Cang Lan Dao - Chapter 9.1

Chapter 9.1
Avoid Qin Jue and Befriend Jiushuang

True qi rushed into Luo Wanqing’s tendons and veins, running around the body and converging into her dantian.

Luo Wanqing strengthened her will and pressed this convergence of true qi that belonged to someone else into her dantian based on Liu Xiniang’s reminder. The pain corrupted her concept of time. She felt the time became lengthened. A word, a sentence, a moment, all became so long.

Several times, when she felt as if she was not going to make it, another warm current surged up from her abdomen, forcing her to continue. That should be the effect of that pill.

That pill and Liu Xiniang had been good fortunes she found since she was in prison. She didn’t know how long it was before she finally heard Liu Xiniang say, “Alright, take a rest.”

The instant these words came out, she could no longer support herself. She closed her eyes and fell into darkness. She didn’t dream and slept deeply for a long time. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the morning light falling from the sky, shining on the murky water.

“You’re awake?” Liu Xiniang’s voice came.

Luo Wanwing looked over towards the opposite side. Liu Xiniang was leaning against the wall, looking out the sky. Noticing her gaze, Liu Xiniang turned her head and smiled, “It’s a beautiful day.”

“How long has it been?” Luo Wanqing hoarsely opened her mouth, and Liu Xiniang explained, “Two days.”

Luo Wanqing closed her eyes and relaxed, feeling her arms numb and sore from the chain hanging on them.

Liu Xiniang crossed the water and walked to her, removing her hands from the chains. Without her hand bound by the chains, Luo Wanqing’s feet went soft. Liu Xiniang held her up and inquired, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Luo Wanqing borrowed Liu Xiniang’s force to support herself to get up.

Liu Xiniang supported her while telling her current situation: “Your body didn’t have any foundation for practicing martial arts. Your fundamentals are too weak. The veins were close to the limit last night. It could break at any time. If not for that Nine Fragrant Nurturing Pill, you would already be dead. So, although I have given you my inner strength, you should not rush to use it. Wait for your body to get better.”

“What counts as good?” Luo Wanqing knew that Liu Xiniang would never tell her the whole situation. Liu Xiniang saw her standing steadily and sized her up, “During these three months, before taking the test, you have to do two things. The first thing is to build up your body’s foundation. Even if you don’t have internal force, you’ll be stronger than an ordinary person with your muscle’s capability.”

“And?”

“Second, you must meditate every night to repair your tendons and veins. Expand and strengthen them. Your tendons and veins are the river channel of your internal force. The wider the river channel, the stronger the power you can unleash. I will teach you the specific methods of practicing in the next few days. Your verdict came down yesterday, and you will leave in ten days.”

Luo Wanqing froze. Liu Xiniang glanced at her and continued, ”We’re on a tight schedule, so I’ve bought off the jailers. We’ll stay in this dungeon until you leave. In these ten days, I will teach you my past, details, and what I know. After that, you and I will swap our identities, and you will enter the death cell, which will be the best practice ground for you. The fastest way to learn martial arts is actually to fight for real. After you enter the death cell, no matter if you win or lose, you can fight as many fights as you can. Fights start from being beaten first. After you get used to being beaten, you won’t lose control of yourself because of your body’s pain instincts.”

“Okay.” Luo Wanqing nodded in response without any hesitation.

Seeing she was so obedient, Liu Xiniang couldn’t help but smile, “You’re going to take a lot of beatings, aren’t you afraid?”

Luo Wanqing shook her head, raised her eyes, and said solemnly, “No.”

Seeing her appearance, Liu Xiniang couldn’t help but pinch her face and sigh, “This face is so tender. What a pity.”

Luo Wanqing paused. Liu Xiniang suddenly struck out, sweeping a foot on Luo Wanqing’s leg, happily saying, “I’ll accompany you on this first fight!”

Once the words fell, Luo Wanqing’s entire body slammed into the water. Liu Xiniang’s hand immediately pressed her down, grabbing her by the hair and pressing her hard into the water.

Luo Wanqing subconsciously struggled, and then she heard Liu Xiniang call out loudly, “Hold my wrists with both hands, use the weight of your body, and quickly pull me down to the bottom.”

Luo Wanqing did as she told her. Although she was weak, she was fast.

Liu Xiniang folded her wrist up and instantly reached the extreme angle.

