Long Xiao chased into the courtyard. Bai Xiaotian had already retreated behind the coffin. Long Xiao swung his fist, smashing at the coffin.
With a loud boom, the coffin shattered into pieces. Bai Xiaotian, startled, retreated repeatedly, shouting, "Old dog of Nanguo, I'm not afraid of you. I'll take your life sooner or later."
Long Xiao stepped forward two paces, smiled slightly, and said, "If you're not afraid, don't run. Let's have a good fight."
Bai Xiaotian roared and charged at Long Xiao. His boxing was simple yet effective, both fast and fierce.
Long Xiao did not use the 'Chi Mei Xiao Yao Bu' or the 'Bao Long Quan'. He dodged Bai Xiaotian's attacks while observing his fighting style.
Long Xiao had once felt that Mad Dog Fist was a very practical martial art. Now, seeing Bai Xiaotian's boxing, he realized it was even more practical than Mad Dog Fist.
Back and forth, the two exchanged over a hundred moves. Long Xiao gradually understood the essence of Bai Xiaotian's boxing and began to attack him with his own style.
After another hundred moves, Long Xiao had essentially mastered Bai Xiaotian's attack techniques. Bai Xiaotian was being pushed back by Long Xiao.
Long Xiao suddenly lowered his body, blending Mad Dog Fist with Bai Xiaotian's techniques. His attacks were swift and fierce, with刁钻 and bizarre angles that were impossible to defend against.
This time, Bai Xiaotian had almost no chance to fight back. Long Xiao's fists rained down on his body and head, causing Bai Xiaotian to cry out in pain, clutching his head.
Long Xiao flickered, appearing behind Bai Xiaotian. He placed a hand on the back of Bai Xiaotian's head, pulled a healing pill from his pocket, and stuffed it into his mouth.
The moment Bai Xiaotian was forced to swallow the pill, Long Xiao pressed his hand onto Bai Xiaotian's Baihui acupoint. A flow of Five Elements Qi entered, directly unblocking his meridians and shattering the congested blood that was pressing on his nerves.
Long Xiao quickly retreated. Bai Xiaotian suddenly stood in place, looking foolishly at the surrounding crowd with a strange expression.
When Bai Xiaotian saw Bai Xiaoqing, Bai Zhenkun, and Old Master Bai, he asked curiously, "Grandpa, Dad, Sister, where am I?"
Lu Yinlan, Bai Zhenkun's wife, rushed over excitedly upon seeing Bai Xiaotian return to his senses. "Xiaotian, you're awake."
"Mom, why am I at home? Wasn't I on the battlefield? My comrades..."
Mentioning his comrades, Bai Xiaotian's expression turned somber, and large tears streamed down his face.
Lu Yinlan wiped his tears. "Alright, why is a grown man crying? It's been three years."
Old Master Bai laughed heartily. "Good, good! The Bai family has double happiness today. Let's start the feast! I want to attend my own feast today."
Long Xiao and Lin Hao stayed at the Bai residence, eating and drinking until past midnight before returning to Mangshan No. 1.
When they left, Old Master Bai wanted to give Long Xiao money, but Long Xiao refused. Long Xiao said they were family now, and helping out didn't require payment.
After this outing, the pills he carried and those in the pharmacy were almost depleted. Long Xiao and Tong Hui spent two days refining another batch of pills.
On the third day, Long Xiao dedicated the entire day to making healing salves. He had another order with the military, with someone coming to collect a batch of his internal and external injury medications at the beginning of each month.
By the time the medicines were prepared, it was already dark. As Long Xiao was about to go home, Xiao Ming arrived with Ji Yuelan.
Ji Yuelan carried a bag and placed it on the coffee table. "Brother Long, your jade has been processed."
She opened several boxes within the bag. A large box contained several smaller boxes, each holding a pair of jade bracelets.
Another box contained a pile of jade pendants.
The imperial green pendants were already strung with ropes, cut precisely, and polished smoother than glass.
