Twin Dimension Yin-Yang Mirror: Attaining immortality through the martial path
Chapter 241 - 211: A Meddling Hand, No Coincidence

Chapter 241: Chapter 211: A Meddling Hand, No Coincidence

"Mommy, I’m scared."

The little boy cradled in the woman’s arms, seemingly having just learned to speak, may have been frightened by the brutish men rushing up to them, his mouth opened wide and he cried out loudly.

Scholar Chen, upon hearing the words of the youth in brocade, almost spat out a mouthful of blood in anger.

"In this vast and righteous world, under the expansive blue sky, how could such vile villains exist? Is there no law and order left in this world?"

He had been betrayed by his classmates and reported to the authorities because he criticized the chaotic state of the world while drunk.

Luckily, he had always been kind to others, and a constable from the Yamen risked his life to send him a message, allowing him to find the chance to lead his wife and child in escape from Yong County ahead of time.

He had heard that the people of Yunshan Town, at the base of Floating Cloud Mountain, were simple and honest, without corrupt officials or wicked tyrants, so he sought refuge there.

But he hadn’t expected.

That he would encounter trouble just two days after his arrival, before he had even found a place to stay.

He was thinking about finding a wealthy household to serve as a private tutor, as a means to make a living, no longer wishing to sit for the imperial examination.

He felt that even if he were to pass it, in this tumultuous world, there would be no place for him to apply his skills.

It would be better to let go of the aspiration to serve the emperor and instead live a carefree and serene life like that of wild cranes and wandering clouds.

However, he hadn’t expected that his wife, due to a moment of carelessness that revealed her beauty, had caught the eye of a young thug.

He didn’t even know the young thug’s name or lineage and was about to face a tragic fate.

Where could he possibly seek justice for this?

The world is so vast, yet there isn’t a single place to live in peace.

...

Zhou Ping’an pinched a hand seal, and a strand of inconspicuous pale gray needle-like energy silently appeared.

Before he could quietly strike to kill, another loud shout came from ahead.

"Shameless scoundrel, to forcefully abduct a young lady in broad daylight, your death is deserved."

Following the shout, a white figure leaped out of the crowd...

Twisting and soaring through the air with the speed of a hawk, without even drawing the saber from its sheath, with several swift moves, he sent several strong men flying several yards away, landing on the ground and continuously spitting out blood.

After saving Scholar Chen and his family of three.

The person in white flashed into view in front of the brocade-clad youth, standing atop the horse’s head.

With a reach of his hand, he caught the other party as effortlessly as if grasping a chick.

The saber slightly vibrated out of its sheath, ready to claim a life.

"M-Master, spare me please."

The youth in brocade was so frightened that he turned pale, struggling and begging for mercy.

"To kill you would dirty my hands.

However, your crime of abducting a young lady in public is unforgivable. For such a grand evil, you cannot avoid a march to the execution grounds...

Let’s leave your fate to the official government to decide."

"Good."

Suddenly, thunderous applause and cheers erupted all around.

"Who is this young hero? Such heroic bearing, captivating at first sight..."

"You must be new to Yunshan Town, this young hero is extraordinary, hailing from Floating Cloud Mountain.

Look, he subdued the villain without even drawing his saber, his martial arts are so profound that even among the renowned warriors of the Southwest Martial World, he is outstanding."

"Indeed, not even recognizing Young Master Zhao Fangjing, the Young Heavenly Sword, shows a certain narrowness of knowledge, brother."

"Young Master Zhao, as an Inner Sect Disciple of Cloud Water Heavenly Sect, has developed True Qi at a young age, an age like tender grass.

In the Martial World, his progress is considered exceptionally swift. What’s most admirable is his heroic spirit and sense of justice, especially when he sees commoners in distress.

The peace of Yunshan Town today cannot be separated from the heroic deeds of Young Master Zhao over the years."

"It’s said that Merchant Zhao has both a son and a daughter, both paragons among mortals.

