Chapter 1: Heartless by the Wind and the Moon
"By the autumn waters, the Yue maiden gathers lotus,
In narrow sleeves of light gauze, her gold bracelets quietly revealed.
Reflecting her face in the flowers she picks,
Her heart in turmoil, just like the tangled lotus stems.
At the head of the Chicken Foot Stream, waves rise late in the wind,
Mist thickens, smoke lightens, her companion from the journey unseen.
Faint songs echo as the boat returns in the distance,
Parting sorrow lingers along the southern banks."
A gentle, melodious song drifted across the misty lake. The song emanated from a small boat where five young girls were laughing and picking lotus flowers. They were singing a poem by Ouyang Xiu, a famous poet from the Northern Song Dynasty, which described the scene of a Yue maiden gathering lotus. Though the poem comprised only sixty characters, it vividly depicted the season, time, location, scenery, and the maiden’s appearance, clothing, accessories, and feelings. The second half of the poem interwove narrative and emotion, progressing from close to distant, leaving an enduring impression. Ouyang Xiu, who served as an official in Jiangnan for many years, infused his deep emotions into his poems. During the Song Dynasty, everyone, from high-ranking officials to common folk, enjoyed singing poems. As a result, Liu Yong’s new lyrics were sung everywhere, and along the spring banks of Jiangnan or while gathering lotus in the autumn lakes, one often heard Ouyang Xiu’s poems.
This scene took place during the reign of Emperor Lizong of the Southern Song Dynasty, at Nanhu in Jiaxing. Jiaxing belonged to Xiuzhou, part of the Liangzhe region. It was nearing Mid-Autumn Festival, the lotus leaves were beginning to wither, and the lotus seeds were ripe. The song reached the ears of a Taoist nun standing silently under a row of willow trees by the lake. The evening breeze gently lifted the hem of her apricot-yellow robe and the hundreds of fine threads of the dust whisk she carried, stirring her thoughts. Her heart, too, was in turmoil, just like the poem’s line “Her heart in turmoil, just like the tangled lotus stems.” As the song gradually faded, the girls began singing another of Ouyang Xiu’s “Butterfly Loves Flower” poems. A gust of wind carried the lines, “The moon and wind change, people in the dark replace; past travels like dreams, leaving an empty, broken heart…” The song ended with a burst of laughter.
The Taoist nun sighed deeply and raised her left hand, gazing at her blood-stained palm. She murmured to herself, “What is there to laugh about? The little girls sing blindly, completely unaware of the sorrow and longing within the words.”
About ten yards behind the Taoist nun stood an old man in a green robe with a long beard, equally motionless. Only when the lines “The moon and wind change, people in the dark replace; past travels like dreams, leaving an empty, broken heart…” reached him did he let out a very faint sigh.
The small boat glided over the emerald glass-like surface of the lake. Among the five girls on the boat, three were around fifteen or sixteen years old, while the other two were only nine. The two younger girls were cousins; the elder, surnamed Cheng, was named Ying, and the younger, surnamed Lu, was named Wushuang. They were six months apart in age.
The three older girls were singing and rowing the boat out from the lotus leaves. Cheng Ying said, “Cousin, look, the old man is still there.” She pointed to a figure under the willow trees.
The man had a head of wild hair and a beard that was spiky and unkempt like a porcupine. His hair and beard were glossy and black, suggesting he wasn’t very old, but his face was deeply wrinkled, making him look like a seventy or eighty-year-old man. He wore a blue cloth robe and had an infant’s silk bib hanging around his neck. The bib, embroidered with a flower cat chasing butterflies, was old and tattered.
Lu Wushuang said, “This strange man has been sitting here for a long time, not moving at all.” Cheng Ying replied, “Don’t call him a strange man, call him ‘old uncle.’ If you call him a strange man, he’ll get angry.” Lu Wushuang laughed, “Isn’t he strange? So old, but wearing a baby’s bib. If he gets angry and his beard sticks up, that would be hilarious.” She picked up a lotus seed pod from the boat and threw it at the man’s head.
The boat was several yards away from the man. Although Lu Wushuang was young, she had considerable strength, and her throw was accurate. Cheng Ying called out, “Cousin!” but it was too late to stop her. The lotus seed pod flew straight at the man’s face. He tilted his head back and caught the pod in his mouth without using his hands. His tongue curled around it, and he began to chew. The five girls saw that he didn’t peel the seeds and didn’t mind the bitterness, eating the whole pod with its rind, and couldn’t help but burst into laughter. They rowed closer and went ashore.
Cheng Ying walked up to the man, tugged on his robe, and said, “Old uncle, that’s not the way to eat it.” She took out a lotus seed pod from her bag, split the seedcase, peeled out a dozen seeds, removed the green skin from the seeds, and took out the bitter core. She handed the seeds to the man. He chewed a few, finding them fragrant and delicious, much different from what he had just eaten. He smiled at Cheng Ying and nodded. Cheng Ying peeled a few more seeds for him. The man tossed them into his mouth, chewed, and said, “Follow me!” He then strode westward.
Lu Wushuang grabbed Cheng Ying’s hand and said, “Cousin, let’s follow him.” Their three companions were timid and urged, “Let’s go home quickly, or your mother will scold you if we wander too far.” Lu Wushuang made a face and, seeing the man walking fast, said, “If you don’t want to come, forget it.” She let go of her cousin’s hand and chased after the man. Cheng Ying couldn’t leave her cousin alone and followed. The three companions, though older, were shy and fearful, calling out a few times but seeing the man and the two cousins disappear behind the mulberry trees.
The man walked quickly. Seeing the girls struggling to keep up, he stopped to wait a few times but soon grew impatient. Suddenly, he turned, extended his long arms, and tucked the two girls under his arms, speeding up. The girls felt the wind whistling past their ears as the stones and grass on the path blurred before their eyes. Lu Wushuang, frightened, yelled, “Put me down! Put me down!” The man ignored her, moving even faster. Lu Wushuang bit his hand hard, but it felt like biting iron, hurting her teeth. She let go, but kept shouting. Cheng Ying remained silent.
After running for a while, the man put the girls down. They found themselves in a cemetery. Cheng Ying’s face turned pale, while Lu Wushuang’s face flushed red. Cheng Ying said, “Old uncle, we want to go home now, we won’t play with you anymore!”
The man stared at her without saying a word. Cheng Ying saw a look of sorrow and self-pity in his eyes and felt sympathy. She softly said, “If no one is playing with you, come to the lake tomorrow, and I’ll peel lotus seeds for you.” The man sighed, “Yes, it’s been ten years. For ten years, no one has played with me.” Suddenly, his eyes flashed with anger, and he fiercely said, “Where is He Yuanjun? Where did she go?”
Cheng Ying was frightened by his sudden change in demeanor and softly said, “I… I don’t know.” The man grabbed her arm, shook her, and said in a low voice, “Where is He Yuanjun?” Cheng Ying was so scared she almost cried, tears welling in her eyes but not falling. The man, gnashing his teeth, said, “Cry! Cry! Why don’t you cry? Hmph, you were like this ten years ago. I wouldn’t let you marry him. You said you couldn’t bear to leave me, but you had to go with him. You said you were grateful for my kindness, and leaving me made you sad. Hah! All lies. If you were really sad, why don’t you cry?”
