The Princess's Secret Scheme, Body-Unity, Extraordinary Talent, and the Power of a Gold Steward!

The crowd gathered along the lake shore, their strength overwhelming. Lei Chong's cunning scheme not only failed to harm Li Xian in the slightest, but also fueled the fire. The people heard that Li Xian, the righteous Gold-Seeking Guard, had chosen to destroy his boat and perish with the thugs rather than let them disturb the peace. Such a righteous act was truly rare. In an instant, the people's voices were filled with praise.

This will surely become a popular topic of conversation in the neighborhood, and Li Xian's name is only just beginning to emerge.

Xu Shaoqian was a high-ranking Central Lang General in the Gold-Seeking Guard, and he was quite pleased to hear the people's praise. He thought that this matter could become a topic of conversation, and he could mention it to Tao Xiangrong.

If he weren't so wise and insightful, how could his subordinates be so capable? Only with such a leader can there be such a subordinate.

Li Xian and Zhang Qiusheng thanked him respectively. Knowing that the environment on Evil-Quelling Island was dangerous, Li Xian entrusted Binds the Wind to the stables of a nearby restaurant, instructing the servant to take good care of him and feed him Red-Stalk Grass every day.

With everything settled, he paid seven taels of silver, took back Binds the Wind, and headed towards Jujube-Pasture Residence with a relaxed and carefree attitude.

Meanwhile, on the other side...

Although Zhang Qiusheng received the reward, his heart was chilled, and he had a vague sense of foreboding. He dared not look at Li Xian, much less Lei Chong. He felt like he had thorns in his side. After today's events, he realized he was no match for Li Xian. This man seemed kind, but he was highly skilled and ruthless. Wang Jue and Hong Dexin must have died tragically at his hands. Lei Chong's plan had failed, and he was filled with rage, inevitably seeking revenge against him. Caught between the two, and with his humble origins and lack of support, the slightest disturbance could cost him his life. He was already unsafe in Gold-Seeking Guard, and even Jade City treated him with great danger. He was now seriously considering resigning.

Taking advantage of the situation, Zhang Qiusheng feigned illness and requested a two-week leave to return to his ancestral home for medical treatment. Xu Shaoqian readily agreed. Upon returning, Zhang Qiusheng immediately packed his bags, intending to abandon everything in Jade City and find another place to live.

He was plagued by illness and in very poor condition. He had already packed up all his valuables. Gold-Seeking Guard was high, his monthly salary was only ten taels of silver. The main benefits were in four aspects: "Essence Soup to drink", "exchange for martial arts skills", "the opportunity to seek a position", and "a promising future". Zhang Qiusheng suddenly encountered this calamity, and before he could fully enjoy these benefits, he had to painfully give them up.

He felt lost and uncertain about the future, unsure of where to go. How would he settle down and make a living after leaving Jade City? How would he cook and prepare food? How would he consume the Essence Treasure? He waited until nightfall to prepare to leave the city. Suddenly, he heard a knock at the door. His heart tightened with fear. After much deliberation, he opened the door. He saw neither Li Xian nor Lei Chong, but a woman in a yellow dress, with a proud expression, fair skin, but an ordinary face.

Zhang Qiusheng was stunned and asked, "Young lady, who are you...?" The woman turned around and entered Zhang Qiusheng's house, heading straight inside. Zhang Qiusheng called out twice, hurriedly closed the door, and chased after the Yellow-Skirt Woman.

The chase continued. Zhang Qiusheng caught up, raised his hand to grab, but only managed to brush the hem of the Yellow-Skirt Woman. Zhang Qiusheng frowned, feeling irritated by the many strange things that had happened that day. He immediately attacked again, using the "Wind-Breaking Hand" Gold-Seeking Guard. It was extremely fierce and fast as he pressed down on the Yellow-Skirt Woman's shoulder.

