It is said that when Zhou Chun heard what Yan'er had said, he was greatly alarmed and said, "That was close! That was close, Yan'er. You truly have a courageous spirit. I've always told you that the most challenging people to deal with in the martial world are wandering monks, Taoists, beggars, and solitary female travelers. Meeting such individuals while traveling alone requires utmost caution. Luckily, someone gave you advice, or else your life might have ended up in a place like the 'City of the Dead.'"
Li Ning then said, "The contents of the letter are not entirely clear to me either. When did you hear that he had a past conflict with a monk? Why don't you explain it to us?"
Zhou Chun began, "Do you know who this monk is? He is none other than the infamous Many-Armed Xiong Maotai, a name known throughout southern Jiangnan ten years ago!"
Upon hearing this, Li Ning couldn't help but exclaim, "If it's him, we might have a serious problem."
Zhou Chun continued, "It was my carelessness that allowed this trouble to resurface. Unfortunately, just when I had finally found a place to settle down, I now have to run and evade once more. Let me explain the events from the past."
Li Ning had not yet replied, and both Ying Qiong and Yan'er, two young individuals who were bold and spirited, felt challenged by Zhou Chun's actions. Yan'er hesitated to speak, while Ying Qiong's face turned red with anger as she said, "Uncle, you are undermining your own reputation while boosting the confidence of others. Xiong Maotai may be fierce, but there are four of us here now. Why should we fear him to the extent of running away?"
Zhou Chun said, "My dear niece, you don't understand. Many years have passed, and your father, though aware of these events, may not recall them clearly. Allow me to share the story of what happened back then, which may provide you young ones with some insight. More than a decade ago, your father, your Uncle Yang, and I were renowned throughout the northern provinces. Your father was a master swordsman and skilled in various hidden weapons. He was known as the 'All-Armed Ape of Shandong.' Your Uncle Yang wielded a simple knife and a chained dart, earning him the title of 'Divine Blade Yang Da.' We three were like brothers, training together in martial arts and camaraderie.
It was your father who, out of his innovative thinking, created a pair of wing-like devices using white silk. With these attached to his arms, he could soar effortlessly even up a hundred feet or more. He gained the nickname 'Crane Soaring in the Clouds' due to his preference for dressing in white when traveling at night. People also collectively referred to us as the 'Three Heroes of Qilu.' We were known for performing righteous deeds in the martial world.
At that time, we were escorting a merchant from Shaanxi on his way back to Yangzhou, as the roads were dangerous. However, as we traveled, we learned of a notorious one-legged bandit named Xiong Maotai, terrorizing the southern regions. In the world of martial artists, there were unwritten rules: when encountering merchants or people conducting business on the road, or when robbing from others, as long as the victims did not resist and had no grievances, killing was strictly prohibited. Violating this rule was considered a grave offense. Particularly abhorrent was the act of assaulting and killing women.
To our shock, Xiong Maotai was known for his ruthlessness. Regardless of where he went, he would not only rob but also kill without mercy, leaving no witnesses behind. If he came across a beautiful woman, he would first violate her before taking her life. I found this utterly unacceptable.
When we reached the northern outskirts of Nanjing and stayed in an inn, we were suddenly handed a name card with no name or surname but bearing a drawing of a bear-like figure with eight additional arms. I immediately knew that it was Xiong Maotai. We had to meet him. I had our weapons prepared, and we invited him in, anticipating potential trouble. When we met, he indeed appeared fearsome, yet he hadn't brought any weapons with him.
He explained that he had come to seek an alliance with me due to my reputation. He wished to become sworn brothers. Although I lacked the necessary skills, how could I form an alliance with such an unscrupulous villain? I tactfully declined his offer. However, he didn't insist and discussed mutual support in the future, using the honorable language commonly employed in the martial world. Afterward, he took his leave.
