Chapter 160: The Profound Mystery

The Heart Lotus Manual—this was the first time Xia Wuyai had ever heard such a name. Yet, what did it matter? Twenty years ago, during that fateful battle at Three Wolves Mountain, leave aside the entire martial arts world; even beggars who lived hand-to-mouth were thoroughly familiar with it. Some of the storytellers in teahouses and taverns were even more outrageous, using their silver tongues to paint such a vivid picture of the scene as if they had witnessed it firsthand. Every time he encountered such a spectacle, he would feel an irrepressible urge to laugh, yet he was forced to keep a straight face and suppress it in his heart. One could only imagine how excruciating that must have been.

Of course, these were trivial matters. If he could not even endure this, he would no longer be Xia Wuyai, nor could he be the most favored heir of Qilian Mountain. Even so, when facing Dao Tianfeng, he always felt himself to be vastly inferior. Setting aside reputation and status, even his martial arts were as different as clouds and mud, separated by an unbridgeable gulf. Often, he felt he could only look up in awe, forever out of reach. Yet, if Dao Tianfeng were the heavens, that would be one thing, but there was still someone even higher than him—and that person was Shui Lianhua. What she relied upon was precisely this Heart Lotus Manual. What manner of miraculous book could elevate a person's abilities to such an invincible realm? Xia Wuyai could not fathom it. Perhaps precisely because of this, an irrepressible wave of curiosity suddenly welled up within him. He did not dare to ask and could only endure it silently, but the harder he tried to suppress it, the more agonizing it became, causing a slight twitching motion in his cheeks.

"Back then, Jun Xiuying studied under Iron-Armed Flying Hawk and mastered all his skills. Combining this with the sword techniques and inner arts passed down by the Four Gentlemen, she created this set of the Heart Lotus Manual. Later, through various twists and turns, it was passed down to Shui Lianhua. Relying on this martial art, Shui Lianhua took control of the Blue Lotus Cult, which directly led to the events of twenty years ago!" After a slight pause, Dao Tianfeng continued. He had no intention of concealing anything, and his words carried a deep sense of lingering emotion. This was entirely natural; after all, almost every martial artist yearned to reach the ultimate realm of martial arts. Although Dao Tianfeng possessed a somewhat worldly-detached demeanor, he was mortal after all. Even Xia Wuyai, having merely heard of it, held a deep yearning in his heart for the chance to lay eyes upon it. How could Dao Tianfeng, who had witnessed the profound mysteries of this art with his own eyes, not remain obsessed with it?

"Then, Master, after your great battle at Three Wolves Mountain and Shui Lianhua's apparent death in battle, didn't anyone search for this book?" At this point, Xia Wuyai could finally endure no longer. Although his voice was very soft, his question was direct. He understood in his heart that since his master had spoken to this extent, he had never intended to keep secrets in the first place. Even if he did not ask, the other would naturally have spoken. By asking, he was merely riding the wind to move faster. Sure enough, at his inquiry, Dao Tianfeng let out a soft sigh and continued with a contemplative tone: "Naturally, we searched. After all, there was only one such copy in the world; who wouldn't want to obtain it? Even if one could not obtain it, just catching a glimpse of it would have been worthwhile. But what kind of figure was Shui Lianhua? She was someone who could fake her death under those circumstances to deceive everyone, and then lead the remnants of the Blue Lotus Cult to hide in the martial arts world for so many years. How could she possibly let such a treasure easily fall into the hands of others?"

"Master, you say Shui Lianhua is still alive? How can that be?" This revelation shocked Xia Wuyai even more. His eyes widened as if he had heard something he should never have heard. Leave aside him; even when Dao Tianfeng first received this news, he found it hard to believe for a long time. Regardless, between him and the Blue Lotus Cult, and Shui Lianhua specifically, there was a blood feud over the murder of his wife. Such a deep hatred—no matter how good one's temperament or how detached one was from worldly affairs—could never be let go. "I originally thought it was impossible too, but she actually managed to pull it off. That is the marvel of the Heart Lotus Manual. You were wondering why Dugu Meng's spiritual energy increased so drastically in an instant? Let me tell you: within the Heart Lotus Manual, there is a set of inner arts capable of prematurely consuming a person's innate potential and converting it into immediate spiritual energy. Dugu Meng used this exact technique. Of course, doing so can indeed make one vastly more powerful, but it is also a double-edged sword. It drains your constitution and even your life force in proportion to the amount you convert. At its worst, it means instant death!"

