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Lin Ning walked out of the pawnshop and arrived at the horse market. He spent one or two silver coins to buy a strong white horse. Although it was already late at night, he dared not waste a moment. The distance from his location in Shanhaiguan to Jinling was nearly 2,500 miles. A regular horse could run a maximum of 500 miles in a day, which was incomparable to the sweat blood horse, Great Yuan horse, and other fine horses that could travel 800 miles in a day. In two more days and three nights, his Silkworm Poison would flare up. Lin Ning was very clear that it was impossible for the white horse he had just bought to run non-stop to Jinling in three days and two nights without resting, fearing that the white horse would be exhausted and die halfway. The only solution was to let the white horse run for one night first, then change to another horse at daybreak the next day. Changing horses every twelve hours, each horse would run 500 miles. This way, he could reach Jinling before the Silkworm Poison flared up, and then it would take less than half a day to travel from Jinling to Yunshan Island by boat. Thinking that he would be back on Yunshan Island in two days, Lin Ning felt invigorated. He tightened his grip on the white horse's belly, causing the horse to run with its mane flying and hooves kicking up a storm. It was truly as fast as a shooting star and as swift as an arrow!
Around 3 a.m. on the fifteenth day, Lin Ning successfully arrived in Jinling. Fearing that time was running out, he decided to return to Yunshan Island first, and then send a message to Lin Enzhe via carrier pigeon to let him know that he was safe.
Lin Ning ran excitedly along the soft beach towards the sea. At this time, the sky was covered by a hazy layer of clouds, and the sea was dark with low-hanging clouds. The rain fell gently on the sea, creating a thin layer of ripples. The layers of ripples gradually spread with the falling raindrops, adding a rhythmic beauty to the entire sea. Lin Ning saw a wooden boat docked by the sea, jumped on board, untied the ropes, and rowed the oars towards Yunshan Island.
Suddenly, the light rain intensified, and the sea breeze began to rise. Lin Ning untied the straw hat from the bow of the boat and placed it on his head. The surface of the sea was shrouded in a damp mist, and the distant haze seemed to reflect Lin Ning's gentle and reserved heart.
In this world, a long wait is the most painful thing. During the half month since Lin Ning and the Princess of Yue Ming County left, Hu Xueyan spent every day in anxiety, especially since eight days ago when Lin Enzhe sent a message saying that Lin Ning had returned to Yunshan Island. She was instantly filled with worry, not knowing what had happened to Lin Ning, where he had gone, or whether he was safe. The Enze Gang sent disciples to search for Lin Ning everywhere. Hu Xueyan even rowed a boat alone on the sea searching for him for several days. By the fourteenth day, her heart grew colder with each passing moment. She stood by the sea from dawn until nightfall, wishing so much for Lin Ning to suddenly appear before her.
Hu Xueyan's eyes gradually blurred, tears and rainwater sliding down her face simultaneously. Suddenly, through the mist of rain and clouds, a figure wearing a straw hat and dressed in a blue robe came into her view. He was rowing a wooden boat with all his might towards Hu Xueyan. The man's agile figure seemed to be Lin Ning. A traveler in blue amidst the rain seems like an old friend returning. The pavilion looks out but finds no place to seek; the vast waters and sky are stained with tears! Hu Xueyan thought that this familiar figure in blue must be Brother Ning! But if he is not Brother Ning, what can I do? Hu Xueyan's heart was filled with contradictions; she hoped that the man in blue would come closer so she could see his face clearly, yet she feared that if he turned out not to be Lin Ning, she would be utterly disappointed. Her heart felt like it was in her throat. Suddenly, the wind stopped and the rain cleared; the sea became calm. The figure of the man in blue grew clearer as he removed his straw hat, revealing a handsome face. The man in blue was none other than Lin Ning, whom Hu Xueyan had been longing for day and night!
