Dragon Guard Yamen, Yu Unit (Camp), Divine Division Main Hall.
Wearing a black brocade martial uniform embroidered with red patterns, Yang Yuncong took the initiative to hand Qin Shuang a cup of fine green tea. "Why did you kill everyone from the Yellow River Gang? Couldn't you have brought a few back for interrogation and asked who was pulling the strings?"
"Do we really need to interrogate them? It was obviously the Imperial Guards' retaliation for what happened in Taizhou. I just didn't expect it to come so quickly!" Qin Shuang took a shallow sip of tea and slowly continued, "Besides, didn't you suspend me this time because you wanted to keep the peace? Why would I dig any deeper into this matter?"
"Oh, so that's what you mean?" Yang Yuncong gestured with interest for Qin Shuang to continue.
"Besides, portraying myself as impulsive, reckless, and bloodthirsty lowers my opponents' guard against me. For me, it brings nothing but benefits. Why wouldn't I do it?"
"Good lad. I never expected you to think things through so deeply!" Yang Yuncong sighed sincerely.
"What can I do? I'm just too outstanding. A tree that stands out in the forest is bound to be battered by the wind. I'm my mother's only son, so to keep her from grieving, I have to protect myself!" Qin Shuang couldn't say more than a few serious words before he started grinning mischievously again.
"Praise you a few times and your tail shoots straight up to the heavens!" Yang Yuncong was amused despite himself.
"Haha, I wouldn't dare. Oh, right, Uncle Yang, did you summon me this time because yesterday's haul was so generous that you wanted to reward me?"
"As for the money and goods, didn't you keep your own share?" At the mention of this, Yang Yuncong's mood brightened considerably. Between Peerless City and the Yellow River Gang, the private proceeds Qin Shuang had handed over to him were enough to match several years of his own income.
"I split it all with my brothers. Who's like you, keeping an entire share for yourself?"
"Ahem, ahem, ahem..." Yang Yuncong coughed awkwardly several times. "Watch your wording. What kind of thing is that to say?"
To cover up his embarrassment, Yang Yuncong deliberately took a few sips of tea before finally getting to the point. "Your martial arts have improved tremendously lately!"
"Not bad. I was lucky yesterday and entered the Innate Realm." Qin Shuang became modest.
"I'm talking about the Body-Shattering Formless Sword Qi!"
"I practiced that technique for a long time before, but I could never find the knack for it. After advancing to the Innate Realm, I suddenly grasped it!" As he spoke, Qin Shuang widened his eyes and looked at Yang Yuncong. "Uncle Yang, you know this technique?"
"Of course I do!" Yang Yuncong lifted his eyes toward the window, his face filled with memories. "How could anyone forget such a world-shaking sword technique?"
"Who did you see using it back then?" Qin Shuang pressed.
"Didn't the person who taught you this technique tell you his name?" Yang Yuncong was extremely surprised by Qin Shuang's question.
"Not only did he refuse to tell me his name, he even covered his face with black cloth. To this day, I still don't know who he is!" Qin Shuang spoke with a trace of regret.
"Since he went to such lengths, he probably doesn't intend to show himself for the time being. In that case, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to reveal his name either. When he's willing to tell you, you'll naturally find out." Yang Yuncong considered it for a moment, still refusing to reveal the slightest bit of information, and gave Qin Shuang an explanation.
"All right, I understand!"
"I was always searching for a martial art suited to you. I never expected that Old Man of Three Absolutes had already been teaching you in secret." Yang Yuncong reminded Qin Shuang, "However, he had quite a few enemies back then. If you reveal this martial art and someone with ulterior motives spreads word of it, once they learn of your relationship, they may not dare cause trouble for Old Man of Three Absolutes—but they might harm you instead. You must be more careful from now on!"
"I know! But those who only dare to play tricks behind people's backs can't be that powerful. They'd better not provoke me, or I'll make sure they never return!" Qin Shuang said confidently.
"I can't tell whether that confidence of yours is a good thing or a bad one. Do you think there's anything else you need to improve in your martial arts?"
"Martial arts?" Qin Shuang frowned slightly as he sorted through the techniques he knew. His internal arts included Heavenly Frost Qi and Innate Formless Divine Art. His techniques included Dream Slaying Saber Technique, Heavenly Frost Fist, and Innate Formless Finger Sword, along with the newly comprehended Body-Shattering Formless Sword Qi. He had dabbled in fists, kicks, and weapons, and had no particularly glaring weaknesses. If he had to improve further in one area, it would be speed.
After thinking it over, Qin Shuang said, "I use Dream Slaying Saber Technique with weapons, Heavenly Frost Fist with my bare hands, Innate Formless Finger Sword in close combat, and Body-Shattering Formless Sword Qi for long-range attacks. By comparison, my lightness technique and movement skills are ordinary. The footwork accompanying Heavenly Frost Fist is suited to dodging and shifting within a small area, but it can't increase my absolute speed. So I need to learn a top-tier movement technique."
Listening to Qin Shuang's analysis, Yang Yuncong rather agreed with him. "Do you have a target in mind? I can help you think of a way."
"Although Innate Formless Divine Art can adapt to any martial art, what I most want to learn is Wind God's Leg, which belongs to the same lineage as Heavenly Frost Fist!"
"Old Man of Three Absolutes' Wind God's Leg?"
"Yes, precisely my master's Wind God's Leg." Qin Shuang gave a sly grin. "My master is famous throughout the martial world for his three ultimate techniques: Heavenly Frost Fist, Cloud-Dispelling Palm, and Wind God's Leg. He accepted three direct disciples in succession, teaching each of us a different martial art. I stayed by my master's side for nine years. Although I learned Heavenly Frost Fist, he never kept me from watching when he taught my junior brothers. After hearing and observing him over time, I had already learned most of the techniques of Cloud-Dispelling Palm and Wind God's Leg. I just didn't dare secretly learn the corresponding cultivation methods without my master's permission. So if you ask me to choose, Wind God's Leg would definitely be the martial art I could master fastest—and it would improve me tremendously."
Yang Yuncong nodded repeatedly. "That will be easy to arrange. Old Man of Three Absolutes has always been on good terms with the imperial court, and his relationship with the Dragon Guard is even closer. That was precisely why your mother had you become his disciple back then. I'll write him a letter explaining the situation. I believe he'll agree to teach you Wind God's Leg."
"That would be wonderful. I'll prepare some gifts and send them over with your letter. I haven't gone back to visit him in over two years since leaving his tutelage. I wonder how his health is? And how are my two junior brothers doing with their martial arts? Have they been making Master angry?" Qin Shuang spoke from the heart.
"All right. I'll have the messenger wait for you." Yang Yuncong looked at Qin Shuang with undisguised admiration.
Lanzhu was only a year older than Qin Shuang. When she returned to Chaoge City for the New Year, he would find an opportunity to bring the two of them together. If they took a liking to each other, it would be a fine match indeed!
As he watched Qin Shuang's departing figure, Yang Yuncong's thoughts turned to his daughter, Yi Lanzhu, who was far away in Qing Province, serving under Ling Weifeng.
Yi Lanzhu's original name was Yang Baozhu. After Yang Yuncong and his wife, Nalan Minghui, separated for some reason, she changed her name in anger. Her father's surname was Yang, written with the characters for "wood" and "easy"; she took half of it, "Yi," for her new surname. Her mother's compound surname was Nalan, so she took half of it, "Lan." As for her original name, Baozhu, she took half of "zhu."
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