Chapter 6: The Heaven-Defying Formula, Too Much for Man to Bear

Chapter 6: The Heaven-Defying Formula, Too Much for Man to Bear

The two men who came were one fat and one thin, and they were exactly the Twin Shades of the Netherworld. Qin Tangguan had just barely shaken them off, and he really didn’t want to get stuck with these two again. Now, with internal injuries to deal with, he decided to avoid them first.

The Twin Shades of the Netherworld looked around the dilapidated thatched cottage for a while and said, “It looks like this place hasn’t been visited for a long time.” The two closed the rickety wooden door and slowly sat down on a pile of hay. While chewing on beef jerky provisions, they kept talking nonstop.

Guan Buyi said, “It seems the Mount Tai Sect extermination was probably the work of the Red Lotus Sect. Didn’t you see that all the wounds on those bodies were gunshot wounds? I doubt it was a trick by Old Man Qin to scare us and make the Red Lotus Sect reappear in Jianghu.” Cao Buren nodded and said, “So you mean, could it be that the Red Lotus Sect has truly returned Jianghu?” Guan Buyi said, “Absolutely. Xue Wuhen is likely the vanguard, and the main force has probably gone to their old haunt at Mount Huang.”

Cao Buren said, “If the Red Lotus Sect has resurfaced, they’ll definitely go after Old Man Qin to retrieve the Heaven-Defying Formula too. It looks like you and I might be left empty-handed. Hmph, if we run into Old Man Qin now, I’ll risk my life to snatch that book.”

Gu Fengchen crouched between the second floor’s planks, listening in and thinking to himself: So many people are chasing Qin Tangguan, all probably for the Heaven-Defying Formula. What exactly is that formula, making them flock like mosquitoes to blood!

Just as the Twin Shades of the Netherworld were talking excitedly, they suddenly fell silent together. At that moment, Qin Tangguan also heard footsteps—someone new was coming along the mountain path outside.

This time, three people arrived. When the Twin Shades of the Netherworld glimpsed the leader through a door crack, their faces changed color. They scanned the area, leaped up in unison, and dashed into the back room that resembled a kitchen, diving headfirst into a haystack.

Just as they finished hiding, the rickety door was kicked open, and someone strode inside.

This person turned out to be the Long River Gang Leader—Guo Jiangfeng.

Since his failed siege against Qin Tangguan over ten days ago, when Lian’er was rescued by Guangdu, it had infuriated him—driving him mad with rage. He hated both the Shaolin Sect and the Twin Shades of the Netherworld, but he didn’t slack off on pursuing Qin Tangguan. He dispatched dozens of groups to hunt for clues everywhere. After a few days, someone reported that Qin Tangguan had been spotted on the Shanxi route, with many experts trailing after him. Guo Jiangfeng was ecstatic and led his men to rush there. But near Mount Taiyue, they lost Qin Tangguan’s trail again.

Guo Jiangfeng had met Mount Tai Sect’s Wu Yazi a few times before, and their impressions of each other weren’t too bad, so he decided to climb Mount Taiyue to ask around. Yet as soon as he entered Qing Song Monastery, he found Mount Tai Sect exterminated. He cursed his bad luck and had to descend the mountain.

The front slope of Mount Taiyue was exceptionally steep, but the back slope was much flatter, so Qin Tangguan, the Twin Shades of the Netherworld, and Guo Jiangfeng all unwittingly ended up there.

The Twin Shades of the Netherworld weren’t usually afraid of Guo Jiangfeng, but now they were injured and could exert at most 40% of their strength, making them no match for him, so they had to hide.

Of course, Guo Jiangfeng couldn’t have guessed anyone was already hiding in the cottage. His two disciples, Luo Haize and Tan Haiyuan, surveyed the surroundings and said in unison, “It looks like this place hasn’t been visited for a long time.”

