Volume 4: Hidden Battles – Chapter 202: Traveling with Beauty
Suddenly, a sound of breaking wind filled the air, and a figure from afar rushed toward them at high speed. This made the disciples of Tianyin Gate quickly snap out of their daze amidst the melodious sound of Xue Feifei’s flute, taking defensive stances.
Xue Feifei’s flute music also stopped abruptly. She turned her beautiful eyes toward the approaching figure, her Jade Hand ready to act at any moment.
The cessation of the flute music also brought Chu Tianyu back to his senses. Though puzzled at first, upon seeing Xue Feifei and the others’ wary expressions and the direction they were staring at, he couldn’t help but smile. In a flash, he appeared in front of Xue Feifei, took her hand, and headed toward the newcomer.
Before Xue Feifei could react, Chu Tianyu’s hearty laughter rang out as he said loudly, “Senior brother, this is Xue Feifei I told you about. Feifei, this is my eldest senior brother…” “Hehe, with your sudden outburst, Eighth Senior Brother was completely outmatched—he couldn’t even keep up with your speed. But seeing the beauty of this young lady today, truly stunning—no wonder you’re so eager. Haha, understandable, really~~” Liu Xiangshi said while stopping in front of Chu Tianyu and the others, sizing up Xue Feifei and teasingly adding his remarks.
Xue Feifei, clever as ice, realized the newcomer was not an enemy but Chu Tianyu’s eldest senior brother. She quickly smiled shyly and said softly, “Feifei greets her senior brother…” “Haha, enough, enough. Let’s skip the formalities. Besides, this junior brother hasn’t even given me, his senior brother, any respect along the way!” Liu Xiangshi quickly stopped her from bowing.
“Senior brother, you’re joking again. My respect for you is like an endless river…” Chu Tianyu hurriedly explained.
“Alright, alright, enough. I’m here to talk to this young lady now. No interruptions!” Liu Xiangshi said without even lifting his eyes.
“Ugh, I was planning to tell you about an unexpected discovery later. Since you won’t listen, never mind!” Chu Tianyu muttered under his breath.
Actually, Liu Xiangshi’s words weren’t entirely unfair to Chu Tianyu. Whenever he was told to stop, Chu Tianyu would surely hurt someone a little; if asked to cause slight harm, he’d promise to break arms or legs. If asked to be more thorough and leave some organs intact, needless to say, he’d take their lives. As for those who needed to be eliminated outright, he’d spare their lives but cripple their martial arts skills, sever their meridians, and abandon them in the wilderness…
The people of Tianyin Gate saw that they were not enemies, so they quickly lowered their guard. Under the guidance of a few older disciples, they began to divide tasks to treat their peers and clean up the battlefield. Xue Feifei immediately led Chu Tianyu and Liu Xiangshi to their master. Master Qiao, knowing that it was Chu Tianyu’s senior brother who had arrived, realized that due to the relationship between Chu Tianyu and Feifei, Chu Tianyu was considered one generation below her. However, among cultivators, generational distinctions sometimes mattered differently; otherwise, given Liu Xiangshi’s age and background, it would be inappropriate for her to uphold such hierarchical norms. She immediately tried to stand up, but before she could move, her chest began to heave, she gasped for breath, and she lost complete control over her limbs and body, even temporarily losing the ability to speak. Seeing this, Liu Xiangshi understood what she meant and recognized the severity of her injuries. He quickly stepped forward, knelt down, and checked her pulse while saying, “Master, please stay calm for now. Formalities can wait. Let me check your pulse first…” With that, he closed his eyes, appearing fully focused on diagnosing her condition. Although Xue Feifei was filled with worry, having Chu Tianyu by her side gave her a sense of security, so she showed no signs of anxiety or distress. Seeing this, Chu Tianyu realized that since a professional like his senior brother was handling things, there was no need for him to embarrass himself. So he took Xue Feifei aside, not wanting to disturb his senior brother, and began to comfort her softly, praising his senior brother as if he were a reincarnation of Hua Tuo and assuring her that Master Qiao would be fine, as good fortune would surely protect her. This reassured Xue Feifei greatly, and her remaining worries vanished. She believed that curing her master’s injuries would merely involve some challenges, with no other complications. Indeed, Liu Xiangshi lived up to Chu Tianyu’s praise. After assessing her injuries, he focused deeply, then used his hands to press several key acupoints on Master Qiao, leaving behind a trace of his vital energy. He then took out a pill from his bag and had her swallow it, finally pressing a point on her to induce a light sleep, instructing Xue Feifei and the others to take care of her, carry her to Tianyin Gate’s secret chamber, and ensure she remained undisturbed so she could rest properly. Seeing that her master was indeed unharmed, Xue Feifei quickly thanked Liu Xiangshi on behalf of all the disciples of Tianyin Gate. But Liu Xiangshi teased her, saying that since they were family, there was no need for formalities, referencing Chu Tianyu’s relationship with her.
