Chapter 57: Good Words Can’t Save a Doomed Soul?
Standing alone between heaven and earth, a clear breeze scatters orchid snow.
Zhou Yan moved with extreme decisiveness. Dugu Qiubai’s “Sword Tomb” was now like a chicken’s rib to him. There were no cultivation technique manuals, only three swords. Among these three swords, he was particularly fond of the Profound Iron Heavy Sword.
The reason was simple: he had a pair of iron arms, and as an escort, having trained in martial arts at an escort bureau, he had seen countless cultivation techniques for the eighteen types of weapons. He cared more about engaging in combat, where techniques were not bound by form. The Profound Iron Heavy Sword perfectly suited this preference, allowing him to use stabbing, chopping, hacking, smashing, and lifting techniques with ease. He could freely employ the moves of sabers, swords, maces, spears, and staffs.
Hong Qigong said that when drinking, one should drink the strongest wine, and when using a sword, one should use the hardest sword.
However, Zhou Yan knew that he could not yet wield the Profound Iron Heavy Sword. Seventy to eighty catties was not a problem to lift, but to control it as if it were an extension of his arm, lifting the heavy as if it were light, he was still far from it.
Yang Guo practiced in the torrent, and he cultivated in the river waves; he understood this method.
A heavy sword has no edge, great skill is unadorned; he knew the principle, but his realm was not yet sufficient.
The Great Eagle was quite hostile towards him. Since that was the case, why force it? When he had another opportunity to cultivate the Nine Yang Manual or the Nine Yang Manual, and his cultivation techniques were perfected, it would not be too late to retrieve the sword.
Seeing the Great Eagle standing dumbfounded in the valley, he did not linger and left with a swish.
The Nine Yin Manual was an opportunity, and the easiest to obtain, but he would have to meet Li Mochou again before pursuing it. The Nine Yang Manual was not easy to cultivate, but Zhou Yan had a premonition that the Jade Guanyin, which could clear the channels and repair internal illnesses, would help him.
He was in Snake Valley, not far from the “Sword Tomb.” His thoughts inevitably drifted. After walking half a li, Zhou Yan’s mind returned to the present. He saw that the valley floor was strewn with large stones, with pits for sitting and lying, and some blood nearby. He suddenly understood.
It was winter, and most of the Pusi snakes had entered caves to hibernate in rock crevices. Only a very few, with potent venom and a certain intelligence like the Great Eagle, were still active in Snake Valley.
He had encountered such a highly venomous snake when he rappelled down the cliff.
As Zhou Yan thought this, he felt there was no need to linger any longer. Time waits for no one. Zhang Wangyue and others would arrive in Zhongdu, and with that would come a battle with the Four Seas Escort Agency.
Calculating the time, when the Golden Saber Consort arrived at Daxing Prefecture, Mu Nianci’s martial arts competition to recruit a husband would be accompanied by falling snow. It was unknown if Peng Lianhu and his group had already headed south, but Guo Jing had either already arrived in Zhongdu or was about to.
If the Thousand Hand Butcher, the Ghost Gate Dragon King, and others had left Zhao Wang Manor, who knew if Guo Jing and the Six Freaks of Jiangnan would assassinate Wanyan Honglie? After all, the Golden Saber Consort had been tasked with taking the heads of the six princes of the Jin Dynasty when he went south.
Zhou Yan did not want to miss this opportunity. If he had the chance, he would not hesitate to kill Wanyan Honglie, including the Mongol Great Khan and the Song Dynasty emperor.
He had another thought: it was acceptable for the Song Dynasty emperor to die at the hands of any Han Chinese, but not at the hands of the Mongols or Jin people. If that were to happen, the backbone of the Great Han would be broken.
Ha, a hot-headed youth!
The valley entrance was in sight. Zhou Yan’s thoughts returned to reality. He chuckled lowly, raised his eyes to discern the direction, and when he looked back, he was startled again. The Great Eagle had, at some unknown time, ascended a hill and seemed to be gazing.
The valley wound and stretched for more than ten li. By the time Zhou Yan exited the valley, it was already dusk.
The sunset on the edge of the distant mountains painted a streak of residual red. From his perspective, the desolate ridge, the setting sun, and the solitary eagle presented a scene of utter desolation.
Zhou Yan exhaled lightly, withdrew his gaze, took out a sketch from his **bag**, and oriented himself with the terrain, heading southwest. The Yellow Spotted Horse was in the valley where he had first encountered the Great Eagle.
After traveling only two or three li, the sunset on a nearby hill seemed to move. Two figures, one black and one white, emerged.
“These two have become like the Black and White Impermanence.”
Zhou Yan cursed and turned to flee towards the valley. With his greatly increased cultivation, he might be able to contend with Gongsun Zhi alone, but facing two of them, retreat was the best strategy.
The Valley Master of Valley of Unfeeling’s spirit was greatly lifted. “Haha, enemies on a narrow path, kid, where do you think you’re going?”
Qiu Qianchi’s shrewish voice also came through the wind. “Stinky brat, don’t run.”
“Screech!”
Suddenly, a piercing and desolate eagle cry came from within. The Great Eagle swooped down from the hill, running with the speed of a fine horse.
All three were stunned.
