What surprised Pei Nai the most was not this, but that after his palm strike, all the suspended objects settled back to their original positions smoothly. Aside from the wide-open doors and windows, she could hardly find any trace of Elder Zhong’s earlier move.
What kind of control was this? To command the wind with qi, while precisely regulating its power—perfectly balanced between force and restraint.
Pei Nai was astonished.
After only a brief pause, he raised his hand again. This time, however, there was none of the earlier gentleness. It became sharp and domineering. The surrounding winds were driven by his palm technique, surging wildly outward, carrying a fierce, devouring intent as if to swallow everything.
Pei Nai understood clearly—if Elder Zhong had not deliberately controlled it, the surrounding walls would have been completely destroyed.
“This is the first form of the Ten Thousand Hatreds Palm. Pay attention to the trajectory of the hand. Someone once said, ‘When ten thousand hatreds are unleashed, heaven and earth wail.’ After my enlightenment, I can no longer reach that level. I’ve lost the root of this technique and can only grasp a fraction of its essence. You may adapt it as you see fit.”
Pei Nai became engrossed, her hands unconsciously imitating the movements. Yet she always felt empty-handed, unable to sense any surge of wind.
“What matters is not the precision of the movement, but your control over the force and direction of the wind. Every person’s palm is different. You must close your eyes and use your body to feel the path of the wind,” Elder Zhong reminded her.
Pei Nai exhaled and followed his instructions.
She stopped her movements and focused on sensing the collisions and interactions of the wind within each form of the Ten Thousand Hatreds Palm.
At first, she found no method at all. She concentrated her energy so intensely that her head spun and veins bulged, yet she still could not grasp anything.
After enduring for a while longer, a cool breeze suddenly brushed past the tip of her nose. Then several strands of fine wind followed in succession. A feeling she had never experienced before arose—like being in the ocean, drifting and rising amid countless waves.
These gentle, subtle forces gradually merged, surging into a powerful gust that swept toward the distance.
Pei Nai opened her eyes in disbelief. Across from her, Elder Zhong had just finished pushing his palm sideways across the ground and nodded in satisfaction.
“You have great talent in martial arts. As expected of his descendant,” Elder Zhong praised.
Pei Nai quickly replied, “Senior, you flatter me.”
“The second form—Heaven of Severed Hatred!”
In an instant, violent winds erupted, carrying a force as overwhelming as mountains collapsing and seas overturning. Pei Nai did not dare to be careless. She carefully observed the technique, and during Elder Zhong’s second demonstration, she closed her eyes again, tracing the movement of the wind within each form.
Gradually, she became immersed, forgetting the passage of time.
Only when Elder Zhong stopped did Pei Nai wait a moment. When she realized the wind had ceased and everything had grown still, she finally opened her eyes.
Her gaze was still filled with eager anticipation for this newfound experience.
“This is already the fifth move I’ve taught you,” Elder Zhong said helplessly.
Pei Nai snapped back to her senses and voiced the question she had long held: “What about the Compassionate Palm of Fixed Light?”
“When the time comes, you will naturally understand it.”
Pei Nai held back her words and quietly looked at Elder Zhong.
The elder took a sip of tea, glanced at her, and asked, “Anything else?”
“This junior is slow-witted and has only grasped some shallow understanding. May I ask Senior to teach a few more moves?” Pei Nai felt her face itch—perhaps her skin had grown thicker again.
Elder Zhong smiled and shook his head, then seemed to recall something and sighed. “Another martial arts fanatic.”
He raised his hand once more, demonstrating entirely new forms of the Ten Thousand Hatreds Palm.
Pei Nai did not dare hesitate. This was a technique lost to the martial world for nearly two hundred years. If it were to reappear, what kind of sensation would it cause? She did not even dare imagine.
She only knew that every movement Elder Zhong made at this moment was priceless.
After a long time, Elder Zhong stopped again. Yet Pei Nai still looked at him eagerly, her meaning obvious.
Seeing the longing in her eyes, Elder Zhong said nothing. He simply handed her the porcelain cup he had just poured tea into.
Pei Nai hesitated for a moment, but then thought—this person had not only saved her life and granted her rebirth, but also taught her divine techniques. How could he intend to harm her?
“Thank you, Senior. I’ve been asking about martial arts this whole time and have yet to ask—why did you summon me back?” Pei Nai said as she accepted the cup and took a light sip.
“You will know.”
As soon as the tea passed her throat, Pei Nai began to feel dizzy. Everything around her seemed to sway, the world spinning.
Elder Zhong’s voice gradually became distant and illusory: “All forms are illusions. If one sees that all forms are not forms, one sees the Tathagata.”
Before collapsing, Pei Nai heard his final words: “Go back. Someone is waiting for you.”
……
The Duke Ding’an Residence.
When Lin Shengtao entered the ancestral hall, it was already the second watch of the night.
Inside, the hall was brightly lit by flickering candlelight. Lin Shengtao sighed and walked up to the guards standing outside the door.
“Has the Duke still not come out?” he asked.
The guards nodded. “From last night until now—he hasn’t taken even a drop of water.”
Lin Shengtao sighed heavily again. He had only served under the Duke for a few years and had never seen the Duke’s original wife, only heard stories about her.
The candlelight flickered against the window paper. Lin Shengtao stepped forward and knelt in the courtyard.
Facing the tightly shut inner hall doors, he clasped his hands and spoke in a deliberately lowered voice, not daring to disturb the ancestral hall:
“My Lord, this afternoon a woman seized a carriage horse in the street and knocked down the guards who tried to stop her. Without undergoing inspection, she broke through the city gates. The matter has caused quite a disturbance. By law, she should be detained for some time. However, I have investigated—this woman is the niece of Madam Ju. Ju Yan has gone to Jinchuan on business and has yet to return. I fear that such a young girl may not withstand the interrogation process in prison. That is why I have come to report—can this matter be temporarily suppressed and handled later by Ju Yan?”
Lin Shengtao knew the Duke had heard him, but no reply came from within the hall.
Just then, the steward entered the courtyard with several servants, carrying simple vegetarian dishes. The steward looked troubled, likely intending to persuade the Duke to eat.
Lin Shengtao did not dare speak further and remained kneeling.
Steward Li approached the inner hall, carefully announced himself, and only pushed the door open after receiving a response.
As the door opened, Lin Shengtao glimpsed the interior. At the center stood the ancestral tablets of the Gu family, with incense and offerings arranged below. Yet the Duke was not kneeling at the center mat, but instead beneath the left wall several meters away.
That wall was empty except for a single painting.
In the painting was a young and beautiful woman, clad in silver-black armor, smiling brilliantly.
The door closed again, cutting off all sound. Lin Shengtao waited quietly outside. After a while, Steward Li came out once more.
The servants followed closely behind him, seeming reluctant to stay inside any longer.
The food remained untouched and was carried out as it was.
Steward Li walked up to Lin Shengtao. “Lord Lin, please rise. His Lordship has agreed to the matter concerning Madam Ju’s niece.”
“Thank you, my Lord.” Lin Shengtao bowed again, finally letting out a breath of relief.
“Lord Lin, shall we go together?” Steward Li asked.
Lin Shengtao nodded, stood up, brushed the dust from his knees, and left the ancestral hall with them.
As they walked along the path outside, Steward Li suddenly said, “I’ve heard about Madam Ju’s niece. That young girl is quite fortunate—choosing exactly this day.”
Lin Shengtao was puzzled. “What do you mean?”
Steward Li seemed to recall events from many years ago and smiled faintly.
Shaking his head, he sighed, “That girl’s way of doing things… is somewhat similar to Lady Yingwu.”
……