Chapter 4: Youthful Arrogance
The wind roared like a tiger, sweeping across the forest and fields under the dark night, rolling towards the dilapidated Mountain God Temple.
Hou Tonghai’s heart trembled violently, and he said, “Hong…”
“What nonsense are you talking about, get lost already.”
Sha Tongtian, who was waiting at the entrance of the Mountain God Temple to deal with Li Mochou, suddenly heard Hong Qigong’s voice. His face was filled with panic. When the words “get lost already” came, he turned and fled fiercely.
Hou Tonghai retreated, saying, “This humble one did not know that the two of you and your esteemed self…”
“Are you going to get lost or not?”
“I’m getting lost right now.”
Hou Tonghai turned and disappeared into the night with a few leaps.
Zhou Yan let out a slight sigh. Although he didn’t know how Hong Qigong appeared here, if it weren’t for this fortunate coincidence, escaping from the hands of those two would have been extremely difficult.
Zhou Yan saw through it but didn’t expose it. He bowed and said, “Thank you, Elder, for saving my life.”
Hong Qigong took the gourd from his back, uncorked it, and the aroma of wine filled the air. He took a few gulps before saying, “When I arrived at the suburbs of Datong Prefecture, I happened to see over ten people dead at a restaurant. I wondered who could be so ruthless. Later, I saw it was the Yellow River Four Ghosts. After inquiring further, I learned that the attacker was a young man and a young woman. Out of curiosity, I followed those two scoundrels. You, young man, are quite ruthless in your actions.”
Li Mochou walked quickly to Zhou Yan’s side. Hearing Hong Qigong’s words, she said indignantly, “Those people deserved to die.”
“Why did they deserve to die?”
“Bullying the weak and oppressing the good.” Li Mochou briefly recounted how she encountered the Yellow River Four Ghosts on the way, how they intended to capture her and present her to some Young Master Ouyang, how she fought her way out, and then encountered them again at the restaurant, where Zhou Yan chivalrously intervened.
Hong Qigong was surprised, “So you two are not together. You, young man, have courage and righteousness. However, you were still too ruthless. The Yellow River Four Ghosts deserved to die, but the remaining nine did not deserve death.”
Zhou Yan said, “To let a tiger return to the mountain is to invite future trouble. Elder, your martial arts are peerless, so you have no fear of retaliation. My martial arts are low-level, and behind the dozens of people in the escort bureau, there are hundreds of mouths to feed. If anyone escapes and later brings about the revenge of Sha Tongtian and others, wouldn’t a moment of benevolence lead to the harm of the innocent?”
Hong Qigong had already seen from Zhou Yan’s attire that he was an escort. Hearing this, he nodded, “There is some truth to that. I didn’t expect you, young man, to be so meticulous in your thinking.”
“Thank you for your understanding, Elder.”
“No need for thanks. However, I have already dispelled disaster for you. Sha Tongtian and Hou Tonghai likely won’t dare to trouble you again.”
“I’m not afraid even if they come,” Li Mochou said.
“You bold girl,” Hong Qigong said with a smile. He then said to Zhou Yan, “Your ‘Taizu Long Fist’ and ‘Yanqing Fist’ are quite skillful, but you lack internal energy foundation. Otherwise, with the ‘Charge the Formation and Cut the Generals’ technique of Taizu Long Fist, which combines hardness with softness and softness with hardness, Hou Tonghai would have definitely suffered a loss.”
“Indeed.”
“Who is your Master?”
The ‘Yanqing Fist’ and ‘Taizu Long Fist’ that Zhou Yan displayed in combat were widely circulated, so Hong Qigong could not determine his sect from the techniques.
“This junior learned martial arts at the escort bureau and never became a disciple.”
Hong Qigong admired Zhou Yan for being young, promising, and chivalrous, but he also felt that his disposition was too cold. Intending to test him, he said, “In some ways, you suit my taste, young man. How about you become my disciple? With your external style martial arts foundation, in just a month or two, you’ll be able to completely disregard the likes of Hou Tonghai.”
“He won’t become your disciple.”
Hong Qigong laughed heartily, “Why?”
“I want to teach him lightness skill and swordplay, and he wouldn’t even learn.”
“Interesting.” Hong Qigong took a step forward, floating down. “Young man, have you thought it through? You really won’t learn?”