After Liu Xiniang released her, Luo Wanqing rushed out from the water. But Liu Xiniang slapped her again and smacked her over!

They stayed in the dungeon. Liu Xiniang was beating her unilaterally while talking to her about all the things she needed to learn.

“The Inspection Department is divided into two parts. The one in Dongdu is the headquarters. Together with the other branches, they sum up nearly 30,000 people, which are all elite. Each branch had three tiers; the Department Master, the Four Ambassadors, and the ordinary member. All the people in the Inspection Department are called Inspection Department Officers. If there are no unforeseen circumstances, anyone will yield to you if you mention this name.”

“The strongest people in the Inspection Department are all in Dongdu. No one has ever seen Xie Heng, Dongdu Headquarters’ Master. But everyone assumed he came from a noble family. So, he shouldn’t possess martial arts skills. The four ambassadors under his command are Zhu Que, Bai Li, Qing Ya, and Xuan Shan. Except for Bai Li, each of them is a top expert.”

“Bai Li isn’t considered an expert?” Luo Wanqing was curious.

Liu Xiniang nodded, “She’s not considered top-notch in terms of force, but she’s by no means too bad. Rumor has it that she is the strongest scout of the Inspection Department. No one has ever seen her appearance, and there is no news in this world that she can’t probe.”

Saying this, Liu Xiniang slapped Luo Wanqing on the head and pressed back into the water again, “Listen well, don’t interrupt me.”

Liu Xiniang taught and beat her at the same time. For those times when she didn’t feel like punching, she taught Luo Wanqing the basics of stance, meditation, and other basic skills. After ten days of indescribable reverie, Luo Wanqing felt like she had stuffed her mind with countless things. She repeatedly chewed on them over and over again, but Liu Xiniang appeared to be extraordinarily relaxed.

The night before she left, Liu Xiniang asked the jailer for some wine. Luo Wanqing watched Liu Xiniang walk over with those bottles of wine and couldn’t help but widen her eyes in curiosity, “How can you get everything?”

“Making connections is also an ability,” Liu Xiniang handed the wine bottle to Luo Wanqing while raising an eyebrow. “Can you drink?”

“Not really.” Luo Wanqing truthfully said, “My family doesn’t let me drink.”

“That’s a pity,” Liu Xiniang sighed and said helplessly, “Actually, I should teach you to drink, but I don’t have the time anymore. In the future, when you go out, look for an opportunity to practice your drinking capacity so that you don’t miss special moments.”

“Okay.” As Luo Wanqing listened to this, she understood that parting was imminent. They didn’t have much time left. She wanted to say a lot to Liu Xiniang but didn’t know how to express it.

She wanted to say ‘thank you’ but felt the weight was too light, so she might as well not say anything. After a long time, she said, “You haven’t told me anything about your past.”

“Aren’t I going to say it?” Liu Xiniang smiled, “You’re the person who’s going to pretend to be me for a long time. Can this be hidden from you?”

“I’m not suspecting you …….” Luo Wanqing rushed to explain. Liu Xiniang raised her hand and put the bottle’s spout against Luo Wanqing’s mouth, gagging her, “Less talk about these things. I don’t like to hear it.”

Luo Wanqing drank a few mouths of wine. She could not stand and hurriedly pushed her away, holding the wall and coughing.

Liu Xiniang smiled. She took a sip of the wine in her hand and pondered, “Where do I have to start? My name was not Liu Xiniang. My surname is Zhang. My name is Zhang Jiuran. The daughter of an escort agency in Yangzhou.”

Luo Wanqing looked up blankly. She pondered on the name. “Zhang Jiuran?”

“Yes, in the past, my father used to escort your father. During those years when your father came to Yangzhou, my father escorted him.”

Luo Wanqing froze as Liu Xiniang continued, “Since I was young, my parents loved and adored me. I have a younger brother who is four years younger than me. Back then, we lived in the eastern part of Yangzhou city. Our family wasn’t exactly rich, but well clothed and fed. In the past, when my father was still around, he hoped that I would become like you, civil and weak, pretty and understanding. But I didn’t listen to him and always wanted to practice martial arts.”

“Why?” Luo Wanqing listened, not understanding at all. She looked at Liu Xiniang and felt that practicing martial arts was much better than being weak, powerless, and easily bullied by others.