Standing by the carriage window, Zong Shou raised his wrist slightly, and a flash of black shadow immediately shot out from his sleeve. In an instant, it was twenty zhang outside the carriage, firmly embedded in a small, squat tree with a soft duo sound.

"Half a fen to the left!"

Since being driven by someone else, the speed of this Cloud-Turning Carriage had increased by several parts. The dwarf tree targeted by his throw flashed past his vision in a blur, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Zong Shou, however, narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp as an eagle’s, clearly seeing his flying knife, carved from Tiemu wood, skew slightly to the left.

Three days had passed since they stopped to rest that day, and they had not paused since.

Yin Yang and Chu Xue would still occasionally leave the carriage, carrying an air of battle about them. Zong Shou, meanwhile, continued to idle within the carriage.

Besides practicing swordsmanship and movement techniques daily, guiding spiritual energy from all directions to strengthen his physique, he had added another task: practicing with these flying knives made of black Tiemu wood.

Whenever his body felt weary, Zong Shou would stand by the window, select any nearby object as a target, and launch a flying knife.

In his previous life, Zong Shou was famous for his sword skills, ranking among the Seven Emperors of the Cloud Realm in the Shen Huang game. Even across the myriad worlds, he was among the top tier of players.

However, the technique that made him most feared back then was also a set of hidden throwing knife arts, which equally overshadowed his peers.

The Six God Blade Control Art was learned in Shen Huang. When the blade flew, it was never known to miss, possessing the power to cleave immortals! Even during the war of the Seven Emperors, he never faltered; even that man, whose evasion techniques were unmatched across a realm, who was his contemporary equal and known as the Shadowless Extreme Emperor, ultimately perished beneath his Six God Blade Control Art.

The most peculiar aspect of this virtual game was that most martial arts secrets and secret techniques listed detailed cultivation methods, derived from ancient inheritances, which could also be practiced in reality.

The Six God Blade Control Art was a top-tier secret martial art among them. Although Zong Shou’s meridians were not yet open in this life, he could already practice some of its secret fundamentals, making his throwing knife skills comparable, or even superior, to those of true martial artists!

His right hand flipped abruptly, and another black flying knife made of Tiemu wood appeared in his grasp. As his fingers guided it, it spun up and down between them, generating a dazzling series of knife-shadows and glints of light.

Zong Shou himself closed his eyes slightly and began to observe his inner self.

Without cultivating internal energy, he was completely ignorant of the condition of the meridians within his body, making true inspection of his body’s channels basically impossible. However, his experience as a supreme martial artist from his past life allowed him to clearly sense the changes in every muscle in his arm: the amount of force exerted, the degree of strength and flexibility, and even the stretch of the tendons and the twist of the joints were all clear in his mind.

In less than a moment, Zong Shou gained a flicker of realization.

In three days, this throwing knife art had gone from clumsy to proficient, and now he could hit moving targets with near-perfect accuracy. For anyone else, this feat would be impossible, even for those truly gifted with astonishing martial talent. Only he, relying on this control so precise it bordered on the infinitesimal, coupled with constant self-reflection and adjustment, could reach this realm step by step.

Yet, Zong Shou was still dissatisfied with that last throw. In the art of hidden weapons, a fraction of an inch could mean a thousand miles. In the life-or-death struggle of martial combat, there was no room for even the slightest error!

Even a deviation of half a fen was intolerable in his eyes.

The carriage continued to speed across the wilderness. Suddenly, a running Fire-Feather Rabbit leaped into Zong Shou’s sight.

His pupils slightly widened, and the wooden flying knife tumbling in his right hand shot out almost instinctively, transforming into a deep black streak of light that traversed the distance of ten zhang and pierced directly toward the Fire-Feather Rabbit’s throat.

In Zong Shou's vision, almost simultaneously, a splash of crimson blood erupted. The flying knife, without question, bored a large hole through the rabbit’s fiery red throat. The Fire-Feather Rabbit immediately collapsed, tumbling onto the ground.

Upon close inspection, one could see that the flying knife still had a slight deviation. However, this was caused by the target’s own high-speed evasion, a variation that was within his tolerance and anticipated beforehand.

