Upon hearing Yan'er's words, Zhou Chun was greatly alarmed and said, "How dangerous! How dangerous! Yan'er, you are truly fearless. I often tell you that the most troublesome people to provoke in the martial world are monks, Taoists, beggars, and solitary women. When you encounter such people traveling alone, you must be very cautious. Fortunately, someone warned you, and you didn't act rashly; otherwise, you would have lost your life in that deadly city."
Li Ning then asked, "I don't quite understand what was mentioned in the letter. When did you say you had a grudge against a monk? Why don't you tell us, so I can hear it for myself?" Zhou Chun replied, "Do you know who this monk is? He's none other than the multi-armed bear, Mao Tai, who was famous in Jiangnan ten years ago!" Li Ning was shocked and said, "If it's him, things could indeed be difficult to handle." Zhou Chun continued, "Back then, I was careless and didn't eliminate the threat entirely, which has now come back to haunt me. It's a pity that I've just found a place to settle down, and now I must flee again—what a predicament!"
Before Li Ning could respond, the two young ones, Ying Qiong and Yan'er, who were still fearless and inexperienced, harbored feelings of discontent. Yan'er didn't dare speak up, but Ying Qiong, flushed with anger, said, "Uncle, you're underestimating yourself and overestimating the enemy! Even if he's fierce, he's just one person, while we have four here. What's there to fear? Why should we run away?"
Zhou Chun replied, "You don't understand, my dear niece. Many years have passed, and even if your father knows about this, he might not remember clearly. Let me recount the events of those days to give you youngsters some experience. Over ten years ago, your father, your Uncle Yang, and I were quite famous in the northern provinces. Your father was the most skilled with the sword and was also adept at using various hidden weapons. He was a formidable fighter, and people in the martial world called him the 'Divine Arm Ape.' Your Uncle Yang wielded a simple saber and a chain dart, earning the nickname 'Divine Saber Yang Da.' The three of us were like brothers, training together in martial arts. Seeing your father practice lightness skills, I had a unique idea and made two wing-like objects out of white silk, which I tied to my arms. With these silk wings, I could leap up even the tallest mountains with the help of the wind. Because I valued heroism and justice and believed in doing things openly, I always wore white at night, earning me the nickname 'Flying Crane in the Clouds.' People also called the three of us the 'Three Heroes of Qi and Lu.' The three of us dedicated ourselves to acts of chivalry and justice.
"That year, during the Zhang and Li rebellion, I had a friend who was a merchant. He was returning to Yangzhou from Shaanxi and asked me to escort him because the roads were unsafe, and of course, I couldn't refuse. Who would have thought that on the way, we'd hear of a one-legged bandit from the south named Mao Tai, the Multi-Armed Bear? In the greenwood code, when encountering merchants on the road or robbing homes, as long as the victims didn't resist or had no personal vendetta, they wouldn't kill recklessly, and harming women was strictly forbidden. However, Mao Tai was ruthless—wherever he went, he would not leave a single soul alive after robbing, and if he encountered a beautiful woman, he would first assault her and then kill her. Hearing this, I naturally became even more vigilant.
"As we were passing north of Nanjing, we stopped at an inn for a meal when someone delivered a card without a name, only a drawing of a bear with eight arms. I immediately knew it was Mao Tai and had to meet him. I prepared my weapons and invited him in, expecting trouble. When we met, he indeed looked fierce, but he wasn't carrying any weapons. He explained that he admired my reputation and wanted to form a brotherhood with me. Though I am not without flaws, how could I swear brotherhood with a scoundrel? So I declined his offer politely. He didn't insist, chatted about future mutual support and the usual greenwood camaraderie, and then took his leave. I noticed that his footwork was impressive, though he seemed somewhat weakened, likely from overindulgence. As I saw him off, a gust of wind blew the inn door half-closed, and he casually touched it, clearly showing off in front of me. I didn't want to engage with him, so I pretended not to notice. Thinking I didn't see his show, he said to the innkeeper, 'Your door is so flimsy; beware of thieves.' As he spoke, he shook the door, leaving clear handprints on the wood. His arrogance made me quite angry. As I escorted him out, I looked up and saw two roof tiles across the street, half-loosened by the wind and seemingly about to fall. I remarked, 'Those tiles, if blown down again, could hurt someone walking by.' With that, I spat a bit of inner energy at the tiles, shattering them to the ground. Only then did he truly acknowledge my skills, saying, 'The Three Heroes of Qi and Lu truly live up to their name. We shall meet again; don't forget the loyalty we spoke of.' I didn't think much of it at the time.
