The covers of the volumes were rather plain, the titles scrawled in an ordinary hand, which brought a slight disappointment, diminishing his enthusiasm for the four books. He opened the first page directly, his spirits instantly lifting as the elegant plum blossom-style script caught his eye: “The arrow flies true as clouds move, the enemy leader’s head soars aloft. Peerless Divine Arrow, left for the destined.”
Li Muzhan smiled faintly and shook his head.
This person certainly had a boastful tongue. Divine Arrow Peerless? In this world, who dared claim such a title? Even the foremost master in the realm, Nangong Sidiao, would never presume to call himself invincible.
He smiled and shook his head, deciding to just hear the man out. He wouldn't form a prejudice; eccentric figures naturally possessed eccentric words and deeds, and those who were wild and unrestrained were plentiful.
He continued reading.
“The arrow is but an extension of the sword, a growth from the arm, capable of taking a life from dozens of zhang away. Its power is the greatest and most profound. Yet, the world disregards the use of the arrow, treating it as a mere hidden weapon, employing it furtively, thus losing the King’s Way. This is truly a pity.”
Li Muzhan chuckled again, finding it amusing. According to this writer, the arrow was unparalleled, and all other martial arts and weapons were insignificant before it.
He read on, his smile gradually fading, replaced by a look of deep seriousness.
It was a thin booklet. Only four or five pages, yet he spent the time it takes to sip a cup of tea reading it. After finishing the first time, he immediately returned to the start, savoring every single word, his brow deeply furrowed in arduous contemplation.
After a long pause, he slowly closed the small booklet, gently stroking the cover, letting out a long breath, and then revealed a smile. His affinity was profound; he had actually obtained this archery method.
Only then did he realize that all his recent arduous practice of archery had been like a blind man walking—a great expenditure of effort yielding meager returns, a thankless task.
The bright moon shone brilliantly, its watery radiance pouring in through the window and bathing him. Every pore on his body opened, sensing the cool wisps of air.
He had always practiced archery the way he practiced throwing knives, believing that archery was nothing more than practice, solely aiming for accuracy. Reading this booklet, however, he knew he had been profoundly mistaken.
Archery Drawing Art and Arrow Guiding Art—an act of drawing and nocking the arrow was paired with two distinct mental cultivation methods. It was exquisite beyond compare, opening his eyes wide.
Archery Drawing Art: Internal energy flows through the fingers, concentrating in the arm, enhancing its strength. When mastered, one arm could draw a thousand jin of force.
Arrow Nocking Art was even more profound, divided into three layers.
The first layer: Imbuing the Arrow with Energy (Qi). Internal energy infuses the arrow, greatly increasing its power.
The second layer: Imbuing the Arrow with Spirit (Shen). Nothing missed its mark; where the mind directed, the arrow would follow.
The third layer: Transforming the Arrow with Energy (Qi). No physical arrow was needed; the internal energy itself transformed into an arrow, formless and colorless, with transcendent power, akin to Sword Qi.
Li Muzhan clicked his tongue in admiration and began to attempt its cultivation.
For the Archery Drawing Art, the internal energy circulated along a unique channel. After a few rotations, he felt his fingers and arms stir restlessly, seemingly gathering infinite strength, eager to be unleashed.
He rose, walked to the couch, picked up the Ice Jade Bow, and drew it lightly. It immediately bent into a perfect circle.
Using this Archery Drawing Art, he expended half the effort compared to his normal drawing technique. He marveled again; this Archery Drawing Art was truly extraordinary, holding deep mysteries.
Circulating internal energy through a few specific acupoints stimulated the arm, working in tandem with the Shadowless Sword Art. The former enhanced strength; the latter increased speed. Superimposing the two would undoubtedly increase the power of his swordsmanship.
However, when drawing his own bow, he didn't need the Archery Drawing Art; he could draw it directly. Though the Ice Jade Bow was stiff, it felt light in his hands, like child's play.
He set the bow down, stood up, drew his sword, and began to swing it slowly.
He learned martial arts forms slower than others, but in cultivating mental techniques, especially the subtle manipulation of internal energy, he was nearly unrivaled in the world.
Under the moonlight, the sword light flashed coldly. He began with slow swings, the momentum rapidly accelerating, producing a sharp chih sound as the long sword sliced through the air, manifesting the form of a snow pear blossom.
A smile gradually appeared on his face. Merging the Shadowless Sword Art with the Archery Drawing Art indeed greatly amplified its power.
