Song Ya, the Talented Maiden: A Soul-Stirring Gaze, the Posture of Drawing a Bow, Endless Enchantment

Li Xian called out, "Is this Song Ya from Dream-Painting House?" Song Ya nodded and said, "It's me." Her phoenix eyes looked her up and down.

Li Xian thought to himself, "This matter is strange; I have a vague feeling about it and must be extremely careful. I'll keep quiet for now and observe secretly." He then said in a deep voice, "I've come to save you."

Song Ya Song Ya said, "I am deeply grateful for your rescue. May I ask your name? I will repay you in the future." Her voice was dignified and very pleasant to hear.

Li Xian said, "I am Li Xian, the Gold-Seeking Guard." Song Ya was about to speak again, but Li Xian interrupted her, saying, "There is still danger ahead. Let's talk outside." Hearing this, Song Ya nodded slightly and was helped up by Li Xian. There were four women in the cell, all bound hand and foot with ropes, scattered in the four corners of the cell. Li Xian first rescued the woman in the southeast corner. She was pale and very weak, with an ordinary appearance, but judging from her clothing, she was a disciple of Mount Zhengyi from Yunan Circuit outside the city. Li Xian's knowledge was gradually increasing, and he had recently come into contact with many heroes of the martial arts world, gaining an understanding of the styles, practices, and clothing of various sects. Song Ya was in the northeast corner. Although she did not know martial arts, her face was calm and her condition was better. It seemed that she had not been persecuted.

Song Ya wore a pale yellow embroidered long dress; the fabric was of fine quality, giving her an air of nobility. Li Xian thought to himself, "Don't be fooled by this woman's Aristocratic Clan origins; her temperament far surpasses theirs."

Song Ya blushed, twisted her waist, revealing her hands tightly bound behind her back, her wrists deeply bitten and swollen, her fair skin red. She said, "Good young hero, I... please help me untie the ropes. I... I can't stand up." She had never practiced martial arts, and with her hands bound behind her back, she was fine while sitting, but as soon as she stood up, she lost her balance, her feet unsteady, and she wobbled, almost falling.

Li Xian's eyes flashed, and he said in a deep voice, "Alright!" He made a move to untie the ropes. Song Ya suddenly cried out, "Ah! Young hero, watch out behind you!" A sharp gust of wind was heard, and a woman in the northwest corner suddenly stood up and struck out with her palm, aiming for Li Xian's back. The palm strike was incredibly fast, like a raging torrent. With such a powerful force, nothing could escape unscathed. Even if Li Xian dodged, Song Ya, who had never practiced Fortune, would inevitably be affected by the palm strike and her life would be in danger.

Li Xian was prepared and reacted quickly, turning around and striking out with his palm. The "Jade Luo Palm" struck out in an instant, the four palms collided, the wind from the palms swirled wildly, stirring up dust. Song Ya screamed repeatedly, but her hands and feet were injured and she could hardly move, so she could only look at Li Xian nervously.

Li Xian said, "Indeed, there is danger!" His palms surged with power, and his palm strikes suddenly intensified. The woman's head was covered by a black veil, obscuring her face, but she was clearly stunned by the palm strikes. She clearly realized that, in terms of pure martial arts evolution, Li Xian was inferior to her. However, his extremely high level of martial arts skill and his powerful Inner Steam were beyond her reach.

She immediately took several steps back. Li Xian drew his sword instantly, his blade flashing with dazzling power, and with a wicked slash, took the woman's life. Song Ya asked in confusion, "Why... why did she suddenly attack you?"

Li Xian flicked a golden light and launched himself out, confirming the woman was indeed dead. He lifted the hood, revealing a fierce face with thin lips and a flat nose. He said, "This woman is one of the Seven Withered Flowers. She hid in the cage, disguised as a victim. If anything unexpected happens, we can take her by surprise."

Song Ya exclaimed in surprise, "Ah, you noticed all along? Just now, when I asked you to help untie the rope, I almost got you implicated!" Li Xian shook his head and said, "Not really. I had a premonition and was on guard. But since you asked me to untie the rope for you, it was a perfect opportunity for me to lure him out of the cave."

Li Xian flicked his wrist, a trickle of blood appearing on his palm. His brow furrowed slightly. This woman's sudden attack showed she was far superior to "Fatty Tan" and "Tan Skinny" in both martial arts and strength. Although Li Xian had won decisively, he had poured a great deal of Inner Steam. He thought, "These Seven Withered Flowers are strange. Although their martial arts share the same origin, their power and ability are completely different."

