The next day, Cai Zhao rose before dawn.
Like many mornings spent by her aunt's side, she sat in meditation, circulating her qi, focusing her spirit to surge through her meridians. In the stillness, she listened to her own slow, even breaths, feeling the flow of energy through her channels, repeatedly striking the acupoints throughout her body. The familiar pain pressed against her steadily—aching, swelling, her bones and tendons emitting faint cracks. She could endure it little by little—this was a pain that brought her comfort, allowing her to stand fearlessly before anyone.
The inner techniques of the Big Dipper Six Sects originated from the same lineage, yet over two centuries of separate teachings, subtle variations had emerged. Each generation’s prodigies would inevitably incorporate their own unique insights into their sect’s methods. But broadly speaking, once one entered the path, cultivation was a personal journey.
Cai Pingshu once said, "So-called cultivation—six parts innate talent, four parts effort. If victory could be secured through secret manuals alone, why have the successive sect leaders of the Azure Tower Sect never managed to groom their own children into the sect’s finest and pass on their position?"
—It was said that because of this candid remark, Cai Pingshu had offended Yin Dai and his daughter. But in her lifetime, she had offended plenty of people and never spared them a second thought.
Of course, disciples with powerful backing always had access to more resources—rare treasures to cleanse their marrow and meridians, guidance from elders to steady their minds. Yet over the past century, countless obscure figures had risen like stars, dazzling the world. Qi Yunke, for instance, had emerged from the most unremarkable group of outer disciples in the Azure Tower Sect.
Cai Pingshu clearly delighted in such outcomes. Since childhood, she had eagerly shared advanced techniques with newly met comrades, so long as they were upright and righteous. She believed the more who could attain enlightenment, the better.
For this, she had been reprimanded by her elders more than once or twice—even Fakong did not stand by her side, advising, "Mastering a peerless divine skill is easy, but knowing a person’s heart is hard. The benefactor views the world with a clear sky’s heart, yet even the heavens have storms and shadows."
Cai Zhao opened her eyes and accepted the soft, warm towel Furong handed her, wiping the cool sweat from her brow.
She exhaled softly, feeling light and unburdened, the qi in her dantian flowing smoothly. Aside from a faint soreness in her bones and muscles, the exhaustion and frustration accumulated over the past two days had completely vanished.
After a full two hours of channeling her qi, it was nearly noon. Cai Zhao asked what Chang Ning was up to. Feicui replied, "Young Master Chang hasn’t left his room all morning. After breakfast, he went back inside and told us not to disturb him."
Puzzled, Cai Zhao asked Chang Ning about it at lunch. He was unusually quiet, taking a long moment before answering, "I was circulating my qi to heal my injuries. It seems to have helped somewhat."
"That’s good," Cai Zhao said without much thought, then turned to Furong. "Did anyone come to cause trouble this morning?"
Furong smiled. "Four sneaky fellows showed up at dawn with a bag of venomous spiders, heading toward Young Master Chang’s quarters. Feicui thought that since they liked such things, she might as well sprinkle some powder on them—now any snakes, insects, or rodents within three feet will be drawn to them. They ended up hopping away in a hurry."
Cai Zhao nodded approvingly. "Well done, Feicui. Have some extra shrimp at lunch to replenish your strength."
Feicui turned green and walked away.
Chang Ning, who had seemed distracted, only snapped out of it when Feicui swept out of the room like a gust of wind. He said gently, "Miss Furong, please convey my thanks to Miss Feicui."
After Furong acknowledged and left, Cai Zhao finally noticed Chang Ning’s odd demeanor and asked what was wrong. He replied, "Accompany me to the medicine hut this afternoon. There’s something I’d like to ask Lei Shibo about." The two agreed on the matter. After the meal, they strolled together to the medicine hut. At the door, Cai Zhao noticed a delicate little bamboo fence in the corner, inside which a dozen fluffy yellow ducklings were waddling about, utterly adorable.
A few of the ducklings even had soft pink bows tied around their heads. Cai Zhao paused, gazing at them with tender affection for a while.
Upon entering the medicine hut, Cai Zhao finally met the legendary Lei Shibo.
Lei Shibo’s real name was Lei Xiuming, the only one of the former sect master Yin Dai’s original seven disciples who remained in the sect. Like Fan Xingjia, he was skilled in refining qi and medicine. Over a decade ago, during a battle against the Demonic Cult, he was severely wounded, losing an eye and a leg, and now walked with a cane.
