After moving into the Qishi Mansion, Chen Nan began to study his family's profound martial arts. Now, his six senses are sharp, his spiritual perception has been fully restored, and he has regained the confidence he had before the age of sixteen. He is confident that he can become an unparalleled expert in the shortest possible time.
After the pale yellow, unadorned true energy that Fairy Tantai had placed in his body was broken, his cultivation level improved by leaps and bounds in just a few days.
Upon internal inspection, Chen Nan discovered that the true energy within his body had undergone a qualitative change. Its color was brighter, its flow smoother, and the aura emanating from his body was becoming increasingly faint, almost imperceptible to others. This delighted him immensely; even a peerless master would find it difficult to detect the extraordinary skills he possessed.
Chen Nan channeled his energy into his fingers, and tiny sparks appeared between them. He was thrilled; he could now transform his true energy into sword energy that densely covered his body. His family's profound martial art had finally entered the second level of the Great Ascension Realm.
The golden light made his fingers appear as clear as jade. He spread two fingers and gently reached for a longsword. With a snap, the steel sword broke in two and fell to the ground.
Chen Nan was overjoyed. His skills had finally returned to their peak state before he was ambushed by Tantai Xuan, and he was likely to break through again at any time and enter the third level of his family's profound skills.
His restored confidence made his blood boil. Given time, if he could unleash a dazzling blade several meters long, he would be able to dominate the world.
"Cultivators, magicians... I'll show you the power of a martial artist at a high level..."
A huge explosion resounded in the Qishi Mansion, shaking the entire estate. Chen Nan immediately ran to the courtyard. His neighboring courtyard was surrounded by a light blue barrier, from which the explosion had originated. Without that light blue magical shield, his courtyard would not have been spared either.
"No way, I actually live next door to that destructive maniac who loves tinkering with magic! Oh my god!"
The magical shield gradually faded, revealing the courtyard as ruins. A charred, thin, and withered old woman floated in the air, emitting a grating laugh: "Hehehe... Although I failed again, I was only one step away from success, hehehe..."
Chen Nan sighed inwardly, "Ugh, she's practically an old witch!"
"Hehe, kid, I've never seen you before. Are you new here?" The old witch used the levitation spell from wind magic to arrive in Chen Nan's courtyard.
"Hmm," Chen Nan replied, forcing a smile.
Just then, a loud shout came from the other courtyard of Chen Nan's house: "Little Flower, don't run away..."
The python seemed to understand the old man's words and slowly crawled back.
Chen Nan stared in disbelief, inwardly lamenting, "No way, I'm his neighbor too? Oh my god!"
The old man glared at the old witch in the sky and roared, "You old hag, you're causing trouble again! You've scared my little flower so much she's running around everywhere. Can't you ever keep things quiet for a moment?"
"Heh heh... You old poison monster, I didn't go into your yard. I was conducting magical research in my own yard, what's it to you!"
"You disturbed my little flower, little green, little gold... You crazy woman, all you do all day is cause trouble."
"You old poison monster, you have insulted my character and tarnished my noble cause of magical research! I will punish you! Ah... how dare you poison me... Lightning Wave!"
The old witch fell from the sky, and Chen Nan felt a pang of heartache, not for the old witch herself, but for the flowers and plants beneath her.
At the same time, the old man standing on the courtyard wall was struck by lightning. His hair and beard stood on end, and he fell headfirst into Chen Nan's courtyard. His entire body was charred black, with wisps of smoke rising from it, and a faint aroma of meat wafting out.
"Old Poison Monster, give me the antidote now, or I'll electrocute you until you're completely cooked, and we'll have roasted ribs for dinner tonight."
"You old hag, you've turned the antidote to ashes by electrocuting me. How am I supposed to give it to you? Hurry up and restore me so I can prepare the antidote for you right away."
Chen Nan stood in the courtyard, looking left and right, unsure of what to do. The old witch was foaming at the mouth and rolling her eyes, while the old poison monster was in excruciating pain, grimacing and groaning.
Chen Nan said, "Both of you seniors, please give way. If this continues, you will both lose your lives."
The old witch gasped for breath and said, "Alright, you old poisoner, I'll turn half of your roasted ribs into raw ribs first. As for the other half, we'll talk about it after you've prepared the antidote for me."
"Then hurry up and get going."
A soft white light enveloped the old poison monster's body, and in just a moment, his injuries were half healed, and he stood up unsteadily.
Chen Nan said, "Grandpa, let me open the door for you. Please take your time."
"No, we can't go through the door, that's too slow. If we delay any longer, that old hag will be dead. Quickly help me up the wall, and we'll go back through the wall."
Chen Nan quickly went over and helped the old man climb onto the wall. Then, pretending he didn't know martial arts, he climbed up as well. Once on the wall, Chen Nan looked down and almost fainted.
