A Beautiful Smile

"Although I disregard propriety, I do keep my promises," Song Qingshu said, seeing his disbelief. "I can swear a poisonous oath, but you must swear one too. If you ever harm another woman again..."

Yun Zhonghe, finding himself at Song Qingshu's mercy, had no other recourse and nodded in agreement. After Song Qingshu swore his oath, Yun Zhonghe also swore: "If I continue to harm virtuous women, may lightning strike me dead." He inwardly sneered, Lightning strike me dead? Does such a death even exist in this world?

Song Qingshu noticed the loophole in his oath but didn't care. He knew that in all of Jin Yong's wuxia novels, there was a golden rule: those who broke their oaths would ultimately face retribution. Since Yun Zhonghe had sworn to be struck by lightning, his future misdeeds would likely not escape the wrath of the Thunder God...

After they both made their oaths, Yun Zhonghe hesitated for a moment before reciting the incantation for Treading Sand Without Trace: "...Those who scatter their force are agents of the divine. When using it, one must move through the gaps..."

Song Qingshu's eyes grew brighter as he listened. When Yun Zhonghe uttered the final word, Song Qingshu felt his body become significantly lighter. He spotted a cliff face dozens of feet away across the chasm, a thought flashed through his mind, and he pushed off the ground. His body shot out like a sharp sword. In the blink of an eye, Song Qingshu reached the opposite cliff. He flipped, lightly touched the wall with his toes, and then returned as swiftly as lightning.

"Are you human or ghost!" Yun Zhonghe exclaimed in terror, staring at Song Qingshu. He couldn't fathom how Song Qingshu had learned Treading Sand Without Trace so quickly, and that his Qinggong had already surpassed his own.

"Alright, I'm in a good mood today, so I'll spare your life." Song Qingshu, overjoyed, released Yun Zhonghe's pressure points and waved him away. "You can go. I'll give you a piece of advice: there are gods three feet above your head. Remember your oath."

Yun Zhonghe picked up the Rusted Silver Crane Claws from the ground and looked at Song Qingshu with a complex expression. "Your talent is truly extraordinary. Given time, you will undoubtedly be the foremost master of Qinggong in the world." With that, he descended the mountain with a look of dejection.

Song Qingshu hadn't expected to be so gifted in Qinggong. This 'Treading Sand Without Trace' felt incredibly compatible with him. With time, he was sure he could master it.

He mused that while he had no talent for other martial arts, he was most compatible with Qinggong and the Soul Shifting Great Method. Song Qingshu's expression turned peculiar. Could I be naturally suited to being a lecher?

With a soft groan, Mu Wanqing, who had been lying nearby, slowly regained consciousness. Song Qingshu's expression immediately shifted back to that of a simpleton. He squatted beside her, grinning foolishly as he stared at her.

As soon as Mu Wanqing woke up, she remembered Yun Zhonghe acupuncturing her before she lost consciousness. Her heart sank. If her chastity were compromised, she vowed to die to repay Duan Yu.

She opened her eyes and saw Song Qingshu's smiling face up close, startling her into a scream. Song Qingshu seemed equally startled, recoiling three feet away.

Mu Wanqing finally came to her senses. Seeing the familiar clothes on him, she asked uncertainly, "Are you that 'Gou Dan' from earlier?"

"Yes, yes! Pretty older sister, you remember me?" Song Qingshu became animated, leaning closer again.

"Ah! Don't come any closer!" Mu Wanqing shrieked. She suddenly remembered Yun Zhonghe and furtively checked her body. Her clothes were intact, and it seemed nothing untoward had happened. She asked curiously, "Where's that lanky guy from before?" Assuming Song Qingshu was a simple villager who wouldn't know Yun Zhonghe, she described his appearance.

"Oh, the one you're talking about? I chased him away," Song Qingshu replied with a simple, honest smile.

"You?" Mu Wanqing eyed him suspiciously. With his disheveled hair and foolish expression, she found it hard to believe.

"You don't believe me?" Song Qingshu seemed to read her mind. He raised his fist. "I'm very strong. I grew up in the mountains and often fought bears and gorillas. I can punch a water buffalo with one blow." He lifted his chin, acting like a boastful child.

"You're bragging!" Mu Wanqing scoffed, turning her head away.

"Then I'll show you," Song Qingshu said, his face flushing with indignation. He eagerly rolled up his sleeves and punched a nearby tree.

With a crack, to Mu Wanqing's disbelief, a tree as thick as two people embracing was broken in half. She stared at the seemingly foolish boy before her in utter astonishment.

Song Qingshu inwardly sighed. That punch was the Great Demon Subduing Fist from the Nine Yin Manual, extremely potent and yang. However, he recalled Zhang Wuji's Seven Injuries Fist on Guangming Peak, which could pulverize a tree of the same thickness into powder, while he could only break this one in half. The difference was stark.

Composing himself, Song Qingshu turned back to Mu Wanqing with a smile. "Well? Am I amazing?"

After her initial shock, Mu Wanqing noticed that he had removed his mask. Though his face was smudged with dirt, she could still discern a hint of handsomeness. She asked in a soft voice, "Why did you take off your mask?"

"Didn't my mother say I should marry any girl who takes off my mask?" Song Qingshu paused deliberately, his smile unnerving Mu Wanqing. "But then I remembered Mother saying that girls are shy, and they have... they have res... Ah, what's that word? It's so awkward..." Song Qingshu feigned deep thought.

"Reserved!" Mu Wanqing said impatiently from the ground.

Song Qingshu's eyes lit up. "Right! That's the word my mother used! I thought, 'Sister is so beautiful, she must be a very reserved woman. Even if she likes me, she'd be too shy to take off my mask herself.' As a man, I'll do this small thing for you."

"Nonsense!" Mu Wanqing trembled with anger. "Who likes you?"

"Don't I?" Song Qingshu feigned confusion. "That's how it always happens in plays. A beautiful maiden is taken hostage by a villain in the wilderness, and then a young hero—that's me!—appears, defeats the villain, and rescues the maiden. Doesn't the maiden then pledge herself to the hero?"

"Who says a maiden has to pledge herself after being rescued!" Mu Wanqing was both embarrassed and furious. Having spent years alone with her master, she had met few young men besides Duan Yu. Song Qingshu's words had thrown her into disarray, and she didn't know how to retort. "Besides, besides, what kind of young hero are you!"

"Waaah," Song Qingshu wailed, rolling on the ground. "Mom was right. You must think I'm ugly, not as handsome as those young heroes in the plays."

Mu Wanqing looked over. Seeing Song Qingshu crying so heartbrokenly, she felt a pang of sympathy and tried to comfort him. "It's not like that."

Hearing her words, Song Qingshu shot up from the ground. "Then will you be my wife?"

Mu Wanqing nearly choked. However, realizing that dusk was approaching and they were alone in the desolate wilderness, with her unable to move due to the acupoint sealing, she feared he might have malicious intentions. She smiled sweetly and said gently, "Gou Dan, will you please release my acupoints first, and then we can discuss this?"

Mu Wanqing's expression had been cold since the beginning. Her sudden smile was like the melting of ice and snow, or the blooming of a hundred flowers. Song Qingshu felt as if a heavy hammer had struck his chest. He inwardly regretted, I just wanted to tease her. If I get trapped myself, it won't be worth the trouble.