The Reticent Blade

Outside the bamboo house, Granny Xi found Xue Niang standing on the rooftop terrace.

A gentle breeze stirred the bamboo groves, rustling the leaves with a crisp, whispering sound.

Granny Xi walked over quietly and draped a light robe over Xue Niang's shoulders.

Xue Niang's shoulders trembled slightly. Her gaze remained fixed on the distant bamboo forest as she murmured softly, "Has he abandoned me?"

Granny Xi sighed. "He... killed your parents. He is your enemy."

"I know." Xue Niang's voice was faint. "But I wouldn't have made it back without me. He fed me, clothed me, watched over me, protected me... and even taught me martial arts. He was a good master..."

Granny Xi gently squeezed Xue Niang's shoulder. "He did that out of his guilt."

"That is up to me." Xue Niang shook her head. "That's why I had to learn martial arts... I will avenge them."

"But..." Xue Niang hesitated, lowering her head. Her long hair fell forward, veiling her eyes. Her voice grew choked with emotion. "But now he's just left... abandoned me... Who am I supposed to take revenge on now?"

"There's no need." Granny Xi wrapped her arms gently around the girl. "He doesn't have long left..."

Xue Niang's head snapped up. "What do you mean?"

Granny Xi smoothed the girl's bangs from her forehead. "You've been with him for so long—haven't you noticed that he's been drinking more and more often? That every time he channels his inner strength, he grows irritable, even violent?"

Xue Niang clutched Granny Xi's sleeve tightly, nodding anxiously. "That's right! Is there some meaning behind this? Is it because he's been drinking too much?"

"Quite the opposite," Granny Xi shook her head. "The martial art he cultivates requires an unshakable foundation, yet he suffered internal injuries in his youth, shattering his own foundation. His practice tempers the skin first, then the muscles, and finally the bones.

"Early on, when his cultivation was shallow, the issue wasn't apparent. But now, he has reached the peak of muscle refinement... No, in fact, had he not suffered those hidden wounds, he would have already stepped into the bone-forging stage.

"With his foundation ruined, he is forever stuck at this threshold. And worse still, the longer he lingers at this stage, the stronger his flesh and sinews become. In the end, his bones will be unable to keep up with the growth of his muscles, and his entire skeleton will be crushed beneath his own strength. He'll die in excruciating agony."

Granny Xi pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes. "You think he simply loves drinking? Do you believe anyone is born an alcoholic? Every time he channels his inner strength, he endures the pain of his bones being ground to dust; an agony beyond what most can fathom. The only way he can dull that suffering is through his drinking."

Xue Niang shot to her feet, her voice trembling. "Is there any way to save him?"

Granny Xi sighed. "Save him? This isn't even a disease—it's a deficiency in his very foundation. Unless... the legendary Transcendence Stone..."

Xue Niang collapsed to the ground with a heavythud, her gaze blank. She murmured, "The Transcendence Stone... it's already gone..."

"What?" Granny Xi's eyes widened. "What do you know about the Transcendence Stone?"

Tears streamed down Xue Niang's cheeks as she recounted, bit by bit, the events that had taken place in Liangzhou Prefecture.

After she finished, Granny Xi remained silent for a long time.

Finally, she let out a slow breath. "I have to say... that man is truly made of iron. Knowing full well the state of his own body, he never uttered a word and even handed over the Transcendence Stone when it was within his grasp..."

"Is there really no other way?" Xue Niang was at a loss, her tears soaking the front of her robes.

Granny Xi gave a wry smile. "This... even an immortal would struggle to save him. Unless we extracted every bone in his body and replaced them with a new set... hold on!"

"What? There's a way?!" Xue Niang seized Granny Xi's sleeve tightly.

Granny Xi furrowed her brows, lost in thought for a long moment before she finally spoke. "I'm not sure if this counts as a method... No one has ever attempted it before. But in theory, it should work."

