The 116th Division follows the laws of nature, embodying the mastery of Xingyi.

What is a Mountain Lord?

In Chinese characters, it has two meanings.

One refers to a tiger, and the other refers to a mountain deity.

However, in Chen Jue’s eyes, the innate Mountain Lord from the Dulong tribe’s legends should be like the ethereal girl before him—able to intimately connect with the creatures of nature, even communicate with animals through some special language or vocal technique.

Such a unique ability, in ancient times, would indeed be regarded as that of a mountain god!

Chen Jue stood still, watching Yun Xiaomei hand out small snacks to the short-tailed monkeys. After uttering a few chirps to them, the monkeys happily took their treats and scattered, all bounding back into the forest.

Yun Xiaomei then brushed the crumbs from her hands, as if completing a task, and glanced at Chen Jue with a hint of disappointment in her eyes. She asked, "Brother Chen Jue, don’t you understand what the monkeys are saying?"

"I thought you and I shared the same aura. Everyone here isn’t afraid of you, so I assumed you were someone born with the ability to understand animal speech!"

Chen Jue shook his head and answered honestly, "I haven’t learned animal language. The reason these animals are friendly to me is probably because I practice martial arts and cultivate alchemy."

"By the way, Yun Xiaomei, how old are you this year? And how did you manage to grow forty teeth? Do you practice marrow refining kung fu?"

Seeing Chen Jue fire off questions like a rapid barrage, the girl didn’t mind at all. Instead, she slung her basket back on her shoulders and motioned for Chen Jue to walk along the riverbank as they talked.

"Martial arts? Brother Chen Jue, do you mean the kung fu from those movies on TV?"

"I’m 19 years old! I haven’t practiced martial arts! What’s this marrow refining? Does it mean bone marrow?"

"As for my teeth, I was born with forty of them."

"Brother Chen Jue, could it be that you know those kung fu moves from TV?"

The two walked along the river, chatting. Yun Xiaomei moved with light steps, her gait carrying the joyful shadow of a goral. Her silver bell-like laughter was tinged with curiosity.

"Only 19 years old? And born with forty teeth?"

"Truly a born Mountain Lord! Innate strong bones and the natural ability to communicate with animals..." Chen Jue sighed inwardly.

When he first awakened his attribute panel, he thought there were no supernatural powers in this world—at most, people like those in his chat group who knew some rudimentary martial arts.

But after meeting Yun Xiaomei, he felt the world was full of mysteries. Phenomena that many humans couldn’t explain began to unfold right before his eyes.

As for Yun Xiaomei’s questions, Chen Jue answered candidly: "I learned martial arts by following online tutorials. Watch this move!"

He then demonstrated the Butterfly Through Flowers skill, swiftly circling Yun Xiaomei with movements so fast they left afterimages, flying up and down, dodging left and right. Yun Xiaomei’s eyes sparkled with admiration.

"Brother Chen Jue, those moves just now looked like a butterfly in flight!" she said. Though she hadn’t learned martial arts, she instantly grasped the essence of Chen Jue’s light-footed technique.

"Exactly! This is a Wudang light skill called Butterfly Through Flowers. Practicing it really feels like flying like a butterfly," Chen Jue said as he finished, standing with sincerity as he explained to Yun Xiaomei.

"Yun Xiaomei, I saw you moving earlier like a goral. Did you teach yourself those steps?"

"Yes!"

"I’ve spent a long time with the little monkeys, the flower tiger, the four-not-quite species, the old black bear, and Grandpa Turtle. I learned some skills from them," Yun Xiaomei nodded.

One was a 27-year-old man influenced by childhood martial arts, pure at heart; the other a 19-year-old born Mountain Lord, nature’s favored child, innocent and unspoiled.

Though their ages differed greatly, their communication was seamless, like two pure-hearted children exchanging thoughts.

Especially with the innate aura Chen Jue exuded, Yun Xiaomei felt warmth and closeness.

Moreover, with her natural gift for communicating with living beings and sensing a person’s morality, she immediately saw the childlike sincerity in Chen Jue’s martial intent.

That was why she let down her guard upon meeting him and communicated honestly and openly.

Had it been a stranger with a complicated mind, Yun Xiaomei would have avoided meeting them at all costs.

