Chapter 15: Kanglong Regret, Shenlong Tail Whip
The evening breeze blew fallen leaves, and new fires lit the kitchen smoke.
Tea was served with pastries, and the pot was refilled with soup.
Zhou Yan arranged all the dishes and wine on the table, inviting Huyan Lei, Shi Baichuan, and Escort Wang to sit.
Green Ant Wine, braised rabbit heads, mountain chicken soup, snake soup, and more, the four enjoyed a home-style feast in the courtyard lit by lanterns.
They were all escorts who had shed blood with their blades, gathering together without pretense or strict rules.
The attention of the three gourmands was all on the snake soup.
The white snake broth was full of snake meat aroma, the yellow chrysanthemum petals added floral fragrance, and the savory flavors of chicken, mushrooms, and other ingredients spread in the mouth, blending with the medicinal scent to form a unique and rich taste.
Huyan Lei tasted it with a spoon and praised it without end, “Marvelous, the taste of this snake soup surpasses the Three Snake Soup from Songhe Tower.”
Escort Wang, whose name was Wang Kui, was skilled with the saber. His eyes lit up after drinking the soup and eating the meat, “Indeed, a rare delicacy. The snake meat is tender and smooth with no off-flavors, and the soup is fresh, fragrant, and delicate. It would be a signature dish in any restaurant in Zhongdu.”
Shi Baichuan clicked his tongue in admiration, “I didn’t expect Brother Zhou to have such excellent cooking skills.”
Zhou Yan raised his cup, and after the four drank together, he said, “It’s mainly due to the special ingredients.”
Huyan Lei said, “I could tell it was a medicinal snake. Where did you get such a precious Treasure Snake, Brother Zhou? I’d like to buy a few.”
Zhou Yan chuckled, “It was an accidental acquisition. While hunting during the day, I encountered a group of Ginseng Guests. This snake must have smelled the blood and came to attack me, but I killed it instead.”
“Good riddance to this beast,” Huyan Lei picked up a piece of snake meat with his bamboo chopsticks and chewed heartily.
“Eat its meat, drink its soup,” Shi Baichuan and Wang Kui laughed heartily and busied themselves.
As cups clinked and chopsticks crossed, the conversation flowed, and Huyan Lei recounted an incident that happened at Songhe Tower that day.
Shi Baichuan and Wang Kui then learned that Zhou Yan had defeated two escorts from the Four Seas Escort Agency, and they couldn’t help but praise him again.
Huyan Lei sighed, “At that time, I was thinking about how to save face, but I didn’t expect Brother Zhou to bring me glory. The waves behind the Yangtze River push the waves before, and heroes have always emerged from the young.”
Wang Kui laughed, “Brother Zhou’s martial arts talent is undeniable. Otherwise, how could he have become the youngest escort in the agency? But I don’t like what you said, are we useless then?”
Shi Baichuan said, “Exactly. An old steed still harbors the ambition to gallop a thousand li, and besides, we haven’t even reached forty yet.”
“Heh heh!” Huyan Lei laughed, “You used to use a sword, but now you use a saber. Isn’t that admitting you’re getting old?”
Wang Kui was stunned, then he laughed.
Zhou Yan asked in surprise, “Old Brother Wang used to use a sword?”
Wang Kui said, “Actually, I used a saber when I was young. Later, I became a head of guards for an Official. To elevate my status, I switched to a sword. When the Jin Soldiers invaded from the north and the land was broken, that Official died in the Yellow River while retreating to Lin’an Prefecture. I was thrown into the river, but by chance, I survived and eventually found refuge at the Escort Bureau. Later, I picked up my saber again, practiced my saber techniques diligently, and killed the leader of the Yellow River Gang. Since then, I have never put down my saberplay.”
Wang Kui’s voice grew somber, “If I had been wielding a saber back then, perhaps that Official would have left behind a bloodline.”
“You can’t be blamed for this. The times are out of joint,” Shi Baichuan said.
Wang Kui sighed.
The leader of the Yellow River Gang was the Ghost Gate Dragon King Sha Tongtian. This man plundered and robbed. Once my skills are perfected, I will surely kill him. Zhou Yan thought this, holding his wine cup, and said to Wang Kui, “Do not question the past with regret, only seek to have no regrets in this life.”
Huyan Lei snorted, “I like Brother Zhou’s spirit.”
“Thank you, Brother Zhou,” Wang Kui said, “After drinking this cup, you are my little brother.”
Huyan Lei teased, “I don’t like to hear that. I only consider Brother Zhou a brother.”
“A slip of the tongue, I’ll drink a penalty cup.”
Wang Kui drank three cups heartily and said to Zhou Yan, “Yesterday, on a whim, I carelessly spoke of methods for practicing Lightness Skill. The Head Escort has sharp eyes. If Brother Zhou truly followed my methods, he would surely fall into a qi deviation.”
“Perhaps I am Gifted, and it’s possible to temper and open six Main Meridians.”
