The story goes that Li Ning and his daughter, along with Zhou Chun, bid farewell to the villagers and set off toward the mountains. Of the three, only Yingqiong was eager to reach the mountains quickly to start learning swordsmanship, while the others were unburdened by any pressing concerns. They leisurely admired the scenery as they traveled, and it was not until the sun began to set that they reached the foot of Mount Emei. The area was bustling, with numerous inns and a large number of pilgrims, making for a lively scene. The three found an inn, intending to buy some necessary items the next morning before heading up the mountain, preparing for a long stay. The night passed uneventfully.
The next morning, they made their plans: Li Ning would purchase daily necessities like oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, rice, flour, wine, and meat; Zhou Chun would buy books, writing materials, kitchen supplies like pots and buckets, and also a long hemp rope several lengths long. Yingqiong asked, "What is this for?" Zhou Chun replied, "You'll find out later; it has many uses." Though they had limited luggage, the additional items they purchased added quite a bit. Soon, they hired porters to carry everything up the mountain. The pilgrims they encountered along the way were curious about them, but the three paid no mind and continued their ascent. Initially, the path was narrow and steep but manageable. However, as they continued, the mountain path became increasingly treacherous and the scenery more spectacular. Clouds drifted around them, sometimes obscuring the view completely. Yingqiong exclaimed with delight. Zhou Chun remarked, "It didn't seem like it would rain when we started, but with all this mist, it's probably raining heavily down below. We must be careful as we walk through this fog—one misstep could mean falling to our deaths." After another half-mile, they reached She Shen Cliff. Looking back down the mountain, they could see nothing but a sea of mist, with no sign of the village or even the temple buildings, which were all shrouded in fog. The sun, shining above the clouds, cast a beautiful array of colors. As Yingqiong marveled at the sight, the porter said, "Sir, we've reached She Shen Cliff. Beyond here is Gui Jianchou, where the road ends, and we can go no further. With the clouds like this, it's certain to rain heavily on the mountainside, and if we can't descend today, we'll lose another day of business tomorrow. Please, sir, be reasonable." Zhou Chun replied, "We only hired you to come this far. Wait here for a moment; I'll climb to the top and pull the luggage up with the rope. I'll give you extra money for wine afterward. How about that?" With that, he leaped onto a nearby ancient cypress and climbed to the top. He took out the hemp rope he had brought and pulled the luggage up piece by piece. Then, he lowered the rope to pull Yingqiong up. As she was being pulled up, Yingqiong looked around and saw how steep the cliff was, with a lone, sharp peak overlooking a deep chasm. Despite her bravery, she couldn't help but feel dizzy. After Yingqiong was safely up, Li Ning gave the porter an extra tael of silver as promised and then leaped up himself. The three then discussed how to carry their luggage. Zhou Chun said, "I've been here many times and know the way well. I'll first take you and your daughter to the cave, and then I'll come back for the rest." Since Li Ning was unfamiliar with the terrain, he agreed without hesitation. Each person carried some lighter items, and after crossing several steep cliffs and traveling about three miles, they reached the entrance to a cave. The cave entrance had four large characters engraved on it: "Shu Shi Qi Yun" (Rinse Stones, Dwell in Clouds). The three entered the cave and found four stone chambers: three for sleeping and one, with good lighting, for reading and meditation. Zhou Chun went back three times to retrieve the rest of the supplies. By the time they had everything in place, the sun was already setting. They hastily ate some dried food, sealed the cave entrance with stones, and went to sleep.
The next morning, Li Ning set a training schedule for Yingqiong, beginning with exercises to cultivate her inner energy and focus. Yingqiong was naturally intelligent, and it didn't take long for her to master the various soft techniques. However, due to her impatience, she constantly bothered Li Ning and Zhou Chun to teach her swordsmanship. Zhou Chun, noticing her rapid progress, believed she was ready to learn. But Li Ning was adamantly opposed, insisting that the time wasn't right. One day, Zhou Chun spoke on Yingqiong's behalf. Li Ning said, "You only know part of the story, my friend. Don't you think I know she's ready to start learning swordsmanship? You must understand that the more talented someone is, the stronger their foundation needs to be. Yingqiong's potential far exceeds my ability as her teacher. That's why I'm focusing on solidifying her foundation. When the time comes, and she meets a true master, she will be capable of great things. If I rush her training now and teach her everything I know, she may not stand out in the long run. Moreover, her fiery temperament and reluctance to submit to others could lead to trouble if she encounters a stronger opponent. My intention is for her to not just learn but to excel—to become so formidable that, even if she can't achieve the transcendent skills of the ancient sword immortals, she should at least be unmatched in this world. I was reluctant to teach her at first because of her impatience and because my own skills are limited." Zhou Chun, hearing this, couldn't argue further. But Yingqiong, with her impatient nature, found it hard to endure. The mountain scenery, though beautiful, had one significant flaw—it was far from any water source. Fortunately, there was a small stream at the base of a waterfall about a mile from the cave, with crystal-clear, sweet water. Every two days, Li Ning and Zhou Chun would take turns fetching water. To keep from getting lazy, they also practiced various sword and martial arts techniques daily on the open ground in front of the cave. Since they refused to teach her, Yingqiong watched them closely and practiced in secret when they weren't around. Mount Emei was home to many monkeys, and one day Yingqiong saw them leaping swiftly along the cliffs, which inspired her to practice her agility. Every morning, she tied two ropes between two trees and practiced walking on them. She also pressured Li Ning and Zhou Chun to teach her various light-body techniques. With her natural strength and the guidance of her two teachers, she not only became as light as a swallow but also exceptionally strong.