In fact, this eldest senior brother in Chu Tianyu was originally a carefree person who acted more on impulse. In his youth, he was unrestrained and arrogant; otherwise, he wouldn’t have disappointed his master Xianyun’s expectations by turning to study miscellaneous esoteric arts, wasting precious opportunities to improve his cultivation. This also left Xianyun at a loss as to what to do with him, otherwise, there wouldn’t have been another conflict between him, Bu Zen, and the mad scholar over the land of Chu Tianyu.
Despite the joking, Liu Xiangshi didn’t stay long before getting up again to help other injured disciples of the Tianyin Sect outside. This deeply moved Chu Tianyu, who truly understood the senior brother’s sincere affection for those he cared about. So he followed behind, along with Xue Feifei, to assist him, and they all became extremely busy!
Those who needed saving were saved, and those who needed to be buried were buried. By the time everything was taken care of, it was already afternoon. Only then did everyone have time to sit together in the open space in front of the Tianyin Sect’s secret estate and talk.
Due to the large number of people, Chu Tianyu didn’t talk much about himself. Instead, he asked Xue Feifei and the others about some situations related to the Tianyin Sect as well as her own cultivation progress since they last parted. Xue Feifei, as if knowing something, didn’t ask Chu Tianyu much either. However, the expressions in her eyes revealed her concern and numerous questions about him…
During this time, Chu Tianyu took the chance to interrogate Zhou Jing, who was unconscious. Of course, the method remained the same—Liu Xiangshi, the senior brother who opposed “violence,” handled it. After going through the usual procedure, the poor Zhou Jing confessed everything, which matched what the thin man in black had said. The only addition to this mission was the capture of Xue Feifei, who possessed the “body of heaven and earth,” allegedly to be used as a furnace vessel for someone higher up. But he wasn’t very clear about the specific details.
Upon hearing this, Chu Tianyu’s face turned ashen, his expression solemn. A surge of killing intent spread from him instantly. Even the disciples of the Tianyin Sect in the distance couldn’t help but look over in shock, thinking some other accident had occurred. A few disciples with weaker cultivation skills in the distance placed their hands on their chests, their faces pale as they stood frozen in place, sweating profusely, with their hearts racing and their limbs seemingly refusing to obey them.
After a long while, under the constant reassurances from his senior brother and Xue Feifei, Chu Tianyu’s killing intent subsided. Yet his gloomy expression remained, causing Liu Xiangshi and Xue Feifei, who knew of his terrifying strength, to worry deeply.
Still a bit worried that Chu Tianyu might go berserk again after such a stimulus, Senior Liu Xiangshi quickly changed the subject and said, “By the way, Tai Nongyu, when we first met, you seemed to mention that you had some unexpected discovery you wanted to discuss with me, right? I’m not mistaken, am I?” “Oh, Senior, guess what just happened? Hehe, I finally have some clues about my question!” At the mention of this, Chu Tianyu’s attention was indeed drawn, and he spoke excitedly.
