Chapter 61: The Dual Swords United

Passing the night in silence, Qiu Zhiqing circulated the Innate Skill to heal his injuries. Although the technique maintained a self-running state at all times and could heal automatically, how could that compare to the speed of active circulation?

With the first light of day, floating clouds parted. The eastern sky grew pale, and the purple qi came from the east! Having absorbed this wisp of eastern purple qi, it wandered warmly through the extraordinary meridians, then dispersed into the five viscera and six bowels. Instantly, he felt his injuries improve by two tenths.

It seemed he had still underestimated the healing capabilities of the Innate Skill after it had fused with the characteristics of the Purple Mist Skill. Come to think of it, the foundational sect technique of Mount Hua in the Jianghu already possessed formidable healing properties.

Not to mention that the Purple Mist Skill, created by fusing the Five Animals Frolic Guidance Technique with certain Quanzhen Southern Sect theories, combined with the wisdom of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, would hardly be weak.

The primary effect was that it further altered some characteristics of the Innate Skill he was currently practicing. He discovered that the Innate Skill of his sect's founder, Wang Chongyang, possessed strong inclusiveness, much like many Daoist techniques.

All the characteristics of the techniques Qiu Zhiqing had practiced previously were inherited by the Innate Skill and further enhanced. Following this trend, he was confident that he would not even need half a month; he could fully recover within a single seven-day cycle!

It seemed that although he had been practicing the Innate Skill for some time, he still did not understand the technique thoroughly enough. After arriving at Mount Tai this time, he would still need to consult Senior Uncle Sun Bu'er, Qiu Zhiqing thought to himself.

Although his martial arts currently surpassed those of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, his realm of Dao was far inferior. What the Quanzhen Sect cultivated was precisely the Dao; practicing martial arts was merely a means to enter the Dao and to protect it.

Before long, Li Mochou also awoke from her meditative state. The moment she opened her eyes, a trace of joy appeared on her face. She discovered that the manual titled *Colorful Clouds Returning to the Moon* given to her by Qiu Zhiqing was indeed a very good match for her.

Her inner qi from the Ancient Tomb Sect's introductory mental cultivation method easily converted into the lesser-yin attribute inner qi of *Colorful Clouds Returning to the Moon*, though the quantity had diminished considerably. However, this instead made her even happier, as she naturally knew what this signified!

"Let's go, let's head to the shore! Let's find an inn for a meal!" Li Mochou said, then steered the boat toward the bank. There were quite a few boats at the dock, but given their small vessel, they quickly reached the shore.

Just as he was about to step ashore, Qiu Zhiqing seemed to remember something. He turned back and said, "Right, did you memorize the Western Poison's manual? If you've memorized it, the next time we run into him, we can try tossing the book to him. Since he's mad, he probably won't pursue this anymore, right?"

Without looking back, Li Mochou strode toward the city, her reply floating over on the river breeze: "Got it!" Qiu Zhiqing had just wanted to admire the scenery when he suddenly remembered he was broke again, so he hurried to catch up...

The two entered the city, found an inn to eat a meal, packed some steamed buns along the way, rented a superior room to attend to their personal matters, and only then went to buy medicine for Qiu Zhiqing!

Their time was relatively tight. Li Mochou had mentioned that the tracking poison she was infected with was not strictly a poison, but something called "Muffled Oriole." In about a month and a half, the tracking effect would expire.

Passing by a jewelry shop along the way, Qiu Zhiqing noticed Li Mochou's gaze linger for a moment before she looked away. Subconsciously glancing at her hair ornaments, he remembered that when he escorted her down the mountain years ago, she had worn a lotus hairpin and a silver dangling tassel, but now it was merely a plain bronze-bead hairpin casually holding up a round bun...

"What are you still looking at? Let's go! Watch out or Ouyang Feng will block us again if we get back late!" What was originally intended as a teasing remark unexpectedly became a prophecy! Qiu Zhiqing's purchase of goods was very prompt; he simply listed the medicinal herbs and waited for Li Mochou to pay.

Because the *Innate Skill* he was currently practicing combined the characteristics of the former *Purple Mist Skill*, its effectiveness in strengthening the physique and healing injuries was exceptionally high. He wondered how it compared to the legendary *Divine Skill of Nine Yang*?

Thinking of this, he realized: why hadn't he thought of this before? He remembered it seemed to be in some scripture or another? Never mind, he couldn't recall it; he might as well diligently practice his own *Innate Skill*. Perhaps one day he would soar to immortality as an yang spirit just like his predecessors!

The journey proceeded smoothly. When Qiu Zhiqing walked to the dock with a long sword in his left hand and medicinal herbs in his right, accompanied by Li Mochou, he saw her heading to steer the boat. Reaching out, he grabbed her sleeve—this time he had learned his lesson and didn't grab her hand directly.

Seeing Li Mochou turn her head to look at him in confusion, Qiu Zhiqing shook his head with a solemn expression, tucked the medicinal herbs from his right hand into his robes, and pulled Li Mochou back slowly!

At this, Li Mochou also reacted. Slinging her bundle over her back, she picked up the horsetail whisk that originally belonged to Qiu Zhiqing with her right hand, while forming a sword finger with her left. Qiu Zhiqing was quite curious: could she also use a sword?

Yet before he could ask, perhaps the person hiding on their boat saw that they were taking too long to board and realized they had been discovered. Suddenly, the small boat exploded violently, wood splinters flying in all directions as a figure leaped out from within, charging straight toward the two of them.

