After filling her stomach, Fu Yunmo applied another layer of medicine to her wounds. Whenever a stray draft of cold air brushed against her arm, a piercing pain shot through her, making her want to curse Ye Xihan to her face.
That beautiful scorpion!
Suddenly, her eyes fell upon the salted fish. The entire cell reeked of it; seeing it and smelling it only added to her irritation. She was about to kick it away when she hesitated. She picked it up, turning it over and over, searching for some hidden trick.
“Nan Kunlun,” she whispered.
Faint rustling sounds came from the adjacent cell as Nan Kunlun immediately answered her.
“Do you think there’s actually something hidden inside this fish?”
After speaking, she tossed the fish onto the dry straw and slumped down beside it in a huff.
“…Maybe if we steam it, it could fill our bellies? It probably tastes alright,” Nan Kunlun replied with a barely audible chuckle.
Fu Yunmo laughed along with him. She suddenly recalled a scene from a Stephen Chow movie where someone pulls out a salted fish as a “Royal Command Sword.” She laughed even harder—she never expected to find herself in such an absurd situation. Except her fish wasn’t a sword; it was supposed to be a legendary martial arts manual.
A thought flashed through her mind. Eat?
She pinned the tail of the fish down with her foot and tried to pry the rock-hard body open with one hand. She tried several times but couldn’t break it; her other arm was injured, and she couldn’t exert any strength.
“Hey, Kunlun, give me a hand.”
Fu Yunmo brought the fish to the cell door and leaned her head out, trying to see him. Fortunately, Nan Kunlun was also leaning against his bars, allowing them to make eye contact.
“What is it, Sister Mo?”
She immediately tossed the salted fish over, and he reached out to catch it.
“Rip that fish open. See if there’s anything inside.”
Nan Kunlun picked it up and began to pry it apart. A man’s strength was significantly greater than a woman’s; with a firm tug, he tore the dried fish open.
“Huh?”
At his exclamation, Fu Yunmo felt her scalp tingle. She hissed immediately, “Don’t speak! Use hand signals. Tell me if there’s something or not. Thumb up for yes, thumb down for no.”
She spoke in a whisper, yet he heard her clearly. He thrust his arm through the bars and gave a firm thumbs-up.
“Get the object out.”
Her voice remained hushed. She heard more rustling from his cell. After a long moment, Nan Kunlun spoke: “It’s a piece of parchment covered in writing. It really looks like a martial arts manual.”
Goosebumps erupted across Fu Yunmo’s skin.
My god…
The Fengyun Manual really was in her hands! It really was inside that salted fish!
“Kunlun, we cannot give this to the she-devil. If we do, we’re as good as dead.”
The two spoke in the lowest of whispers, ensuring the guards outside the door couldn’t hear.
“I understand. Why don’t I look through it first and see if there are any techniques we can use?”
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Fu Yunmo replied. “I’m counting on you.”
She knew that even if she looked at the manual, she wouldn’t understand it. It was better to let Nan Kunlun study it and explain it to her later.
“Understood.”
Silence fell over the cells once more. Taking advantage of the quiet, Fu Yunmo sat cross-legged and began her breathing exercises, practicing the Cangyun Sect’s internal cultivation. Though it wouldn’t heal her physical wounds, she had lost blood and hoped the meditation would provide some benefit.
After a long time, she heard a sound from the next cell. She immediately broke her stance and moved to the bars. “How is it, Kunlun?”
“There is an internal cultivation method for the Fengyun Manual, as well as a qinggong technique.”
Nan Kunlun paused before continuing, “The manual has nine levels. The first is ‘Toppling Mountains and Overturning Seas,’ which is based on accumulating a massive amount of internal energy. There is also a light-body technique called ‘Soaring Straight Up.’ If we can master these two, we might be able to escape.”
“Fine,” Fu Yunmo said decisively. “We practice. Whoever masters it first saves the other.”
Deep down, she suspected she would be the one needing rescue—after all, Nan Kunlun’s martial talent was exceptionally high.
“Alright! Sister Mo… I’ll recite the ‘Toppling Mountains’ method to you—”
“No, no, no! Just tell me your understanding of it. Don’t recite the formal verses; I won’t understand a word.”
Heaven knew that when Ning Buqu had explained cultivation to her before, she had sat there like a total idiot for half a day before catching on.
“…Alright.”
Nan Kunlun agreed and seemed to consult the parchment. After a while, he began to explain the flow of energy in plain language.
Even in “layman’s terms,” this was far more complex than the Cangyun methods. After he finished, Fu Yunmo asked him to repeat it, and he patiently did so. Luckily, Fu Yunmo was used to memorizing scripts for her acting jobs; she had a good memory and managed to commit the key points to heart after the second walkthrough.