Hu Xueyan was overjoyed and rushed towards Lin Ning. Lin Ning jumped off the wooden boat and tightly embraced Hu Xueyan! After experiencing this separation, they realized that each was an irreplaceable presence in the other's heart, as essential as air. Losing one another would mean losing the meaning of existence. Tears still hung on Hu Xueyan's cheeks as she half-jokingly said, "Brother Ning, from now on, I won't allow you to leave me again!" Lin Ning felt both moved and guilty; although he had only been away from Hu Xueyan for fifteen days, it felt as long as fifteen years. He finally understood the feeling of a day apart being like three autumns. Lin Ning gazed intently at Hu Xueyan and declared, "From now on, no force can separate us!" This was indeed: in a beautiful fairyland, there was a her whom he missed day and night; he wanted to bravely break through the emptiness and loneliness, drift into the fairyland to find her, to be close to her, to watch the stars twinkle, to listen to the songs of the sea of clouds, to scoop a handful of river cloud water and sprinkle it onto the world, wishing that all lovers would eventually be together!
Upon returning to Yunshan Island, Lin Ning's first task was to send a message via carrier pigeon to Lin Enzhe to report his safety. He then recounted his experiences over the past half month to Hu Chuanmao and Cheng Yun, who were both shocked by Yang Yan's defection to Later Jin. Cheng Yun advised Lin Ning not to contact the Princess of Yue Ming County anymore; after all, she was a barbarian from the north, and her inherent savagery and stubbornness could never be eradicated.
At this moment, the sun had fully risen. Lin Ning feared that Silkworm Poison might strike at any moment, so he quickly made his way to the Fallen icicle cave on Yun Xue Mountain. As soon as he entered the Fallen icicle cave, he felt an unbearable heat and pain throughout his body. Fortunately, it was still not too late; he used his internal energy techniques on the ice pillar to expel the poison. He then took out the Madonna lily flower from his arms and consumed it. In a moment, Lin Ning felt light and comfortable. After several days of traveling on horseback without sleep, he could finally relax. Returning to Book Immortal Pavilion, Lin Ning collapsed and fell into a deep sleep.
As evening approached, Hu Xueyan noticed the clouds hanging low over Yun Xue Mountain, casting a dim and gloomy shadow. She knew that snow would soon begin to fall. Lin Ning was sleeping soundly when suddenly, a golden hairpin with a note attached flew in through the open window and landed on his desk. He jumped out of bed, picked up the hairpin, and read the note in Hu Xueyan's elegant handwriting: "The evening sky is about to snow, can we share a drink?" Lin Ning recognized the lines as a couplet from Bai Juyi's poem "Asking Liu Nineteen," which conveyed the sentiment of dusk approaching and snow imminent, inviting someone to share a cup of wine.
Standing by the window, Lin Ning peered outside and spotted Hu Xueyan, Lin Xiu, and Qin Lan hiding behind a large tree, their faces blooming with smiles. He leaped out of the window and gracefully landed before them. With a charming demeanor, he clasped his fists and said, "How could I refuse my sister's invitation?"
When it snowed on Yun Xue Mountain, the cold was several times harsher than usual. The four donned fur coats and brought along some warming red wine as they made their way up the mountain. In front of the Fallen Icicle Cave, plum blossoms were in full bloom, their fragrance wafting through the air. The contrast of the pure white snow against the vibrant blossoms created a picturesque scene that was utterly enchanting. They gathered around a rock to drink, allowing the snowflakes to fall upon them without brushing them away.
With wine to inspire him, Lin Ning felt a surge of creativity rise within him. He drew his Xuanning Sword and danced with it amidst the falling snow. He spun and twirled, his swordplay fluid as the wind, light and graceful!
Lin Xiu asked, "Second Brother, your swordplay looks so elegant! What style is this? Would you teach it to me and Xue Yin's sister?" Lin Ning chuckled and replied, "This is a new style I just created from my heart; I haven't named it yet. Can any of you think of a name for it?"
Seeing him wielding the sword like a graceful tree swaying in the wind, blending seamlessly with the swirling snowflakes, Hu Xueyan pondered for a moment before saying, "Why not call it 'Graceful Elegance'?" Lin Xiu chimed in, "The name you chose is very fitting." Lin Ning paused with his Xuanning Sword and suggested, "How about each of us creates our own sword style and then we can all come up with beautiful names for them together?"
