Chapter 37 - Saint Thief Bai Yufei

The essential Qi in Shenzu Scripture was not categorized to Yin nor Yang, but once it passed by certain meridians and acupoints, it could be converted to either extreme Yin or extreme Yang.

This was after Shen Lian experimented by himself, his psyche was just too powerful and the amount of essential Qi inside him was too much for him to handle. He was able to control the slightest essential Qi and make changes within the parameter that was bearable for him.

Of course, this was done without being under the tutorage of experienced predecessors. It was a method that out of desperate measures.

The situation that he was in was like in the modern society, he had to self-taught mathematics in high school. Even though it was somewhat effective, compared to those who were in elite schools, he did not have any advantage, most of the time spent was just wasted.

The problem was that, up until then, he still had not come in contact with those sects or superlunary immortals who were seriously dedicated to practice and cultivation.

Perhaps Ling Chongxiao understood this point, but there was not a really profound friendship between the both of them, what more was that Shen Lian did not know Ling Chongxiao's whereabouts.

If everything went according to plan, regardless of whether Shen Lian's Governor and Conceptual vessels linked up within a year or not, he would still embark on the path of search for immortals and Dao teachings. After all, he had obtained some measures of self-protection.

Even though Shen Lian's medical skills still did not reach the level to be able to raise the dead or grow flesh from bones, it was not an overemphasis to call him a master healer.

After all, he was educated in modern medicine and practiced inner Qi, his senses were sharp and sensitive which was difficult to put him on the same level as other healers.

Also, he was the only one to be able to control the micro level of inner Qi and change it into an extremely Yin inner Qi. He channeled it into the person's body, froze the malicious Qi and in a skillful swift, he forced it out of the body.

The man had first woken up but later fainted back.

It was because Shen Lian had hit his Hunshui point so that he would fall into deep slumber.

...

Bai Yufei's eyes opened and he noticed that he was lying on a comfortable bed. He had never slept on a bed this soft in his entire life. He took a moment to recall details of what had happened. He had somehow made his way to the entrance of An Inn and in a haze, he remembered he was lifted by someone and someone had treated his injuries.

He tried to move his inner Qi briefly and even though it was still a little slow, it was able to flow through Tianchi, Qimen and Juque, the three acupoints that were pricked by the golden poison needles.

After the Qi had returned to his Dantian [2], he touched the area of the three acupoints, the golden needles had been taken out.

There was a distant sound of zither coming from the outside. Combined with the cold and snowy weather, it was like the clear spring waters flowing slowly, it was cooling yet so lively.

Bai Yufei got out of bed, pushed the door and headed out. The sound of zither lingered in the corridors, it faded in and out.

His hearing was superb and he caught the source of it.

He had to admit that even though the artistic conception of the zither's music was ingenious, but the fingering was not unique. Bai Yufei once had a chance to listen to a tune played by a Qingguan in Zuixiang pavilion of the imperial city. Compared to the Qingguan, this music was unrefined.

He would prefer this music from the zither although he could not really draw a reason for it. Perhaps, within that zither's sound, there was more freedom and less of the resentment in contrast to the Qingguan.

He finally found the room where the sound came from. It was a little further from the other rooms which really separated it. It was a statement to the exception of this place.

The door was ajar and no one was around.

Bai Yufei reached the entrance, the sound of the zither came to a halt.

"Green bubbles—newly brewed wine;

lumps of red—a small stove for heating;

evening comes and the sky snows—

Could you come for a drink, I wonder?"

The words used in this poem were common but Bai Yufei felt that it was wonderful.

It was as if someone who had used the fundamental sword moves and came up with an innovative set of sword skills.

What more, this poem was similar to the zither's sound, there was a hint of unspoken cheerfulness.

"Since you're already here, why not lift your feet and come forward?" A young voice came to Bai Yufei's ears, it even sounded slightly immature. The voice would not be considered as pleasant to the ears, as though the voice was still in its voice changing phase.

He heard it, and there was no reason for him not to enter. There was another room within the room, divided by a bamboo curtain.

He lifted the bamboo curtain and anticipated a refined and elegant interior design. But there was nothing but whitewashed walls, a tea table in the middle of the room and not far away was a Guqin.

In front of the tea table, there was a delicate looking young man who sat cross-legged.

He looked approximately 15 years old, like a figure in a drawing.

It was not tea on the table but liquor.

There were residues floating on the surface of the liquor, like green ants.

One wine flagon, two drinking cups.

With the addition of the phrase, 'Could you come for a drink, I wonder', it was impossible for Bai Yufei to not understand the meaning behind it.

Until he followed the young man's example and took his seat opposite of the young man, he suddenly realized he was no taller than the young man. Furthermore, the other had a kind of grace that, unconsciously, made him felt shorter, it had even reminded him of someone—the person who injured him!

"I am Bai Yufei, thank you gracious young master for your help."

"You are a rather trustworthy person, it seemed that you purposely chose to come here since you knew that I can save you," Shen Lian chuckled. Outside, the evening snow began to fall again.

His windows were open. Even though there was a little furnace by the side, the room was still slightly chilled.

However, it seemed as though Shen Lian did not feel cold, his clothes were not even that thick.

Bai Yufei was previously not afraid of the cold. It was only because his injuries were still healing, on top of that, the restless escape that occurred not long ago, he could not help but shiver and cough when the chilling breeze blew.

Shen Lian shook his head, waved his palm and closed the windows.

Bai Yufei praised Shen Lian in his heart. To be able to use the force of the palm to strike mid-air was nothing new in Jianghu, he was able to do it if his injuries were healed. However, it was rare to be able to simply use it to close windows that were twenty feet away.

Furthermore, for Shen Lian to be able to have this level of cultivation base at such a young age, he was definitely a prodigy when it came to practicing the art of Wushu. No wonder even with Jin Daowang's arrogance, he was more than willing to admit defeat.

"I have embarrassed myself, surely I have troubled you by making my escape to this place. If you really do mind, I will leave immediately. If I am lucky enough to stay alive, I will definitely come back and pay my debt of gratitude," Bai Yufei said with clasped hands.

"From your accent, you sound like someone from the State of Yan. But I do not know why you would flee to the State Capital of Qing in this cold season?"

"Perhaps you do not really understand much of the ongoing that happened in Jianghu. I am known by some titles in Jianghu. Whenever I'm tight in financial, I would borrow from people like you. To not appear rude, I would inform the host first hand but have never slipped up. Thanks to the love given by my peers in Jianghu, they have given me the title 'Saint Thief', I truly dare not live up to it," Bai Yufei briefly introduced himself.

"So I am in the presence of the 'Saint Thief', I didn't know before that your actual name is Bai Yufei. If my guessing is correct, brother Bai, not only has superb Qinggong, your knife skill is also top notch. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of person was able to force you into this difficult position?" It was true that Shen Lian was unclear about Jianghu matters, but he had heard some things during these two years, the Saint Thief was a recently famous thief hero.

He originally thought it would be some kind of elegant young master, like characters similar to Chu Liuxiang.

Although, he did not expect someone with a look of a countryside young lad with ordinary looks. Only the name, Bai Yufei, was still considered as somewhat befitting to the image of the thief hero.

The fact was that the majority of the thieves, since the beginning of time, had ordinary looks so that they did not draw attention from others. There was almost none who were similar to such character as Chu Liuxiang.