Chapter 253: Traitor
Spring rain was like mist, and the mist of Diancang Mountain was dense.
Huang Rong’s lips, the color of glazed red, curved slightly upwards, and she smiled faintly, “Do you know, dressing as a man is very hard, especially the voice, you have to deliberately speak with a suppressed throat.”
“Why not change back to women’s clothes sooner?”
Little Leopard, familiar with Huang Rong, watched her leave and clung to the boat’s edge, barking incessantly.
“Wait!”
Huang Rong flew across the water like a dragonfly skimming the surface, landing on the small boat. She picked up the cat-sized little leopard and returned to Zhou Yan’s side.
“Because I brought wine to the Old Urchin and played with him, Father was angry and reprimanded me.”
“So I ran away from Peach Blossom Island.”
“Mm!”
The two walked shoulder to shoulder, “Night-Shining Jade Lion” following behind. Huang Rong’s pleasant voice rang out again, “Father’s martial arts have reached the Realm of Transformation, but I’ve only learned one or two tenths of his martial arts. Although I’m new to the Jianghu, I understand the wickedness of people’s hearts.”
Zhou Yan immediately thought of Li Mochou. Also new to the Jianghu, Li Mochou feared nothing, but Huang Rong knew how to disguise herself and protect herself.
“So I dressed as a man, and even pretended to be a little beggar.” Huang Rong chuckled.
“I see there was also a bit of sulking involved.”
“You’re really smart, you can guess all this.”
“Actually, Island Lord Huang dotes on you a lot.”
“Of course, but who told Father to scold me.”
“Heh, it’s good like this now.”
Huang Rong pouted, “Heh? You think I don’t know what you mean? You must be saying how spoiled and willful I am.”
“The first time I met Island Lord Huang was by the riverside in Jingzhou; his hair was like ink. The second time was by Taihu Lake; his temples were like snow.”
Huang Rong nodded, “Your observation is meticulous. I also saw Father’s hair turn white at Guiyun Manor and knew I had caused trouble. I also knew Father always admired General Yue, which is why I tricked you into going to Iron Palm Mountain after learning the secret of the Wumu’s Military Writings. Now, no matter where I go, I don’t dare to stay away from Peach Blossom Island for too long. This time, I told Father I would return soon.”
“Very good. Practice martial arts diligently, and Island Lord Huang won’t worry so much when you roam the Jianghu in the future.”
Huang Rong smiled, “Practicing martial arts is boring. How can it be as interesting as cooking, taming beasts, or medicine? Besides, aren’t you no longer an escort? I’ll hire you in the future.”
Zhou Yan didn’t take the bait and changed the subject, “In Hundred Herbs Valley, how much medical skill did you learn from the Hundred Herbs Immortal?”
“About five or six tenths.”
Zhou Yan was overjoyed, “That should be enough.”
“Of course, it’s just bone setting.” Huang Rong naturally knew Zhou Yan was referring to treating Master Ku Cheng. “Are you still going to escort Ku Cheng to Shaolin Temple?”
“Yes, after bone setting, it will take several months to recover. Chan Master Tianxiang and Chan Master Tianlong are both injured, and the remaining monks may not know martial arts or their skills are ordinary, so I must escort them.”
It seemed he couldn’t go to Zhongnan Mountain. It would be fine to visit Shaolin Temple first. Huang Rong thought this, but asked aloud, “Chan Master Tianxiang? From Shaolin of the Western Regions?”
“Yes, the Head of the Arhat Hall.”
Huang Rong laughed, “I remember Baoxiang from the Vajra Sect.”
“In Shaolin of the Western Regions and Songshan Shaolin, below the ‘Ku’ generation should be the ‘Tian’ generation. Huo Gong Toutuo became a monk and founded the Vajra Sect, and his direct disciples are all of the ‘Bao’ generation.”
“So that’s how it is. How is their martial arts?”
“I haven’t seen him fight, but I estimate Master Ku Cheng is still above Master Ku Cheng, and Chan Master Tianlong is not much worse than me. Tianxiang is hard to say.”
“If that’s the case, how was Shaolin of the Western Regions conquered by the Vajra Sect? There must have been a traitor.”