Seeing this, Xue Feifei was puzzled. Chu Tianyu wasn’t like this before. Although he seemed strong and wise back then, he was low-key and reserved, the kind of person who could plan strategies from afar to secure victory. But now, Chu Tianyu seemed like a different person—less restrained, less low-key, with a wild and unrestrained boldness. He acted decisively and impulsively, giving the impression that nothing or no one could interfere with his actions or freedom if he didn’t want it to.
In classic terms, it was a life of unrelenting vigor—no need for reasons!
Though it might not be an accurate description, that was exactly what Xue Feifei thought at the moment. And seeing the completely unrestrained expression on Chu Tianyu’s face as he talked to his senior, she truly felt he was different from before.
As Xue Feifei’s thoughts raced, Senior Liu Xiangshi spoke up, “Go on, tell us what happened when you fell.” “Hehe, it’s about the energy inside me…” Immediately, Chu Tianyu explained in detail his recent experiences to his senior. Although Xue Feifei didn’t understand much from listening, she was surprised to find that their conversation also involved her. It seemed the general idea was that her musical skills could heal or balance a certain energy within Chu Tianyu, solving the problem that had been plaguing them. There was a solution, and even if it didn’t work out in the end, at least it provided a direction to address the issue…
Just that alone made her extremely happy. Whether she understood or not, she was excited and joined in Chu Tianyu’s joy.
Before Liu Xiangshi arrived, he had already heard Chu Tianyu talk about Xue Feifei and her miraculous “Sounds of Heaven and Earth.” To be honest, as he rushed up the mountain, he had heard the faint sounds of a flute. He never expected that the problem that had troubled him and Chu Tianyu himself could be solved so easily. Although the details of how it worked hadn’t been verified, the facts proved that Xue Feifei’s “Sounds of Heaven and Earth” could indeed suppress and regulate the energy within Chu Tianyu!
It seemed the time for him to accompany Chu Tianyu was coming to an end—it was time for someone else to take over!
There was no need to go into too much detail about the intricacies, as after experiencing the harmonious sounds of swords in the valley and their perfect cooperation during that performance, Chu Tianyu already understood the wonders of Xue Feifei’s “Sounds of Heaven and Earth.” Especially when played on the Jade Condensation Flute, forged from the soul of ten-thousand-year-old ice in the Cold Valley, its effects were unparalleled.
Now, taking advantage of Liu Xiangshi deliberately stepping away to chat with the disciples of the Tianyin Sect, Chu Tianyu led Xue Feifei aside and recounted everything he had experienced since separating from her—starting with the “simple” tasks in Europe, the amusing old bat Fernando, the epic battle with Godfather Thorne, the large-scale development plans discussed back home, and then the adventures that led to him losing his powers. Through misfortune, his body gained the ability to directly absorb the energy of heaven and earth, but this also brought with it indissolvable coldness and violent energy, resulting in his current situation.
This trip out with his senior was meant to find a way to dispel the violent energy within him, and at the same time, to do a small favor for his senior by gathering herbs—essentially to deal with those so-called treasure guardians that his senior couldn’t handle, or to fight those who had bullied him when he passed by before.
Unexpectedly, by chance, while in Chengdu, Chu Tianyu thought of the Tianmo Sect and, on a whim, got involved in an unrelated matter, leading to this joyful reunion after so long.
By the time Chu Tianyu finished his lengthy story, Xue Feifei was utterly astonished. She never imagined that after they parted, Chu Tianyu would go through so many things. When he described the dangerous moments, she anxiously held his hands tightly; when he talked about being alone in the mountains, starving, and having to fight wild wolves, her eyes reddened and tears streamed down…
As they spoke, the sky grew darker, and soon the moon would rise. Chu Tianyu’s nightly routine of absorbing moon energy was about to begin.
So, before that, Chu Tianyu quickly took Xue Feifei to have some dinner prepared by the disciples of Tianyin Gate using a makeshift stove. After that, they found a secluded place and asked his senior brother to guard them. He planned to have Xue Feifei play the melodies of heaven and earth while he absorbed the moon energy, coordinating with his own energy flow and the process of energy absorption, to see if any new discoveries could be made.
