The story goes that Zhou Chun heard cries for help coming from a courtyard nearby. He quickly leaped onto the roof and cast his gaze toward the courtyard. There, he saw a monk wielding a ceremonial knife, threatening a woman, saying, "Today, I've set my sights on you; it's your great fortune. Hurry and come with me to the Mercy Cloud Temple, where you will enjoy endless wealth and prosperity. If you refuse to comply, I'll use force." The woman replied, "Leave quickly, or my husband, Wei Qing, won't take kindly to this." After saying this, she cried out for help twice more. The monk was about to strike when Zhou Chun could no longer hold back and said, "Wicked monk, you must not be disrespectful. I'm coming!" With his words, he arrived, and his sword followed suit, sending a cold glint directly toward the monk's chest. Seeing Zhou Chun's swift attack, the monk was startled and quickly jumped back, leaving behind his ceremonial knife. He picked up a staff nearby and defended himself in a hurry. After several rounds of combat, he suddenly burst into strange laughter and said, "I was wondering who it was, and it turns out to be you! I've been searching for you for months, never expecting to encounter you here. This is also my fate." With those words, he sent his staff flying toward Zhou Chun like lightning. Hearing the monk's words, Zhou Chun realized that this was no ordinary opponent and took a closer look. He realized it was the multi-armed monk Mao Tai, whom he had been wary of for the past half-year. Unexpectedly, they had crossed paths here today. He knew that Mao Tai had greatly improved his skills and that he was no match for him. So, Zhou Chun tightened his sword and employed a tactic resembling "The Snake Emerging from Its Hole" to aim for Mao Tai's throat. The monk, realizing the fierce attack, swiftly evaded. Zhou Chun took advantage of this moment to leap out of the fight circle and said, "Slow down, slow down; let's finish our conversation before we continue the fight."
Mao Tai said, "What do you have to say to your enemy when we meet?" Zhou Chun responded, "It's not quite as you put it. Back then, I had you at my mercy after defeating you, but I spared your life because I admired your martial skills. Little did I know that you would repay kindness with enmity and come seeking revenge. You must realize that there's always someone stronger, and there are realms beyond our understanding. You might think that mastering swordsmanship over the past ten years makes you invincible, but I, too, have studied under the great masters, Master Canxia of Mount Huangshan and the Drunken Taoist. I'm afraid all your efforts are in vain, and you're not my match. If you release this woman now, I'll let you go. If not, today, you won't escape justice." Zhou Chun's words were a clever bluff. Little did he know that Mao Tai believed him and was taken aback. He thought, "If Zhou Chun really studied under Master Canxia, my swordsmanship won't match his. But I've dedicated ten years of my life to this. I can't just let this go. I'd rather risk it all." So he said to Zhou Chun, "When I was defeated by you, I was wielding a blade. Now, I've trained with this Zen staff for a decade. Let's not rely on our swordsmanship today, and instead, we'll fight with our current weapons. If I lose again, I'll become a monk and renounce the world forever. What do you say?" Zhou Chun, feeling confident, responded, "I'll accept that challenge, whatever the terms." With that, the two of them continued their battle. The room was too small for their combat, so Zhou Chun suggested, "This place is too confined for a fight. Are you willing to take our duel outside?" Mao Tai replied, "I'm going to end your life outside."
At this moment, the woman had managed to escape, and her whereabouts were unknown. Both men, consumed by their long-standing grudge, engaged in a fierce battle, demonstrating all their life-long martial arts skills. Zhou Chun observed that Mao Tai was growing bolder with every attack, clearly no longer the same person as back when he was "Ah Meng." Zhou Chun also feared that Mao Tai might unleash his flying sword technique, which he might not be able to withstand. He tightened his grip on his precious sword. Just as Mao Tai executed a powerful "Mount Tai Crushing the Peak" move with his staff, Zhou Chun managed to evade the strike at the last moment.
Mao Tai, undeterred, quickly shifted his staff to the other end, sweeping it horizontally at Zhou Chun's waist. Zhou Chun, recognizing the intensity of the attack, dared not use his sword to block it. Instead, he tapped his foot lightly, propelling his body upwards, soaring over seven to eight feet into the air. Mao Tai, thrilled with Zhou Chun's airborne position, took advantage of the moment when Zhou Chun's body had not yet touched the ground. He swung the staff down, targeting Zhou Chun's feet. However, Zhou Chun had anticipated this move. Before the staff could connect, he placed his right foot on his left, leveraging the motion. Rather than falling, he ascended several feet, displaying his mastery of the "Dragonfly Skimming Water" and "Swallow in the Clouds" techniques from the art of lightness—his lifelong specialty.
