Chapter 79: Hidden Monk Escort, Bronze Cymbals and Green Bricks
The lights were as bright as day, figures rising and falling like flying, moving as fast as lightning.
In the spacious hall, Ouyang Ke unleashed a simplified version of the Divine Camel Snow Mountain Palm, his movements agile like a roaming dragon, elegant and nimble, mesmerizing to behold. At the crucial points, “Small Building Playing the Sheng,” “Maple Leaves Falling,” and “Flowing Water Weeping,” three consecutive moves, conjured multiple arcs, his palms creating a faint whistling sound as they cut through the air.
“Master Ouyang, what excellent palm work.”
“Like swift snow, unpredictable and ever-changing, excellent.”
“Like swift snow, unpredictable and ever-changing, excellent.”
The study was filled with ancient texts, the desk was rustic, and the eaves were intricately carved. The handsome youth, the tall monk, and the white-haired old man sitting on chairs all praised him in unison.
The youth wore a golden crown to tie his hair, a red robe, and a golden belt, naturally being Wanyan Kang. The monk and the old man were, of course, Monk Lingzhi and Liang Zi Weng, whom Wanyan Honglie had invited.
Among the five great masters, however, were missing Sha Tongtian, the “Ghost Gate Dragon King” who dominated the Yellow River and roamed Shanxi and Shaanxi, and Peng Lianhu, the “Thousand Hand Butcher.”
The Great Jin Prince had invited five great masters with the intention of seizing the Wumu’s Military Writings. Wanyan Honglie was determined to obtain this military treatise, thus he planned to personally go southward to seize it.
He had a meticulous plan: he would go to the Lin’an Prefecture court as an envoy, and secretly dispatch Sha Tongtian and Peng Lianhu to rendezvous with “Three-Headed Flood Dragon” Hou Tonghai beforehand to scout and gather information, employing a two-pronged approach.
The reason Liang Zi Weng and Monk Lingzhi were still lingering at the Prince’s Manor was that their identities were inconvenient, and their peculiar appearances would attract attention, making them far less convenient than Peng Lianhu and Sha Tongtian, who mingled in the Jianghu.
As for Ouyang Ke, he relied on his status and naturally would not engage in scouting as a mere pawn.
Wanyan Honglie believed his arrangements were foolproof, and he would lead the envoy delegation southward after the Lantern Festival, when spring had warmed and flowers bloomed.
Wanyan Kang took this opportunity to focus on building a good relationship with Ouyang Ke and hospitably entertained Monk Lingzhi and Liang Zi Weng. Although young, he was quite cunning and calculating, causing Wanyan Honglie to speak highly of him, instruct him in martial arts, and even consider becoming a disciple of the Western Venom.
No one was a simple character.
Ouyang Ke, Monk Lingzhi, and Liang Zi Weng all wished to leverage the Great Jin Prince’s influence to achieve something and gain his favor and appreciation. They would not impart their ultimate peerless skills, but they did teach many high-level cultivation techniques they could readily display. Especially Liang Zi Weng, who was skilled in medicinal principles and prepared medicinal cuisine to nourish Wanyan Kang’s qi and blood. Over this period, the Great Jin Little Prince’s physique and martial arts cultivation had both significantly improved.
Except for his lack of diligence in investigating Zhou Yan, Wanyan Kang was accommodating to Ouyang Ke’s every request. He also turned a blind eye to the Young Master of White Camel Mountain arranging for beautiful concubines and abducting beautiful women from Zhongdu City.
Ouyang Ke knew that the other party’s attentiveness was because he wanted to become his uncle’s disciple. However, the martial arts of White Camel Mountain were never passed down to outsiders, so he did not expose it. In any case, his uncle would arrive in Zhongdu soon, and he could let his uncle speak to the Little Prince.
Each harbored their own intentions, but on the surface, it appeared as a harmonious scene of Wanyan Kang humbly seeking guidance and Ouyang Ke, Liang Zi Weng, and others imparting their knowledge through teaching and demonstration.
However, Liang Zi Weng would still grit his teeth whenever he thought of his Big Treasure Snake.
Ouyang Ke also thought of Zhou Yan, who had ambushed him twice. But the information Wanyan Kang provided was that there was no one riding the “Night-Shining Jade Lion” in Zhongdu. He also promised to send a similar horse, so the Young Master of White Camel Mountain could only put the matter aside for the time being.
Wanyan Kang was perfunctory regarding the investigation of Zhou Yan. He harbored fear towards his Master Qiu Chuji, and having witnessed Wang Chuyi stand up for Zhou Yan that day, he had no intention of putting in his full effort.