The moonlight finally arrived as expected. Chu Tianyu was already ready to absorb it. Through the training he had undergone with his senior brother, he could now fully control the absorption process and take the initiative. However, he could not change the nature of the moon energy; he could only absorb those cold and violent energies along with it.
At this moment, Xue Feifei’s melodious flute music began to play. The notes that permeated the energy of heaven and earth resembled invisible little spirits, dancing around Chu Tianyu as he sat in meditation.
Xue Feifei also tried to match the rhythm of her music to the frequency at which Chu Tianyu absorbed the moon energy. She gradually controlled the rhythm to influence Chu Tianyu’s body—first moving in sync with the energy within him, then slowly raising or lowering the pitch to find an amplitude that matched that energy’s frequency.
Chu Tianyu was now fully focused, quietly enjoying the wonderful music that had merged with heaven and earth. The energy within him, in harmony with the music, seemed to break down into tiny energy particles that spread throughout his meridians. Instead of absorbing energy in large chunks as before, it was now an optimized combination of energy particles, gradually forming a nearly new type of energy that spread throughout his limbs.
This was the first time Chu Tianyu had absorbed moonlight in such a relaxed manner. Accompanied by Xue Feifei’s music, it was truly a delightful experience. At the same time, the absorption speed increased significantly, and the amount of energy absorbed was several times greater than before. Moreover, the restlessness and discomfort he felt after each previous absorption were completely gone. Thanks to the tuning of the music, aside from a sense of rhythmic movement, there was no more discomfort.
But just then, something strange happened again. The invisible notes surrounding Chu Tianyu seemed to suddenly take on a tangible form, forming a misty white aura that solidified around him and extended in a faint line toward Yu Ning by Xue Feifei’s lips…
Chu Tianyu immediately felt a massive surge of energy throughout his body, as if he had found a outlet for it. It rushed like a herd of horses into the white mist formed by the sounds of heaven and earth along with the effects of Yu Ning itself. Shocked, Chu Tianyu quickly focused on his spiritual core, avoiding any movement, and tried to gradually control this energy, fearing it might backfire and affect Xue Feifei. Fortunately, only a tiny amount of the surging energy entered Xue Feifei’s body through that faint line, while the rest remained within the white mist.
Amazed by this phenomenon, Xue Feifei also became highly focused, concentrating entirely on playing her instrument and trying not to be disturbed by the strange occurrences around her. Especially when she saw Chu Tianyu’s body glowing yellow and energy leaking out, she became even more cautious, not daring to relax at all. The piece, which was nearly over, entered a new movement thanks to her skillful transition, and she continued to play.
However, after playing the “Sounds of Heaven and Earth” with such intense concentration for so long, sweat began to appear on Xue Feifei’s forehead, and her body trembled slightly. She was pushing herself to the limit! Even Liu Xiangshi, who was watching from the side, could see the danger, but he couldn’t do anything at the moment and could only observe, ready to intervene if necessary.
Fortunately, when the energy that entered Xue Feifei’s body through the line met the existing energy of the Green Dragon, it made the Green Dragon’s energy thrive, as if bathed in spring breeze. In an instant, they merged seamlessly, strengthening Xue Feifei’s internal energy and creating a powerful source of true energy. This instantly reversed her precarious state of exhaustion, replacing it with a sense of abundance, strength, and continuous vitality.
Though this energy transmitted through the line seemed small, it acted like nourishment for the Green Dragon’s energy, giving it room to grow. Previously, because Xue Feifei’s strength was too weak, even the residual energy from the Green Dragon transforming into a dragon was beyond her capacity to handle. Had it not been for Chu Tianyu helping her unblock her meridians, using some spiritual herbs to boost her strength, and her diligent practice of the “Mystical Classics of Heavenly Sounds,” she would have been overwhelmed by this extremely powerful energy from heaven and earth, just like Chu Tianyu had initially been.
