Chapter Eighty-Nine: Cultivating Martial Arts in Heaven and Earth

At night, beneath a clear moon, two figures were still on the Heaven-and-Earth Training Ground, pondering martial arts and spells.

After Ye Sansi demonstrated the Heaven-Earth Lock once more, Zheng Fan laughed. “So that Miss Liu never truly stole the whole of this technique after all, hahaha.”

Hearing this, Ye Sansi grew flustered and stammered, “What? Senior Brother Zheng, you...”

“Hahaha, Junior Brother Ye, there’s no need to hide it from me. I noticed long ago when Miss Liu slipped onto the inner island last time. But then I thought of Fang Lang being on the island, while the island lord and the other elders were all away on business. If I took her down, I’d surely be made to suffer Fang Lang’s wrath and punishment, so I simply turned a blind eye and let her be.”

Ye Sansi smiled. “Senior Brother Zheng, you really are something. Why such prejudice against the Great Elder alone?”

After bowing in farewell, Ye Sansi flew back to his room on his sword. He carefully opened and closed the door, feeling somewhat tired, and soon fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

Two hours later, the sun rose from the sea, though it felt to Ye Sansi as if much longer had passed. When Liu Lingshuang came to call him, he got up, stretched, and found himself in excellent spirits, not a trace of sleepiness left in him.

Outside, a voice called, “Sansi, wake up! We still need to go to the Eastern Training Ground to practice martial arts. Don’t be late again. Today we must get there before Taiyi.”

“That Fang Lang is the island lord’s cousin, yet his temperament is utterly different. Fang Lang is stubborn; if a disciple commits a fault, he punishes them to the death. Only Senior Brother Fang Yuan is considerate enough to spare us torment.”

“So terrifying?”

“If not for the island lord back then, I might already be dead, but I do not hate him. I simply do not wish to deal with him and invite unnecessary trouble. Hahaha, enough of that. It’s already rather late, so go back and rest first. Tomorrow after nightfall, come here again, and I’ll teach you how to gather and use demon power...”

“You’re up early. She’s waiting for us up ahead. Let’s go.”

After reuniting with Lin Nian’er, the three of them first went to the Eastern Dining Hall. Only a scattering of disciples were eating inside. They found Wang Qi, took some rice porridge, and sat down at an empty table.

After tending to things for a while, Wang Qi came over and smiled. “Why have you three uncles come so early?”

Inside the room, Ye Sansi answered, washed his face, and stepped out, smiling. “You really do rise early. I daresay Senior Brother Fang Yuan may not even be awake yet. The sun has only just come up. Going over there too early would be pointless if no one is there.”

Liu Lingshuang pulled Sansi along and said, “Since we’re already up, why not eat first and then go to the training ground? That way the timing will be about right.”

“And... and Nian’er? Has she gotten up?”

Hearing Wang Qi’s words, Liu Lingshuang sprang to her feet and said, “Sansi, Nian’er, eat faster. We finally managed to get up this early—we can’t be too much later than them.”

After Lingshuang finished speaking, the three of them drained the porridge in their bowls. Wang Qi then had each of them take two steamed buns to eat on the way.

By the time the incense had burned twice, the three of them finally arrived at the Eastern Training Ground, only to see Li Taiyi and Jin Sun there alone. Liu Lingshuang was just about to greet them when she stopped.

Ye Sansi shook his head with a smile. “This was all because Lingshuang was so eager—she came to call me so early.”

Liu Lingshuang pouted. “Aren’t cultivators supposed to practice diligently? Yesterday, Taiyi went to the training ground before us. Today we have to be earlier than them.”

“Oh, oh, Uncle Liu, you mean Junior Brother Taiyi? He and Junior Sister Jin already ate long ago and should be at the Eastern Training Ground by now. As for you all...”

Ye Sansi gave Lingshuang a look, and she immediately understood. She hugged Jin Sun around the shoulders and smiled. “Little Sun, come stroll over there with me. I’ll teach you the profound spell of the Immortal Isle, the Heaven-Earth Lock. Not everyone is qualified to learn it.”

