Gong Wuer's words seemed casual, but she was secretly offering him guidance.
Although Lian Youming had attained a measure of accomplishment in the Martial Way, his state of mind still fell short of a warrior devoted solely to martial arts.
With a great battle imminent, he was distracted by other concerns and easily affected by external things. That truly should not have happened.
In this battle, he could not entertain the slightest hope of luck. He had to be prepared to die, gather a lifetime's conviction, and face his opponents.
Only then might he find life amid death, seize victory from defeat, and overcome those two formidable enemies, Xue Hen and Gu Chan.
Only by winning would he earn the right to think about anything else.
Lian Youming did not linger in Guling Town. He extinguished every thought and swept away all distractions, ate a single meal in town, then headed into the mountains. Unlike the Five Great Mountains, Mount Lu covered an enormous area.
If Mount Tai owed its standing to the emperors of successive ancient dynasties, Mount Lu's fame had been forged by ancient literati through their marvelous poems and writings. Morning light had appeared, but dense clouds obscured it before the sun could rise into the sky. A mountain breeze swept past, and before long, a light rain began to fall.
Mountain mist and moisture visibly rose through the hills. Shrouded in hazy rain, the view seemed like a dream.
Lian Youming kept moving without stopping, concealing his presence as he walked and observed, noting the terrain and getting his bearings.
Along the way, aside from some mountain residents, he encountered numerous presences of varying strength and saw many martial artists and factions of the martial world. Among them was a familiar face.
Li Shan, the sect