At this moment, driven by the lunar energy emanating from Chu Tianyu’s realm, the Qingjiao energy, which Xue Feifei had not fully utilized, was completely released. It flowed freely through her meridians like a fish in water, greatly enhancing the vital energy within her and providing her with sufficient strength to sustain her playing. The sounds she produced were no longer merely a figurative description—they were truly beautiful melodies only the heavens and earth could create. Even Liu Xiangshi, who was constantly observing the two of them, felt his tension ease after seeing Xue Feifei turn danger into safety. He was immediately captivated by these heavenly sounds and became lost in their beauty, unable to extricate himself. The disciples of the Tianyin Sect in the distance had long been influenced by Xue Feifei’s continuous flute music; their minds were intoxicated, and all their emotions were controlled by the music, causing their states to fluctuate dramatically. If it weren’t for Xue Feifei using gentle, soothing melodies to dispel the negative energy in Chu Tianyu’s realm, those with weaker cultivation would have collapsed—either suffering internal injuries that would cripple their abilities or having their minds shattered by the music… At this point, just as those outside were controlled by the music, Chu Tianyu and Xue Feifei themselves were also influenced by the extraordinary melodies they had created. In other words, they were both the creators and the recipients of these sounds and phenomena—a true interactive process. In this magical state, as Xue Feifei’s melodies intensified, more energy from Chu Tianyu’s body flowed into the white mist outside. The decrease in internal energy accelerated the absorption of lunar energy to fill the void. The initial white mist had gradually turned pale yellow and expanded into an illusory sphere, allowing streams of lunar energy to flow freely within it. To outsiders, it appeared as shimmering light, dazzling to the eyes. But for Chu Tianyu, despite his efforts to control his internal energy, he could only watch helplessly as the energy was absorbed and transferred. As for the energy that flowed outside and combined with the mist formed by the musical vibrations, he didn’t need his eyes at all—he could sense it clearly in his mind.
As the energy from outside continuously seeped into the white mist, merging and transforming to create a force of balance, it removed a large layer of void-like energy, retaining only the core part, making it stronger and more resilient. Overall, it became more peaceful and had a longer-lasting energy flow.
With this energy being continuously synthesized and utilized, looking at the faint yellow mist still before his eyes, the energy within it seemed to break down into every point, every core, every essence, appearing one by one in his mind…
“Heavenly Realm, Heavenly Realm, can you hear me? Are you okay?” Suddenly, Xue Feifei’s greeting echoed clearly in Chu Tianyu’s mind.
Chu Tianyu glanced around and saw Xue Feifei smiling at him, but the sound of the flute never stopped. “Could it be telepathy?” As soon as he thought this, Xue Feifei’s voice rang in his mind again: “Hehe, yes, fool!”
“So, what realm are we in now?” Chu Tianyu asked excitedly.
“Hehe, I don’t know either. But I can be sure that my cultivation level has increased by at least three years of focused practice, and it’s still rising…” Xue Feifei said excitedly.
“Really!?” Chu Tianyu was also surprised, though his tone was mostly filled with doubt.
“Mm, I don’t quite understand it either. I only know that my ‘Sound of Heaven and Earth’ is no longer under my control—it’s completely replaced by the original Green Dragon energy in my body and the strange energy from you, allowing it to sustain itself. How about you? All this energy comes from your body. Looking at your surroundings, there’s so much energy gathered… I’m worried…” Xue Feifei didn’t dare say more, her concern evident.
Chu Tianyu was deeply moved and quickly reassured her in an exaggerated tone: “Hehe, don’t worry. Your husband is blessed. Not only am I still absorbing lunar energy, but even if all my energy runs out, at most I’ll just return to my original body. I’d be overjoyed—no more violent tendencies, no more being seen as a delinquent. My reputation would be ruined!”
Seeing Chu Tianyu’s humorous words and realizing that they truly weren’t in any immediate danger and could still communicate with each other, it was as if their spirits were soaring together into the sky, free and unrestrained…
So, they settled down for the time being, though one issue still troubled Xue Feifei. She asked, “Tianyu, how long do you think this situation will last? It can’t keep going like this forever, right?”
