Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 261 – Bending bones and scattering ashes, can the duo cultivation method save her?

Qing Shui’s palms were becoming pale while his face had already become entirely devoid of blood. Bloodstains could be seen on the corner of his mouth as tears silently fell from his eyes.

As Mingyue saw Qing Shui’s reaction and thought about how Huoyun Liu-Li was in such a state because of her, her mind became chaotic as she drew her sword and was about to cut her own neck.

“Mingyue!”

A hoarse voice filled with strength rang out, jolting Canghai Mingyue as though she had just awoken from a terrible dream!

“It’s me who harmed her, it’s me who harmed her…”

“Qing Shui, I’m useless, it’s me who harmed her….” At this moment, her face was covered in tear stains. Her tears flowed unceasingly, resulting in two stream of tears that dripped down from her face.

“If you do this, wouldn’t that mean that she suffered such grievous injuries for nothing?” After he spoke, Qing Shui inserted nine silver needles into the chest of Huoyun Liu-Li. Seven silver needles were inserted in the alignment of the Seven Astral Dipper, with an addition of two other needles enhancing the acupuncture treatment.

As the 9th needle was inserted, Qing Shui finally couldn’t bear it anymore as he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

“Qing Shui……………”

“Wait for me awhile, we will leave immediately after.” Qing Shui stood up and walked with a sway in his steps towards those from the Immortal Sword Sect. Some of them had already wet their pants.

There were even one that gave a shrill scream before fainting due to the pressure.

“This has nothing to do with us, please don’t kill me…”

“This is not my fault, don’t kill me, don’t kill me.”

Like a tiger descending upon a flock of sheep amidst a storm of killing intent and blood, along with enemies running about in a panic, it was sad that none of the opposing cultivators could run more than three steps before they were all slaughtered to death.

The blood mist was so thick that it permeated the air. The streets were filled with the silence of death while Qing Shui stood in the middle of the corpse-strewn streets, contemplating his surroundings. His whole person was dyed red with blood, appearing as if he were a God of Death.

Walking back to Huoyun Liu-Li, he then applied the Golden Sore Ointment on her.

“The Five Dragon Pellet, the Large Revitalizing Pellet, F*** your mother!” Qing Shui vented his frustrations and shouted. Canghai Mingyue stood there, unable to comprehend his actions.

Qing Shui then gently carried Huoyun Liu-Li as he involuntarily sighed in sadness. He could only use the golden needles to seal the last vestiges of vitality in her heart. As to whether Huoyun Liu-Li would be able survive this or not was still unknown.

Summoning his fire bird, he smiled lightly at Canghai Mingyue before saying, “Mingyue, let’s go, we won’t be able to leave here if we delay further.”

After returning back to the Canghai’s residence, the Canghai couple was stunned into disbelief after they saw what happened, especially for Canghai. The expression on his face grew grim as an intense violent killing aura emanated forth, unmasked.

“Father, Mother!” Canghai Mingyue was as though she was a lost child that had just returned home.

…………………………………………………………

“What happened to the lass?” Canghai’s wife felt a heartrending feeling as her heart was filled with bitterness. Her eyes glimmered with crystal-like tears as she stared at the grievous wounds of Huoyun Liu- Li.

“See if she can survive past the third day. Senior, could you and Mingyue please shower her first before passing her back to me. However, don’t touch the golden needles embedded in her chest.”

Upon hearing the hoarse voice that was filled with weariness and fatigue, as well as seeing Qing Shui’s own terrifying injuries, they wondered what had happened when they saw that Canghai Mingyue, who was uninjured although also depressed, had no hint of a wound on her body at all.

Even the fire bird seemed uncharacteristically extremely depressed!

“Okay, okay!” The women hurriedly agreed as they took over the task of gently carrying Huoyun Liu-Li

“Qing Shui, your injuries…”

“I’m fine, just let me clean myself up.” Qing Shui nodded his head before he departed in the direction of his residence. His silhouette appeared extremely lonely, and was filled with an unyielding stubbornness.

Gazing at his departing back, Canghai Mingyue involuntarily thought of the girl they had met before in the Yan City. At this moment, their two silhouettes seemed to interweave with each other, combining into one.

“Yueyue, what happened exactly?”

“We ran into two elders of the Immortal Sword Sect, along with more than twenty of their disciples.”

“And the result was?” Canghai gazed at Canghai Mingyue with a hint of urgency in his voice.

“All of them are dead, with not even one left alive.”

Canghai couple fell silent. , “…………………………………………………………”

Qing Shui washed himself. He smeared the huge gaping wound on his abdomen with the Golden Sore Ointment before bandaging it and changing into a new set of clothes. His countenance was still pale beyond compare.

Immediately after he got to his residence, he kept the fire bird in his spatial realm. He was tremendously worried for Huoyun Liu-LI. If it was not for his primordial needle techniques as well as the saintly hand to ignite her potential, he was afraid that she would have passed away already.

After coming out of his spatial realm, he heard a knock at his door. Opening the door, he found Canghai Mingyue standing outside. Her countenance was also extremely pale as she said, “Let’s go to her room, all the washing and cleaning has already been done.”

Qing Shui nodded in agreement as he forced a laugh. However, the smile on his face was even more unsightly compared to his tears; his smile couldn’t hide the heartache he was feeling.

