White Egret Lake, the borderland between the Human and Monster realms.
In the early hours, the east turned a fish-belly white.
A group of people appeared within the boundaries of White Egret Lake, following a mountain path winding towards the lake. It was Lin Zhao, Huang Tingyu, and Wu Zhi, among others.
Yu Wan Ning, in a short tunic, appeared remarkably capable. Her delicate face was ethereally beautiful, a rare sight among female martial artists. Beside her, Chu Yu, clad in soft armor that perfectly accentuated her curves, looked at White Egret Lake with a solemn expression. In terms of beauty, she was not much inferior to Yu Wan Ning. Chen Ben, in a coarse cloth shirt, carried heavy luggage on his back, including two cooking pots – one for soup, the other for stir-frying. After all, martial artists depleted their bodies greatly when practicing, and their diet needed to keep up. Lin Zhao had him carry the pots, a considerate arrangement.
By the shores of White Egret Lake, many people had already gathered.
There were martial artists from the Human realm, as well as from the Monster realm. Even some spirit cultivators had come to join the excitement.
Lin Zhao and his group strode directly into the depths of White Egret Lake. As they walked, many human martial artists, though not recognizing Lin Zhao and his companions, saw the sizable group, especially with sword cultivators accompanying them. They bowed in greeting. In the Jianghu, it was always good to have more friends.
White Egret Lake, the relic of Fist Saint Zhong Bai Lu. Although a gentleman's agreement and three strict rules were in place between the Human and Monster realms, everyone knew the true nature of the monsters. In the five battles at Snow Domain Heavenly Pool back then, the monsters had broken their word. It was not impossible for White Egret Lake to witness a repeat.
Lin Zhao and his group returned the greetings one by one. As they reached the central, north-south dividing line of White Egret Lake, they saw that beyond it, the majority were monster martial artists, mostly in the Middle Five Realms.
There was no other way. Those in the Lower Five Realms coming to Zhong Bai Lu's relic would be seeking humiliation. The fist intent was too profound, far beyond what martial artists of the Lower Five Realms could comprehend. As for those in the Upper Five Realms, there weren't too many. Monster martial artists were already scarce, and those in the Upper Five Realms were even rarer. Among the human side, those in the Upper Five Realms could be counted on one hand.
"Alright."
Lin Zhao pointed ahead and said, "The fist intent is most concentrated here. We will cultivate here. You can all venture further, but not too far. Old Huang, Wu Zhi, remain vigilant at all times."
"Understood."
Wu Zhi nodded with a smile, holding his long sword in one hand, and stood guard not far away.
Huang Ting Yu leaped gracefully and landed on an ancient tree not far off, lazily stretching out on a branch, appearing drowsy. However, his sword intent was undeniable. With him and Wu Zhi here, even if the ancestral mountain of the Monster realm wanted to make a move on White Egret Lake, they would have to mobilize their entire force.
Lin Zhao lowered his body slightly, then leaped high into the air. He drew his Zhan Lu sword and with a "swish" carved a long line by the lake, saying, "Everyone, do not go beyond this line. Cultivate south of this line."
"Yes, Mountain Master!"
Yu Wan Ning, Chu Yu, Mu Ceng, and the others nodded with smiles.
Chen Ben put down his cooking pots and other "supplies," then stepped forward. The lake water reached his knees before he stopped. He then sank his body and adopted a stance for one of the Nine Farmer's Fists, beginning to practice in the lake, merging with the chaotic and complex ancient fist intent of this world.
Mu Ceng also stepped into the water, standing shoulder to shoulder with Chen Ben. Master and disciple practiced together.
Yu Wan Ning casually cut a green bamboo from the bank and tossed it onto the water. She leaped, using her "Crossing the River on a Reed" technique to land on the surface of the lake. She then practiced her fist techniques on the bamboo. Her movements were graceful, leaving the martial artists from both the Human and Monster realms stunned.
There were many martial artists in the world, but a martial artist as beautiful as her was truly unique.
Chu Yu smiled slightly, patted Zhuang Yi Rong's little head, and then took Zhuang Yi Rong to practice on the bank. The master taught diligently, and the disciple learned earnestly. It remained to be seen if she could grasp even a single strand of fist intent.
Lin Zhao did not rush to practice. He piled stones by the lake, set up both of his cooking pots, tidied himself up, and then walked to the lakeside. Standing on a section of long-abandoned wooden pier, he began to practice his fists, nurturing his own fist intent.
...
Less than an hour later.
In the distance, Chen Ben's posture stiffened slightly. A strand of fist intent descended from the air and seeped into his body. In a flash, Chen Ben's fist intent became even more profound.
So fast. In such a short time, he had gained recognition from a wisp of Fist Saint Zhong Bai Lu's ancient fist intent.
Lin Zhao smiled faintly and did not rush. He stood in his fist stance, slowly practicing his movements. As a martial artist in the Eighth Realm, the Nine Farmer's Fists had reached the fifth move, and his fist intent was already quite substantial. He only lagged far behind that monstrous boy, Chen Ben.
Not long after, the sky brightened.
Lin Zhao's practice had not progressed much; he had only gained some proficiency in his fist techniques. Not far away, Chen Ben had already merged with at least three strands of ancient fist intent. Yu Wan Ning had also captured a wisp of fist intent under the morning light and refined it.