But his grasping again failed. Zhang Qiusheng sensed something was amiss; this woman was no ordinary fighter. He immediately unleashed three consecutive martial arts techniques, but the woman merely moved gracefully, and he couldn't strike her no matter what he did. Zhang Qiusheng's heart sank. He thought, "Could it be that Lang General Lei has sent assassins to take my life tonight? Is it possible for me to escape now? At worst... at worst... I'll risk my life and expose all those things, making things difficult for Li Xian and Lei Chong!" Unconsciously, he had already followed her into the room. The Yellow-Skirt Woman glanced at the bundle on the table and laughed, "So you're not going to be a good Gold-Seeking Guard anymore?" Zhang Qiusheng tensed up, slowly approaching the horizontal sword, remaining silent and gathering his strength.

As soon as he grasped the horizontal sword, he unleashed the "Windfire Saber Method" to strike. The Yellow-Skirt Woman gracefully turned, deftly snatched the sword, and then, in the process, struck two acupoints on Zhang Qiusheng's shoulder to immobilize him. She then kicked out with her toes, striking Zhang Qiusheng in the back of the knee, causing him to kneel and become immobile. The Yellow-Skirt Woman toyed with the sword, chuckling, "So this is the Gold-Seeking Guard? Nothing special. In the end, they're just soldiers guarding the city."

Zhang Qiusheng said, "You...!" The Yellow-Skirt Woman casually tossed aside her sword and said, "You're not stupid; you know how to run away. You can't beat either Lei Chong or Li Xian. Lei Chong is powerful, and Li Xian is cunning. In your situation, both of them want to kill you. If you don't run away, what can you do? It's a pity, a pity, this position of Gold-Seeking Guard is so hard to come by. Now, to save your life, you have no choice but to give it up."

Zhang Qiusheng asked in a deep voice, "Who sent you? Was it Lei Chong? I reckon that Li Xian, though promoted to Gold Steward, can't get someone like you to help him. If he wants to touch me, he'll have to do it personally."

The Yellow-Skirt Woman said, "I have great news for you. You don't have to leave. You can stay at the Gold-Seeking Guard! No one will take your life, but... if summoned, you must obey orders."

Zhang Qiusheng was filled with doubt. "What does that mean?" The Yellow-Skirt Woman gradually disappeared into the distance, only a light sentence drifting back. "Go and figure it out yourself." Zhang Qiusheng got up to chase after her, but his pressure points were acupunctured, and he couldn't move. His doubts deepened, brewing in his mind, repeatedly savoring the words of the Yellow-Skirt Woman. He vaguely knew that someone wanted to use him. But who that person was was hard to say. He didn't know if it was an opportunity or a danger. Li Xian rode his horse back to Jujube-Pasture Residence, patted the horse's belly, and laughed, scolding Binds the Wind. In the past month, the horse had become fat and strong, and he was living a life like a god. He patrolled Evil-Quelling Island, but every day was hard work, with only red earth and white mist in sight. Every day was filled with martial arts practice and patrolling, which was tedious and boring.

Upon returning to the city, the splendor of Jade City —its magnificent buildings, its bustling streets and alleys, the aroma of wine and meat, the beauty of flowers and women—all came into view once more, instantly lifting his spirits. Li Xian immediately boiled a tub of water, removed his Tiger-Python Uniform, armor, and sword... and cleared his mind to soak and rest.

Many jujubes had fallen from the jujube tree, bright red and fragrant, already ripe. It was mid-June, and although Jade City was scorching hot during the day, it became cool and refreshing at night.

Li Xian tallied up his gains.

Serving on Evil-Quelling Island for sixteen days will earn you six military merits each day, accumulating a total of ninety-six military merits. Adding the two hundred and forty military merits you've already accumulated, and the additional five hundred military merits you receive as a reward, you'll have a total of seven hundred and forty military merits.

An ordinary Gold-Seeking Guard) might not accumulate 700 military merits in a year of duty. This amount is not small, but as far as Li Xian knows, it can only be exchanged for a fairly refined basic martial arts technique.

Martial arts are precious and timeless. They are hard to come by and should be cherished.

He then acquired four more martial arts techniques: "Human-Garment Art," "Body-Unity Technique," "Cage-Body Force," and "Hundred Forms Technique," forming the "Sorrow-and-Resentment Heart-Binding Style." Although it was a wild style created by Li Hengfeng himself, it had its own unique features, an unexpected delight, and was of considerable value.