The two wiped off a chair and invited Guo Jiangfeng to sit. Tan Haiyuan said, “Master, all dozen-or-so top masters of Mount Tai Sect have been killed. Who do you think could have done it?” Guo Jiangfeng pondered for a moment before replying, “Mount Tai Sect didn’t have many enemies in Jianghu. Over the past twenty years, only the Red Lotus Sect has a deep-seated grudge against them—that started ten…no, fourteen or fifteen years ago. A remarkable figure emerged from Mount Tai Sect, named Ying…Ying Tian’ao. Strictly speaking, he wasn’t originally from Mount Tai Sect; he joined with already-learned skills. Actually, he didn’t need to join because his martial arts surpassed even the Mount Tai Sect leader at the time. Back then, Mount Tai Sect was declining fast and hoping for someone to revive it, so they wanted Ying Tian’ao to be leader. But Ying Tian’ao refused, saying it would break Mount Tai Sect’s centuries-old traditions. After much back-and-forth, he only accepted the deputy leader position.”

“Not long after, Ying Tian’ao brought back a woman. I heard from Wu Yazi that it was a stormy night—Ying Tian’ao arrived side by side with her. Ying Tian’ao always wore red, while the woman dressed all in white. They drifted in like matching red plums and pear blossoms. Yet on the second night, someone came after them. Ying Tian’ao fought that person all night at Xing Tang Temple, and the outcome was unknown. Afterward, Ying Tian’ao and the woman vanished. Wu Yazi saw that person clearly—he wore a white robe with a fiery red lotus embroidered in front. That was the Red Lotus Sect’s symbol. Later, the Red Lotus Sect was besieged by the Four Great Clans, its Cult Leader died in battle, and the rest scattered. Mount Tai Sect never got Ying Tian’ao back.”

Luo Haize was enthralled and said, “Master, you mean the ones who exterminated Mount Tai Sect were the Red Lotus Sect?”

Guo Jiangfeng nodded and said, “Didn’t you notice the dead all had gunshot wounds? From my view, it must have been a key figure from the Red Lotus Sect. None among their Three Talents and Eight Steeds used guns—only the Cult Leader did.”

Tan Haiyuan said, “Master, please rest here while I go look for a water source.” Guo Jiangfeng nodded, and Tan Haiyuan grabbed a leather pouch and headed out the door. But just as he stepped outside, he ran back shouting, “Master, enemies are coming!” Guo Jiangfeng stared and looked outside—his face instantly changed, and he said, “Quick, hide first.”

The three scanned the area, jumped up to the second floor together, and hunkered down in a small garret next to Qin Tangguan’s.

Hardly had they hidden when the door pushed open again. This time, it was six people—the Six Tigers of the Wei Family.

The Five Tigers of the Wei Family had been beaten by the Twin Shades of the Netherworld in Datong City and were furious but powerless. They joined up with the fourth brother and bought a few sabers on the way before heading homeward. But near Mount Taiyue, they spotted Qin Tangguan climbing the distantly. Having failed to take the Heaven-Defying Formula, they were not ready to give up. They followed cautiously, giving him wide berth in fear, and watching for a chance. Yet they lost track of him at night, scoured the mountains blindly, and finally arrived here.

Wei Renjie kicked open the door, peered in, and shouted, “Big Brother, looks like no one’s been here in ages.” But Wei Renda, being meticulous, spotted the chair that Guo Jiangfeng had sat on a moment ago. He sauntered over, lightly touched it with his hand, and felt a faint warmth. Without a word, he nudged Wei Renlong and said loudly, “Right, it doesn’t seem like anyone came either.”

Wei Renlong made a small gesture, and the six fanned out, pretending to talk loudly while searching all corners.

Qin Tangguan and Gu Fengchen were hiding in the second-floor garret. Through a crack in the wooden planks, they saw Wei Renjie holding his two sabers and slowly climbing the stairs. In seconds, he’d reached the liquor cabinet.

If Wei Renjie took two more steps and glanced behind the cabinet, he’d surely spot them. Qin Tangguan wasn’t scared of anything normally, but he was injured too and couldn’t fight at full strength. Plus, he saw that both the Twin Shades of the Netherworld and Guo Jiangfeng were here—if he appeared, all would gang up on him. Just as Wei Renjie was one step from the cabinet, Qin Tangguan suddenly remembered that under his feet was where the Twin Shades of the Netherworld hid. He grabbed a shard from a wine cup beside him and flicked it down through the planks.

Wei Renjie reached the liquor cabinet and was about to kick it over when a clanging sound erupted from beneath him, followed by a loud yell: “Someone…” He recognized it as his fourth brother, Wei Renxiong’s voice. Immediately, Wei Renjie flipped backwards and landed downstairs.

