The story goes that Zhou Chun was engaged in a fierce battle with Mao Tai and found himself in a perilous situation. Fortunately, the Drunken Daoist appeared to help him. While Mao Tai and the Drunken Daoist were locked in a fierce swordfight, a sudden sound came from the sky, followed by five red streaks flying through the air. The Drunken Daoist quickly grabbed Zhou Chun, withdrew his sword light, and hurriedly flew towards the city. Zhou Chun closed his eyes and could only hear the sound of the wind whistling in his ears. In no time, they had landed in a secluded spot outside the Temple of the Martial Marquis. Zhou Chun immediately knelt down to thank the Drunken Daoist for saving his life. The Drunken Daoist said nothing, but led Zhou Chun to a thatched hut, opened the door, and they entered. Zhou Chun looked around and saw that the room was spotlessly clean. Inside were two young Daoist boys, about twelve or thirteen years old, who hurried to serve tea as soon as they saw the two enter. Knowing that Zhou Chun hadn't had dinner yet, the Drunken Daoist instructed them to prepare food and wine. After the two boys left, Zhou Chun knelt again and earnestly begged the Drunken Daoist to accept him as a disciple.
The Drunken Daoist replied, "Given your mind and foundation, it's not that you can't be taught. However, you are already forty and no longer a virgin, so learning swordsmanship will be especially difficult. If you take me as your master, I fear you will only suffer hardships," and refused to accept him. Zhou Chun pleaded several more times, to which the Drunken Daoist said, "It's not that I won't take you as a disciple, but your master should be one of the two elders of Song Mountain, who is also one of the three immortals of the East Sea, far stronger than me. He has a Divine Pill that can replenish your vitality, so breaking your virginity won't be an issue. Do you think I would have followed you all the way from Emei if you weren't meant for our sect?" Zhou Chun realized these were truthful words and didn't dare push further. He didn't know who the two elders of Song Mountain were, and several times asked the Drunken Daoist, who only replied that when the time was right, Zhou Chun would naturally know. For now, it was of no use to say more, so Zhou Chun didn't dare ask again.
After a while, the two young Daoists brought food and wine, and after Zhou Chun finished eating, exhausted from the day, he was led to a side room by one of the Daoist boys to rest.
The next morning, when Zhou Chun woke early and went to the cloud chamber to pay his respects, the Drunken Daoist was already gone. The two Daoist boys were named Song'er and He'er. Zhou Chun asked Song'er, "Where has the master gone? Last night in the rush, I didn't ask for his real name. You two have been following the master for years, surely you know?" Song'er replied, "Our master doesn't stay at the temple often. He comes back once or twice every two or three months. When he left this morning, he didn't leave any word. As for his name, even we don't know. People outside call him the Drunken Daoist because he loves drinking. When people come looking for him, they just ask for the Drunken Daoist. That must be his name. This place is called the Bi Yun Hermitage, the retreat of Su Yin, a disciple of Master You Tan. Our master loves the peace here and temporarily resides here. We've only been here for half a year, and seldom does anyone visit. If you're staying in Chengdu alone, why not move your belongings here? I've heard master say that you are skilled in martial arts, and you could also teach us a bit. Would you be willing?"
Zhou Chun found the boy to be sharp-witted, and knowing that staying here would be cleaner than living in an inn, and since the Drunken Daoist had brought him here, he thought the master wouldn't mind, so he quickly nodded in agreement. After getting directions, he returned to the city, settled his inn bill, and moved into the hermitage to hide from trouble. He rarely left the place.
Many days passed after the Drunken Daoist's departure, and he didn't return. Zhou Chun spent his days chatting with Song'er and He'er and didn't feel too lonely. Being experienced, Zhou Chun always avoided boasting about his martial arts when the topic came up. One morning, he woke up early and suddenly heard faint sounds of movement in the courtyard. Peering out the window, he saw Song'er and He'er, each holding a bamboo sword, sparring with one another. At first, their movements were unremarkable and slow, as if they were merely practicing stances, but their form was solid. However, Zhou Chun lost focus for a moment and coughed. Knowing Zhou Chun was watching, the two boys started to show off their skills, their movements becoming faster and faster. They leaped about like flying rabbits, and even Zhou Chun, a master of the Six Harmonies Sword, couldn't follow their footwork.
As Zhou Chun watched, Song'er suddenly feigned an opening, using a move called "Crane Spreads Its Wings." He'er didn't hesitate, forming a sword gesture with his left hand and thrusting forward with a move called "Long Snake Enters the Cave," shouting, "Got you!" as he lunged at Song'er's chest. Zhou Chun saw it clearly and thought Song'er wouldn't be able to block the strike, feeling anxious for him. But in the blink of an eye, Song'er didn't retreat or use his sword to parry. Instead, with a light step, he soared into the air with a move called "Swallow Darts Through the Clouds." With a sharp swoosh, he countered with "Eagle Grabs the Rabbit," flying down at an angle and thrusting at He'er's back. He'er heard the wind behind him and knew it was dangerous. He quickly dove forward, rolled, and lay flat on his back, facing upward, using the "Drunken Eight Immortals Sword" to evade the strike. He barely avoided the blow when suddenly something flew toward his face. He'er shouted, "Nice try!" and flipped into the air with a "Carp Leaping Out of the Water," launching himself seven or eight feet high. He then used a move called "Swallow Skims the Water," bounding off the ground with a few steps and landing on a nearby osmanthus tree, panting. He said, "Brother, isn't it shameful to use hidden weapons when you can't win?" Song'er laughed and replied, "Who used a hidden weapon? When I leaped into the air, a flock of sparrows happened to fly by, and I accidentally struck one with my sword. It slipped off the tip of my sword without me even noticing. Who has the time to use hidden weapons against you?"