The old man had dug over a dozen pits of varying sizes in his yard: pits for centipedes, scorpions, toads, venomous snakes… Each pit was densely packed with wriggling creatures. In addition, in the areas without pits, he planted a variety of medicinal herbs, among which some rather unusual snakes and insects slithered, such as a golden centipede over a foot long and a giant python as thick as a water bucket…
The old man said, "Young man, you go down first and wait for me down there."
"No, no, no..." Chen Nan shook his head like a rattle drum. He was joking; he would rather die than get down.
Finally, Chen Nan grasped the old man's wrists with both hands and placed him into the courtyard.
A bright green spider, about the size of a palm, suddenly appeared on the wall; it was clearly a highly venomous creature. Startled, Chen Nan loosened his grip, and the old man fell to the ground with a thud.
"Oh my God..." the old man exclaimed repeatedly.
Chen Nan asked anxiously, "Are you alright, sir?"
"Oh my god... oh my god..."
"What happened? Where did you hurt yourself?"
Beneath the old man was a patch of lush medicinal herbs. He lifted the herbs to reveal a toad the size of a millstone.
"Oh my god... my little green dog has been knocked unconscious."
"Oh my god! He's actually feeling sorry for that toad!" Chen Nan jumped back into his yard from the wall.
"That's terrifying! A toad can grow as big as a fat pig!"
After about half a cup of tea's time, the old poison monster threw a palm-sized porcelain bottle over the wall and said, "Pour the contents into that old hag's mouth."
After Chen Nan uncorked the bottle, he almost fainted. The smell was unbearable. He seriously doubted whether it was the antidote. Even if it was, the old man had probably added some "ingredients" to it.
After the foul-smelling potion was poured into the old witch's mouth, she rolled her eyes, sat up, and then began to vomit.
"Ugh... Damn it, what the hell did that damned old man give me to drink?"
Just then, the old poison monster pushed open Chen Nan's courtyard gate and limped in.
The old witch immediately floated into the air and used magic to protect herself.
"You old poison monster, you actually made me drink that stinky potion, and now you dare to deliver it to my door, ha ha ha..." The old witch's fingers crackled and sparks began to appear.
The old poison monster shuddered in fright. Now that the old witch was completely hidden in a magical shield, his poison techniques were completely useless.
"Hey, you old hag, are you being unreasonable? Don't you know that good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the disease? That's the real antidote!"
"Bullshit, is the antidote really that foul-smelling? Ugh..." At this point, the old witch vomited again, and at the same time, a tiny bolt of lightning struck the old poison monster.
The old man's full head of white hair stood up again, like a lion's mane. Although he could still stand up with difficulty, his limbs twitched.
"You old hag, you're unreasonable and untrustworthy. I saved you, and you repay kindness with enmity."
"Hehe... If you hadn't attacked me first, how could I have been poisoned? You deserve it."
"Nonsense. Even if I hadn't struck first, you would have cast a spell on me anyway. I just struck first to gain the upper hand."
...
The two seemed poised for another fight, but the old poison monster was clearly nervous. He knew that under normal circumstances, he would never be able to compete with that old witch.
Chen Nan, unable to bear it any longer, spoke up: "Well... seniors, I think it's best to maintain harmony and not ruin things."
The old poison master said, "I have no objection, as long as my burns are healed."
Chen Nan also said, "Senior, you should hurry up and heal this old man's injuries, otherwise people will think we're having a barbecue in the yard."
"Heh heh heh..." the old witch laughed loudly, saying, "Alright, for your sake, I'll spare him this time. By the way, boy, what's your name?"
"My name is Chen Nan."
"Hehe... I've got it."
Then, the old witch chanted a long incantation, and a holy light gathered on the old poison monster's body, gradually restoring life to his severely burned skin. When the light faded, the old man was once again full of energy, without a trace of weakness.
Chen Nan was secretly amazed; magic truly had its unique aspects.
After casting this advanced healing spell, the old witch looked tired. She said to Chen Nan, "You're not bad, kid. If anyone dares to bully you, you can come to me and I'll help you get revenge." As she spoke, she glared at the old poison monster.
The old poison monster also said, "Young man, I also think you're pretty good. Don't worry, with me here, no one will dare to bully you. Even if that bastard is strong, he still needs to eat and drink, right? Hehe, I don't believe he can always dodge my poison." As he spoke, the old man also glared at the old witch in a show of defiance.
The old witch snorted and flew away into the distance.
Chen Nan said, "The courtyard of this senior who studies magic has been destroyed, so she probably won't continue to live here."
The old poison monster explained, "Of course, that old hag will enjoy herself; why would she stay here any longer?"
Chen Nan was overjoyed. The old witch, that terrifying destroyer, was finally away from him. If this old poison monster also left, his personal safety would be even more guaranteed.
"Oh, where did that senior move to?"