Li Xian then lifted the mask of the woman in the southwest corner, rescuing all three women and untying their ropes. Li Xian asked, "Ladies, are you all alright?" The woman from Zheng Mount Zhengyi of Yunan Circuit replied, "I'm alright." Another woman from the Tiger Luo Sect of Yunan Circuit said, "I can barely move." Li Xian asked, "And Miss Song?" Song Ya rotated her wrist, turned slightly, and said, "I can move without difficulty, but I don't know martial arts, so I probably can't run fast."

Li Xian pondered, "This is difficult. Although I killed three villains, four remain. Although I rescued three women, they are of no help. Song Ya has never practiced martial arts and will have difficulty Running. Moreover, her identity is strange. If I carry her, she might launch a sneak attack, which is not good. We must be wary of others." Li Xian said, "In that case, everyone, follow me." He led the three women out of the cell and quietly planted the hair strands. Then they walked along the path and crawled out of the ground. It was already evening. Li Xian knew that the villains would definitely return. If he were surrounded and attacked by the villains while carrying the three women, he might be safe, but the lives of the others would be in danger. Now that the night was deep, he decided to choose a safe place to rest and wait until tomorrow to meet up with the search team.

Li Xian, somewhat familiar with the forest, immediately led the way, occasionally reminding the three women to keep up. The two women from the Tiger Luo Sect and Mount Zhengyi, though skilled in cultivation, were extremely weak. After being captured by the Seven Withered Flowers the Remnant Flower Sect, they had been struck in the chest with their palms, injuring their internal organs in the process of honing their palm techniques. They were too preoccupied with their own survival to care for Song Ya. Song Ya was fortunate enough to escape injury, but her delicate body, accustomed to handling paper and pen, made the treacherous mountain path particularly difficult, causing her to lag behind the two women. Suddenly, Song Ya cried out in alarm, startled by a green vine snake. Li Xian flicked his golden light, sending the snake flying. Song Ya gritted her teeth, mustered her courage, lifted her skirt, and hurried forward with all her might.

But she was no match for Li Xian's speed, and gradually, even the two women disappeared from sight. She panicked, wanting to shout but fearing to attract the attention of the thieves, and stammered, "Li... Li Xian?"

The forest was pitch black, completely obscured by trees. Song Ya quickly lost her way and ran around aimlessly. Suddenly, she saw a light and ran towards it. But in front of her was a cliff. She stepped into thin air and was hanging in mid-air. She screamed in terror as she watched herself fall.

Suddenly, a vine flew from afar, wrapped around her wrist, and with a sharp tug, pulled Song Ya into the air, flying back to the cliff edge where she was caught. Li Xian called out, "Are you alright?"

Song Ya's eyes welled up with tears, and she was speechless for a moment, but she felt the warmth of Li Xian's chest, and her fear and panic gradually subsided. Song Ya said, "It's... it's nothing, thank you so much!"

Li Xian asked, "Can you still walk?" Song Ya trembled slightly, her body going weak after she straightened up, but she stubbornly said, "Yes... yes! Let's go." Li Xian said, "We'll rest after walking a little further. You keep up. Sky-Screen Mountain is very dangerous; this isn't even the deepest part yet. But if we lose our way and venture deeper, we might encounter ferocious Demon Owl, giant snakes that spew mist, and man-eating black ants."

Song Ya calmed down slightly, but her whole body was still trembling. She exclaimed in surprise, "What... what are you doing... why are you scaring me?"

Li Xian said, "Tell the truth, let's go!" Song Ya was terrified and desperately tried to follow. Li Xian maintained a distance, observing her secretly, thinking to himself, "Strange, strange. When I observed her alone, Song Ya certainly didn't know any martial arts, and she showed no flaws. Could it really be Song Ya? Was I being too suspicious during my test?"

"If this woman isn't really Song Ya, then she's extremely difficult to deal with."

Li Xian continued to observe.

After another half incense stick's time, they arrived at a mountain cave. Three zhang deep inside, two women sat, their eyes closed, resting and unable to speak. Li Xian said, "We've arrived. Let's rest here tonight."

Song Ya arrived late, wiping away her tears, and sat down in the cave by herself, sobbing softly. Li Xian ignored her, went to gather some firewood, Intent Infusion Heartfire, and started a fire.

It was very cold in the mountains at night.

Li Xian added firewood and pondered a plan, "My extensive search of the mountain was intended to alert the enemy, after which I would secretly infiltrate. This plan seems quite effective. My opportunistic incursion successfully rescued Song Ya. However, rescuing Song Ya inevitably bring other troubles. I ventured too far alone, separated from the search team. If discovered by the enemy, I will be the one surrounded. I hope that the Seven Withered Flowers, upon discovering the situation in the underground palace, will flee into the deep mountains."