Lin Xiu smiled and said, "Second Brother's suggestion is quite good. I wholeheartedly agree, but I would like to add one thing: everyone must start the name of their sword technique with the character 'Wind' in a four-character idiom." Lin Ning cast an appreciative glance at Lin Xiu and replied, "Xiu'er’s suggestion is excellent. Let’s get started!" Lin Xiu declared, "I’ll go first!"
With a graceful demeanor, Lin Xiu moved lightly, her sword dancing up and down, darting left and right, showcasing her elegant swordplay like a swimming dragon. Hu Xueyan cheered loudly, "Sister Xiu's sword technique shall be called 'Graceful Demeanor'!" Lin Xiu exclaimed, "I love the name 'Graceful Demeanor'. Now it's time for Xue Yin's sister to perform her swordplay!"
Hu Xueyan's technique flowed from her heart; her sword moved as her thoughts did. The tip of her sword glided over the snow, and the blade began to spin slowly. Gradually, it spun faster, swirling up the snowflakes and plum blossom petals around her, filling the air with a faint floral fragrance and dancing snowflakes. Lin Ning observed as Hu Xueyan was surrounded by the plum blossom petals and sparkling snowflakes, creating a scene of poetic romance. He seemed to be speaking to himself but also addressed Hu Xueyan, saying, "This sword technique should be called 'Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon'!"
Lin Xiu replied, "'Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon' would be perfect if created by two people together; Second Brother shouldn’t let Xue Yin's sister dance alone." Lin Ning thought that Xiu'er was absolutely right; his Xuanning Sword paired beautifully with Hu Xueyan's jade female swordsman. He wielded his Xuanning Sword, its wind like a white snake flicking its tongue, hissing through the air, darting around like a swimming dragon—sometimes light as a swallow as he pointed his sword upward, sometimes swift as lightning and fast as the wind. The falling plum blossoms and snowflakes swirled around them.
The Xuanning Sword and Hu Xueyan's jade female swordsman intertwined beautifully. The two shared a deep understanding; their techniques harmonized effortlessly and flowed smoothly like clouds and water. Snowflakes and plum blossoms danced around them as the snow cleared and the moon shone through the clouds, illuminating Yun Xue Mountain as if it were daytime. The colors of snow and moon met perfectly—pure and flawless. The gentle breeze, plum blossoms, white snow, and bright moon were all exquisite things.
Lin Xiu clapped her hands and laughed, "With wind, flowers, snow, and moon—this is truly 'Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon.' Two extraordinary individuals encountering such beauty is indeed a match made in heaven!" Hu Xueyan's cheeks flushed red until even her snowy neck turned crimson. She scooped up a handful of snow from the ground and threw it at Lin Xiu while playfully scolding her, "You’re talking nonsense! Let’s see how I deal with you!"
Lin Ning had never seen such heavy snowfall at Yun Xue Mountain before. In front of the Fallen Icicle Cave on a flat area, he built a snowman and carved "Xueing" on its front with his Xuanning Sword while inscribing "Snowman" on its back. Lin Xiu tilted her head to look at the snowman and said, "Second Brother, can I borrow your Xuanning Sword?" Lin Ning asked curiously, "What do you want it for?" Lin Xiu smiled mischievously and replied, "You’ll find out soon enough."
Following her request, Lin Ning handed over his Xuanning Sword. Lin Xiu then carved "I love you" next to the words "Xueing." With a serious expression, she said to him, "Second Brother, I’ve carved your true feelings for you. How will you thank me?" After thinking for a moment with equal seriousness, Lin Ning replied, "Tomorrow I’ll send a message via carrier pigeon asking Father and Mother to bring you back to Jinling—how about that?"
Lin Xiu exclaimed playfully, "Second Brother, you’re so bad!" Lin Ning continued earnestly, "I’m not finished yet! Then I’ll have Father and Mother take you to White Jade Mount to meet White Jade Peak—does that sound good?" Lin Xiu’s face turned as red as the evening glow on the horizon. Qin Lan chuckled and said, "This is what they call karma; just now Sister Xiu was teasing both of you; now it’s finally her turn to be teased."