Long Xiao picked up a pair of bracelets and examined them for a while. "The energy is abundant, that's great. I'll process them further and give them back to you in a few days."
"Brother Long, these are already processed. How else do you plan to process them?" Ji Yuelan asked curiously.
Long Xiao pointed to the bracelets and pendants. "I plan to engrave protective talismans on all of these jades. They can be used to ward off malevolent energies."
After sending Ji Yuelan off, Long Xiao and Xiao Ming returned to Mangshan No. 1. After dinner, as Long Xiao was about to return to his room to engrave the talismans on the bracelets and pendants, Lin Wei stopped him.
"Long Xiao, tomorrow is the first day of the month. Don't forget we have a gathering."
"Grandpa, it's already the first day of the month tomorrow?"
Lin Wei nodded. "Yes, I see you've been too busy lately, so I'm reminding you."
Long Xiao smiled. "I really forgot. Grandpa, we'll go together tomorrow."
Back in his room, Long Xiao took out 'Dragon's Roar', infused it with Five Elements Qi, and began to engrave the protective talismans.
Ten pairs of bracelets and thirty pendants. Long Xiao worked until past midnight before finishing them all.
Early the next morning, as Long Xiao and Xiao Ming returned from their morning exercises, Lin Wei called Long Xiao, ready to depart.
Xiao Ming, upon learning that Long Xiao was going to a metaphysics gathering, hurried downstairs, carrying his new backpack from yesterday.
"Brother Long, I'm going with you too."
"A metaphysics gathering, what are you going for?" Long Xiao asked with a smile.
Xiao Ming patted his belly. "I'm going for the feast, Brother Long. How about I notify Brother Luo and bring him along too?"
Long Xiao quickly shook his head. "No, Tianshui cannot go."
"Long Xiao, Tianshui also understands metaphysics?"
Long Xiao nodded and told Lin Wei that Luo Tianshui was from the Luo family, and for some reason, he was being hunted by the Luo family and had fled to Donghai to seek refuge.
The three of them went out for breakfast. Lin Wei drove Long Xiao and Xiao Ming to Xiuyu Manor at the foot of Xiping Mountain. Everyone else had already arrived.
Seeing Long Xiao and Lin Wei arrive, everyone stood to greet them. However, four middle-aged men Long Xiao didn't recognize remained seated.
"Long Xiao, let me introduce you. These four are metaphysics masters from Nanguo. They are all Ruan..."
Before Li Tianshu could finish speaking, a middle-aged man interrupted, "Master Li, there's no need for so many pleasantries. No need for introductions. We are here to challenge your Huaxia's metaphysical arts."
Long Xiao smiled and sat in the seat reserved for him. "I've heard that Nanguo metaphysics is very powerful. May I ask what kind of metaphysical arts you four practice?"
"You are Long Xiao, aren't you? The four of us are proficient in various metaphysical arts. You can choose the arts you are good at and compete with us."
The 'Dragon Scripture' did not contain the concept of metaphysics, but any of its techniques could be considered world-shattering metaphysical arts. Seeing the arrogance of the four men, Long Xiao felt a bit displeased.
"Gentlemen, actually, I don't know any metaphysical arts. When I was young, I wandered with an old man who sold fake medicine for five years and learned some magic tricks. Recently, I met some metaphysical masters present here, and they said my tricks were metaphysical arts. So, they invited me to this gathering."
The four middle-aged men burst into laughter upon hearing Long Xiao's words. One of them said, "Young man, you have a funny way of speaking. How can magic tricks be equated with metaphysical arts? It seems Huaxia truly has no talented people left, and metaphysics is about to be lost."
"Ruan Tianhu, our Huaxia metaphysics is profound and extensive, how could it be lost? While the metaphysics of Donghai may not be impressive, Huaxia has the Nine Gates of Metaphysical Arts, and each gate's arts are vast and profound."
Ruan Tianhu smiled. "I've also heard of the Nine Gates of Metaphysical Arts. We will eventually find these nine metaphysical families and challenge them at their doors."