Chapter 17: Traveling in Brocade at Night
“Kanglong Regret, fullness cannot last.”
Hong Qigong departed. Zhou Yan cleaned the courtyard kitchen, lit a lamp, and placed it on the stone table, sitting under the ancient tree.
He didn’t rush to cultivate, but instead organized fragments of memory.
Drawing on Guo Jing’s cultivation insights.
In the Legend of the Condor Heroes Jianghu, Guo Jing clashed with Western Venom Ouyang Feng upon his appearance, using the technique “Kanglong Regret.” It was at the realm of perfection; the initial push seemed casual, but upon encountering resistance, it could instantly add thirteen layers of subsequent force, each stronger than the last, piling on top of each other, breaking through any defense.
His thoughts extended, from “fullness cannot last, excess cannot be sustained” to thinking of the tide. The flying flowers of the tide, the receding waves rejoining the subsequent tide, making the momentum even more powerful and fierce, just like Guo Jing’s “Kanglong Regret” at the Realm of Transformation, with each subsequent force surpassing the last.
Zhou Yan stood up and paced under the ancient tree with its dense foliage, muttering to himself, “So the true meaning of this move lies in ‘fullness cannot last,’ implying a reserve for future use, the principle of striking first and controlling later. ‘Striking first’ is the force that is unleashed, and ‘controlling later’ is the force retained within oneself. When encountering an enemy, before the first strike is fully launched, lure the opponent’s power to pour out. Upon encountering force, it rebounds, and the subsequent force of the Subduing Dragon Palm is like a storm. Therefore, the crucial moment for this move is the instant the opponent begins their attack.”
“Marvelous!”
In the corner of the courtyard wall stood a not-very-thick poplar tree. He walked over and applied a fraction of his force, patting the trunk. With a *snap*, the rebound force caused his palm to lift slightly.
He patted again, feeling the rebound of the trunk and his control over the retained force with different strengths.
In the cool night, the empty courtyard, if Hong Qigong saw Zhou Yan comprehending and experiencing the “having both offense and defense” of “Kanglong Regret” in this manner, he might incredulously gulp down two mouthfuls of strong liquor to calm his nerves.
After dozens of times, Zhou Yan had become extremely sensitive to the rebound force of the poplar tree.
He guided energy with his intent, circulating it through his meridians. Suddenly, he slightly bent his left leg, curved his right arm inward, drew a circle with his right palm, and with a *whoosh*, pushed outward. His palm *snapped* against the poplar tree trunk. The instant the trunk rebounded, Zhou Yan used the method of internal energy external influence, fully unleashing the remaining force.
With a *crack*.
The poplar tree, as thick as a wrist, did not sway and snapped in response.
Zhou Yan, by emulating Guo Jing’s cultivation method, first comprehended then practiced, entering the true meaning of the “Kanglong Regret” palm technique in one go.
He picked up the poplar tree, broke off the branches, and turned it into a wooden staff. He took a few steps forward and spun around.
The tip of the wooden staff thrust out and retracted. This was a single-action move, standard and textbook-like, a Returning Spear.
At the evening banquet, Huyan Lei used a staff as a spear and performed his signature skill, “Returning Spear,” which Zhou Yan remembered clearly.
With a *bang*, the wooden staff struck the courtyard wall, tiles rained down like pebbles, and dust scattered in all directions.
Zhou Yan walked to the ancient tree and placed the wooden staff on the stone table, beginning to refine “Kanglong Regret” repeatedly.
Having consumed the blood of the Treasure Snake from the Ginseng Immortal Old Freak and guided energy for cultivation, he now possessed about five years of diligent cultivation of internal force. He was no longer easily fatigued and was more sensitive to his body than before. Therefore, after prolonged cultivation, he could clearly feel the gentle and peaceful energy emanating from the Jade Guanyin hanging around his neck, which helped to clear his meridians.
Zhou Yan sighed, thinking that with the efficacy of the Jade Guanyin alone, even without great fortune in the future, he wouldn’t be like Wang Kui said, only able to temper his six main meridians after more than ten years.
If he could obtain the Nine Yang Manual or the Nine Yin Manual, with the Jade Guanyin assisting his cultivation, it would be twice the result with half the effort.
The night deepened. Zhou Yan fetched water to wash up, bathed, and went to bed.
…
On an autumn morning, the sky was like a clear mirror without a single wisp of cloud.
Zhou Yan arrived at the escort bureau with high spirits.
The two days of rest were over. From today onwards, he had to attend to his duties at the escort bureau as usual: practicing, escorting goods, and standing night watch were all part of an Escort’s daily life.
Zhou Yan first went to the martial field to use stone locks to exercise his arm strength and shoulder muscles, then he performed a set of “Taizu Long Fist” in a steady, upright, and grand manner.
Huyan Lei, Shi Baichuan, and Wang Kui arrived at the martial field.