Wang Kui laughed heartily, “With Brother Zhou’s talent, if you practice diligently without stopping, you can open six meridians in ten years.”
Escort Shi nodded, “It is indeed very possible. By then, Brother Zhou will be a top expert among escorts.”
Zhou Yan knew they meant well, but he still found it amusing. To open six Main Meridians after ten years, he wouldn’t even be able to defeat Little Dragon Girl, let alone roam the Jianghu.
Wang Kui suddenly said, “Brother Zhou’s Fist Techniques are exquisite, and I am ashamed of my inferiority. However, your Saberplay and Swordplay are mediocre. Old Brother will offer some advice.” Zhou Yan said seriously, “I am all ears!”
Wang Kui said seriously, “In my life, I first practiced saber, then took up the sword, and finally, the saber remained by my side. In terms of Saberplay alone, I am considered one of the best in the Fu’an Escort Agency, but compared to the entire escort community, and the whole Jianghu, I am but a drop in the ocean, insignificant. Brother Zhou will be officially working at the Escort Agency tomorrow. If you want to learn saber, you can watch when I teach the Runner Saber Techniques. Now, I will share some of my insights and experiences with you.”
Teaching someone to fish is better than giving them a fish; this is what Wang Kui was doing now.
“A sword is for a Gentleman, a saber for a bandit,” this saying may not be entirely true, but it indirectly illustrates the characteristics of a saber. A saber requires momentum. When you strike, you must have the momentum of fighting with your back to the wall, like an ignorant youth recklessly attacking without reservation, and you must have the momentum of ‘who else but me?’ The saber’s descent is like thunder descending upon the world.”
Wang Kui carried his saber with him. He stood up and walked into the courtyard, “A very common move, ‘Night Battle in All Directions.’ No one who uses a saber doesn’t know this move, and anyone who doesn’t use a saber will learn it at a glance. But when momentum and form merge into one, it is like this.”
In the previous moment, the escort who had the demeanor of a gourmand suddenly exuded an aura of dominance and banditry. He rapidly lunged forward and drew his saber, the surging saber light rising from the ground, as if to devour everything in its path.
“Good Saberplay,” Huyan Lei and Shi Baichuan exclaimed in unison.
Wang Kui sheathed his saber and cupped his hands, “Saberplay is ever-changing, but the core essence remains the same. Brother Zhou, remember this principle.”
Zhou Yan stood up, cupped his hands, and bowed, “Old Brother’s words are etched in my heart.”
“Heh heh, let’s drink and eat soup.” Wang Kui seamlessly transitioned from bandit to gourmand.
This feast was truly joyous. Huyan Lei became inspired and also shared some insights on Spear Techniques, even demonstrating with a wooden stick on the ground. Only Shi Baichuan was quite dejected; his weapon, the Iron Fan, was too unconventional, and it was better not to teach it.
Time seemed to flow like a painting, lively and satisfying. As it reached the end of the Hai hour, Zhou Yan saw the three slightly tipsy men off.
He watched the escorts disappear into the night from the alley entrance, then turned back, pushed open the door, and entered the courtyard, only to find Hong Qigong already at the table.
“Senior arrived early.”
Hong Qigong drank Strong Liquor, wiping the corner of his mouth with his right hand, “Naturally. Those escorts are good; they didn’t carelessly pass on Saberplay or Spear Techniques, but rather the essence, not the form. This is most suitable for someone with your exceptional comprehension to wield weapons in the future.”
Zhou Yan thought to himself that he had already carelessly passed on skills the day before.
“Kid, no reward without merit. Moreover, you’ve cultivated your Xiaoyao Fist to a level that usually takes years in just a few days. I also want to see how much of a beggar’s other martial arts you can comprehend and what your true potential is. I’ll teach you two more moves. It’s the same rule: I am not your master, and you are not my disciple, I just have an itch to pass on my skills.”
“I wouldn’t dare refuse,” Zhou Yan said, “But there’s no rush. I’ve saved some snake soup and other dishes. I’ll heat them up for Senior to enjoy.”
Hong Qigong ignored him, “Since the urge has arisen, if I don’t teach these two moves, how can I eat with joy and peace of mind? Watch carefully, these two moves are called ‘Kanglong Regret’ and ‘Shenlong Tail Whip’.”
As Hong Qigong spoke, his body flickered, and he landed in the courtyard. His left leg was slightly bent, his right arm curved inward, and his right palm drew a circle. With a whoosh, he pushed outward. His palm swept across a branch of the ancient tree in front of him, and with a crack, the arm-thick branch snapped off.
Under the moonlight, Hong Qigong’s body sank and then rose, like a fierce tiger with glaring eyes turning its head, striking back with a horizontal chop. The palm’s force erupted, accompanied by thunderous and torrential roaring sounds, and white masses of energy churned and surged.
Zhou Yan exhaled lightly. The two moves Hong Qigong taught him were of extraordinary significance.