For several consecutive days, the four of them created multiple sword techniques on Yun Xue Mountain: "Variety of Styles," "Breezy and Sunny," "Clear Winds and Light Clouds," "Sudden Changes in the Wind," "Rising Winds and Rushing Clouds," "Swift as Lightning"… They were thoroughly engrossed in their work, and each of their swordsmanship saw remarkable progress.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Ning and Lin Xiu spent an unforgettable summer on Yunshan Island. As autumn arrived with its coolness, one day in September, Lin Enzhe and Miao Shuyan suddenly came to Yunshan Island. It turned out that a few days earlier, Xiong Yanbi, who had just been promoted to Minister of War, sent a letter to Lin Enzhe. The letter stated that the Ming army had detected that the Later Jin forces were planning to attack Guangning soon. Xiong Yanbi was worried about a potential siege on Guangning leading to a shortage of supplies and requested Lin Enzhe to send a batch of provisions to the Ming army. Jiangnan was currently in the harvest season, so gathering provisions was not difficult. The key issue was whether to transport them by sea or land, which was quite troublesome. Lin Enzhe and his wife came to Yunshan Island this time to discuss the transportation route for the provisions with Hu Chuanmao and Cheng Yun.
Hu Chuanmao pondered for a moment and said, "Elder Brother, let’s transport these provisions by land. After all, the route is still within the jurisdiction of the Ming army, which would be relatively safer." Suddenly, Lin Ning, Lin Xiu, and Hu Xueyan, who had been eavesdropping outside Canghai, pushed open the door and walked in. Lin Ning said, "Uncle Hu, I believe transporting provisions by land may not necessarily be safe. Not to mention that there are many bandits along the way, but the Jianghu's largest gang, Sun Moon Gang, has already allied with Later Jin. Their disciples have eyes everywhere; they can easily track our movements while transporting provisions."
Hu Chuanmao nodded and said, "What you say makes sense, but we need to check the weather conditions for transporting provisions by sea." Hu Xueyan replied, "Father, please rest assured. I have observed the weather patterns these past few days; there are no significant storms in the northern seas." Lin Enzhe joyfully said, "Great! There’s no time to lose; I will return to Jinling immediately to load one hundred thousand stones of grain onto ships and have my three disciples deliver them to the Borderlands overnight." Hu Chuanmao added, "Yunshan Island also has ten thousand stones of salt to send along with the grain to the Ming army."
Lin Ning said to Lin Enzhe, "Father, let me accompany my three senior brothers to escort this batch of provisions; it would be good to have someone looking out for each other on the way." Lin Enzhe replied, "Child, last time you went with Princess of Yue Ming County to Sun Moon Gang and almost didn’t make it back to Yunshan Island before your poison acted up. I really can’t let you take such risks again this time." Lin Ning insisted, "Tomorrow I will have twelve days left before my poison acts up. It takes six days for a round trip by boat from Jinling to Bohai Bay; that leaves me six days of free time in between. Ning'er will be very careful this time." After hesitating for a moment, Lin Enzhe said, "Alright then; you must pay attention to your safety."
Lin Enzhe and Miao Shuyan set off immediately to return to Jinling to prepare for the necessary arrangements, while Hu Chuanmao tirelessly ordered the island's residents to load the stored salt onto the ships. In fact, every dynasty had regulations against hoarding and selling salt privately, with severe penalties for violators. Yunshan Island was a newly developed area, falling into a jurisdictional gray zone. Moreover, the Ming Dynasty was preoccupied with fighting against the Later Jin and had no time or energy to manage a small island. As a result, Yunshan Island accumulated a large amount of salt each year without anyone paying attention.
Hu Xueyan and Lin Xiu were worried about Lin Ning's safety and insisted on accompanying him. Hu Xueyan said to Lin Ning, "Brother Ning, you won't be able to persuade me otherwise this time; I must go with you to the Borderlands." Lin Ning looked at Hu Xueyan's passionate and determined gaze and replied, "Alright then, we'll share both joy and hardship together." Lin Xiu added, " second Brother, I want to go with you too; the three of us will face everything together." Lin Ning felt a surge of emotion in his heart and said with a trembling voice, "Okay, it's settled then. We will share our fortunes and bear our difficulties together."