“Mm!”
“Why.”
“If I were to become a disciple and cultivate, I would have to obey the Master’s rules and teachings. ‘You cannot kill this person,’ ‘you cannot kill that person.’ I am not a person who kills indiscriminately, but I have my own standards of good and evil. If I were bound by these rules, how could I be free and easy?”
In Mr. Jin’s Legend of the Condor Heroes, Zhou Yan’s most memorable impression of Hong Qigong was not the Huashan Sword Discussion where he taught Guo Jing martial arts due to his love of food, but rather the second discussion where Qiu Qianren was surrounded and, knowing he couldn’t escape, asked Master Yideng, Guo Jing, Huang Yaoshi, and others, “On what grounds should you kill me?”
Zhu Ziliu said that Qiu Qianren had committed many evils and deserved to be punished by everyone.
Qiu Qianren retorted, asking anyone who had never killed anyone or committed any evil deeds in their lives to step forward and fight him.
His words actually rendered everyone except Hong Qigong speechless. Hong Qigong glared and said that he had killed two hundred and thirty-one people in his life, all of whom were villains, and he had never killed a good person.
Qiu Qianren was disheartened upon hearing this. Thinking of his Master Shangguan Jiannan, he finally had a change of heart and became a disciple of Master Yideng.
Zhou Yan refused Hong Qigong for two reasons: he knew the other party was testing him, and he didn’t want to be burdened by rules. Furthermore, having just transmigrated, he wanted to take advantage of the escort bureau’s travels to slowly make his plans, not wanting to get involved in the Beggars’ Sect’s disputes. While Hong Qigong was indeed righteous, the Beggars’ Sect was truly a place where dragons and snakes mixed together.
Hong Qigong heard this and laughed, scolding, “After all is said and done, it’s still because you, young man, have a heavy killing intent.”
“I just feel that one’s aggression cannot be too heavy, so one must learn to control it. However, control is not about disregarding priorities. Otherwise, what is the point of learning martial arts? In short, strike when you should strike.”
Li Mochou, being new to the world, had never heard such words before. However, she felt that Zhou Yan was good-looking, spoke well, and was righteous, making him worthy of deep friendship.
Hong Qigong, apart from killing fewer living beings, was essentially a person who disregarded minor principles and acted freely. Zhou Yan’s words truly struck a chord with him.
“I, a beggar, like what you say, and I cherish talented individuals like you. How about this? I will teach you a set of martial arts. You don’t need to become my disciple. Although this set of martial arts is not a peerless skill, it can aid in cultivating internal energy.”
Li Mochou was overjoyed, “Quickly agree!”
“Aren’t you worried that if I learn your technique, you’ll be surpassed by me?”
“Not at all. My sect has plenty of profound martial arts. When I return to my sect and diligently study, I will make you look at me with new eyes.”
“Hey, what are you two kids talking about?”
Li Mochou spoke quickly, recounting her encounter with Zhou Yan, how he said her experience in the Jianghu was insufficient and she was easily deceived, and their agreement to meet for a sword discussion a year later after she returned to her sect to cultivate.
Hong Qigong, being an old hand in the Jianghu, understood Zhou Yan’s intentions. They were strangers who met by chance, and he couldn’t take them with him, nor could he leave them behind for fear of further trouble. This was why he provoked her to return to her sect.
“Interesting. A year from now, this beggar will be here as a witness.” Hong Qigong, who loved excitement, decided to help Zhou Yan.
“Is that true?” Li Mochou asked.
“Do I ever go back on my word?”
“Good!”
Hong Qigong said, “Young man, what do you say? Will you learn or not?”
How could Zhou Yan refuse now? “Thank you, Elder. It is better to obey than to refuse.”
“Good, I will teach you a set of fist techniques called ‘Free and Easy Journey’ that this beggar used when roaming the Jianghu in earlier years.”
As soon as Hong Qigong finished speaking, he leaped up, his large sleeves fluttering. He darted east and west, his agility extremely nimble.
“Listen carefully, young man, this is the cultivation technique mantra.”
“Before moving, move the body; before moving the body, move the mind. Before moving the void, move the solid; before moving the tip, move the root. Alternating sinking and lifting, moving sequentially. Intent arises like water, a Free and Easy Journey…”
