The loss of Lingbo Weibu is even more ridiculous than the other skills mentioned above. Just how ridiculous? Well, let me break it down for you.
First, to learn Lingbo Weibu, you have to master the basics of Bagua. Second, everyone has their specialty, and Xuzhu just couldn't care less about Bagua. Third, his good buddy Duan Yu even patted his chest and said, 'Just let me know whenever you want, I'll be there.' Bros, right? So Xuzhu agreed. Fourth, after Xuzhu went into closed-door training, Duan Yu died. Fifth, when Wu Zhengfeng arrived at the Freewind Sect, she had no idea this lightness skill even existed—she only learned about it after becoming sect leader and reading the sect leader's notes. That's when she realized the Freewind Sect used to have so many awesome skills... and now they're all gone!
"Saying it doesn't hurt is a lie, but the Supreme Six Harmonies Skill also comes with matching lightness techniques, and they're pretty good too." Seeing Jill Young looking so down, Wu Zhengfeng quickly comforted her: "These days, the Freewind Sect has the Supreme Six Harmonies Skill—pure Yang, super powerful. For martial arts, there's Plum Blossom Hand, which can absorb all kinds of techniques and go toe-to-toe with the best in the world. We're already top-tier!"
"Ah..." Jill Young let out a weak sigh, sounding totally deflated, then suddenly glared: "Say, if we went to Dali now and hunted down the Duan family, do you think we could find the secret manuals for Beiming Divine Skill and Lingbo Weibu? Those skills are so badass—there's no way Duan Yu didn't pass them down, right? But it looks like his direct grandson, Yideng, never showed any sign of knowing Beiming or Lingbo."
"Well... it's possible, but not likely. Dali was wiped out by Mongolia over eight years ago."
"What about the Western Xia royal family—could they still have the training method for Small No-Form Skill? That was Li Qiushui's signature move, and she was a Western Xia princess, plus the emperor's mom at one point. Odds are pretty good it got passed down!"
"That's probably even less likely, since Western Xia was destroyed by Mongolia nearly forty years ago."
"Forty years, so what? The Yan Kingdom's been gone even longer and Murong Fu's still out there yelling about restoring it!" Jill Young protested. "The Freewind Sect's best skills, and yet the sect itself doesn't have them anymore—what kind of messed-up world is this? Dali, Western Xia, kings, royals—I’m going door to door and getting those secret skills back!"
Wu Zhengfeng was delighted: "So, you're saying you'll join the Freewind Sect?"
"Joining the Freewind Sect, huh? I guess I could. If Beiming Divine Skill and Small No-Form Skill are gone, then so be it—I’m not actually that broken up about it. I just really like the name 'Supreme Six Harmonies Skill.'" Jill Young's eyes darted to Wu Zhengfeng's expectant face, then she suddenly asked, "But let me ask you something first."
"Ask away."
"Why are you so desperate to get me to join the Freewind Sect?" Just now, Jill Young thought it was only right for Wu Zhengfeng to be a little humble, but now she realized Wu Zhengfeng was being way too humble—like a failing company begging for a star CEO. This attitude was way more than just looking for a disciple or repaying a favor.
"Well..." Wu Zhengfeng's eyes flickered, struggling a bit, as if weighing her words. But in the end, she didn't dodge the question. Instead, she made up her mind, looked up at Jill Young with a solemn face, and said, "Because I'm already ninety-six years old. By my own count, I've only got about thirty years left. I have to find a new backbone and protector for the palace maids of Spirit Eagle Palace."
Wu Zhengfeng looked only about seven years old, but there was a heaviness in her expression: "At my level, I feel my lifespan slipping away every single day—it's crystal clear, impossible to ignore. Since my master went into seclusion, Spirit Eagle Palace has been weakening for a hundred and fifty years. Now, our only treasure is the Supreme Six Harmonies Skill. But the requirements for practicing it are so strict, you might not find one suitable person among millions of women."
"One in millions?" That sounded oddly familiar. Why did Jill Young imagine a certain someone shouting about wanting to be Pirate King and laughing?
Wu Zhengfeng gazed steadily at Jill Young: "You're a miracle. The most miraculous person I've ever met. No internal energy, yet you can take on an army; no internal energy, yet you can withstand twenty-five years' worth of force without injury. I believe you have what it takes to master the Supreme Six Harmonies Skill. You might be the last person in my life with the right potential. If you don't stay, Spirit Eagle Palace will disappear for good."
These past few days, Wu Zhengfeng had thought about a lot, but mostly about Jill Young. From being kidnapped by Shadowless to returning to Spirit Eagle Palace, Jill had shocked her more in a short time than in decades before. In her eyes, Jill Young had charisma, decisiveness, leadership, and even a keen sense for military tactics. That kind of powerful physique and tough meridians—she’d never seen anything like it.