The next morning, Su Dongliang led twenty cargo ships to Yunshan Island. Together with the three ships loaded with salt prepared by Hu Chuanmao, they set sail with a total of twenty-three vessels heading north. The sea was calm along the way, and three days later they arrived at Jinzhou Port. Xiong Yanbi was very pleased to see Lin Ning, Hu Xueyan, and Lin Xiu, leading them to tour the defensive facilities of Jinzhou City. Lin Ning noticed that under Xiong Yanbi's leadership, soldiers were busy building war chariots, digging trenches, and fortifying walls; they appeared spirited and full of ambition.
Xiong Yanbi was a man of great knowledge and skill—a hero who could wield both pen and sword effectively. However, he had a fiery temper and a straightforward nature, often resorting to harsh words. Upon seeing Lin Ning, he felt delighted but immediately began to scold: "The factions in the court—the Faction of Lottery and the Eastern Lin Party—are all no good; they only care about their party disputes while no one truly cares about the war in Liaodong. The court often cuts soldiers' rations, making it so that as Minister of War, I have to beg for supplies everywhere."
Lin Ning understood that the political corruption within the Ming Dynasty would surely marginalize someone as principled as Xiong Yanbi. He recalled how last time the court had believed the slanderous words of sycophants from the Faction of Lottery and unjustly imprisoned Xiong Yanbi; he felt deep concern for his friend's situation.
Lin Ning and his companions stayed in Jinzhou City for four days. Hu Xueyan worried that weather conditions at sea might change; if storms arose unexpectedly, it would affect their return journey to Yunshan Island. She urged Lin Ning to leave Jinzhou as soon as possible. Knowing that Hu Xueyan was skilled in various esoteric arts including divination and celestial observation, Lin Ning trusted her words completely. The next day he bid farewell to Xiong Yanbi. Although Xiong Yanbi was reluctant to see Lin Ning go, he understood that leaving early was wise given the unpredictable weather at sea. Thus, he personally escorted Lin Ning and his companions to Bohai Bay and watched them board their ship before returning to Jinzhou City.
Lin Ning and others sailed for three days at sea and safely returned to Yunshan Island. They arrived two days earlier than the day his Silkworm Poison was expected to act up. When Hu Chuanmao saw that they had returned safely, he joyfully hosted a banquet in Canghai to welcome them.
That night, at the hour of the pig, Lin Ning arrived punctually at the Fallen icicle cave. He hadn't been there for ten days and missed his grandmother dearly. He called out in the cave, "Grandmother, Ning'er has returned from the Borderlands. Are you here?" There was no response from within the cave. Lin Ning thought that perhaps his grandmother had something else to attend to that night, so he began practicing a set of Emei sect martial arts called "Golden Summit Soft Palm," which his grandmother had taught him a few days ago. This palm technique could enhance both attack and defense, and it was one of the fundamental techniques of the Emei sect. Suddenly, his grandmother's voice came from deep within the cave: "Your Golden Summit Soft Palm lacks sufficient attacking power, and there are flaws in your defense. I will demonstrate it for you again; pay attention." As soon as she finished speaking, her black veil floated down in front of Lin Ning.
Lin Ning was astonished and asked, "Grandmother, there is only one entrance to the Fallen icicle cave; where did you come in from?" His grandmother replied sternly, "Who said there is only one entrance to the Fallen icicle cave? I come in through another entrance every day." Was there really another exit in the Fallen icicle cave? Hearing this, Lin Ning was dumbfounded; how could he and Hu Xueyan and Lin Xiu practice swordplay in front of the Fallen icicle cave every day without ever discovering another entrance? Lin Ning hurriedly asked, "Can you tell Ning'er where the other entrance is?" His grandmother said, "Don't be anxious; when your lightness skill reaches a certain level, you will naturally find the other exit of the Fallen icicle cave. Now let me demonstrate the Golden Summit Soft Palm for you again; watch closely."
