Behind the jade pendant, a pair of clear, bright eyes gazed forth. Though Qin Mu was but eleven years of age, his young mind had already grasped many truths.
Once, accompanying Granny Si to an outlying village, he had witnessed the serene childbirth of a woman, a smooth delivery that culminated in the heartwarming scene of a family made whole. This encounter had deeply moved him. Later, he had questioned Granny Si about his own birth, about his parents' whereabouts. Unable to provide answers, she had simply told him that he had been found, and that this very jade pendant had been upon his person at that time.
Thus, Qin Mu treasured this jade pendant dearly, holding onto the hope that one day it would guide him to his parents, allowing him to confront them and understand the reasons for his abandonment.
After a long while, the youth tucked the jade pendant back into his robes, letting it rest against his chest. His expression was calm, the recent strangeness of the pendant concealed within his heart. Behind him, Granny Si had also returned to her room.
The following day, Old Ma, the Blind Man, the Lame Man, the Mute Man, and the others resumed their hunting expeditions. Their aim was to capture more Four Spirits Beasts to refine their blood and provide Qin Mu with crucial nourishment. So thorough had these four formidable individuals been in their hunts that the Four Spirits Beasts within a radius of several hundred *li* were virtually extinct, forcing them to venture ever farther afield.
Village Chief's movements were restricted, while the Apothecary frequently departed to gather herbs. The Butcher, a man consumed by cynical resentment and prone to fits of madness, and the Deaf Man, whose sole interest lay in books and paintings, offered little companionship for Qin Mu's daily cultivation. Only Granny Si was usually available.
However, Granny Si also often left the village. As a tailor and midwife, she was frequently summoned by nearby villages to fashion garments and occasionally to assist in childbirth.
This day, Granny Si had departed early, as had the Apothecary for his herb gathering. The Butcher and the Deaf Man had carried the Village Chief out, and now sat at the village entrance, one honing his blade, the other lost in his art.
Bored, Qin Mu wandered to the riverbank. Ever since his cow had transformed into a woman and subsequently been slain by the Lame Man, his chores had significantly diminished.
By the river, the youth took a deep breath, his chest cavity expanding like an inflating drum. As his chest swelled, his *vital energy* circulated, and the expansion slowly subsided. He did not exhale the air; instead, his *vital energy* nourished his lungs, rendering them exceptionally resilient, compressing the air within them from ten percent down to a mere one percent!
Qin Mu continued to inhale, yet his chest did not swell further. Reaching the limit of his capacity, the youth's footsteps paused, then like an arrow loosed from a bow, he sprang forth!
On the river's surface, two waves parted, rushing to either side. Between them, Qin Mu stepped upon the water and dashed away, a blur of motion!
Suddenly, a flash of blade light erupted from the river. As he ran, he drew forth the pig-slaying knife, its gleam flashing like a flood dragon soaring and plunging – the Butcher's knife technique! The technique mirrored the man; the Butcher's pig-slaying knife art was imbued with cynical resentment, a wild, overbearing force that submitted neither to heaven nor earth. Blade light rolled and surged, crushing all in its path along the river surface.
Suddenly, the blade light abruptly retracted. Qin Mu sheathed the pig-slaying knife on his back and transitioned to Old Ma's fist technique. *Vital energy* coursed through his arms and reached his fingertips, clenching into fists. His body moved like the Yangtze River surging towards the sea, like a plateau torrent breaking through the sky, a boundless surge.
The first style of the Thunder Sound Eight Styles: Alone, Carrying Spring Thunder Across the East Sea!
He unleashed one punch after another. Within his mind's eye, the image of a great river flowing emerged, its waves like thunder, rushing into the sea. Unconsciously, his fist techniques began to embody the same intent.
His fist suddenly opened, and the palm center of his five fingers vibrated intensely. The air before his palm compressed rapidly, then exploded outwards, blasting the river surface and sending water splashing everywhere.
"Still not enough, I couldn't create the palm-heart thunder."
Qin Mu felt a touch of disappointment. Old Ma's Thunder Sound Eight Styles, even at its lowest level, required the creation of palm-heart thunder. Each fist and palm strike would unleash an explosive thunderous sound, not only intimidating the opponent's spirit but also possessing immense power. Cultivated to a higher level, it transformed into divine ability, controlling thunder itself – a feat far beyond his current capabilities.
As he continued his furious pace, he drew a bamboo staff from his back. Its tip pointed forward, executing not an ordinary staff method, but a spear technique. He had learned the staff method from the Blind Man, and the Blind Man's staff method *was* a spear technique. The great spear, like an enraged dragon, churned the river water, rolling, pointing, stabbing, and picking. Each strike was accompanied by the river water swirling around the bamboo staff.
Qin Mu placed the bamboo staff back on his back and then withdrew a large iron hammer. He began to display the hammer method taught by the Mute Blacksmith. The hammer method was ancient, simple, and clumsy, possessing ten thousand *jun* of strength, incredibly heavy – a stark contrast to Qin Mu's swift pace while running!
After a long time, he felt his *vital energy* beginning to wane, his body weary, his strength nearly exhausted. Only then did he look around and realize he had traveled far from Disabled Old Village, reaching a spot several hundred *li* downstream.
"Unconsciously, I ran this far?"