I observed his footsteps closely; it seemed he was quite skilled. Perhaps due to his indulgence in wine and women, his spiritual power appeared somewhat weakened. I saw him off at the inn's entrance, and a gust of wind blew, slightly ajar the door of a neighboring building. He seemed to take advantage of this opportunity to show off in front of me, pretending to touch the door. It was evident that he was flaunting his skills, but I pretended not to notice.
He probably thought that I genuinely hadn't noticed and deliberately turned to the innkeeper, saying, 'Your door is not sturdy enough. Beware of thieves.' He then gave the door a casual push. The spot he touched immediately started shedding wooden fragments, revealing five finger imprints.
Seeing his show of arrogance, I couldn't bear it any longer and decided to teach him a lesson. As I escorted him out, I suddenly noticed two tiles on the rooftop of a neighboring house being blown half-off by the wind, poised to fall. I said to him, 'These two tiles, if blown off and hit someone passing by, won't they cause serious injuries?' With that, I summoned a bit of my inner energy and spat toward the tiles. My phlegm struck them and shattered them into pieces, which fell harmlessly to the ground.
Only then did he acknowledge my abilities and said, 'The Three Heroes of Qilu are indeed as famed as the stories suggest. We will meet again, and I hope you won't forget the sense of camaraderie we spoke of earlier.' At the time, I didn't pay much attention to his words."
"After he left, we hired a boat bound for Yangzhou and loaded all our belongings and family members onto it. Our boat was moored next to a large riverboat chartered by a retired official. Around three in the morning, we suddenly heard the cries of a woman. Because the situation on the ground was not very peaceful at the time, I slept fully dressed, with my weapons close by. I immediately leaped out of the cabin to investigate and found that the cries were coming from the neighboring boat. I realized there had been a mistake, but my sense of righteousness drove me to act. I quickly jumped over, only to find people sprawled all over the deck.
Peering through the gap in the cabin, I saw Xiong Maotai brandishing a gleaming steel knife. Inside the cabin was a beautiful woman, her upper garments stripped, and she had fainted due to suffocation. That scoundrel was in the process of undressing her further. I couldn't contain my anger and drew a special golden dart from my arsenal, launching it at him. Xiong Maotai was skilled, and as the dart approached the back of his head, he slightly tilted his body, catching the dart himself and blowing out the lantern, plunging the area into darkness. Then he threw the dart back at me from the cabin, leaped out, and confronted me.
We engaged in combat, and despite my lifetime of martial training, we ended up evenly matched. I was worried about my unguarded boat, fearing he might have accomplices on board, and made a mistake. After fighting for dozens of rounds, I used my 'Six Harmonies Sword' technique, a move that can pierce through clouds and seize the moon. I thrust the sword at him, and he was momentarily caught off guard, causing him to lose two fingers. This kind of lecherous criminal should have been killed to eliminate future threats, but considering his martial skills, I hesitated. Moreover, he was from the same martial school as my teacher, Fire-Eyed Golden Lion Deng Ming. He had greeted me earlier in the day, and I decided not to take his life, instead forcing him to swear a solemn oath and mend his ways. I released him without harming him seriously, hoping he would reform. Thankfully, that night, he didn't harm anyone; he merely incapacitated people using acupressure techniques. I rescued those people one by one and returned to my boat. Since then, he has shaved his head and become a monk, taking Master Fa Yuan of Mount Wutai as his teacher. He forged a flying sword that can decapitate a person from ten miles away, and his martial and sword skills have merged into one. He repeatedly vowed to avenge his past grudges. Knowing I couldn't match him in combat, I reluctantly took my daughter Qingyun and fled to Sichuan. Despite our martial skills, how could we possibly confront a sword immortal?"
During their conversation, they suddenly heard the sound of a crane's cry echoing through the sky. The group was captivated by the sound but didn't pay much attention to it. After a while, Zhou Chun hurried down to the cave and returned shortly after. Yan'er asked, "Teacher, why did you rush out just now when you heard the crane's cry?" Zhou Chun replied, "You wouldn't understand. This cave is the highest cave on Mount Emei, often shrouded in mist and clouds. Ordinary birds rarely venture here. When I heard the crane's cry coming from our summit, I found it peculiar. However, when I went to investigate, there was no trace of it. It truly was strange."
