Chapter 3: Nine-Fingered Beggar Hong Qigong
The campfire’s glow carried dust and smoke, and the burning bamboo strips crackled.
Zhou Yan replied, “The Jianghu is treacherous. If your Master were to take you down the mountain to travel, that would be one thing, but you have little Jianghu experience, and you are a woman. Even flowers hide thorns beneath their leaves; one can hardly guarantee that people’s hearts are not poisoned.”
Li Mochou chuckled, “Why do you speak so old-fashionedly? What’s wrong with being a woman? Am I inferior to men?”
“The saying ‘Women are not inferior to men’ is not wrong. But I am an escort, and when I worked as a runner, I would shout to clear the way and be responsible for announcing the escort. I’ve been to Jiangnan and the northern regions, and I know the dangers of the Jianghu and the wickedness of people, which is why I say this.”
“You’re an escort? I really couldn’t tell.”
“That’s why underestimating someone easily leads to disaster. It’s like the person in the restaurant who used a short axe; if he hadn’t been careless and underestimated me, he wouldn’t have been killed by me in one move.”
“Then tell me about your Jianghu experience.”
“There’s a lot. For example, there are three types of people in the Jianghu who are the most troublesome: beggars, monks, and Taoist nuns. If you want to live a peaceful life, it’s best not to provoke them, whether you want to fight or drink. There’s also some advice: don’t trust men who appear honest. If women and children come to your door, it’s definitely not a good thing…”
Zhou Yan was naturally eloquent. Having transmigrated, he wasn’t bound by many of the era’s societal norms. He spoke eloquently about the dangers of the Jianghu and its slang, and Li Mochou listened intently, yet also felt goosebumps.
When he finished speaking, the temple was silent.
Li Mochou was lost in thought for a long time.
The sound of autumn rain hitting leaves was slow, and the bleak wind carried a heavy chill.
Li Mochou came back to her senses, hugging her shoulders, “Is it really that dangerous?”
“Naturally!”
“But I have martial arts, very good ones.”
“Even a hero can’t fight against many opponents. A direct attack is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to guard against. Moreover, there are scoundrels who use soporifics. Don’t you have senior brothers and sisters? It would be better to travel together than alone.”
“My junior sister is only five years old.”
A slight smile touched Zhou Yan’s lips. Li Mochou’s Jianghu experience was shallow; he had extracted this information with just one sentence.
Little Dragon Girl was indeed a “young dragon.”
Li Mochou suddenly smiled, “How about I follow you to gain some experience?”
Zhou Yan said, “According to escort regulations, women are not allowed to be in contact during an escort mission.”
“You’ve already contacted me.”
“So I’ve broken the rules.”
“Then break them a few more times.”
Zhou Yan smiled faintly, “This trip is a letter escort, and I’m traveling alone. If it were a silver escort, with the clatter of carts and the neighing of horses, escorts with bows and arrows at their waists, no one would be allowed to get close. Zhongnan Mountain to Datong Prefecture is a thousand li. You’ve also traveled a bit and broadened your horizons. We killed the Yellow River Four Ghosts, and the other party’s sect members will surely search for revenge everywhere. In my opinion, it’s better to return to Zhongnan Mountain to diligently cultivate martial arts. Once your skills are perfected and you’ve cultivated your character, it won’t be too late to descend the mountain.”
“Why do you need to cultivate your character when learning martial arts?”
“To curb arrogance and impatience, and to be cautious in speech and action.”
“Hearing you say that, I feel like I’m useless.”
“That’s not right. Your swordplay and lightness skill are very advanced; I am far from your equal.”
Zhou Yan was telling the truth. His martial arts were primarily external styles. Although his footwork was swift, he didn’t possess lightness skill. His saberplay and swordplay were ordinary.
Li Mochou immediately became cheerful, “I’ll teach you!”
“How can that be? However, I am young and ambitious; I will eventually surpass you.”
Li Mochou tilted her head up proudly.
Zhou Yan smiled.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing.”
Li Mochou’s bright eyes sparkled, “I know what you’re laughing at. How about a bet?”
“What kind of bet?”
“A three-year pact, no, one year. We’ll have a sword duel here to see if you can defeat me.”
“Agreed!”
“It’s a deal.”
“I will never go back on my word.”
“What if I win?”
“Not necessarily.”
“We’ll see!” Li Mochou was unconvinced and said no more, her gaze sweeping around.
Zhou Yan got up and left the temple. He took his long saber and cut some dry grass, brought it in, and dried it by the fire to make grass mats.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.” Li Mochou replied, thinking how thoughtful he was.
“You’re welcome. Make do for the night.”
“Okay!”
Li Mochou sat cross-legged and circulated her energy to regulate her breath. Under the faint light, mist began to steam from the top of her head.