Currently, even upon smelling the gentle fragrance of Canghai Mingyue and gazing at her graceful and full figure, Qing Shui couldn’t summon the slightest bit of lust. The most important thing to him now was to save Huoyun Liu-Li’s life, as well as preparing for the response by the Immortal Sword Sect.

No one spoke during the journey. This was the first time Qing Shui entered the residence belonging to Canghai Mingyue and Huoyun Liu-Li. There was a living room on the second level that had a table with a set of chairs and a sofa.

The walls and floor panels were all constructed from purple flora wood. To the east of the kitchen were two bedrooms. Qing Shui assumed that these two bedrooms belonged to Canghai Mingyue and Huoyun Liu-Li.

There were two other rooms to the north and south. Feeling the aura emitting from those places,, Qing Shui surmised that the rooms belonged to the Canghai couple.

Entering Huoyun’s room, Huoyun Liu-Li was lying there, clad in her pyjamas as the bloodstains on her body had all been cleaned and washed. Her countenance was still bloodlessly pale as the sabre wound inflicted on her had robbed some of the allure of her beauty.

“Qing Shui, do you want to take a break first?” Canghai Mingyue’s mother inquired with concern after seeing how pale Qing Shui looked.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me, Senior. Mingyue, you should go and get a good sleep first. Senior, would you mind accompanying Mingyue? She isn’t in a good mood today.” Qing Shui was really afraid that Canghai Mingyue would do some silly things to atone for the emotions she was feeling in her heart.

Canghai Mingyue gritted her teeth as she left with her mother. Qing Shui sighed as he sat down beside the peerless beauty who had currently taken half a step into the door of death.

A strange warmth seeped into Qing Shui’s heart as he thought of the miraculous encounter he had with her back when they were in the Hundred Miles City – he had been awed by her beauty and presence.

Reaching out with his hands, he clutched the icy cold hands of Liu-Li as he sighed, “Liu-Li, you have to wake up. As long as you wake up, I’ll promise you anything…”

Qing Shui smiled bitterly. He wanted to wake her up. If she didn’t wake in three days, it would be almost impossible for her to regain consciousness. After all, she was only living now because her life was supported by the golden needles Qing Shui had administered on her.

However, all of a sudden, Qing Shui felt the energy of the duo-cultivation technique start to heat up as it circulated within his body, automatically flowing into Liu-Li’s body even without Qing Shui’s intent.

The myriad things in the world can be categorised into Yin or Yang. Lone Yang didn’t give birth, and lone Yin didn’t grow. Qing Shui directed his Qi from the Ancient Strengthening Technique into her as the energy formed from the duo-cultivation technique flowed back into him from her body.

Qing Shui was very agitated in his heart; he didn’t know if this miraculous duo-cultivation technique would be able to save her, but at the very least, there would be no harm even if he failed.

Gradually, he could sense a faint response from Huoyun Liu-Li’s body. Qing Shui went ballistic as he jumped with joy. Canghai Mingyue stared about in shock as she stood outside the door, wondering what had come over Qing Shui.

And just like this, Qing Shui continued to circulate his Qi back and forth. About 4 hours later after noon approached, the pale complexion of Huoyun Liu-Li finally regained some vitality.

Turning his head, Qing Shui finally noticed Canghai Mingyue. He knew that she was feeling extremely terrible in her heart because the injuries that had happened to Huoyun Liu-Li came about because her. If something had happened to Huoyun Liu-Li, he knew that Canghai Mingyue would never be able to forgive herself in this entire lifetime.

Seeing the terrible wound across Huoyun Liu-Li’s face, she knew that even if Liu-Li recovered, a scar would surely be left upon her figure, marring her once perfect beauty. The wound ranged from the corner of her left eyelid all the way to the bottom of her right bottom lip. If it were not for the defensive properties of the Golden Battle Skirt she had worn, she would have already died.

“Mingyue, don’t worry.. Liu-Li will surely get better. You should rest well and stop feeling guilty. This is something that Liu-Li did for you willingly. If you continue moping about like this, she would feel even more sad.” Qing Shui patted the delicate shoulders of Canghai Mingyue, consoling her as they walked to the living room.

The Canghai couple was already sitting there and Qing Shui offered his greetings to them.

“Sigh!”

Canghai didn’t say anything else as he clutched his fists tightly.

Qing Shui sat on the sofa. Almost all his major injuries had closed up, thanks to his perverse recovery rate. However, he was still not fully recovered. Canghai Mingyue and Canghai didn’t know what to say as they gazed upon his weary features.

“Senior, Mingyue, let me rest a bit more. Afterward, I shall administer acupuncture for Liu-Li!” Qing Shui’s body shuddered with uncharacteristic weakness as he slumped against the sofa.

The Canghai couple nodded and didn’t say anything more. Qing Shui closed his eyes as his breathing settled to a steady rhythm. Canghai Mingyue sent her parents away and returned to Qing Shui.

Looking at the slightly demonic features of Qing Shui, she had no choice but to admit that he was extremely attractive indeed. Blushing at her own thoughts, she walked to her room and retrieved a blanket.

Bending down, she covered Qing Shui in the blanket. Seeing his pale face frowning even in his dreams, she thought back to the events that had transpired earlier. Somehow, this man had already wormed his way into her heart. At this moment, she already knew that no matter what happened, she would never be able to forget him.

She leaned over Qing Shui slightly, her heart beating furiously. Suddenly, she felt her hand being grabbed and panicked. She noticed that Qing Shui’s brows were furrowed and his eyes were tightly shut as he grabbed onto her hand.