Hearing her description, many of Chen Jue’s doubts cleared. He pondered for a moment: "So you’ve learned ape form, monkey form, tiger form, bear form, turtle form, and your restrained energy flow comes from the turtle breath method? And this four-not-quite goral form, which isn’t in Xingyi Quan, should be your own creation of a deer form technique!"

"Yun Xiaomei, you’re truly remarkable!"

"I just followed the online materials and practiced blindly. You’ve actually created your own Xingyi boxing style! You could be called a grandmaster of Xingyi! Back in the day, at only 19, you would have qualified to found your own school, a young master taking disciples and charging tuition."

"There’s no way I’m as good as you say, Brother Chen Jue!"

"I just picked up some skills from everyone so I could venture further to gather herbs and sell them in town for money," Yun Xiaomei replied with a smile.

For all her miraculous talents, Chen Jue could only describe Yun Xiaomei’s cultivation as following nature, a unity of heaven and man.

Learning from the mountain’s creatures, observing their intent, imitating their forms, she had unknowingly developed her own way of cultivation.

Even without formal martial arts, boxing, or Taoist alchemy training, Yun Xiaomei’s ability to observe and communicate with living beings was enough to elevate her body and mind to terrifying heights.

Even just the turtle breath method, which channels restrained energy to the Shangqu acupoint, strengthened her physique over time—much like Chen Jue’s Taoist alchemy, subtly enhancing physical constitution.

Yet compared to Chen Jue, who was a freak with augmented attributes, Yun Xiaomei’s physique was still somewhat lacking.

Though she was born with forty teeth, possessed strong bones, and learned a turtle-like internal energy cultivation method similar to alchemical embryo embracing, she had no experience in combat. Her cultivation was solely for self-nurturing, strolling through the vast mountains as a natural pet, free from worldly strife.

"But that’s good!"

"A pure and romantic spirit like her belongs hidden in these mountains, befriending nature. If she fell into the mundane world, it would only waste her innate gift of following nature," Chen Jue thought.

…

As they walked and talked, Chen Jue asked if Yun Xiaomei was skilled at herb gathering.

He had searched the depths of Gongshan recently but found no trace of rare wild medicinal herbs.

It seemed those valuable herbs had all been picked first by Yun Xiaomei, who roamed hundreds of miles around.

Plus, with her ability to communicate with living beings, she could easily ask any wild animal for information, gaining intelligence beyond Chen Jue’s imagination.

Under such circumstances, there was no way any wild medicinal herbs would be left for Chen Jue to find.

"Brother Chen Jue, are you also here to gather herbs?"

"You look very healthy! Even stronger than the flower tiger. You don’t get sick, so why do you need medicine?" Yun Xiaomei stopped and looked at Chen Jue.

Her sensing told her Chen Jue was like a miniature tiger.

No, even healthier than a real tiger or bear by several times!

"I practice martial arts and need supplements, so I come here to gather herbs. Does the Dulong tribe have prescriptions for replenishing qi and nourishing blood?"

"Yun Xiaomei, since you often come to this forest, you must have found wild lingzhi mushrooms and other herbs, right?" Chen Jue answered honestly without hiding, and inquired about the situation.

"Yes, I have collected lingzhi before! Medicine for replenishing qi and blood?"

"Brother Chen Jue, do you mean the medicine the adults in the village take after childbirth? That kind of medicine is hard to prepare. Even with all my time in the mountains, I’ve only managed to make a few prescriptions for the old women."

"If made with herbs bought in town, the effect is much worse. It’s best to use herbs gathered from the mountains."

Thanks to the great Lin0099 for the alliance leader’s reward!

Today’s tenth chapter is up—I really feel like my brain’s been wrung dry. The writing doesn’t flow as smoothly as usual. Probably because I’ve been pushing out too much and my inspiration is drained.

What should have been 120% turned into only 60%.

I’ll rest early tonight. If I’m still not satisfied with this chapter tomorrow, I’ll revise it again.

Truly grateful for everyone’s support! Without you, Pianfeng wouldn’t have achieved such good results. Tomorrow, when I calculate the bonus update pool, I feel like I’m done for (covering face). I’m so afraid I won’t be able to update and will let everyone down.