He stared at Cheng Ying. She was so scared that her face turned colorless, but she still didn’t cry. The man shook her forcefully. Cheng Ying bit her lip, thinking, “I won’t cry, I won’t cry!” The man said, “Hmph, you won’t shed a tear for me, not even one. What’s the point of living?” He suddenly let go of Cheng Ying, bent his knees, and slammed his head against a tombstone, passing out instantly.
Lu Wushuang called out, “Cousin, let’s run away.” She grabbed Cheng Ying’s hand and turned to leave. Cheng Ying ran a few steps but felt pity for the strange man when she saw blood gushing from his head. She said, “We should check on him. We don’t want him to die.” Lu Wushuang replied, “If he dies, won’t he turn into a ghost?” Cheng Ying was startled by the thought. She was afraid he might turn into a ghost, or suddenly wake up and grab her to spout more strange words. But seeing his face covered in blood and looking pitiful, she reassured herself, “Old uncle is not a ghost, I am not afraid, he won’t grab me again.” She slowly walked closer, step by step, and called out, “Old uncle, are you in pain?”
The strange man groaned but did not answer. Cheng Ying felt braver and used her handkerchief to press on his wound. His head injury was severe, and the handkerchief was soon soaked with blood. She used her left hand to press tightly on the wound, and after a while, the bleeding stopped. The man slowly opened his eyes, saw Cheng Ying sitting beside him, and sighed, “Why did you save me again? It would be better if I died.” Cheng Ying was happy to see him awake and softly asked, “Does your head hurt?” The strange man shook his head and said sorrowfully, “My head doesn’t hurt, but my heart does.” Cheng Ying found this odd and thought, “How can his head be split open like that, but not hurt? How can his heart hurt instead?” She didn’t ask further and used her belt to bandage his wound.
The man sighed, stood up, and said, “So you will never see me again, and we part like this? You won’t shed a tear for me?” Cheng Ying saw his bloody and scary face filled with a pleading look, and couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. The strange man saw her tears, his face a mix of joy and sorrow, and he burst into tears.
Seeing him cry so sadly, Cheng Ying cried even more, her tears falling like pearls from a broken string. She gently put her arms around his neck. Lu Wushuang, seeing the two of them inexplicably embracing and crying, couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
The strange man heard her laugh, looked up, and sighed, “Yes, you said you would never leave me, but as you grew older, you forgot your words and only remembered that new pretty boy. You laugh so happily!” He looked closely at Cheng Ying and said, “Yes, yes, you are Ah Yuan, my little Ah Yuan. I won’t let you leave, I won’t let you go with that pretty boy.” He tightly hugged Cheng Ying.
Lu Wushuang, seeing his agitation, dared not laugh anymore.
The man said, “Ah Yuan, I found you. Let’s go home. From now on, you’ll always stay with daddy.” Cheng Ying said, “Old uncle, my father is dead.” The man replied, “I know, I know. I am your adopted father. Don’t you recognize me?” Cheng Ying shook her head slightly and said, “I don’t have an adopted father.” The man yelled and pushed her away, saying, “Ah Yuan, you don’t even recognize your adopted father?” Cheng Ying said, “Old uncle, my name is Cheng Ying, I am not your Ah Yuan.”
The strange man muttered, “You’re not Ah Yuan? Not my Ah Yuan?” He stood there dazed for a while, then said, “Twenty years ago, Ah Yuan was just your age. Now, Ah Yuan has grown up and doesn’t need daddy anymore. Her heart is only for that scoundrel Lu Zhanyuan.” Lu Wushuang exclaimed, “Lu Zhanyuan?”
The man glared at her and asked, “Do you know Lu Zhanyuan?” Lu Wushuang smiled slightly and said, “Of course, I know him. He is my uncle.” The man’s face turned ferocious, and he grabbed Lu Wushuang’s arms, asking, “Where… where… is that scoundrel? Take me to him.” Lu Wushuang was frightened but still smiled, trembling, “My uncle lives very close by. Do you really want to see him? Hehe!” The man said, “Yes, yes! I’ve been in Jiaxing for three days looking for that scoundrel to settle the score. Little girl, take me to him, and old uncle won’t hurt you.” His tone became gentle, and he let go of her arms. Lu Wushuang rubbed her left arm and said, “You hurt my arm. I forgot where my uncle lives.”
The man raised his eyebrows, ready to burst into anger but thought it unworthy to bully a little girl. His ugly face broke into a smile, and he reached into his pocket, saying, “Grandpa was wrong. I apologize. Grandpa will give you candy.” But his hand came out empty, showing he had no candy.
Lu Wushuang clapped her hands and laughed, “You have no candy and lied. Aren’t you ashamed? Alright, I’ll tell you. My uncle lives over there.” She pointed to two tall locust trees in the distance, saying, “Over there.”
The man extended his long arms and tucked the two girls under them, running swiftly towards the locust trees. He leaped over streams and obstacles, reaching the twin locust trees in no time. He put the girls down, but under the trees were two graves. One tombstone read “Lu Zhanyuan’s Tomb,” and the other “Lady He of the Lu Family.” The grass around the graves was knee-high, showing they had been there for some time.
The man stared at the tombstones and muttered, “Lu Zhanyuan, that scoundrel, is dead? When did he die?” Lu Wushuang giggled, “He has been dead for three years.”
The man coldly said, “Good, it’s good that he’s dead. Too bad I didn’t kill him myself.” He looked up and laughed loudly. The laughter echoed far and wide, filled with sorrow and anger, with no hint of joy.
By this time, evening was approaching, and a light mist began to settle among the green willows and grass. Lu Wushuang tugged at her cousin’s sleeve and whispered, “Let’s go back.” The strange man said, “That pretty boy is dead, so why is Ah Yuan still here? I want to take her back to Dali. Hey, little girl, take me to find your… your dead uncle’s wife.” Lu Wushuang pointed to the tombstone and said, “Can’t you see? My aunt is dead too.”
The strange man leaped up, his voice like thunder as he roared, “Is that true? She’s dead too?” Lu Wushuang turned pale and stammered, “That’s what my father said. After my uncle died, my aunt also died. I don’t know, I don’t know. Don’t scare me, I’m afraid!” The strange man beat his chest and cried out, “She’s dead? She can’t be dead! You promised to wait for me. I told you I’d come back to see you in ten years. Why didn’t you wait for me?”
He raged and jumped around like a mad tiger. Suddenly, he swept his leg out and struck the locust tree on the right with a loud crack, causing it to shake violently, with leaves rustling down. Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang held hands and retreated far away, not daring to get close. They saw him suddenly embrace the locust tree and shake it with all his might as if he wanted to pull it out of the ground. Though the tree wasn’t very thick, it was impossible to uproot it. He shouted, “You promised me. How could you break your word?” His voice gradually became hoarse. He squatted down, exerting all his strength, and hot steam rose from his head like from a steamer. His arm muscles bulged as he bent his body and back, yelling, “Rise!” Although he couldn’t uproot the tree, there was a loud crack, and the tree broke in half. He stared blankly at the half tree in his arms, murmuring, “Dead, dead!” He then threw it with all his might, and it flew far away like an umbrella in the air.
He stood motionless in front of the graves, murmuring, “Yes, Lu Family’s Lady He, that’s Ah Yuan.” His vision blurred, and he saw two figures instead of the tombstones. One was a girl with a delicate smile and bright eyes, the other a tall, handsome young man standing beside her.
The strange man cursed, “You lured my sweet girl away. I’ll kill you with one finger.” He extended his right index finger and thrust it towards the young man’s chest, feeling sharp pain in his finger as if it was about to break. He had hit the tombstone, not the young man. Furious, he shouted, “Where did you run off to?” and struck the tombstone with his left palm. He continued to hit it with both hands, growing angrier with each strike. After more than ten strikes, his hands were bleeding profusely.
