In a moment of urgency, Li Xian also raised his palms to meet the attack, using the "Overturning Waves" move from the Jade Palm technique, gathering all his inner qi into his palms.

At the instant he struck, his qi resembled rolling waves crashing onto the shore, raising the surrounding poisonous miasma, creating the appearance of surging tides.

The two clashed palms… Zheng Xuezhang couldn't tell if he was using fist or palm techniques, his hands already crippled, the difference negligible. At this moment, with their hands touching, both showed expressions of surprise.

Zheng Xuezhang thought, "This boy's mastery of martial arts and his skill in palm force and palm techniques actually surpass my Dinglang Palm by far! After decades of practice, I've barely achieved Great Success, yet at his age, how can he possess such proficiency!?"

"Even those guided by acclaimed masters, celebrated on the rankings, wouldn't have such skill, would they?!"

Li Xian, on the other hand, felt the powerful force of Zheng Xuezhang's palm, penetrating his arms at the instant of contact, causing his bones to fracture instantly.

His single thread of inner qi required Li Xian to counter with ten.

In just an instant, he understood the cause.

Though inner qi comes from martial practice, it naturally originates from the physical body.

Essence-Eating Martial Artists have undergone initial rebirth and transformation, their physical forms significantly altered, absorbing the Essence of Heaven and Earth. The "inner qi" they cultivate is naturally more formidable.

Li Xian, enduring severe pain, swept a leg to force Zheng Xuezhang back, immediately drew his nursing home's narrow blade, and engaged in direct combat. Zheng Xuezhang excelled at wielding a big saber, but had discarded his heavy blade earlier while pursuing Li Xian.

Now, barehanded, he was unwilling to show weakness, entangling in combat. Though transformed, his strength was a fraction of what it was, and he dared not be careless. Li Xian's sword skills were swift like the wind, displaying exquisite mastery, seizing the upper hand.

This advantage, though partly through clever tactics, demonstrated that when facing an opponent, he could double the effect with half the effort.

And amidst this tussling and fighting.

The commotion startled the White Snake.

Li Xian, with keen eyesight, sensed it in advance, attempting several times to extricate himself from the battle. However, Zheng Xuezhang, full of hatred, was unwilling to let go having caught up to him.

"Zheng Xuezhang has been provoked by me and hasn't noticed the White Snake. If I continue to entangle with him, I might be swallowed by the snake at any moment." Li Xian felt chills all over, the White Snake in the mist even more menacing.

The White Snake was enormous, about ten zhang long, its body obscured within the miasma.

In a moment of desperation, Li Xian had an idea, deliberately exposing a flaw in his martial arts, leaving his center wide open.

Zheng Xuezhang saw that Li Xian's sword skills were tight yet not losing precision and agility. A sudden flaw appeared suspicious, considering Li Xian's cunning and meticulous strategy and martial arts.

So he dared not strike.

Li Xian cursed, "Old turtle coward!" feigning to flee.

Zheng Xuezhang, provoked, thought, "Even if it's a trap, I'll step into it!" He gathered all his inner qi, delivering a heavy punch to Li Xian's chest.

At the moment of impact, he was taken aback: "It really was a flaw?" Elated, he thought, this punch solidly struck; how could that kid survive?

Li Xian was struck flying, spitting blood, nearly fainting. He braced himself, holding focus to endure.

Using the momentum of the punch, he created distance.

"That was close… without the fish scale chest armor, this punch would have killed me!" Li Xian touched his chest armor.

"Not dead!"

Zheng Xuezhang, seeing Li Xian land and run off, was perplexed why he wasn't dead. Immediately he wanted to pursue again, but after two steps, he felt a chill over his body. An icy breath enveloped him.

As if winter had returned.

He turned to see a massive snakehead hovering above, its eyes cold and chilling.

The White Snake flicked its tongue, licking his body; in this deep mountain forest, such a delicious meal was rarely encountered.

"Ah!"

A harrowing scream.

Zheng Xuezhang died in the snake's mouth, swallowed whole, not a bone remaining. Li Xian's scalp went numb, he dared not linger, swiftly leaving the miasma.

"The White Snake doesn't chase; it has no interest in me." Li Xian looked back, not a trace of the White Snake.

