The Villain's Counterattack

Chapter 524: Outer Sect Unknown Disciple

Two more people joined Yang Xuyan and Dugu Feng's traveling team, two ordinary teenagers with no internal strength, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling.

They traveled from sunrise to sunset, heading south all the way to Taihu Lake in Suzhou. Food was everywhere as they walked in the wilderness. Yang Xuyan did not avoid Kou and Xu when training Dugu Feng, but their martial arts skills were too low and they had no foundation. They did not understand many things at all, but they were very envious and admired Dugu Feng's martial arts.

Along the way, Yang Xuyan taught Kou and Xu many skills. The first one was the Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian for body strengthening. It was an improved version tailored for them to strengthen their foundation, which could quickly improve their roots and bones, replenish their bodies and nourish their tendons and veins.

The second is the method of empty hands. This method is from the world of The Legend of the Condor Heroes. When Yang Kang was young, he learned the method from Guo Jing's second master, Zhu Cong, who had empty hands. It was just kung fu but no internal strength, but it was very suitable for the two gangsters Kou and Xu. They learned it quickly and skillfully.

In addition, Yang Xuyan also created a footwork for them that does not require internal strength to perform, called Loach Kung Fu. The movements are not too elegant, but very suitable for gangsters to perform. The two of them also learned it with gusto.

Besides martial arts, Yang Xuyan taught them many survival skills along the way, including picking, hunting, trapping, barbecuing, carpentry, building houses, digging holes, and fetching water. When they arrived at Taihu Lake, Dugu Feng, Kou Zhong, and Xu Ziling were amazed by Yang Xuyan's familiarity with the area. His swimming prowess was also astonishing, so Kou and Xu also learned how to fish and grill them.

Yang Xuyan made his fortune in Taihu Lake in his previous life, so it was impossible for him to give up completely in this life. He once again occupied an island on Taihu Lake. Although he had few people, they were all skilled fighters. Ordinary forces could not do anything to them. The island was also guarded by a Qimen Dunjia formation, which was difficult to break even for innate masters unless it was broken from the inside.

When they arrived on the island, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling's treatment was greatly improved. However, according to Yang Xuyan's instructions, the people on the island were not allowed to teach them martial arts. Instead, they learned a lot more about reading, writing, food, clothing, housing and transportation etiquette, which made Kou and Xu feel very novel.

Happy times are always short. As the leader of a faction, Yang Xuyan cannot stay in one place for a long time, let alone in such an insignificant place outside the sphere of influence. News came from Shu that Badao Yueshan and Shi Zhixuan had a conflict. After being defeated, they left Youlin Cottage in anger and went to Chengdu City. Yang Xuyan needed to go there in person to comfort them.

As a last resort, Yang Xuyan had to end this short period of leisure time. He personally carved two wooden talismans and gave them to Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, and drove them back to Yangzhou City. He called them anonymous outer disciples. They could come to the island for three days every year and enjoy the treatment of a young master with the amulet around their necks. They were not allowed to go to the island at other times, and even if they arrived at the gate, they would be turned away.

If they have successfully polished their foundation, I will go to Yangzhou City to find them. Before that, we will not meet again. Kou and Xu are both grateful people who know how to advance and retreat and understand etiquette. They cherish what they have learned from Taoist Xiaoyao in the past month, especially the Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian, Miao Shou Kong Kong, and Mudfish Kung, and they study and practice them diligently every day without any slackness.

Although the two were young and orphans, they knew the warmth and coldness of human nature and the dangers of the world. After arriving on the island, they secretly competed with the guards on the island. Even with the protection of the Loach Skill, they were still defeated. However, they also won the recognition of the guards. Ordinary adult men who had no martial arts skills could not defeat them.

After bidding farewell to their master Yang Xuyan and senior sister Dugu Feng, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling took the change given by their master and, under the protection of two guards, returned to Yangzhou City along the same route they came from. Yang Xuyan and Dugu Feng, on the other hand, took turns traveling by car and boat to Sichuan. However, before that, they secretly visited Lu Miaozi, the world's best craftsman at Pegasus Ranch, on the way.

However, it is said that Yang Xuyan treated Lu Miaozi's injuries and then secretly accepted Shang Xiuxun as his disciple. His method was somewhat mysterious and he successfully fooled Shang Xiuxun. However, as his martial arts became stronger and his experience became richer, Shang Xiuxun slowly reacted and successfully broke the maze to meet his father and his master, Taoist Xiaoyao (Yang Xuyan in disguise).

Yang Xuyan easily subdued her and demonstrated his erudition and superb martial arts skills, successfully making Shang Xiuxun sincerely convinced and willing to become his disciple. However, she had a deep prejudice against her father Lu Miaozi and had been unable to resolve the knot in her heart. She was not very willing to spend time with him day and night. Only when Yang Xuyan was around would she stay in Anlewo for a longer time, but she never took the initiative to go there at other times.

Even so, Lu Miaozi still cared about her very much, and was even very happy that she came to Anlewo. She did not act like the best craftsman in the world at all. The two elders, Shang Peng and Shang He, secretly saw Shang Xiuxun go to Anlewo several times, and they became more and more certain that Lu Miaozi was secretly teaching the owner Shang Xiuxun, and they felt more relieved.

The best craftsman in the world is extraordinary. As the elders of Pegasus Ranch, they know the importance of Lu Miaozi better than others, and they also know the troubles he has caused. The leader of the Demonic Yin Gui Sect, Zhu Yuyan!

