A Fortuitous Encounter (continued)

"Yin and Yang blend together, hardness and softness transform, the Five Elements Unite as One, and emptiness returns to its true nature!"

Si Ming's movements bore the shadow of Liang Zhenhuan's five boxing styles, yet they were completely different from each one. It was as if he had taken the essence and discarded the dross, integrating the advantages of the five styles into one, combining strength and gentleness, endless vitality, and immense power. Liang Zhenhuan watched with rapt attention.

Although it was only one move, it had five variations. After finishing, Si Ming coughed twice, looking weak again, and said, "That's enough for today."

Liang Zhenhuan opened his mouth, but swallowed back the words he wanted the other party to repeat. He had no right to make such a request, both morally and logically. He could only bow sadly and say, "Please take care, young master."

Si Ming refused the other party's help and slowly walked back to the carriage, relaying the information he had heard that evening to Si Jingyue.

"It seems that the Origin Return Sect is too low-level and not qualified to know anything about the Monster Race. If we want to truly understand the specific information, we still have to find the Three Great Holy Lands."

"So, is our next step to make contact with the Three Great Holy Lands?"

"If you weren't injured, you could give it a try. But right now, what if this so-called holy land is also colluding with the Monster Race? Wouldn't we be walking into a trap?"

As the leader of an Aristocratic Clan, Si Jingyu was used to such ruthless methods that involved both the legitimate and illegitimate parties. At first glance, there seemed to be a distinction between good and evil, but in reality, they were all subordinate to a certain Lineage, who would then take advantage of both the defendant and the plaintiff.

"If the strongest fighters of the so-called Three Great Holy Lands are only Spirit Transformation Grandmaster, how did they manage to withstand a powerful enemy like the Purple-Pupiled Spirit King at the Void Returning Realm level? Could there be some shady dealings involved? In short, before you recover from your injuries, I don't think it's a good idea to risk contacting the Three Great Holy Lands. Origin Return Sect isn't qualified to know about the Monster Race's intelligence, and conversely, the Monster Race won't even notice a nobody like Origin Return Sect. It's perfect for us to keep a low profile."

Si Jingyu's analysis was so clear that Si Ming could only agree. He had personally destroyed the other party's opportunity to invade Sea Continent. The Crimson Shadow King had been hiding so deeply, and his invasion plan had been in preparation for at least ten years, but it was ruined by his accidental actions. No matter how you look at it, the other party would not let his group off easily. Before he had the ability to fight back, it was best to keep a low profile.

Si Ming asked, "What are our strategic goals for the future?"

Si Jingyu said, "First, heal your injuries as soon as possible; second, find a way back to the Sea Continent; third, gather information about the Monster Race; fourth, strengthen our forces as much as possible."

Si Ming nodded. "The first two points go without saying. I also have some thoughts on the fourth point. Hongdou inherited a special Cultivation Method from her mother, and I happen to have relevant experience. I plan to help her master this Cultivation Method as soon as possible. In addition, I recommend that Si Shuiyun practice the 'Void Shadow Killing Technique.' Most of your Si Clan's martial arts are biased towards health preservation and defense, while the 'Void Shadow Killing Technique' is a pure killing technique, which can make up for her weakness."

"I'll talk to her about it; she's been really keen on becoming stronger lately."

As for you...

"Sigh, I've worked diligently and cautiously for over a decade to avenge my grandmother. Now I just want to relax, stay behind the scenes, and be a quiet, law-abiding wife."

Si Jingyu said lazily, striking that "I'm useless today too" pose.

Si Ming was speechless and gave up after thinking about it. The other party could serve as a strategist and help come up with ideas, which was already the greatest contribution they could make.

To be honest, having a wise person by your side is really convenient. Plans and goals are very clear, and you know what to do next, unlike before when you were just taking things one step at a time, guessing and relying on your quick wit.

Yu Shuying actually has the same potential, but unfortunately, due to her aloof personality, her role in the team is minimal. She is a capable loner, but not a good strategist.

Si Jingyu said, "There are essentially two paths to intelligence gathering: the martial arts world and the imperial court. Given our resources, the martial arts world is undoubtedly the easier path. Moreover, the imperial court here doesn't seem to have much prestige, so it might not be able to access the highest secrets. Therefore, we might as well use the identity of a sect and slowly inquire upwards. Although this method is inefficient, it is safe, and we have plenty of time anyway."

Si Ming countered, "Aren't you worried about the Lineage's problems? Without you as the young patriarch, the Si Clan is likely to run into trouble, isn't it?"

"It's alright, we still have Huaruo, right? She's capable and prestigious; what she lacks is experience in handling Lineage affairs, but with her mother's assistance, there won't be any major problems. When we get back, we can congratulate her on succeeding as the head of the family, haha."