Cheng Ying, feeling sorry for him, advised, “Old uncle, stop hitting it. You’re hurting your hands.” The strange man laughed and said, “I don’t feel any pain. I want to kill that scoundrel Lu Zhanyuan.”
As he laughed wildly, he suddenly stopped, stood still, and shouted, “I must see you, I must see you.” He then dug his hands into the grave of “Lu Family’s Lady He,” and when he pulled back, he had grabbed two large chunks of soil. His hands moved like iron shovels, digging out large clumps of dirt from the grave.
Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang, terrified, turned and fled. The strange man, focused on digging, didn’t notice them. They ran for a while, turning several corners, and finally relaxed when they saw he wasn’t following. Not knowing the way, they asked villagers for directions and finally reached Lu Family Village as night fell.
Lu Wushuang ran in, shouting, “Something terrible has happened! Dad, Mom, come quickly! That madman is digging up Uncle and Aunt’s graves!” She rushed into the main hall, only to find her father, Lu Liding, staring blankly at the wall.
Cheng Ying followed her in. She and Lu Wushuang looked where Lu Liding was gazing and saw three rows of palm prints on the wall—two on the top, two in the middle, and five at the bottom, making a total of nine. Each print was as red as blood.
Hearing his daughter’s shouts, Lu Liding asked urgently, “What did you say?” Lu Wushuang cried out, “That madman is digging up Uncle and Aunt’s graves!”
Shocked, Lu Liding stood up and shouted, “Nonsense!” Cheng Ying said, “Uncle, it’s true.” Lu Liding knew his daughter was mischievous and clever, but Cheng Ying never lied. He asked, “What’s going on?” Lu Wushuang giggled and quickly recounted what had just happened.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Lu Liding didn’t wait for her to finish. He grabbed a single-edged sword from the wall and ran toward his brother and sister-in-law’s graves. When he arrived, he found that not only had their graves been dug up, but their coffins had also been opened. Although he had expected this when he heard his daughter’s warning, seeing it with his own eyes made his heart race. The bodies were missing, and the lime, paper, and cotton padding in the coffins were in disarray. He steadied himself and saw numerous marks from metal tools on the coffin lids. Feeling a mix of sorrow, anger, surprise, and confusion, he wondered what deep hatred this grave robber had against his brother and sister-in-law to defile their bodies even after death. He immediately set off in pursuit with his sword.
All of Lu Liding’s martial skills were taught by his elder brother, Lu Zhanyuan. He was naturally a modest man, and with a prosperous family background, he had never ventured into the martial world and lacked experience and resourcefulness. Unsure of how to track the grave robbers, he circled around and ended up back at the graves, having no idea what to do. After standing there in a daze for a while, he returned home.
Entering the main hall, he sat in a chair, leaned the sword against it, and stared blankly at the nine bloody palm prints on the wall. He thought, “When my brother was dying, he mentioned that he had an enemy, a Taoist nun named Li Mochou, known as the ‘Scarlet Serpent Deity.’ She is highly skilled in martial arts and is ruthless. He predicted that she would come for revenge ten years after his marriage. He said, ‘I won’t recover from this illness. Li Mochou won’t be able to exact her revenge on me. In three years, she will come for revenge. You must persuade your sister-in-law to stay far away.’ I tearfully agreed, but who would have thought that my sister-in-law would commit suicide on the night my brother died? Three years have passed since my brother’s death, and now is the time for her revenge. But since my brother and sister-in-law are dead, the feud should be over. Why is she here? My brother also said that before killing someone, Li Mochou often leaves bloody palm prints on their wall or door, one for each person she plans to kill. Including the servants, there are only seven people in my household. Why are there nine palm prints? Ah, she must have placed the prints before realizing my brother and sister-in-law were dead, then sent someone to dig up the graves. This demoness is truly vicious. But I’ve been home all day. When did she leave these prints? To do so without anyone noticing, this person… this person…” At this thought, he couldn’t help but shiver.
Footsteps sounded behind him, and a pair of soft, small hands covered his eyes. He heard his daughter’s voice say, “Daddy, guess who I am?” This was a game Lu Wushuang had played with her father since she was three. She would cover her father’s eyes and say, “Daddy, guess who I am?” It had made her parents laugh heartily. Since then, whenever her father was unhappy, she would play this game to cheer him up. Even when Lu Liding was very angry, this little act would dissipate his anger. But today, he was not in the mood to play. He brushed her hands away and said, “Daddy is busy, go play inside!”
Lu Wushuang was taken aback. She was doted on by her parents and rarely saw them ignoring her. She pouted, about to act spoiled and complain to her father, when the servant Ah Gen hurried in, bowing, and said, “Master, there are guests outside.” Lu Liding waved him off and said, “Tell them I am not at home.” Ah Gen said, “Master, it’s not someone looking for you; it’s a traveler asking to stay for the night.” Lu Liding was surprised and asked, “What? A woman?” Ah Gen replied, “Yes, and she has two children with her. They are quite good-looking.”
Hearing that the female guest had two children, Lu Liding felt a little relieved and asked, “She is not a Taoist nun?” Ah Gen shook his head and said, “No, she is dressed neatly and looks like a decent lady.” Lu Liding said, “Very well, show her to the guest room and provide food and drink.” Ah Gen agreed and left. Lu Wushuang said, “I want to see too,” and ran out after him.
Lu Liding stood up, about to discuss how to deal with the situation with his wife, when Lu Erniang walked into the hall. Lu Liding pointed out the bloody handprints on the wall and explained about the broken graves and missing bodies. Lu Erniang frowned and asked, “Where should we hide the two children?” Lu Liding pointed to the bloody handprints on the wall and said, “The two children are also included in the count. This devil has marked these prints, so it won’t be easy to hide from them. We have trained in martial arts for so many years in vain. This person entered and left our home without us noticing at all. This…this…”
Lu Erniang, staring at the white wall and gripping the chair back, said, “Why are there nine handprints? Our household only has seven people.”
Hearing this, her limbs went weak, and she stared at her husband, tears welling up in her eyes. Lu Liding held her arm and said, “Dear, now that the time has come, there is no need to be afraid. The top two handprints are for my brother and sister-in-law. The next two are for us. The third row of two is for Wushuang and Xiao Ying. The last three are for Ah Gen and the two maidservants. This is truly bloodshed at our doorstep.” Lu Erniang, trembling, asked, “Brother and sister-in-law?” Lu Liding said, “I don’t know what deep hatred this devil has against them. Even after their deaths, she sent people to desecrate their bodies.”
Lu Erniang asked, “You think that madman was sent by her?” Lu Liding replied, “Of course.” Seeing her husband’s face covered in sweat and dust, Lu Erniang gently said, “Go to your room, wash your face, change your clothes, and take a rest.”
Lu Liding stood up and walked back to their room with her, saying, “Dear, if the entire Lu family cannot escape death today, let us die without tarnishing the honor of our brother and sister-in-law.” Lu Erniang felt a pang of sorrow and said, “You are right.” Both thought that although Lu Liding was unknown, his brother Lu Zhanyuan and his wife He Yuanjun were famous heroes in the martial world, and the name of Jiaxing Lu Family Estate was never underestimated in the martial world.