"Right in your backyard."
"Hey young man, why are you sitting on the ground for no reason?"
...
"Uncle, I hope your snakes and insects won't crawl into my yard."
Chen Nan humbly asked, "So, generally it refers to...?"
The old poison monster thought about it seriously for a moment and said, "Well, unless there's a big commotion, my treasures won't run around. Generally speaking, as long as that old hag doesn't do any magical research, it'll be fine."
"How often does she conduct her magical research?"
"About once a day."
"Hey, young man, are you really not feeling well? Why are you lying on the ground again? Let me see if I have any miraculous medicines on me... Hmm, corpse poison, arsenic, heartbreak grass... Oh dear, none of those will work. No problem, I still have some here: bone-dissolving pills, seven-step soul-severing powder..."
In the blink of an eye, Chen Nan disappeared from the courtyard and returned to his house.
"Young man, you have no patience. I'm sure I have some medicine that suits you. Or I can find some for you next time." The old poison master leaped over the wall and returned to his courtyard.
Chen Nan sighed: "Truly worthy of being called the Mansion of Extraordinary Talents! These two people I met are simply extraordinary."
On the fifth day after he moved into the Qishi Mansion, a young woman came to visit him. Although she did not have the stunning beauty of Chu Yue, she was still exceptionally beautiful and exuded a faint, otherworldly charm, giving people a sense of tranquility.
"Greetings, Young Master Chen."
"Hello, you are...?"
"My name is Nalan Ruoshui, and I am also a member of the Qishi Mansion."
"Hello Miss Nalan, welcome to our home. Please come in."
After entering the room, Nalan Ruoshui said, "I heard from the eldest princess that you have lost all your martial arts skills. I have some knowledge of medicine, and I would like to start from this point to see if I can restore your martial arts skills."
Chen Nan was astonished. He never expected that the beautiful woman in front of him was a master of medicine. In his mind, famous doctors were all elderly people with white hair and beards, but this woman in front of him was so young.
"You want to restore my powers?"
Nalan Ruoshui remained calm and replied, "Yes."
"But my skills have been crippled, and medical techniques cannot fix this."
"I can try using acupuncture to stimulate acupoints all over your body and unleash your potential. Theoretically, this could help you restore your strength."
Chen Nan decided to keep the fact that he had recovered his power completely hidden. He smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Miss Nalan."
Nalan Ruoshui said calmly, "You're welcome."
She took out a jade box from her sleeve, which was full of gold needles. The jade box and gold needles complemented each other.
"Young Master Chen, please take off your outer garment."
Chen Nan did as instructed, taking off his loose outer garment to reveal a tight-fitting outfit.
"Please remove all clothing above your waist."
"This..." An exceptionally beautiful woman looked at him as if examining an object, making Chen Nan feel somewhat embarrassed. But in the end, he did as she asked and removed all his upper body clothing.
Nalan Ruoshui walked over gently, holding a jade box in her hands. A faint fragrance wafted into Chen Nan's nose, causing a stir in his heart.
"Have you been feeling unwell lately, Young Master Chen?"
"Aside from losing my powers, I feel no discomfort."
"Oh, that's good."
Feeling the intoxicating fragrance so close at hand, Chen Nan was completely captivated. Nalan Ruoshui seemed to notice the strange look in his eyes, and with her slender fingers, she picked up a golden needle and swiftly inserted it into a major acupoint on his chest.
"Ah..." Chen Nan screamed in agony.
Nalan Ruoshui remained calm, as if nothing had happened. After taking out the second gold needle, she quickly and accurately inserted it into another major acupoint on his body.
Chen Nan let out another scream. He muttered to himself: Acupuncture shouldn't hurt that much. Could she have deliberately increased the pressure?
Sure enough, the third injection was not as painful as the first two.
Chen Nan thought to himself: This beautiful and famous doctor has quite a temper!
In no time, Chen Nan's upper body was covered with golden needles. At this moment, the true energy in his body was restless, but he forcibly dispersed it into his meridians.
Nalan Ruoshui spread her slender fingers and began massaging the area around the acupuncture points, and streams of heat flowed from her fingers into Chen Nan's body.
Chen Nan discovered that Nalan Ruoshui actually possessed remarkable skill. The true energy emanating from her fingertips continuously stimulated his acupoints, causing him to feel the dormant true energy within his body to become active again.
"Calm down! Calm down!" he kept reminding himself, calming his active inner energy back down.
After half an hour of treatment, Chen Nan was covered in sweat, and Nalan Ruoshui's face was flushed and her breathing was somewhat rapid.
Looking at the graceful, undulating figure before him, Chen Nan felt a similar sensation rise within him. Nalan Ruoshui seemed to sense the strange light in Chen Nan's eyes; a flash of anger crossed her gaze as she said calmly, "Young Master Chen, if you wish to recover your strength, please immediately calm your mind and circulate your previous cultivation technique."