Mao Tai's strike missed its target, and due to the excessive force, his body wobbled forward. In a flash, Zhou Chun adopted the "Crane Circles the Clouds" stance, using both his sword and his body to descend upon Mao Tai. Mao Tai cried out, "This is bad!" and quickly exerted force through his legs, launching himself forward. Although he managed to escape rapidly, Zhou Chun's sword still grazed his left arm, leaving a four-to-five-inch-long gash oozing blood. This injury only fueled Mao Tai's rage further. Without giving Mao Tai a chance to regain his footing, Zhou Chun swiftly launched another attack, appearing like a fierce predator. Mao Tai, seemingly possessed, turned to face Zhou Chun and engaged in a relentless and desperate struggle.
By now, it was approaching dusk, and Zhou Chun had been fighting for half a day. He realized that victory wouldn't come easily. Suddenly, he leaped, brandishing his sword, creating a sword flower nearly ten feet long. Mao Tai suspected that Zhou Chun was using some formidable technique, and he hesitated for a moment. Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Chun bolted. Mao Tai, unwilling to let his enemy escape, chased closely behind. While running, Zhou Chun quietly retrieved a repeating crossbow, holding it in his hand.
Seeing Zhou Chun's pace gradually slowing down, Mao Tai was about to leap forward when Zhou Chun abruptly turned around, raised his hand, and shouted, "Fire!" A glint of cold steel shot straight for Mao Tai's face. Mao Tai recognized it as a hidden weapon and swiftly lowered his head, narrowly avoiding the attack. However, unbeknownst to him, Zhou Chun's repeating crossbow shot twelve arrows simultaneously. One arrow aimed at Mao Tai's throat, two at his abdomen, and two each at his left and right arms—a weapon known as the "Five Plum Blossoms Piercing the Clouds Crossbow." Despite Mao Tai's agility, he was struck by two arrows: one in the left arm and the other, piercing his face. Mao Tai had initially intended to catch the attack with his mouth, but the earlier arrow to his arm disrupted his plan. In the chaos, he neglected one side for the other, and in a moment of carelessness, he lost two front teeth. Blood gushed, the pain was excruciating, and he had no choice but to endure it and flee.
Zhou Chun, initially elated at Mao Tai's injury, quickly turned and gave chase. Mao Tai had been hesitant to use his flying sword as he had been taught by Master Canxia, but after their prolonged battle, he had forgotten to use his sword. When Mao Tai was wounded, Zhou Chun pursued him, prompting Mao Tai to finally realize his mistake. He recalled that Zhou Chun had spoken of being a disciple of Master Canxia, leading him to believe that his swordsmanship might be superior. Mao Tai had refrained from using his sword out of fear, and it was only when he was injured that he decided to take the risk.
Zhou Chun chased Mao Tai into a forest, and Mao Tai unleashed the sword's brilliance, causing tree branches to rain down around them. Zhou Chun and the sword were now only a dozen or so feet apart, and the danger was imminent. Zhou Chun understood that there was no escaping this predicament and closed his eyes, prepared to meet his fate.
Mao Tai, seeing Zhou Chun had reached his final moments, laughed triumphantly. At this point, the sword's brilliance was descending upon Zhou Chun's head, seemingly moments away from a deadly strike. Just when Zhou Chun thought all was lost, a long, resounding shout echoed from above, and a streak of green light descended from a tree, intercepting the yellow brilliance mid-air. Amidst the gathering dusk, the green and yellow sword lights, resembling divine dragons, danced in the sky, a captivating sight.
Mao Tai believed Zhou Chun was about to meet his demise, but suddenly, a formidable opponent intervened. Puzzled and vexed, Mao Tai watched as the yellow light dwindled while the green light intensified, leaving him feeling desperate and fearful. Zhou Chun, who had been prepared to meet his end, noticed that nothing was happening. When he opened his eyes, he saw the yellow light had retreated and was locked in a standoff with the green light.
Realizing a skilled master had come to his aid, Zhou Chun's spirits lifted. However, the twilight made it difficult to identify the savior. Zhou Chun, with his keen eyesight, focused intently on the source of the intervention. He spotted a Daoist sitting on a large tree branch not far from him. Quietly, Zhou Chun approached, intending to express his gratitude once Mao Tai was defeated. When he neared, Zhou Chun was overjoyed to recognize the Daoist as the Drunken Taoist, whom he had been yearning to meet for several months. About to speak and thank him, Zhou Chun suddenly noticed the Daoist gesturing for silence. So, Zhou Chun remained silent.
