Shake the mountains?The girl in black furrowed her brows, reaching out to take the ancient book—only for Chen Ping'an to subtly move it away.
In that moment, her body stiffened, fury surging within her. Never before had she suffered such indignity. She was Ning Yao—daughter of two supreme sword immortals who stood atop the Twelve Towers, and hailed from birth as a prodigious sword embryo. Even during her years of wandering, though she had lost duels or contests of magic, never had her dignity been trampled upon like this.
A tattered manual? And she, Ning Yao, was expected to stoop so low as to resort to petty tricks to glance at, steal, or seize it?
Her fingers clenched tightly around the hilt of her blade. Her narrow, striking brows narrowed even further. Slender eyes, vermilion lips—she was the very embodiment of that phrase.
On closer inspection, Ning Yao's features were breathtaking, but the overwhelming aura of resolute valor she exuded thoroughly eclipsed any trace of girlish charm.
Yet what the straw-sandaled youth said next had an almost alchemical effect—it nearly made the girl suffer an internal injury from suppressed laughter.
"Ning-guniang, I got this book from Gu Can's house. I don't think it counts as stealing, but I'll return it to him someday. Since we're friends now, no matter what's written in it, I hope you'll just read it and keep it to yourself."
The girl took a deep breath, slammed the table, and snapped, "What's there to look at? Look yourself. I don't care for it!"
What Chen Ping'an said next made her nearly burst into laughter.
"Ning-guniang, I can't read. Could you teach me?"
Her anger gave way to a scoff. "Aren't you afraid I might take advantage of you? Think about it. Gu Can's obviously someone blessed with deep ancestral luck—he even surpasses a natural-born sword embryo like Liu Xianyang. In the thousand-year history of our small town, few can compare. So this heirloom he's guarded so carefully—how bad could it be? Aren't you worried I'll be tempted by its value and keep it for myself?"
Under the wavering glow of a dim oil lamp, Chen Ping'an simply smiled, offering no explanation.
With a cold huff, she shifted over and motioned for him to sit beside her. But when he didn't move for quite some time, she chuckled in exasperation.
"I, Ning Yao, could defeat a hundred of you with one hand…"She trailed off, then began laughing to herself.
"Are you seriously afraid I'll take advantage of you?"
Chen Ping'an finally sat beside her, a little nervous, a little uneasy.
But Ning Yao was still lost in the amusement of her own words, sinking deeper and deeper into that whimsical thought.
"One hand defeats a hundred Chen Ping'ans... That phrase is versatile. If I lose a duel, I can just scoff and say, 'You only have the strength of three thousand Chen Ping'ans, and you dare challenge me?' Sounds pretty good! Or if I encounter some ancient beast or vicious serpent, I'll just tell myself, 'This monster's worth thirty thousand Chen Ping'ans—run!' Hahaha, not bad, not bad…"
Chen Ping'an sat there, confused, as the black-clad girl beside him suddenly giggled like a child.
Her laughter, in that moment, made the destitute boy feel like a wealthy man.
And neither of them, at this moment, could have known—That this playful phrase, "One hand to defeat a hundred Chen Ping'ans," would one day carry immense weight through the tides of years. Especially once the boy in straw sandals was no longer a boy.
As time flowed onward, that phrase would grow heavier still.
Ning Yao finally returned to her senses, straightened her posture with a cough, picked up the manual, and flipped through several pages in rapid succession. Then she closed it again and tapped the cover twice with her finger.
She turned to Chen Ping'an and said plainly,"This is a fist manual. The style is named 'Shake the Mountains.' In martial terms, you may call it The Mountain-Shaking Manual."
Chen Ping'an's eyes lit up with anticipation."And then?"
Ning Yao resisted the urge to roll her eyes and did her best to maintain a serious tone. She opened to the preface, her slender, scallion-like finger sliding downward as she read aloud:
"In my homeland, there is a tiny insect called the pifu. Its entire life, unlike its kin elsewhere, is spent ferrying stones into the water."
"My martial art draws the line between life and death, not between victory and defeat. It prizes spirit over form. Once the six movements of this fist reach mastery, the lethality is immense, easily piercing deep into one's vitals..."
"Though The Mountain-Shaking Manual has never stood among the esteemed ranks of martial manuals, I've always believed it deserves a rightful place among the martial arts of the world. To whomever is fated—may you carry it forth."
Patiently, Ning Yao read the entire preface aloud to Chen Ping'an.
The manual was but a thin volume—its techniques amounted to just six movements—but the preface itself was quite extensive.
Upon finishing, she pushed the manual over to Chen Ping'an, patted him on the shoulder, and said perfunctorily,"Keep it safe. Don't let a thief get it."
Chen Ping'an nodded and carefully took the ancient manual with both hands.
Ning Yao couldn't help but find it amusing—was this manual about to grow legs and run off the table? Or was Chen Ping'an worried it might trip and fall?
He vigorously rubbed his right hand against his clothes before opening the first page, scanning the preface word by word.
Following that were illustrations and text—utter gibberish to the straw-sandaled boy.
Ning Yao leaned sideways with an elbow on the table, watching his side profile, teasing:"Feeling like you struck it rich? Gonna chop firewood with a golden axe and eat from a golden bowl?"
The boy didn't look up. Still absorbed in those incomprehensible symbols, he replied candidly,"Actually, from the look in your eyes earlier, I already knew this manual wouldn't be very impressive. But it's good enough for me."
Ning Yao raised her brow and said bluntly,"The things I've seen or heard of—yes, they're fine things. But beyond that, I can only distinguish good from bad. As for how good or how bad? That's harder to say."
Chen Ping'an looked up,"So this Mountain-Shaking Manual—it's in the 'good, but not too good' category?"
Ning Yao snorted,"I honestly don't know how to describe just how awful this broken manual really is."
The boy blinked, a hint of laughter tugging at his lips. Clearly, he already had a sense of it—just teasing her.
Ning Yao pushed her blade slightly out of its scabbard in warning,"Do you want to be cut down?"
Chen Ping'an glanced at the green-sheathed blade at her waist and sincerely praised,"It's beautiful."
Ning Yao accepted the compliment with ease,"I picked it myself. Of course it's not bad."
Chen Ping'an looked at her, a flicker of admiration and envy in his eyes.
Though they were the same age, and both strangers in a foreign land, her confidence never wavered.
Like a rising sun—unrelenting and unstoppable.
He'd sensed it already from Daoist Lu's cautious, almost deferential manner when speaking to her.
Unconsciously, Chen Ping'an murmured,"If only sunlight could be traded for copper coins…"
Ning Yao stared at him in confusion."Chen Ping'an, have you lost your mind over money?"
He hurriedly changed the subject, flipping to the first illustrated page."Ning-guniang, could you read this one to me?"
Ning Yao thought for a moment, then agreed.
But she first asked,"Do you know why I could tell at a glance that this manual wasn't anything great?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head,"I was wondering about that too."
She smiled and turned to sit cross-legged on the bench, facing him directly.
Pointing at the manual, she patiently explained,"Martial manuals and cultivation techniques are typically recorded in three ways. The first is like this one—written on common paper. Its longevity depends on luck. Never mind wars and disasters, even just moisture or insect damage over time can ruin it, right?"
Chen Ping'an nodded, suddenly enlightened.
She continued,"So with this method, an unwritten rule arose—rare materials are used to match the value of the content. Just as you wouldn't use elm wood to make a box for the imperial seal."
Chen Ping'an's eyes lit up in realization...