Chapter 380: A Heartfelt Talk Between Mother and Daughter

The carriage galloped wildly at the edge of the forest, the hot breath from its nostrils turning into white mist.

Suddenly, Meng Qi knocked on the carriage wall and whispered, “Let’s abandon the carriage and enter the forest.”

He had already recovered from the previous use of Liu Huo and the Heavenly Immortal Descending from the Sky technique. Calculating the time, Master Xi Yue should be catching up soon. If they continued fleeing in the carriage, their route would be clear, their trail obvious, and their speed certainly no match for an external realm expert capable of flight. They had to abandon the carriage immediately and dive into the snow-covered forest.

Huangfu Tao was already a formidable external realm expert, and both Lady Huangfu and Huangfu Fei deeply understood the terrifying power of such a cultivator. They had no doubts about Meng Qi’s suggestion and simultaneously replied with an affirmative “Okay.”

“You two jump directly from the carriage window into the forest. I’ll drive the horses further away to interfere with the tracking,” Meng Qi steadily continued to control the carriage.

Mother and daughter Huangfu were not ones for unnecessary words. They immediately lifted the thick woolen cloth, slightly exerted force with their hands and feet, and like caged birds returning to their native forest, they “flew” into the woods, leaving no footprints at the edge.

At this moment, the horses suddenly became agitated, loudly neighing, and their running speed increased significantly. Meng Qi pressed his left hand down, and his entire body soared like a giant peng bird, leaping into the forest. His feet and palms occasionally used the branches for leverage, quickly catching up with Lady Huangfu and Huangfu Fei.

Earlier, he had used his spiritual energy to stimulate the horses, ensuring they wouldn’t stop for a while and thereby interfering with Master Xi Yue’s judgment of their entry point into the forest.

The trees stood tall—some still with verdant pines, others with fallen leaves—but they all shared one thing in common: snow clung to their treetops, frozen into ice. The leaves and branches were clearly defined, as if sculpted from ice and snow, so beautifully surreal that it seemed more like a northern wonderland than reality.

The two women led the way, with Meng Qi behind. He constantly turned back, unleashing palm strikes to stir up the snow that had not yet frozen, covering their tracks.

After some time of this, they had already ventured deep into the forest. They slightly slowed their pace to avoid startling any hibernating creatures and exposing their presence.

They should be able to evade Master Xi Yue now… Lady Huangfu and Huangfu Fei exchanged glances, their hearts finally settling. In this vast forest, it would be extremely difficult to find someone determined to hide.

Meng Qi also slightly relaxed, maintaining vigilance while pondering how to obtain the “Five Thunder True Manual” and the “Shenxiao Spear Method” from Huangfu Fei.

“Fei’er, how do you plan to repay the great kindness of Daoist Master Qingyuan?” Lady Huangfu suddenly whispered privately to her daughter.

Huangfu Fei hesitated: “Isn’t Daoist Master Qingyuan helping us out of gratitude for Father’s kindness?”

“You…” Lady Huangfu sighed helplessly. “Although you’ve grown stronger after being oppressed by the ‘Moon Village’ for some time, you’re still too naive in worldly matters.”

“Dalao Qingyuan’s words may not be entirely truthful. If he isn’t here to repay a debt of gratitude but has ulterior motives, offering assistance proactively can prevent him from taking desperate measures that endanger our lives. Even if he truly is here to repay a debt, once this matter is resolved, he will have fulfilled his obligation, and we won’t owe him anything more. Your father has yet to be freed from the ghost’s control. If something happens in the future, wouldn’t we lose a powerful ally?”

She had originally believed that with Wuliang Daoist and other close friends of Huangfu Tao present, the Gathering Spirit Manor wouldn’t be suppressed. However, she hadn’t expected that forces with external realm experts would be so determined, leaving them unable to resist.

Now that the Gathering Spirit Manor was gone, mother and daughter were wandering the martial arts world. The more reliable allies they had, the better.

Huangfu Fei thought for a moment and said, “Mother, how should we repay him? Master Qingyuan seems to want the Xuanwu Pendant, but I’ve already told him we would help him find a way to eliminate the ghost.”