As they walked to the backyard, they suddenly heard a sound from the eastern wall. Someone was on the high wall. Lu Liding stepped forward to shield his wife and looked up, seeing a boy sitting on the wall, reaching for some trumpet vine flowers. Then someone from below called, “Be careful, don’t fall.” It turned out Cheng Ying, Lu Wushuang, and another boy were standing behind the flower bushes by the wall. Lu Liding thought, “These two children must be from the family asking to stay. How mischievous they are!”
The boy on the wall picked a flower. Lu Wushuang called out, “Give it to me, give it to me!” The boy smiled and threw it to Cheng Ying. Cheng Ying caught it and handed it to her cousin. Lu Wushuang, annoyed, grabbed the flower, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it, saying, “Who cares? I don’t want it!” The Lu couple saw the children playing, oblivious to the impending disaster, sighed, and went back inside.
Cheng Ying saw Lu Wushuang stomping on the flower and asked, “Cousin, why are you angry again?” Lu Wushuang pouted and said, “I don’t want his flower; I’ll pick my own.” Saying this, she leaped up, grabbed a wisteria vine hanging from the flower rack, used it to gain height, and sprang onto the trunk of a silver osmanthus tree. The boy on the wall clapped and cheered, “Come up here!” Lu Wushuang swung back and forth on the osmanthus tree branch a few times, then let go, aiming for the wall.
Given her limited training in light martial arts, this leap was quite dangerous. However, annoyed at the boy for giving the flower to her cousin and not to her, she wanted to show off her bravery. The boy was startled and called, “Be careful!” reaching out to catch her. If he hadn’t reached out, Lu Wushuang could have grabbed the wall, but seeing him reach out, she shouted, “Move away!” trying to dodge his hands. However, mid-air maneuvers require advanced skills she hadn’t mastered. Missing the wall, she screamed and fell.
The boy on the ground saw her fall and rushed to catch her. The wall was over ten feet high, and though Lu Wushuang was light, she fell with considerable force. The boy caught her waist, and both of them fell heavily. There was a loud crack; Lu Wushuang’s left leg was broken, and the boy’s forehead hit a stone on the flower bed, causing blood to gush out.
Seeing the accident, Cheng Ying and the other boy hurried to help. The boy slowly stood up, holding his bleeding forehead, while Lu Wushuang fainted from the pain. Cheng Ying held her cousin and shouted, “Uncle, Aunt, come quickly!”
Lu Liding and his wife heard the cries and rushed out, seeing the two injured children. They also saw a middle-aged woman coming quickly from the west wing, presumably the woman asking to stay. She immediately picked up Lu Wushuang and the boy and carried them to the hall. Instead of stopping the bleeding, she first set Lu Wushuang’s broken leg. Lu Erniang took a cloth and bandaged the boy’s head while checking her daughter’s leg.
The woman, focused on setting Lu Wushuang’s leg, was startled by a voice from the roof. A woman’s voice called out, “I will take the lives of the seven Lu family members. The rest of you, leave now.” The woman, startled by the voice, inadvertently twisted her hands, misaligning the broken bone. Lu Wushuang screamed in pain and fainted again.
Everyone looked up simultaneously and saw a young Taoist nun standing on the eaves. The moon had just risen, and its light illuminated her face, revealing that she was only fifteen or sixteen years old. A long sword was strapped to her back, and the blood-red sword tassel fluttered in the wind. Lu Liding called out in a loud voice, “I am Lu Liding. Are you a disciple of Immortal Li?”
The young nun smirked and said, “It’s good that you know! Quickly kill your wife, daughter, and all your servants, then take your own life. Save me the trouble.” Her tone was casual and unhurried, showing she did not regard her opponents seriously at all.
Hearing these words, Lu Liding trembled with rage and said, “You…you…” He was at a loss for how to respond. He wanted to leap up and fight her, but hesitated, considering that she was young and a woman, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to truly engage in combat with her. As he hesitated, the woman who had come to ask for lodging suddenly leaped onto the roof, brandishing a long sword and engaging the young nun in battle.
The woman wore a gray dress, while the young nun was dressed in a light yellow Taoist robe. Under the moonlight, only gray and yellow shadows could be seen swirling and intertwining, interspersed with flashes of cold light and the occasional sound of weapons clashing. Lu Liding had learned martial arts from his brother and, though he had no experience in combat, his observational skills were not weak. He could clearly see the movements of their sword techniques. The young nun’s long sword alternated between attack and defense swiftly, her moves fierce and aggressive. The woman, focusing intently, seized opportunities to counterattack. Suddenly, there was a clanging sound as their swords collided, and the young nun’s sword flew into the air. She leapt back, her face flushed, and shouted, “I am under orders to kill the entire Lu family. Who are you to interfere?”
The woman sneered and said, “If your master had any skill, she should have dealt with Lu Zhanyuan herself. Now that she knows he’s dead, she comes to trouble others. How shameless!” The young nun flicked her right hand, releasing three silver needles. Two targeted the woman, while the third was aimed at Lu Liding standing in the courtyard. This sudden attack was unexpected. The woman deflected the needles with her sword, while Lu Liding, with a low growl, caught the third needle between his fingers.
The young nun smirked slightly and flipped off the roof, her footsteps quickly fading away. The woman jumped back into the courtyard and, seeing the silver needle in Lu Liding’s hand, urgently said, “Drop it immediately!” Lu Liding obeyed and threw it down. The woman cut a strip of her own clothing with her sword and quickly bound his right wrist.
Lu Liding was startled and asked, “Is the needle poisoned?” The woman replied, “Extremely toxic.” She then took out a pill and gave it to him. Lu Liding felt his index and middle fingers grow numb and swell. The woman quickly used the tip of her sword to cut open the tips of his two fingers, allowing drops of black blood to ooze out. Lu Liding was horrified and thought, “My fingers weren’t even pricked, yet just touching the needle caused such a reaction. If I had been pricked, I wouldn’t have survived.” He bowed to the woman and said, “I failed to recognize a master. May I ask for your esteemed name?”
The woman replied, “My husband is Wu Santong.” Lu Liding was taken aback and said, “So you are Lady Wu. I have heard that Senior Wu is a disciple of Master Yideng of Dali. Is that true?” Wu Sanniang said, “Indeed. Master Yideng is my husband’s teacher. I have learned a few basic martial arts skills from my husband. I’m just making a fool of myself in front of you.” Lu Liding repeatedly thanked her for her assistance. He had heard from his brother that the greatest martial artists he had encountered were from the disciples of Master Yideng of Dali: Master Yideng, a former king of Dali who became a monk, had four great disciples known as “Fisherman, Woodcutter, Farmer, and Scholar.” The farmer, Wu Santong, had a grudge against his brother, though the exact details were unclear. However, Wu Sanniang was not an enemy; instead, she had driven away the disciple of the “Scarlet Serpent Immortal.” The reasons behind this were complex and difficult to understand.
They returned to the hall. Lu Liding held his daughter in his arms, seeing that she had regained consciousness but was pale. Despite her pain, she did not cry, which made him feel even more sympathetic. Wu Sanniang sighed and said, “With the departure of this disciple, the devil herself will soon arrive. Lu, it’s not that I underestimate you, but you and your wife, even with my help, are no match for that demon. Running away is futile. We should resign ourselves to fate and wait for her here.”
Lu Erniang asked, “What kind of person is this demon, and what deep grudges does she have against our family?” Wu Sanniang glanced at Lu Liding and said, “Didn’t he tell you?” Lu Erniang replied, “He only knows that it has something to do with his brother and sister-in-law and involves some romantic entanglements, but he doesn’t understand it fully.”