After Liu Lingshuang led Jin Sun away, Ye Sansi approached Taiyi and asked in a low voice, “What’s going on with Little Sun? Why does she suddenly want to learn the Three Moves of the Qi Style?”

“Brother Sansi, you don’t know this, but Little Sun woke me up early this morning and then we went together to the dining hall to eat. I thought it was because of Xiong Gang’s matter—maybe she was sad and had risen early, so she called me up to practice. Who would have thought that while we were eating, she asked me whether I knew any fierce, overbearing techniques. I casually mentioned that the Three Moves of our Qi family’s sword art are simple to learn, strong in force, and domineering in style, and she clung to that idea ever since, insisting that I teach her.”

Jin Sun, unlike her usual playful, lively self, now had a tightly furrowed brow as she listened intently to the technique Li Taiyi was teaching her. Only when the others drew near did they realize that what Jin Sun was learning was indeed the Three Moves of the Qi Style.

After the two of them completed a round of practice, Ye Sansi said, “Taiyi, why are you teaching Little Sun the Three Moves of the Qi Style? That sword art is too fierce and forceful for her. It doesn’t suit her at all.”

“Brother Sansi, how could I not know that? I told Little Sun that this sword art has strict requirements and can only be learned by someone with strong bones and sinews, but she won’t listen.”

Li Taiyi, too, frowned. Regretting that he had even brought up the Three Moves of the Qi Style, he said softly to Ye Sansi, “Brother Sansi, you always have the most ideas. Help me think of a way to persuade Little Sun not to keep learning the Three Moves of the Qi Style.”

“I’ll try.”

With that, Ye Sansi waved toward Lingshuang in the distance, signaling them to come over.

When Jin Sun approached, Ye Sansi asked, “Little Sun, how are you getting on with the Heaven-Earth Lock?”

“You taught her already?”

“What else could I do? She begged me like that. How could I refuse to teach her?”

“Taiyi, you know full well that the Three Moves of the Qi Style aren’t suitable for Little Sun. If she strains her flesh or injures her bones and sinews, then let alone making no progress in martial arts—if she’s hurt and has to rest for months, wouldn’t all that effort be wasted?”

Ye Sansi said slowly, “Little Sun, think carefully. What powerful martial arts or spells in this world are easy to learn? Take the Three Moves of the Qi Style, for instance: they demand far too much from the body, and one careless mistake can injure the practitioner. In my view, if you want to learn another sword art, you might as well begin with the Seventy-Two Liu Swords of Willow Fort. That style is nimble and ever-changing, and it suits you very well.”

“But...”

Ye Sansi smiled. “Little Sun, I know what you want to say. You’re worried that the Seventy-Two Liu Swords are not as powerful as the Three Moves of the Qi Style?”

“It doesn’t seem that powerful. It can only restrain someone; it can’t truly defeat them. And that spell looks difficult just by looking at it—I definitely won’t be able to learn it. I’d still rather learn Brother Li’s Three Moves of the Qi Style.”

Ye Sansi smiled again. “Little Sun, do you want to cultivate powerful techniques? Are you willing to hear my advice?”

“Of course. Brother Ye, do you have some powerful but easy-to-learn technique you’re willing to teach me?”

Jin Sun did not know any better, so Ye Sansi said recklessly, “Naturally, Hero Liu Zhen is the more formidable one. Do you know why? Because he cultivated the Seventy-Two Sword Forms of Willow Fort. Think back to that duel many decades ago—the Seventy-Two Sword Forms completely suppressed the Three Moves of the Qi Style. Liu Zhen utterly defeated Qi Fei. Now you know which sword art is truly stronger, don’t you?”

“Brother Ye, is that sword art hard to learn?”

“Not at all. In at most a month, you’ll be able to use it skillfully. Besides, the Heaven-Earth for Ten Thousand Li sword art of Fangcun Immortal Isle is also exquisite; you’ll need to master that as well, because it will surely be of great use in the future.”

Jin Sun nodded slightly. Ye Sansi then asked, “Do you know which is stronger, Hero Liu Zhen or Sword Hero Qi Fei?”