Lady Huangfu’s expression was quite weary as she hesitated and said, “Use the excuse of seeking guidance to tell him about the ‘Five Thunder True Manual’ and the ‘Shenxiao Spear Method.'”

“What? Mother, these are the foundation of our Gathering Spirit Manor. How can we give them to an outsider? If we can, what’s the difference from giving them to the Moon Village… We wouldn’t have had to abandon the Gathering Spirit Manor…” Huangfu Fei widened her clear eyes.

Lady Huangfu looked at her daughter with affection and sighed again: “You…”

“Earlier, when we saw Master Qingyuan battling the Red Eyebrow Blade King and the Azure Blood Dragon King, weren’t you surprised that his blade technique bore a striking resemblance to the Shenxiao Spear Method?”

“Yes, Mother. Are you saying that Father instructed and taught him, indicating that he agrees to us giving him the True Manual and Spear Method?” Huangfu Fei suppressed her shock and asked.

Lady Huangfu nodded: “That’s one possibility. I know your father’s temperament well. He valued inheritance greatly. Even if he instructed younger generations, he would never teach the essence of the Shenxiao Spear Method unless it was to seek a way out of his predicament or there was another connection. Whatever decision he made, we followed.”

Here’s another possibility: Master Qingyuan’s words were indeed true. He discovered another ancient thunder mark within a mysterious mausoleum and gained enlightenment, developing his own authentic Thunder Method. Since both were left behind by the same formidable cultivator, their manifestations appear similar.

She paused, even lowering her voice as she whispered covertly: “Your father often lamented that the true enlightenment derived from the thunder mark was still incomplete, and the path ahead was fraught with difficulty. He always wished to return to the mausoleum to seek other thunder marks for further insight. If that’s the case, Master Qingyuan is likely also hindered by an incomplete cultivation method, and his motive for rescuing us is precisely this.”

“And exchanging the true manuals between us would be mutually beneficial, both supplementing our own martial arts. You should test his intentions first.”

“Okay.” Leaving the Gathering Spirit Manor, although they had escaped the oppression of the Moon Village, suddenly losing the home where she was born and raised made Huangfu Fei quite anxious. She was afraid that Master Qingyuan might turn against them. Since her mother had given sufficient reasons, she naturally no longer had any reservations.

Seeing her daughter understand, Lady Huangfu smiled kindly: “Mother is also thinking for your sake. Abandoning our foundation and wandering the martial arts world, if you want to rely on inheritance to gradually improve your strength like your father did in his early years, starting from nothing, it’s not an easy thing—it’s extremely difficult. After all, without resources and guidance, breaking through to the external realm would truly require your father’s talent and extraordinary opportunities.”

“Take the Nine Villages for example. They have resources, treasure weapons, and accumulated experience over generations, yet they often go several generations without producing an external realm expert. How can you guarantee that you or Can Shang can achieve that? If the inheritance continues for one or two generations like stray dogs, people’s hearts will change, loyalty will gradually fade, and perhaps the inheritance will quietly disappear, making it impossible to save your father.”

“Therefore, you must seize every opportunity to strengthen yourself! Regardless of whether Master Qingyuan possesses another Thunder Authentic Method, his blade technique has already demonstrated the essence of the Shenxiao Spear Method. His formidable strength and realm, which surpass those of ordinary Meridian-Opening experts, are more than sufficient to guide you and help you further master the Five Thunder True Manual and the Shenxiao Spear Method. In the future, I will secretly take you to visit senior experts like Daoist Wuliang. By leveraging your father’s reputation and connections, we will ensure you receive proper guidance and resources.”

Before entering the mausoleum, Huangfu Tao was the top expert under heaven, renowned in his time. Huangfu Fei inevitably had a bit of arrogance and indulgence, not very diligent in martial arts cultivation, instead indulging in romantic pursuits. When her father went mad and entered the mountains, and the Moon Village began to oppress them, Huangfu Fei wanted to rise again but lacked guidance. The high-level guidance of her sect’s martial arts was something not everyone could master through secret manuals and insights alone; they needed someone to explain and demonstrate.

Therefore, her progress in martial arts was neither slow nor rapid. If this trend continued, she would likely only reach the peak of the Nine Apertures and might not even master techniques of the external realm.