Wu Sanniang sighed and said, “That’s right. As an outsider, it doesn’t hurt for me to explain. More than ten years ago, your brother, Lu Daxia, went to Dali. At that time, the ‘Scarlet Serpent Immortal’ Li Mochou was not the fearsome figure she is now in the martial world. Back then, she was a beautiful, gentle girl who hadn’t become a nun. It was fate; she fell in love with your brother when they met. After many twists and turns, your brother married your sister-in-law, He Yuanjun. Speaking of your sister-in-law, I must also mention my husband, which I find shameful. But given the urgency of the situation, I must explain. He Yuanjun was originally our adopted daughter.” Both Lu Liding and his wife exclaimed in surprise.
Wu Sanniang gently stroked the injured boy’s shoulder and, staring at the candlelight, continued, “Your sister-in-law, He Yuanjun, was an orphan. My husband and I adopted her and treated her with great affection. Later, she met your brother, and they fell in love and wanted to get married. My husband, not wanting her to marry far away, and being prejudiced, claimed that people from the south were deceitful and untrustworthy and refused to agree to the marriage. Yuanjun, however, eloped with your brother. On their wedding day, both my husband and Li Mochou came to cause trouble. Fortunately, a high monk from the Tianlong Temple in Dali was at the banquet and intervened. He made them promise to leave the couple alone for ten years in his honor. My husband and Li Mochou reluctantly agreed. My husband, overwhelmed by anger, has been insane ever since, no matter how much his friends or I tried to console him. He constantly counted down the days of those ten years. Today marks exactly ten years, and I never expected your brother and Yuanjun would not live to enjoy even ten years of happiness.” She hung her head, looking sorrowful.
Lu Liding said, “So the one who dug up my brother and sister-in-law’s bodies must be your husband.” Wu Sanniang, looking embarrassed, said, “From what your daughters described, it was indeed my husband.” Lu Liding, angry, said, “Such behavior is absolutely unacceptable. This was not even a significant grudge, and my brother and sister-in-law are already dead. Even if there were deep enmity, it should end with their deaths. How can desecrating their bodies be considered the action of a hero?” According to seniority, the Wu couple should be respected elders, but Lu Liding, angered, spoke without regard for rank. Wu Sanniang sighed and said, “You are right to blame us. My husband’s mind is deranged; his words and actions are often irrational. I brought these two children here today to prevent my husband from causing more trouble. In this world, I’m probably the only one he fears even slightly.” Saying this, she instructed the children, “Bow to Uncle and Auntie Lu to apologize on behalf of your father.” The two children knelt and bowed.
Madam Lu quickly reached out to help them up and asked for their names. The boy with the injured forehead was named Wu Dunru, the elder brother, and his younger brother was named Wu Xiuwen.
The two boys were a year apart, one twelve and the other eleven. Despite being the sons of a renowned martial artist, they had been given scholarly names. Madam Wu explained that she and her husband had their children in their middle age and, being acutely aware of the dangers in the martial world, hoped their sons would pursue scholarly paths instead of martial arts. However, both boys were keen on martial arts, living up to their names in spirit rather than letter.
After explaining, Madam Wu sighed sadly, thinking, “These things can only be discussed up to this point; other matters are not for outsiders to know.” When He Yuanyun was seventeen or eighteen, she had grown into a beautiful and charming young lady. Wu Santong’s feelings for her seemed to surpass those of a foster father for his foster daughter. Given his status as a martial hero, he could not act improperly, which caused internal turmoil. When he saw her fall in love with a young man from Jiangnan, he was uncontrollably furious. His claim that “Jiangnan people are deceitful and untrustworthy” was partly due to his animosity towards He Yuanyun’s suitor and also because of the deception he experienced from Guo Jing and Huang Rong. They had tricked him into holding a yellow ox and a large stone, leaving him unable to escape. Although he later reconciled with Guo Jing and Huang Rong, the belief that “Jiangnan people are deceitful and untrustworthy” remained deeply ingrained in his mind.
Madam Wu continued, “I never expected my husband not to come, but instead, the Scarlet Serpent Immortal came to trouble your household…” At this moment, a voice suddenly called out from the roof, “Ru’er, Wen’er, come out!” The voice came so abruptly that there had been no sound of footsteps on the roof tiles beforehand. The Lu couple was startled, knowing it was Wu Santong. Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang also recognized it as the voice of the strange man who ate the lotus seed pods.
Suddenly, a figure moved swiftly, and Wu Santong leaped down from the roof. He grabbed his two sons, one in each hand, and took them back up to the roof. Madam Wu shouted, “Hey, come and greet Master Lu and Mistress Lu! What about the two corpses you took? Bring them back!” Wu Santong ignored her and quickly disappeared into the distance.
Wu Santong ran wildly for a while and then entered a forest. Suddenly, he put down Xiuwen and continued holding his injured older son, Dunru, as he disappeared into the woods, leaving his younger son alone in the forest.
Wu Xiuwen shouted, “Father, Father!” but his father, carrying his brother, had already run dozens of meters away. Wu Santong called back from afar, “Wait here, I’ll come back for you.” Wu Xiuwen knew that his father’s actions were always erratic, so he wasn’t particularly surprised. Though scared to be alone in the forest at night, he believed his father would return soon. He sat down by a tree to wait. After a long while without his father returning, he leaned against the tree trunk and eventually fell asleep.
When he woke at dawn, he heard a few clear and high-pitched cries above his head. Opening his eyes and looking up, he saw two enormous white eagles circling in the sky, their wings spanning over a meter. He had never seen such large eagles before and watched them in fascination, finding them both strange and intriguing. He called out, “Brother, come and see the big eagles!” Momentarily forgetting that he was alone and that his brother was not with him.
Suddenly, he heard two soft whistles behind him, sounding like they came from a girl. The two large eagles circled a few more times before slowly descending. Wu Xiuwen turned around and saw a girl emerging from behind a tree, waving at the eagles. The two eagles folded their wings and landed beside her. The girl glanced at Wu Xiuwen, petted the eagles’ backs, and said, “Good eagles, obedient eagles.” Wu Xiuwen thought, “So these two big birds are eagles.” He observed the eagles, their heads held high and their demeanor majestic, standing taller than the girl.
Wu Xiuwen approached and asked, “Are these two eagles yours?” The girl pouted slightly and made a disdainful face, saying, “I don’t know you; I don’t want to play with you.” Wu Xiuwen, unfazed by her attitude, reached out to touch one of the eagles’ backs. The girl gave a soft whistle, and the eagle suddenly swept out its left wing with great force, knocking Wu Xiuwen over.
Wu Xiuwen rolled over, stood up, and looked at the eagles with admiration, saying, “These eagles are really great, they listen to you. I’ll ask my father to catch a pair for me to play with when he returns.” The girl snorted, “Hmph, do you think your father can catch them?” Wu Xiuwen, having been rebuffed multiple times, felt embarrassed. He looked closely at the girl, who wore a light green silk dress and a string of pearls around her neck. Her complexion was as white and tender as cream, almost dripping with moisture, and her eyes were lively and her eyebrows slender. Though Wu Xiuwen was still a child, he found her very beautiful and felt a natural closeness to her. However, seeing her stern expression made him feel somewhat intimidated.