The two hurriedly dodged. The assailant's attacks were extremely fierce, and neither Qiu Zhiqing nor Li Mochou dared to meet him head-on. Qiu Zhiqing deployed the Quanzhen sword technique—seven swords, forty-nine forms—one by one to counter the enemy, while Li Mochou also used the whisk as a sword.

The three engaged in a fierce battle at the dock. A disheveled figure fought two opponents alone, beating the man and woman so severely that they could not raise their heads. No matter how exquisitely and smoothly Qiu Zhiqing wielded the Quanzhen sword technique, under Ouyang Feng's deliberate targeting, he gradually began to falter.

Li Mochou, assisting from the side, saw this in her eyes and felt anxious in her heart. She watched as Qiu Zhiqing twisted his wrist, dodging Ouyang Feng's attack while his long sword poured downward like wine from an inverted pot, assaulting Ouyang Feng's right arm from above.

Seeing this, Li Mochou felt a stir in her heart. Using the whisk, she executed a move called "Drinking Alone Under the Moon," perfectly mimicking the action of raising a cup to receive wine, striking straight up from below toward Ouyang Feng's left ribs. One high, one low, one overt, one covert, left and right—their cooperation was impeccably timed...

Mad Ouyang might be crazy, but his decades of combat experience remained. He resolutely abandoned the opportunity to capture Qiu Zhiqing, his palms flying in a blur as he batted away both their attacks from top to bottom, then retreated a step!

A thought stirred in Qiu Zhiqing's mind, and though he recalled something, he could not afford to be distracted. Seeing Ouyang Feng retreat, he naturally could not let him recover his composure. With a move of "Frost Billows Rolling Snow," driven by his true qi, he struck straight at the right half of Ouyang Feng's body.

Ouyang Feng sidestepped and thrust out a palm, beating back Qiu Zhiqing's long sword. At the same time, Li Mochou was also inspired, executing "Sweeping Snow to Brew Tea" to slash horizontally at Ouyang Feng's rear left side. Ouyang Feng was startled and leaped into the air, only to be met by Li Mochou's horizontal sweep turning into a downward chop.

The whisk struck his left shoulder. Although her inner qi was not exceptionally strong, this blow still caused Ouyang Feng's right arm to go somewhat numb. Before he could even catch his breath, Qiu Zhiqing, having just crossed past him, executed "Milagies Rising from the Milky Way" from bottom to top, releasing three sword strikes in an instant...

Ouyang Feng churned his true qi, striking out repeatedly with his right hand while leaping backward to put distance between them. He stared at the two of them with a mixture of shock and suspicion, unable to fathom how one person who was essentially a patient and another who was a frail woman had almost—no, had already—managed to injure him.

The scene of the battle at the dock had long since terrified the surrounding people entering and leaving the area, causing them to flee swiftly. Now the dock was essentially cleared of bystanders. Seeing that their coordination had actually repelled Ouyang Feng, hailed as one of the Five Greats, Li Mochou said eagerly, "Little bull-nose—no, Qiu Zhiqing, how about we work together to take him down?"

Qiu Zhiqing secretly cursed inwardly: *My good aunt, I am still injured myself! Having just been chased and beaten by Mad Ouyang and trading several blows with him head-on, my injuries have worsened considerably.*

If they didn't leave now, once Ouyang Feng grew familiar with their moves, it would spell real trouble!

A thought flashing through his mind, he thrust his long sword into the ground, prying up a row of floor tiles and stone slabs while shouting aloud, "Twin Swords United!" Although Li Mochou did not understand the reasoning, she followed Qiu Zhiqing's lead, hurling all the stone tiles and bricks he had kicked up straight at Ouyang Feng...

Simultaneously, Qiu Zhiqing grabbed Li Mochou's delicate arm and headed toward the small boat he had scouted out earlier. After a slight struggle, Li Mochou understood as well; her lightness skill was actually superior, and she dragged Qiu Zhiqing aboard the vessel.

With his true qi surging, Qiu Zhiqing flicked his long sleeves, and the small boat shot out of the dock like an arrow released from a bowstring. By the time Ouyang Feng managed to shake off the entanglement of the "hidden weapons" and reached the riverbank intending to leap across, he was ultimately forced to halt!

"We'll return the manual to you, how about we each go our separate ways from now on?" Qiu Zhiqing swallowed the congealed blood rising to his throat, wanting to test if a reconciliation was possible. His injuries had worsened by a few degrees; it seemed that all his detours would inevitably add another half month to his recovery time.

"No! My martial arts can only be practiced by my son! Kill that female wa and return the manual to me, and I'll spare you!" Clearly, although Ouyang Feng was mad, he still attached great importance to lineage and martial arts.

Hearing Ouyang Feng's words, Li Mochou beside him tightened her grip on the whisk, looking anxiously at Qiu Zhiqing. Little did she know that Qiu Zhiqing was currently even weaker than her and was entirely incapable of matching him!

"Then there's nothing to discuss? Do you know who she is? And do you know who I am?" He wanted to see whether Ouyang Feng actually recognized people, or if he merely chased the scent of that so-called medicine. In the latter case, things would be much easier to handle.

"I don't know, and I don't care who you are! As long as you aren't my son, no one else is allowed to practice my martial arts!"

Very well! As long as he didn't know who they were, that was fine. Qiu Zhiqing smiled slightly, his true qi churning as he flicked his sleeves, and the small boat sped away toward the lower reaches of the Tuo River...