“You are truly exceptionally intelligent.”
Huang Rong’s face showed joy upon hearing Zhou Yan’s praise.
“Do you know who the traitor is?”
“No. The other party poisoned the vegetarian meal, and most of the personnel at Shaolin of the Western Regions became captives.”
“In that case, the traitor is very likely among the captives, but it’s not impossible that they are still by Ku Cheng’s side.”
Zhou Yan asked, “Why do you say that?”
Huang Rong stopped, her exquisite face tilted upwards, her bright eyes gazing, “Did you also think of this?”
“I considered it.”
“Tell me, did you think of the same thing as me?”
Zhou Yan’s voice was clear, “Huo Gong Toutuo’s ultimate goal is Shaolin Temple. Since they could take Shaolin of the Western Regions from within and without, why not do it again?”
Huang Rong clapped her hands, “We thought of the same thing. Let’s go, let’s go save them.”
Zhou Yan followed, inwardly marveling at how smart Huang Rong was. Knowing he had thought of this, she stopped at the appropriate point. At sixteen or seventeen years old, such wisdom was rare in the world.
…
The houses were like a forest, with overlapping eaves, and the fine rain fell like silk.
Zhou Yan and Huang Rong walked towards Master Ku Cheng’s room. Behind them, Huyan Lei clicked his tongue and said to Zhang Wangyue beside him, “I knew Miss Huang was a woman, but I never expected her to be so beautiful, like a fairy. How did she grow like this?”
Fu’an’s escort team arrived at Ten Thousand Beasts Manor in three batches.
Liang Xiaowu, with the injured escorts and runners, arrived first with the Shi Brothers. Zhang Wangyue arrived later with the escort team while Zhou Yan was searching for Ku Cheng and the others. Huyan Lei, Mu Nianci, and others were the last group. Seeing Huyan Lei, who had resumed women’s attire, was naturally surprising.
Zhang Wangyue smiled, “Do you think I wouldn’t dare to introduce your niece to Brother Zhou?”
Huyan Lei laughed heartily.
Zhang Wangyue wasn’t joking; it was a funny anecdote. When Zhou Yan became an escort, Huyan Lei had said his niece was plain-looking, otherwise, he would have introduced her to him. This remark later became a topic of teasing during their drinking sessions.
Mu Nianci looked at Huang Rong and couldn’t help but think to herself, could there really be such a beautiful woman in this world, like a fairy? She couldn’t even feel jealous.
Everyone entered the room.
Chan Master Tianlong and Chan Master Tianxiang rose to greet them.
When Zhou Yan took out the “Black Jade Continuing Bone Paste,” joy appeared in the eyes of Tianlong and Tianxiang. They said, “Thank you, Young Hero Zhou, for the treatment.”
“You are too polite, Chan Master.”
“Thank you, Young Hero Zhou,” Ku Cheng replied gratefully.
“Master, you will have to suffer. Your bones must be broken first, then reset and rejoined.”
“Young Hero, you need not worry. This old monk can endure the pain of flesh and bone.”
“Good!”
Bone setting and shaping required the medical skills Huang Rong learned from the Hundred Herbs Immortal, but breaking the bones relied on Zhou Yan. Having escorted Ku Cheng from the desert to Ten Thousand Beasts Manor, he was well aware of the Abbot’s injuries.
Zhou Yan used the Qi Guiding Method of “Crushing Hardness Divine Claw.” Pure, powerful internal force circulated through the meridians, erupting from the five acupoints on his thumb, “Shaoshang,” index finger, “Shangyang,” middle finger, “Zhongheng,” ring finger, “Guangchong,” and little finger, “Shaozhi.” The internal energy radiated outwards, and with a faint, dense cracking sound, Zhou Yan crushed the seven broken bones in Ku Cheng’s hand, arm, and shoulder that had been inflicted by Huo Gong Toutuo.
“Amitabha!” Tianlong and Tianxiang clasped their hands together, chanting.
Ku Cheng did not utter a sound. His body remained as still as cold, hard mountain rock, but the pain of the broken bones felt as if a force of ten thousand jun was pressing down from all directions, tearing at his muscles and meridians.
