ask me to do, I will be willing.”
Lady Proudness shifted her eyes. “Really?”
Nangong Ping said. “If you do not believe me, I can make a vow!” Lady Proudness dropped a piece of vine and coldly said. “First tie the rope
around your waist!”
Nangong Ping immediately did what he was asked to do. After Lady
Proudness lifted him up, she immediately hit his accupoints and took him inside
the woods. “Your martial abilities seemed to improve by leaps and bounds. Surely
you must have learnt some awesome martial techniques on that Divine Creator
Island…”
Without waiting for her to finish, Nangong Ping interrupted. “I will tell
you!” And he immediately recited a Southern Sea Sword Formula from head to
tail. Lady Proudness was indeed an extraordinary person. After listening for a few
times, she remembered all and she could even understand it.
She exclaimed happily. “I really didn’t expect that the Southern Sea Sword
Clan will have such unfathomable and marvelous sword techniques and formulas!” Nangong Ping said. “I have already told you what I know. Can you bring me
to see her now!”
Lady Proudness laughed. “Bring you to see her? That is right, I suppose to
bring you to see her but…”
That day, Lady Proudness paced around in vexations. Finally she could not
endure it anymore and walked to Mei Yinxue and said in a low voice. “Although I
am unkind to you but I am after all your Savior, am I right? If you have anything to
say to me, you can tell me. After that I will treat you much better.”
Mei Yinxue was secretly delightful in her heart but she coldly said. “It is not
hard for me to say it out but after I have said it, you must release me!” Lady Proudness was secretly delightful and thought. “Once you have told
me, how will I not torture you worse than before!” But she said in a friendly
manner. “In this desolate island, it always good to have two people rather than one.
If you will to say it out, I will release you!”
Mei Yinxue pretended to sigh deeply. “Although you have said it in such a
nice manner but how am I going to believe you? Unless…!” She secretly thought.
“She is going to be snared soon!”
Lady Proudness asked hurriedly. “Unless what?” She thought. “If she wants
me to release her first, then it is obvious that there aren’t any secrets. Then it will
only be a ruse to bait me. Heng…heng! I have tens of years being a wily person,
will I still fall for your ruse?”
But Mei Yinxue only said. “Unless you can make a terrible vow, only then
can I believe you!”
Lady Proudness was even more delightfully as she thought. “What an
inexperience little girl. The number of vows that I have made is akin to eating
bowls of rice. Why should I be afraid!”
Therefore she pretended to hesitate for awhile before she sighed deeply. “I
have never go back on anything that I have ever said in my entire life. And I have
never made a blood vow before but…alas! This time, I will do as you wish!” Mei Yinxue was secretly scolding her. “Bullshit, if you have never made any
vows before, then the sun will really come out from the west!” She acted like she
believed in her though.
Lady Proudness began to kneel down and to swear. “If I will to break my
oath, then may…then may the tree branches crush me to the death and the ants eat
my corpse.”
Both of them had a thousand tricks in their sleeves and their cunning was
always well planned. Although both of them appeared to be serious but they had
plenty of ghosts in their stomach – You wanted to trick me, I wanted to trick you,
no one knew who could finally manage to trick the other.
The two of them looked at one another before Mei Yinxue finally sighed.
“Since you have already made the oath, I just will have to tell you. Although this
island is desolate but there will be ships passing through this area. You will surely
have the chance to go back to the Central Plains and would not die on this
island…”
Lady Proudness angrily said. “What? This is the thing you want to tell me?” Mei Yinxue smiled. “But now you have become like this, when you have
returned to the Central Plains, will the pugilists in the Fraternity still call you as
Lady Proudness? More likely they will call you Lady Hag!”
Lady Proudness scolded aloud. “One more word, I will tear your face!” Mei Yinxue pretended to sigh deeply. “You don’t want me to say anymore?
Alas…what a pity…then I will not say anymore!”
Lady Proudness was startled and forced herself to smile. “Good sister, hurry
and tell me. I don’t even dare to touch your beautiful face much less tear your
beautiful face!”
Mei Yinxue secretly scolded her but she smiled. “Good sister, I am thirsty. I
need to drink water.”
Lady Proudness secretly scolded her even more viciously but her face was
smiling. “Good sister, let your sister take the water for you!”
The two of them were getting more and more intimate. With sister this and
sister that but secretly, they had even scolded one another’s ancestors. After Mei Yinxue had her fill of water, she said. “Good sister, can you guess
how old I am?”
Lady Proudness said, “You’re…sixteen, seventeen right?” Since she wanted
to make Mei Yinxue happy, she purposely said a few years younger. Mei Yinxue laughed. “You probably did not know it yet that I am Mei
Yinxue.”