The eldest daughter married a True Disciple of Cloud Water Sect, raising the family’s status and bringing prosperity.

His son, now achieving so much at such a young age, is truly enviable..."

The surrounding crowd chattered endlessly.

All of them looked at the brocade-clad youth in Zhao Fangjing’s grasp as if he were already a dead man.

These types of crowd-pleasing events, though infrequent, did occur from time to time throughout the year.

But Yunshan Town was different.

This place had its own local tiger.

Other disciples of Cloud Water Heavenly Sect might be averse to dealing with the commoners at the foot of the mountain, but the foundation of the Zhao Family was in Yunshan Town, and their son, Zhao Fangjing, was the guardian deity of the area.

Everyone knew that among the seventeen villages and towns under Floating Cloud Mountain, Yunshan Town was the most peaceful.

All thanks to his contributions.

Even some famous elders in the Jianghu believed that Zhao Fangjing could become the next True Successor of the Cloud Water Sect.

He had the talent, the fortune, and his character was of the highest order.

If he wasn’t to become the True Successor, then no one qualified.

...

"It seems we weren’t even needed to take action."

Lin Huaiyu smiled demurely.

Leading her horse, she slowly headed towards the town gate.

She enjoyed witnessing scenes like these.

"That might not necessarily be the case."

Zhou Ping’an gently shook his head.

Watching this scene, he felt an odd sense of déjà vu.

Whether it was the villainous brocade-clad youth’s arrogance or the sudden appearance of the white-clad hero Zhao Fangjing, it all seemed eerily familiar to him.

Of course, it was not because he was afflicted with occupational paranoia.

It was rather because his perceptual abilities were much stronger than those of the onlooking crowd... He had sensed much earlier that the ones dressed in green, who were sent flying several yards away, did not break a single bone.

The blood spewing from their mouths did not even seem to smell of blood at all, but more like dye.

If this could not prove anything.

So, judging by the sentence "Won’t you just die already?" called out by the gentleman in white at his appearance, it was clear that the other party was extremely angry.

Despite being furious, he was still holding back with every move.

Not only did he use soft strength and skilled force when he sent the man in Green Clothes flying,

but when he caught the young man in brocade, despite his fierce words, he didn’t even slap him once.

"However, this has nothing to do with me,"

"As long as that Scholar Chen’s family isn’t facing an overly tragic plight, to be used as a tool and win people’s hearts, it’s not a big deal."

Right now, the most important thing was to quietly make one’s way up the mountain.

Unless absolutely necessary, he didn’t want to reveal his martial skills or appearance.

There are too many lousy things in the world, and if he encountered them and couldn’t stand by, lending a helping hand wasn’t out of the question.

But to investigate everything to the core, distinguishing right from wrong, really wasn’t all that necessary.

Turning his head towards Lin Huaiyu, he saw that she was also looking back with a strange gaze.

He knew that the Third Miss had also understood the situation.

Yet, she also chose not to elaborate further.

When journeying a hundred miles, half is achieved at ninety.

At this moment, everything must make way for their goals.

And what was their goal?

Wasn’t it to "Exchange for Canghai Sword Canon"?

If things went smoothly, they might even obtain the protection of the title "Inner Sect Disciple of Cloud Water Heavenly Sect."

Naturally, it would be best to avoid any unnecessary complications.

...

The two found a guesthouse with a wide entrance called "Pleasant Arrival Inn" to stay in, instructed the waiter to take good care of the horses, and hurriedly opened two upper rooms.

"Send hot water for bathing first, and order the kitchen to prepare the inn’s signature dishes; in three shichen, have it brought to the room."

Zhou Ping’an casually ordered seven or eight dishes, glanced at the chaotic scene in the inn’s main hall, pondered for a moment, and then urged the innkeeper to have the meal sent upstairs.

These past few days, they had been traveling in haste.

And they had indeed not properly enjoyed a hot meal.