Wei Renxiong was in the kitchen, sword tip angled as he searched. After taking two steps forward, a hidden weapon whizzed out from nowhere and struck his saber, sparks flying, making him cry out.

The noise drew the Six Tigers of the Wei Family charging into the kitchen.

Seeing they couldn’t hide any longer, the Twin Shades of the Netherworld burst out of the hay together.

The Six Tigers of the Wei Family saw it was these two and backed away a few steps, exchanging bewildered glances and unsure whether to advance or not. Wei Renlong, as eldest brother, was quick-witted. He noted their dive into the hay and their disheveled state, sensed they must be badly wounded, and concluded they dared not face him.

This time, the Six Tigers of the Wei Family had encountered setbacks everywhere without a single victory. The bitter resentment had festered deeply. Seeing an opportunity ripe for exploitation, how could they let it slip?

Wei Renlong sneered coldly and said, “A fine piece of work you two great heroes have done! Though the Mount Tai Sect has committed no evil deeds, you have descended to madness, perpetrating this horrendous massacre of an entire sect. The Wei family is here today to rid the martial world of a scourge.”

Gu Fengchen cursed inwardly: This Wei Renlong was indeed a crafty one. He’s twisting a personal grievance into some righteous cause.

The Twin Shades of the Netherworld weren’t afraid of them, but suffering from internal injuries and with their Internal Energy dwindling, they could only stand back to back, defending with all their strength. Seeing this, the Six Tigers of the Wei Family rejoiced, launched ferocious attacks with each strike. If the newly bought swords weren’t proving awkward to handle, the Twin Shades would have been injured already.

While fighting, Guan Buyi cursed silently to himself: It must be that old fellow hiding on the second floor who spotted us brothers and came to borrow the knife for murder. Hmph! You have a feud with the Weis yourself, yet you hide by the side watching the show, waiting to profit like the fisherman after the struggle. Well, I, your father, will make sure you don’t get your way.

The Twin Shades, sharing a similar thought, suddenly hunched down simultaneously, slipped under Wei Renda’s blade, and leaped out of the kitchen. Guan Buyi shouted loudly, “The Mount Tai Sect has no feud with us! It was clearly the Long River Gang who committed the crime! If you wish to rid the martial world of a scourge, go find that old man! He’s upstairs right now!”

Guo Jiangfeng had never dreamed that the Twin Shades of the Netherworld were hidden here early on. Hearing them heap the calamity onto his head made his beard bristle with fury. He felt like leaving immediately, but knew that if he did, they would certainly spread word far and wide throughout the Jianghu. Then, he couldn’t clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River! He had to settle this clearly now.

So he gave a great shout and leaped down from the upper floor. He sent a palm strike whistling toward Guan Buyi: “Treacherous dog, how dare you frame us!” His two disciples also jumped down, attacking the Twin Shades of the Netherworld.

Although the Six Tigers launched a tight offensive, the Twin Shades defended extremely rigorously. Six men wielding seven swords managed not to even touch a single corner of their opponents’ clothing. They couldn’t help but feel secretly alarmed. Wei Renlong thought to himself: The Twin Shades excel in lightness kung fu. If we fail to kill them this time, they will surely heal their wounds and return for revenge. Better to dismount while the donkey is ready.

Thinking this, Wei Renlong bellowed out, “Brothers, listen! What the Twin Shades say has merit! Let’s catch the real culprit first!” As he spoke, he suddenly spun around and sent a reverse slash chopping towards Guo Jiangfeng.

The Wei family and the Long River Gang had a long-standing feud. To gain the upper hand over their enemies, the Weis had spent years creating a specialized saber technique specifically to counter the Long River Gang’s “Nine Swirling Clouds” chain method. It was a saber formation requiring at least three fighters together to perform, and the more fighters participating, the greater the advantage. The Weis named this saber technique “Throwing Blades to Cut the Current” (Throwing Blades to Cut the Current), taking its name from the historical allusion “throwing whips to dam the river.” Only the Weis used sabers, not whips.

A significant reason for Guo Jiangfeng’s fear of the Six Tigers was that his martial arts were specifically countered by their technique.

Now Guo Jiangfeng was caught between enemies to his front and rear, while the Twin Shades simply leaped aside. With a palm strike each, they knocked Luo Haize and Tan Haiyuan to the ground, then stood there smiling, leisurely watching the battle unfold.