Lady Proudness grasped. “Oh you are the Peacock Concubine!” But she
secretly scolded. “No wonder this little vixen is so cunning, because she is Mei
Yinxue!”
One must know that Mei Yinxue had long established her fame therefore
naturally Lady Proudness knew of her name.
Mei Yinxue said. “Ever since I first started to establish a hold in the
Fraternity, twenty years have now passed. If I were to calculate it, I should be a
forty plus woman now.” Because she was planning something, she purposely
added a few more years to her age.
Lady Proudness was stunned and looked carefully for awhile. “I really
cannot tell…I really cannot tell…” Suddenly she received a jolt in her head and
asked aloud. “Did you learn an inner aspect martial skill that helps you to preserve
your youth?”
Mei Yinxue laughed. “If I did not know such an inner aspect martial skill,
will I look like what I am looking now?”
Lady Proudness was very happy and immediately asked. “Good sister, hurry
and teach me. I have dreamed of it for many years!”
One must know that Lady Proudness did not look as old as she looked too. It
was because she exercised great care in her daily diet and washed her face
everyday. Even her tea was mixed with pearls to keep her younger. But she did not
know the most mysterious of all the inner martial skills, the one that could retain
youth. Moreover she was a woman and all women loved to be beautiful. What was
more, she had now become in this state.
Mei Yinxue continued. “With a natural endowment such as sister and your
strong martial foundation, within one or two years, not only will you regain your
original beauty, you can even reverse your age and attain youthfulness!” Lady Proudness was totally moved and she repeated many times. “Good
sister, hurry and tell me, hurry and tell me...”
Mei Yinxue said. “After I have said it, you must release me.” Lady Proudness thought. “My unique accupoint skills, no one will even
know how to counter it. Moreover there is no other persons on this island. Even if I
will to untie her, she would not have any strength left. She would not even have the
strength to carry a chicken so what tricks can she plays? If I do not act generous,
how will I convince her to tell me this secret formula with all her heart?” She did not know that Mei Yinxue had all her martial skills destroyed by this
type of accupoint technique before. And she could even recover from it! Moreover
Lady Proudness had only seal off all her blood channels in her body. Lady Proudness smiled. “Good sister, if you don’t believe me. Your sister
will untie you first. So that you will be more comfortable.”
Mei Yinxue laughed. “Sister, you are so nice.”
Lady Proudness secretly scolded her. “Little vixen, later you are going to
scold me.” She covered her face with smiles and untied the vines that were
wrapping around her, leaving only her legs tied.
Mei Yinxue laughed and thanked her at the same time. “Sister, listen most
carefully.” And she really told her the inner martial skill formulas to attain youth.
Not even a single word was false for she knew that her opponent was not a mere
goon. Even if it were false, it would not fool her at all.
Lady Proudness gave in all her attention and heart to remember and follow
the formulas. She thought. “Indeed it is not fake!”
But some of the intricate parts of the formulas were too unfathomable for her
to understand. After thinking for a long time, she sighed. “Good sister, some of the
formulas are too unfathomable. I cannot understand it in short notice. Why don’t
you do good all the way by telling me the method to train?”
Mei Yinxue smiled. “This formula I have already known in my early years
but it was only many years later when I am forced by someone to be locked inside a coffin, that with nothing to do, after researching for half a year painstakingly, I finally understand all the intricate. Once you understand it, it is very easy. For example, ‘Halo of the Three Flowers’ and ‘Five Vital Energy Channels’, all these
formed the intricate formulas on inner strength. Naturally you will understand it.” Lady Proudness was getting impatient and she began to mediate. “And
then?”
Mei Yinxue said. “Circulate your entire vital energy once and then
concentrate on your diaphragm…”
Lady Proudness did as she was instructed.
Mei Yinxue said. “There are five ways to train inner strength and it is based
on the five elements. If you want to train it to the surface of your face, you
must…”
She pointed out a lot of methods to train. Not even one word was fake and it
was even some of the most secret methods to train inner strength.
Because Lady Proudness was afraid that Mei Yinxue might secretly trapped
her, so she secretly researched for some time. Finding no flaws, she did as she was
instructed.
After awhile, Mei Yinxue asked. “Now do you feel there is a energy that is
slowly surfacing on your face?”
Lady Proudness nodded her head.
Mei Yinxue said. “Then you should transfer your vital energies into your
Yin and Yang channels…Then you can completely verify what I will tell you is all
the truth. Then you should release me.”
Lady Proudness was secretly scolding her. “I will release you and kill you.” Because she was focusing on circulating the vital energies, she could not talk
and could only nodded her head.
