Traveling through time to cultivate immortality: a life and death test

"Thank you, Miss, for taking me in." Liu Xing pretended to be overjoyed and agreed. After all, he was still a teenager, so he couldn't act too sophisticated.

"We will be brothers from now on." Chief Wang patted Liu Xing's shoulder, feeling pleased to have such a young hero join them.

"Miss, please take care of me in the future. Please take care of me, Brother Wang. Please take care of me, brothers." Liu Xing bowed humbly to all four directions. Everyone was happy and returned the greeting happily.

Dongfang Qing and his servant were also very happy, and Xiao Zi started chirping again:

"You have good taste, Miss, you didn't make a mistake in choosing someone."

Then, everyone dispersed. The injured guard returned to the hold for treatment. The sailors dumped the body into the river and cleaned the bloodstains from the deck. Soon, the traces disappeared, as if nothing had happened. Everyone's mood remained unchanged, seemingly accustomed to this life of living on the edge of a knife.

Liu Xing also returned to the hold. While eating breakfast, he reflected on his gains and losses. He realized that actual practice was essential for improving his combat effectiveness; working in isolation would only significantly diminish his abilities. Constant self-reflection and self-reflection were habits he had cultivated in his previous life, enabling him to achieve success in both study and work. During his school years, he compiled several collections of his mistakes. He never failed to score on any problem he had solved. This was his secret. The same was true at work. Every experience taught him a lesson, and he would develop methodologies and solidify each experience into his own. The difference between people lies in their mindsets, habits, and luck.

For the next few days, Liu Xing kept pestering Chief Wang, demanding a duel. He was the best martial artist on the ship. He called him "Brother Wang," which Chief Wang appreciated, as he was also fond of this diligent and studious young man. So, every day, he spent an hour sparring with him. After more than ten days, Liu Xing's progress was obvious. From initially struggling to hold his own, he now handled the fight with ease, and later forced Chief Wang to use all his internal energy.

Xiao Zi was lively and active, dragging her daughter to watch Liu Xing and Chief Wang duel every day, with the guards watching and cheering. After each match, Xiao Zi would pester Liu Xing to play the flute for her, and Liu Xing didn't refuse. He truly loved music, and with so few entertainment options here, the flute helped him relax. By the end of the song, everyone was captivated, including Dongfang Qing, her cheeks flushed slightly, a shy expression on her face.

Half a month passed quickly, with singing and laughter all the way, and no other blind people came to harass us.

That day, the boat left the Tongtian River and sailed from a tributary into Tianxin Lake. The lake was vast, stretching as far as the eye could see, with five islands clearly visible in the center. Yachts patrolled the lake from time to time, so naturally, no one came to inspect the young lady's boat. It sailed until it stopped at the dock of the largest island in the center.

Finally arriving safely, Chief Wang breathed a sigh of relief. Despite some setbacks, the journey had been uneventful. Protecting the Pavilion Master's only daughter was incredibly stressful. If the young lady had been frightened or injured, his life would have been in jeopardy. This was all thanks to Brother Liu Xing; otherwise, he would have suffered a severe loss at the hands of the Wushui Gang. This matter must be reported to the Pavilion Master immediately.

"Come with us to meet the Pavilion Master." After more than ten days of getting along, everyone was very familiar with each other, so Dongfang Qing, Xiao Zi, Chief Wang, and Liu Xing walked together towards the Pavilion Master's office hall.

Arriving at the main hall, he saw a stern-faced middle-aged man sitting in the main seat. His build was strong, his eyes gleaming with brilliance, and his martial arts skills seemed even more powerful than Liu Ying's. Liu Xing was startled. Could this be Dongfang Hao, the head of the Misty Rain Pavilion? He truly was a hero! Next to him sat a graceful and elegant woman, about thirty years old, in excellent shape and plump, a classic beauty, though her complexion looked slightly ill. It was Dongfang Qing's mother.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Dongfang Qing threw herself into her mother's arms, saying flatteringly, "Mom, I found you a miracle drug. Look!" Then, as if presenting a treasure, she opened a long wooden box, revealing an old ginseng root. Her mother didn't look at the precious drug, but instead gazed at Dongfang Qing with pity, trying to see if she had been harmed. "Qing'er, you're so sensible! You've been so hard on me this trip. Don't run away like this again. If anything goes wrong, how will you and your parents survive?" It turned out that this little girl had run away secretly. She was truly lawless. Knowing her mother's suffering during her birth, Dongfang Qing felt guilty and had always wanted to do something for her. Her parents loved her dearly, and considering her filial piety, they couldn't be too harsh.

Chief Wang reported his journey to the Pavilion Master, focusing on the Wushui Gang's surprise attack and Liu Xing's situation, and spoke highly of him. Pavilion Master Dongfang remained calm, saying he understood and would let him go. Chief Wang glanced at Liu Xing and quietly withdrew.

Dongfang Hao stared at Liu Xing with lightning-like eyes, which made him feel uneasy.

"You deliberately approached me, what is your purpose? Why don't you tell me the truth? Look at my palm!" He rushed forward and slammed down with his palm.

"Daddy, that's not the case..." Dongfang Qing was immediately anxious and was about to rush over to explain. However, the woman smiled and held her back, saying, "Qing'er, don't worry. Your father is testing his kung fu."

Liu Xing was initially baffled, startled by Dongfang Hao's unspoken attack. However, his keen senses allowed him to sense whether Dongfang Hao was exerting sufficient strength, his internal energy being very restrained. He also sensed the recent scene between Dongfang Qing and her daughter, and was moved by her concern for him. He instantly realized the Pavilion Master was testing his martial arts, and knowing the inside story, he felt relieved. Using his bamboo flute as a sword, he unleashed the Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

Over ten days of practical training on the ship had significantly improved his combat prowess. He could adapt his opponent's skills, finding flaws and adjusting his own sword strokes and angles accordingly. Dongfang Hao was increasingly astonished as the fight progressed. From his initial 20% strength to his current 90% strength, after nearly a hundred rounds of fighting, he simply couldn't defeat him, unless they engaged in a head-on confrontation, resulting in a mutually devastating defeat. This young man, barely twelve or thirteen, had mastered such masterful swordsmanship, a rare sight. True to form, heroes emerge young.

"Not bad." Dongfang Hao withdrew and praised.

"Young Master Liu won!" Dongfang Qing shouted, as if he had completely changed into a different person, revealing his true self in front of his parents.

"I've seen your father perform the Plum Blossom Sword Technique before. Liu Ying was a hero, and I admired him very much. Unfortunately, he was unlucky. You have to avenge him yourself." Dongfang Hao said regretfully.

"From now on, call me Pavilion Master in front of others, and call me Uncle Hao when no one is around. You can stay in Yanyu Pavilion and practice with peace of mind, and be my daughter's personal bodyguard." Dongfang Hao was eager to find talent, so he used gentle means to win over Liu Xing.

"Thank you, Pavilion Master, for taking me in. Thank you, Uncle Hao and Aunt Hao, for your care." Liu Xing was naturally happy to be cared for.

Seeing Liu Xing being so well-behaved, the woman looked at this handsome young man and liked him more and more. It turned out that appearance was the key to success.