Jin Sun scratched her head. “I don’t know, but I’ve heard their names in the martial world. I never did know which one stood higher.”

If one were to judge by strength alone, Qi Fei had the edge; by reputation, Liu Zhen prevailed among the official authorities, while in the martial world, Qi Fei was the greater name.

Ye Sansi cut her off. “All right, there’s no need to say any more. It’s enough that you understand it in your heart. It’s getting late, so why don’t I first teach you all how to perform the Heaven-Earth for Ten Thousand Li sword art?”

The feelings in Jin Sun’s heart were clear to the other four, yet there was nothing they could do. Jin Sun liked Xiong Gang. Though she never said so openly, Ye Sansi and the others could see it plainly. After Xiong Gang’s accident, the smile vanished from her face, and she spoke much less than before. Perhaps she blamed herself, thinking she had brought harm to Xiong Gang.

Ye Sansi taught them the Heaven-Earth for Ten Thousand Li technique. Jin Sun learned with the greatest earnestness. Half an hour passed, and the other disciples gradually arrived, while Fang Yuan also flew in on his sword to the training ground.

Jin Sun waved her hand and smiled. “Brother Ye, I don’t ask for anything grand. I just want to be able to defeat Uncle Zheng, so I can leave the island and go to the far northern lands to beg a celestial immortal to save Brother Xiong’s life. Uncle Zheng knows the techniques of the Immortal Isle best, so I thought I’d learn what you all are learning and catch him off guard...”

Ye Sansi said sternly, “Little Sun, it has only been one day and you’re already thinking about how to defeat Senior Brother Zheng. How can you truly learn anything if your mind is on such things? Cultivation is a matter of one step at a time. Your thinking truly disappoints me.”

Hearing these words, Jin Sun was deeply moved and understood that she was in the wrong. She lowered her head and said, “Brother Ye, I’ll remember what you said. From now on I’ll think only of diligent cultivation, keep a calm heart, and never again...”

With a thunderous cry, Ye Sansi leaped onto his sword and shot toward the Heaven-and-Earth Training Ground.

Fang Yuan clapped his hands to quiet everyone, cleared his throat, and said, “Today I’ll teach you the Fangcun Immortal Isle sword art, Heaven-Earth for Ten Thousand Li. Originally, this sword technique is foundational, and every disciple of Fangcun should practice it. But those who have been on the island for a long time, or who have senior standing, have long since forgotten the forms. Yet last time, your Uncle Ye displayed Heaven-Earth for Ten Thousand Li in that manner, and it was truly astonishing—more domineering than many of the island’s techniques. So you must all learn this sword art thoroughly; it will surely be of great use.”

“Yes, we obey the master’s orders.”

Seeing Ye Sansi and the others already practicing, Fang Yuan felt greatly gratified. He walked over to them and smiled. “Well? Have you made any progress with the Heaven-Earth for Ten Thousand Li sword art?”

Liu Lingshuang replied with a smile, “This sword art is so exquisite, and unlike Sansi, we lack his understanding. How could we possibly master such profound swordsmanship in so short a time?”

“Oh yes, Junior Brother Ye, the island lord has summoned you. From now on, you’ll remain at the Heaven-and-Earth Training Ground, where the island lord himself will instruct you in the techniques. Junior Sister Liu and Junior Sister Lin will be taught by me. Once you’ve mastered the basics, the elders will personally take over your instruction.”

...

From midair, Ye Sansi saw Fang Jian already standing on the Heaven-and-Earth Training Ground, and he hastily flew down on his sword. Bowing respectfully, he said, “Your disciple Ye Sansi pays respects to Master.”

Fang Jian helped him up and patted his shoulder. “Good disciple. Yesterday’s catastrophe was thanks to you. If not for you risking yourself alone, my immortal island would likely now be nothing but emptiness.”

Ye Sansi scratched his head and smiled. “Master, how can you say such things? A disciple doing things for his sect and his teachers is only proper.”

Fang Jian laughed heartily. “Good, good. Today your master will teach you some profound techniques, and you must watch carefully.”