Fine beads of sweat covered the old Abbot’s wrinkled face. Upon closer inspection, his skin trembled and twitched continuously.
Huyan Lei, watching from the side, felt his own bones ache faintly.
Fortunately, Zhou Yan’s movements were extremely swift. In less than ten breaths, he had crushed all the bones.
He stepped back. Huang Rong, who had learned excellent medical skills from the Hundred Herbs Immortal, first used the “Orchid Finger Flicking Hand” technique to clear Ku Cheng’s meridians and then set his bones. Afterward, she handed a portion of the “Black Jade Continuing Bone Paste” to Tianlong, “Please, Chan Master, apply this to the bone injuries and bandage them. Three times a day for seven consecutive days.”
“Thank you, female benefactor.”
“Master, you are too polite.”
When Huo Gong Toutuo gave Huang Rong the “Black Jade Continuing Bone Paste,” he had said it was enough to mend all the bones and meridians in the body once. Therefore, Huang Rong still had more than half of it. Otherwise, she would have been heartbroken to give such a priceless miraculous medicine to Tianlong, who was unrelated to her.
The remaining matters did not require Zhou and Huang’s attention. After a few pleasantries, everyone left the room, not disturbing Ku Cheng’s rest and recovery.
As Tianlong applied the ointment, Chan Master Tianxiang said, “I didn’t expect Young Hero Zhou’s finger skills to be so remarkable.”
“Indeed.”
“Senior Brother, can you discern what cultivation technique it is?”
Tianlong said, “The martial arts of the world are as vast as smoke and clouds. What I know is but a drop in the ocean. How can I discern its intricacies? However, judging by the power of this finger technique, it should be no less than my learned ‘Dragon Claw Hand’.”
“Young Hero Zhou appears to be at most of the age of twenty. His cultivation is so extraordinary and transcendent. Bao Xian is no match for him. It is truly admirable.”
“There is always someone better, and there are always mountains beyond mountains.”
“Indeed. When we reach Songshan, I will diligently practice and seek revenge from the Vajra Sect.”
“Naturally!”
The rain fell continuously and sparsely. Zhang Wangyue, Huyan Lei, and Zhou Yan, walking along the corridor, were also conversing.
“Brother Zhou, Abbot Ku Cheng needs at least seven days of rest. We will return first. Upon reaching Zhongdu, we will inform Old Duan and use the escort cart to deliver the armor, weapons, and horses to Cuya Mountain.”
“Alright. After seven days, I will head south.”
Huyan Lei said, “Brother Zhou, don’t forget to forge a reputation as the ‘Central God Sword’.”
“I will definitely work hard,” Zhou Yan replied with a smile.
Huyan Lei sighed, “This trip to the Western Regions was eye-opening. There are actually divine abilities like taming beasts in this world.”
Zhou Yan, however, was unfazed. Besides the Shi Brothers of Ten Thousand Beasts Manor, the Western Venom could tame snakes, and Lin Chaoying’s maid had bee-taming techniques. These were skills he had witnessed before.
Zhang Wangyue replied to Huyan Lei, “Indeed!”
“If people like the Shi Brothers were in the army, using beasts to fight, wouldn’t they be invincible?” Huyan Lei said.
Zhou Yan smiled, “They can win by surprise, but being invincible is difficult. Firstly, fierce beasts like lions, tigers, and leopards would intimidate both sides’ warhorses. The ‘Night-Shining Jade Lion’ was startled during the battle with the ‘Iron Hawks.’ Also, the Shi Brothers control the beasts with very rhythmic whistles. Those with peak internal force can suppress them with sound, thus breaking the beast horde. Being invincible ultimately requires a resolute army like the Yue Family Army.”
Zhang Wangyue recalled the battle with the “Iron Hawks” and praised, “Brother Zhou sees through things like fire. What you say is very true. Surprise can lead to victory, but surprise cannot overcome the orthodox. It’s the same in martial arts and in battles between armies.”
“Old Brother, your words are insightful.”
Zhang Wangyue smiled slightly, “When I see you again, Brother Zhou, we can speak freely.”
“Good!” Zhou Yan replied readily.