It cannot be obtained by exchanging silver.

Li Xian thought to himself, "Military merits are hard to come by. If I want to exchange them for martial arts skills, I must understand them thoroughly beforehand and make a move. Most of my martial arts skills have already reached the ' Grand Self ' realm. The Wraith Spear technique has reached its Peak Mastery, and the Flicked-Finger Golden Light Major Accomplishment has been perfected. These require constant and arduous practice. However, I can learn these four martial arts skills superficially first and Appraisal Insight their underlying principles!"

He took out the paper; the handwriting was elegant and flowing. Although Li Hengfeng came from a thief background, he possessed a chivalrous spirit. His writing was unconventional. Li Xian first observed the "Human-Garment Art," a martial art that aimed to make the body as light as clothing, floating freely. It was an extremely refined basic martial art.

There are three parts. The first part is "The Garment-Like Body Method," the second part is "The Flying-Garment Body Method," and the third part is "The Transforming-Garment Body Method." The Garment-Like Body Method... In any martial arts exchange, nine times out of ten, the opponent will inevitably be wearing clothing. And no matter how the opponent attacks, they will not intentionally damage the clothing.

When engaging in close combat, one can use the "Garment-Like Body Method" to become like the opponent's clothes, always managing to evade deadly attacks with ease. Li Xian thought to himself, "There are some peculiar martial arts in the world. This martial art can greatly maneuver against fierce saber techniques and exquisite Swordsmanship. However, it is completely useless against certain martial arts, and is broken in an instant."

Thinking of Yunan Circuit; the Qiongtian Prefecture; the Luo Clan family of Embroidery City. This family's ancestral martial arts are all about working with clothing and silk threads. When fighting, it's like threading a needle and sewing clothes. This move, "Garment-Like Body Method," is exquisite and unique, but against a member of the Luo Clan family, such as Luo Feiyan who is already a member of the Mount Yue Sword Sect and the Five-Mountain Sword Alliance, she would definitely suffer a defeat.

The second Flying-Garment Body Method, aids in "Lightness Skill." Although it's Movement Method, it makes the body as light as a garment, as if a light garment is tossed into the air by a gust of wind and carried away by the wind.

This movement Movement Method allows the clothes on one's body to subtly gain Light Force, supporting the person. It can be used for leaping over eaves and walls, the Unseen and weaving, and the movements are graceful, giving the impression of going with the wind and riding the wind!

Li Xian said with delight, "If I learn this skill, my Seven-Star Step will be even more agile. Combined with the ' Light Formula of the Clearwind Leg, the three martial arts will complement each other. My Leap Ascension and dodging abilities will definitely be stronger."

The third chapter, "The Transforming-Garment Body Method," is different. In the past, when Li Hengfeng faced County Lieutenant Kong Li, he wrapped his limbs around Kong Li's body and completely attached himself to him. Li Hengfeng gradually became withered and emaciated, as if his body was only a thin layer, which was being worn on Kong Li's body.

Then, donning a black hooded robe, though there were two people beneath, only one person appeared to be present. This was the "disguise technique." This step required a "medicinal bath," soaking the entire body to allow the moisture to dissipate extremely quickly.

Although Li Xian wasn't opposed to it, medicinal baths were by no means cheap. He had just received a reward of "hundred taels," which, if used for a medicinal bath, would be like throwing money down the drain. Li Xian thought, "I'll plan for the third level of the method when I'm much wealthier in the future. For now, I can first study the first chapter, 'Like Clothes,' and the second chapter, 'Flying Clothes.'" He pondered repeatedly, feeling the rhythm of martial arts and the profoundness of its principles. Li Hengfeng's hastily written notes were indeed incomplete. The matter of martial arts is inherently difficult to pass down in a single book. The journey of martial arts is long, and various problems are overcome along the way, some minor, some insignificant, and are forgotten later. When writing them into a martial arts manual, it's easy to overlook these problems, leading to errors and omissions. However, everyone's experience of martial arts is different. What is difficult for him is commonplace for me.