The girl, while petting the eagle’s back, glanced at Wu Xiuwen and asked, “What’s your name? Why are you out here alone?” Wu Xiuwen replied, “I’m Wu Xiuwen. I’m waiting for my father. What’s your name?” The girl pouted and snorted, “I don’t play with wild children.” She turned and walked away. Wu Xiuwen, momentarily stunned, called out, “I’m not a wild child.” He followed her.
He noticed that the girl seemed to be about two or three years younger than him, short-legged and petite. He thought he could easily catch up with her, but as soon as he started running, he found that she was very quick, and in a few moments, she had left him far behind. She ran a few more steps, stopped, and called back, “Hmph, can you catch up with me?” Wu Xiuwen replied, “Of course I can.” He immediately sped up to chase her.
The girl turned and ran again, suddenly darting forward and hiding behind a pine tree. When Wu Xiuwen got closer, she extended her left foot, tripping him up. Wu Xiuwen, caught off guard, fell forward. He tried to steady himself with a move called “Iron Tree Stump,” but the girl kicked him hard in the buttocks with her right foot, making him fall straight down. His nose hit a small sharp rock, causing it to bleed and staining his clothes with blood.
Seeing the blood, the girl panicked and didn’t know what to do. She was about to run away when someone behind her said sternly, “Fuer, are you bullying someone again?” Without turning around, the girl defended herself, “Who says so? He fell on his own, what does it have to do with me? Don’t tell my father.” Wu Xiuwen, holding his nose, wasn’t actually in much pain but was scared by the sight of so much blood. He heard the girl talking to someone and turned to see an old man with a cane. His temples were frosty, his face gaunt, and his eyes were white—he was blind.
The old man coldly laughed, “Don’t think I can’t see, I heard everything clearly. You little girl, you’re already so naughty; how will you be when you grow up?” The girl walked over, held his arm, and pleaded, “Grandpa, don’t tell my father, okay? He has a nosebleed, can you treat him?”
The old man took a step forward, grabbed Wu Xiuwen’s arm with his left hand, and used his right hand to press on the “Fragrant Smelling Point” beside Wu Xiuwen’s nose a few times. Wu Xiuwen’s nosebleed, which had already been subsiding, stopped completely with a few presses. He felt that the old man’s fingers were like iron pincers, long and hard, gripping his arm tightly. Frightened, he tried to pull away but couldn’t move. He then remembered a technique his mother had taught him, a small grappling technique. He twisted his wrist in a half-circle to reverse the grip. The old man hadn’t expected such a skillful move from a small child, and with a flip, he let go, exclaiming softly, “Oh!” However, he immediately grabbed Wu Xiuwen’s wrist again. Wu Xiuwen tried to use his strength to struggle again, but this time he couldn’t break free.
The old man said, “Don’t be afraid, little brother. What’s your surname?” Wu Xiuwen replied, “My surname is Wu.” The old man continued, “Your accent isn’t local. Where are you from? Where are your parents?” As he spoke, he loosened his grip on Wu Xiuwen’s wrist. Wu Xiuwen, thinking about how he hadn’t seen his parents all night and not knowing what had happened to them, nearly burst into tears when asked. The girl next to him teased, “Shame, shame, little flower dog, eyes all red, about to leak oil!”
Wu Xiuwen, holding back tears, said proudly, “Hmph, I’m not crying!” He then told the story of how his mother was at Lu’s residence waiting for enemies, his father had taken his brother somewhere unknown, he had waited for them alone in the dark, and eventually fell asleep under a tree. He was emotional and his story was somewhat jumbled, but the old man understood most of it. He asked further, finding out they were from the Kingdom of Dali and that his father was Wu Santong, whose best martial art was “Yiyang Finger.” The old man said, “Your father is a disciple of Master Yideng, right?” Wu Xiuwen, delighted, responded, “Yes! Do you know our Emperor? Have you met him? I haven’t.” Wu Santong had served as the commander of the imperial guards under Emperor Duan Zhixing of Dali. When Duan Zhixing became a monk, he took the name Yideng, but Wu Santong and his children still referred to him as “our Emperor.”
The old man said, “I haven’t had the honor to meet him, but I’ve long admired the fame of the ‘Southern Emperor.’ This girl’s parents have received great favors from him. So, we’re not outsiders. Do you know who your mother is waiting for?” Wu Xiuwen replied, “I heard my mother and Uncle Lu talking. The enemy seems to be called something like the Red Serpent, something like ‘Sorrow’.” The old man raised his head and muttered, “Red Serpent?” Suddenly, he struck his iron cane on the ground and shouted, “Is it the Red Serpent Fairy, Li Mochou?” Wu Xiuwen excitedly said, “Yes, that’s right! The Red Serpent Fairy!”
The old man became very serious and said, “You two stay here and don’t move. I’ll go check it out.” The girl said, “Grandpa, I’ll go too.” Wu Xiuwen also said, “I’ll go too.” The old man urgently said, “Oh no, you mustn’t go. That female demon is very dangerous. I can’t defeat her. But knowing friends are in trouble, I can’t just ignore it. You must listen to me.” With that, he raised his iron cane and hurried off with a limp.
Wu Xiuwen, admiring the old man, said, “This grandpa is blind and lame, yet he runs so fast.” The girl pouted and said, “What’s so amazing about that? If you saw my parents’ lightness skill, you’d be even more surprised.” Wu Xiuwen asked, “Are your parents also blind and lame?” The girl angrily replied, “Hmph! Your parents are the ones who are blind and lame!”
By this time, it was fully daylight. Farmers were already working in the fields, singing mountain songs. Although the old man was blind, he was a local and knew the roads well. He asked along the way and soon arrived in front of Lu’s residence. From a distance, he could hear the sounds of weapons clashing intensely. Although Lu Zhanyuan’s family was a local gentry, the old man, being from the common folk, had never had any dealings with them despite both being renowned martial artists in Jiaxing. He knew his skills were no match for the Red Serpent Fairy, and going there might cost him his life. However, thinking about how this involved disciples of Master Yideng, and feeling indebted to the master, he couldn’t just stand by. He quickened his pace and rushed to the estate. He could hear the sounds of four people fighting fiercely on the roof. Listening carefully, he discerned that three were on one side and one on the other. Surprisingly, the three were struggling against the single opponent and were clearly at a disadvantage.
Last night, Wu Santong took away both of his sons, leaving Lu Liding and his wife very surprised, not knowing his intentions. However, Madam Wu had a look of joy on her face and said, “My husband usually acts crazy, but this time he seems to be acting sensibly.” When Madam Lu asked for the reason, Madam Wu just smiled and did not answer directly, only saying, “I’m not sure if I’m right; we’ll find out soon.” By now, it was getting late, and Lu Wushuang had fallen asleep in her father’s arms. Cheng Ying was also drowsy and struggling to keep her eyes open. Madam Lu carried the two children to put them to bed, but Madam Wu said, “Wait a moment.” Suddenly, they heard a voice from the rooftop saying, “Throw them up here.” It was Wu Santong’s voice. His lightness skill was so remarkable that he had arrived on the roof without the Lu couple noticing.
Madam Wu took Cheng Ying and walked to the hall entrance, tossing her upwards. Wu Santong stretched out his arms and caught her. Just as the Lu couple were still in shock, Madam Wu picked up Lu Wushuang and threw her up as well.