In this brief time, he had already grasped its force, benefiting from his ability to concentrate on two things at once: half his mind channeled the Shadowless Sword mental method, while the other half circulated the Archery Drawing Art.
The two mental methods operated independently, their internal energies flowing distinctly within his meridians, each serving its purpose.
The cold light abruptly vanished as he sheathed his sword and sat cross-legged on the couch, attempting to fuse the two mental methods.
This was not easy. The pathways of the two routines were separated by many acupoints, like lakes between two great rivers—channels the internal energy had to pass through. But passing through them carried a risk.
He tested slowly and cautiously. A slight misstep in altering the mental pathways could result in a deviation of Qi, the least of his worries.
Fortunately, these were only acupoints in the arm, far from the heart and kidneys. If danger arose, he could suppress it in time. If it involved the areas around the heart and kidneys, he would never have dared take such a risk.
After another period, he let out a soft sigh, secretly praising his good fortune. The two mental methods had finally merged into one without any discomfort. This success was truly due to luck.
He stepped down from the couch, drew his sword, and swung it once. Instantly, a chilling aura permeated the room, filled with silver light.
Next, he tried the Arrow Nocking Art.
The first layer, Imbuing the Arrow with Energy, was quite mystical. Infusing the arrow with internal energy was not difficult; the hard part was ensuring the energy remained condensed and did not disperse after the arrow left the string.
Li Muzhan praised it as he practiced.
Turning, he took a few steps, took the quiver hanging by the couch, drew an arrow, nocked it, drew the bowstring full, circulated the Arrow Guiding Art, aimed toward the window, and released it easily.
Chih! A dark streak flashed by. A dull bang sounded against the opposite wall, sending stone fragments flying, much like a bullet in later ages.
“Who!” A white shadow flickered, and Gong Qingyun floated out, sword in hand.
Under the moonlight, her snow-white inner garment contrasted with her unbound, flowing hair.
Li Muzhan waved towards the window and laughed, “Senior Sister, it’s me.”
Gong Qingyun turned and glared at him, her slender willow brows slightly furrowed. “What mischief are you causing in the dead of night?!”
Li Muzhan stroked the small mustache on his lip and gave a wry smile. “I was practicing archery. I didn't expect the commotion to be so great. I apologize for disturbing your sleep, Senior Sister. I’ll go practice elsewhere.”
Saying this, he floated out the window, Ice Jade Bow in hand and quiver on his back, and stood before Gong Qingyun.
Viewing her up close, in the moonlight, her skin appeared even more delicate, like ivory. Her hair shone black, and her cheeks were flushed crimson, captivatingly beautiful—a stark contrast to her usual coolness.
Gong Qingyun said flatly, “Just… don’t stray too far!”
Li Muzhan nodded with a smile. “Senior Sister, perhaps you shouldn't wear white at night; it’s too conspicuous.”
“I know!” Gong Qingyun replied coldly, turned, and returned to her room, light as a cat.
Li Muzhan watched until the door closed, then turned back, smiling. Senior Sister Gong truly held grudges; maintaining that cold expression for so long was quite amusing.
He floated out of the small courtyard, utilizing his lightness skill. In the blink of an eye, he was gone like a shadow, speeding out of the small town to a pine forest outside.
The moonlight was like water, and the forest was utterly silent. He stood amidst the trees, raised the Ice Jade Bow, drew an arrow, nocked it, slowly drew back, and simultaneously circulated the Arrow Nocking Art.
He held steady, then released. A dark streak shot out, striking a pine tree ten zhang away with a muffled bang, sending wood chips flying wildly.
He focused his gaze. A small crater had formed around the (Wild Goose Feather Arrow), as if struck by a stone.
He had held the arrow between his index and middle fingers, injecting internal energy through his index finger—this path followed the Yangming Meridian, producing considerable power.
The five fingers contained six meridian paths. Internal energy flowed from the Dantian, passing through each meridian, naturally resulting in different qualities. The meridians were like river channels; the waters of the Yellow River and the Yangtze were inherently different.
He drew another arrow, gripping it between his thumb and index finger, drew full, and released. A dark streak flew out silently, striking the tree with a chih, leaving only the fletching visible.
He drew a third arrow, pinching it awkwardly between his little finger and ring finger. Fortunately, his practice with throwing knives had made his fingers nimble enough to manage it.
A dark streak shot out, accompanied by a high-pitched, soaring cry, like a white crane ascending to the heavens, letting out a piercing shriek that echoed through the clouds.
Bang! Dust flew, and as the powder settled, a bowl-sized hole appeared in the tree.