Zhou Chun made it a point to visit Yan'er once a month to check on her and teach her martial arts. One day, just as he was about to descend the mountain to see her, he reached She Shen Cliff and suddenly saw Zhao Yan'er running toward him with a letter in her hand. Zhou Chun opened it and saw that it was from her teacher, Ma Xiang. The letter read: "Three days ago, a monk arrived, looking extremely fierce. He carried a large iron wood fish, weighing about three or four hundred pounds, and came to the village seeking alms. He said he was a monk from Mount Wutai named Miao Tong, traveling the world in search of a friend with the surname Zhou. The villagers, though intimidated by his appearance, allowed him to stay since he behaved properly and only sought alms. He was about to leave yesterday because there was no one with the surname Zhou in the village. However, a talkative villager mentioned Mr. Zhou, and the monk asked for his name and appearance. After hearing the description, he said, 'It must be him. I never expected to see Yun Zhong Fei He (Flying Crane in the Clouds), old Zhou, again in this lifetime!' His face looked terrifying as he spoke. He asked where you were, and just as Yan'er and I were stepping out, the villager told him that if he wanted to know your whereabouts, he should ask us. The monk then interrogated me. Sensing his ill intentions, I told him that Mr. Zhou had gone to Chengdu to set up a study hall, not revealing that you were on Mount Emei. The monk has already left the village today, probably heading to Chengdu to find you. I'm writing to inform you, so you can prepare."
Zhou Chun was alarmed after reading the letter and said to Yan'er, "Come with me up the mountain, and we'll discuss it there." With that, he quickly took Yan'er to the cave. After Yan'er paid her respects to Li Ning and his daughter, she told Zhou Chun, "When Teacher Ma said the monk had bad intentions, I decided to investigate him that night at the inn where he was staying. Around midnight, I climbed onto his roof and used a trick with my beaded curtains to peek inside. I saw the monk sitting in meditation. After a while, he stood up and took out two dried human fingers from the iron wood fish, examining them closely. Then, he extended his right hand and compared it to the fingers. It turns out that his right hand only has three fingers left—his ring finger and pinky had likely been cut off by a weapon. Then he took out a small package and from it, a clay figure that looked just like you, Teacher—dressed in white with a sword, but with what seemed like wings on its back. When the monk saw your likeness, he gritted his teeth and cursed as if he hated you deeply. I was so angry that I was about to confront
him and demand to know what grudge he had against you. If he didn't give me a satisfactory answer, I was ready to beat him half to death. But just as I was about to enter the room, someone suddenly pinched my back, and I couldn't make a sound. I felt myself lifted into the air and, before long, found myself near the Temple of the Three Officials, which scared me half to death. I had snuck out without telling my mother, so I hurried home to check on her. Fortunately, she was still asleep, but there was a note on the table written in beautiful calligraphy. The note said: 'Yan'er, how bold of you to sneak out and court danger. Tomorrow morning, go to Mount Emei immediately and deliver this message to your teacher without delay.' After reading the note, I realized that I shouldn't have taken such a risk with my elderly mother still at home. Based on the note's tone, that monk must be very powerful, and I wouldn't be a match for him. I spent the rest of the night thinking it over and told my mother the next morning. She urged me to deliver the message to you immediately. I was also worried that Teacher Ma wouldn't let me leave because of the monthly exams, but to my surprise, he called me over before I could say anything, instructed me to deliver the message, and even gave me three taels of silver for travel expenses. I set off at once. After traveling about ten miles, I saw two people arguing ahead. When I looked closely, I realized one was the monk and the other was a Taoist priest. I was so frightened that I hurriedly left the main road and took a shortcut through the mountains to get here as quickly as possible. Teacher, do you know the background of this monk?"
To find out how Zhou Chun responded, stay tuned for the next chapter.