"After he left, we hired a boat to Yangzhou, moved our belongings and families onboard, and anchored next to a large ship chartered by a retired official. Around midnight, we suddenly heard a woman's cries. The area was unsafe, so I always slept with my clothes on and kept my weapons close by. I immediately rushed out to investigate and found that the cries came from the neighboring boat. Realizing something was wrong, I leaped over and saw people lying all over the boat. Peering through a crack in the cabin, I saw Mao Tai holding a shining steel knife, with a beautiful woman bound inside the cabin, her top already stripped off. She had fainted from a combination of fright and anger. Mao Tai was in the process of removing her undergarments. Furious, I couldn't help but hurl a golden dart at him. Though skilled, he sensed the dart coming, twisted his body, and caught it with his hand. He then blew out the lamp and returned the dart at me before jumping out to face me. We fought fiercely, but the match ended in a draw. Worried about leaving my boat unguarded, I feared he might have accomplices, so after dozens of exchanges, I used my 'Heavenly Sword Pierces the Moon' technique, managing to sever two of his fingers. Such a villain should have been killed to eliminate future troubles, but he immediately threw down his sword and said, 'Friend, have you forgotten our conversation from earlier today? I admit defeat now; if you want to kill me, go ahead.' I should not have hesitated, but seeing his impressive martial skills and recalling that he had given me fair warning during the day, I spared him. I made him swear an oath to turn over a new leaf and let him go easily. Fortunately, he hadn't harmed anyone that night, only immobilizing them with pressure points. I revived the people and returned to my boat. After that, he shaved his head and became a monk, studying under the Golden Body Arhat Fah Yuan at Mount Wutai. He even mastered a flying sword technique, capable of beheading someone from ten miles away. He has since merged his sword with his body and vows to avenge his previous defeat. Knowing I couldn't defeat him, I took my daughter Qing Yun and fled to Sichuan. Although we are skilled in martial arts, how can we possibly stand against a sword immortal?"
As they were talking, suddenly a crane's cry echoed through the sky. The group was so engrossed in the conversation that they didn't pay much attention. Zhou Chun heard it, quickly ran out, and returned shortly. Yan'er asked, "Why did you rush out when you heard the crane's cry, Master?" Zhou Chun replied, "You don't understand. This cave is on the highest peak of Mount Emei, often shrouded in clouds and mist, making it impossible for ordinary birds to fly over. I was curious because the crane's cry came from above us, but when I went to check, there was no trace of it—how strange."
Ying Qiong then asked, "Uncle Zhou, is Mao Tai really so powerful that you have no way to counter him other than fleeing?" Zhou Chun replied, "Although his swordsmanship is strong, his heart is not pure, so he cannot reach the pinnacle of perfection. There are many sword immortals stronger than him. Take my daughter Qing Yun's master, Master Can Xia of Mount Huang, for example—he wouldn't stand a chance against her. However, Mount Huang is far from here, and it's a large place, so finding her would be difficult. We can only talk about it."
Li Ning said, "Brother, continuously avoiding him isn't a solution. We should come up with a plan." Zhou Chun replied, "Indeed! I intend to discuss it with Yan'er's mother and ask Ma Xiang to keep a close eye on Yan'er, keeping him by her side. Instead of waiting for him to challenge me, I'll seek him out first and set a date for a sword duel as a delaying tactic. During that time, I'll head to Mount Huang to find Master Can Xia to confront him. Although it might hurt my pride a little, there's no other choice."
After hearing this, Li Ning agreed and suggested accompanying Zhou Chun. However, Zhou Chun said, "This isn't a battle; having too many people might actually cause more trouble. Your daughter is making progress in her daily training, and it wouldn't be good to disrupt it. Leaving her alone on the mountain is also not ideal. It's better if you don't come."
After they had finalized their plans, Zhou Chun bid farewell to Li Ning and his daughter and headed down the mountain with Yan'er. By that time, it was late autumn, almost winter, with the chilly wind blowing in their faces and the trees stripped of their leaves. The master and disciple talked as they walked, and after half a day, they reached the foot of Mount Emei. Suddenly, they saw a Taoist lying on the ground, wearing only a thin garment. His clothes were tattered, and beside him lay a large red-lacquered gourd, used for holding wine. The Taoist was in a deep sleep, clearly drunk.
Yan'er said, "Master, look at this Taoist. He's so poor, yet he still indulges in drinking like this. He really is a drunkard." Zhou Chun responded, "What do you know, child? Our great nation has fallen into the hands of the barbarians, and many of those with true spirit would rather live in seclusion than submit to the enemy. There are many who are lost in the dust of the world. Just because he appears to be down and out doesn't mean he's not one of us. But in such cold weather, he's passed out here—he's bound to catch a cold. I've walked half a day and feel a bit hungry. Let me wake him up, so we can have a meal together, and I'll give him some silver to help him out."
With that, Zhou Chun approached the Taoist and gently called out, "Master Taoist, please wake up." He also gave him a couple of gentle pushes. The Taoist, however, continued to snore loudly and didn't wake up. Zhou Chun noticed that although the Taoist's face was dirty and his fingernails were filled with grime, his arms were as white as jade, which made Zhou Chun suspect that this was no ordinary person.
But since he was in a hurry to return home with Yan'er and couldn't wake the Taoist, Zhou Chun took a half-new lake-blue silk cotton robe from his bag and draped it over the Taoist. Before leaving, he gave the Taoist another push, but the Taoist still didn't wake up. Having no other choice, Zhou Chun and Yan'er went to a nearby restaurant, quickly ate something, and then hurried on their way.
When they reached a deserted area, the master and disciple used their lightness skills to hasten toward the village. In less than two hours, they were close to the village. Zhou Chun knew that Yan'er's mother was very kind and would likely go out of her way to host them, which made him feel a bit uneasy. Since it was getting late, he decided to have dinner before heading to the village. So they went into a restaurant called Zhiwei Tavern, which had recently opened and was known for its excellent cooking. The restaurant was quite crowded. Eager to get home, the master and disciple paid little attention to the other patrons and followed the waiter to a private room.Suddenly, Yan'er noticed something that seemed very familiar, and she was so startled that she quickly called Zhou Chun over to take a look.
To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next chapter.