Mei Yinxue looked at her for a long time until Lady Proudness broke into
beads of perspiration on her face.
Lady Proudness suddenly found herself trembling non-stop. “You…what
have you done!”
It was because after she circulated her vital energies around, she suddenly
discovered that her legs had grown numbed and became like wood and stone. Mei Yinxue laughed aloud and immediately removed the vines on her legs
and moved back three feet. She laughed happily. “Do you feel very comfortable
now?”
Lady Proudness scolded her angrily. “You…you dare to trick me!” Mei Yinxue laughed. “Other than you, who can I trick? Tell you honestly, I
was tricked by this training method too and I suffered for one year because of it. Or
else how can I fool you too?”
Lady Proudness clenched her fists in hatred. Her lower body was now
numbed but she still had strength in her upper body including her hands. She began
to sigh. “Since I have already been tricked by you, I have only myself to blame. I
will definitely not blame you. So long as you do not kill me, I will not ask you
even for the method to regain my limbs. Come over here, let me help you to
release you from your accupoints.”
Mei Yinxue smiled. “Thank you so much.” And she took a step to the front. Lady Proudness was secretly delighted.
Suddenly Mei Yinxue stopped in her tracks and shook her head. “That will
not do. That will not do. Now that I do not have any strength in my body, if I walk
too near, you may even kill me with a blow.”
Lady Proudness said gently. “Now that it has reached such a point, why will
I still want to harm you. Sister, you can relax.”
Mei Yinxue laughed merrily. “Good sister, I am still not assured so what
should I do? I guess I have to wait for myself to clear all my blood channels. If by
then if you have not starved to death, I will definitely come and take care of you. I
will treat you ten folds as nice as you have treated me.”
The gentle smiles on Lady Proudness instantly ceased as she scolded loudly.
“What an ungrateful little witch. I have saved your life, have you forgotten?” Mei Yinxue said, “I have not forgot. Therefore I will not kill you too.” And
she started to leave.
Lady Proudness began to scold her with all the most vicious words but Mei
Yinxue simply treated her as a crazed dog – She did not seem to hear or take notice
at all.
But after Mei Yinxue walked into the woods, her expressions became very tense. Because she knew that the numbness that was afflicted upon Lady Proudness, in another three to five days she would recover. She knew from her own personal experience. As for when her blood channels would clear, she really had no confidence at all.
After reaching the woods on the other side, she observed the terrain around her and set many traps all around. Next she paddled through the seawater to the broken ship and took some tools. Next she chopped several wooden clogs and scattered them amongst the tall wild grasses.
For three days, she did not even dare to rest and worked herself to the point of exhaustion. But her three days of efforts had not been in vain…Chapter Nineteen Goddess in the Wilderness
After Lady Proudness saw Mei Yinxue disappeared from view, she was so angry and cursed her nonstop. She used her hands as legs and moved inch by inch to move herself into the woods. During those few days, she would scold and scold aloud, sometimes she would cry and plead but no matter how venomous her curses were, no matter how honey sweet her words were, there was no response from Mei Yinxue.
She did not expect that on the fifth day at dawn, her channels suddenly were cleared on it own accord. In utter joy, she began to rejuvenate her strength and then searched around for Mei Yinxue. She swore once she had found Mei Yinxue, she would spill all her vexations on her.
At sunset, she finally found the woods where Mei Yinxue had been hiding. Suddenly she stepped on something among the tall grasses and tens of tree leaves began to flutter all around and then, slings of stones began to fly toward her. The windforce caused by the stones were sharp and powerful!
Startled, Lady Proudness started to evade with her body. But before she could take even take a breather, tens of stones shot from the ground! She gave a cry before she retreated out of the woods but the stones had already hit her shoulders and she was now feeling sore and painful. She cursed her aloud. “Witch by the surname of Mei, do you dare to come out?”
As her spirit had not been calmed yet from the fright she got earlier, therefore she started to scold her from the outside of the woods for quit a while. But she still dare not enter the woods.
There was a chilling cold laugh coming from within the woods and Mei Yinxue began to walk in a slow dance among the tall grasses. Her dress fluttered in the air as she danced on the tall grasses very much like a fairy that could tread lightly.
‘Flying on the grass’ was an epitome of a person’s swiftness movement skill level but it was only because they had first took in a breath of vital energy to energize themselves as they ran in terrifying speed on the grass. But this type of swiftness movement skill that could allow Mei Yinxue to move in a slow dance on the grass, Lady Proudness had never seen of it, much less even heard of it!
In that very instant, her rage and hatred was changed to fright and shock. She trembled. “You…you…who has helps you to clear your accupoints?”