"It was the sect master who risked his life to dig me out of a pile of corpses," Lei Xiuming said, sitting alone in the medicine room. His frame was thin and frail, his once-handsome face now covered in scars, his left eye concealed beneath an exquisitely embroidered satin patch.
"You were the master’s exception—his last disciple. At first, none of us thought much of you. But Cai Pingshu was right—you surpassed all seven of us." Lei Xiuming’s gaze shifted to Cai Zhao. "Your eyes and forehead resemble Cai Pingshu’s."
His voice then darkened. "Now, even she is gone… Did your aunt ever mention me to you?"
"She did," Cai Zhao replied calmly. "Aunt said you were particular about food, clothing, and accessories, prone to melancholy over trivial matters, and would sulk for ages over the smallest things. Because she ‘borrowed’ two sets of your robes and a jade crown once, you refused to speak to her for a long time."
"Two sets of robes, two sets of robes…" Lei Xiuming raised a hand to touch his scarred face. "Was that ‘borrowing’?! I was unlucky enough to run into your aunt while accompanying the eldest disciple on business at Jade Pendant Mountain Manor—she was planning to disguise herself as a man to venture into the Martial World, and my robes happened to fit her perfectly, so she just took them without asking!"
"...But didn’t Aunt leave you a snow lotus as thanks? She said your clothes and accessories were especially fine."
"Of course they were fine! When your mother saw Cai Pingshu wearing my robes, she was so smitten she couldn’t even walk straight—she swore she’d marry no one else. Later, when she found out your aunt was a woman, she couldn’t bring herself to blame her, so she came and scolded me instead, saying it was my fault for lending the robes and causing her misunderstanding—what a baseless accusation! Who could I even complain to?" Lei Xiuming gnashed his teeth.
Chang Ning suddenly remarked, "So, Senior Lei’s past wasn’t entirely filled with sorrow."
Lei Xiuming paused, a trace of wistfulness crossing his face. "Indeed, there were plenty of absurd and laughable moments too."
He turned back to Cai Zhao. "I miss your aunt dearly. When she left, I should have seen her off, but I couldn’t bring myself to step beyond Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff. I’ve regretted it for three years."
Cai Zhao lowered her head. "Don’t dwell on it, Shibo. Once a person is gone, it’s like a lamp extinguished—whether you saw her off or not, Aunt wouldn’t have minded."
Lei Xiuming sighed. "The day before yesterday, your mother came to see me before she left. Not only did she kick my door down, but she also described Wu Yuanying’s miserable state to me in vivid detail—three times. In the end, she told me to count my blessings and not be ungrateful. Compared to Wu Yuanying, someone like me, still breathing every day, is incredibly fortunate."
Cai Zhao winced. "She was trying to comfort you."
"I know," Lei Xiuming said, his expression easing. "After her scolding, I’ve been sleeping better these past few days. When I think about our seven fellow disciples—aside from Second Brother Qiu Renjie, who left for distant lands, and me, now a cripple—the rest are all dead…"Suddenly, his brow furrowed. "Seventh Junior Brother's body has never been found. Do you think he might have ended up like Brother Wu..."
"No," Chang Ning replied succinctly. "Lady Luo spent two years in the Demonic Cult and thoroughly investigated all their prisons inside and out. If there had been any news of Senior Guo Zigui, she wouldn't have remained silent. Senior Guo's reputation during his lifetime was far less prominent than that of Hero Wu Yuanying. There's no reason for the Demonic Cult to secretly imprison him for so long."
Lei Xiuming nodded. "You make a valid point." Then he asked, "What brings you here this time? Has your injury taken a turn?"
"Could you examine me, Senior?" Chang Ning moved closer.
Lei Xiuming placed one hand on his wrist to check his pulse while raising the index and middle fingers of his other hand, slowly channeling True Qi to probe the Tiantu, Qishe, and Danzhong acupoints. After a moment, he moved on to examine the Dazhui, Lingtai, and Zhongshu acupoints.
"It's better than before. I can sense you've regained some of your Inner Force," Lei Xiuming said, withdrawing his hands. "Though the progress is slow, there's improvement at least."