Li Xian observed and comprehended with a peaceful mind. After memorizing the key points, he went to study the "Body-Unity Technique." Although the origin of this technique was great, it was very simple and unadorned. The first sentence reads, "Hand seals, foot bindings. Confuse Yin and Yang, disrupt Heaven and Earth, and return to chaos. Unite as one, becoming one, with boundless joy and happiness."

Li Xian pondered that the first line must have come from the "Blissful Glee Technique." The rest was something Li Hengfeng had come to understand. Li Xian did not underestimate Li Hengfeng and earnestly studied what he had learned and felt.

This martial art can be classified as "Middle Vehicle," but it's rather crude and far from perfect. It has a "tiger's head and dog's tail" or "dragon's head and snake's tail" feel to it. Although Li Hengfeng is not weak, how can his understanding and insights compare to the "Blissful Glee Technique"? Moreover, the Body-Unity Technique is a "grappling martial art," which feels like using a golden bowl to beg on the street. However... Li Xian didn't have any deeper insights for the time being. So he simply followed the method to understand it. Having another grappling martial art is always a good thing.

This martial art also has three essentials: "Capture," "attach," and "combine." There are eighteen forms for "capture," nine forms for "attach," and thirteen forms for "combine." "Capture" can be practiced alone, and at first glance, it seems no different from ordinary grappling martial arts. However, upon closer examination, one can truly recall the contest that takes place in a vehicle or boat.

The two words "attached" and "joined" need to be practiced together by someone, and they have to learn from each other.

Then there's the Cage-Body Force. It's a martial art that allows an opponent to possess great strength but be unable to use it. On the day Li Hengfeng subdued Kong Li, Kong Li was tall and his martial arts skills were no weaker than Li Hengfeng's, but he was forced to use Kong Li's body to exert his strength, and was completely out of Li Hengfeng's control.

It was this "Cage-Body Force" that locked all his strength within his body. But this martial art required the entire body to be in close contact with the opponent to be effective. Li Xian was in high spirits when he jumped out of the bathtub and simply put on a loose robe. He began to practice the "Human-Garment Art; Chapter One" according to the method. Li Xian's steps were interlaced, his figure agile and graceful, dodging left and right, shifting back and forth with extreme change.

After practicing for half an hour, he had made progress, but had not yet Initiation. Li Xian realized that the key to this martial art was that it required movement in accordance with the movement of one's clothes. If he could practice with an opponent, his progress would be several levels faster.

Although he couldn't grasp the essentials immediately, Li Xian remained calm and focused entirely on martial arts, exploring its principles and comprehending the workings of heaven and earth.

After mastering the Human-Garment Art, he then turned to practicing the "Body-Unity Technique" to capture the key words. Li Xian was naturally romantic, with exceptional martial arts talent and comprehension. In this combined practice method, he possessed unique insights, and being of marriageable age at the time, he already had experience in that area and had been through a lot of training. So, it was only natural that it came into play here.

After practicing it only four times, one has already Initiation the "Body-Unity Technique".

[Body-Unity Technique]

[Proficiency: 11/700 Initiation]

[Description: Unite as one, explore the universe.]

That night, Li Xian diligently practiced martial arts, refining his skills with Flicked-Finger Golden Light, the Wraith Spear, the Heavenly Pivot Saber Method Technique, Stone-Pushing Palm Method... mastering all methods and practicing all martial arts simultaneously. [Flicked-Finger Golden Light]

[Proficiency: 14023/15000 (Major Accomplishment)]

[Heavenly Pivot Saber Method]

[Proficiency: 1924/3000 (Major Accomplishment)]

[Stone-Pushing Palm Method]

[Proficiency: 2013/3000 (Major Accomplishment)]

[Suffering Body Scripture]

[Proficiency: 1856/3000 (Major Accomplishment)]

Suffering Body Scripture and honed his skills to Major Accomplishment, Li Xian's Inner Steam flowed smoothly, and his eight extraordinary meridians were strong and unobstructed. When he used martial arts, his internal energy regulation was even smoother, flowing effortlessly from the inside out, like a torrent of water. Although this martial art did not enhance killing power, it was extremely comprehensive. Li Xian benefited greatly from it, and when combined with the unpredictable and versatile Heavenly Pivot Saber Method, it was like icing on the cake.

