The story goes that Zhou Chun heard cries for help coming from the courtyard, so he immediately leapt onto the roof and looked down. In the courtyard, he saw a monk wielding aBuddhist monk's knife, threatening a woman. The monk said, "I have taken a liking to you today, which is a great fortune for you. Quickly follow me to Ciyun Temple, where you'll enjoy endless wealth and glory. If you refuse, I will show no mercy." The woman replied, "Leave quickly, my husband Wei Qing is not someone you want to mess with." After saying this, she cried for help again. Just as the monk was about to make a move, Zhou Chun could no longer contain himself and shouted, "Vile monk, stop your insolence! I am here!" With those words, Zhou Chun charged forward, his sword flashing in the cold air as he thrust it straight at the monk's chest. Startled by the sudden attack, the monk leapt back and, throwing down hisBuddhist monk's knife, grabbed a staff from beside him to defend himself.
After a few rounds of combat, the monk let out a strange laugh and said, "I wondered who it was, and it turns out to be you! I've been searching for you for months, and now I finally meet you here. This is my fortune." With that, he swung his staff like lightning at Zhou Chun. Realizing from the monk's words who he was facing, Zhou Chun took a closer look and saw that it was none other than Maotai, the Multi-armed Bear, whom he had been wary of for the past six months. He knew that Maotai had greatly improved his martial arts and that he himself would likely not be able to defeat him. Tightening his grip on his sword, Zhou Chun adopted a "snake striking from its hole" stance and aimed a thrust at Maotai's throat. Seeing the ferocity of the attack, Maotai dodged quickly. Zhou Chun used the opportunity to leap out of the circle and said, "Wait, wait! Let's talk before we continue fighting."
Maotai replied, "What is there to say between enemies?" Zhou Chun said, "That's not the right way to look at it. Remember when you were defeated by me in the past? Taking your life would have been as easy as turning my hand, but I spared you out of pity for your martial skills. Who would have thought that you'd repay kindness with vengeance and come seeking revenge? You must realize that there is always someone stronger out there. You think that mastering swordsmanship over the past ten years makes you invincible, but I, too, have been apprenticed to the great masters Canyang from Huangshan and Zui Daoist. You're no match for me. Let this woman go, and I'll let you walk away. Otherwise, you won't escape justice today."
Zhou Chun's words were a clever bluff, but to his surprise, Maotai believed him and was taken aback. Maotai thought to himself, "If Zhou Chun really has apprenticed under Canyang, then my swordsmanship is no match for his. But after ten years of hard work, I can't let this grudge go unavenged." He then said to Zhou Chun, "I lost to you once, but that was when I fought with a blade. Now, I've spent ten years mastering this staff. Let's forgo swords today and rely on our other weapons. If I lose again, I will shave my head and retreat to the mountains, never to set foot in the world again. How about it?"
Zhou Chun, encouraged by this offer, said, "Whatever weapon you choose, I will face you." With that, they resumed their fight. The clash of weapons sent sparks flying, and neither seemed to gain the upper hand. Zhou Chun fought fiercely and suggested, "This place is too small to fight properly. Do you dare take this fight outside?" Maotai responded, "I've been waiting to take your life in the open!"
Meanwhile, the woman had fled, and the two combatants leapt from the courtyard to a nearby open field, continuing their fierce battle. Maotai grew more and more courageous as the fight went on, clearly no longer the same man Zhou Chun had once easily defeated. Zhou Chun began to worry that Maotai might release his flying sword, and knowing he couldn't win in such a scenario, he tightened his grip on his sword. Just then, Maotai struck with a "Mount Tai Presses Down" move, bringing his staff down on Zhou Chun's head. Zhou Chun quickly dodged, but Maotai immediately followed up with a horizontal sweep toward Zhou Chun's waist. Seeing the power of the attack, Zhou Chun didn't dare block it with his sword and instead leapt into the air, soaring seven or eight feet high.
Maotai was delighted, thinking he had Zhou Chun where he wanted him. As Zhou Chun hung in the air, Maotai swung his staff again, aiming at Zhou Chun's feet. But Zhou Chun had anticipated this and, using a technique called "Dragonfly Skims the Water," pressed his right foot against his left and propelled himself even higher. This was one of Zhou Chun's secret skills, a lightfoot technique that allowed him to leap even further into the air. Maotai's attack missed, and his overextension caused him to stumble forward slightly. Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Chun descended from the air in a "Crane Spirals Through Clouds" move, sword in hand, aiming directly at Maotai's head.
Maotai yelled, "Not good!" and quickly jumped forward to avoid the strike, but not fast enough. Zhou Chun's sword grazed his left arm, leaving a gash several inches long. Furious, Maotai launched himself at Zhou Chun again. As the sun began to set, Zhou Chun realized that a quick victory would not be possible. He leapt back and twirled his sword in the air, forming a flower-like pattern, causing Maotai to hesitate for a moment, unsure if Zhou Chun was about to use some secret technique. Zhou Chun used this moment of confusion to flee.
