King Yue's Divine Arrow

Helan Yue'er followed at his side step for step, while behind him stood two elders with terrifying auras and unfathomable martial arts. Feeling the three gazes that periodically fell upon him, Duàn Yì was especially ill at ease.

After leaving the arena, Zhào Yù had matters to attend to, and Leng Qingmei had also departed. Thus, Duàn Yì could only wander around the mountain with Helan Yue'er, Granny An, and Eunuch Qiu.

In the course of their conversation, he learned quite a bit of information.

The Helan Family was located in Mengzhou, Hebei Province. They had originally been Xianbei tribesmen of the grasslands. Later, the Xianbei were defeated amid the slaughter and annexation of the grassland tribes, and the Helan ancestors led seven thousand hardy men, together with their tribe's cattle, sheep, and horses, to Great Xia to make a living.

Great Xia was the foremost nation upon the land of Shenzhou, mighty in national strength and looking down upon the four directions. It did not reject foreign generals, so the imperial court specially conferred upon the Helan Family head the title of Resolute Cavalry Commandant, granting him real authority and command over his clansmen's troops. It also entrusted one of Mengzhou's Sunset Horse Farms to the Helan Family's management.

After several generations of this, the Helan Family devoted themselves wholeheartedly to training troops, raising horses, and strengthening Great Xia. At last, they gained a firm foothold and thoroughly integrated into the local region.

The Helan Family also possessed no small reputation in the martial world. This was entirely because, back on the grasslands, the Helan Family had been Xianbei nobility and had passed down the Dragon Hidden Great Heart Sutra generation after generation. Its power was peerless, and after arriving in the Central Plains martial world, it shone all the more brilliantly and won widespread praise.

That was not all. The Helan ancestors had been remarkably farsighted. After putting down roots, the first thing they did was arrange marriages between eligible men and women of their clan and Great Xia's people. Their partners were either of clean backgrounds and exceptional potential, or from great aristocratic families with formidable strength.

Second, they befriended experts from every path, aided those in distress, and won people's hearts.

With this, the Helan Family blossomed in both court and martial world, thoroughly becoming the overlord of the region. Successive generations of Helan descendants either joined the army or made their way through the martial world, and the family grew ever more prosperous.

Helan Yue'er was the daughter of the current Helan Family head. She had two elder brothers above her and three younger brothers below her, with only herself as a girl. Thus, she was dearly cherished, the pearl in the Helan Family's palm.

As for Eunuch Qiu and Granny An, they had received the Helan Family's help in their early years and shared close ties with them. After retiring from the world, they had sheltered under the Helan Family and become something like Attendants.

It could be said that the Helan Family's influence and overall strength far surpassed that of the Golden Cauldron Sect.

"No wonder everyone on the mountain is so afraid of you. Even if you weren't related to the sect leader, I imagine no one would dare defy your wishes."

Duàn Yì could not help sighing at how vast the gap between people truly was. Helan Yue'er had been born above others, a distance ordinary people might struggle their entire lives and still fail to cross.

At the same time, he understood why that brat Ruan Dong was so infatuated with Helan Yue'er. He probably did not merely want to take a beauty into his arms; he also wanted to board the Helan Family's great ship and save himself thirty years of struggle. Only human nature.

"That's not true at all. They're not afraid of me—they respect me.

"Unlike you. You dared to tease me the very first time we met. If it weren't for your rather good performance afterward, I would definitely have captured you and tickled you."

Helan Yue'er was quite unconvinced by Duàn Yì's words. What did he mean, afraid? They were clearly trying to please her. She was even a little angry, because Duàn Yì seemed to regard her as some willful, unreasonable little miss.

"Enough, here is fine.

"Duàn Yì, I told you earlier: as long as you taught Ruan Dong a lesson, I would pass down a movement art to you. There is no one else here, and the terrain is open. This is the perfect time to settle the matter."

Granny An had spoken little along the way. Seeing Little Yue'er reveal even her own family's background after Duàn Yì coaxed her with just a few words, while he himself had revealed nothing, she secretly shook her head.

If the two truly married in the future, Yuè'er would likely be played in the palm of that rascal's hand. Still, the gap between their statuses was too great. It probably would not go so smoothly.

"Granny An, when did you say you would teach him a movement art? Isn't that letting him off too easily?"

The moment Helan Yue'er asked, Granny An shot her a look. She stuck out her tongue and said no more, instead watching Duàn Yì expectantly, as if she had thought of something amusing.

"Then this junior thanks Granny An. May I ask what movement art you mean?"

The moment he heard there was martial arts to learn, Duàn Yì immediately grew excited. Like a wolf spotting meat, he wished he could bite down on it at once.

Perhaps these past few days of martial arts practice had made him a little mentally twisted. Originally, Duàn Yì had regarded martial arts as a means of obtaining great power, a necessary guarantee for a good life in the future—much like studying cultural knowledge in his previous life to earn qualifications.