"That's not what I came to ask about," Chang Ning said, adjusting his collar. "My father only began teaching me martial arts in recent years anyway. Starting over wouldn't be a problem. What I wanted to ask is—how much do you know about the Five Venoms Palm?"
"Five Venoms Palm?" Lei Xiuming was taken aback. "So you suspect the poison you were afflicted with comes from the Five Venoms Palm?"
"In the chaos, I was indeed struck several times, but I'm not certain if it was the Five Venoms Palm," Chang Ning admitted. "It seemed like it, yet not entirely. That's why I came to seek your guidance."
Lei Xiuming pondered for a moment before explaining, "The Five Venoms Palm was originally a sinister martial art from the dense forests of southern Yunnan. Somehow, it found its way into the Demonic Cult. It involves cultivating palm techniques using five deadly poisons combined with specific mental cultivation. Those struck by it may suffer from mild symptoms like rotting flesh or severe cases where the poisoned blood attacks the heart. It's said Nie Hengcheng practiced this technique, but as his skills advanced, he moved on to even more formidable methods."
Cai Zhao understood now.
In simple terms, when struck by an ordinary palm strike, one sustains internal injuries. Unless the organs are shattered, recovery is usually possible. But the Five Venoms Palm not only inflicts internal damage but also poisons the victim. The former requires treatment for internal injuries alone, while the latter demands both healing and detoxification.
"In the past, I treated several victims of the Five Venoms Palm. Most didn't die from their injuries but from the poison," Lei Xiuming added.
Cai Zhao asked, "Can't the poison be neutralized? Many renowned orthodox sects have elders skilled in detoxification."
"To neutralize the poison, you must first identify it. But no one knows which five poisons were used!" Lei Xiuming gave a bitter smile. "That's the insidious nature of the Five Venoms Palm—the poisons vary from practitioner to practitioner. For instance, two martial brothers might train in the same technique, using the same four poisons, but for the fifth, one might use scorpion venom while the other opts for bone-eroding herbs. Without knowing the exact toxins, how can we prescribe the right antidote?"
"So the Five Venoms Palm is incurable?" Chang Ning pressed.
"Not entirely," Lei Xiuming replied. "Everything has its strengths and weaknesses. Though the Five Venoms Palm is instantly toxic with endless repercussions, it has three vulnerabilities."
"First, it fears opponents with superior Inner Force who are prepared. If such a person uses their profound Inner Force to repel the poison at the moment of impact, the attacker will suffer the backlash instead."
"Second, it fears having its five poisons exposed. Once the specifics are known, the technique loses half its potency, becoming little more than an ordinary palm strike.""That year, Nie Hengcheng's second disciple Chen Shu established his reputation by secretly ambushing several renowned heroes of the martial arts world within months. He didn't aim to kill outright—instead, he would strike each victim with a single palm strike before retreating swiftly, leaving the wounded to suffer excruciating pain until they eventually succumbed."
Cai Zhao listened intently. "What happened then? Did all those heroes die?"
"If they had all died, your Chang Shixiong wouldn't be here today," Lei Xiuming chuckled. "Among the wounded was Chang Haosheng—young at the time, not even married yet—who unfortunately fell victim to the ambush."
Cai Zhao turned to look at Chang Ning. "How did they recover?"
"It was your aunt who intervened."
Lei Xiuming seemed lost in memory. "After Chang Haosheng was poisoned, she was frantic. Within three days, she raided ten Demonic Cult outposts and plastered notices everywhere, challenging Chen Shu to come out and face her one-on-one, with no reinforcements allowed. She vowed that the heretical villains would know no peace until Chen Shu showed himself. Hah, back then, even the lowest Demonic Cult lackeys would shudder at the mere mention of the name 'Cai.'"
"Wasn’t Aunt afraid the Demonic Cult would retaliate against Fallen Blossom Valley?" Cai Zhao asked, feeling a chill.
Chang Ning smiled. "First, there was no bustling Fallen Blossom Town back then. Second, Fallen Blossom Valley had barely any residents. If the Demonic Cult wanted to cause trouble, they could burn down the houses and trees—your aunt would just rebuild them later. Meanwhile, Nie Hengcheng had spent decades painstakingly building his Demonic Cult, with every branch and outpost hoarding considerable wealth."
Cai Zhao gave an awkward laugh.