The Six Tigers surrounded Guo Jiangfeng at the center, always maintaining a distance of six or seven feet. This prevented Guo’s nine-section chain whip from reaching them. Yet the six weren’t rushing to attack. Instead, they passed their six or seven sabers among themselves in rapid succession, up and down, as dexterously as magic tricks.

Once this saber technique was employed, the whole room blazed with the reflected light of blades, glaring enough to dazzle the eyes.

Guo Jiangfeng secretly lamented his misfortune. He had only brought two disciples with him on this trip to Mount Heng; the rest of his gang members were waiting down in the town below. If help didn’t arrive, his old life was forfeit here.

His mind raced, yet his arms never ceased, swinging his nine-section chain whip with a seamless defense to protect himself. He knew well the viciousness of this saber formation. Under attack from six sides, if he neglected even one direction for an instant, a saber would immediately shoot toward that gap. And the moment one blade distracted him, the rest would bombard him simultaneously – he certainly couldn’t withstand it.

Guo Jiangfeng, however, was no ordinary opponent either. While flailing his chain whip, he also tried to dash towards the door. But the Six Tigers were on guard. Three stood blocking his path perfectly aligned, while the other three guarded the left, right, and rear. Thus, the pressure intensified on Guo’s front, forcing him to retreat back into the room.

After another moment, Guo Jiangfeng’s strength began to wane. He had no choice but to wrench his chain whip into two separate segments – clang clang! – wielding one in each hand. His defensive range shrunk by half. Although this conserved some energy, he wouldn’t be able to sustain it for long.

Just at that moment, a muffled groan suddenly sounded from upstairs, startling all nine fighters below.

The Twin Shades naturally hadn’t expected anyone else to be hiding upstairs. Just as they were about to leap up to investigate, Qin Tangguan roared loudly and jumped down to the ground.

While the commotion raged below, a fierce battle had also commenced within Gu Fengchen’s body. Due to Qin Tangguan’s earlier imposition of Internal Energy, the two potent poisons violently surged. Gu Fengchen involuntarily emitted a muffled groan and collapsed onto the floorboards of the upper story. Qin Tangguan sighed inwardly, thinking, So we couldn’t avoid it after all. And with so many enemies present, coupled with his own fresh internal injuries…

His mind raced like lightning. He retrieved a thin book from his pocket, stuffed it into Gu Fengchen’s clothing, sealed several major acupoints on his body, shouted mightily, and jumped down from above.

The appearance of Qin Tangguan startled and delighted the Twin Shades. Disregarding their own injuries, they mustered all their strength and attacked Qin Tangguan with reckless fury, determined to seize him.

Meanwhile, the Six Tigers continued to encircle Guo Jiangfeng firmly. Yet Qin Tangguan’s sudden appearance made them restless and distracted. They started watching the other fight, fearful that Qin Tangguan might escape. Guo Jiangfeng, wholly focused on taking Qin Tangguan’s life, saw his enemy appear. The flames of vengeance roared savagely within him, and strength surged through him inexplicably. Shifting from defense to offense, he kept pace with the Six Tigers.

Clang! Bang! Crash! The ten men engaged in a fierce and inextricable melee. Gu Fengchen, however, endured a separate agony. His insides churned like stormy seas, uncontrollably violent. Though Qin Tangguan’s acupoint sealing was uniquely applied, the force used hadn’t been particularly strong, combined with the toxins’ ferocity, they burst open within moments.

Unable to endure it, Gu Fengchen rolled and writhed in pain on the floorboards. Though he tried hard not to cry out, cold sweat drenched him. Unconsciously, the booklet Qin Tangguan had stuffed into his garments fell out, landing before him. Wind slipped through cracks in the boards, flipping the pages. Gritting his teeth, Gu Fengchen tried to ignore the poisonous turmoil inside him by forcing his eyes open to stare intently at the characters on the book. He’d tried this method a few times before, finding it slightly effective.

He saw written on the booklet: “The ways of Heaven cannot be opposed; fate cannot be defied. Thus, those who align with Heaven prosper; those who align with fate live long. However, the world changes endlessly, and creation is unfathomable. Plum blossoms bloom red in the winter months; icy hail falls in the swelter of summer – all actions that defy Heaven’s ways.”

