Chapter 8: The Divine Art of the Wedding Dress
Li Miao had the fruits in hand, waiting eagerly for the drama to unfold between Yongjie and the woman. Unexpectedly, after calling out to Sixth Sister, Yongjie fell silent. The woman chattered on, but hearing no response from Yongjie, her voice gradually softened and then ceased altogether.
The cell grew quiet.
Li Miao instructed the local magistrate to arrange a secluded place. The magistrate, naturally wary of offending Li Miao, dared not keep a group of ruffians locked up together. Only this woman, detained here by Bu Lei some days ago, remained untouched; the rest were sent away.
Now, in the vast prison cell, only Li Miao, Yongjie, and the woman remained.
After a long silence, the woman forced a dry smile and asked, “Big Brother, where have you been all these years?”
“I…” Yongjie stammered.
He sighed deeply, pressing his hands together over his chest.
“I became a monk and joined Shaolin.”
“Ah,” the woman replied softly, unlike that irritable man in the inn whose head Li Miao had crushed. Instead, she smiled quietly.
“That’s good. Only a powerhouse like Shaolin could shelter you and let you live peacefully for a while.”
“But since you’ve entered Shaolin, why return to this land of Huguang?”
Yongjie’s voice was low and steady: “I came to find something.”
The woman immediately responded, “What? Though our estate has scattered, there are still many enemies here in Huguang! They all remember you!”
“Shaolin, a giant in the martial world, possessing unmatched skills—how could you get involved in this matter?”
Yongjie paused briefly.
Nearby, Li Miao concealed the sound of shelling seeds with his internal energy but understood perfectly—the two were talking about different things.
Sure enough, Yongjie caught on.
“What matter?” he asked.
The woman was surprised. “You don’t know?”
“Of course not. I assumed you’d been quietly cultivating in Shaolin all these years without showing yourself. It’s understandable you wouldn’t know.”
“That’s a relief. That’s a relief.” She exhaled deeply.
“Near the Miao territories, some martial folk discovered an ancient tomb rumored to be that of a Miao king.”
“The Miao’s witchcraft and poison arts are strange and dangerous; around that tomb, venomous insects and snakes abound. At first, no one in the green forests dared to attempt anything.”
“But a few ‘Xieling Sect’ grave robbers, seasoned in such deeds, sneaked in.”
“Out of ten or so who entered, only one emerged—gravely injured, near death, and mad.”
“A few martial men rescued him. Though grave robbers are despised, they are wealthy. These men intended to return him to the Xieling Sect for a reward.”
“But they overheard the madman mention a name.”
Yongjie asked, “What name?”
“‘Wedding Garment Divine Skill,’” the woman said.
“What?” Yongjie exclaimed.
Li Miao’s eyebrows rose.
He himself knew of the Wedding Garment Divine Skill, but not the original version. It was a fragment collected by the Jinyiwei, from which he had deduced his own “Li Family Wedding Garment Divine Skill”—the martial art he had used to heal Gao Ling after she fled from Taishan Sect.
The original art had long been lost. Legend said it was fierce and domineering, supremely yang and rigid—those who mastered it would be invincible. Of course, Li Miao understood this was mere folklore. Martial arts in this world only enhance skills, never substitute for them. If one could become invincible with the Wedding Garment Divine Skill, they would be invincible with any supreme art.
Still, Li Miao knew how irresistible the news of the Wedding Garment Divine Skill was to martial folk.
The woman continued, “Those few martial men inadvertently leaked the news, causing a sensation.”
“Not only in Huguang but throughout the southern martial world, people have been flocking to the Miao lands, hoping to seize the Wedding Garment Divine Skill.”
“But everyone wants in, and no one can get through. Fights broke out at the gates, many died.”
“The famous southern sects—Hengshan Sword Sect, Beggars’ Sect, Canal Gang, Emei, Qingcheng, Kongtong—all arrived, unwilling to yield. Smaller factions and wandering martial artists gathered, hoping to fish in troubled waters.”
“We tried to go too, but were stopped by the Jinyiwei halfway. I was captured; I don’t know what happened to the others.”
The woman sighed and added, “Rumor has it the big sects don’t trust each other, so they want Shaolin’s Master Xingchi to witness the venture, so everyone can enter together and rely on their own strength.”
“That’s why I thought you also came seeking the Wedding Garment Divine Skill.”
She exhaled deeply.
Though gravely injured and near death, seeing Yongjie revived her spirits.
After speaking at length, she gradually could no longer hold on and fainted.
“Sixth Sister! Sixth Sister!”
Hearing her fading breath, Yongjie urgently rose.
His internal energy was low, his wounds barely healed, and he staggered weakly.
“Enough, Master, rest now,” Li Miao said.
He stood, dropped the seeds, clapped his hands, and pushed open the prison door. Approaching the woman’s cell, he gestured, and the lock fell to the ground.
Li Miao entered and took her pulse.
Her complexion slowly improved.
Yet Li Miao had no intention of curing her, only sustaining her life.
This woman was likely one of the “Seven Demons of Meishan,” captured by Bu Lei and held here. Li Miao had killed the others and had no plans to save her—only to prevent her from dying before Yongjie.
Yongjie sank to the ground, exhaling deeply.
After a while, he looked up and said to Li Miao, “Benefactor, this cell is merely a means for you to let this monk recover, isn’t it?”
Li Miao nodded, “Yes.”
“Thank you for your concern,” Yongjie bowed.
“This monk is a wretched soul, burdened by regrets, not yet ready to give up his life.”
“In the past, I did many wrongs. Heaven has shown mercy—first letting me meet my master and escape suffering. After leaving Shaolin, I met you, benefactor, and received your care.”
“If I were an innocent man, free of blood debts, I would gladly drink with you and roam the martial world together.”
Li Miao frowned. “Master, your words sound like a farewell.”
Yongjie nodded. “I cannot accompany you to Miao lands anymore.”
“This time I fled to find something, to save someone. But I’m unsure if it still exists.”
“The Wedding Garment Divine Skill... is said to transfer one’s power to another. Perhaps it can help the person I wish to save.”
“I must fight for this divine skill.”
(End of chapter)