Si Jingyu revealed a smug smile and said, "Let me tell you a secret: my ancestor isn't actually dead. She faked her death and is hiding in the shadows. If things really get out of hand, she'll come out and clean up the mess."

"You managed to scheme against all of this; you're truly meticulous." Si Ming shook his head and sighed, silently mourning for Si Huaruo for ten seconds before asking, "What do you mean by 'borrowing' a sect's identity? Are you joining a small sect, or creating your own?"

"Neither. Joining a sect inevitably leads to being controlled by others, while building your own sect is time-consuming and laborious. Unless you plan to establish a foundation here in the future, my plan is to form a loose force, similar to a 'martial arts alliance leader' or a 'mysterious organization,' so that you can withdraw at any time."

Si Jingyu then explained her plan.

Si Ming had no objection. "Let's do it this way. Our first target can be Origin Return Sect. After all, it's fate that we've run into each other. It'll also save someone some effort; coming up with a whole new set of names is quite a headache."

Si Jingyu waved her feather fan and said meaningfully, "That depends on whether they have the vision and the courage. Some people, even if you throw a peerless secret manual in front of them, will not dare to pick it up for fear of being caught with a treasure."

"Forced relationships are never sweet; everything depends on voluntariness."

Si Ming suddenly looked regretful and sighed, "Alas, I should have known better than to use the pseudonym 'Sima Liang.' 'Master Sima' doesn't sound quite right; 'Master of the East' is much more imposing."

Although compound surnames generally give people a sense of prestige, there are also different levels of prestige among them. For example, Zhuge Shenhou, Nangong Chengzhu, and Dugu Qianbei are very prestigious, while Sima and Situ are a bit less prestigious. Among them, the most powerful is undoubtedly "Xuanyuan". Just hearing it gives people a sense of domineering power and ancient heritage.

"Hey, why don't we just tell them the truth and that 'Sima Liang' is a fake identity I created to avoid my enemies, and that my real name is 'Xuanyuan Tiezhu'? That way they'll call me 'Young Master Xuanyuan,' which sounds much more sophisticated."

"Now I understand why your work can't win literary awards."

After confirming that his daughter's body truly contained an extra wisp of True Qi, and that it wasn't a hernia, Zhao Donglai was utterly astonished. Was the Internal Cultivation Mnemonic given to him taken from a supreme manual, or was his daughter actually a hidden genius?

He pondered the matter but could not find a definitive answer. He could only instruct his daughter that she must not spread the word under any circumstances. She should pretend that she had not yet developed her Qi perception and wait at least a month before announcing it. After all, the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind. Once the news got out, it would not be a good thing, whether others were eyeing his daughter or the "Wind Spirit Art" she was cultivating.

Although Zhao Xiaohui really wanted to show off to others, her father's stern tone left her with no choice but to reluctantly agree.

Zhao Donglai thought the matter was over, but unexpectedly, right after breakfast, his favorite disciple Liang Zhenhuan approached him and whispered that he had something important to show him, but they had to do it discreetly.

Zhao Donglai knew that although this disciple was young, he was very steady in his actions, even more so than his two adopted sons. After agreeing, he followed him to a small grove of trees beside the official road.

"Master, I hope you can take a look at this Five Elements Lost Track Fist move."

After saying that, Liang Zhenhuan unleashed the move "Five Elements Unite as One, Illusion Returns to Reality".

It must be admitted that his talent is indeed extraordinary. After watching it only once, he was able to perform the move quite well. Although he lacked the divine intent, there were no major errors in his posture.

After Zhao Donglai, he asked nervously, "Where did you learn that move?"

Liang Zhenhuan briefly recounted what happened last night, but did not mention what questions Si Ming had asked, because he knew very well that his master would not and dared not ask further.

"Master, is this really a move from our Five Elements Lost Track Fist?"

Zhao Donglai hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded and said, "Although there are slight differences in the details, this move is indeed the killing move of the Five Elements Lost Track Fist. I once saw my grandfather use this move, but unfortunately, when the 'Origin Return Secret Manual' was torn apart during the calamity of that year, the boxing manual recording this move was also lost. After my grandfather passed away, no one knew this move anymore."

Liang Zhenhuan speculated, "Could it be that that young master possesses the torn half of the 'Origin Return Secret Manual'?"

Recalling what had happened to his daughter, Zhao Donglai smiled wryly and said, "If he really had the other half of the 'Origin Return Secret Manual,' he probably would have given it directly to Xiaomin instead of Higher Vehicle on another Internal Cultivation, because she wouldn't even look down on the 'Origin Return Secret Manual.'"