A stirring moved within Gu Fengchen’s heart. He thought to himself: This makes sense. Plum blossoms don’t bloom in summer yet burst into their most splendid bloom in the deepest cold. The sky doesn’t rain hail in winter, but summer storms bring it down. The writer of this seemed meticulous and observant.

Reading further, he saw: “Thus it is also for practitioners of martial arts. The essence of martial arts (武 ‘Wu’) lies in stopping violence (止戈). Yet the Jianghu below Heaven is ever embroiled in chaos. The strong live; the weak perish. How utterly distant this is from the true meaning of martial arts! Yet such acts that defy Heaven persist. Why haven’t they perished? Presumably, defying Heaven must have its own path. Therefore, I name this manual the Heaven-Defying Formula, to enlighten future generations of its truth.”

At this point, Gu Fengchen understood with sudden clarity. So this is the legendary Heaven-Defying Formula the Jianghu sought so desperately. Yet reading this, where was the martial arts secret? It seemed more like a book discussing philosophy and principles.

Reading downward, the text shifted from abstract discourse to mention meridians, Yin-Yang, and other terms. But unlike all martial arts manuals on cultivating Internal Energy, which discussed nurturing, guiding, circulating, and moving Qi, this one spoke of dissipating it. It stated: “The human body has three hundred sixty major acupoints, converging primarily at the twelve regular channels. Additionally, eight extraordinary vessels lie beyond these. Martial arts prowess and Internal Energy all originate from True Qi gathering within the meridians. However, those who follow the rules rigidly, proceeding step-by-step, advance extremely slowly. Those who rush for quick results often encounter hidden dangers, harming the body, perishing early, and excessively depleting their Vital Yang.”

The following pages instructed how to channel inner strength to break through all acupoints and converge its flow, but explicitly noted: “Achievement in martial arts depends on human effort, yet ultimate success is determined by heaven. Those without exceptional physical constitutions must never force it.”

Gu Fengchen secretly sneered, thinking: For those who practice martial arts, true qi is the most precious. Forcing it like this to ram through acupoints inevitably damages the heart meridians. The stronger the true qi, the greater the injury. Surviving without dropping dead on the spot would be a stroke of immense luck. Is the author of this formula deliberately trying to scare people? Hmph! I have no special constitution, but I’m going to practice it anyway.

Ever since he was expelled from Shaolin Temple, Gu Fengchen’s temperament had drastically changed, becoming more stubborn and contrary than ever. The more anyone wanted him to do something, the more he refused; the more they urged him not to do something, the more enthusiastically he’d do it. He immediately began circulating his qi according to the method described in the booklet.

His meridian system was already shattered, fragmented and scattered. According to orthodox martial theory, he was a cripple. Yet, when he guided the sole remnant of true qi dispersed around his dantian acupoint towards the heart meridians, he suddenly felt this trickle transform into a continuous current. Where it passed, the true qi scattered among the other acupoints and meridians was astonishingly gathered into it, gradually swelling like a stream turning into a river, and growing increasingly powerful.

Since the Heaven-Defying Formula came into being, not a single individual had achieved complete mastery. Many martial geniuses, far more brilliant than Gu Fengchen, had failed despite lifelong dedication, all for an utterly ridiculous reason – they had started practicing from the very first page of the booklet.

The name “Heaven-Defying Formula” implied opposition to natural order in every aspect, including practice. Everyone practicing martial arts starts from the foundation. The stronger the foundation, the higher the possible martial arts attainment. External styles aside, for internal cultivation, one must begin by cultivating qi, nurturing true qi step by step—from nothing to existence, from weak to strong. This principle is timeless. But the Heaven-Defying Formula was different. Its core tenet was “No destruction, no establishment; destroy first, then establish.” The first step was to forcibly scatter all the hard-earned true qi. Practitioners of this art must already possess profound internal strength. While dissipating power was difficult, having no power to dissipate made “destroy first, then establish” impossible.

An ordinary person obtaining the Heaven-Defying Formula, starting from page one, would also learn how to cultivate and circulate qi, progressing progressively deeper. But the later one practiced, the stronger the true qi became, and the more dangerous the power dissipation phase. Achieving the highest level became impossible. At this point, it was like a tail too heavy to wag; turning back became incredibly difficult. Even those of the highest comprehension only reached the seventh level of mastery. Pushing further would sever all meridians and result in death.