Huangfu Fei gave a slight nod, already feeling tempted. The power Master Qingyuan had demonstrated before reaching the Nine-Aperture stage filled her with deep admiration and aspiration—even if it relied on treasured weapons, it was undoubtedly stronger than the Heaven-Man Communion-level Red Eyebrow Blade King. If she could receive his guidance on thunder essence, even without completing the martial arts manual, it would still be a tremendous gain for her.

Because of the similarity in martial arts methods and the closeness in essence, in Huangfu Fei’s heart, Meng Qi’s guidance was far more valuable than that of half-step external realm experts like Daoist Wuliang.

Passing by trees laden with icicles, Meng Qi made a decision. He would trade the insights he had gained from the Dharmakaya technique “Heavenly Five Thunder Strike” for Huangfu Fei’s knowledge, confident that it would be an irresistible offer! Even if Huangfu Tao were sober, he would undoubtedly make the same choice—though he might also resort to force.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the surroundings quiet and secluded, Meng Qi was about to call out to Huangfu Fei and her mother to slow down and discuss the matter, when Huangfu Fei turned around and gracefully approached, her face showing a shy and anxious smile: “Master Qingyuan, I’ve observed that you’ve already grasped the essence of the Shenxiao Spear Method and the Five Thunder True Manual. I wonder if you could offer some guidance after we escape this predicament?”

“My father was ensnared by an evil ghost in his prime, leaving no one to explain the deeper aspects of the Five Thunder True Manual and the Shenxiao Spear Method. Myself and my senior brothers and sisters have many areas we cannot comprehend, causing our strength to stagnate. I’ve been troubled for a long time and humbly request your guidance.”

Compared to Lady Huangfu, she was still too inexperienced. She suddenly added: “I will demonstrate the contents of the Five Thunder True Manual and the Shenxiao Spear Method one by one.”

As soon as these words were spoken, it made Meng Qi seem like someone scheming to steal secret manuals.

“Does the poor Daoist look like such a person?” Meng Qi’s face turned stern, appearing righteous and indignant, while inwardly he was quite astonished. Why did they suddenly bring this up? He hadn’t even started yet!

Lady Huangfu secretly scolded her daughter and quickly explained, “Master, you misunderstood. My daughter is just afraid you won’t know where to start when offering guidance…”

Before she could finish speaking, she saw Meng Qi’s stern face soften.

…Just now, he had instinctively tried to protect his image. What if they backed off because of this? Meng Qi really wanted to slap himself. Acting decisively, he blurted out: “However, it was thanks to Master Huangfu’s guidance that I succeeded in swordsmanship. It’s only right that I guide Miss Huangfu. Moreover, the Thunder Orthodox Methods of our two families are similar. Mutual reference might bring many benefits.”

As expected, Lady Huangfu and Huangfu Fei exchanged glances, their hearts filled with joy.

Boom!

Suddenly, a loud noise came from afar, like trees breaking and the earth collapsing.

Meng Qi looked toward the source and just happened to see the moonlight shining brightly in the daylight, cold as ice. His heart immediately stirred:

“Master Xi Yue?”

“Is he going to destroy the entire forest step by step to force us out?”

This caught Meng Qi off guard. He hadn’t expected Master Xi Yue to be so powerful and domineering.

The forest spanned only a few hundred miles. A novice external realm expert could destroy an area of one or two miles in diameter with a single strike. Proceeding slowly, he would eventually destroy the entire forest, leaving Meng Qi and the others nowhere to hide.

Moreover, from a high vantage point, without the cover of trees, it would be easy for Master Xi Yue to spot any movement.

This was the air superiority.

In the main world, Meng Qi had witnessed external realm experts affecting a larger area, but unless both sides were engaged in combat and couldn’t control the destruction, external realm experts rarely chose to directly destroy mountains and forests. This could easily provoke hidden demonic experts, accumulate karma, and potentially lead to heavenly retribution when advancing cultivation stages. Additionally, nearby sects and aristocratic families might intervene.

Coupled with his limited experience of being pursued by external realm experts before, Meng Qi had never considered that Master Xi Yue would take such drastic action!