Li Xian was promoted to the Gold Steward, his advancement was so rapid that Lei Chong could not compare. The next day, when he was on duty at Marquis Wu Station, he passed through the usual training ground and went straight to the "Crimson Tower". This Crimson Tower was ten zhang high, and its entire body was red. There was a fierce tiger statue on the left and a vicious python statue on the right.

The Gold-Seeking Guard is symbolized by tigers and pythons. Tigers are ferocious creatures of the forest, suppressing and killing petty thieves. Pythons are fierce creatures of the water, lying in wait to strike and kill with a single blow, dragging the prey into the water. This implies that the Gold-Seeking Guard possesses the power of tigers and pythons, suppressing evil thieves like tigers and killing villains with a single blow like pythons.

The two stone statues were fierce and lifelike. The tiger's eyes were inlaid with strange stones, and the python's eyes were inlaid with jade scales. The stone bodies were stained with black lacquer refined from the essence of a hundred beasts. When Li Xian stood here, he felt a great sense of awe and power.

Li Xian arrived at the Crimson Tower, pushed open the half-closed vermilion door, and saw a towering Crimson List. The banner was round, allowing one to look around from all sides. White paper was pasted on the banner, with either portraits or records written on it.

Several people were gathered around the list, including Li Xian, whom he had met once before. In the past, he had captured Li Hengfeng and, with Xu Shaoqian's permission, went to Marquis Wu Station the next day to become Probationary Cavalier. There was a polo match that day, and all the players were Gold Steward.

Today, however, we meet again, including Su Kuo, Bai Qinghao, and others. Although Li Xian has only met them once, he recognizes them roughly and thinks to himself, "In the blink of an eye, Yu Hai is dead. The position of Gold-Seeking Guard, though prestigious and well-paid, is inevitably accompanied by countless dangers. Although I am happy to assume the position of Gold Steward, I must take this as a precedent and never follow in his footsteps."

Su Kuo, a tall and strong man, noticed Li Xian and said, "I Thunder Listening Lang General say yesterday that a new Gold Steward would be arriving today, and look, he's really here." Upon hearing this, all the Gold Steward looked over. Their expressions varied; some bowed and greeted him, some stopped to scrutinize him, and some looked at him with disdain.

There are fifty-seven Gold Steward (Gold-Seeking Guard). They are distributed at the end, middle, and beginning of Westwind Street, with nineteen at the end, twenty-one in the middle, and seventeen at the beginning. At this moment, about thirteen are on duty.

A man to his left chuckled, "Newcomer, we, the Gold-Seeking Guard, aren't in an academy or school. No one will teach you step by step. Yu Hai used to be here; he was enthusiastic and loved to be a teacher. But he's dead now, and we're not particularly interested in you. Figure it out yourself. If you do something wrong, just dust yourself off and go back to where you came from."

This man's name was "Song Liujiang." Another Gold Steward, "Iron Fu," shouted, "Who said that? I'm actually quite interested in him. I heard you offended Lang General Lei. Last night, Lang General Lei drank with me and gave you a good scolding."

Bai Qinghao studied him for a moment and said, "I vaguely remember that when you first joined the Gold-Seeking Guard, it seemed that Yu Hai recommended you. How could you have risen to the position of Gold Steward so quickly? Are you still in the Clay-Bodied Clay-Faced Rank?"

The crowd chattered amongst themselves, some with disdain, others with hostility, and still others with indifference. Li Xian simply smiled and remained composed. After a brief exchange, a Gold Steward named Deng Fan stepped forward, patted Li Xian on the shoulder, and said, "Li Xian, although the Gold-Seeking Guard is not an academy, there are still some rules that need to be clarified first. Let me explain; you may follow me."

Li Xian followed Deng Fan into a long corridor, already far from the main hall. Deng Fan smiled and said, "You've been promoted to the Gold Steward, so I imagine you're quite capable. There were many people earlier, so I brought you out here to explain things to you in detail."