For Gu Fengchen, fate seemed to have intervened. When the Heaven-Defying Formula fell before him, the wind happened to blow it open to the very last page. This page held the most formidable hurdle. Yet, after being poisoned, Gu Fengchen’s true qi had been completely shattered in the fierce battle against the toxins, allowing him to bypass this critical step with surprising ease. Without such a circumstance, Gu Fengchen would have needed decades of bitter cultivation to gather sufficient true qi.

Fortune came from the depth of misfortune. Through sheer happenstance and misadventure, Gu Fengchen turned calamity into blessing, though he remained unaware of it.

After practicing this page, Gu Fengchen’s scattered true qi had converged into a flowing stream, gathering into his Eight Extraordinary Meridians, circulating endlessly. The pervasive torment throughout his body lessened significantly because the toxins had also dispersed into the Eight Extraordinary Meridians alongside the true qi. These Eight Meridians existed outside the standard Twelve Regular Meridians, forming an independent system that did not harm the heart meridians.

Gu Fengchen slowly sat up. He seemed to forget everything, focusing intently on studying the Heaven-Defying Formula. He practiced as he read, and his progress was astonishingly swift. Even the wound on his shoulder seemed to heal faster.

Mastering a martial art usually requires decades of effort, impossible without ten or twenty years. Yet the Heaven-Defying Formula was an accelerated art, only because the first hurdle was so formidable that ordinary people could scarcely overcome it. Once that barrier was breached, the path ahead became as unblocked as flat plains stretching thousands of li.

The Heaven-Defying Formula had twelve pages. Each page represented a new realm, totaling twelve levels. Starting from his breakthrough of the first hurdle, Gu Fengchen reached the fifth level within half an hour. He found that progress accelerated with each subsequent level; reaching the ninth level took less time than finishing half a cup of tea, and the documented qi-flow methods grew progressively simpler.

He, of course, didn’t know the reason: The increasing simplicity was akin to two weary armies after a furious battle. The first hurdle was the life-and-death struggle. After such an ordeal, recuperation and adjustment were essential to restore strength. During power dissipation, one’s endurance reached its limit; slow convalescence and meridian harmonization were paramount. The remaining eleven levels taught precisely this: regulating and nurturing qi.

Gu Fengchen was wholly absorbed in his practice upstairs, oblivious to the chaotic scene erupting below. Downstairs, the battle had reached fever pitch, fraught with countless dangers.

Where ten fighters had split into two groups, it was now Guo Jiangfeng fiercely battling Qin Tangguan. The Twin Shades of the Netherworld and the Six Tigers of the Wei Family leisurely engaged in circling tactics on the periphery, seizing any opening to strike a palm or slice a blade, making Qin Tangguan extremely passive. But Qin Tangguan, seasoned in facing formidable foes, remained unperturbed. He broke out several times, only to be blocked by Guo Jiangfeng’s relentless, suicidal fighting style. Even when he did shake off Guo Jiangfeng, he was intercepted by the outer sword formation and the Twin Shades, preventing escape. His mind raced, and he suddenly yanked a flat cloth pouch from his robe and flung it towards the door, shouting, “The Heaven-Defying Formula is yours! Now stop pestering me!”

Seeing this, the Twin Shades of the Netherworld and the Six Tigers had no time to assess its authenticity; securing it first was paramount. All eight lunged forward. Wei Renda was closest to the door. He snatched the pouch first, crying out joyously, “Big brother, I got it—”

Before he finished, Cao Buren was upon him, striking a palm onto Wei Rentong (‘Old Fifth’)’s back. Wei Rentong felt the blow without apparent injury, yet Wei Renda suddenly felt a tremendous force slam into his elbow. The pouch flew from his grasp into the air. Guan Buyi, anticipating his partner, had already leapt high to grab it.

Seizing the pouch brought them unparalleled excitement. Guan Buyi felt it contained a book. Exchanging a nod, they tried to make their escape.

But the Six Tigers of the Wei Family wouldn’t relent. Seven shimmering sabers, dense as snowflakes, encircled them. Having learned caution from previous encounters with the Twin Shades, they probed carefully, recognizing the Twin Shades were injured, yet dared not charge headlong. Instead, they employed the same sword formation used against Guo Jiangfeng, skillfully maneuvering to contain them.