Ying Qiong then asked, "Uncle Zhou, based on what you've said, it seems that Xiong Maotai is quite formidable. Is there really no other way to deal with him except avoiding him?" Zhou Chun replied, "Although that scoundrel is skilled in swordsmanship, his character is flawed, preventing him from reaching the pinnacle. There are many sword immortals stronger than him. Take, for example, my daughter Qingyun's teacher, Great Master Canxia of Huangshan. Xiong Maotai is no match for him. Unfortunately, Huangshan is too far away, and the area is vast. Finding him at the moment is not feasible, so I can only speak of it."
Li Ning said, "Brother, simply evading him is not a solution. Let's come up with a plan." Zhou Chun responded, "Who says it isn't? I plan to discuss it with Yan'er's mother and entrust her to Ma Xiang for more care. She will keep Yan'er close while I secretly seek out Xiong Maotai. We will set a date for a duel, presenting it as a temporary ceasefire. In the meantime, I will search for Great Master Canxia on Huangshan. Although it might hurt our pride a bit, it's necessary."
Li Ning agreed with Zhou Chun's plan. Zhou Chun then said, "But this time, it's not about fighting him with an army. More people might only complicate matters. Let Ying Qiong stay with her daily martial practice. She is currently making progress. It's not convenient to leave her alone on the mountain, nor should we take her with us."
After discussing their plans, Zhou Chun bid farewell to Li and his daughter and headed down the mountain with Yan'er. It was early winter, and a brisk wind blew through the bare trees as they walked. They walked for half a day and finally reached the base of Mount Emei. Suddenly, they spotted a Daoist reclining at the foot of the mountain. He was dressed in a tattered robe and seemed quite disheveled. Beside him lay a large red lacquered gourd used for wine, and the Daoist was deep in slumber, clearly intoxicated.
Yan'er remarked, "Teacher, look at this Daoist. He's so destitute, yet he's indulging in wine like this. He's truly a drunkard." Zhou Chun replied, "You're just a child; what do you understand? In our vast land of China, many courageous individuals refuse to submit to their enemies and choose to live in obscurity. Such people may appear disheveled, but they are not ordinary. However, on this cold day, sleeping here while drunk might expose him to the cold. I've been walking for half a day and am starting to feel hungry. Let me wake him up and invite him for a meal. I'll also give him some silver and establish a karmic bond. He might be one of our kind. However, as I wake him up, let's eat first."
With that, Zhou Chun approached the Daoist and called out to him softly, "Daoist, please wake up." He also gently nudged him. However, the Daoist snored louder, showing no sign of waking. Zhou Chun noticed that although the Daoist's face was dirty and his fingernail cracks were filled with dirt, his arms were as fair as jade. This indicated that he was not an ordinary person. In a hurry to return home with Yan'er, Zhou Chun decided to lend the Daoist a half-new cotton robe from his bag. After covering him with it, Zhou Chun tried to wake him again, but the Daoist remained fast asleep. With no other option, Zhou Chun and Yan'er went to a nearby eatery, hastily enjoyed a meal and a bit of wine, and then set off.
In a deserted area, the master and disciple utilized their land-based flying skills and headed towards Crow's Beak Village. Within just two hours, they were not far from the village. Zhou Chun knew that Yan'er's mother was a wise woman and would surely treat him with special care. He didn't want to disturb her by arriving too late, and it was already getting late in the day, so he decided to have dinner first. He and Yan'er entered a restaurant called "Flavorful House," which had recently opened and was known for its well-prepared dishes. The restaurant was bustling with patrons enjoying their meals. Eager to return, Zhou Chun and Yan'er paid little attention to the other customers and followed the waiter to a private dining area.
Suddenly, Yan'er spotted something familiar and was greatly surprised. She quickly called Zhou Chun over to take a look.
To find out what happened next, stay tuned for the next installment.