"Indeed, I heard Commander Pang say, transformed martial artists and demon beasts are mutual nemeses, each preying on the other. Zheng Xuezhang was an 'Essence-Eating' martial artist, appearing as pure Essence of Heaven and Earth to the White Snake."

"And I… escaped a calamity because of this!"

Having understood the situation, Li Xian let out a breath of relief, but still dared not linger long. Bearing the intense pain, he trekked seven or eight more li.

"I usually hunt beasts for survival, today… it seems the tables have turned."

"If I encounter a tiger or bear beast at this moment, I'd be dead meat."

Li Xian let out a bitter smile, watching for beast tracks to avoid them. His hands' bones were fractured; barely sustaining the fight had worsened his injuries. If his inner qi was full, he could still move his arms forcibly.

But during the fight, Li Xian's Qi Lake was drained dry. He needed rest and replenishment to recover. Now, extremely weak, his situation was precarious.

"There are fewer beast traces here, I should rest for a moment." Li Xian, his hands dangling, found a secluded spot to sit and rest.

His chest had taken a heavy punch, though protected by the fish scale chest armor, the impact was still substantial.

"Were it not for the White Snake, I wouldn't have sustained such severe injuries. But also because of it, Zheng Xuezhang died completely."

Li Xian, leaning against a tree, muttered to himself. His face pale, he sat in a daze for half an hour, regaining some strength, with a bit of inner qi gathering in his Qi Lake.

He guided his qi to his hands, enduring the pain from his chest area, retrieving a piece of dried meat. Slowly chewing the jerky, replenishing his strength bit by bit.

With food supplementation, his inner qi was recovering faster.

"Thankfully, I have several recovery pills." Li Xian took out a porcelain bottle. But the lid was sealed tight, normally opening it easily. However, with his hands fractured and tendons injured, without the aid of inner qi, even his fingers were immobile.

At this point, he had to resort to a crude method.

Smashing the porcelain bottle on a rock, then carefully feeding the pill into his mouth.

The Recovery Pill, made from ginseng, tiger meat, bear tendons… and other ingredients, was brewed and refined, providing significant nourishment upon ingestion, slowly reinvigorating his body.

Inner qi gradually recovering.

"Essence-Eating martial artists are indeed formidable, just exchanging a palm left my hands so severely injured."

"Right now… the Black Water Gang hasn't dispersed. If I return to the village, I'd be unprepared, better to rest here for two days first."

With Zheng Xuezhang's death, Li Xian's major foe was finally gone like the wind.

Li Xian diligently practiced. Over several months, without a day of slack, he earnestly studied nearly all his martial arts.

[Four Directions Fist] needed no further mention, it had already reached Peak. [Clear Wind Leg], after months of hard practice, surpassed others, also reaching Peak. Without the support of Clear Wind Leg's footwork and the secret of "lightness," how could Li Xian engage Zheng Xuezhang for so long.

[Jade Palm] had already attained Perfection, and since achieving it, never neglected. After all, among all his martial arts, it was the [Jade Palm] that truly excelled.

[Skill Level: 19980/24000 Perfection]

Among the numerous martial arts, the Jade Palm is the most powerful. It has become Li Xian's great killing technique!

Next is the [Daluo Saber Technique]. Among various martial arts, Li Xian has been most negligent with the [Daluo Saber Technique], remaining at the "Great Success" level to this day.

Once a martial art reaches Great Success, it can be seamlessly integrated. It enables flexibility and adaptability, incorporating the essentials of other martial arts during execution.

When Li Xian wields the saber, the Daluo Saber is not inherently powerful. However, if the understanding of the [Four Directions Fist] is incorporated, the saber path becomes mysterious and unpredictable. By integrating the understanding of the [Clear Wind Leg], the saber path becomes light and agile. Incorporating the [Jade Palm] makes it a sequence of saber techniques, each strike more fierce than the last.

Therefore, although Li Xian possesses few martial arts, in terms of combat adaptability, even Zheng Xuezhang does not compare to him.

The [Daluo Saber] remains stagnant, which is intentional on his part. To reveal part and conceal part is the best strategy.

The "Tiger Gate Claw" obtained from the fifth leader has also been started to practice. It is currently just about mastery.