Li Muzhan smiled. With this arrow’s power, if a person were struck anywhere but a vital spot, they would be unlikely to survive.
Subsequently, he tested them all. Attaching the six types of internal energy resulted in six distinct levels of power. The Taiyin Arrow was silent, possessing great power for sneak attacks. The Taiyang Arrow exploded fiercely upon impact, like a modern bomb. The other arrows each possessed their own unique strengths.
In his past life in the modern era, he had often yearned for the Six Meridian Divine Swordsmanship from martial arts novels. That was why he had practiced the Six Meridians True Scriptures, hoping to cultivate the technique.
However, his internal energy was not deep enough, and he lacked the corresponding finger techniques as a foundation, so his goal remained unfulfilled.
Since the Six Meridian Divine Sword could not be realized, it had now become the Six Meridian Divine Arrow. Holding the Ice Jade Bow, he was immensely satisfied and overjoyed, unable to suppress a loud burst of laughter.
In the quiet night, the laughter carried far. The birds in the forest chirped in protest, seemingly complaining that he had disturbed their sweet dreams.
After laughing for a while, his interest only grew. He turned and left, drifting like smoke. In a flash, he returned to the small courtyard, deliberately making a noise.
Gong Qingyun floated out instantly, clad in a light purple silk robe, glaring at him coldly, clearly annoyed.
Li Muzhan rubbed his mustache sheepishly. “Heh heh, I wanted to retrieve some arrows. Sorry to bother you, Senior Sister.”
“What arrows?” Gong Qingyun frowned.
Li Muzhan asked, “Where did the arrows we confiscated earlier go?”
“With Xiaoyuan!” Gong Qingyun snorted coldly. “Others can’t use them, so she treasures them like jewels and is keeping them safe for you!”
“Please ask her to fetch them for me, Senior Sister,” Li Muzhan said, cupping his hands. He felt a surge of gratitude in his heart.
The girl Xiaoyuan was truly thoughtful, always considering his needs. He was deeply thankful for her concern.
“Wait!” Gong Qingyun coldly snorted, turned, and knocked on Xiaoyuan’s door with her knuckle. Xiaoyuan’s muffled voice asked, “Who is it?”
Li Muzhan shook his head. This girl slept too soundly; her sense of alertness was too poor. She hadn’t even woken up when he and Gong Qingyun were speaking. Only Miss Mei Ruolan would have woken up.
“It’s me. Zhanran needs some arrows,” Gong Qingyun lowered her voice.
The door was pulled open. Xiaoyuan, wearing a moon-white inner garment, with her hair loose, rubbed her eyes and mumbled lazily, “So late, what arrows does he need?”
Gong Qingyun said no more, walked straight into the room, and emerged moments later carrying five or six quivers, which she handed to Li Muzhan.
Xiaoyuan caught sight of Li Muzhan, forced her eyes open wide, but they wouldn't stay open. She squinted and mumbled sleepily, “Miss Zhanran says practicing archery cannot be rushed for quick results; it must be gradual.”
“Yes, okay. You should hurry back to sleep,” Li Muzhan said, finding her simple and lovely, nodding with a smile.
Xiaoyuan let out a yawn and slowly retreated, closing the door to resume her sleep.
Li Muzhan bid farewell to Gong Qingyun, then floated out like light smoke, returning to the forest.
The moonlight enveloped the forest. All things rested in silence, the surroundings tranquil and mysterious.
He practiced non-stop for two hours. Exhausted, he cultivated the Nine Luminaries Mental Technique.
Using the hand seals from the Contemplating Heaven and Humanity Divine Illumination Scripture, he circulated the Nine Luminaries Mental Technique, drawing a stream of moonlight onto his body, immersing himself in it as if bathing in cream.
The moonlight nourished his body, cool and refreshing. In a short time, his fatigue vanished completely, as if he had enjoyed a long sleep. His body was suffused with surging vitality, restless and eager to be unleashed.
He practiced for another half hour and felt he had made significant progress. The Flying Cloud Archery Method was indeed profound; one night’s work seemed equivalent to several days of hard practice.
His heart itching with impatience, he began to practice the second layer of the Arrow Guiding Art: Imbuing the Arrow with Spirit.
The second layer states: Calm the heart and settle the mind, uniting the self with Heaven and Earth. In this state of Oneness with Heaven and Man, the spirit merges with the arrow. You are the arrow, the arrow is you, indistinguishable. Only then will the arrow fly by intent, missing nothing, invincible against all opposition.
For ordinary people, this second layer was immensely difficult; achieving Oneness with Heaven and Man was a state dreamt of by countless individuals but unattainable. For Li Muzhan, whose Zen cultivation was profound, it was not difficult.