Suddenly, a sob began to rise from being forcibly suppressed to being uncontrollable. Li Xian thought to herself, "If she really is Song Ya, a delicate and talented woman, it's understandable that she would cry after encountering such a dangerous situation."

Li Xian said from afar, "Alright, you're safe now. I'll guarantee you a safe return home by tomorrow at the latest." He roughly estimated that he could cover the forest in a day using his light-footed skills. However, Song Ya's journey would be difficult, requiring three or four days. This "one-day" promise was merely to appease Song Ya. Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Song Ya's sobs became even more uncontrollable. Tears streamed down her face. Li Xian said, "What did those villains do to you? Once I catch them, I'll avenge you."

With tears welling in her eyes, Song Ya said, "Originally... I shouldn't be crying, but I feel wronged." Song Ya cried to herself, young hero, you don't need to pay attention. Li Xian thought, "If I talk to her more, I can see through her." He said, "Wronged? What wronged?"

Song Ya turned and looked him over, saying, "Young hero, do you really want to hear it?" Li Xian replied, "I'd like to hear the details." Song Ya Song Ya, "Very well, I'll tell you straight then. Since I was captured, I was prepared to die here. But thanks to your help, young hero, I've been spared. Song Ya will remember this kindness. Besides, I'm not stupid, and Song Ya certainly achieved a good reputation in the imperial examination, so I'm quite 'impressive'. I know you must have expended a great deal of effort to find me. Look at how difficult it is to find someone in these deep mountains and forests."

"Thinking about it carefully, this kindness is even greater. Logically speaking, such a great favor should be repaid with one's life, even by serving as a slave. But Song Ya later harbored resentment towards her savior. Therefore, she was very angry at herself for being petty and lacking in consideration, and that's why she cried. It has nothing to do with you, young hero." Li Xian found it amusing. "Your words are clearly a roundabout way of saying you're dissatisfied with me." He said, "Oh? What resentment do you have towards me?" Song Ya sat up straight, looked directly at Li Xian, and slowly said, "Gold-Seeking Guard; Li Xian, you always wear Silver Face, and your figure is elegant and graceful, but your face is ugly, hence the name 'Handsome Sideburns, Ugly Face.' Please don't misunderstand, my benefactor, Song Ya Song Ya no intention of belittling you. I have heard a lot about your character and admire you greatly, but I never expected that our first meeting would be like this."

"Just now in the cell, those villains were talking, which you, my benefactor, must have overheard. Perhaps this has made you suspicious of Song Ya's identity? If so, Song Ya's later fate becomes clear. Suddenly disappearing without a trace, as if abandoned by everyone—it was your deliberate test to see Song Ya identity. Logically, when you rescued me, you asked to confirm my identity; you must have come to save me. Yet you abandoned me like this; there must be a reason." "This is perfectly normal, and it's precisely what Song Ya admires about your benefactor. He's quite strategic. Later, when Song Ya accidentally fell, your timely appearance suggests you had been secretly following and observing."

"Always maintaining a subtle distance... all of this. Song Ya initially felt nothing, but as she walked, she gradually came to her senses, and a feeling of grievance welled up inside her. But rest assured, benefactor, Song Ya is grateful to you. It's just that Song Ya has never suffered such injustice in her life, and only wanted to vent her frustrations. I hope you'll forgive my grievances." Li Xian said, "Truly worthy of being Thirteen Sages of the Mirror, your talent is extraordinary!" Song Ya said, "It seems I wasn't wrong. Alas!"

Li Xian said, "You were clearly in the dungeon, so why did those two thieves insist that this matter had nothing to do with them?" Song Ya kept saying, "This is all so strange, how could I possibly know?"

Li Xian was about to ask another question when he suddenly frowned. There was a commotion inside the underground palace. A tall man, a short man, a boy, and a child were gathered in the underground palace. When they saw the three corpses—the fat man, the thin man, and the woman—they trembled with rage.

Tan Gao wailed, "Fourth brother, fifth brother, sixth sister! You died so tragically! Who! Who was the heartless killer who murdered you? You're dead... we... we won't survive either!"

All four were in tears, filled with grief and indignation. Tan Gao, Tan Shorty, and Tan Man cried out angrily, "Big Brother!"