Maotai, however, was not about to let him escape and immediately gave chase. As Zhou Chun ran, he discreetly pulled out his repeating crossbow. When Maotai saw Zhou Chun slowing down, he prepared to lunge at him, but Zhou Chun suddenly turned around and fired. A streak of cold light flew toward Maotai's face. Recognizing it as a hidden weapon, Maotai quickly ducked. But Zhou Chun's repeating crossbow shot twelve bolts in succession, and dodging one meant facing the next. After evading several bolts, Maotai was struck by two: one in the left arm and one in the face, breaking two of his teeth. Bleeding profusely and in terrible pain, Maotai had no choice but to retreat.
Seeing that Maotai was injured, Zhou Chun was tempted to continue the chase. However, Maotai suddenly recalled Zhou Chun's earlier words about his apprenticeship and realized that Zhou Chun had not used his sword during their fight. Suspicious, Maotai decided to test Zhou Chun. As Zhou Chun drew closer, Maotai turned around and unleashed his Crimson Shadow Sword, sending a flash of yellow light straight at Zhou Chun.
Startled, Zhou Chun regretted pursuing a desperate enemy and fled into a nearby forest. The sword light cut through branches as it pursued him, and Zhou Chun found himself in mortal danger. Just as he was about to resign himself to death, a sudden flash of blue light intercepted the yellow light in mid-air.
At that moment, in the dim evening light, the two streaks of blue and yellow sword energy twirled and danced in the sky like two battling dragons. Maotai, expecting Zhou Chun to die by his sword, was shocked and furious to see his attack intercepted by an unknown adversary. Zhou Chun, who had braced himself for death, opened his eyes to see the yellow light no longer above him and blue light opposing it. Realizing that a master had come to his rescue, he looked around for his savior and noticed a Daoist sitting on a tree branch nearby.
Zhou Chun quietly approached, planning to express his gratitude to the stranger after killing Mao Tai. But as he got closer, he was overjoyed to recognize the man carrying a red gourd on his back. It was none other than the drunken Daoist he had been dreaming about meeting for months. Just as he was about to speak, the drunken Daoist motioned for silence, and Zhou Chun said no more. Meanwhile, the yellow light in the sky shrank smaller and smaller, while the blue light shone ever more brightly, causing the multi-armed bear Mao Tai to panic, rubbing his ears and pounding his chest in fear. Seizing the moment while Mao Tai was distracted, Zhou Chun pulled out his secret weapon, the Featherless Locust Stone, from his chest and hurled it at Mao Tai's chest, hitting him squarely and causing him to fall. In that instant of distraction, the yellow light grew even smaller, and the situation became perilous. Suddenly, from the southwest sky, three to five thin red lines streaked through the air, accompanied by the sound of something cutting through the sky. The drunken Daoist leaped down from the tree and whispered to Zhou Chun, "Quick, follow me!" Before Zhou Chun could respond, the Daoist had already grabbed him by the side, retracted the sword light, and whisked him off toward the city at lightning speed.
At that moment, Mao Tai, drenched in sweat, felt relieved as the blue light faded, and he quickly retracted his sword. Looking around, he realized Zhou Chun had vanished. Confused, he still had no idea who his opponent was. Just as he was wondering, a flash of red light appeared before him, and a man stood firm in front of him. Thinking it was an enemy, Mao Tai was about to attack when the man suddenly said, "Brother, hold your hand!" Mao Tai looked closely and saw it was his dear friend, Qin Lang, the Flying Yaksha, and couldn't help but be overjoyed. He hurried forward to greet him. Qin Lang asked why Mao Tai was there alone. Mao Tai then recounted how he had come down the mountain to seek revenge on Zhou Chun, stayed at Ciyun Temple, encountered Zhou Chun by chance, got tricked and shot, and how he eventually managed to win by unleashing his Crimson Yin Sword. However, someone from the shadows released an immortal sword and saved Zhou Chun. The sword-wielder and Zhou Chun then vanished, leaving Mao Tai unable to fight back. Qin Lang said, "When I arrived, I saw yellow and blue sword lights clashing in the woods. I knew someone from our sect had encountered an enemy, so I rushed down to help, but it seems they fled before I could arrive. They must have realized it was me and knew they couldn't win, so they ran off. It's a pity I was a step too late, letting them escape."
Qin Lang was a favored disciple of the Huashan Sect's Flaming Fire Patriarch, known for his skill in swordsmanship and notorious for his misdeeds. His sword, the Red Spider Sword, was exceedingly powerful. Initially, he had apprenticed under Master Fayuan, and it was Fayuan who introduced the Flaming Fire Patriarch to him. Qin Lang and Mao Tai were thus considered brothers under the same master, and they had become extremely close. When Mao Tai saw that the blue light had retreated upon Qin Lang's arrival, he believed the enemy had fled out of fear and thanked Qin Lang for saving his life. Qin Lang replied, "I am currently on a mission from my master to gather herbs in Tibet. Otherwise, I would have killed all those sword-wielders. The person just now ran away at the sight of me, at least they had some sense."