Zhou Chun stepped out of the house and saw, indeed, a dead sparrow with a bamboo sword piercing its neck. He was secretly amazed, thinking, "These two kids, at such a young age, already have such skills. Luckily, I kept a low profile and didn't boast about my abilities." At that moment, Her'er's son also climbed down from the tree and repeatedly urged Zhou Chun to perform a sword dance. Zhou Chun, having already been deeply impressed by the two boys, dared not act rashly. Eventually, under pressure, he retrieved his own secret skill, the "Five Plum Blossom Cloud Piercing Crossbow," and demonstrated it. The two boys, as their drunken Taoist master had forbidden them from learning projectile weapons, were impressed by Zhou Chun's skill and asked him to secretly teach them without their master's knowledge. Zhou Chun had no choice but to agree and began teaching them diligently each day. He also learned many sword-fighting secrets from the boys and started practicing on his own without formally becoming their student.
After several days, Zhou Chun suddenly remembered that his daughter, Qingyun, had mentioned she would soon come to Chengdu to meet him. When he had moved out of his previous lodging, he hadn't left any message, and he feared she might not find him. The drunken Taoist had also predicted that Zhou would soon meet a renowned teacher, but if he remained hidden in the temple, just avoiding trouble, when would such an opportunity arise? He explained his plans to the two boys, stating that he would go out daily to seek teachers and friends. If he didn't return after three days, something must have happened, and he asked them to inform the drunken Taoist for help. The two boys agreed.
After lunch, Zhou Chun bid the boys farewell and strolled out of Biyun Temple alone. Instead of entering the city, he wandered around famous temples outside the city like Qingyang Palace and Wuhou Shrine, keeping an eye out for wise men. Sometimes, he would rest at Wangjiang Tower and grab a bite to eat. However, after several more days, he still encountered no one of note. One day, he went to his former lodgings in the city and asked whether anyone had come looking for him since he had moved out. The innkeeper replied, "A day or two ago, a tall old man, about fifty years old, came by with a red-faced, white-browed monk, inquiring about you. We thought you left in a hurry to return to your hometown and told them you had moved out days ago, with no known whereabouts. The visitor seemed quite disappointed. Before leaving, he left a message: 'If Zhou returns, tell him his old friend from Mount Emei has become a disciple of the white-browed monk and taken refuge in Yunwu Mountain. He needn't return to his hometown.' When I asked for his name, he wouldn't say. I assume he's an old friend of yours?" After probing about the man's appearance and attire, Zhou Chun realized it was Li Ning, but he couldn't understand why he had become a monk, or why his daughter Yingqiong wasn't with him. He suspected that Mao Tai had already found them at Emei and, feeling conflicted, decided to visit Mount Emei in a few days to see for himself.
After exchanging a few casual words with the innkeeper, Zhou Chun left. As he walked down the street, he noticed a crowd gathered ahead, making a commotion. Approaching, he saw a skinny, frail old man sitting on the sidewalk outside a shop, dressed in tattered clothes, his eyes tightly shut, remaining silent. Some in the crowd were mocking him, while others were chatting idly. Zhou Chun asked someone nearby what was going on and learned that the old man had gone to the restaurant early that morning, eaten and drunk heartily, and had just tried to slip away unnoticed. The shopkeeper, suspecting he was trying to dine and dash, caught him as he was leaving. The moment he tried to pull the old man back, part of the old man's ragged coat tore off. Enraged, the old man not only denied trying to flee but demanded the shopkeeper pay for the damage to his coat, claiming he had left his bundle inside as a guarantee while stepping out to watch the commotion. The shopkeeper checked inside and indeed found a shabby bundle. Initially, he thought it contained nothing but junk, but upon opening it in front of the crowd, he discovered a string of pearls the size of soybeans—108 in total, along with a few pieces of silver. The old man, now feeling justified, argued that the shopkeeper had underestimated him. "I left such a valuable bundle in your shop, and you suspect me of running out on my bill? This coat is worth more than the pearls! Now that you've torn it, if you don't pay up, I won't file a lawsuit—I'll just hang myself right here!" No one could persuade him to calm down. He threatened anyone who approached and demanded the shopkeeper compensate him for the coat.
Zhou Chun, finding the situation increasingly curious, pushed his way forward and indeed saw the old man, dressed in rags, his face smeared with grease, dragging a pair of broken shoes with his heels exposed—frail, dark, and shabby. Next to him was a small bundle. The shopkeeper stood by, constantly apologizing, his face flushed with anxiety, while the old man sat there, eyes shut, saying nothing. Zhou Chun, feeling pity for the shopkeeper's distress, was about to speak up when the old man suddenly opened his eyes and said, "Ah, you've arrived. I knew you'd come." Zhou Chun asked, "Why are you so angry with them, sir?" The old man replied, "They've treated me terribly! If you're truly my good disciple, you'll tear down their house and burn it! Do you hear me?" Zhou Chun, baffled by the old man's nonsensical speech, was at a loss. Onlookers, seeing how close the old man spoke to Zhou Chun and noticing Zhou's dignified appearance, thought, "No wonder the old man is so bold—he has such a wealthy disciple." The shopkeeper, even more anxious, was about to explain himself to Zhou Chun when the old man suddenly stood up, tucked his bundle under his arm, and said, "I'm glad you're here. I'll leave this to you. But we can't leave a bad reputation for dining and dashing. If you're going to burn down their shop, first settle the bill. I'm off." With that, he strode away.