Zhou Yan was puzzled by the Great Eagle’s unusual behavior, while Qiu Qianchi and Gongsun Zhi were shocked by the Great Eagle’s majestic and ugly appearance.
Iron Palm Lotus and the Valley Master of Valley of Unfeeling stopped their pursuit. Zhou Yan also slowed his pace. The Great Eagle, which had arrived like a gust of wind, stopped by Zhou Yan’s side, its blood-red eyes fixed on the two.
Zhou Yan felt reassured. The Great Eagle had been awakened by his words; it helped those it knew over strangers. Assessing their strength, he believed that with the Great Eagle, they should not be defeated.
Gongsun Zhi and Qiu Qianchi had never seen such an extremely ugly yet majestic Great Eagle. They hesitated.
Zhou Yan held his bow and said, “Qiu Qianchi, you and I have no enmity, why do you pursue me?”
Qiu Qianchi said coldly, “Because you are with that stinky Taoist nun.”
“Just because of that?”
“What else?”
“An innocent person is guilty for possessing a treasure.”
Gongsun Zhi said, “He’s just an escort who knows a few characters and spouts nonsense. Utterly laughable.”
“An escort knows righteousness, unlike Miss Qiu who doesn’t distinguish between right and wrong.”
The Valley Master of Valley of Unfeeling scoffed, “A joke. Escorts travel the world, moving between the black and white paths, for petty gains, casting aside morality and conscience. And you have the audacity to speak of Miss Qiu.”
Gongsun Zhi and Qiu Qianchi were unsure of the Great Eagle’s strength, but they felt that its speed when galloping from the hill was not to be underestimated. Therefore, while verbally sparring with Zhou Yan, they observed and estimated the Great Eagle’s power. In doing so, they were also waiting for Fan Yi Weng and the others.
How could Zhou Yan not know their character? Referring to the legends of the Divine Condor, Gongsun Zhi was merely a hypocrite with a pious facade. Qiu Qianchi was a pitiable person with hateful qualities.
After Gongsun Zhi’s mockery, Zhou Yan said, “I am an escort, it’s true, and I do interact with both the black and white paths. But I have personal conscience and uphold righteousness. Both paths are places where I can find my footing, and neither is my sole refuge. As long as I do not violate heavenly principles, rebel against established order, and act in accordance with human ethics, my identity and circumstances are not important. And you, Miss Qiu? You come from the Iron Palm Sect. How heroic was the previous sect leader, Shangguan Jiannan? He served the country with his life, dying only after his duty was done. A true man. Your brother, however, colluded with the Jin people, committed treason, and incited them to invade. When the Jin forces moved south, he was to provide support for the betrayal. What was wrong with Taoist Priest Sun drawing his sword?”
“You’re talking nonsense,” Qiu Qianchi cursed.
Did Iron Palm Lotus not know of Qiu Qianzhang’s actions? It was possible; that person was skilled at disguise.
“Is it difficult to verify whether I am speaking nonsense? Miss Qiu, why don’t you ask the people your brother contacted? Then it will be clear. Furthermore, it is understandable for Miss Qiu to help her relative. But Taoist Priest Sun was in the right and upheld justice. You only needed to repel him, so why did you insist on killing him? The reason I am helping the Taoist priest is that I know the Seven Immortals of Quanzhen act righteously. Even though their martial arts are weak, they still uphold the principles in their hearts. And you, Miss Qiu? Do you have principles?”
Zhou Yan’s words were indeed polite and reasonable, leaving no room for rebuttal.
Iron Palm Lotus was stunned. Zhou Yan said, “Miss Qiu, Valley Master Gongsun is not a good man. The night before last, I was several dozen feet below the cliff and heard everything you and the Valley Master said. If he were truly a noble figure, he should have inquired about the cause of this incident from you, discerned it, and acted accordingly. Instead, without asking any questions, he brought his disciples to search for me and the Taoist priest around Xiangyang. He is merely flattering you.”
Gongsun Zhi’s mind was already made up, but he lacked the cunning of the Divine Condor legends. Hearing Zhou Yan’s words, he became anxious and said, “Miss Qiu, don’t listen to this brat’s sophistry.”
Zhou Yan smiled, “I think you are only coveting Miss Qiu’s martial arts and the strength of the Iron Palm Sect. Miss Qiu, from your helping your relative to pursuing Taoist Priest Sun, your personality is evident: you are domineering and extremely controlling. Do you think someone like Valley Master Gongsun, with his schemes and depth, would willingly obey your every command? Don’t be used and fall into an abyss of eternal damnation.”
“Miss Qiu, this brat is trying to sow discord.”
Zhou Yan chuckled, “Miss Qiu, given your personality, you should have used the power of the Iron Palm Sect to achieve something. Even without relying on your brother, it wouldn’t be difficult to forge a reputation as a chivalrous hero. The night before last on the cliff, Gongsun Zhi tried to trick me into revealing myself. His words and tricks were hardly befitting a Valley Master; he was more like a clown. I truly pity you. Well, enough has been said. Further words are useless. Either let your horses come forward, or let us each take a step back.”
Qiu Qianchi’s expression changed, a mix of emotions swirling within her.
I’m currently rushing to write more chapters. I only slept at four in the morning, but I overslept, so the update is a bit late. My apologies!