Meanwhile, the yellow light gradually diminished in the sky, and the green light became more radiant. This tense standoff left the multi-armed monk Mao Tai bewildered, desperate, and frustrated. Seizing the opportunity when Mao Tai was distracted, Zhou Chun retrieved a concealed weapon known as "Invisible Insect Stone" and launched it towards Mao Tai's chest, striking him squarely and knocking him to the ground. As Mao Tai lost his focus, the yellow light diminished further, and danger loomed.
Suddenly, three or five thin red lines streaked across the southwestern sky with a whooshing sound. The Drunken Taoist leaped down from the tree and whispered to Zhou Chun, "Quick, follow me!" Without awaiting a reply, the Daoist reached under Zhou Chun's ribs, withdrew his sword light, and lifted Zhou Chun into the air, flying towards the city along the main road.
Mao Tai, meanwhile, had just barely escaped a dire situation. Seeing the green light recede, he felt a sense of relief and quickly retrieved his own sword. However, when he looked around, Zhou Chun was nowhere to be found. He was baffled as he still didn't know who his opponent was. Suddenly, a red light flashed before him, and he was ready to attack the newcomer. However, the person said, "Younger brother, there's no need for rudeness." Mao Tai focused on the stranger and realized it was his close friend, Qinyin, also known as Feitian Yecha Qin Lang. He was overjoyed to see him and paid his respects.
Qin Lang inquired about Mao Tai's presence in this situation. Mao Tai explained how he had left the mountain to seek revenge on Zhou Chun, who had settled in the Mercy Cloud Temple. He recounted the recent battle, where he had been tricked by Zhou Chun and struck by a hidden weapon, causing him to unleash the Red Shadow Sword to secure victory. Finally, he mentioned that someone had intervened by releasing a magical sword that rescued Zhou Chun, making them both disappear.
Qin Lang said, "When I arrived, I saw green and yellow sword lights battling in the forest. I realized that one of our sect members had encountered an adversary, so I descended to assist. But by then, they had already fled. I assume they recognized me and knew they couldn't match my skills, so they escaped. I came a moment too late, and they managed to get away."
Qin Lang was a formidable disciple of the Mount Hua's Fiery Founder, specializing in powerful swordsmanship. He and Mao Tai, as fellow disciples, were quite close. Mao Tai believed that Zhou Chun and his savior had been scared off by Qin Lang's arrival.
In the midst of their self-praise, they suddenly heard someone nearby saying, "Qin Lang, don't be so shameless! It's not because of your useless master that you're not willing to engage with younger generations like us. You're just being arrogant." Qin Lang, with a fiery temperament, couldn't tolerate such mockery. He angrily retorted, "Who's this junior, daring to provoke me? Come out and face me if you have the guts!" Before he could finish speaking, a loud slap struck his left cheek, making sparks fly. As he turned to confront his assailant, he couldn't find anyone nearby. Feeling both humiliated and frustrated in front of Mo Tai, he continued his outburst, "You scoundrel, scheming in the shadows, you're no hero. If you have any skills, show yourself and fight me!" The mysterious figure suddenly spoke from the shadows, "Who's scheming in the shadows? I'm right here in front of you. You've been practicing Daoism on this mountain for decades, yet can't you see me?" Even more infuriated, Qin Lang decided to engage with this hidden foe. He calculated the direction of the voice and launched a burst of five red sword rays, filling the nearby area with red light, making leaves and branches fly through the air. The mysterious person was nowhere to be seen. Mo Tai thought the opponent might have been killed and suggested returning to the temple. But just as he said that, he, too, received a slap to the face from the hidden assailant. Mo Tai was infuriated, and he released his sword beams towards the person who had been talking. Laughter echoed from the shadows, "I thought you, master of the Five Talon Sect's swordsmanship, were quite skilled. It turns out you're just like everyone else. You have no qualms about expending your energy. How many swords do you want to unleash? Let me see what you've got." Frustrated and angry, Qin Lang and Mo Tai continued to shoot sword beams aimlessly, knowing that their opponent was skilled, but not willing to admit defeat by retracting their swords. The mysterious figure did not relent. He kept