Martial sect rules are extremely strict. Unless one is the Sect Master, anyone who wants to leave must inform the sect and get the approval.
On the one hand, it facilitates management, and on the other, it ensures the safety of the sect's experts.
Of course, Shi Xiaole couldn't possibly inform the Huajian Sect.
Now that the Grand Elder is covering the sky with one hand, he doesn't want his whereabouts to be known to others, as it would bring constant danger.
So he chooses to leave in secret.
Naturally, he couldn't go through the mountain gate, but luckily, due to the inherent solitary character of the original owner, he often ran to the back mountain alone, inadvertently discovering a secret path down the mountain.
Shi Xiaole walked unhurriedly to the edge of the cliff, stopped, turned around and said, "Stop sneaking around, come on out."
No response.
"What? Crazy Zhao the famous, you're also playing surveillance tricks now?"
Amid the rustling sound, the forest parted, and Zhao Buping, with his sword at his waist, his aura as cold as ice, walked out, saying doubtfully, "How did you notice me?"
Due to the cultivation of Hengshan Mind Method, Shi Xiaole's hearing and vision were much sharper than before. Therefore, he had discovered the tracking as soon as he stepped out of the courtyard.
Of course, he wouldn't explain it to Zhao Buping. Instead he asked, "Senior Brother Zhao, why are you following me?"
Hearing this, Zhao Buping sneered: "This place is known as the Deadly Cliff. Do you get it, Shi Xiaole?"
Shi Xiaole said, "We have no past grudges. Even if we do consider the fight from that day, it's not a matter of life and death. Could someone be coercing you?"
Zhao Buping's slender hand gripped his sword, his killing intent surged irresistibly as he approached step by step. His expression was that of a hunter about to slaughter his game, "Cut the crap. It's pointless. You should seek your answers in the underworld."
The moment the last word fell, Zhao Buping unsheathed his sword and attacked Shi Xiaole.
The loss in the previous duel, the unexpected defeat at the hands of Shi Xiaole, stirred an unprecedented sense of humiliation and anger in Zhao Buping.
During these days, without much instruction from the Grand Elder, he hid outside Shi Xiaole's courtyard daily, waiting for a chance to kill the boy.
What did the sect rules matter to a maddened Zhao Buping? Especially when he had the Grand Elder backing him up, there was nothing to fear.
At the fifth tier of the hidden Qi, combined with the flawless Painted Plum Sword Technique Shape Mimicry, Zhao Buping's strike was extraordinarily fierce, like a blossoming plum, simultaneously aiming at eight fatal positions on Shi Xiaole's body.
The best approach to such an attack would be to retreat. Unfortunately, a cliff stood behind him, escape was not an option.
If this were half a month ago, Shi Xiaole would have had to accept his fate and await death.
But now, only a strong will to fight rose in his heart.
Swish!
A silver flash. Two swords clashed violently, producing a clanging sound.
Shi Xiaole took a step back, narrowly dodging at the last moment, then fiercely counterattacked Zhao Buping. The sword light continuously flowed as he switched from defense to attack.
"He blocked that attack?"
Zhao Buping would be lying if he claimed not to be shocked. This was almost his full-strength attack, how could Shi Xiaole have blocked it?
Could it be that he was playing possum all this time?
"No matter how strong you are, your realm can't be hidden, and you're bound to die!"
Zhao Buping roared, displaying all twelve styles of the Painted Plum Sword Technique with the intent to kill Shi Xiaole.
Undeniably, the Painted Plum Sword Technique was far superior to basic sword techniques. Under the state of perfect Shape Mimicry, Zhao Buping's sword path represented a plum blossom, with Shi Xiaole at its center.
Unfortunately, Shi Xiaole was not panicked. Even though his moves seemed plain, he managed to block Zhao Buping's attacks. Despite his constant retreat, he never lost composure.
"Spirit Integration Perfection? Impossible!"
Victimized by the incredible rhythm, and constantly falling under pressure, Zhao Buping suddenly realized that Shi Xiaole had horrifyingly achieved the Spirit Integration Perfection level in the basic swordsmanship.
In his memory, in recent decades, the only person in the Huajian Sect who achieved this was his most talented senior sister. How could Shi Xiaole achieve it?!
"Zhao Buping, I'm someone who distinguishes clearly between gratitude and grudges. If you want to kill me, don't blame me for being brutal."
Shi Xiaole's sword technique transformed dramatically from plain and unadorned to an insanely treacherous style, heading directly towards Zhao Buping's sword tip.
In the previous duel with Zhao Buping, there were spectators, so Shi Xiaole could not fully display his Huashan Sword Technique, making it seem like a desperate, single sword attack.
Now, with all techniques on full display, the almost dangerous feel was as if an invisible hand was squeezing Zhao Buping's throat.
Shi Xiaole withdrew his sword and suddenly began to run.
Zhao Buping thought he was trying to escape back to the sect and panicked, his sword movements becoming disarrayed. Just then, Shi Xiaole suddenly turned back, ruthlessly stabbing Zhao Buping in the left chest with his sword.
Swoosh!
The sword's tip was stained with blood.
Zhao Buping's pupils dilated, his mouth agape, as if unable to believe what had just happened.
"You only understand sequential execution of sword techniques, but can't adapt and respond. Such a waste."