Li Xian asked, "Brother Deng, why did you take the initiative to explain this to me?" Deng Fan replied, "If no one explains these rules, you might be sent back to your original position without even understanding them. They don't need explanations because they come from prominent families and had already learned all the rules clearly from their elders and relatives before they came. You are different, and you came to avenge Yu Hai. Yu Hai is my friend, and you are newly promoted to Gold Steward, so I naturally want to help you with the introductions." Li Xian said, "I see." Deng Fan said, "Alright, let's talk as we go. This Crimson Tower is the main gathering place for Gold Steward, so take a look around and familiarize yourself with it."

The Crimson Tower is entirely crimson, as if drenched in blood. Upon entering, one is greeted by the "Crimson List," which lists numerous tasks: catching criminals, capturing thieves, investigating, exorcising demons, protecting, escorting thieves, solving cases, and more. All tasks are divided into nine tiers.

Deng Fan said, "Ninth-tier tasks are the most difficult, while first-tier tasks are the easiest. Completing a task brings military merits, silver, and many other rewards. To obtain the Gold-Seeking Guard, one must diligently complete tasks and accumulate military merits. Brother Li, having risen through the ranks from the Cavalier, should know that ordinary Cavalier can only accumulate one or two military merits per day on patrol."

"A basic martial arts technique generally requires three hundred military merits, and in a year, one can barely exchange them for a basic martial arts technique. Of course... there will always be special missions at the end of the year that will earn some extra military merits. But if you want to acquire Entry Vehicle arts technique, don't even think about it without three to five years of accumulation."

"Entry Vehicle martial arts... is ultimately just the beginning of the martial arts path, what does that amount to? The real power lies in piecing together various martial arts into a style. But a style requires several excellent martial arts that complement each other, and the amount of military merit required is enormous!"

Li Xian said, "That is indeed true."

Deng Fan said, "Therefore, only by becoming Gold Steward (a high-ranking military officer) can one truly gain access to many martial arts techniques. This is because Gold Steward can actively acquire military merits, and if one is highly capable, the number of merits can be substantial!"

"One thing to pay special attention to is that for each important task completed by the Gold Steward, nine Crimson Coin are awarded for a ninth-rank task and four Crimson Coin for a fourth-rank task. Twelve Crimson Coin must be submitted monthly to pass the review. Failure to pass will have dire consequences, potentially resulting in the loss of the Gold Steward's position." Having said this, he took out a red round coin and tossed it to Li Xian. Li Xian caught it and examined it, finding the Crimson Coin warm and lustrous, its color like jade. The front read "Tiger Shakes the Scoundrels," and the back read "Python Devours Evil Spirits."

Li Xian thought to himself, "So, one must complete a sufficient number of tasks each month to continue serving as the Gold Steward. But this means there will always be people with more and people with less." He then asked, "But I didn't know that these Crimson Coin were being traded privately?"

Deng Fan was taken aback, then laughed, "Impressive! Of course, and this is one of the rules of the Gold Steward! There are always transactions of Crimson Coin near the end of each month. And the prices are very high; the scions of the Aristocratic Clan families can be quite generous. Sometimes Crimson Coin are scarce, and anyone with surplus can sell them for a high price. Hundreds or even thousands of taels are not impossible. If Crimson Coin are not scarce, the price will be lower, but it will never be too low. In short, a Crimson Coin is extremely precious." Deng Fan snatched back the Crimson Coin and carefully hid it in his breast pouch. The Crimson Tower is where the Gold Steward gathers. It has a library, a fighting arena, and many clerks and runners come and go to handle daily affairs.

Deng Fan said again:

"Now that we've discussed the rules, let's talk about the power we wield. Although we lack ' Mud Face,' our power is considerable. Upon assuming our important posts, we may, depending on the circumstances, summon fifteen Cavalier to assist us, thirty yamen runners, and forty-five neighborhood constables."

"In other words, if we, the Gold Steward, wished, we could gather ninety people in the city to assist us in an instant. That's a considerable force! Furthermore, we can block off the alleys and streets, cultivate informants, coordinate with the Thirty-Two True Guards, and exercise the power of forced searches."

"How you wield this power is up to you. Starting a business with it is certainly a viable option."