Smiling faintly, Zong Shou took another flying knife in his hand. At this moment, he had finally managed to recapture the feeling of hitting the mark without fail from his past life. What needed to be done next was similar to the basic practice of fundamental swordsmanship or movement techniques: to continue diligent practice, knife by knife, refining the application of force from every angle, until this throwing knife art was entirely etched into the deepest parts of his flesh and bone, becoming instinct.

"Though this body’s stamina is weak, this strength and flexibility are truly terrifying. I currently possess only half a demon bloodline; no wonder the demon race is intolerable to humans—"

Chu Xue’s immense strength and her peerlessly swift land-running technique did not come solely from her martial cultivation. At least thirty percent stemmed from her Snow Cat Tribe innate talent.

Muscles tensing, force channeled to the blade tip, just as the black blade light was about to tear through the carriage window again, Zong Shou’s heart suddenly stirred. He turned his head and saw Su Chu Xue standing right at the carriage door, holding a massive bathing tub. Her pair of blue eyes stared blankly at Zong Shou’s right hand.

After a long pause, she murmured with a dazed look, "So fast! Young Master's throw just now—even Xue’er might not be able to block it."

Immediately, her almond eyes began to sparkle: "This flying knife method seems to be just the basics, but it is incredibly potent. Hmm, fluid like flowing water, swift and concise. Was this taught by the Lord? But the Young Master is even more amazing. He seems awkward and stiff, as if just starting out. Yet, looking closer, it seems tempered a thousand times, already reaching perfection. Just now, Uncle Yin also said the Young Master is a true genius, it’s just a pity—"

As if realizing she misspoke, Chu Xue quickly stopped talking.

In Zong Shou’s eyes, however, a hint of surprise couldn't help but surface again. He had not intended to hide his practice of swordsmanship and throwing knives from these two.

Within the fragmented memories, there was a recollection of 'his' youth practicing martial arts. He had touched upon everything from fist and sword techniques to hidden weapons and the eighteen types of weaponry. Although they were fundamentals, they all possessed extraordinary heritage, encompassing the very essence of the martial way. At Linhai Academy, besides literature, mantra techniques, and spirit arts, martial arts were also taught. It was only after the age of ten, likely because Zong Shou could not open his meridians, that he ceased martial practice.

Therefore, no matter what he practiced now, it wouldn't arouse suspicion.

What truly astonished him was the girl's comprehension. She had perceived the profoundness of his throw at the very first glance.

Simple, efficient, and fast, stripping away all superfluous movements, maintaining precision while exerting all possible strength—this was the fundamental essence of the Six God Blade Control Art.

And indeed, his throwing knife skill had been tempered a thousand times, yet this body was undeniably extremely unfamiliar with it.

Why would a girl like this serve as the maid to a powerless man?

Secretly astonished, Zong Shou showed no emotion on his face, merely gazing calmly out the window at the unerring Tiemu flying knife. "What use is it if I practice this throwing knife well? If I can't cultivate the Qi Refining Art, I am still just a cripple—"

These words were not mere talk; he felt a genuine sense of helplessness.

In his mind, images of his past life practicing martial arts came with countless scornful glances and disdain, making Zong Shou feel the suffocation himself. Though not his own memories, he felt them vicariously, wishing to restore his former life soon so he could sweep away the rabble with his sword.

He gave a self-mocking smile, seeing Chu Xue’s expression become increasingly nervous and ashamed. Zong Shou shook his head, stopped speaking, and instead looked at the wooden tub she was carrying, a look of confusion on his face. "What is this for?"

Su Chu Xue, who had been consumed by self-reproach, instantly felt as if granted amnesty upon hearing this. She hurriedly set down the tub while explaining, "Has the Young Master forgotten? Today is the day for the ten-day medicinal bath. Xue’er has come to serve you in your bathing!"

Bathing?

Zong Shou’s spirit immediately fluttered, and for a moment, he couldn't help feeling a trace of anticipation.

Looking into the wooden tub again, it was filled with various medicinal herbs. Then, Chu Xue tapped the edge of the tub with her jade-like hands. In an instant, water from all directions was drawn together by an inexplicable force, pouring into the tub.

It gradually heated up, and in a moment, it was boiling.

Zong Shou’s eyes were now filled only with shock.

"This is dual cultivation of the Spirit and the Martial—"

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