Tan Child said, "I was too calculating, but I was outmaneuvered. I thought the seven of us brothers could survive this ordeal. Now that my fourth brother, fifth brother, and sixth sister are dead, the seven of us are bound together by fate. All we can do is risk our lives to avenge them!"

"Let's... be brothers again in our next life!"

Tan Shorty laughed heartily, "Good! Excellent! We seven brothers don't seek to live together, but only to die together. Let us avenge this grudge thoroughly and then depart this world in good spirits!"

Tan Man said, "Let's go to the underworld, the seven of us, and drink three big bowls of wine!" Tan Child also said, "Hahaha, that sounds quite interesting!"

Tan Man said, "Brother, the blood of Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, and Sixth Sister is still warm. They shouldn't have gone far. Let's go after them."

Tan Child said, "The four brothers, working together to avenge our father, could bring down even the Heavenly King himself. But we must plan carefully. Sky-Screen Mountain is being searched. It will take at least four or five days to find this place. I originally thought we still had time to react, but who knew that we would be discovered in less than a day, resulting in the deaths of my fourth brother, fifth brother, and sixth sister."

"As I predicted, he will inevitably head east. Having rescued several women, his journey will certainly be slow. Hmph, the seven brothers of the Tan family have been living in seclusion here for a long time; we are not here to do nothing. We wish to meet up with him to the east, but high mountains block our way like a natural barrier, and a great river lies across our path. The road is treacherous and difficult to travel, fraught with danger. We might very well lose our lives. The only easier route is to cross that ' Snake Valley ' or ' Emerald Bamboo Grove.'"

"We seven brothers are very familiar with this area. Tan Gao, Tan Shorty... you two take the shortcut and lie in ambush beforehand. Tan Man and I will search along the trail." "Furthermore, this boy was able to kill my fourth brother, fifth brother, and sixth sister, so his strength is definitely not weak. If we find him, the seven of us will immediately unite and inform each other. We seven brothers are all in this together; since we have no chance of survival anyway, let's each use our best skills to the fullest, lest others look down on us."

Li Xian frowned, thinking to himself, "These seven brothers must practice some kind of martial art that binds them together. Therefore, if one dies, all die. By killing the fat and thin thieves and then the woman in the shadows, I am essentially taking their lives. It will be difficult for me to survive alone, so I must avenge them even in death. This is much more difficult. If I were alone, I could deal with them. But with three women in tow, it will be very inconvenient."

"When I fled just now, I tried to cover up the traces, but in the rush, it was difficult to clean them all up. Although I am good at navigating the mountains and fields, the four thieves are more familiar with this surrounding environment. When I rushed here, I did come through the bamboo forest. Although this mountain forest is large, there are only two main routes to the east. If I were to take a detour, it would definitely take much longer."

Li Xian walked deeper into the area and asked, "How are you two ladies?"

The woman from Mount Zhengyi shook her head and said, "It's difficult to manage the inner palace; it's terrible." The woman from the Tiger Luo Sect said, "The same is true."

Li Xian frowned slightly and said, "In this situation, if the thieves catch up, it might be difficult to deal with. Two ladies, let me treat you briefly. Please extend your hands."

The two women extended their palms. Li Xian took out silver needles and performed acupuncture. He secretly used the "Ghost-Vein Four Absolutes" to restore the two women's Qi and Blood, but they would be unable to fight for a short time.

Li Xian already knew the thieves had set out, and that Tan Child was quite clever; in the darkness of night, he would soon be able to track them down. With no time to ponder, the best plan at hand was to hide all three women and then deal with the thieves.

Li Xian leaped out of the cave, surveyed the mountain range, and spotted several easy hiding places. He returned to the cave and said, "There were seven villains; three are dead, and the remaining four seek revenge. The two ladies are in poor condition and unable to fight, so they need to find hiding places. I'll select a few spots for you." The two women nodded slightly, cupped their hands, and said, "Thank you for your rescue, sir. You could have easily retreated; with your skills, those villains would have been helpless. But you went to such lengths and risked so much for the three of us. We are truly... truly grateful!"

Song Ya observed with curiosity, and was quite impressed to see Li Xian remain calm in the face of danger. Li Xian said, "What harm is there? Let's just do it. Although this villain is formidable, I have practiced martial arts for many years and am confident that I can handle him. Please rest assured."

He lifted the woman from Mount Zhengyi Yunan Circuit, using his light-footed skill to traverse the forest without touching the grass or trees, leaving no trace. Such exquisite skill was truly rare. He concealed her among the broken rocks. Li Xian solemnly instructed the woman to hide herself completely and conceal her aura. The woman nodded; she, a woman of the martial world, knew the dangers involved.