Lei Xiuming continued, "A treacherous man like Chen Shu would never fight honorably. He pretended to accept the challenge but secretly set traps at the duel site. Little did he know your aunt was waiting for just that. She led her people to ambush the ambushers, catching Chen Shu and his men red-handed while they were laying the traps. Then, all hell broke loose."
"During the fierce battle, your aunt deliberately provoked Chen Shu into using his Five Venoms Palm. The moment she was struck, she used her own inner force to repel the venom. It was an incredibly risky move—she had never fought Chen Shu before, so no one knew who was stronger. Fortunately, her skills were slightly superior. Once Chen Shu was poisoned, he scrambled to cure himself, leaving his guard down. That’s how your aunt identified the five venoms. After that, I rushed to assist the monks of Fahai Temple, and we quickly concocted the antidote, saving everyone’s lives."
Imagining Cai Pingshu’s fearless heroism back then, Cai Zhao felt exhilarated. "...Aunt was truly amazing."
"Of course—why else would so many people follow her?" Lei Xiuming rolled his eyes. "When your mother found out how reckless your aunt had been, she cried so much she nearly flooded Evergreen Temple."
After a pause, he added, "Back then, your aunt wasn’t even seventeen. What so many senior members of the martial arts world couldn’t accomplish, she achieved effortlessly. When Master heard about it, he kept muttering for days, 'The younger generation will surpass us.'" In truth, Yin Dai had even muttered to himself, "If only I had a daughter like Cai Pingshu," which deepened the resentment the Yin sisters harbored toward her.
"What happened to Chen Shu afterward?" Chang Ning suddenly asked.
Lei Xiuming snapped back to reality and sneered. "Once the Five Venoms Palm is mastered, the venoms can’t be altered. Since everyone could now concoct an antidote, the technique became useless. No matter how quickly he tried to learn a new skill, it was too late. Later, he died at the hands of Elder Brother Zhou Zhizhen—the first of Nie Hengcheng’s four great disciples to meet his end."
"Uncle mentioned the Five Venoms Palm has three weaknesses. What are the other two?" Cai Zhao suddenly remembered.Lei Xiuming smiled slightly: "Three weaknesses make it precious. When you train with deadly poisons, you must first preserve your own life. Practicing requires many expensive medicines to protect your meridians from the poison's erosion. Hence, those without money should never attempt the Five Venoms Palm."
Chang Ning frowned: "Of the two seniors you mentioned, Nie Hengcheng abandoned the Five Venoms Palm halfway through his training, while Chen Shu was exposed for his secrets—neither continued. This junior is very curious, if one were to persist in practicing the Five Venoms Palm to the end, what level of power could be achieved? Could it poison an opponent without even striking them?"
Lei Xiuming's expression turned solemn: "I've only heard rumors. It's said that a century ago, a master from southern Yunnan perfected the Five Venoms Palm to such an extent that even the wind from his palms carried poison. In a duel, if the fight dragged on, his opponent would die from inhaling the toxic air—though no one ever witnessed it firsthand."
Chang Ning fell silent for a long while before bowing deeply: "Many thanks to Senior Lei for enlightening this junior. Next, I plan to attempt self-healing through inner energy cultivation to see if there's any improvement."
After expressing his gratitude once more, he gestured for Cai Zhao to leave. Outside the medicine hut, he gazed blankly at the sky, lost in thought.
Watching his retreating figure, Lei Xiuming murmured, "Why didn't you ask how to heal through inner energy cultivation?"
Cai Zhao chuckled: "My aunt once said, if you trust someone, there must be a reason they withhold information; if you distrust someone, anything they say would be fabricated lies—so what's the point in asking? Lei Shibo, why didn't you ask instead?"
Lei Xiuming hesitated: "Chang Haosheng was struck by the Five Venoms Palm back then. I was thinking... perhaps he left behind some unique method to counter it?"
"Sounds plausible, but that would be the Chang family's secret technique—outsiders shouldn't inquire, no?" Cai Zhao replied with a knowing smile.
Lei Xiuming stiffened: "Fine, go protect that boy then. May Chang Haosheng's spirit in heaven bless his son with a swift recovery, so I won't have to brew detoxifying soups every day."
"If you ask me, nourishing food works better than medicine. Instead of brewing detox soups, Lei Shibo, why not make some soothing duck congee? Earlier, I saw those lively ducklings in the corner—perfect for congee."
Lei Xiuming: ???!!!
"...Get out!!"
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