Qin Mu noticed a green oasis in the middle of the river, with the river water surging past on either side. His heart stirred slightly, and he immediately rushed towards the green oasis in the river's heart.
Moments later, his feet landed on solid ground as he ascended the green oasis. The oasis was not large, resembling a small hill in the river's heart, with a radius of only about one *li*. It towered forty *zhang* high amidst the river, covered in lush grass and trees.
Within the dense forest, no bird calls were heard, only the sound of rushing water. Not far ahead of Qin Mu, a temple lay hidden within the trees, its broken walls exposed.
Qin Mu walked forward, only to find the temple in ruins, years of disrepair evident in the ubiquitous spiderwebs. Nevertheless, it seemed a decent place to rest.
He paused before the temple. One of the temple doors had fallen off, and the interior was dim, yet he could still discern a large Buddha statue standing within. The statue was adorned with gold foil, emitting a golden light. However, the place had been deserted for a very long time; much of the gold foil had peeled away, revealing the copper body beneath. Upon the copper body were strange characters, twisted and resembling tadpoles.
Furthermore, thick chains were wrapped around the Buddha's body. These chains locked the statue, and Qin Mu immediately saw that they extended outwards from the small temple, reaching all the way to the green oasis's shore and plunging deep into the Surging River.
"Strange, why do these chains lock this great Buddha...? Blind Grandpa said that entering a temple requires burning incense, that it's a rule. I didn't bring any incense, so I can only rest in front of the temple."
Qin Mu cleared his throat and bowed towards the temple, saying, "This young student is from Disabled Old Village, living by the river. Passing by this esteemed temple, I beg to borrow this sacred ground to rest. I fear I may disturb the inhabitants of this place, and my heart feels uneasy."
He hesitated for a moment, then continued to recite the words the Blind Man had taught him: "This young student has been weak since childhood with deficient kidneys, and my *vital energy* leaks prematurely. If there are immortal sisters within this temple, please do not harm me."
The Blind Man was an old Jianghu, and Qin Mu naturally had deep faith in his words. Since the Blind Man had taught him this, he spoke it aloud, believing it should avert any problems.
Having finished his prayer, Qin Mu sat on the stone steps, removed his iron shoes, and untied the iron ingots bound to his calves. He regulated his breathing, recovering his physical strength. He had run the entire distance wearing iron shoes and iron ingots on his legs while on the river. These iron shoes and ingots had been newly forged for him by the Mute Blacksmith, even heavier than the previous ones.
Suddenly, from within the temple behind him, a young girl's light laughter echoed, crisp and clear. "You speak quite interestingly. Very well, then I won't eat you."
Qin Mu quickly turned around, only to see that on the palm of the Buddha statue, he knew not when, sat a little girl. She was similar in age to him, also eleven or twelve years old, with three small braids. Two thinner braids hung in front of her chest, while a thicker one dangled behind, swinging back and forth as she looked at him with a smile.
The girl's feet swung back and forth, the gold rings on her ankles jingling as they touched, producing a "dang dang" sound that made her laughter seem as bright as early spring sunlight.
Qin Mu quickly stood up and said, "Esteemed immortal sister..."
"Where is there an immortal sister?"
The girl jumped down from the Buddha statue's hand, laughing merrily and revealing two small canine teeth. "My name is Xian Qing'er. I live nearby. I've never seen an immortal sister. What's your name?"
Qin Mu saw her bright laughter and decided she wasn't a bad person. He relaxed and said, "My name is Qin Mu, it just means a cow-herding kid with the surname Qin. I used to have a cow; the grannies and grandpas in the village always made me herd it."
Xian Qing'er walked behind the ancient temple door, pulled open the other temple door, scrutinized him from head to toe, then glanced behind him. Suddenly, she let out a giggle. "Where's your cow?"
Qin Mu hesitated for a moment, then said, "The cow turned into a woman. I don't have a cow anymore."
Xian Qing'er was surprised and jumped with joy. "Such fun things exist? How did it turn? Can you turn?"
Qin Mu shook his head. "I'm not very good at it yet. My granny can."
Xian Qing'er looked a little disappointed. "I thought you could. What other fun things do you have? Quickly come in and tell me!"
Qin Mu lifted his feet, about to step into the ancient temple, when his gaze fell upon Xian Qing'er. He saw several white bones exposed behind the Buddha statue in the broken temple. His heart skipped a beat, and his suspended feet remained in mid-air. He hesitated. "Blind Grandpa said that entering a temple requires burning incense, that I need to worship the temple's Buddha first. I didn't bring any incense, so I still won't go in."
"Come in!" Xian Qing'er laughed sweetly.
Qin Mu blinked, and his suspended feet retreated. He smiled more genuinely than the Lame Man. "I still won't go in. You come out, and I'll tell you some fun things."
Xian Qing'er's gaze flickered. She bit her red lips with her pearly teeth and giggled. "I know some fun things that boys and girls can play when they're shy. You come in, I'll teach you." Her breath was like orchids, her voice laced with charm. Just moments ago, she had been youthful and bright; now, she was somewhat alluring and captivating.
Qin Mu's face flushed red. He stammered, "I've been weak since childhood with deficient kidneys..."
"You come in!" A thunderous roar erupted from the little girl's mouth.