He nocked an arrow, placed it on the string, slightly closed his eyes, and focused his consciousness onto the projectile.
A moment later, his mind settled, as if he had transformed into the arrow. A majestic sharpness slowly rose within his chest; he felt he could pierce through everything, that nothing could stop him.
He released his hand. Chih, a soft whistle, and the Wild Goose Feather Arrow shot out, striking another Wild Goose Feather Arrow placed twenty zhang away.
This struck arrow passed through the first pine tree, then pierced into a second pine tree.
Li Muzhan shot several more arrows. After a few shots, the original few arrows were all lodged in the subsequent pine trees.
He opened his eyes, a smile on his face. Imbuing the Arrow with Spirit was indeed exceptionally precise, without the slightest deviation.
However, Imbuing the Arrow with Spirit consumed an immense amount of mental energy. One arrow depleted all his vital essence, spirit, and vigor. If his Heart Pearl had not been condensed, one shot would have left him utterly exhausted, unable to fire a second.
After about ten such shots, he began to feel tired. Since condensing his second Heart Pearl, he had never felt this way; he could stay awake for two days and nights and still feel vigorous with complete essence and spirit.
He shook his head, gathered the Wild Goose Feather Arrows, and placed them one by one back into the quiver. Then, slinging several quivers over his back, he zipped away like a wisp of smoke, returning to the small courtyard.
By this time, dawn was faintly breaking, the eastern sky paling.
As he vaulted over the courtyard wall and landed, a cold light suddenly struck him, swift as lightning.
He twisted his body mid-air, shifting a foot to the side, avoiding the incoming sword strike, and laughed, “Xiaoyuan, your sword is too slow!”
Xiaoyuan, dressed in a pink close-fitting outfit, retracted her sword and pouted, clearly unconvinced.
Mei Ruolan and Gong Qingyun were also in tight martial training clothes, holding their treasured swords. Mei Ruolan asked, “Zhanran, you practiced all night?”
Li Muzhan nodded with a smile. “I need to regulate my breath for a while. Don’t call me for breakfast.”
Saying that, he pushed open the door to his room, set down his bow and quivers, unbuckled his sword, laid it across the couch, and then sat cross-legged on the bed, closing his eyes and forming seals, beginning his meditation.
Mei Ruolan frowned, watching him disappear, and sighed, waving her hand dismissively.
The two women wisely sheathed their swords and began practicing their punches and kicks, making as little noise as possible. Mei Ruolan also slowly returned her sword to its sheath.
The next two days passed peacefully, without further disturbance. They traveled quickly, passing a large city named Pingyin City.
West of Pingyin City, they left Donghai Province and entered Hexi Province.
Hexi Province was vastly different from Donghai Province. Donghai was prosperous, with gentle and courteous customs; Hexi was impoverished, with fierce customs, rife with bandits. Even traveling the official roads often meant facing robbery attempts.
As soon as they left Pingyin City, the guards’ heartstrings tightened immediately. Ten large carts were a massive piece of tempting meat, enough to drive any bandit mad.
The fierce bandits of Hexi were all skilled martial artists; without high-level skills, one could not survive as a bandit in Hexi.
The convoy traveled on the official road, the sound of hooves swishing and wheels rumbling. Every guard was silent, their eyes sharp and alert, hands resting on their swords, ready to strike at any moment.
Li Muzhan walked alongside the carriages, his hands never ceasing. The Ice Jade Bow was alternately drawn full and released, yet he held no arrows, perplexing everyone. He was merely simulating in his mind, which was no different from practicing with real arrows.
When they reached a section of forest, everyone grew tense, staring fixedly into the trees, as if bandits might leap out at any moment.
Li Muzhan frowned, reached into his quiver, drew a Wild Goose Feather Arrow, and nocked it.
“Hey!” A sudden shout erupted like a thunderclap. Three large men burst from the woods and stood squarely in the middle of the road, hands on their hips.
Hiss! The horses whinnied softly, startled.
The coachmen hastily calmed them, and order was soon restored. The guards moved swiftly, instantly forming a square with four men back-to-back, standing motionless.
Having no stored manuscripts made it a huge disadvantage. Seeing others post several updates at once, I could only write frantically. I finally finished one update since the morning.
I will try to write more today, pushing my limits to see where they lie. Everyone, please offer some encouragement, some monthly tickets and recommendations. It's double monthly ticket season right now, so one ticket counts as two! If you wish to know what happens next, please log in for more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading! D