He believed Gao Xuan was a smart person who understood his meaning. Whether Gao Xuan wanted money, a secret martial arts manual, or even to join Wudang, he could help with all his might.
However, Gao Xuan surprisingly didn't make any requests, just spoke of his next plan.
Was Gao Xuan deliberately putting on airs, or did he genuinely have a noble heart, not taking these favors seriously?
Tao Zhengren couldn't see through Gao Xuan, he never really understood this young man.
But regardless of whether Gao Xuan was feigning aloofness or truly indifferent to rewards, he could not leave it unacknowledged.
Such great life-saving grace cannot be smoothed over with just a few words of thanks.
Tao Zhengren said, "Mr. Gao, without regard for difficulty, eradicates villains, embodying righteousness. Though I'm not talented, I'm willing to follow Mr. Gao to vanquish demons and eliminate monsters together."
Gao Xuan smiled, finding this Tao Zhengren quite interesting. Unexpectedly, he had the courage to tackle Feihua Sect with him.
The Feihua Sect had a notorious reputation, being denounced by everyone in the Jianghu. Yet, the Feihua Sect was powerful, wealthy, and had many skilled members.
Especially the headquarters, which gathered many experts. Even though Tao Zhengren was a top-notch expert, he didn't count for much in front of the Feihua Sect.
"The headquarters of Feihua Sect is full of traps and numerous experts. This group is extremely ruthless and vicious. I'm very familiar with the headquarters, and can act alone."
Gao Xuan said, "If Hero Tao really wants to help, support me from outside and assist me afterward."
Being chivalrous and upright is easy to say, but when it comes to specifics, it's very troublesome.
A sect like Feihua Sect involves countless people. It isn't just a matter of rushing in and killing everyone.
Tao Zhengren understood this too. He thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Gao, how about I return to the sect to request a few experts to discuss the big plan together?"
"No need to trouble yourself."
Gao Xuan, full of confidence, said, "I have my own way to deal with these villains."
Seeing Gao Xuan's confidence, Tao Zhengren couldn't say much. He suddenly raised his eyebrows as if he had made some resolution.
He took out a small scroll from his luggage and handed it to Gao Xuan: "Mr. Gao, I am gifting you this 'Fish Dragon Hundred Transformations Painting.'"
Gao Xuan casually took it and unfolded the scroll under the faint moonlight. The scroll depicted dozens of swimming fish, their postures varied and lively.
The painting technique was quite exquisite. But what use was such a painting to him?
"This 'Fish Dragon Hundred Transformations' was bought at a high price. It was passed down by the Martial Saint back then."
Tao Zhengren said, "Each fish conceals a body technique variation. Unfortunately, my aptitude is dull, and I have not gained much insight after many years."
He sighed: "This time, I traveled to the northwest because I heard the Dragon Roar Sword had appeared there. The Dragon Roar Sword and Fish Dragon Hundred Transformations were both passed down by that Martial Saint. Perhaps placing them together might reveal something new..."
If it weren't for the Fish Dragon Hundred Transformations Painting, Tao Zhengren wouldn't have traveled to the northwest just for a sword.
To thank Gao Xuan, Tao Zhengren made a grim decision to bring out his most treasured possession.
Martial artists may not like gold and silver treasures, or fine wines and beauty, or care about fame and honor, but none dislike secret martial arts.
Tao Zhengren believed that Gao Xuan wouldn't reject his generous gift.
Indeed, Gao Xuan did not refuse. After looking at the Fish Dragon Hundred Transformations Painting for a while, he said, "With Hero Tao's sincerity, I won't stand on ceremony."
For Tao Zhengren, it was as if cutting off a piece of flesh, it was heart-wrenching. On the other hand, he felt much relieved.
At dawn, Gao Xuan and his party set off again.
Upon reaching Jinling, the group found a large inn to properly wash up and rest. After several tens of days, the two beautiful girls were disheveled, weather-beaten, and no longer looked like beauties.
After resting for most of the day, Tao Zhengren took his two daughters to visit old friends, saying he wanted to gather many experts to support Gao Xuan.
Gao Xuan declined Tao Zhengren's invitation and alone studied the Fish Dragon Hundred Transformations Painting in his room.
During this time of living rough, there was no time to study the Fish Dragon Hundred Transformations.
In the enclosed private room, Gao Xuan drew the Hidden Dragon Sword. He had a feeling that the Hidden Dragon Sword was related to this painting.
It wasn't a random feeling; the engraving and patterns on the Hidden Dragon Sword had a similar aura to the Fish Dragon Painting.
The so-called Dragon Roar Sword was very likely the Hidden Dragon Sword. As for the sword's name, being miscommunicated was quite normal. With Third Lady in the northwest, continuously engaged in nefarious activities, it wasn't surprising for the Hidden Dragon Sword to end up in her hands.
The Hidden Dragon Sword's blade was bright as a mirror, and when it was held up to the Fish Dragon Hundred Transformations Painting, densely packed characters appeared on the blade.
Just as Gao Xuan expected. Get full chapters from NoveI★Fire.net
After all, this was a normal world, without magic or supernatural phenomena.
To hide words or images within the Fish Dragon Hundred Transformations Painting, there were only a few simple methods.
The first was that the painting had a layer within. If it were that simple, Tao Zhengren would have discovered the true secret long ago.
The second was optical changes. Specially modulated dyes, which only reflect certain specific light, could achieve the effect of hiding text.
Although it seemed complex in execution, the principle was extremely simple.
Using the Hidden Dragon Sword, Gao Xuan quickly revealed all the secrets in the Fish Dragon Hundred Transformations Painting.
There were several thousand characters and some diagrams of body technique variations.
This secret technique was called Fish Dragon Transformation, which included Inner Power cultivation formulas, among others.
For an ordinary person, obtaining this secret technique would still make cultivation impossible due to its high threshold.
However, in Gao Xuan's current state, cultivation is quite suitable.
Lately, he frequently consulted Tao Zhengren about Pure Yang Wuji and the Golden Silk Palm.
After all, Tao Zhengren, being an orthodox disciple of Wudang, even if he did not specialize in these two skills, understood their essence.