"Please, tell me, Granny!" Xue Niang pleaded anxiously.

Granny Xi sighed. "Don't rush. Even if this method is feasible, it's not something that can be accomplished overnight. Listen carefully."

Xue Niang wiped away her tears and nodded hurriedly.

Granny Xi raised her hand and pointed toward the distant south. "Do you remember what lies there?"

Xue Niang's lips parted slightly. "There... the Forbidden Gu Valley?"

Granny Xi nodded.

"Every Gu Master of our tribe must venture into the Forbidden Gu Valley once in their lives to seek their life-bound Gu. Deep within the valley dwells an extremely rare Gu insect known as the Jade Cicada.

"In appearance, it is no different from an ordinary summer cicada, except its entire body is as translucent as white jade, warm to the touch, yet its outer shell is as hard as iron. Its mandibles and six legs are sharp enough to sever gold and crush stone. Only on the night of a full moon in midwinter does it crawl out from its burrow to feed on the pure essence condensed from stalactites."

"Can this creature be used in medicine?" Xue Niang asked eagerly.

"No," Granny Xi shook her head. "The true remedy lies in the stalactite essence, known as Mountain Marrow. It forms only within the veins of great mountain ranges, condensed from the very lifeblood of the land. The Jade Cicada relies on this essence to survive, you can find Mountain Marrow wherever you can find them.

"Ingesting Mountain Marrow can strengthen the body, but it is useless for his skeletal injuries. However... if you can turn the Jade Cicada into life-bound Gu, you may be able to command it to pierce his bones with its mandibles and reverse-feed the Mountain Marrow into his foundation. This method might work."

Xue Niang's eyes lit up.

"Take me to the Forbidden Gu Valley!"

"No need to rush," Granny Xi reassured her, "He can still hold on for at least three more years. Besides, you're not a Gu Master yet. You should first stay with me for a while and learn how to cultivate Gu. Only then will it be the right time to enter Gu Valley."

Footsteps sounded from downstairs. The two of them turned their heads.

Xue Qiming poked his head in from the doorway. Seeing Xue Niang, he grinned. "So this is where my good disciple has been hiding. You had me searching all over."

Xue Niang turned her head away, refusing to look at him. "Weren't you leaving? What are you still doing here?"

Xue Qiming wasn't annoyed. He chuckled. "Still got a few things to take care of. No rush."

"What things?" Xue Niang asked.

Xue Qiming strode in and said, "Your grandfather asked me to investigate something. As for you, stay here for now. Eat well, rest well. I'll probably be back in a while."

"Then go." Xue Niang waved her hand dismissively without turning around. "I won't miss you."

Xue Qiming laughed, scolding, "Hey, won't even look at me? Am I your master or not? You're just like me when I was a kid!"

"Well, you still haven't taught me anything!" Xue Niang shouted back.

"A master leads the way, but the path is yours to walk," Xue Qiming replied shamelessly.

"So you do admit you're a lousy master!" Xue Niang retorted.

"You remember the herbs I told you to use for the medicinal baths?"

Xue Niang was briefly stunned, then nodded.

"Good," Xue Qiming continued. "You've been soaking in them for a while now. I reckon another two months, and you won't need them regularly anymore. Once every two weeks will be good enough."

"And after that...?" Xue Niang asked.

"After that, you start learning."

Xue Qiming reached into his robes and pulled out a tattered, thread-bound book. He placed it in Xue Niang's hands. "Starting today, this belongs to you."

Xue Niang took it instinctively, then looked up at Xue Qiming. He was smiling at her. Lowering her gaze again, she examined the worn book in her hands. Faintly visible on the cover were four words:Sky-Supporting Overlord Technique.

Suddenly, a familiar weight pressed onto her head, it was the sensation she had come to know so well. Xue Qiming had ruffled her hair again.

"I'm leaving."

His voice drifted through the air. By the time she looked up, his figure had already rounded the corner and disappeared.