Five martial arts...

Have forged Li Xian's current strength!

"Even among Essence-Eating Martial Artists, there are differences in strength and weakness."

"Zheng Xuezhang may be the leader of a gang, but... he's not as formidable as the 'Pot Immortal.' That Pot Immortal's lightweight skill is first-rate, with astonishing speed."

"Peeling off a living person with ease, indicating immense power."

Li Xian pondered silently.

He also thought about the choices he had to make. Now that most of his martial arts are at the [Peak] level, to advance further, he needs to obtain [Essence Food] or even more powerful and higher-level [martial arts].

For a martial artist, training, nourishing, practicing, and soaking...

Training is the cheapest. As for "nourishment," Li Xian still doesn't know what it is.

Not even Commander Pang knows what it is.

Li Xian hasn't really figured out the ins and outs of martial arts training. Truth be told, he seems not to have even entered the door.

"Now being sent outside, surely the lady will forget about me."

"Even if I stayed in the manor, guarding the village for her, I would make little progress in ten years. It seems... I should leave the manor and venture outside."

The path has been planned; all that's left is to walk it. Now he is alone and unencumbered, so why fear the dangers of the Jianghu.

But...

To venture into the Jianghu so blindly. Speaking harshly, does he even have the qualifications to enter the Jianghu?

If the Jianghu is viewed as the Black Water Gang or Mountain Wind Stronghold, he is already "stirring up storms," quite impressive. But if looked at more broadly, without a way, without anyone to guide him, he might struggle all his life without a chance.

Li Xian, open-minded and free, stopped thinking about it.

He rested in the wilderness for two days. Li Xian's hand bones gradually healed, able to move, but unable to draw a bow.

He equipped himself with a narrow blade and returned to the village.

Seeing Black River Village restored to tranquility, the whole village was filled with a sorrowful melody, with the sound of pipes and gongs...

"Master, your death was so tragic!"

"Master, rest in peace! Boohoohoo."

The villagers wailed in bursts.

It turns out that everyone thought Li Xian had died since he hadn't returned for several days and was mourning him in grief.

Li Xian's mouth twitched. But he thought, these villagers are simple and honest. After all, they didn't mistake the effort; if he truly died, it's nice that someone remembers him.

"Ah! Master, you're not dead!?" Uncle Fu, the village chief, exclaimed in surprise upon seeing Li Xian.

Everyone immediately gathered around.

Li Xian said, "Alright, just put these things away!"

...

...

Li Xian once obtained the method of the "Hundred Day Bath" for a medicinal bath. After winter passed, in mid-March, he started brewing and soaking.

His strength and flexibility were steadily improving.

But ultimately, this medicinal bath method was mixed and had minimal effects, but it was better than nothing.

The lineage of Zheng Xuezhang from the Black Water Gang was almost entirely killed by Li Xian. The battles had been fierce during this period.

He heard that another "Food Essence Realm" lord took the opportunity to start anew and quickly set up the Green Water Gang.

In mid-May.

Li Xian's desire to leave grew stronger; he told Uncle Fu that once the hundred-day bath ended, he would flee the manor. Whether they meet again in the future would depend on fate.

He demanded strict confidentiality from Uncle Fu.

If it leaked, leaving would become much more troublesome.

As the days passed.

That morning.

Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves broke the tranquility.

A-class Nursing Home officer Ding Hu dismounted and entered the village, knocking on the door of Uncle Fu's house, asking, "Where does Li Xian live?"

Uncle Fu was taken aback, "Well... this master, why are you looking for Master Li?"

"Don't ask much, just say where he is." Ding Hu said impatiently.

"This... this..." Uncle Fu stammered. He knew Li Xian was about to leave and feared this officer was here to capture him, so he was unwilling to divulge the information.

"Are you senile!" Ding Hu got angry and was about to teach him a lesson.

"Master Ding, what do you need with me?" Li Xian walked up leisurely and said calmly.

Ding Hu heard Li Xian call him master and was so frightened he trembled all over. He quickly walked over, knelt on one knee, and said:

"Commander Li, the lady has promoted you to Commander and instructed you to return; other Nursing Homes can be sent to guard this villa!"

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