Wanyan Kang was intelligent and possessed outstanding martial arts talent. When Ouyang Ke unleashed the Divine Camel Snow Mountain Palm, having grasped its essence, he first poured tea and then said, “In your hands, this palm technique is like a thousand arms and ten thousand palms, a heaven and earth net. I truly admire it; I lack this kind of momentum and spirit.”
Ouyang Ke found this very pleasing to hear and said, “Little Prince, your talent is sharp. In time, you will surely reach this level of skill.”
“Thank you for your encouragement, Master Ouyang,” Wanyan Kang said with a smile.
The wind blew in like a tide, hitting the window and making a whistling sound. On the roof of the study where the four were located, a petite figure of a woman wearing a white cloak and a green dress underneath stirred slightly.
The accumulated snow then made a faint creaking sound.
The woman looked at the scholar beside her.
The two exchanged a glance, their hearts in sync, understanding the meaning in each other’s eyes. White Camel Mountain was in the Western Regions, the Ginseng Immortal Old Freak was a figure from Beyond the Pass, and the monk was from Esoteric Buddhism. With these individuals gathered at the Prince’s Manor, could it be that there was a significant plot?
Just as they thought this, Ouyang Ke and Monk Lingzhi inside the study had a slight change in expression.
Zhou Yan’s guess was entirely correct. Han Xiaoying, the “Yue Maiden Sword,” and Zhu Cong, the “Masterstroke Scholar,” had indeed arrived at the Prince’s Manor to scout. The two infiltrated stealthily, following the lights to this study, and happened to encounter Wanyan Kang’s subordinates inviting Ouyang Ke and the others, so they hid on the rooftop to investigate.
They had overheard the conversation of Ouyang Ke, Monk Lingzhi, Liang Zi Weng, and Wanyan Kang. However, because Han Xiaoying moved slightly, pressing down on the accumulated snow, she was detected by the deeply skilled Ouyang Ke and Monk Lingzhi.
Ouyang Ke looked at Monk Lingzhi.
The monk in the red robe smiled slightly. He rose from his chair and took out a pair of bronze cymbals from beneath his monastic robe.
Wanyan Kang was about to ask a question, but his mind turned, and he remained silent.
Suddenly, Monk Lingzhi threw the bronze cymbals, which flew rapidly towards the rafter.
With a loud bang, dust and smoke billowed, and the bronze cymbals lifted the entire roof.
…
“Bang”
Shattered wood shot out from one end of the roof. The bronze cymbals spun as they broke through the roof, and Han Xiaoying rolled out rapidly. A stream of blood instantly spurted from her waist, falling onto the white snow.
“Go!”
Zhu Cong shouted.
Han Xiaoying endured the piercing pain from her injuries, landed in the courtyard, and used her Lightness Skill, “Swallow’s Three Dives,” to swiftly flee towards the outside of the Prince’s Manor.
Zhu Cong followed closely behind. From the study behind them, Ouyang Ke, Liang Zi Weng, and Wanyan Kang leaped out. Monk Lingzhi, however, burst through the roof and stood high on the overhanging eaves.
Zhu Cong threw a handful of bone piercing nails to cover Han Xiaoying’s retreat.
Wang Chuyi and Ma Yu’s figures also appeared in the courtyard of the study at this moment.
The scene before them was something the two Taoist priests could never have imagined. They had come following the lights, and as soon as they landed, the roof of a nearby house exploded with a bang, figures flew out, and a sudden confrontation ensued.
Ma Yu recognized Han Xiaoying and Zhu Cong.
He was stunned for a moment and said, “It’s the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan. Female Hero Han seems to be injured. Stop these people.”
Wang Chuyi asked, “Should we cover our faces?”
“Let’s cover them,” Ma Yu said. “Don’t cause trouble for Young Friend Zhou.”
The two covered their faces with handkerchiefs and lunged towards Ouyang Ke and Liang Zi Weng.
On the roof of the study, Monk Lingzhi, holding the bronze cymbals, flew out like a large bird, pursuing Zhu Cong and Han Xiaoying like a shadow. At this moment, the Prince’s Manor erupted with the sound of gongs and drums, a clamor like boiling water.
…
Zhou Yan was just circling around the Prince’s Manor towards the backyard when he suddenly heard the sounds of gongs and drums and shouts of capturing assassins erupting all around.
His heart leaped in surprise. Han Xiaoying and Zhu Cong had indeed come to the Prince’s Manor and were discovered.
In the wind and snow, with a bang, a woman landed heavily on the ground, stumbled a few steps, and ran forward, followed closely by a scholar who landed and chased after the woman.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Zhou Yan saw a monk in a red robe holding bronze cymbals, looking ferocious, chasing them from between the buildings several yards away.
It was Monk Lingzhi.
Without a second thought, Zhou Yan took out a handkerchief from hisHuai and covered his face, running along the wall.