Zhou Yan was quite envious.
His fist techniques were exquisite, but his internal force was ordinary. The original owner had not cultivated profound internal energy with Taizu Long Fist, so it seemed this widely circulated fist technique had been abridged, focusing only on external styles.
He brought his thoughts back, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes to rest, and the Jade Guanyin hanging around his neck continued to emit a pure, warm heat, washing over his limbs and bones, relaxing his muscles and activating his collaterals.
The wind blew in from the forest outside, slightly fanning the flames. After about an hour, Zhou Yan’s fatigue was completely gone, and he was full of spirit.
The heat from the Jade Guanyin weakened but was still perceptible. Zhou Yan was surprised; wasn’t this more marvelous than the Cold Jade Bed in the Ancient Tomb?
Towards the end of the Hai hour, the autumn rain stopped.
The night forest was quiet, and the sound of birds could be heard from afar. Unidentified animals rustled through the grass.
In the quiet night, voices could be heard.
“With this vast world, how can we find that pair of people? Let’s find a place to rest. We can search in the morning. Or perhaps Old Peng and the others have already intercepted them in Datong Prefecture.”
A voice filled with gritted teeth immediately followed.
“How can the hatred of a disciple’s death be avenged by waiting until the next day?”
Zhou Yan was startled. The other party mentioned the hatred of a disciple’s death. Had the Ghost Gate Dragon King found them? He wondered who the other speaker was.
Li Mochou also heard the voices. Her instinct was to draw her sword and leap up.
“Hush!”
Zhou Yan signaled for silence.
Li Mochou moved to his side, “Let’s go.”
Voices could be heard again from the forest, “There’s a temple over there, let’s go take a look.”
“Okay!”
Zhou Yan picked up his iron bow. The figures in the distance had become clear. There were two of them: one was a thin man with a green face, with three huge flesh tumors wobbling on his forehead; the other man had a shiny bald head.
With easily recognizable features, Zhou Yan identified them without difficulty. The bald man was the Ghost Gate Dragon King Sha Tongtian, and the green-faced man was the Three-Headed Flood Dragon Hou Tonghai.
As living beings approached, the horse neighed uneasily. Sha Tongtian paused, then laughed heartily, “They must be here, heaven has…”
“Careful!”
An arrow shot from the temple by Zhou Yan arrived in an instant. Hou Tonghai, who had been alerted, was quick-handed. He smashed the long arrow with his steel fork, took two steps, and with an explosive lift of his arm, threw the steel fork.
The steel fork cut through the air, whistling with the sound of wind and thunder, coming from outside the temple gate.
The moment Hou Tonghai raised his arm, Zhou Yan dodged with a low shoulder and a sliding step.
Li Mochou, having suffered from her lack of experience, was about to attack with her sword when the steel fork suddenly arrived with great force and momentum, breaking through the air. Her graceful body suddenly slid backward, parallel to the ground, her back not touching the dust. She was sent flying back about ten feet.
The steel fork whistled past her nose and then smashed into the night, embedding itself in the mud wall.
After throwing the steel fork, Hou Tonghai lunged forward. In an instant, he rushed in, and Zhou Yan brought down a saber strike, “Forceful Split of Mount Hua.”
The Three-Headed Flood Dragon blocked it with his hand, his iron wristband clashing against the saber’s edge, sending sparks flying. In the dark space, Zhou Yan’s steel saber flew out. Remaining calm in the face of danger, he punched out with a “Charge the Formation and Cut the Generals,” a move from “Taizu Long Fist.” This move was both elegant and imposing, with a fierce punch that showed great cultivation.
Hou Tonghai took half a step to the side and grabbed at Zhou Yan’s joints with his right hand. His arm sank, and he used the grappling technique of “Yanqing Fist” to counter and lock. In the pitch-black temple, first two arms, then all four arms became entangled. Zhou Yan’s body spun rapidly, kicking up dust and wind that swirled them both, and they crashed through the wall, rolling onto the ground.
The two separated abruptly upon landing. Zhou Yan leaped up with a “Kite Turns Over.” At the same time, Hou Tonghai, who had also gotten up, was about to attack when a voice suddenly rang out:
“Hou Tonghai, you are a renowned figure. Is it not shameful to bully a young man?”
Zhou Yan looked in the direction of the voice and saw a middle-aged beggar sitting on the black tiles of the temple roof. This person had a long, square face, a short beard under his chin, large hands and feet, and his clothes were covered in patches. In his hand, he held a jade-green bamboo staff, and on his back was a large gourd painted with vermilion lacquer.
Zhou Yan’s pupils contracted slightly. A green bamboo staff, a Dog Beating Stick. The person was Hong Qigong.