Chen Nan closed his eyes and slowly regulated his inner energy, allowing it to circulate gently. He could already feel that after the acupuncture, all the meridians and acupoints in his body felt incredibly comfortable, and he certainly wouldn't let this opportunity pass by to refine his family's secret martial art. However, he could only circulate his inner energy slowly, daring not to make any large movements, for fear of being discovered by Nalan Ruoshui.
After half an hour of slow breathing, he felt that the true energy in his body seemed to have grown stronger, and his skill had improved slightly. When he opened his eyes, Nalan Ruoshui was watching him calmly.
"How is it? Can you feel the flow of vital energy in your meridians?"
"Not even a little bit?"
Chen Nan shook his head.
Nalan Ruoshui pondered for a moment and said, "Well... it may have taken too long. It's alright, we'll continue tomorrow. I believe that after a period of treatment, your skills will recover."
"Thank you very much, Miss Nalan."
Nalan Ruoshui removed the gold needles from his body one by one and put them back into the jade box.
Watching that beautiful figure gradually disappear, Chen Nan returned to his courtyard.
Although Nalan Ruoshui was not a stunning beauty, she possessed a serene and otherworldly air, a tranquil and ethereal quality that gave her a unique allure.
Chen Nan murmured to himself, "A beautiful and renowned doctor, serene and otherworldly, like a rare orchid in a secluded valley. To be so young and already a prodigy in the medical field, truly a genius!"
"What are you laughing at, kid?" The old poison monster poked his white head out from behind the courtyard wall, with a large, bright green spider crawling on his shoulder.
"You still say no, but your mouth is practically watering."
"I'm fainting!" Chen Nan said helplessly.
"What do you mean you saw wrong? Tell the truth, are you trying to take advantage of that girl?" The old poison monster acted in a disrespectful manner.
"Sir, were you spying on me from there?"
"What spying? I was just curious, and I accidentally heard and saw it."
"Accidentally?" Chen Nan was speechless.
"Yes. By the way, kid, how did you lose all your martial arts skills? And what are your skills now? How did you get admitted to the Qishi Mansion?"
The old poison master said, "Don't worry, there are no secrets among the masters of the Qishi Mansion. Otherwise, the eldest princess wouldn't have left you here with peace of mind. Everyone here is loyal to the Chu Kingdom, and no one will leak the secrets here."
Chen Nan thought about it for a moment and realized that it was true, so he answered truthfully, "I can draw Hou Yi's bow."
"What?! Ouch!" The old poison monster was so shocked that he fell off the wall, but the next second he reappeared in Chen Nan's courtyard.
"Did I hear that right? You can draw the sealed Houyi Bow? I'm so impressed! No wonder you're so young and you've moved here. You really are a national treasure!" the old man exclaimed, full of amazement.
Watching the old poison monster jumping and leaping about, Chen Nan was both amused and exasperated. After a long while, the old man calmed down and asked, "Boy, how did you lose your martial arts skills?"
"That's a long story, I'll tell you about it another time."
"It's alright, just tell me briefly, I'm very curious." The old poison monster looked like a curious child.
"Simply put... well, he was crippled by a demon."
The old poisonous monster said: "Is it over?"
Chen Nan said: "It's over."
"This...this is way too easy!"
"You're the one who asked me to keep it simple."
The old poisoner said, "Then explain it in a complicated way."
Just then, a loud explosion came from Chen Nan's backyard. Old Poison Monster screamed, "Damn it, this destroyer... my darling must be terrified again." With that, he hurriedly jumped back into his yard.
Chen Nan let out a long breath, and after returning to the house, he immediately sat down to meditate. His true energy began to surge wildly, and dazzling golden light emanated from his body, enveloping him in a golden glow.
About half an hour later, the golden light on Chen Nan's body slowly faded and disappeared from his body. He leaped up, his inner energy surging, and he wanted to roar to the sky.
Nalan Ruoshui's medical skills were indeed superb. After receiving her acupuncture, and with the addition of his frantic internal energy circulation earlier, Chen Nan felt refreshed and his skills had improved significantly.
He suppressed the urge to roar to the sky, ran into the courtyard, and punched the ground.
The entire courtyard shook, the bamboo grove swayed wildly, scattering leaves all over the ground, and huge cracks appeared in the ground centered on him.
The old poison monster next door let out a miserable scream: "Damn it... this old hag is never going to stop! Next time I'll poison her so badly she won't be able to get out of bed for three months! Little White, don't run away..."
Chen Nan unleashed dazzling sword energy from both hands, the golden blades sending dust and sand flying as they struck the ground, quickly burying the cracks. Chen Nan was incredibly excited; his family's secret technique had finally broken through the second level and entered the third level, filling him with boundless pride.