Overall, the progress in refining fist intent showed each person's foundation and destiny in martial arts. Chen Ben truly lived up to his reputation as the foremost martial artist of the Mountain Peak Courtyard, with Yu Wan Ning closely following. Chu Yu and Mu Ceng were considerably less advanced.
As for Lin Zhao himself, he couldn't quite say. In martial arts, he lacked confidence, feeling his practice was quite clumsy. However... the fact that he had awakened a God of War's gall back then did give him some confidence.
He was also unsure, perhaps he was someone who swung back and forth between martial arts genius and mediocrity.
On the shore, Old Huang started a fire to cook.
Lin Zhao turned to help, taking out the white fish, loach, and other ingredients brought from the Mountain Peak Courtyard. He first made a large pot of fish soup to satisfy everyone's cravings. In the other pot, he cooked a pot of venison, which Wu Zhi had hunted in the nearby woods; it was very fresh.
Soon after, Chen Ben, Yu Wan Ning, and the others arrived, drawn by the aroma. Holding the freshly baked flatbread made by Lin Zhao, they ate and drank soup, feasting heartily. Lin Zhao himself also ate a lot. Practicing martial arts consumed a lot of energy, a fact that seemed to become even more apparent after reaching the peak realm of martial artists. After a short while of practice, he was ravenously hungry.
After breakfast, the group continued their practice tirelessly.
Not long after, Chen Ben merged with his fourth strand of fist intent. Chu Yu, who had been quiet for a long time, let out a cry of pleasant surprise. She had also captured a wisp of fist intent and, with great effort, refined it, becoming overjoyed.
A moment later, Yu Wan Ning obtained her second strand of fist intent.
Mu Ceng rubbed his nose sheepishly. This was not good. Was he, Mu Ceng, the most clumsy martial artist in the entire Mountain Peak Courtyard? He scratched his head and looked at Lin Zhao, feeling somewhat reassured. Fortunately, the Mountain Master had also gained nothing.
In the shallow water, Zhuang Yi Rong rolled up her trouser legs and stood in the water, practicing her fists to temper her body.
The little girl practiced with extreme focus. As she moved her fists, her body was as stable as a mountain. Even the water at her feet remained undisturbed, appearing like a mirror from above.
"Hmm?"
Zhuang Yi Rong looked down at the water surface with curiosity, as if something at the bottom was also staring at her.
The more she watched, the more engrossed she became, and her fist intent grew stronger. At a certain moment, Zhuang Yi Rong's eyes suddenly seemed to see an abyss in the lake. Extreme fear suddenly enveloped her heart, as if she were being stared at by the abyss.
"Ah..."
Zhuang Yi Rong cried out in surprise and retreated several steps. At this moment, her Dao heart was on the verge of shattering. Her eyes were bloodshot, and a little blood trickled from the corners of her mouth.
"Master!"
Zhuang Yi Rong turned back.
Chu Yu immediately stepped forward, holding Zhuang Yi Rong's little hand, and carefully examined her disciple's condition. This was also Chu Yu's inner demon. She had watched helplessly as her disciple Wang Yue was murdered. If Zhuang Yi Rong were to suffer any harm now, Chu Yu would likely never take another disciple again.
"What is it?"
Lin Zhao stepped forward, frowning and asking.
"Mountain Master..."
Zhuang Yi Rong frowned, "Just now... I saw something dirty at the bottom of the water..."
"Ah?"
Lin Zhao was surprised.
Just then, the sound of a boat cutting through the waves was heard from the distant shore. A small boat approached, with a woman holding an oiled paper umbrella rowing on the lake.
The woman was extremely beautiful. Her stunning eyes held a deep gaze, and the corners of her lips curved upwards. Her eyes were fixed directly on Zhuang Yi Rong by the shore, and she said with a smile, "Little girl, why bother practicing so hard? You have the appearance of an empress; you don't need to."
"Your Grace."
Chu Yu frowned and stepped forward, blocking Lin Zhao and Zhuang Yi Rong. Her fist intent slowly surged.
Lin Zhao gently rubbed Zhuang Yi Rong's little head and comforted her with a smile, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. We are all here."
"En."
Zhuang Yi Rong pursed her lips and nodded slightly. She didn't even dare to look at the woman, feeling that her eyes held the most terrifying things in the world.
"You, Chu Yu..."
The beautiful woman holding the oiled paper umbrella smiled and said, "You were originally of noble birth, but your fate was not strong enough. In the end, you became a stepping stone for others..."
"Who exactly are you?!" Chu Yu angrily demanded.
"Me?"
The woman giggled, her laughter shaking her body, "I am not of this world. Why ask me?"
"Then die!"
Chu Yu's fist intent erupted, and her body suddenly vanished from its spot. The next moment, she had crossed the small boat and struck the woman with a horizontal fist, breaking her in half at the waist.
But the moment she broke her body, the woman transformed into wisps of black smoke. In an instant, she reformed her body behind Chu Yu. Conversely, Chu Yu's fist was stained with a bit of inner demon flames.
"Not good, it's the Umbrella-Wielding Inner Demon!"
Lin Zhao's gaze turned cold. "Kill her, quickly!"
"Bang!"
Before Lin Zhao could finish speaking, Chen Ben had already vanished from the water's surface and smashed down with a fierce fist, shattering the woman's body into pieces. But almost identically to Chu Yu, Chen Ben's fist was stained with some inner demon flames. The woman's body turned into a wisp of smoke and reformed in an instant on the water's surface not far away, like a duckweed floating on the water.