Hu Xiaotian suddenly felt as though he were about to suffocate. He drew a deep breath. Li Yuncong had long known the secret of the underground tunnels, so how could he not know that one led to the Purple Orchid Palace, where Princess Anping lived? If, as Ji Feihua had said, Long Xiyue had visited Long Xuan'en at the Spirit Firmament Palace on Misty Mountain to pass him information, then what purpose had Hu Xiaotian himself served? He dared not pursue the thought.
Ji Feihua gave him a meaningful look. "Was the martial art Li Yuncong taught you the Avici Art?"
Hu Xiaotian shook his head. "No! He said it was the introductory cultivation method for the Formless Divine Skill."
Ji Feihua frowned. "That was what I thought. Only eunuchs can practice the Avici Art." His unspoken meaning was that, since Hu Xiaotian was not a eunuch, he naturally could not practice it.
Hu Xiaotian said, "He told me the Formless Divine Skill was originally the Heavenly Dragon Temple's greatest treasure. Later, when the Imperial Court sent troops to wipe out the temple, they confiscated all the Buddhist scriptures and texts in the Buddhist Sutra Pavilion. Many were sent to the palace for safekeeping. A eunuch happened upon the Formless Divine Skill and began practicing it. He soon discovered that, although the art was miraculous, it wasn't suitable for eunuchs. So he created the Avici Art based on the Formless Divine Skill."
Ji Feihua nodded. "That did happen. The martial art I practice is the Avici Art."
Hu Xiaotian said, "He also told me that practicing the Formless Divine Skill required surviving nine tribulations."
Ji Feihua said, "Nine tribulations? Why have I never heard of that?"
Only after hearing Ji Feihua say this did Hu Xiaotian feel reassured. It seemed