Damn It All

"Whew... is it noon already?"

Liang Qu got dressed and pushed open the door. The daylight made him squint slightly. Looking up, he found that the sun was directly overhead, faintly beginning to tilt westward.

The mountaintop remained empty, without a soul in sight. Perhaps those who had gone down the mountain last night had extended their reservation of the mountain. The epiphyllums that had yet to bloom were curled into buds, swaying gently. In the distance, mountain springs occasionally cascaded down, forming tiered waterfalls of varying heights, a sight with its own unique charm.

Sigh...

How indolent!

The two of them had stayed together too late yesterday and had been reluctant to part ways and go home. So they had simply tidied up the private little courtyard atop Mount Tai Cang, found a bed with clean bedding, and made do for the night.

Yet he had not expected to sleep straight through until noon.

This was the decadent life only a landlord's family could enjoy. At this rate, how was he supposed to fight his way into the Dragon Palace and liberate Jianghuai? Work hard! Work hard! Liang Qu was ablaze with fervor.

First, in the name of liberating all Jianghuai, he worked through a set of Ape Fist to loosen his muscles, bones, and blood. Then, balancing work and rest, he rode the clouds and mist in a circuit through the mountain ravines, thoroughly shaking off the laziness clinging to him.

When he returned—

Long E Ying held an iron shovel as she wandered through the flowerbed. Having selected a spot, she stepped her clean silver-thread embroidered shoes onto the shovel's edge. Four thrusts—front, back, left, and right—and she dug out an entire white epiphyllum, roots and soil included.

The shovel head was exceptionally sharp and narrow, with