"Wanli Jing... Emperor on the Throne?"
After hearing what Fang Shuwen and the others had to say, Zuo Qingshuang's expression grew slightly grave:
"It seems this matter isn't over yet.
"I'll report it to the Pavilion Master later. You don't need to worry."
That was what Fang Shuwen wanted to hear. His task was complete, and he had no intention of getting involved in what followed.
As he saw it, he could take his leave and depart from the Pearl Pavilion right then.
But Zuo Qingshuang insisted that he stay, and Fang Shuwen could not refuse, so he had no choice but to agree.
A banquet would be held that evening, but there was still plenty to do.
For instance, there was the battlefield to clean up and everything needed for the feast to prepare... none of which required Fang Shuwen's help.
He was given a place to rest for the time being at the Little Frost-Cold Courtyard on Nine-Congealing Mountain's Qingxiu Peak.
This was where Zuo Qingshuang and her disciples lived, and no man had ever stayed the night there before. Making an exception for Fang Shuwen was something of a first.
Fang Shuwen knew nothing of that. As a guest, he would do as his hosts wished and stay wherever they arranged for him.
Zhou Qingmei had just returned to her sect and still had plenty to do.
After saying a word to Fang Shuwen, she went out to help Zuo Qingshuang with her work.
Only after everyone had left did Fang Shuwen summon the system with a thought.
He hesitated for a moment at the [Claim reward?] screen before choosing to claim it.
"Since it's a reward from the system, I don't suppose it'll take my life. Let's see what happens when I claim [Beiming Shengong] while keeping [Muscle Tendon Change]."
As the thought crossed his mind, Northern Darkness True Qi rose from his dantian.
Sure enough, the two currents of True Qi became entangled inside him.
[Conflict detected between host's internal powers. Beginning automatic fusion!]
Fang Shuwen relaxed as soon as he saw the notification.
"Sure enough, the system won't just let the two internal powers fight it out. It may be a mute system, but it does have after-sales service..."
The fusion went a little faster than Fang Shuwen had imagined.
At the same time, a short internal cultivation formula, different from both [Muscle Tendon Change] and [Beiming Shengong], appeared in Fang Shuwen's mind.
As he circulated the formula, the two martial arts, which had originally had nothing to do with each other, suddenly became linked.
Under the formula's harmonizing influence, the two internal powers that had been fighting without end began to separate as clearly as the Jing and Wei rivers.
With a thought from Fang Shuwen, the internal power of [Muscle Tendon Change] returned to his dantian, leaving only Northern Darkness True Qi circulating through his meridians.
At the same time, another system notification appeared.
[Fusion successful!]
"That did it?"
Fang Shuwen was a little surprised, but he had no time to investigate. He closed his eyes tightly and let the Northern Darkness True Qi circulate through his body.
Only after a full two hours did he return the True Qi to his dantian.
The next moment, with a thought, he transformed all the [Muscle Tendon Change] True Qi slumbering in his dantian into Northern Darkness True Qi.
Then, in the very next instant, all the Northern Darkness True Qi transformed back into [Muscle Tendon Change] internal power.
He slowly opened his eyes, a strange light flickering in them:
"So that's how it works. The fusion of the two internal arts didn't forcibly knead them together. Instead, it used them as a foundation to build a new bridge between them.
"Using this internal cultivation formula derived from the two arts, I can switch between them at will to meet the needs of different situations.
"And the supreme art [Muscle Tendon Change] can purify Northern Darkness True Qi. From now on, if I use [Beiming Shengong] to absorb internal power and then transform it with [Muscle Tendon Change], I can make my internal power even purer, without the slightest worry about future consequences!"
At that thought, Fang Shuwen stood up.
He felt the changes in his body, a faint excitement stirring in his heart.
The [Beiming Shengong] the system had rewarded him with contained all thirty-six diagrams. In other words, he could absorb others' internal power not just with his hands, but with every acupoint on his body.
"Although [Beiming Shengong] is a martial art that lets the strong bully the weak, if my opponent's internal power is greater than mine, the rivers could flow backward.
"But with the internal power I have now, I doubt that will happen.
"In that case, this martial art may be far more useful than I expected."
Fang Shuwen rubbed his chin.
"My [Guard System] doesn't sound all that impressive from its name... but judging by these rewards, it's planning to turn me into a monster."
[Muscle Tendon Change] was already a rarity under heaven.
Now, with [Beiming Shengong] added to it, there was virtually no limit to how much his internal power could grow.
Even Fang Shuwen himself dared not imagine what heights he would reach in the future.
"But I still can't let this make me complacent. The jianghu is vast, experts emerge one after another, and the sea of martial arts is boundless, its far shore all but impossible to see.
"True masters hide their mountains and conceal their waters. I must never underestimate anyone in the jianghu."
Fang Shuwen quickly reminded himself of this, lest possessing two supreme arts make him get carried away and grow arrogant.
Only by being cautious could he travel farther along the road of the jianghu!
He practiced the [Great Black Heaven Divine Palm] once more in his room before Zhou Qingmei came to invite him to the banquet.
The banquet was held in the main hall at the front of the mountain.
The place had already been cleaned, and all the severed limbs had been removed. Apart from the hole Feng Mantian had smashed in it, there was almost no sign of what had happened there earlier.
Zuo Qingshuang did not look happy during the banquet. Only after asking did Fang Shuwen learn why.
That afternoon, she had gone to the Mysterious Mechanism Cave to ask Lou Yuxiao and the others, who had just entered seclusion, to come out and take charge.
She had assumed that when Lou Yuxiao heard of Li Nanchen's betrayal and the Black Sha Cult's attempt to seize the magpie's nest, he would come out at once.
Instead, he remained unmoved.
Only after hearing the six words the hooded man had spoken before his death did he respond, saying that he would remain in seclusion.
Of course, the Pearl Pavilion's Pavilion Master also expressed his gratitude to Fang Shuwen for saving the Pearl Pavilion at a critical moment.
He presented Fang Shuwen with a Pearl Pavilion Token and invited him to choose any gift he wished from the Pearl Pavilion's treasure repository.
The Pearl Pavilion Token was an item of great importance within the Pearl Pavilion, and its bearer could use it to command the Pavilion's disciples.
Though its bearer's status could not be compared with the Pavilion Master's, the token carried considerable authority.
Any one of the rare and wondrous treasures in the repository was worth a fortune.
Fang Shuwen accepted the Pearl Pavilion Token without hesitation and said that he would visit the treasure repository first thing the next morning to choose a gift.
Zuo Qingshuang was immediately delighted. The more she looked at Fang Shuwen, the more pleasing she found him.
Xu Chongshan was happy too, but he was not good at expressing himself, so he kept proposing toasts to Fang Shuwen.
They ate and drank at the lively feast, and in the end, host and guests alike parted in high spirits.
Early the next morning, Zuo Qingshuang personally led Fang Shuwen to the treasure repository.