During the recovery process, even just a drop or two of Jill Young's blood would keep Wu Zhengfeng energized for ages—like eating some magical elixir. Her constitution was way better than before. Wu Zhengfeng was certain: if Jill became the next leader of Spirit Eagle Palace, she could absolutely keep the place safe. So, no matter what, she wanted Jill to stay.
"So you're looking for a successor." Jill Young scratched her head, troubled. "Thing is... I don't even know how long I'll be here, so I'm really not the best choice. You've still got thirty years left—why not travel the world and find someone more suitable?"
"No, I don't have time." Wu Zhengfeng shook her head firmly. "In these last thirty-something years, I have to do something extremely dangerous. I won't get another chance to find an heir."
"Dangerous?" The little loli looked so serious that Jill Young couldn't help but get curious. "What is it?"
"I want to—" Wu Zhengfeng said each word slowly and forcefully. Jill Young's eyes went wide, her mouth twitched, and all she managed to reply was, "Heh..."
Ten minutes later, inside the Spirit Eagle Palace prison, Jill Young was sitting outside a cell with her legs crossed, flipping through some notes. She muttered, "Let me see... Oh, so many islands joined in? Eleven hundred martial artists, four hundred... mercenaries? There were mercenaries in this era? That's wild."
(This chapter isn’t over ^.^, please click next page to continue reading!)
A nearby palace maid immediately whispered, "We've already interrogated those soldiers. They used to be regular troops from Jin, but after Jin fell, they've been wandering the western regions for years. Sometimes hired by small countries, sometimes pretending to be bandits attacking travelers. Those three monsters are called elephants, bought from Persians further west." (Note 1)
"So that's how it is." Jill Young put down the notes and addressed the prisoner: "Fifteen hundred people—pretty impressive. You've got some clout. But I want to know, if you actually took Spirit Eagle Palace and killed Wu Zhengfeng, then what?"
Inside the cell, on an X-shaped wooden rack, Walter Huan was chained up by his limbs. He was nothing like the confident man shouting about bringing peace to the world—now he was dirty and miserable. Hearing Jill Young's question, Walter Huan hung his head and chuckled twice: "Of course it matters. I’m not afraid to tell you, with the world in chaos, it's the perfect time for a real man to rise up. The Mongols may be fierce, but until they defeat the Zhao-Song, they can't run wild. This place, in the Tianshan mountains, overlooks everything—a true treasure. Whoever controls it can rule the west and build an empire!" By the end, he was practically yelling.
"Naive." Jill Young snorted. "What makes you so sure you'll succeed?"
"Ha! Win or lose, whatever. I know I don't have much time left—death is all that's waiting for me. But if I take Spirit Eagle Palace, I get the secret martial arts manuals. If I break through the Jiazi Heavenly Barrier, I could live longer! Why should I bow to some old witch?" Walter Huan was so worked up, the chains rattled as he struggled.
"I hate it!" Walter Huan looked up at the sky. "First, I hate the heavens for being unfair—I'm smart and ambitious, yet I'll die in obscurity! Second, I hate my bad luck—my whole life crushed by an old witch, and now I'm beaten by a female demon! Third, I hate my own stinginess—if I'd recruited another ten thousand soldiers and brought siege ladders and towers, I could've taken Spirit Eagle Palace by myself. Why did I bother with that ridiculous blood pact alliance? That’s what I hate the most—let the witch escape and pissed off the demon, total failure."
"Ten thousand soldiers?" Jill Young was totally unfazed. She casually filed her nails and said, "Big talk. You say ten thousand and suddenly ten thousand appear? Who do you think you are?"
"Hahaha!" Walter Huan couldn't stop laughing. "Anywhere else, impossible. But here? I could summon ten thousand soldiers anytime! You know what that witch is plotting? She actually thinks she can shake the world, control the government! How ridiculous, how laughable!"
"Ridiculous?" Jill Young raised an eyebrow. "Aren’t you also shouting about your grand ambitions? What's the difference?"
"Hmph, even as a prisoner, I'm a real man, a true hero! That witch may be a martial arts master, but so what? She's just a woman, a lowly creature! Mere women dare to defy the order of things, dreaming of ruling the world? I advise you to leave—hold out today, but soon enough, a thousand iron hooves will trample you. Then, you'll suffer more than death! Hahaha!"
While Walter Huan cackled hysterically inside, Jill Young calmly marked an X in her notes. She waved off the palace maid, knocked Walter Huan out, then turned to the shadow in the corner: "See? This is how hard what you want to do is. Still want to go through with it?"
From the shadows, Wu Zhengfeng's determined voice came: "I already knew all this. My mind is made up."
Ten minutes ago, Wu Zhengfeng had said these words to Jill Young. Now, she repeated them, each word firm and clear: "I want—to be—the Empress."