." That day, her conversation with Ku He did not make this clear, but Ku He mentioned Xiao En and mentioned some clues. With her intelligence, she naturally guessed a little.

Fan Xian shook his head and said decisively: "The Divine Temple is too far away, let's discuss world affairs first."

Haitang was slightly angry, and became more and more resentful of Fan Xian's particularly hateful nature, and said coldly: "What world affairs?"

Fan Xian smiled and said: "For example... how old are you this year, Duoduo? We have known each other for so long, and we have written a lot of letters, but I still don't know this most important question."

……

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(Sincerely ask everyone to vote for my monthly ticket. It is the beginning of the month, and everyone should have a guaranteed ticket in their hands, so hurry up and vote for me. What are you still thinking about? If you don't vote, I... I'll let the Eldest Princess bite you!)