Mei Yinxue softly laughed. “Do you know that all my skills have been destroyed by Long Bushi before? Yet I can still recover from it, moreover my channels have only been blocked by you.”
Not only could she take a slow stroll on the grasses, she could even talk while holding her vital breath! Lady Proudness was even more startled now. What she did not know was, hidden among the tall grasses were rows of wooden clogs! Someone with very powerful inner force could cause heavy gravity pull in the form of a ‘Thousand Weigh Pull’ or even circulated their vital energies to lift themselves up to leap, jump, sprang lighter and faster than anyone else. She was totally in awe with Mei Yinxue’s swiftness movement skill level.
Mei Yinxue smiled before she continued. “I have prepared a comfortable dwelling inside these woods. Since you have come, why not take a rest inside?”
When Lady Proudness had witnessed her marvelous swiftness movement skill that had reached such an unbelievable level in expertise, how could she dare to go in? But she was still very doubtful. Since her internal power had recovered, why was her speech so dispirited?
Mei Yinxue rolled her watery eyes and she looked even more dispirited. She laughed gently. “My internal power has not fully recovered yet. That is why when I talk, there is no strength and I sound so dispirited. If you want to chat with me, please come in and have a seat. There are no terrible traps in the woods therefore rest assured, you cannot be harmed.”
Lady Proudness was stunned for awhile. The more Mei Yinxue wished to invite her in, the more she dared not. She thought. “I see now that she is only pretending to be dispirited so as to trick me in.”
Mei Yinxue smiled. “Welcome, welcome…”
Lady Proudness suddenly laughed. “You can fool the others with your words but you definitely can’t fool me at all!” After laughing several times more, she turned around and sprang away!
After Mei Yinxue saw her figure disappeared. She wiped the beads of cold sweat from her forehead and secretly thought. “Lucky!” She had used a stratagem by the famous strategist Zhuge Kongming, the ‘Empty City Ruse’ to fool Lady Proudness away.
Naturally all these happenings were not as detailed when related by Lady Proudness.
Lady Proudness said. “That day after I got back, as I was afraid that that witch would secretly come and did a sneak attack on me, therefore I started to set numerous traps and snares around the wooden hut. Heng…heng! Although she is as cunning as a fox but am I not as cunning too? I dare not go into her woods but she did not dare to come here as well.”
When Nangong Ping had heard that Mei Yinxue was safe, he felt relieved as he relaxed his breathing. He thought. “So all these traps are meant for Mei Yinxue. Therefore, it seems like my swiftness skill is now on the same par as Mei Yinxue now. That is why I am caught in the trap.”
He did not know that his present swiftness skill had now surpassed Mei Yinxue by several notches. It was because Lady Proudness had overestimated Mei Yinxue’s swiftness skill level and Nangong Ping was not in the best of his fitness yet.
Lady Proudness hatefully said. “What is most hateful about that witch is that she is always disturbing me with the repairs of her ship and the fact that the ship is with her. I am always afraid that she may finally repair the ship and can leave this place. Then I will have to die of old age on this desolate island. But…now that you are here, I am not afraid that she will leave…” She patted Nangong Ping on his shoulder and laughed hilariously.
Nangong Ping was startled. “What you mean by this?”
Lady Proudness said. “She is a maiden with lots of affections. Since she has already married you so how would she leave behind such a handsome young man on this island with me?”
Nangong Ping shouted angrily. “Are you going to use me as a leverage to threaten her?”
Lady Proudness laughed. “You are indeed smart.” She started to carry Nangong Ping to the woods.
After awhile, Nangong Ping saw a black cliff and besides it was a forest area. He knew that in the woods was Mei Yinxue, who he had been thinking day and night. When he thought that he was going to see Mei Yinxue again, his heart started to beat very fast!
When he was about to cry out for Mei Yinxue, Lady Proudness hit him on his channels leading to his speech and said. “Be quiet!”
Next she proceeded to hide Nangong Ping behind some rocks and walked to the black cliff that was besides the woods. “Mei Yinxue…Maiden Mei, show yourself fast!” Her voice was sharp and frightened several flocks of birds that flew into the air from the woods.
There was a laugh that came from the woods and Mei Yinxue appeared carrying a tree branch. She walked slowly and she was dressed in a long robe made from the sails of the ship. Although it was a simple robe but it was very clean, just like a goddess in the wilderness. She was carrying a faint smile. “You have come again? Welcome, welcome!”
Lady Proudness giggled. “Good sister, long time no seen. You have become even more beautiful.”
