Ao Qi’s injuries had improved, and Old Master Liu happened to return just then.
It was the you hour, so everyone tidied up, closed the clinic, and went home together for dinner.
“Ao Qian has gone back?” Ao Qi asked.
“She has.” Liu Qingyan replied.
Du Yueyao asked with a smile, “I heard that Ao Qian unintentionally let slip your whereabouts while speaking to the Jade Dragon King, and then the Jade Dragon King and his wife came looking for you?”
Ao Qi’s eyes flickered. She nodded with perfect seriousness. “Exactly.”
Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan exchanged a glance, barely holding back laughter, and lowered their heads to eat.
Liu Qingyan turned to Yan Hongxia. “You spent New Year at Dengyun Mountain?”
“Yes!”
“So where are you headed now?” Liu Qingyan asked. “Back to the East Sea?”
Ao Qi shook her head. “No hurry. I still want to travel around the various regions of Great Jing.”
At the teasing looks Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan cast her, Ao Qi could not help clearing her throat twice.
“Ahem! I’m not like Ao Qian. My father allowed me to come out!”
“Yes, yes, of course!”
Lu Zheng nodded repeatedly in agreement, then pointed with his chopsticks at the squirrel fish in front of him. “Come on, eat up!”
…
That night, Liu Qingyan lightly wiped away a thin sheen of sweat and rested in Lu Zheng’s arms. Suddenly she burst into laughter.
“What’s so funny?”
“I’m laughing at Ao Qi. She actually took the initiative to report Ao Qian’s whereabouts to the Jade Dragon King.”
“You noticed?”
“Didn’t you?”
The two shared a smile. Liu Qingyan shook her head helplessly. “Yueyao really is a silly girl.”
Du Yueyao had not seen it at all.
But it had nothing to do with cultivation depth, since Yan Hongxia clearly had not noticed either.
At this point, Lu Zheng asked, “When shall we visit the Dragon Palace again?”
“We’ve only just come back.” Liu Qingyan said in surprise. “And you’re already planning the next trip?”
“Just thinking ahead.”
Lu Zheng smiled. “With such a fabulously wealthy neighbour, we must keep up regular visits and maintain good relations. Even if we do nothing else, another tour of the Dragon King’s secret treasury would be a massive gain!”
“You’re incorrigible.” Liu Qingyan patted his chest, unable to suppress her laughter, then added, “Though Qingquan has indeed mentioned it a few times recently. In a little while, we really could pay another visit.”
…
Early the next morning, after a full night’s rest, Ao Qi was completely healed.
“Clang, clang, clang!”
“Crash, bang!”
Ao Qi blocked horizontally with her spear. A tremendous force travelled up the shaft. Her body lost control and she plummeted downward.
Just before hitting the ground, she twisted forcibly and tapped the spear tip against the surface.
“Crack!”
Centred on the spear tip, dozens of fissures spread for tens of metres.
Ao Qi used the rebound to redirect herself. Her body twisted and folded once more. She soared upward again, thrusting the long spear from beside her chest and abdomen like a venomous dragon bursting from its lair.
Opposite her, Lu Zheng gripped the knife with both hands. The True Dragon Conceals Head blade traced a flourish. Then, treating the knife as a spear, he thrust diagonally to strike precisely on the side of Ao Qi’s spear. With four liang deflecting a thousand jin, a light twist and guide broke her momentum.
Yet Ao Qi exerted force at the wrist. The spear shaft shifted from rigid to supple, twisting in mid-air. She gathered and released vigour, bypassing the long knife once more. The spear tip aimed at Lu Zheng’s throat, somehow three points faster than before.
“Well come! Impressive!”
Lu Zheng’s eyes lit up. He had no choice but to retreat, crossing the long knife in front of his throat.
“Ding!”
A clear ring sounded. Lu Zheng borrowed the force to withdraw, while Ao Qi pressed the attack. The long spear bloomed into seven spear flowers. Seven real-and-fake spear tips, indistinct and unpredictable, enveloped Lu Zheng’s face and chest.