Though, with his current level of cultivation deepening daily, going hungry for a few days was not a big concern.

But when traveling, and not lacking in silver, there was absolutely no need to be so hard on oneself.

Seeing Floating Cloud Mountain right up ahead, they could ascend the mountain tomorrow morning and learn the sword canon; both of them relaxed a bit.

"Now that we’re here, we’re basically safe.

I remember Elder Gu of Cloud Water Heavenly Sect personally went to Guangyun County for his only son’s injuries, he must have been extremely concerned."

"Moreover, according to rumors, this Elder Gu and Elder Su are rarely in the sect, but instead visit various sect friends, requesting their help to find the Seven-Colored Pill."

For both elders of such prestige to personally travel far and wide in search of medicine...

One can imagine how seriously they took the matter.

Lin Huaiyu believed that once they set foot on Floating Cloud Mountain and let the people of Emerald Peak know they brought the Seven-Colored Pill, no one should dare to cause trouble again.

Even the true disciple Fang Yu, who had a particularly bad reputation, wouldn’t dare to act rashly.

In name, the status of a true disciple was not inferior to that of an elder with actual power.

But after all, it’s best not to offend if it can be avoided.

As long as Fang Yu, the true successor, hadn’t lost his mind, he probably wouldn’t spoil the great task of the two elders treating their son over personal grudges.

"I’m not worried about ascending the mountain; what I’m considering is how to descend,"

Zhou Ping’an silently estimated the progress of his cultivation, his mind filled with thoughts.

Once the "Canghai Sword Codex" is in hand, after a few days of practice, he should also be able to bring his Five Viscera to completion.

At this thought, he couldn’t help but be grateful to Lin Huaiyu.

If she hadn’t refined several furnaces of "Yin Yang Harmonization Pill" in advance, Zhou Ping’an’s journey to refine the Five Viscera definitely wouldn’t have been so swift.

Ever since he obtained the "Yin Spirit Jade" on that day in the land of yin winds, the bead constantly emanated a cool aura, further attracting the yang harmony energy from the air, pouring it into his body.

Zhou Ping’an discovered that his cultivation was growing rapidly, as if he were riding a plane.

Especially the staggering speed at which his qi-blood was strengthening.

Only a few shichen of automatic cultivation with the Tidal Breathing Technique would absorb energy from the bead and the world around him, equating to the effects of a Sun Chasing Pill.

Moreover, this surging qi-blood energy was mild and mellow, requiring no detailed refinement, and he could directly use it to refine the Five Viscera, making his body increasingly powerful.

Coupled with the regulating effect of the Harmonization Pill on the five energies, his progress was astonishingly rapid.

On this journey,

Just two days and two nights passed, and he had already completed the refinement of three of the Five Viscera, and his basic strength had reached the level of 16,000 jin.

Almost a new change every day.

Even Lin Huaiyu would sometimes look at him with a strange expression.

She had no clue how he could be like someone who had taken a Ten-Perfect Tonic Pill, with his aura growing stronger by the day.

"How many more days until you achieve the Perfection of the Five Viscera?"

Lin Huaiyu took a sip of wine with a sizzle and asked leisurely.

"The kidney and liver remain to be perfected,"

Zhou Ping’an thought for a moment and didn’t conceal it from Lin Huaiyu.

He liked to see the Third Miss, who usually maintained an extremely calm demeanor, open her mouth wide in astonishment.

Her eyes seemed to speak, revealing the joy and envy that shimmered deep within...

And it was evident that deep down, she was cursing inwardly.

’You must be a monster, right?’

That must be how she was cursing, he guessed.

"That’s still a bit shy of catching up with me,"

The Third Miss took a deep breath, raised her cup with composure, and toasted, "Congratulations, keep up the hard work."

After swallowing the wine, she fiercely placed the cup down, her indifferent demeanor no longer maintainable, her curiosity scratching at her insides as intensely as if seven or eight cats were clawing at her heart and lungs.

"How on earth did you train?"