"Viewed in this light, not only did Junior Brother Ye lose without injustice, but even if I were to lose, it would be entirely reasonable. I just never expected Dugu Meng capable of such extremes purely to win. Is that why you stopped her, Master?" Xia Wuyai's gaze naturally drifted back toward the high platform. The two figures were continuously darting back and forth; in the span of coming and going, five or six exchanges had already passed. Although Dugu Meng firmly maintained the upper hand, she could not immediately defeat Gong Shaoling. Yet in Xia Wuyai's eyes, that was merely a matter of time, for Gong Shaoling's state of mind had grown far too restless. Aside from exhausted parrying, she seemed incapable of launching any effective counterattack.

He could see this clearly, and Gong Shaohua could naturally see it just as well. Probably no one knew his sister's true capabilities better than he did. Watching Gong Shaoling's continuously retreating figure, his heart was filled with utter confusion. How could he possibly know what had transpired between the two young maidens? He muttered inwardly: "What on earth is wrong with Shaoling today? Even if she cannot win, she shouldn't be reduced to purely defensive measures. If worst comes to worst, she should unleash the Three Fatal Swords! Yet judging by her expression, she seems furious, and her movements appear completely chaotic. She isn't displaying her true abilities at all; instead, she is being led around by the nose. If this continues, she won't even last another three to five moves!"

Worry was worry, but he was utterly helpless. Martial arts duels had their rules; if anyone could act however they pleased, wouldn't that ruin the entire system? Spectators might grow anxious, but the situation on the high platform was far more critical. Gong Shaoling was exceptionally proud by nature. Her anger had originally been provoked by Dugu Meng's taunts. Now, not only was she unable to defeat her opponent, but she was pressed into a disadvantageous position in every single exchange, forced constantly backward. This naturally fueled her anger even further. With every sword thrust, she seemed to pour out her absolute all, wishing nothing more than to force her opponent to her knees instantly. Consequently, she sank deeper into the trap. With her breathing erratic, flaws naturally appeared everywhere. Dugu Meng, highly skilled in redirection and counter-control, could not possibly fail to notice. Thus, she not only guided Gong Shaoling's form and techniques effortlessly, but handled the entire exchange with great ease.

"Although I have some acquaintance with her father, it is merely a nodding acquaintance, far from true friendship. The reason I stopped her is simply that I do not want this young girl stirring up trouble in the Central Plains, especially right under my nose. After all, Dugu Xinyang has only one son and one daughter. If any real accident were to befall her, he certainly wouldn't let the matter rest. While I do not fear him, we are currently at the most crucial juncture of our struggle against the Blue Lotus Cult. Success or failure hangs entirely on this single moment. I cannot afford to offend him at such a critical time and bring a mountain of trouble upon myself." Such an answer was truly unexpected for Xia Wuyai. His gaze shifted back to Dao Tianfeng with a trace of incomprehension, but Dao Tianfeng had no intention of entertaining him. When his voice trailed off, his gaze remained locked onto the high platform, motionless. Xia Wuyai knew that the old man must be pondering something. What exactly it was, he could not tell, but a strange thought suddenly popped into his head: "Master, since you say Shui Lianhua is not dead and possesses such formidable abilities, why hasn't she made a move against Dugu Xinyang? How could a person like her tolerate such a treacherous thief?"

"Tolerance or not, what does it matter? Shui Lianhua's martial arts are indeed peerless. Even looking across the entire world in a one-on-one fight, probably no one could survive twenty moves in her hands. But that was only the prowess of her prime. When the Heart Lotus Manual is trained to its most exquisite depths, it is truly terrifying enough to astonish both gods and ghosts. The technique of converting physical constitution into spiritual energy can naturally be reversed as well. This is one of the reasons why she was able to survive despite sustaining fatal injuries during that great battle. However, even the most formidable martial arts cultivation will be largely dissipated by this process, leaving behind barely ten or twenty percent of its former strength. As for Dugu Xinyang today, he is no longer the minor figure he once was within the Blue Lotus Cult. Having acquired half of the Heart Lotus Manual, his current strength is such that even if he were to fight me, who would win and who would lose remains an unknown. If Shui Lianhua were still capable of dealing with him, do you think he would have easily let me off?" At this moment, Dao Tianfeng's expression still showed little change, but his tone carried a subtle, unusual undertone. Especially when pronouncing the words 'win and lose,' he noticeably emphasized them. Xia Wuyai could perhaps guess a fraction of the implication—envy perhaps, or unwillingness—yet he could only ponder it in his heart and dare not voice it aloud. At this moment, silence was perhaps the best response. Yet for some unknown reason, a face—simultaneously familiar and estranged—floated hazily before his eyes.