Lu Zheng narrowed his eyes. He retreated while parrying. The long knife swung, blocking every incoming spear tip. Then, seizing the momentum, he spun for a backhand horizontal slash.
“Fine knife work!”
Ao Qi was exhilarated. At that instant her spear had just been swung aside by Lu Zheng, so she spun her body, letting the spear circle her waist. The butt emerged from beneath her opposite ribs, perfectly blocking Lu Zheng’s horizontal slash.
She truly made that single long spear bloom with endless variations.
“Beautiful!”
From a nearby mountain peak, Yan Hongxia, watching the fight, could not help clapping and laughing heartily.
Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying stood arm in arm, also praising. “Miss Ao truly has superb spear technique.”
Nearby, Du Yueyao, Wang Xiaowan, and the eighteen celestial maidens watching the bout were dazzled and full of sighs of admiration.
…
Early that morning, Ao Qi had fully recovered. Hearing that Lu Zheng had obtained a fine knife over New Year, her hunter’s heart stirred. She asked to spar with him, agreeing to compare weapons only.
Everyone gathered, found a desolate mountain, drew knife and raised spear, and began at once.
…
Blocking the knife edge with the spear butt, the long spear borrowed the force to spin. Treating it as a staff, with whistling wind, it swept horizontally at Lu Zheng’s waist.
Lu Zheng held his long knife inverted vertically, then was struck flying far away by that single blow.
Ao Qi’s figure flashed. Spear thrust forward, pursuing relentlessly.
Seeing Lu Zheng’s tumbling form still unable to stabilise, Ao Qi showed no mercy. One spear thrust straight at his back heart.
“Got you!”
The distant onlookers, though knowing the pair were merely sparring and their profound strength ensured no mishaps, still felt their hearts leap at such a thrust. They almost cried out.
Yet just as Ao Qi called lightly and the spear tip was about to touch Lu Zheng’s back heart, he folded his upper body, dodging the heart-piercing thrust by a hair’s breadth.
The long spear passed three cun above Lu Zheng’s back. He twisted his body. The True Dragon Conceals Head knife counter-slashed upward from below.
This was precisely the moment Ao Qi’s body was close and the spear fully extended.
“Dragging Knife Stratagem!”
Cold light flashed from the True Dragon Conceals Head blade. It slashed straight at Ao Qi’s left ribs from a diagonal below. Its speed was like lightning, a silver streak across the sky.
Ao Qi was prepared, yet the knife’s approach still exceeded expectation. She could only release the spear with her left hand and twist aside to evade.
The long knife swept past, turning into a horizontal slash.
The long spear snapped back, blocking in front.
“Clang!”
A light ring. Lu Zheng and Ao Qi each retreated ten zhang.
“Excellent! Superb spear work! Superb knife work! This calls for a large cup!”
“Kid Lu, when did your martial arts become so formidable?”
Two voices rang from the heavens. Everyone looked up to see two figures standing on distant clouds.
One wore a bright yellow Daoist robe, with three long strands of beard, an elegant face, and starry eyes.
The other had grey hair and beard, utterly dishevelled, his worn hemp garments riddled with holes.
“Senior Liu!” Lu Zheng cupped his hands.
The dishevelled one was indeed the old beggar Liu Zong of the Heaven Escape Sect.
“It’s only been two years, yet your cultivation has deepened remarkably.” Liu Zong gazed at Lu Zheng, clicking his tongue in wonder. “Any interest in joining my Heaven Escape Sect? I’ll decide it myself. How about making you the next sect leader?”
Lu Zheng was speechless. “Senior, please don’t jest. This junior has no such capability.”
Only then did he bow deeply to the middle-aged Daoist. “Baiyun Temple outer disciple Lu Zheng pays respects to senior.”
Liu Zong introduced him. “This is my junior brother, Lin Yi of Pure Yang Palace.”
“Greetings to True Person Lin Yi!”