“Alright, Kunlun. Hide the fish and start practicing!”
Fu Yunmo sat cross-legged again and let out a soft sigh. “Kunlun, I don’t know if finding this fish is a blessing or a curse. We can only take it one step at a time.”
“Mmh… okay.”
Nan Kunlun was clearly worried too, but they didn’t have the luxury of overthinking. Learning the Fengyun Manual and escaping was their top priority.
The two entered a deep state of meditation. Fu Yunmo felt waves of cold and heat alternating within her body. Eventually, her dantian felt frighteningly hot, but fortunately, it didn’t last long. It settled into a comfortable warmth, though a stray wisp of cold energy continued to dart through her limbs. She knew this was her qi. She had felt it while practicing the Cangyun methods, but this energy was much colder and far more active.
Focusing her mind, she guided the icy qi with her will, leading it toward her dantian. The last bit of heat vanished under the influence of the cold energy, returning her body to a state of equilibrium.
When she finally opened her eyes, she realized it was already morning. Sunlight streamed through the high, barred window. The glare was piercing, and she squinted until her eyes adjusted. She moved to the bars and whispered, “Kunlun, are you awake?”
Fu Yunmo felt as though her body had been renewed. Though her internal energy hadn’t increased by much, her steps felt light. Despite not sleeping, she felt incredibly energized—only her arm still hurt.
“I’m awake, Sister Mo. This is amazing. I feel like my whole body is overflowing with power.”
Before they could say more, the heavy iron door began to open.
“Hide the things!”
Fu Yunmo hissed the command, not knowing if Nan Kunlun heard her. She immediately scurried back to the corner of her cell, trembling as she listened to the light, rhythmic footsteps approach.
Ye Xihan bypassed Nan Kunlun and came directly to Fu Yunmo’s cell. She still wore the white jade mask and white robes. She looked as beautiful as a celestial being, but she possessed the heart of a scorpion.
Ye Xihan’s gaze first landed on Fu Yunmo’s arm. The blood had dried into a dark brown, but the mottled scars were still unsightly. She simply smiled and asked, “So, do you plan to talk today?”
Fu Yunmo keenly noticed that Ye Xihan wasn’t carrying her sword today. Does that mean I don’t have to be afraid?
“I really don’t have any Fengyun Manual.”
If she had said this yesterday, she would have felt wronged. Saying it today, she felt a twinge of guilt. However, she was an actress; when it came to her craft, her performance was flawless.
“Is that so?”
A smile played on Ye Xihan’s lips. Without another word, she turned to leave. Fu Yunmo thought the woman had had a change of heart, but then Ye Xihan stopped in front of Nan Kunlun’s cell.
Fu Yunmo’s heart hammered. Would that kid give them away?
She didn’t dare run to the front of the cell to look. What if the she-devil pulled a fast one and snatched her?
“And you? Do you have anything you wish to say?” Ye Xihan asked.
Nan Kunlun glanced at her but quickly averted his eyes. “I don’t know anything.”
He paused, then added, “Sect Leader Ye, would you like to try some salted fish? It’s actually quite delicious.”
Nan Kunlun picked up a small piece of the fish and put it in his mouth. It was so salty it tasted bitter… but he endured it.
Fu Yunmo wanted to laugh. Was this kid tired of living? How dare he provoke Ye Xihan!
“Since the salted fish is so delicious, you two can just stick to that. There’s no need to send you any meals today.”
With that, Ye Xihan swept out. Both Fu Yunmo and Nan Kunlun stood there in a daze. Forget about dinner—they were starving now. Practicing martial arts made one exceptionally hungry!
Once the iron door slammed shut, Fu Yunmo said gloomily, “Kunlun, why did you have to provoke her?”
“…I messed up. How was I supposed to know she was that ruthless?”
“Kunlun… I clearly overestimated your IQ.”
Fine, she thought. If we’re sharing burdens, I guess I’m stuck paying the price for your lack of brains, too.
At the foot of the mountain near the Tianyuan Sect, several elite disciples were being gathered.
Chu Hongfei didn’t understand why Mo Lixi was so anxious, but knowing the golden-haired waiter was her friend, he decided to help. He left two disciples behind to assist her while he returned to his own sect at the summons of Chu Heng.
“Ruoxian, take your junior sisters and search for Miss Fu’s whereabouts. Remember to be extremely careful.”
“Understood.”
Ever since she learned Fu Yunmo was in trouble, Mo Lixi had been restless and distracted. Wen Ruoxian, who had been close to her since childhood, noticed her distress. However, since saving lives was the priority, she didn’t press for details and led the disciples away.
As Mo Lixi watched their retreating backs, that person’s face appeared in her mind.
Fu Yunmo… you must stay safe…