“Old Brother Huyan, Old Brother Wang…”
He was about to greet Shi Baichuan but noticed the latter had dark circles under his eyes.
“What’s wrong with Old Brother Shi?”
Huyan Lei laughed heartily, “He was pressing acupuncture points on his wife last night.”
This statement seemed fine. The day before yesterday at the martial field, Zhang Wangyue asked Escort Shi how long it took him to master the acupuncture points where the two Qiao meridians intersected. The latter replied that it took him several days of pressing points on his wife to become thoroughly familiar with them.
Connecting the dark circles with pressing acupuncture points and the Snake Soup, Zhou Yan’s thoughts went deeper than Huyan Lei’s.
“Old Brother Shi, burning the midnight oil and rising before dawn, I admire you.”
Shi Baichuan said with a serious expression, “An old steed in the stable always strives until death.”
Zhou Yan was filled with respect.
“Escort Wang, let’s spar,” Huyan Lei said.
“No problem.”
The two of them had shared some insights on spear techniques and saberplay with Zhou Yan last night. Now, Huyan Lei’s suggestion to spar was an opportunity for Zhou Yan to observe their moves.
The low hum of the spear and the clear clang of the saber sounded simultaneously. Huyan Lei’s great spear attacked like a writhing giant python. Wang Kui’s saberplay was domineering and fierce, like ink splashed across a great river.
The spear could split the earth and shatter rocks, the saber could stir up terrifying waves.
Zhou Yan had listened to the insights on spear and saber techniques from Huyan Lei and Wang Kui the night before. Now, watching the clash of saber and spear, the subtle meanings between many moves, which might have been difficult to grasp quickly before, he could now instantly understand their essence.
He saw the domineering and robust spear techniques of Huyan Lei and thought, “Could this be the Hu Family Spear Techniques?” He couldn’t help but put in diligent effort to memorize it.
In fact, Zhou Yan didn’t remember many minor details from the Legend of the Condor Heroes Jianghu. Guo Jing had also learned the widely spread Hu Family Spear Techniques from the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan.
After the morning, Zhou Yan knew Huyan Lei’s spear techniques and Wang Kui’s Five Tiger Severing Gate Saber techniques.
…
Time flew by, and several days passed in a flash. Zhou Yan practiced boxing at the escort bureau during the day and cultivated his energy-guiding methods in the small courtyard at night, diligently practicing Xiaoyao Fist, Kanglong Regret, and Shenlong Tail Whip.
He had completely integrated into the life of an Escort.
Of course, there were unpleasant things. Cui Qingshan was always sarcastic. His nephew, Cui Changshun, who had not been promoted to Escort, harbored resentment towards him.
But Zhou Yan was now a popular figure in the escort bureau, and the other party could do nothing about it.
In the morning, everyone became busy.
There was an escort mission to the Shu Region. Zhang Wangyue had asked Huyan Lei if Zhou Yan was suitable, and the latter replied that with Cui Qingshan in the escort team, it was not appropriate.
At noon, the escorts’ goods were transported over by the shop assistants of the major trading companies in Zhongdu, according to the addresses provided by the employers.
Medicinal herbs and leather goods from Liaodong, silks and embroideries from Jiangnan, and porcelain. There were more than thirty carts in total.
In the afternoon, the employers arrived at the escort bureau. The owner of the escort bureau, the Chief Escort, and the employers inspected the goods and reconciled accounts. Afterward, Zhou Yan and the other escorts and runners loaded the goods into the escort chests and sealed them.
They were busy until deep into the night before they finally had some free time.
Below the Chief Escort of the escort bureau were Zhang Wangyue and two escorts named Shi Xiangui.
Shi Xiangui was in charge of escorting the goods.
Therefore, Zhou Yan and the others, who were not going on the escort, were assigned to stand night watch.
It would take at least two more days for the escort bureau to hire mules and horses and for the escort goods to depart.
Starlight fell, and the night wind rustled the leaves, making a rustling sound.
Huyan Lei and Zhou Yan were on night watch.
After patrolling once, they returned to the courtyard where the escort carts were parked. Huyan Lei said to Zhou Yan, “After midnight, find a place to rest.”
“How can I do that?”
“I can’t sleep.”
“Neither can I. Why don’t you tell me some anecdotes about the Hu Family Generals, old brother?”
“Haha, let’s go to the pavilion for some tea and talk.”
They walked towards the octagonal pavilion in the courtyard. From the long street outside the escort bureau, dog barking sounds of “woof woof woof” could be heard.
Zhou Yan and Huyan Lei instinctively stopped. After a moment, several black figures appeared in the escort bureau’s scale-like buildings in the night. They sometimes flew over the rooftops, sometimes appeared in the tree crowns, their movements graceful.
Zhou Yan drew his bow.
Huyan Lei made a gesture to observe quietly.
The two stood in the shadows cast by the pavilion pillars. At that moment, the few figures, as agile as night owls, crossed the escort bureau and disappeared into another patch of darkness.