Lin Ning practiced the Golden Summit Soft Palm repeatedly according to his grandmother's teachings and finally grasped its essence.
His grandmother nodded in satisfaction and said to Lin Ning, "The Golden Summit Soft Palm is a basic entry-level martial art of the Emei sect. You have completely mastered it. Now I will teach you a higher-level martial art of the Emei sect called 'Xizi Holding Heart.' This is an internal skill; mastering it will not only greatly increase your internal strength but also significantly improve your lightness skill." Lin Ning was overjoyed and quickly said, "Thank you for your guidance, Grandmother." His grandmother slowly explained, "'Xizi Holding Heart' emphasizes intention derived from thought. When practicing, you must eliminate all distractions and achieve a state of calmness like water with coordinated energy flow. The face reflects the heart; as it becomes more serene, beauty increases. A plain woman mimics beauty but ends up making things worse..."
Lin Ning silently memorized the principles of the Xizi Holding Heart that his grandmother imparted. Then she taught him the techniques of Xizi Holding Heart. This set of martial arts was very light and agile. Lin Ning integrated the techniques and principles of "Xizi Holding Heart," allowing his internal energy to combine with his thoughts harmoniously. He felt as if his body had become as light as if he had grown wings. He leaped quickly into the air and then floated down gracefully; each jump became higher than the last, and each landing became lighter than before.
For several nights in a row, Lin Ning practiced the "Xizi Holding Heart" technique alone in the Fallen icicle cave, as his grandmother had not come. He suddenly recalled her words: once your lightness skill reaches a certain level, you will naturally find another exit from the Fallen icicle cave. Now, he had mastered the "Xizi Holding Heart" to perfection and made significant progress in his lightness skill, allowing him to easily jump to the cave's ceiling, which was over ten zhang high. He and Hu Xueyan and Lin Xiu had visited the depths of the Fallen icicle cave countless times without finding an exit, so the only possibility for another exit was at the top of the cave. With this thought in mind, Lin Ning took up the Xuanning Sword and used the lightness skill of "Xizi Holding Heart" to leap toward the ceiling. He grabbed a pillar of ice with his left hand and gently tapped each ice pillar with the hilt of the Xuanning Sword. Suddenly, one ice pillar fell to the ground as soon as it touched the sword. Lin Ning gently tapped around this ice pillar a few more times, and instantly a large number of ice pillars and thin layers of ice fell down, revealing a circular opening about one meter in diameter. Lin Ning finally understood that his grandmother entered and exited through this opening to teach him martial arts. It turned out that due to the cold weather in the Fallen icicle cave and the small size of this opening, anyone who entered would cause it to freeze over within minutes, making it impossible to see from the outside.
Lin Ning sheathed the Xuanning Sword at his waist and climbed up by holding onto the rocks on either side of the opening. Above the opening was a narrow passageway; in the darkness, Lin Ning's vision was obstructed. He took out a flint from his pocket and lit a wooden stick at the edge of the opening. Using the torch's light, Lin Ning ascended step by step along the stone steps. Suddenly, he noticed that on a smooth stone wall at a bend in the passageway was engraved a five-character poem: "In the remnants of smoke by the curved pavilion, beauty resides here. Flowers still enveloped in brocade, moss weaves its embroidered curtains." The name of the female hero is known among disciples; Jiang Shen's pendant is already empty. To dispel sorrow without mentioning wine leaves regret as if it could be removed. From this poem, Lin Ning sensed the author's loneliness and melancholy—a feeling of solitude and despair! Who is "beauty"? Who is this female hero? Could it be his grandmother? Lin Ning thought that since only his grandmother knew about this exit, she must have carved this poem, indicating that "beauty" and "female hero" referred to her. He suddenly felt that his grandmother's expression of loneliness, solitude, helplessness, and regret in this poem bore some resemblance to Hu Xueyan's temperament!
