Chapter Twenty-Seven: Tempest Over Lingbo

Hu Mo felt utterly stifled. The saying, “There are unpredictable storms in the sky,” seemed to fit him perfectly. For more than half a month, he’d been cooped up at home, ostensibly reading, but in truth, it was more like hiding from disaster. He’d finally managed to avoid the worst of it, but the moment he stepped outside, trouble found him again. He couldn’t help but lament his luck—he didn’t want to encounter anything, yet everything seemed determined to cross his path. He never provoked others, but others always came for him, leaving him no way to guard against it.

Still, today’s events had served as a stark warning to Hu Mo: Flame City was indeed a pit of dragons and tigers, and if he wasn’t careful, he might lose his life without even knowing how it happened.

Sitting alone in his room, bored and restless, Hu Mo pondered silently. In this world of predators, what should his path be? He was past the age of hiding his light and biding his time; asking him to endure for another seven or eight years was tantamount to asking for his life. The so-called injury he had suffered had healed after a few days, though during that time he’d endured no small hardship—mages chanting spells beside his ear until he nearly went mad. Yet, he had gained from the mishap: he’d ascended from a Level Two Warrior straight to Level Five, and his rate of advancement continued to accelerate. Clearly, that power, akin to the “Northern Underworld Divine Skill,” was extraordinarily abnormal.

Because of this, Hu Mo’s confidence had grown considerably—at least he’d found a way to quickly increase his strength. To determine whether it truly was the Northern Underworld Divine Skill, Hu Mo had to ask that woman. But the answer left him simmering with frustration.

“Playing mute again! This woman is hopeless! When she’s a lady, she’s more refined than anyone; when she’s fierce, she’s fiercer than all; and when she’s tormenting others...” Hu Mo couldn’t even find words for his feelings, especially when he recalled being struck on the laughter acupoint—his anger surged.

There was a ticking time bomb inside him, and he had no idea when it would detonate. Who could be comfortable with that? Even more aggravating was the trio that seemed to care about nothing. At the very least, he was their master now, yet they refused to help him and instead sided with that woman. The mere thought infuriated him.

Yet, after a moment’s reflection, it made sense. What could he do? His status as master felt nominal; he was weak and still relied on the trio to cultivate. Calling himself master felt more like “living under someone else’s roof.”

The second layer of the Ripple Step contained no mention of any battle techniques; the only thing Hu Mo could feel was his combat strength rising at an astonishing pace. Roughly estimating, compared to others of the same level, his speed was about five times theirs, and with the trio’s assistance, his cultivation speed would multiply even further.

Rocketing battle strength was all well and good, but without any battle techniques, what could he do with it? The feeling of strength without a place to wield it was deeply stifling.

He couldn’t help recalling Duan Yu from the Heavenly Dragon world, who at first could only absorb inner force. The Northern Underworld Divine Skill allowed him to absorb, but not release, the power he’d taken in. Only when he learned to wield the Six Meridian Sword could he truly put that inner force to use.

What Hu Mo needed now was a battle technique like the Six Meridian Sword, something to unleash his long-stored power.

“Maybe I should practice that Fire Dragon Slash? It’s probably the only worthwhile thing in the Hu Mansion.” Hu Mo forced a bitter smile, his tone tinged with reluctance.

If Hu Yi Hu heard him, he’d probably want to slap him dead. An Earth-level elementary battle technique, so rare and precious, yet Hu Mo dismissed it so lightly—what about those who could only practice Human-level techniques?

Moreover, his words had deeply slighted the Ripple Step. At that moment, he felt a surge of energy within him, and his mind went hazy, as if struck a hundred times with a dull club.

“You scoundrel! It’s clearly your own lack of perception, weak foundation, and poor aptitude, yet you dare speak disrespectfully and slander the Ripple Step!” The woman’s voice was as fierce as ever, as if the Ripple Step mattered more than her life itself.

Hu Mo was seething and couldn’t help but shout, “Are you bored or what? I’m asking you—who are you, and why are you here? If you have the guts, show yourself in front of me! Stop skulking around! What’s wrong with me cursing the Ripple Step? I don’t even care about that damn thing! Don’t forget, you’re the one who forced yourself on me, desperate for fusion. What does any of this have to do with me?”

His outburst released most of his pent-up anger. Though a gentleman shouldn’t quarrel with a woman, if she was overly wild, he wouldn’t treat her as a lady. Especially with this strange woman—he hadn’t provoked her, so why did she target him time and again?

Hu Mo, muddled and dazed, failed to notice the dramatic changes in his surroundings. Just like the previous “dream,” green bamboo appeared all around him, mist swirling, a faint fragrance permeating the air. All this gradually calmed his heart, and he sank into a wonderfully strange state.