Therefore, their attitude towards Lu Miaozi is somewhat subtle. They value and cherish her, but are also wary of her and try to hide and protect her. They know clearly that if Lu Miaozi's whereabouts are exposed, there will be endless troubles.

Putting aside other things, the mere identity of the designer of Yang Gong's Treasure House is enough to attract 99% of the masters in the world to flock to him, and Pegasus Ranch cannot protect him.

Fortunately, Lu Miaozi has extraordinary abilities and is good at hiding himself, so he did not bring any trouble to Pegasus Ranch. He also secretly guarded the ranch against external pressure and threats. This is why the two elders Shang Peng and Shang He tolerated him. Otherwise, his emotional hurt towards the previous owner would be enough for them to fight Lu Miaozi to the death.

The Pegasus Ranch was carefully arranged by Lu Miaozi, making it difficult for outsiders to sneak into. However, for Yang Xuyan, who was familiar with the terrain, it was useless, not to mention that he was involved in most of the arrangements. After all, in terms of attainments in the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams of Qimen Dunjia, even Lu Miaozi could not match him.

However, the art of Qimen Dunjia required such high levels of numerology that even a genius like Dugu Feng was somewhat baffled. Her talent lay more in martial arts or swordsmanship. Yang Xuyan guided her along the way, explaining the various arrangements, which was eye-opening for Dugu Feng. However, upon closer examination, she was at a loss as to where to begin if she were asked to arrange the arrangement in another location.

"Master, what is the relationship between this world's number one craftsman and my Xiaoyao Sect? Why is there a Qimen Dunjia formation arranged by Master here?" Dugu Feng was quite curious about this. Not only did the Dongming Sect, the world's number one weapons manufacturer, have a close relationship with Master, but he could also come and go freely at Pegasus Ranch, the number one warhorse breeding base in the Sui Dynasty. Dugu Feng had to think more about it.

"Although that old man is a bit ugly and his emotional intelligence isn't high, he's actually quite intelligent and his martial arts skills are passable. I once healed his injuries, expelled his demonic energy, and even asked him to improve our warships. We became friends, and he later accepted his daughter as a disciple. Seeing the profound heritage of our Xiaoyao Sect, this old man shamelessly offered himself up, and now he's considered a guest elder within the sect." At this point, Yang Xuyan let out a long sigh. "To be honest, this old man isn't really suitable for our Xiaoyao Sect. His appearance is definitely a hurdle."

By this time, the two of them had already reached the door of Anlewo. Yang Xuyan's voice hadn't dropped. Inside the small building of Anlewo, Lu Miaozi, who was brewing tea to entertain the guests, nearly pulled out a strand of his beard. He snorted, "How can a piece of rotten skin have any inner talent or substance? Xiaoyao boy, your Xiaoyao sect needs to change its standards for selecting disciples, otherwise it won't last long."

Yang Xuyan waved his sleeves, and the second-floor door of the small building creaked open. Shang Xiuxun, who was behind Lu Miaozi, hurried forward to pay her respects to her master. She admired Xiaoyaozi very much.

Although she usually treated her father coldly, deep down she admired and even worshipped his talent as the world's finest craftsman, but she couldn't get over the knot in her heart because of her mother. Her own master was not only superior to her father in martial arts, but also equally proficient in various other subjects, and even surpassed her father in Qimen Dunjia. This immediately shifted the girl's admiration towards Taoist Xiaoyao.

Yang Xuyan lifted Shang Xiuxun up in mid-air and introduced Dugu Feng to her. "This is my new disciple, Dugu Feng. She specializes in swordsmanship and is extremely talented. Her future achievements will be no less than that of the Goguryeo sword master Fu Cailin. You two are sisters from the same sect, so you should support each other and become closer."

"Xiuxun meets Junior Sister Dugu. As a new member, you can ask me if you have any questions. I am not as specialized as you, so the things I have learned are a bit mixed." Shang Xiuxun, you are showing off blatantly. Do you think you can show off just because you have a knowledgeable father?

"Sister Shangjia, there's no need to be so polite. I've traveled extensively with my master, and although I've devoted myself to the way of the sword, I've also seen a lot of things. Under my master's guidance, I've learned many things I previously ignored. Sister Shangjia, have you ever heard of the ultimate martial art of shattering the void? Do you know that above the acquired, innate, grandmaster, and grandmaster levels lies the realm of the supreme grandmaster? Have you ever heard of the four great martial arts? Tsk tsk, those are all divine techniques that aim to shatter the void."

The more Dugu Feng boasted, the happier he felt, his mouth constantly spewing deadly blows: "The Cihang Sword Canon, the supreme tome of the righteous sect's Cihang Jingzhai, can only be ranked last. The Demon Sect's Tianmo Lu is second for its breadth and depth. The War God Atlas is mysterious and profound, only the lucky ones can see it. The War God Temple is a self-contained entity that comes and goes without a trace, making it fascinating. As for the Longevity Secret, well, I don't understand it."

"I don't understand?" What does "I don't understand" mean? Shang Xiuxun, who was filled with anger, was suddenly confused by this sentence. However, Shang Xiuxun was confused, but it didn't mean that Lu Miaozi was confused too. The old man's eyes lit up, "Have you found the legendary "Eternal Life Secret"?"