Chapter 193: The Final Kick, Prejudiced Hearts
The bright moon hung from the overhanging eaves, its clear light falling on the tips of the willows.
Zhou Yan entered the city, placed the “Night-Shining Jade Lion” at the escort bureau, and walked back to his courtyard.
As he entered the alley, he saw an old beggar standing by the door, peering through the gap.
He was slightly surprised and walked over silently.
The old beggar saw that the houses in the courtyard were dark and was about to leave when his shoulder was suddenly lightly patted.
The old beggar was greatly startled but reacted swiftly. His right foot, like a suddenly raised poisonous snake, kicked back towards Zhou Yan’s calf.
This backward kick was incredibly fast and full of power.
With a “bang,” Zhou Yan raised his knee and swung his lower leg outward to block the move. The old beggar suddenly twisted his waist and turned, his “Yuanyang Legs” striking in rapid succession, like sparks of fire.
Zhou Yan grunted and countered with his “Whirlwind Sweeping Leaves Leg,” his leg shadows like wind in an instant, kicking through the air with fluid speed.
The old beggar alternated his legs, while Zhou Yan responded with a single leg. In a flash, thunderous roars erupted, dust swirled, and the old beggar grunted, staggering back and hitting the courtyard gate with a “bang.”
With a swish, Zhou Yan’s foot stopped in front of the old beggar, his trouser leg fluttering, vibrating like a whip, and the few strands of oily hair on the beggar’s forehead were blown back.
The old beggar’s shock was immeasurable. In the martial dao, there is always someone better, but when it came to leg techniques, few could surpass him, let alone be defeated so utterly with such ease.
Zhou Yan looked at the old beggar’s weather-beaten and sorrowful face, and then thought of how the old beggar was actually quite skilled in leg techniques. He suddenly remembered someone.
Elder Lu Youjiao of the Beggars’ Sect.
However, in the world of Legend of the Condor Heroes, Lu Youjiao was in Yuezhou.
As Zhou Yan thought this, he retracted his foot and asked, “A disciple of the Beggars’ Sect?”
“Who are you?”
“Zhou Yan.”
The old beggar was overjoyed. “A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. It’s Head Escort Zhou. This old beggar is Lu Youjiao, an elder of the Beggars’ Sect’s western route.”
It was indeed him.
Lu Youjiao said, “Gang Leader Hong mentioned Head Escort Zhou during the Beggars’ Sect Conference in Yuezhou. With the Jin Dynasty relocating its capital, this old beggar came to Kaifeng Prefecture for official business, as well as matters in the Luoyang and Zhongdu directions. The Gang Leader said that if you encounter trouble in Zhongdu, you can find Head Escort Zhou.”
Zhou Yan was confused. “Did Senior not mention what I look like?”
Lu Youjiao smiled like cracked orange peel. “No, he only mentioned Head Escort Zhou and his address. The Gang Leader spoke very highly of Head Escort Zhou, and this old beggar assumed he was a close friend. I didn’t expect Head Escort Zhou to be so young. It was all a misunderstanding.”
Qigong was careless, Zhou Yan thought to himself. He said, “Elder Lu, please come inside for some wine and a chat.”
“This old beggar has disturbed you.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Good.”
When Zhou Yan went on escorts or practiced in the West Mountain, he would bolt the door from the inside and enter by climbing over the wall to prevent thieves. This was also one of the reasons for the misunderstanding.
If the door had been securely bolted, Lu Youjiao wouldn’t have been peering through the gap.
Under Lu Youjiao’s astonished gaze, he leaped into the courtyard and opened the gate.
The old beggar sighed.
Head Escort Zhou and the Gang Leader are both as unrestrained as celestial beings.
Under the moonlight, they sat on either side of the stone table.
Zhou Yan poured wine from a wine jar, and Lu Youjiao busily took out a chipped porcelain bowl from his embrace.
“Head Escort, please pour the wine into this porcelain bowl.”
Zhou Yan smiled, and the wine flowed like a stream into the bowl.
Lu Youjiao marveled inwardly again. Unconventional in his ways, no wonder the old Gang Leader appreciated him. The elders of the Beggars’ Sect didn’t even know that Hong Qigong had passed on the “Subduing Dragon Eighteen Palms” to Zhou Yan.
