In the fourth room of the Hidden Dragon residence at the Cloud-Treading Pavilion.
"Superior martial arts... the Eight Section Brocade?"
Li Mo had been curious about one thing—if he used the Heavenly Book Seal to deduce something from his past life, in what direction would it develop? Would it align with the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, or would it follow the path of his previous life?
Now, it seemed the answer was the latter!
He picked up the martial arts manual for the "Eight Section Brocade" and examined it. Though it resembled the exercises practiced by elderly men in parks in his past life, it was vastly different in essence, containing many intricate details.
These mainly involved methods of channeling qi to temper meridians and certain movements that ordinary people couldn’t perform.
"What if I continue deducing it further?"
As Li Mo took out the ancient bronze Heavenly Book Seal, his curiosity grew.
Once again, the seal was pressed onto the manual.
The tadpole-like inscriptions on the bronze seal became even more profound and cryptic, swirling as if the diagrams in the manual had come to life, vivid and animated.The title on the manual’s cover transformed once more:
"The Muscle-Tendon Change Classic."
"??"
Li Mo held this supreme-level martial arts manual, his expression turning pensive.
This legendary scripture, which appeared in countless novels, seemed to have a basis in reality—not entirely fabricated.
It was hard to imagine that the awkward morning calisthenics from his past life had actually absorbed fragments of Confucian, Buddhist, Daoist, and martial arts traditions.
In the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, where the energy of heaven and earth existed, "The Muscle-Tendon Change Classic" could truly be practiced—and was, in fact, a near-divine art.
However, its primary effect of altering one’s innate physique was useless to Li Mo.
So... what about pushing it even further?
Li Mo wanted to continue deducing, but then he realized...
He didn’t have a Mithril Heavenly Book Seal.
This item could only be obtained through feedback from those with golden destiny.
"Recently, Princess Jiang has mostly been providing Divine Insight Diagrams."
"But people with golden destiny..."
......
By noon, the banquet hall of the Cloud-Treading Pavilion was bustling with activity. Hidden Dragon prodigies from all corners of the land mingled, some engaging in conversation, others discussing martial arts.
"Do you all know why the Weapon Forging Assembly is held before the Hidden Dragon Assembly?"
"For fairness, all young heroes participating in the Hidden Dragon Assembly are provided with weapons by the Heavenly Mountain Sword Manor. They can choose from multiple blades."
"Of course, if a smith takes a liking to a participant, they may also gift their personally forged weapon to them."
"But isn’t that still unfair? The skill of the smiths varies—who knows what kind of weapon one might end up with?"
"Absolute fairness doesn’t exist in this world. Otherwise, with Xie Xuan wielding the ancestral sword of Heavenly Mountain, what swordsman could defeat him?"
"Frost Fairy could!"
"Lower your voice—I think he’s here."
......
In the banquet hall.
Li Mo emerged from the kitchen carrying dishes. Since the ice block (referring to Ying Bing’s stomach) had already been molded to his cooking—meaning she couldn’t stomach anyone else’s food—and because he still had investments to manage, he continued his role as head chef even at the Cloud-Treading Pavilion.
When he stepped out, Ying Bing was sitting quietly at the table, her serene and cold aura creating a vacuum around her.
After her display of skill the previous day, no one dared approach her today.
Those at her table were all familiar faces.
"Brother Li, you should be called the Divine Chef Overlord."
"If you know how to flatter, keep it coming."
"At home, do you cook more, or does your wife?"
Ying Bing paused mid-chew: "My wife does, a little more."
Soon, the entire spread was ready.
Thanks to Li Mo, heroes from all over had gathered at one table, and the atmosphere was lively.
As everyone ate and drank, Xie Xuan, wearing a straw hat, suddenly plopped down at the table, cracked open a bottle of wine, and chugged it down.
"You’re quite the uninvited guest, aren’t you?"
Li Mo mused that Xie Xuan seemed to have golden destiny.
Mithril Heavenly Book Seals only came from those with golden destiny, but such individuals were rare. It wasn’t possible to farm feedback from many—he could only focus on one at a time.
"I was originally staying at the Eastern Palace, but since I didn’t accomplish what I went there for, I’ve got nowhere else to go."
Xie Xuan spoke bluntly, taking another swig of wine. His sour expression suggested he was trying to drink Li Mo into poverty.
Li Mo asked, "You don’t strike me as the type to work for Jiang Yu."
"I wasn’t helping him. It was because..."
"Hua Nongying?"
Qin Yuzhi suddenly interjected.
Xie Xuan froze: "How did you know?"
"Uh, just... heard it while wandering around."
In truth, Qin Yuzhi had been sleepwalking again last night. Her expression turned odd:
"You’re seriously something else."
Xie Xuan: "?"
Li Mo was curious: "Sister Qin, what exactly did you... uh, hear?"
"This guy disguised himself as a servant at the Moonlit Pavilion just to get close to a woman. He endured insults and beatings without retaliation, all just to catch a glimpse of her."
Qin Yuzhi’s face was full of pity: "That woman really was born with an alluring charm—no wonder you were played like a fiddle..."
"Played? Pfft, those are just rumors. Don’t take them seriously."
Xie Xuan actually smiled faintly, as if pleased by the praise, and even feigned modesty.
Li Mo: "..."
What exactly are you being modest about?
"I think Sister Qin meant you were played emotionally."
"......"
Xie Xuan’s smile vanished instantly.
"So why did you leave the Moonlit Pavilion in the end? Couldn’t take the humiliation anymore? Or did you lose control and reveal your identity?"
Wu Chushu asked eagerly, already imagining the scene.
The young master of Heavenly Mountain Sword Manor, tormented by love, hiding his identity at the Moonlit Pavilion, enduring scorn and abuse.
Until one day, Xie Xuan could take no more. The corner of his mouth twitched—
Enough pretending! I’m the second-ranked Hidden Dragon, and I’m coming clean!
"Not quite."
Xie Xuan shook his head, shattering everyone’s expectations. His gaze turned melancholic and wistful:
"That day, I was on duty as usual. The boss said an important guest had arrived and needed careful attention. But never in my wildest dreams..."
"That guest was my father."
"......"
Li Mo fell into deep thought.
A father and son meeting at the Moonlit Pavilion must have shared a long, awkward silence. Just imagining the scene made his toes curl.
What a legendary disaster.
"I just... wanted to see her again."
Xie Xuan seemed slightly drunk now, his cheeks flushed as he reminisced:
"She used to admire me so much. She said my Pure Jun Sword Intent was unparalleled under heaven."
"She promised that once I saved enough to buy her freedom, we’d fly away together. But why... why did it end like this?"
Seeing his anguish, Qin Yuzhi leaned toward Li Mo and whispered:
"Honestly, he was just her backup."
"Hua Nongying says the same thing to every prodigy..."
"Could you whisper any louder?!" Xie Xuan snapped.
After a moment of silence, Li Mo suddenly said, "If you just want to see her, I can help."
"You can get me into the Moonlit Pavilion to meet her?!"
Xie Xuan’s face instantly brightened.
"Exactly. With just a little effort from me, it’s guaranteed."
Li Mo spoke casually, but as soon as the words left his lips, he felt goosebumps rise on his neck. Why was the chill around him so intense?
The table fell abruptly silent.
The carefree expression on Young Li’s face froze as he suddenly remembered something.
Fengyue Xiaozhu.
It was a brothel.