Shi Xiaole withdrew his sword and stabbed again. After three swift stabs, Zhao Buping was dead beyond doubt. His body tumbled down the cliff at the push of Shi Xiaole's hand.
Zhao Buping wasn't wrong about one thing; this was a cliff where people met their end. Sadly, it was not Shi Xiaole who met his end, but him.
Quickly wiping off the blood from his sword with leaves and ensuring there were no traces left at the scene, Shi Xiaole went back the way he came. Following his memory, he took another direction, found the secret path down the mountain, and his figure soon disappeared into the forest.
…
Emerald Feather City was a city with a population of several millions. The streets were unblocked, all kinds of shops lined the streets, the crowd was like a weaving, and occasionally, one could see Martial World travellers with swords on their belt.
"Know your enemy and know yourself, a hundred battles never in danger." After admiring a scroll depicting ancient China, Shi Xiaole began his investigation into the information about the Three-legged Bird.
The ones he investigated were naturally the disciples of the Qiongjia Gang.
The top martial arts forces in Qingxue State can be summarized as two magic palaces, three gangs, four grand families, and eight sects.
The Qiongjia Gang is one of the three gangs.
The nature of this gang is similar to that of the Beggar's Gang in the past life, both recruiting poor disciples, and its members are spread across various cities in Qingxue State.
On the street, at a glance, about four or five out of every ten beggars are disciples of the Qiongjia Gang.
"Little brother, can we make a deal?"
Taking out a silver ingot, Shi Xiaole turned to a shabby-looking man with twinkling eyes.
The shabby-looking man grunted, "What deal?"
"Help me inquire about a grand thief called the Three-legged Bird. I want all his information, the more detailed the better."
Looking at the silver ingot in Shi Xiaole's hand, the shabby-looking man laughed, "You're an interesting fellow. Even if you had pulled out a gold ingot, the old man wouldn't budge if you spoke to me in a condescending or commanding tone. Kid, I'll take the deal. Come find me here in three days."
The shabby-looking man got up and left, quickly disappearing into the crowd.
Looking at his back, Shi Xiaole laughed.
With the money left by his aunt, Shi Xiaole spent it without any hesitation. He booked the cleanest room in the most luxurious inn in Emerald Feather City and spent three days practicing in his room.
The battle with Zhao Buping seemed to have stimulated his potential, making him feel a seemingly existing barrier in the dark.
That is the bottleneck in the Fourth Tier of Hidden Qi.
Shi Xiaole believed that at his current rate, he would need another month or so before his internal skill level could make another breakthrough.
On the fourth day, at the same time and place, Shi Xiaole handed over the silver and received a file from the shabby-looking man's hand, then left with a smile.
"He looks like he's only fifteen or sixteen, but he sure is efficient when handling business."
The shabby-looking man muttered while weighing the silver in his hand, excited to visit the brothel tonight.
...
There is a large bamboo forest in Emerald Feather City, opposite which is a lake, with a two-story tavern built beside it.
One day, after a light drizzle of winter rain, a young man in a green robe walked in.
"Oh boy, what can I get for you?"
The landlady's eyes brightened and she greeted enthusiastically.
"Serve anything that's meat,"
Shi Xiaole sat down by the window and said briefly.
Pfft!
Shi Xiaole's arrival broke the tense atmosphere in the tavern, and a delicate girl couldn't help laughing and glanced at him.
Swish!
Just then, an ordinary-looking man suddenly sprang up, slashing his knife at the girl's table, and leaping out of the tavern at the same time.
"Three-legged Bird, we've been after you for a long time, where do you think you're escaping to!"
Also sitting with the girl were two young men, both of Sixth Tier of Hidden Qi, grasping their swords and swinging them out from both sides.
The girl wasn't easy either, with a coquettish exclaim, she drew her sword and rose, surprisingly with the internal strength of the Fifth Tier of Hidden Qi.
Probably after some intense fight, the three returned to the inn in a short while, holding the man in their hands.
"Haha, the rumors in the martial world are indeed not credible. It is said that you, the Three-Legged Bird, have killed masters in the Qi Absorption Realm, which made us worried beforehand, but it turns out that you're so weak."
A young man laughed heartily, quite triumphant.
Everyone in the inn had heard of the name "Three-legged Bird", and they all came up to congratulate the two young men and the girl.
"Senior Brother, Captain Jin is still waiting for us. Let's hurry to the court to turn him in."
The delicate girl looked disgustedly at the Three-legged Bird and couldn't help but glance at Shi Xiaole again. As soon as another steady young man paid for the drinks, the three paid their respects to everyone and left.
At this moment, Shi Xiaole, who had finished his meal, walked over to another reticent man and laughed, "Sir, I want to have something from you."
"What is it."
The man replied in a low voice.
"Your head."
The man raised his head and laughed, "Why does the young hero want my head?"
"Because you are the grand thief, the Three-legged Bird."
When the words came out, all the people in the inn who hadn't left were stunned. They had just caught a "Three-legged Bird", and now another one has emerged. What was going on?
After some thought, some people suddenly sneered.
These days, there are all sorts of people who want to make a name for themselves. As far as they were concerned, Shi Xiaole was definitely putting on a show to get famous.
After all, the three young people just now were high-ranking disciples of the Duster Gate, one of the thirteen sects on Mountain Luyan. One of them was even quite famous in the Martial World of Emerald Feather City. There was no way they could be lying.