Plans Advance, Success in Sight

Li Xian felt refreshed from head to toe. He drove his fists through the air, savoring the rhythm of martial arts. He trained deep into the night without feeling tired. The Vine Tree had borne several red fruits, and his punches shook a few loose. He picked them up and ate them. The first bite was sweet, but bitterness gradually spread. Their flavor was nothing special, yet he did not mind. He felt the progress he had made in martial arts and the differences among Flicked-Finger Golden Light, Gua Xun Palm, Golden Eyes, and the other disciplines he knew.

An idea suddenly struck him. Mysterious Water Palm in his left hand, Profound Flame Palm in his right. The two forces flowed steadily onward, one ever-changing as flame, the other deep as water. He tried to bring them together. As he practiced, his body turned icy cold one moment and burning hot the next. With his Heavenly Resilience, neither heat nor cold troubled him. He practiced this way for over an hour before drawing in his palms. There must be a connection between these two palm techniques. I just don't know how to unite them yet. When I practice them together, heat and cold clash inside me. That harms the body, but it also strengthens my Inner Qi. It's almost like trading my body for Inner Qi. For anyone else, it would be a losing bargain. For me... it's a small gain.

Seeing how late it was, he placed the Mirage-Dream Pearl in his mouth and slept until dawn. The next morning, he rose and tidied Nurtured Blossoms Residence, thinking, *I've met Tang Wenshu several times, and I believe he trusts my story. But he still hasn't mentioned the banquet or visited my residence. Does he have lingering doubts? I'll wait