Li Xian flew back, then lifted the woman from the Tiger Luo Sect by her armpits with both hands. With a light body, he carried her high into the air, hiding her in a grove of trees. After giving her the usual instructions, he flew back to the cave.

Song Ya stretched out her arms and said, "My benefactor, please stop." Li Xian frowned and said, "You cannot hide." Song Ya asked, "Why?" Li Xian said, "You don't know martial arts. You can't conceal your aura; you can be easily caught."

Just as Song Ya was about to ask another question, a sharp whistle rang out, and a huge boulder crashed down from mid-air. In a moment of urgency, Li Xian pulled Song Ya close, tiptoed, and dodged to the side. Song Ya was startled by the sudden turn of events and was initially frightened, but upon realizing that Li Xian was holding her, her pretty face flushed red, her expression intriguing. It wasn't just shyness, but also a hint of something strange and unspeakable.

Seeing the boulder crash down with a deafening roar, Li Xian shouted, "Good strength! Good strength! It's a pity your aim was a bit off." Tan Child yelled, "Give me your life!" from a hundred feet away.

Li Xian had just hidden the two women when Tan Child found them, following the trail. Li Xian gazed into the distance and saw that Tan Child was small, like a three-year-old child, yet incredibly fast and strong, her power not to be underestimated. Glancing at the two places out of the corner of his eye, he knew the two women hadn't been exposed, so he ran off in another direction.

Tan Child and the Seven Withered Flowers the "Seven Sons One Heart Technique" martial art practiced together. This martial art is considered "Higher Vehicle" and is extremely demanding, requiring seven people of different heights, weights, and genders, including men, women, and children. While it is easy to find people of different heights, weights, and genders, it is difficult to find someone with a naturally childlike appearance. Therefore, they regard Tan Child as their eldest brother.

This martial art is extremely bizarre. The method of practice is called "Organ Exchange." It involves the seven disciples Organ Exchange, such as Tan Child's kidneys being transferred to Tan Gao's body, and Tan Gao's kidneys being transferred to Fatty Tan's body.

Then, the "heart," "liver," "spleen," and "stomach" are all interchanged. The five internal organs take turns, each nourished by the body's warmth, combined with medicinal baths. In this way, the seven organs are almost like one body.

They are as close as brothers, sharing similar senses and blood. Thus, the seven sons are of one heart; if one dies, all seven perish. From the moment they began practicing this martial art, their lives are intertwined, and it is difficult for any of them to survive alone.

They possess Numinous Light Perception, able to sense each other's life force. When Fatty Tan, Tan Skinny, Tan Girl died, Tan Child and the others immediately sensed it and hurriedly returned. Moreover, with the "Seven Sons One Heart Technique," the strength of the survivors suddenly increases with each death of one of their sons!

Having lost three of his sons, Tan Child's strength was now several levels greater than before. His relentless pursuit, fueled by hatred, was truly remarkable. Upon hearing the long howl, Tan Gao, Tan Shorty, and Tan Man all knew that Tan Child had discovered the culprit.

The four were familiar with the surrounding terrain and quickly formed an encirclement, joining forces to kill Li Xian. Li Xian remained calm, facing a powerful enemy, and could only carry Song Ya as they ran and maneuvered through the forest.

Song Ya felt the wind howling and the surrounding scenery changing rapidly. Dangerous attacks came crashing down on her from time to time. She knew she was in great danger. After another dizzying moment, she suddenly saw Li Xian stop, and Tan Child's shouts subsided slightly. Song Ya asked in surprise, "Why aren't you running away? They're going to catch up."

Li Xian put Song Ya down and said, "Who said I was going to run away?" Song Ya said, "Then you are..." Suddenly, she noticed that the young man in front of her had long hair flying and a sharp, soaring spirit, making it hard for her to look away.

It was late at night, and the pale moonlight filtered through the leaves. Li Xian grabbed the silver ball at his waist, activated the mechanism, and nocked the bowstring. He gently stroked the silver bow, and his aura became like a cold sword drawn from its sheath or a precious arrow on a bowstring.

The birds in the forest were suddenly awakened and flew away in all directions. The birds were inexplicably frightened, and the surrounding mountains and rivers seemed to be watching them intently. Song Ya saw this and was deeply moved. Her eyes flashed with a strange light. Even with all her experience, she had never seen anything like it.

Li Xian easily tore off a vine and tied Song Ya to his back. He confidently sneered, "Now that we're in the mountains, how can we not hunt? With seven children united, I'll take them all down in one go!"