As they drank, Zhou Yan asked, “Where is Senior now?”
“The Gang Leader is elusive, and his whereabouts have been unknown since the Beggars’ Sect Conference. However, the Gang Leader mentioned an appointment with Head Escort Zhou at Zhongnan Mountain.”
“The appointment hasn’t arrived yet,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.
“Is my trip to Zhongdu related to this matter?”
“What do you mean?”
“The reason I came to Zhongdu is twofold. Firstly, the Mongolian prince is holding a Heroes’ Banquet. The Gang Leader mentioned that the Mongols intended to raze the city, but later Young Hero Guo advised against it, and the Khan rescinded the order.”
“That is indeed true.”
“This old beggar came to see what tricks the Mongols were up to. Secondly, when I was in Kaifeng Prefecture, some disciples of the sect saw a group of people board a ship at the wharf, saying they were going to Zhongnan Mountain. This old beggar couldn’t find the Gang Leader, so I thought I’d tell Head Escort Zhou about this.”
Zhou Yan’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly asked, “Who were they?”
“There was someone whose voice sounded like bronze cymbals scraping.”
Alas, it was Ouyang Feng.
“How many people?”
“Over thirty people.”
“Was this a few days ago?”
“Three days ago.”
Zhou Yan was burning with anxiety. The distance from Kaifeng Prefecture to Zhongnan Mountain is only half that from Zhongdu. It is currently midsummer. If Ouyang Feng were not involved, Li Mochou and her disciple could have held out for a while using their Jade Peak skill, but with the Western Venom’s backing, it was dangerous.
He immediately said, “I need to go to Zhongnan Mountain, so I cannot accompany Elder.”
Lu Youjiao saw the look on Zhou Yan’s face and knew it was an urgent matter. He said, “This old beggar will accompany Head Escort.”
“Elder has Beggars’ Sect affairs in Zhongdu and cannot be delayed. Without further ado, I bid you farewell.” As Zhou Yan spoke, his figure appeared on the rooftop and vanished into the moonlight.
Lu Youjiao then thought that he should find a way to mobilize the disciples to search for the Gang Leader and inform him of this matter.
He picked up the wine bowl, finished the wine, sealed the wine jar, bolted the door from the inside, and climbed over the wall to leave.
Zhou Yan sped along, reached the escort bureau, and instructed the guard on duty to pass a message to Zhang Wangyue the next day, saying he was going to Zhongnan Mountain.
Carrying his Profound Iron spears, with a bow on his left shoulder and the Qingfeng Sword on his right, riding the “Night-Shining Jade Lion,” he galloped out of the city.
…
The flowers and grass at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain bent in the wind stirred by the “Night-Shining Jade Lion,” and the bees and butterflies on the flower stamens danced in the breeze. The white horse galloped past.
Leaving Zhongdu, apart from brief rests, Zhou Yan traveled day and night. The “Night-Shining Jade Lion” galloped non-stop, and after three days, he arrived at the valley at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain, where there was an undercurrent leading to the Ancient Tomb.
He drove the horse into the mountain forest and, using his agility, headed straight for the Ancient Tomb.
…
“Sparring under the pines,” “Taming cranes by the pond,” “Night talk by the west window,” “Butterfly dreams of twins,” a childish voice rang out in the forest. Little Dragon Girl, holding a wooden sword, executed the last move, her sword feinting left and striking down several times to the right.
“Alas!” Little Dragon Girl put away her wooden sword, took a few steps forward, and squatted among the flowers, watching the butterflies. She said, “Butterfly, butterfly, can you fly to Zhongdu and tell Big Brother that Sister is in trouble?”
A figure approached silently, not casting a shadow where Little Dragon Girl stood. Little Dragon Girl quickly covered her eyes with her right hand, then peeked through her fingers, exclaiming with surprise, “Big Brother.”
Zhou Yan was stunned. Little Dragon Girl turned around, her exquisitely carved face like a white lotus in bloom.
He used his lightness skill and went up the mountain without stopping. Upon reaching the Ancient Tomb, he saw Little Dragon Girl practicing her sword.
Relieved.
Ouyang Feng and his group’s whereabouts were discovered by disciples of the Beggars’ Sect, and Lu Youjiao sent a message. He was in a desperate hurry and had been rushing all the way.