Lu Liding was alarmed and shouted, “What are you doing?” He leaped onto the roof, but it was dark all around, and he couldn’t see any trace of Wu Santong or the two girls. He was about to chase after them when Madam Wu called out, “Lord Lu, don’t chase them. He means well.” Lu Liding, skeptical, jumped back into the courtyard and asked shakily, “What do you mean by ‘means well’?” At this moment, Madam Lu understood and said, “Wu Santong is afraid that the demon will harm the children, so he must have hidden them in a safe place.” Lu Liding, confused, was enlightened by his wife’s words and repeatedly said, “Yes, yes.” However, he still felt uneasy about Wu Santong taking away his brother and sister-in-law’s corpses.
Madam Wu sighed, “Ever since Ah Yuan married your brother, my husband gets angry whenever he sees girls. I don’t know why he has taken a liking to your two daughters and feels so compassionate towards them. When he first came to take away my sons, I saw him look at your two girls with such affection and concern, the same way he used to look at Ah Yuan. Sure enough, he came back to take the two girls. Oh, I hope he changes his ways and stops being so foolish!” She sighed deeply.
The Lu couple was initially worried about the safety of their daughter and niece, feeling very anxious and at a loss. Now that their worries were alleviated, their fear diminished, and their anger towards the enemy increased. They armed themselves with hidden weapons and blades, sat in the hall, and closed their eyes to rest. They had been married for over a decade and often had minor disagreements about household matters. At this moment, with the enemy imminent and remembering what Lu Zhanyuan and Madam Wu had said about the demon’s high martial arts and ruthless behavior, they felt that they might not escape this disaster. Knowing that their time together might be limited, they unconsciously leaned on each other, holding hands tightly.
After a long while, in the dead of night, they suddenly heard a soft and clear singing voice from a distance. Although it was far away, the words were crystal clear: “Ask the world, what is love, that makes people promise life and death?” With each word, the voice came closer. By the third line, the singer had already arrived outside the door.
The three of them looked at each other in astonishment. Suddenly, there was a series of loud bangs, and the door’s latches and wooden bars all broke. The door flew open, and a beautiful Taoist nun walked in, smiling. She wore a light yellow robe and was, of course, the Red Serpent Fairy, Li Mochou.
A’gen was sweeping the courtyard and stepped forward to ask, “Who is it?” Lu Liding urgently called out, “A’gen, step back!” But it was too late.
Li Mochou swung her duster, and A’gen’s head was immediately shattered, killing him silently. Lu Liding rushed forward with his knife, but Li Mochou sidestepped him, swung her duster, and killed two maidservants simultaneously, then smiled and asked, “Where are the two girls?”
Seeing her kill three people in an instant, the Lu couple knew they had no hope. They gritted their teeth, raised their weapons, and attacked from both sides. Li Mochou raised her duster to strike, saw Madam Wu holding a sword nearby, and smiled, saying, “Since there’s an outsider involved, it wouldn’t be proper to kill indoors.” Her voice was soft and charming, her demeanor alluring, and her skin fair and smooth, making her a truly beautiful woman. Without showing any obvious movements, she gracefully floated onto the roof. The Lu couple and Madam Wu followed her up.
Li Mochou had first sent her disciple, the young nun Hong Lingbo, to check on Lu Zhanyuan’s family, learning that he and his wife had died three years ago and that there were seven people in the household. Hong Lingbo reported back to her master. Li Mochou, frustrated and not understanding, decided to settle the score with his younger brother, Lu Liding. Following her usual practice, she left nine bloody handprints on the Lu family wall as a warning. The pair of handprints at the top indicated her intent to kill Lu Zhanyuan and his wife, even though they were already dead, she would desecrate their remains. The seven handprints below signified her intent to kill the seven remaining members of the Lu household.
Li Mochou lightly waved her duster, simultaneously sweeping away the three weapons. She said softly and sweetly, “Second Master Lu, if your brother were still alive and he begged me, divorcing that little slut He Yuanyun, I might have spared your family, both the masters and the servants.”
“Now, alas, your luck is bad. You can only blame your brother for his short life, not me.” Lu Liding shouted, “Who needs your mercy?” and swung his knife at her. Madam Wu and Madam Lu followed, attacking from the sides. Seeing that Lu Liding’s martial skills were mediocre, but his knife-wielding, kicking, and palm-striking moves were just like those of her former lover, Lu Zhanyuan, Li Mochou felt a pang of sorrow. She wanted to watch him a bit longer, as killing him in an instant would mean never seeing the “Jiangnan Lu Family Knife Technique” again. So, she deflected their attacks, allowing her three opponents to circle around her, filled with mixed emotions, making her moves less fierce.
Suddenly, Li Mochou let out a light whistle, jumped off the roof, and attacked a lame old man with an iron staff by the riverbank. Her duster whipped towards his neck. Though her feet hadn’t touched the ground yet, the duster had already targeted his vital point, completely unguarded, forcing the opponent into a defensive position.
The old man heard the approaching attack clearly. He swiftly swung his iron staff horizontally, stabbing directly at her right wrist. An iron staff is typically used for sweeping, smashing, and pounding, but the old man used the “thrust” technique, wielding it like a sword, making his moves light and graceful.
Li Mochou slightly flicked her duster, the silver threads reversed, and they wrapped around the tip of the iron staff. She shouted, “Let go!” Using her opponent’s strength, the countless silver threads of her duster transferred the force of the iron staff. The old man’s arms trembled violently, almost losing his grip. In a moment of crisis, he leaped, his body slanting through the air, managing to deflect her delicate force. He thought, “This demoness indeed lives up to her reputation.” Li Mochou’s move, “Grandfather Fishing,” was based on the idea of using the opponent’s own strength to disarm them. It had never failed before. Unexpectedly, she failed to snatch the iron staff, which surprised her greatly. She wondered, “Who is this lame old man with such skill?” As she moved slightly to the side, she saw his white, blind eyes and immediately realized, shouting, “You’re Ke Zhen’e!”
This blind, lame old man was indeed the leader of the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan, the Flying Bat Ke Zhen’e.
Back then, after Guo Jing and Huang Rong participated in the Huashan Sword Debate, they got married under the auspices of Huang Yaoshi and retired to Peach Blossom Island. Huang Yaoshi, being eccentric and disliking crowds, soon grew weary of living with his daughter and son-in-law. He left a letter stating his desire to find a quieter place and left the island on his own. Huang Rong, understanding her father’s temperament, felt reluctant but could do nothing. Initially, she thought her father would return with news within a few months, but after a year, there was no word from him. Missing her father and her master Hong Qigong, Huang Rong set out with Guo Jing to search for them. After several months of wandering in the Jianghu, they had to return to Peach Blossom Island as Huang Rong was pregnant.
Huang Rong, always mischievous and restless, found the inconveniences of pregnancy very frustrating and blamed Guo Jing for it. Pregnant women are often easily irritated, and although Huang Rong deeply loved Guo Jing, she frequently quarreled with him over trivial matters. Guo Jing, knowing his wife’s temperament, would always smile and ignore her tantrums. If Huang Rong became extremely angry, he would gently comfort her until she smiled again.
Ten months later, Huang Rong gave birth to a daughter, named Guo Fu. Although she was unhappy during her pregnancy, she adored her daughter immensely once she was born, indulging her in everything. By the time the girl was less than a year old, she was already extremely mischievous. Sometimes, Guo Jing couldn’t bear to see her behavior and would try to discipline her, but Huang Rong would always defend her. Each time Guo Jing tried to discipline her, the result was that Guo Fu would become even more unruly. When Guo Fu was five years old, Huang Rong began teaching her martial arts. Consequently, the insects, birds, and animals on Peach Blossom Island suffered greatly. Their feathers would be plucked, or their tails cut off. The once peaceful retreat turned into a chaotic playground for a naughty child. Guo Jing, loving his mischievous daughter dearly, would often think of punishing her when she made a mistake. But seeing her make a funny face and hug his neck while sweet-talking him, he would sigh and slowly put his raised hand down.