With eight powerful enemies diverted, Qin Tangguan’s duel with Guo Jiangfeng saw an instant reversal of fortune. Were it not for the bizarre, unpredictable nature of Guo Jiangfeng’s weapon, Qin Tangguan would have defeated him long ago based solely on palm techniques.

Guo Jiangfeng ground his teeth, desperate to sever his foe in two with his ring-shaped weapon. Thus, he attacked recklessly, disregarding his own safety, employing mutual destruction tactics. He was resolved: at worst, he would die alongside Qin Tangguan—a wish fulfilled in his mind.

Qin Tangguan had killed Guo Jiangfeng’s nephew years ago. On close reflection, fault hadn’t been entirely one-sided, but he had acted brutally. Though his nature was eccentric and he felt little remorse, age had tempered his ferocity. He ultimately didn’t wish to also kill Guo Jiangfeng. Seeing the Six Tigers and Twin Shades preoccupied, he thought: If not now, when? Lure them away and retrieve the Heaven-Defying Formula later.

Just as this thought formed, unforeseen events unfolded elsewhere.

The Twin Shades of the Netherworld found themselves contained by the Six Tigers’ formation. Instead of fighting their way out the door, they surged deeper into the room. The space was a shambles of debris and obstacles, perfect for disrupting the sword formation. As the fight intensified near the stairs, Wei Renlong suddenly slashed his saber horizontally. Guan Buyi leapt up, grabbing the railing high above the stairs to hang suspended. He inadvertently glanced inward and spotted a figure seated motionless on the upper floor, legs crossed, seemingly cultivating power.

Guan Buyi was shocked, exclaiming involuntarily, “Someone’s here…!” He flipped upwards, landing near Gu Fengchen. His eyes swept the floor instantly spotting the Heaven-Defying Formula. “Huh?” he uttered, reaching out to seize it.

The moment Guan Buyi yelled, Qin Tangguan’s heart sank, fearing the formula would fall into the Twins’ hands. He ignored Guo Jiangfeng and roared, lunging towards the stairs.

At this critical juncture, Gu Fengchen was cultivating the Heaven-Defying Divine Art at the twelfth and final level. His internal true qi was stabilizing. Mere minutes remained for completion. Yet now, more than ever, he was utterly vulnerable to disturbance. The slightest error could trigger chaotic qi reversal, causing uncontrollable backlash and instant, total paralysis.

He had to focus solely on his cultivation, ignoring everything else.

Guan Buyi was nearly upon the booklet when Qin Tangguan closed in, forcing him to parry the attack. Qin Tangguan parried Guan Buyi with one hand while reaching for the booklet with the other. Guan Buyi had glimpsed the characters on the booklet and recognized it as the genuine Heaven-Defying Formula. He threw the pouch he still held aside, shouting, “The real Heaven-Defying Formula is here…!”

Hearing this, Cao Buren sprang forward. Qin Tangguan instantly shifted to block Gu Fengchen, using one hand to attack Guan Buyi while the other reached again for the Formula. Cao Buren pressed the attack, forcing Qin Tangguan to defend with both hands, leaving none free to snatch the prize.

The Twin Shades knew Qin Tangguan’s formidable skill; if he reclaimed the formula, wresting it back would be near impossible. They fought desperately, attacking relentlessly. The attic floor was cramped. With four figures packed there, no room for maneuvering remained. The Six Tigers and Guo Jiangfeng couldn’t leap up to join the fray.

Figures danced chaotically before Gu Fengcen’s eyes. Palms whirled fiercely amid ferocious clashes and shifting shadows. Yet, he heard none of it. His entire being focused on calming the surging true qi within him. The Heaven-Defying Formula lay right before him… yet remained untouched.

Suddenly, an icy laugh echoed behind Gu Fengchen, followed by a resounding crash! The earthen wall behind him exploded into a gaping hole. Everyone started, looking towards the breach. Amidst swirling dust, a figure clad in yellow darted inside, snatched the Heaven-Defying Formula from before Gu Fengchen, and fled instantly.

Qin Tangguan spun, striking backward with a palm. “Cursed rat! Who are you?” he bellowed.

The figure dodged without reply, vanishing through the hole.

The Twin Shades recognized him, crying out together, “Yang Guan Thief…!”