attacking them, dealing heavy blows, causing both men intense pain. Eventually, Mo Tai realized that confronting this adversary head-on would be fruitless and whispered to Qin Lang, "We can't beat him with our swords. Let's withdraw and avoid any further hidden attacks." Qin Lang had no choice but to retreat, as he feared more concealed attacks. They retreated from the forest, thankful that their attacker did not pursue them. They arrived back at Ciyun Temple, panting from their ordeal. Inside the temple, they met Zhitong, who inquired about their sorry state. Mo Tai explained what had transpired, and Zhitong listened thoughtfully. When Mo Tai asked him why they faced such a formidable opponent, Zhitong responded, "Earlier in the woods, the person we initially fought was likely a swordsman from the Emei Sect who saw injustice and aided Zhou Chun. When he saw Qin Dao You coming, he might have sensed a personal grudge, feared being recognized, and fled with Zhou Chun. It's not a major concern. However, the unseen adversary is more challenging. If that old scoundrel is interfering, even we, along with our senior, the Golden Body Arhat Fayuan, and Qin Dao You's master, the Huashan Fire Founder, might find it tricky." Qin and Mo asked, "We withdrew our swords, and he didn't confront us directly. He seems to know some invisibility technique, but how could he be this formidable?" Zhitong replied, "You two don't understand. Fifty years ago, a strange old man suddenly appeared in the martial world, always meddling in others' affairs. Whether it was renowned swordsmen from northern and southern sects or martial experts from various factions, few could withstand his attacks. He was a master of integrating his sword with his body, and he could freely control his visibility, unlike a regular invisibility technique, which only fools the average person's vision. Initially, no one knew his real name, but his elusive actions and sword skills led to his nickname: 'Chasing the Clouds Hermit.' It wasn't until later that we discovered his true name: Bai Guyi. At the time, the martial world lived in terror of him, and people trembled at the mere mention of his name. He seemed to have vanished from the world for years, and it was believed he had passed away. Last year, when the Huashan Fire Founder returned from Tibet and passed through this area, he claimed to have seen Bai Guyi selling medicine in Chengdu and advised me to be cautious. He had been defeated by Bai Guyi before and believed that Bai Guyi's presence meant he could not leave the mountain or participate in any disputes. So, I strictly ordered my disciples not to leave the temple without a good reason. However, there have been no signs of his activities lately. Recently, one of your disciples, Zhang Liang, left the temple in the middle of the night, claiming to borrow money from a wealthy household in the city. He hasn't returned, and our attempts to inquire at that household have been futile. It seems Bai Guyi laid his poisonous hands on Zhang Liang, as no one else could have disappeared so cleanly."
"Zhang Liang was a beloved disciple newly received by Master Mao Tai. Upon hearing such dire news, he couldn't help but feel anxious and angry and was determined to go to the city to investigate. Zhitong immediately tried to dissuade him, telling him not to act rashly. He said to Qin Lang, 'There have been accidents in my temple in recent days, and the situation is quite dire. Friend Qin should not stay here for long. Tomorrow, you can start your journey to Tibet. I ask that you take a detour to Dajianlu and visit the Monk Xiaoyue. Convene with Feitian Yecha, Ma Jue. Please, hasten to Chengdu to assist me.' What do you think, Friend Qin?'
Qin Lang responded, 'I was sent by my master to go to Tibet this time, and I had planned to visit Monk Xiaoyue at Dajianlu. Your request aligns perfectly with my intentions. I will set out tomorrow morning.'
Zhitong thanked Qin Lang and ordered someone to summon the four Guardians of the temple, as well as the heroes who had come to seek refuge on the Sichuan Road: Feitian Wugong, Duobao Zhenren Jinguangding, Majiao Mangxiong, Fenshui Xinhu Luhu, and Bai Xu, the Silver Dragon of Nao Hai, along with all the other heroes, to gather in the main hall for a discussion. After the message was delivered, the four Guardians of the temple, including Hui Ming, the Iron Palm Monk, Saida Mo, the Invincible Guardian, Hui Xing, the Fire God, and Hui Neng, the Multiple-armed Guardian, arrived first. Following them, Jinguangding and the others entered, paying their respects and taking their seats.