Ouyang Feng and his group were either sightseeing or had other important matters, and had fallen behind.
Zhou Yan’s heart was as calm as a falling stone. His figure floated, and he arrived behind Little Dragon Girl, only to be recognized by her.
Little Dragon Girl beamed with joy and took Zhou Yan’s hand. He squatted down and asked, “How did you know it was me?”
“Your bow’s tip cast a shadow.”
Zhou Yan smiled faintly. “You’re so smart.”
“Sister says the same thing.”
“Where is your senior sister?”
“She’s been grounded by Master for a long time.”
Zhou Yan understood; it must be because of him.
“Help me with something.”
“Okay,” Little Dragon Girl nodded vigorously.
“Tell your Master and Sister that Ouyang Feng is coming. I want to see your Master.”
“How powerful is he?”
“One of the four most powerful martial artists in this world.”
“With Big Brother here, I’m not afraid,” Little Dragon Girl said without fear. “Big Brother, wait for me.”
“Okay.”
Little Dragon Girl’s white figure fluttered like a butterfly through the forest and into the Ancient Tomb.
Only then did Zhou Yan lift his robe and sit on the ground to rest, his mind already racing, thinking about how to defend against the enemy.
He had seen many green bamboos along the way; several traps could be set up.
But the best method would be to combine swords with Li Mochou.
After more than half a year, her cultivation of the “Yijin Forging Bone Chapter” would have certainly improved. With their swords combined, they might be able to defend the entrance to the Ancient Tomb and wait for Hong Qigong to arrive.
The last resort would be to lower the Blocking Dragon Stone.
As Zhou Yan pondered, Lin Chaoying’s maid came out.
Her eyes held authority, and her expression was stern.
Zhou Yan stood up and cupped his hands. “Greetings, Senior.”
“You say Ouyang Feng is coming to the Ancient Tomb?”
“Does Senior know the Western Venom?”
Lin Chaoying’s maid’s face became solemn. “Yes.”
Zhou Yan guessed that she must have heard about Ouyang Feng from Lin Chaoying.
“Where did you get this news?”
“The Beggars’ Sect sent word. Besides the Western Venom, there are over thirty others. Miss Li said that Jade Peak could injure the enemy, but this is only for surprise attacks and cannot deal with Ouyang Feng.”
Lin Chaoying’s maid considered that, in her desperation, she could only lower the Blocking Dragon Stone. However, once the Blocking Dragon Stone was lowered, there would be no way to retract it. Mo Chou and Long Er would be trapped and die in the Ancient Tomb, and the young lady’s martial arts, the Ancient Tomb sect, would be lost in her hands.
Thinking this, she said, “Do you have a plan to defeat the enemy?”
“I will seek Taoist Priest Qiu’s assistance.”
“This old woman would rather perish together with the Western Venom and that villain Ouyang Ke.”
“When we repelled the enemy that day, Miss Li and I unintentionally combined our swords, and our power increased greatly. Senior, would you agree to practice swordplay with Miss Li?”
This was merely a tactic to influence her mind.
Zhou Yan knew that Lin Chaoying’s maid would refuse help from the Quanzhen Sect. However, if he had proposed practicing swordplay with Li Mochou from the start, she would have flatly refused.
By retreating to advance, there was at least room for maneuver.
“No.”
“What is Senior’s intention?”
“I will think about it again.”
“A great enemy is at hand, and the survival of the Ancient Tomb is at stake. Senior, please reconsider.”
“What are your intentions?”
“The prejudice in people’s hearts is a mountain that Senior cannot overcome. If the Ancient Tomb perishes, I will go down the mountain to buy ropes and set up some traps.”
As Zhou Yan spoke, he lingered no longer. Using his “Golden Goose Skill,” he soared into the gentle sunlight of the mountain, like a long dragon traversing an opening, accelerating as he went, and vanishing from Lin Chaoying’s maid’s sight in an instant.
“This kid’s cultivation has improved so much since last time. How did he train?” Lin Chaoying’s maid was incredulous.
Time was more ample now. Zhou Yan rode his horse to the market, bought ropes, wine, and food for several days, and returned up the mountain the same way.
As an escort, and with knowledge from two lifetimes, setting up simple traps was not difficult for him.
After eating his fill, he found a discarded long saber in the mountain forest and began to chop bamboo and wood.