Yet recently, he had developed a different understanding. He could always find pleasure amid the dry monotony. The more he practiced, the more energized he became; the more he learned, the more interested he grew. He had even become immersed in it, which greatly surprised him.

"In martial-world battles, one inevitably faces dangerous situations. Thus, movement arts for sudden bursts, sprints, and rapid short-distance dashes to save one's life are indispensable.

"When I was young, I learned a movement art called King Yue's Divine Arrow. It belongs to this category. Watch carefully."

Granny An raised the snake staff in her hand. After speaking to Duàn Yì, her entire body shot out with a whoosh like an arrow loosed from the string. Only after crossing three zhang did she land. Her toes lightly touched the green grass, turning and borrowing force, her speed increasing again. In the blink of an eye, only her retreating figure remained before Duàn Yì.

Moreover, when Granny An first leaped forward, nothing changed around Duàn Yì. Only two breaths later did a clear breeze rise, setting the green grass on the ground swaying from side to side. This showed just how swift and explosive she was.

"King Yue's Divine Arrow... The name is rather strange, but also somewhat familiar. Ah, I've got it—it is the Iron Sword Sect's movement art."

Seeing the remarkable effect of this movement art, Duàn Yì was already delighted. After all, good movement skills meant confidence whether pursuing someone or fleeing for his life.

Then the four words King Yue's Divine Arrow troubled him. After searching his memory briefly, he recalled exactly which martial art it was.

The Iron Sword Sect of the Jin lineage was recorded in both The Sword Stained with Royal Blood and the later The Deer and the Cauldron. Because it existed in an era when martial arts were declining, it was not particularly famous.

Yet Duàn Yì remembered it mainly because a sect named after iron swords actually placed greater importance on movement arts.

Hundred Changes Divine Movement, King Yue's Divine Arrow, and Climbing Clouds Riding Dragon were all movement arts of the Iron Sword Sect. They also had a hidden-weapon martial art. As for swordplay, there were no clear records, which had made Duàn Yì curious for quite some time. He had even searched through materials for answers, so the memory was especially deep.

Among them, Hundred Changes Divine Movement was widely known because of Wei Xiaobao. This art had repeatedly allowed a crafty brat to turn danger into safety, and it deserved to be called first-rate.

Compared to it, Climbing Clouds Riding Dragon and King Yue's Divine Arrow were far less impressive. Probably only a handful of people had even heard of them, let alone remembered them.

But to be fair, though King Yue's Divine Arrow lacked the myriad transformations of Hundred Changes Divine Movement, it emphasized one word: speed. Its movement was like an arrow loosed from the string—once gone, never returning. That was the essence of this art, and it could still be considered a rather good movement skill.

Just as he had seen earlier, Granny An moved like an arrow, coming straight and going straight, vanishing in a flash. It truly suited Duàn Yì's temperament and paired extremely well with Songshan Swordplay.

"Among movement arts, the foundation in one's legs is paramount.

"Your swordplay is indeed not bad, and your foundation in sword techniques is exceptionally solid. But your stance is unsteady, which is a tremendous flaw and makes you easy to target.

"King Yue's Divine Arrow is not difficult to learn, but if you wish to make up for the deficiency in your leg foundation, you must practice diligently and steadily. Only then can you kill two birds with one stone."

Eunuch Qiu offered guidance from the side. Back on the arena, he had already seen that Duàn Yì's footwork was ordinary, designed solely to complement his swordplay. His lower body was weak and floating; once someone seized this flaw, he could easily fall into danger.

Duàn Yì nodded repeatedly. This was advice born of experience. It could only benefit him, never harm him.

As they spoke, Granny An had already stepped over the grass and arrived in an instant. Coming to Duàn Yì's side, she rubbed Yuè'er's little head, her face full of affection. She was only breathing slightly harder, showing that her internal power was indeed incomparably profound.

"Granny An, I know this King Yue's Divine Arrow too. Why not let me teach him?

"Duàn Yì, what do you think? I am a rare and excellent teacher. If I teach you, I will definitely have you learn it very quickly."

Like a cat, Helan Yue'er comfortably rubbed against Granny An's palm. Then a sly look appeared in her eyes as she spoke to Granny An and Duàn Yì.

Since reuniting with Duàn Yì, the girl had shed the rude and willful manner she had displayed when they first met. She truly was changeable.

Duàn Yì did not object to such a beautiful young girl, but he still had some reservations. Then he heard Granny An agree.

"Very well. Let her teach you. Once you have mastered it, the two of you can spar and compare notes with each other, which will certainly deepen your understanding. It is settled, then."

Well, even Granny An, whom he had thought would object, had said so. Naturally, Duàn Yì nodded.

In any case, so long as the Tower of Hidden Martial Arts recorded this King Yue's Divine Arrow, he could rely on his supreme comprehension to quickly get started. If there was anything he did not understand, he could simply ask Granny An or Bái Xī Wén.

Yuè'er was merely a classmate handing out textbooks. She would not affect his grand plan of practicing martial arts.