“If it does, so be it. What does it matter? We’ve been apart for so long; this is a good chance for us to talk properly, share our feelings, and express our longing for each other…” Chu Tianyu said with a sly smile.
“Go to hell…”
…
And indeed, the two of them stayed close to each other until dawn!
Just as the moon withdrew its light, another anomaly occurred. It not only interrupted the connection between Chu Tianyu and Xue Feifei but also caused them both to feel a shock. The sound of heaven and earth played by Xue Feifei stopped abruptly, and the thin thread connecting them snapped instantly, causing the energy within her to cease functioning and return to her dantian, remaining dormant.
Chu Tianyu felt a spiral of energy contracting rapidly from within outward. The energy, once refined by the sound of heaven and earth, rushed back into his body like a child returning home from playing outside. Startled, Chu Tianyu quickly dismissed all distractions and focused his mind.
However, the recovered energy didn’t cause much impact on him. Although it felt more powerful than before, its volume had decreased significantly, and its quality was pure—comparable to his previous Purple Void True Qi.
The violent and bloody aura from before was completely gone. This excited Chu Tianyu so much that he wanted to roar to vent the emotions he had suppressed for so long. But before he could explode, the pale yellow mist surrounding his body suddenly burst with a loud noise, as if it were solid. Yellow ice shards fell to the ground and instantly turned into pools of yellow water that seeped into the ground, disappearing without a trace…
After a while, Chu Tianyu finally tried to move his hands, feeling that his body was once again under his control. The changes within his body surprised even him, who was usually so calm and composed—it was as if he had gone through a kind of refinement, a process of discarding the dross and retaining the essence. The sound of the snowy world, combined with the frosty aura emanating from the jade, took physical form, creating a unique magnetic field that drew out the lunar energy within Chu Tianyu, which was also part of the energy of heaven and earth. The two energies merged, and the magnetic field acted like an excellent filter, removing all negative elements from Chu Tianyu’s energy while preserving only its core essence. Under the influence of the magnetic field’s own energy, this essence was further refined. When the moonlight disappeared and Chu Tianyu’s energy became depleted, it was drawn back in, resulting in the unique, pure, and serene energy he now possessed.
The cessation of the flute music and the loud noise as the mist burst apart finally woke those who had been immersed in the beautiful melodies, restoring their senses. Some with weaker abilities collapsed to the ground immediately, looking utterly exhausted.
Even someone like Liu Xiangshi, despite his strong abilities, shook his head vigorously after regaining his senses, trying to shake off his extreme fatigue.
Once fully recovered, he saw Chu Tianyu “radiating brilliance” as he kissed Xue Feifei passionately. Curious, he stepped forward to take a look. But he wasn’t interested in their lips pressed together; instead, he stared at Chu Tianyu in astonishment, for at that moment, Chu Tianyu’s entire body was glowing—a light as smooth as jade and soft as cream, serene and gentle. It brought a sense of peace to those who saw it, dispelling worries and troubles, as if they were bathed in warm, soft sunlight, giving them an indescribable sense of clarity and joy!
“Hehe, senior brother, since when do you have a hobby for eavesdropping? It seems I should introduce you to a sister-in-law, so we can find wives for these two talented guys too, haha…” Seeing his senior brother staring intently at them kissing, Chu Tianyu released Xue Feifei and joked with him playfully.
Along the way, he and his senior brother had gotten used to teasing each other, and since both of them were easy-going and carefree, Chu Tianyu spoke openly without any hesitation. However, Xue Feifei didn’t have Chu Tianyu’s boldness. Just moments ago, she had been immersed in deep affection, completely lost in the ocean of love, and hadn’t noticed Senior Brother Liu Xiangshi approaching. Now, seeing his curious expression, she truly thought, as Chu Tianyu had said, that he was quite interested in “this kind of thing.” Immediately, her face turned red, and ignoring Chu Tianyu, she made an excuse to check on her sisters and hurried away.