Just as he was about to be completely immersed, a sudden jolt of awareness struck him. When he looked up, a familiar figure stood nearby, facing the wind—a white-clad woman, aloof and indifferent. If Hu Mo didn’t know her true temperament, he might be fooled by her lonely demeanor.

This woman was anything but simple; in Hu Mo’s mind, her danger rating was the highest. As the saying goes, women are fickle creatures, and this woman embodied that perfectly. Hu Mo remained vigilant—if she suddenly went berserk, he’d bolt at once.

“Why did you call me here again? Trying to bully the weak?” Hu Mo said bluntly. Ever since she’d struck his laughter acupoint, he’d secretly sworn he would never bow his head to her, not even in death.

“What do you think? Do you really think you’re worthy of being bullied by me?” Her tone was eternally cold. Though she faced away from Hu Mo, he could still sense the sharpness radiating from her, cold to the extreme.

“Whether I’m worthy isn’t for you to decide. If there’s nothing else, let me leave. I’m not interested in talking to you, nor do I want to pollute your ears,” Hu Mo sneered, turning to leave.

“Do you not wish to master the Ripple Step?” Her voice was calm, but noticeably less icy than before.

Hu Mo’s steps paused slightly, and a faint smile curled at his lips.

“The Ripple Step interests me, but you do not,” he said coldly, resuming his stride.

Suddenly, the air around him thickened. A white shadow blocked his way, close enough to touch, a subtle fragrance wafting over.

Startled, Hu Mo tried to evade, but the white shadow moved.

It didn’t attack him, but instead shifted rapidly within three yards of him. Soon, countless white shadows appeared, weaving together into a world of white.

At first, Hu Mo was puzzled, but the confusion lasted only a moment before his eyes widened in amazement.

That movement technique was so strange!

Ethereal as a fairy, dreamy as a vision; sometimes swift as an arrow soaring skyward, sometimes slow as a leisurely stroll in a garden. The technique had the grace of a dance. Watching a stunning beauty dance before him, Hu Mo temporarily forgot all his grievances against her.

The scene continued for about half an hour, Hu Mo staring unblinkingly, memorizing every step and position.

Each step seemed simple but was exquisitely mysterious. Hu Mo could tell the girl’s steps corresponded to the Eight Trigrams, hidden within were the mysteries of Yin-Yang, Five Elements, Four Symbols, and Three Talents. Instantly, he thought of a martial art—Ripple Steps!

“Stepping on waves, a thousand layers without ripples; nine transformations in the clouds, a dragon emerges!”

The white-clad figure’s steps changed, like a divine dragon bursting from the sea. With each step, the surrounding air briefly became a vacuum, as if entirely absorbed. What was once merely an evasive movement now exuded a sharp killing aura. Hu Mo stared, all his attention focused on the flickering white shadow.

“A dragon soars to the heavens, shaking the sky; a tiger crouches on three mountains, roaring wind!”

Suddenly, the shadow stopped. At that moment, the previously tranquil bamboo grove was swept by a wild gale, the towering stalks bent nearly to the ground. Mist seeped from below, swirling around the woman, and faintly, Hu Mo heard the cries of dragons and tigers, shaking his soul.

Yet, Hu Mo felt no discomfort; the winds vanished before reaching him, clearly by the woman’s design.

Clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger. Amid the shifting environment, the sounds of tigers and dragons never ceased. The white-clad woman stepped lightly, unleashing countless punches and palms.

Hu Mo was dazzled, his expression growing ever more animated.

After a long time, a gentle tap landed on his shoulder, and a voice as bland as water sounded in his ear.

“This technique is called Ripple Wind and Cloud. It can attack or defend, and the requirements for the user are not high. Your perception is too poor; if it were higher, you could have comprehended it yourself in the second form of Ripple Step. Perhaps you dislike what I say, but it’s simply the truth. If you want respect, then show some worth. And remember—do not disgrace the Ripple Step. It is my life, and yours as well!” With those words, the white-clad woman mysteriously vanished.

When Hu Mo came to, he was back in his room. He inhaled softly and could still smell her delicate fragrance, soothing and refreshing.

“Wow, this time feels much more real—I can even smell her scent. Tsk, tsk, it’s sweeter than any flower! If only I could...” Hu Mo lost himself in reverie, his mind wild with fantasies.

“Go to hell, rogue!” Suddenly, a force slammed into his back, sending him flying in a beautiful arc across the room.

“No, I haven’t woken up yet...” Hu Mo stared, bewildered, at the white-clad woman, her face brimming with anger.