Continuing up along the stone steps after reading the poem, Lin Ning passed through a spiral staircase until he reached another flat rock on one side of the passageway. On this rock were inscribed four large characters: "Jade Female Swordsman Technique," beneath which were illustrations depicting a young girl practicing sword techniques—sixteen images in total—each accompanied by detailed explanations of these techniques' variations. Lin Ning attempted to practice starting from the first image but found it difficult to grasp any essence; these techniques appeared plain yet seemed to contain endless transformations. He could only silently memorize the incantations for these sixteen techniques in his heart. Holding onto his torch, he continued upward for another four or five hundred meters until he finally reached the end of the passageway.
Lin Ning brushed away the snow at the cave entrance, only to discover that it opened up to a sheer cliff. The cave was situated just below the summit of Yun Xue Mountain, and a pine tree grew in the crevice of the rocks below, its branches obscuring the view of the entrance. No wonder he and Hu Xueyan, along with Lin Xiu, had visited Yun Xue Mountain multiple times without noticing this cave. Climbing up the pine tree to gaze at the summit, Lin Ning found that it was about a hundred meters away from the tree. With his current level of lightness skill, he could easily leap to the top without any effort.
Standing on the pine tree, Lin Ning gathered his energy and leaped into the air, soaring gracefully before landing firmly on the summit of Yun Xue Mountain. After taking in the view, he gently descended back to the branches of the pine tree and retraced his steps along the long corridor back to Fallen Icicle Cave. The entrance of Fallen Icicle Cave was already frozen over, sealing it shut. Lin Ning carefully used Xuanning Sword to break through the ice layer and returned inside. After about fifteen minutes, a thin layer of ice slowly formed over the entrance once again.
Lin Ning returned to Book Immortal Pavilion and slept until well after sunrise, not waking until Lin Xiu and Hu Xueyan arrived to read. Sitting at his desk, he absentmindedly flipped through The Analects while his mind wandered to the techniques in Jade Female Swordsman’s style. Lin Xiu waved his right hand in front of Lin Ning’s face and laughed, "Second Brother, did you take some strange medicine today? Why are you suddenly reading The Analects?"
Lin Ning replied, "It's nothing. I suddenly thought of a sword technique but can't grasp its essence."
"What sword technique? Can you teach it to me and Xue Yin's sister?" Lin Xiu asked eagerly.
"Sure, let’s go outside. I’ll demonstrate it for both of you," Lin Ning said. The three of them exited Book Immortal Pavilion, and Lin Ning drew Xuanning Sword to demonstrate the first move of Jade Female Swordsman’s style. He sat cross-legged with his right leg over his left, thrusting Xuanning Sword diagonally backward from behind him while pushing forward with his left palm.
Hu Xueyan and Lin Xiu followed his movements and began practicing as well. Watching Hu Xueyan's graceful actions, Lin Ning suddenly grasped the essence of this sword technique. He mirrored Hu Xueyan's movements seamlessly, executing the technique fluidly as if he were carving through meat with precision! Meanwhile, Hu Xueyan also understood the core principles of the sword technique by observing Lin Ning’s elegant execution.
That evening, Lin Ning returned to Fallen Icicle Cave where his grandmother had been waiting for him for quite some time. He recounted how he had discovered another exit from Fallen Icicle Cave. His grandmother replied, "I already knew about that. Did you demonstrate Jade Female Swordsman’s style to those two girls today?"
Lin Ning answered, "Ning'er can’t hide anything from you, Grandma! I don’t know why she couldn’t comprehend the essence of the sword technique at first until she practiced it with Xue Yin's sister."
His grandmother sighed and said, "This set of Jade Female Swordsman’s techniques requires finding someone with whom you share a deep connection to progress rapidly; it seems this is fate! You should continue practicing Jade Female Swordsman’s style with Xueing."
Lin Ning felt a surge of joy in his heart and quickly bowed in gratitude to his grandmother. From then on, every night he studied Jade Female Swordsman’s techniques from the stone wall while during the day he discussed and refined swordplay with Hu Xueyan and Lin Xiu. All three made significant progress in their understanding of Jade Female Swordsman’s style, especially Lin Ning and Hu Xueyan who practiced together harmoniously, mastering it to perfection.
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