Zhitong said, 'I called you here not for any other reason but because my ancestor, Great Yi Hunyuan, once had a deep-seated feud with the Emei Sect. They fought a fierce battle on the Yuni Peak of Emei Mountain, where the Emei Sect's leader, Sword Immortal Qiankun, severed one of his arms. My ancestor was filled with anger, and after ten years of cultivation at Maoshan, he forged the Five Poison Immortal Sword. He challenged the Emei Sect again on the summit of Huangshan Mountain. The Emei Sect, seeing their defeat, summoned three immortals from the East China Sea: Xuan Zhenzi, a hermit, and the strange old man Chasing Clouds, Bai Gu Yi. These three immortals intervened, mediating the dispute. In the process, my ancestor lost his Five Poison Sword to the hermit and was struck by Xuan Zhenzi's invisible sword. Seven days later, he passed away. At his deathbed, he gathered a few of his favored disciples and our master, Tuotuo Dashi, to pass down the sword-forging technique and instructed us to hone our sword skills to seek revenge on the Emei Sect. Later, my master fell into madness and sat down. I came to Chengdu and have worked hard to establish the Ciyun Temple for over a decade to reach the prosperity we have today. It's because I've never engaged in commerce here, and I come and go in the dead of night, which has earned me the faith of the local officials, gentry, and merchants. Little did I know that half a month ago, one of Mao Xian's disciples, Zhang Liang, fell in love with a woman in the city and went to court her. He never returned. We inquired but found no trace of him, and it's likely that he met with foul play. I was worried about this when, a few days ago, another unusual incident occurred in my temple.'
Mao Tai asked, 'What unusual incident happened?'
Zhitong continued, 'My dear friend, you would not know that it was out of my compassion that I kept this potential problem at bay. A few days ago, I was in the Joyful Zen Hall, having fun and reveling with the other disciples, when I suddenly heard a noise from the secret door. At first, I thought it might be you returning. But it turned out to be seventeen scholars from Guizhou who were on their way to the imperial examinations in Beijing. They took a detour to Chengdu for sightseeing, as they heard that our temple was a famous place, and they entered freely. The novice monks at the front gate were careless and allowed them to mistakenly enter the cloud chamber, where they accidentally discovered the entrance to a secret chamber through some mechanism and walked down a corridor.'"
I see that you've provided a passage from a Chinese novel. Here's the English translation:
"I saw that they had already seen through the situation, so I had no choice but to send them back west. I tied all seventeen of them up and interrogated them until I got the whole story. I personally took care of sending them off. I came across a young scholar, aged only seventeen or eighteen, with exceptional looks. He knelt on the ground, pleading desperately. I couldn't bring myself to kill him, so I sent him to a prison cell with a rope, a steel knife, and a bag of poison, telling him to end his own life in the cell. He begged me for a few more meals, so I decided to grant his request. I gave him thirty steamed buns, which I calculated would keep him alive for three more days. On the fourth day, I went to check on him. If he hadn't taken his own life, I would have to do it myself. I thought he was too weak, and the cell was too high for him to escape. I didn't think much of it. However, on the second and third days, we had two nights of heavy thunderstorms. On the fourth day, when we sent someone to check, the young scholar had already escaped. I thought he was a weak scholar, and everyone around us was our own people, so I wasn't worried about him escaping. We ordered people to guard the exits and intensified the search, but he left no trace. This person had exposed the secrets of the temple, and I killed his sixteen companions. After he escaped to Sichuan, wouldn't he report us to the authorities? We kept the temple gate tightly closed for several days, preparing to welcome the officials and soldiers for a fight and then seek refuge with the Seventh Virtue Brother. Unexpectedly, after several days, there was no news, and when we sent people to inquire at the government office, there was no movement. I don't know the reason for this."
The Bodhisattva Many-Eyed Vajrapani, the Little Fire God Hui Xing, said, "Master, I think that the young scholar was just a child, frightened and in a hurry. He probably fell into a ravine and died when he escaped or fell ill and died elsewhere. There's no need to worry too much."
Zhì Tōng responded, "While that may be true, we still need to be prepared. Moreover, now that the Cloud-Chasing Hermit has appeared in Chengdu, he will undoubtedly come looking for trouble sooner or later. Today, I've called you and all the other heroes here to request that you all help me by bringing him to justice. Those within the temple are not allowed to leave for any reason. Let's wait for the reinforcements we've called for."
Upon hearing this, the crowd had no strong opinions and remained silent, except for Máo Tài, who was determined to seek revenge on Zhōu Chún and insisted on going. Zhì Tōng didn't stop him, and let him go. There was no further discussion for the night.
On the second day, Qín Lǎng bid farewell to the crowd and set out on his journey to Tibet. After Qín Lǎng's departure, the others took the letters from Zhì Tōng and went their separate ways to seek help. I won't go into further details. After finishing his breakfast, Máo Tài didn't inform Zhì Tōng and left Cí Yún Temple by himself, heading into the city to seek revenge on Zhōu Chún.