During these years, there was no news from either Huang Yaoshi or Hong Qigong. Though Guo Jing and Huang Rong knew these two were invincible and unlikely to encounter any accidents, they still worried about them living without any help. Guo Jing made several trips to invite his master Ke Zhen’e to Peach Blossom Island for his old age.
However, Ke Zhen’e enjoyed the company of common folk, drinking and gambling for fun, and didn’t want to live the quiet life on Peach Blossom Island. One day, he arrived on the island without waiting for Guo Jing to fetch him. Recently, he had been on a losing streak in gambling and had accumulated a lot of debt. Having no other choice, he came to his disciples’ home to evade his creditors. Guo Jing and Huang Rong were overjoyed to see their master and insisted that he stay on the island. Huang Rong secretly sent people to pay off his gambling debts without his knowledge. Fearing to return to Jiaxing, Ke Zhen’e had nothing to do and became Guo Fu’s playmate.
In the blink of an eye, Guo Fu turned nine. Huang Rong, still worried about her father, decided to leave the island with Guo Jing to search for him. Ke Zhen’e insisted on coming along, and Guo Fu also pestered them to take her. After leaving the island, they discussed their itinerary. Ke Zhen’e said, “Anywhere is fine, just not Jiaxing.” Huang Rong laughed and said, “Master, you should know that I have already settled your debts with those creditors.” Overjoyed, Ke Zhen’e headed to Jiaxing first.
Upon reaching Jiaxing, the four of them stayed at an inn. Ke Zhen’e inquired with old acquaintances and learned that a few days ago, an elderly man in a green robe had been drinking alone at Yan Yu Tower. Describing his appearance, it seemed to resemble Huang Yaoshi. Guo Jing and Huang Rong were overjoyed and began searching the urban and rural areas of Jiaxing. One morning, Ke Zhen’e took Guo Fu and the pair of eagles to play in the woods and unexpectedly encountered Wu Xiuwen.
After exchanging a few moves with Li Mochou, Ke Zhen’e realized he was no match for her. He thought, “This female demon’s martial arts are as formidable as those of Mei Chaofeng back then.” He then adopted the defensive tactics of the Fumo Staff Technique, closely guarding his vital points. Li Mochou secretly admired, “I’ve heard that that heartless scoundrel Lu Lang mentioned that among the notable figures in Jiaxing were the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan, with formidable martial skills. They had a disciple who became very famous, the great hero Guo Jing. This old man is the leader of the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan and lives up to his reputation. Though blind, lame, and aged, he can still withstand over ten of my moves.” Hearing the loud shouts of the Lu couple and Madam Wu attacking from behind, she decided, “It would be easy to harm Ke Laotou, but provoking the Guo couple would be troublesome. I’ll let him go today.” She waved her duster, and the silver threads straightened like a flower spear, thrusting at Ke Zhen’e’s chest. Although the duster’s threads were soft, with a clever twist of strength, they could target vital points and became quite formidable.
Ke Zhen’e planted his iron staff into the ground, using the momentum to leap back. Li Mochou took a step forward, seemingly to follow up with another attack, but suddenly leaned backward. Her waist was incredibly flexible, bending backward, and her shoulder was less than two feet from Madam Wu. Madam Wu was startled and hurriedly swung her left palm toward Li Mochou’s forehead. Li Mochou’s waist swayed lightly like a daffodil in the wind, easily dodging the attack, and with a “pa” sound, struck Madam Lu in the abdomen.
Madam Lu stumbled forward three steps and fell to the ground. Seeing his wife injured, Lu Liding forcefully threw his knife at Li Mochou and then spread his arms, intending to grab her and perish together. Li Mochou, who had become disgusted with men due to her heartbreak, was enraged at seeing Lu Liding lunging at her. She struck down the knife with the handle of her duster and then swept it out, hitting him squarely on the head.
Li Mochou injured the Lu couple in an instant. Before Ke Zhen’e and Madam Wu could rush to their aid, it was too late. She asked with a smile, “Where are the two girls?” Without waiting for Madam Wu to answer, she darted into the estate in a flash of yellow, searching back and forth but finding no trace of Cheng Ying or Lu Wushuang. She took a firebrand from the kitchen, set the woodshed on fire, and leapt out of the estate, laughing, “I have no grudge against Peach Blossom Island or the great master of Dali. You two may leave.”
Ke Zhen’e and Madam Wu, infuriated by her cruelty, attacked with their iron staff and steel sword. Li Mochou dodged the iron staff, flicked her duster, and the silver threads wrapped around Madam Wu’s long sword. With a pull and a release, the long sword snapped in two with a crack. The sword tip flew towards Madam Wu, while the hilt shot towards Ke Zhen’e’s face.
Madam Wu was greatly alarmed when her long sword was seized, and even more so when it was snapped by the duster and used to attack both of them. The sword tip came swiftly towards her, and she quickly ducked, feeling a chill on her scalp as the sword tip grazed over her head, cutting off a large tuft of her hair. Hearing the sound of the sword slicing through the air, Ke Zhen’e lifted his staff to deflect the sword hilt, but upon hearing Madam Wu’s cry of surprise, he swung his staff with renewed vigor, striking blow after blow. Though he had three poison darts ready in his left hand, he hesitated to use them, knowing the deadly reputation of Li Mochou’s ice-soul silver needles and fearing that his blindness would make it even harder to counter her concealed weapons.
Li Mochou had been going easy on him, thinking, “If I don’t show him my true skills, this blind old man might not realize I’m holding back.” She gracefully swayed her waist and wrapped the silver threads of her duster around the staff’s head. Ke Zhen’e felt a powerful force trying to wrest the staff from his grip. He exerted his strength to reclaim it, but just as his force reached the staff’s end, he suddenly felt as if his energy had no target, leaving his limbs and body feeling empty and unsupported. Li Mochou effortlessly moved the staff aside with her left hand and gently pressed her palm against Ke Zhen’e’s chest, laughing, “Elder Ke, the Scarlet Palm of Li Mochou has touched your chest!” Ke Zhen’e, knowing he couldn’t defend himself, angrily replied, “You wicked woman, if you’re going to strike, then strike! What’s with the chattering?”
Madam Wu, seeing this, was alarmed and rushed to help. Li Mochou leaped, using the staff as a springboard, and in mid-air, she lightly touched Madam Wu’s face with her palm, laughing, “You dared to chase my disciple, you have some guts.” With a chuckle, she leapt away and was soon gone from sight among the willow trees.
Madam Wu felt her face where Li Mochou had touched, feeling an indescribable softness and warmth, and as she watched Li Mochou’s silhouette disappear, she felt drained and collapsed to the ground, unable to move. Ke Zhen’e’s chest felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on it, causing great discomfort. After taking several deep breaths, he finally managed to steady his breathing.
After a while, Madam Wu struggled to stand up and saw black smoke rising into the sky. The Lu family estate was engulfed in flames, the heat becoming unbearable. Ke Zhen’e helped up the Lu couple, who were barely alive, pondering, “If we move them, they might die even faster, but leaving them here is not an option. What should I do?”
In the midst of this dilemma, they heard a voice shouting from afar, “Wife, are you alright?” It was Wu Santong’s voice.