Mei Yinxue laughed. “I have caught some wild rabbits yesterday. The taste is excellent. Do you want to come over my place to have a taste?”
The two of them were very intimate, filled with smiles and gentleness. But in fact, they wished to swallow one another into their stomach immediately.
When Nangong Ping heard had Mei Yinxue’s voice, he was filled with happiness but was saddened as well. He hated himself for not able to move, not able to talk. In an instant, his heart was almost torn apart as he struggled furiously.
Mei Yinxue moved her watery eyes and laughed. “You seem very happy today. May I know what is the happy occasion?”
Lady Proudness said, “That is right. When I heard that your ship has almost finished repairing, I am really very happy in my heart.”
Mei Yinxue giggled. “Alas, You are really nice. But a pity if I board the ship and leave, you will be very lonely. Moreover…when you have died, no one will prepare for your funeral. Maybe the ants will really eat you, alas! When I thought of that, my heart grieves for you."
Lady Proudness cursed her inside. “Hope you die, witch!” But her mouth was smiling. “Alas, sister, you are really so concern about me. But your sister will surely have someone to collect my corpse for me.”
Mei Yinxue laughed delightfully. “Actually I want to stay behind to help you to collect your corpse but what if you grow to an old ripe age and not die? Therefore I can’t wait anymore and have to leave…”
Lady Proudness said, “Good sister, I know you are joking. You will not leave because you want to give your ship to me and let your sister board the ship alone. Am I right?”
Mei Yinxue laughed and laughed. “Indeed, indeed. But how can you think of it?” She really thought it was a very funny thing and her eyes were even more watery.
Lady Proudness laughed aloud. “Is this a marvelous idea? Good sister, let me tell you something. This idea did not come from me but from a guest that arrived today.”
Mei Yinxue laughed. “Oh? Really? That guest of yours must be truly very brilliant. Who is he huh?”
Lady Proudness coldly said. “Nangong Ping!”
Mei Yinxue received a jolt in her body and her laughs ceased in an instant. She grasped. “Nangong Ping? He has come?”
Lady Proudness said unhurried. “That is right. He has come. Do you want to see him? He has been thinking about you with all his heart and soul. Heh!”
Although Mei Yinxue was filled with the excitement of a hundred emotions in her but she shown no sign of it on her face.
Lady Proudness was stunned and shouted. “What! Don’t you wish to see him?”
Mei Yinxue recovered from her thoughts and slowly said. “Why should I wish to see him?”
Lady Proudness giggled. “That is it. I have already knew that you will surely want to see him.”
But Mei Yinxue slowly added. “Why should I not wish to see him, he is long dead in my heart. This type of heartless man, it doesn’t matter if I am to see him or not!”
Lady Proudness received a jolt this time and her laughs ceased. She turned ashen and said. “Did you forget the vows of your love? Did you forget that you are husband and wife? You once told me that you are deeply in love with him, is that all a pack of lies?”
Mei Yinxue coldly said. “That is right. I was once deeply in love with him but now I have hated him with all my heart. On that Divine Creator Island, I begged him to open his eyes to take a look at me but he refused me! So now why should I want to see him? Tell me, why should I want to see him!” Her voice was getting more and more high pitch.
Lady Proudness expressions changed and she asked in fright. “At that time, he must surely have a lot of difficulties, that is why he refused to see you. But he is really a gentle and affectionate man. What is more, he loves you with all his heart therefore you must not let him down!”
She had thought that she could use Nangong Ping to threaten Mei Yinxue. She came with high hopes and cockiness but never expected that Mei Yinxue had long forgotten about Nangong Ping!
When her hopes became hopelessness, that why her voice trembled in fright and now she was trying to defend Nangong Ping.
Mei Yinxue coldly laughed awhile. “Since you think that he is such a gentle and affectionate man, you can ask him to accompany you. Heng…heng! With such a gentle and affectionate man on the island with you, I can put aside my worries for you and set sail.” When she had finished, she turned her body.
Lady Proudness was even more frightened now and shouted. “Wait a minute!”
Mei Yinxue did not even turn her head and she coldly said. “I have already given my husband to you, what more do you want? What more do you want to say?”
Lady Proudness was filled with anxiety and all her cockiness was gone. “I am old and ugly, how could I be a match for him? But the two of you are really the perfect match, the guy is talented and the girl beautiful…”
Mei Yinxue coldly said. “Is that all what you want to say?” She started to walk away.
Lady Proudness shouted. “Wait a minute. He has found you with much difficulty. At the very least you should see him once.”
Mei Yinxue halted her legs and said. “It doesn’t matter if I were to see him but what does one more time matter.”
Lady Proudness said. “Please wait a while. I will bring