None had anticipated this. After their fierce struggle for the Heaven-Defying Formula, it had been effortlessly snatched away. Qin Tangguan wasted not a second, chasing the Yang Guan Thief out the hole. More figures shot after him, swishing sounds filling the air. In an eye-blink, they were all gone. No one paid any heed to Gu Fengchen.

At that moment, Gu Fengchen also reached the final stage of the Heaven-Defying Divine Art. Within him, like a dragon and tiger converging, fire and water balanced. He felt twin currents surge through his shattered meridians – one icy cold, one scorching hot. His body alternated between freezing chills and feverish burns; one hand turned blueish, the other crimson red. Slowly, agonizingly, these chaotic forces gradually subsided into tranquil calm.

Unbeknownst to Gu Fengchen, during his practice of the Heaven-Defying Divine Art, the two deadly poisons within him had circulated with his true qi, merging with his blood and vital energy. He could now command their toxicity along with his internal energy at will. No one had previously mastered such a skill. While Du Qianlong was renowned his Frostfire Palms held no poison. Gu Fengchen’s internal art, centered on qi with toxicity woven into its fabric, already approached the power level of the ancient demon Xiao Tanzhi’s Ice Worm Palms two centuries prior—though he remained unaware.

Suddenly, Gu Fengchen let out a long, resonating cry. With a mighty sweep of his arms, BOOM! The entire section of flooring beneath him collapsed! Falling through the opening, Gu Fengchen drew breath and soared upwards, bursting effortlessly through the crumbling ceiling, soaring out into the night sky.

His divine art had newly succeeded. Though he didn’t grasp it fully, he sensed the true qi within him swelling rapidly, like rivers building pressure behind a dam, needing to erupt lest it cause his body to explode. Landing back on solid ground, he struck a palm instantly towards the nearest earthen wall. A deafening crash followed as half the wall disintegrated into dust and rubble. Without support, the entire wreckage of the building groaned noisily and collapsed entirely.

Gu Fengchen stared at his palm, utterly astounded that a casual strike could unleash such devastating force. He didn’t yet understand how to consciously wield the poisonous energy now within him; this power was purely from his unadulterated palm strength. Had he infused the strike with his new toxicity, he could rival the mightiest masters of the age.

Seeing a single palm blow demolish a building sparked unusual reverence within Gu Fengchen. He reflected: This internal strength likely surpasses even Master Guangdu’s. Fate itself intervened. Had I not answered Feng Jue and returned to the Jianghu, I might still be forging iron in the village, destined to die an unknown peasant there.

A cool mountain breeze swept past. Gu Fengchen steadied his mind, pulling his thoughts back to the present. The Mount Tai Sect is annihilated. The only one left who knows the painting’s secret is Qin Tangguan. Where did he go? And the painting itself is still with him—I must retrieve it, or that girl will die because of me.

He scanned his surroundings carefully, detecting the trail left by the departed crowd, and pursued.

Running flat out, another jolt of surprise hit him: he dashed nearly ten li without feeling the slightest fatigue. Instead, he felt utterly refreshed, as if vibrant new energy pulsed through every limb and bone. The Heaven-Defying Formula truly is terrifyingly potent. No wonder so many coveted it. Yet Qin Tangguang doesn’t seem like someone who practiced such an art. Could it be, as the formula stated, only those with exceptional constitutions can attempt it?

He chased for a considerable time, but found no trace. Further ahead, a wide river appeared—the Fen River. Frustrated, he stamped his foot. He must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. Turning back now seemed futile. He calculated: over ten days had already passed. If he didn’t find the person in the painting soon, he’d miss the deadline… and the girl, Lian’er, would surely die.

Enraged, he slammed his palm against a large tree on the riverbank, leaving a deep, inch-deep imprint. Staring at his hand, newfound resolve surged through Gu Fengchen. Hmph! If I can’t find the person in the painting, I’ll storm the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers and take the girl by force! With my current power, the Twin Fiends of Yin and Yang surely can’t withstand me. Their poisons are potent, sure, but if I guard against them, it should be manageable.

Decision made, Gu Fengchen pulled out the silver he’d “acquired” in Datong City. He hired a boat, purchased several large jars of wine for the journey, stowing them in the cabin. He planned a leisurely trip downstream, conserving his strength for the inevitable battle to seize Lian’er from the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers.