The Return of the Condor Heroes

Madam Wu was initially at a loss, but upon hearing her husband’s voice, she felt both joy and anger. She thought, “You madman, who knows what you’ve been up to, and only now you show up.” She saw him rushing over with his upper garment torn and tattered, still wearing the bib that He Yuanjun used as a child. He anxiously called out, “Wife, are you alright?” She had not seen such concern from her husband in nearly a decade and was touched. “I’m here,” she replied. Wu Santong dashed forward, picking up both Lu family members, one in each arm, and said, “Follow me quickly.” He leaped up as soon as he spoke. Ke Zhen’e and Madam Wu followed closely behind.

Wu Santong zigzagged through the landscape, running several miles before leading them into an old kiln. It was a large pottery kiln used for making wine jars. Madam Wu entered the kiln and saw that her two sons, Dunru and Xiuwen, were safe and sound. She heaved a sigh of relief. There was a small bed in the kiln, indicating someone had lived there.

The Wu brothers were sitting on the ground playing with stones with Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang. Upon seeing the Lu couple in such a state, the girls threw themselves on them, crying and calling out.

Ke Zhen’e, hearing Lu Wushuang call out “Papa, Mama,” suddenly recalled Li Mochou’s words and exclaimed, “Oh no, we’ve led the ghost right to us. That demoness will be here any moment!” Madam Wu, still shaken from the earlier fight, asked anxiously, “What?” Ke Zhen’e replied, “The demoness wants to harm the two Lu girls, but doesn’t know where they are…” Madam Wu realized the truth, exclaiming, “Ah, that’s it. She deliberately didn’t harm us, but followed us secretly.” Wu Santong, enraged, declared, “That Scarlet Serpent Demoness is relentless. Let me deal with her.” With that, he stood boldly at the kiln entrance.

Lu Liding’s skull was fractured, but he still had one last matter to settle. Summoning his remaining strength, he said to Cheng Ying, “Ying, take out the handkerchief from my chest… my chest…” Cheng Ying wiped her tears and reached into his chest to pull out an embroidered handkerchief. The white satin handkerchief had red flowers embroidered at the corners, each flower accompanied by a green leaf. The white satin had yellowed with age, but the flowers and leaves remained vibrant as if they were real. Lu Liding said, “Ying, tie this handkerchief around your neck and never take it off, understand?” Cheng Ying didn’t understand his intention but nodded and agreed.

Lu Erniang, already delirious with pain, opened her eyes upon hearing her husband’s words and said, “Why don’t you give it to Shuang? Give it to Shuang!” Lu Liding replied, “No, I cannot neglect the trust placed in me by her parents.” Lu Erniang, desperate and in pain, cried out, “You… you’re so heartless, not even caring for your own daughter?” As she spoke, her eyes rolled back and her voice faltered. Lu Wushuang, not understanding why her parents were arguing, simply cried, “Mama, Papa!” Lu Liding gently said, “Wife, you love Shuang. Wouldn’t it be better for her to come with us?”

The handkerchief, embroidered with red flowers and green leaves, was a keepsake given to Lu Zhanyuan by Li Mochou as a token of their love. The red flowers represented the famous mandala flowers of Dali, symbolizing herself, while the green leaves, sharing the same sound as “Lu,” represented her beloved Lu. The idea was that “red flowers and green leaves lean on each other.” Before his death, Lu Zhanyuan, knowing that Li Mochou and Wu Santong would seek revenge, entrusted this handkerchief to his brother with specific instructions. If Wu Santong came seeking vengeance, they should avoid him if possible. If unavoidable, they should fight, knowing they would likely lose but should not be killed. However, if they encountered Li Mochou, they should wear this handkerchief around their neck, hoping she would spare them out of old affection.

But Lu Liding, proud and stubborn, had never used the handkerchief to beg for mercy from the demoness.

Cheng Ying was the niece of Lu Liding’s brother-in-law. Her parents had entrusted her to Lu Liding’s care before their deaths. Feeling the weight of this responsibility, he handed the life-saving handkerchief to her. Lu Erniang, deeply attached to her own child, was anxious and in great pain, causing her to faint.

Seeing her aunt distressed over the handkerchief, Cheng Ying quickly handed it to her cousin, saying, “Aunt wants you to have it, so take it!” Lu Liding shouted, “Shuang, it’s your cousin’s, don’t take it.” Madam Wu, noticing the tension, said, “I’ll tear the handkerchief in half, each of you take a piece, how about that?” Lu Liding, unable to speak due to his injuries, could only nod. Madam Wu tore the handkerchief in half and gave a piece to each girl.

Standing at the entrance, Wu Santong heard the crying and shouting behind him. He turned to see what was happening and was shocked to see his wife’s left cheek blackened while the right side remained normal. He pointed at her face and asked, “Why… why is it like that?” Madam Wu touched her face, feeling numbness on her left cheek. Alarmed, she recalled that Li Mochou had touched her face before leaving. Could that gentle touch have poisoned her?

Before Wu Santong could ask further, a voice outside the kiln laughed, “Are the two girls in there? Throw them out, dead or alive. Otherwise, I’ll burn you all alive.” The voice was clear and delicate, like silver bells.

Wu Santong leaped out of the kiln and saw Li Mochou standing there, looking as beautiful as ever. He was startled, “How can she still look so young and beautiful after ten years?” When he last saw her at Lu Zhanyuan’s wedding, she was in her prime, not yet twenty. Now, a decade later, apart from wearing Taoist robes, she still had the same youthful and tender appearance. She held her duster lightly, looking relaxed, her eyes bright and charming, her cheeks flushed. If not for her notorious reputation, one might mistake her for a young lady from a wealthy family. Seeing her move her duster, Wu Santong suddenly remembered that his weapon was still inside the kiln. Returning to fetch it would give her a chance to harm the children, so he saw a chestnut tree by the kiln entrance, and with a mighty push, he snapped the trunk in half.

Li Mochou smiled slightly and said, “What strength.” Wu Santong, holding the tree trunk horizontally, said, “Miss Li, it’s been ten years. How have you been?” He still addressed her as “Miss Li,” despite her having become a Taoist. Hearing this familiar address after so long, Li Mochou felt a rush of warm memories of her youth, but these quickly turned to bitterness as she remembered how her love had been stolen by He Yuanjun, leaving her heartbroken and alone. Her fleeting tenderness turned into deep resentment.

Wu Santong, also abandoned by his love, felt a kinship with Li Mochou, though their situations were different. However, he recalled the day at Lu Zhanyuan’s wedding when he saw her slaughter He Laoqian’s entire family of over twenty men, women, and children, for no reason other than their shared surname. Witnessing her cruelty, he had both feared and hated her ever since. Seeing her face briefly soften before turning cold again, he couldn’t help but worry for Cheng and Lu.

Li Mochou said, “Since I’ve left nine handprints on the wall of the Lu household, these two little girls must die. Third Brother Wu, please step aside.” Wu Santong replied, “Lu Zhanyuan and his wife are already dead. His brother and sister-in-law have also fallen to your poison. Please spare these two little girls.” Li Mochou smiled and shook her head, softly saying, “Third Brother Wu, please step aside.” Wu Santong gripped the chestnut tree even tighter and shouted, “Li girl, you are too heartless, Ah Yuan…” As soon as she heard the name “Ah Yuan,” Li Mochou’s face changed color and she said, “I swore a heavy oath: anyone who mentions that woman’s name in front of me must either die or I will perish. I once destroyed sixty-three warehouses and shipping companies along the Yuan River just because their signs contained that detestable word. Did you hear about that? Third Brother Wu, this is your own doing, you can’t blame me.” With that, she raised her dusting whisk and struck down towards Wu Santong’s head.

Don’t underestimate her small whisk; this strike was both fast and fierce, causing Wu Santong’s hair to flutter wildly. She knew that Wu Santong was a highly skilled disciple of Master Yideng. Though he appeared foolish, his martial arts were indeed exceptional, so she aimed to kill him right from the start.

Wu Santong raised his left hand, wielding the tree trunk to sweep it wildly. Seeing the fierce momentum, Li Mochou’s body floated away with the wind, not waiting for the full force of the tree trunk before leaping forward, her whisk attacking his face. Seeing her advance into close range, Wu Santong’s right hand shot out, his finger pointing at her forehead. This move, a “Yi Yang Finger” technique, was slow but unpredictable and hard to dodge. Li Mochou used a move called “Reverse Strike Golden Bell,” suddenly leaping back more than a meter away.

Seeing her advance and retreat so freely, Wu Santong was secretly impressed and intensified his efforts, keeping her at bay beyond a meter’s distance.

But whenever he showed the slightest gap, Li Mochou would swiftly close in like lightning. If not for his formidable “Yi Yang Finger,” he would have been defeated long ago. Despite this, the tree trunk was heavy, and as he continued to swing it, he grew tired while Li Mochou got closer. Suddenly, the yellow shadow flickered, and she leapt onto the tip of the chestnut tree trunk he was holding, her whisk striking down from above. Wu Santong was startled, reversing the trunk’s direction to slam it into the ground. Li Mochou giggled, stepping on the trunk and running straight towards him. Wu Santong turned sideways and extended his arm, pointing outwards. She swayed her slender waist, retreating to the tip of the trunk. Over the next few dozen moves, no matter how Wu Santong struck or swung, she remained on the chestnut tree as if glued, using the trunk’s movements to her advantage and continuously attacking.

This increased Wu Santong’s fatigue. Although she was light, her added weight made swinging the trunk more taxing. Besides, standing on the tree, she was out of his reach, making her virtually invincible. Sensing he was losing ground, Wu Santong knew that any lapse would result in his death and the massacre of everyone in the kiln. Summoning his strength, he swung the tree trunk faster and faster, trying to throw her off with the rapid rotations.

After a few more moments of fighting, he heard Ke Zhen’e shout, “Fu’er, you’re here too? Tell the eagles to attack this wicked woman!” Followed by a girl’s voice giving commands, two white shadows dove from the sky. It was Guo Fu arriving with the twin eagles.

Seeing the ferocity of the twin eagles, Li Mochou flipped off the chestnut tree, hooking her left foot onto the trunk. The eagles missed their target and flew high. The girl called out again, and the eagles dove for a second attack, their iron talons aiming for the tree base. Li Mochou had heard of the two intelligent eagles raised by Guo Jing and Huang Rong on Peach Blossom Island. Although she wasn’t worried about the eagles themselves, she was concerned that the owners might be nearby, which would complicate matters.

Dodging several times, her whisk struck the female eagle’s left wing, causing it to screech in pain, and several long white feathers fell from the sky.

Seeing her eagle injured, Guo Fu shouted, “Don’t be afraid, eagle, bite that wicked woman!” Looking at the girl, Li Mochou noticed her jade-like complexion and delicate features, thinking, “I’ve heard that Mrs. Guo is one of the beauties among the heroes of this age. I wonder how she compares to me? Could this little girl be her daughter?”

Distracted by this thought, Li Mochou’s movements slowed. Despite the help of the eagles, Wu Santong was still struggling against her, growing impatient. Summoning his strength, he flung her, along with the tree, into the air. Unprepared for this strange move, Li Mochou found herself airborne, flung several meters high. The eagles immediately dove towards her.

On solid ground, the eagles could not harm her, but airborne, she had no leverage to counter the birds. In desperation, she used her whisk to protect her head, and with a flick of her sleeve, three “Ice Soul Silver Needles” shot out. Two aimed at the eagles and one at Wu Santong’s chest. The eagles quickly flew higher, but the needles were too fast, one slicing the male eagle’s claw.

Wu Santong, watching the needles, quickly rolled aside, but one needle still pierced his left calf. He tried to stand but found his left leg unresponsive, collapsing to his knee. He attempted to rise using his inner strength, but the numbness had spread through his leg, and he fell, unable to move.

Guo Fu shouted, “Eagles, come back!” But the eagles, frightened, flew away without looking back. Li Mochou laughed, “Little sister, is your surname Guo?” Guo Fu saw her beautiful, kind face, not resembling an “evil woman,” and replied, “Yes, my name is Guo. What’s your surname?” Li Mochou smiled, “Come, I’ll take you to play.” She stepped forward to take her hand. Ke Zhen’e, supporting himself with his iron staff, rushed out of the kiln to block Guo Fu, shouting, “Fu’er, get inside!” Li Mochou laughed, “Afraid I’ll eat her?”

At that moment, a ragged youth, holding a rooster, came hopping over, singing a folk song. Seeing people outside the kiln, he called, “Hey, what are you doing at my house?” He walked over to Li Mochou and Guo Fu, looking them over and said, “Wow, a beautiful lady and a pretty little girl. Are you here to see me? I, Yang, don’t have such beautiful friends.” His face was full of mischief, and he spoke in a cheeky tone.

Guo Fu pouted angrily, “You little beggar, who came to see you?” The boy laughed, “If you didn’t come to see me, why are you at my house?” He pointed at the kiln, indicating it was his home. Guo Fu retorted, “Hmph, who would want to come to such a filthy place?”

Madam Wu, seeing her husband down and unsure if he was alive, rushed out of the kiln, calling, “Third Brother, what happened?” Wu Santong groaned, his back twitching, but he couldn’t stand. Guo Fu looked into the distance, calling for the eagles, but they did not return.

Li Mochou thought, “The longer this drags on, the worse it could get. Better not wait for Guo Jing and Huang Rong to arrive and make things difficult.” With a slight smile, she headed straight into the kiln.

Lady Wu quickly jumped back to block her, brandishing her sword and shouting, “Stay out!” Li Mochou smiled, “Is this young brother’s home, and you’re the master here?” She pressed her left palm directly against the sword’s edge. Just as her hand was about to touch the blade, her palm turned slightly, and her three fingers pushed against the flat of the sword, redirecting it towards Lady Wu’s forehead. With a swish, it cut her forehead. Li Mochou smiled, “My apologies!” She then placed her whisk behind her neck, bent down into the kiln, and lifted both Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang. Without turning back, she lightly tapped her left foot, leapt out of the kiln, and kicked Ke Zhen’e’s iron staff out of his hands in the process.

The ragged youth saw her injure Lady Wu and kidnap the two girls. Feeling indignant, he heard the cries of Lu and Cheng and immediately leapt up, trying to grab Li Mochou, shouting, “Hey, beautiful lady, you come to my house, hurt people, and take my guests without even saying hello. That’s too rude. Let them go.”

Li Mochou was holding a girl in each hand and didn’t expect this youth to jump at her. Suddenly feeling arms under her armpits, she was momentarily disarmed and unexpectedly felt her entire body go weak. She transmitted force through her palms, lightly pushing the two girls a few feet away and then grabbed the boy by the back. She was not yet thirty, still a virgin, and had remained proper despite her infatuation with Lu Zhanyuan. Over the past decade, many men in the Jianghu had been captivated by her beauty and attempted to seduce her, but anyone who showed any lecherous intent quickly met their end by her Red Practice Divine Palm. But today, when this young boy embraced her, she found herself reluctant to kill him immediately, moved by his genuine admiration.

Suddenly, the eagles screeched above, flying back and attacking again. Li Mochou swung her sleeve, shooting two “Ice Soul Silver Needles” at them. The eagles had previously suffered from these formidable hidden weapons and quickly flew away. However, the needles were fast, catching up to the eagles, who cried out in fright. Li Mochou was pleased that these ferocious birds were about to be vanquished when she suddenly heard a whooshing sound. Two small projectiles swiftly flew through the air, and before she could react, they knocked the needles out of the sky.

These projectiles were powerful and unexpected. Li Mochou was startled, dropped the boy, and jumped to see that they were just ordinary stones. She thought, “The person who threw these must have extraordinary martial skills. I can’t face them now.” She turned to leave but saw Cheng Ying with a silk handkerchief around her neck. The fabric, embroidered with red flowers and green leaves, was one she had painstakingly made for her beloved all those years ago. Her heart softened for a moment, but then she wondered whether to spare her or not. Deciding to kill Lu Wushuang first, she swung her whisk towards her. But she noticed that Lu Wushuang also had a similar handkerchief, making her hesitate again.

At that moment, another projectile flew towards her. Li Mochou swung her whisk, hitting the stone, but the impact shook her hand, and she felt a burning sensation in her palm. Realizing the need to escape, she grabbed Lu Wushuang and dashed off with incredible speed, disappearing in an instant.

Cheng Ying chased after her, shouting for her cousin, but Li Mochou was too fast. Reaching a small river, Cheng Ying couldn’t cross and had to run along the bank, shouting. Suddenly, she saw a yellow figure on a bridge—a woman dressed in yellow, who turned out to be Li Mochou, now without Lu Wushuang.

Cheng Ying was scared but mustered the courage to ask, “Where is my cousin?” Li Mochou, noting her delicate features, coldly replied, “With such looks, when you grow up, you’ll either break hearts or get your heart broken. Better to die now and spare the trouble.” She raised her whisk to strike, but suddenly, her whisk was pulled back by an unseen force.

Alarmed, she turned to see a tall, thin man in green robes standing next to Cheng Ying. He looked lifeless, almost like a zombie, making Li Mochou instinctively take two steps back. The man told Cheng Ying, “Child, this woman is very dangerous. Go and hit her.” Cheng Ying, afraid, said, “I don’t dare.” The man said, “Don’t be afraid. Just do it.” Still, Cheng Ying hesitated. The man then threw Cheng Ying at Li Mochou.

In such a bizarre situation, Li Mochou didn’t dare react normally. Just as she was about to block Cheng Ying with her whisk, her arm went limp, and she couldn’t lift it. Cheng Ying ended up slapping her across the face.

Never having been humiliated like this, Li Mochou was furious. She reversed her whisk to strike Cheng Ying, but another stone knocked her weapon aside. Knowing she had to retreat quickly, she smiled softly, turned, and fled, throwing several “Ice Soul Silver Needles” at the green-robed man as she ran. The man leaped back to avoid them, and the needles fell harmlessly to the ground. Without looking back, Li Mochou fled over the bridge and into the forest.

The green-robed man shouted, “Oh no!” and picked up Cheng Ying, who had a long needle in her shoulder. His face changed color, and after a brief hesitation, he carried her and quickly headed west.

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Ke Zhen’e and the others were terrified when they saw Li Mochou finally capture Lu Wushuang. The ragged boy said, “Let me take a look.”

Guo Fu said, “What’s there to see? That wicked woman will kick you to death.” The boy laughed, “She will kick me to death? I don’t think so.” With that, he ran off in the direction Li Mochou had gone. Guo Fu shouted, “Idiot! I didn’t mean that I would kick you.” She didn’t understand that the boy was indirectly calling her the “wicked woman.”

The boy ran for a while and suddenly heard Cheng Ying shouting, “Cousin! Cousin!” He immediately followed the sound. After running several dozen meters, he reached the place where Cheng Ying had been calling, but he couldn’t see either girl.

Turning his head, he saw several silver needles scattered on the ground, shining brightly. Each needle was intricately engraved and exquisitely made. He bent down to pick them up one by one, holding them in his left hand. Suddenly, he noticed a large centipede with its belly up, dead on the ground. He found this amusing and looked closely, seeing many dead ants on the ground, with more ants still crawling a few steps away. He used one of the silver needles to poke at a few ants, and after circling a few times, they too flipped over and died. He repeated this with several insects, and they all died similarly.

The boy was delighted, thinking that these silver needles would be perfect for catching mosquitoes and flies. Suddenly, he felt a numbness in his left hand, realizing in horror, “The needles are poisoned! Holding them is dangerous!” He quickly opened his hand and dropped the needles, seeing that his palms had turned completely black, with his left palm being particularly dark as ink. Frightened, he rubbed his hand vigorously against his thigh, feeling the numbness spreading up his arm. Remembering a childhood encounter with a venomous snake that nearly killed him, he knew the situation was dire and couldn’t help but cry out.

A voice behind him said, “Little boy, now you know how dangerous it is, right?” The voice was sharp and seemed to come from the ground. The boy turned around and was shocked to see a man standing on his hands, his legs straight up in the air, with wooden blocks in his hands. The boy stepped back, shouting, “Who are you?”

The man pushed off the ground with his hands, jumping three feet into the air, and landed in front of the boy, saying, “Who am I? I know who I am, that’s enough.” The boy was even more frightened and started running wildly. He heard a rhythmic “thump, thump, thump” behind him and looked back, terrified to see the man quickly catching up, walking on his hands with the wooden blocks.

No matter how fast the boy ran, the strange man always leaped ahead of him. The boy tried several directions, but the man kept getting closer. He reached out to push the man away but found his arm numb and unresponsive, sweating profusely in panic, and eventually collapsed to the ground.

The strange man said, “The more you run, the faster the poison spreads.” The boy, enlightened, knelt and pleaded, “Please, old sir, save my life.” The man shook his head, “It’s difficult, very difficult!” The boy said, “You’re so skilled; you can surely save me.” This flattery pleased the man, who smiled and said, “How do you know I’m skilled?” The boy, sensing an opportunity, quickly said, “You run so fast upside down; no one else in the world can match you.” This compliment hit the man’s sweet spot, and he laughed heartily, “Turn upside down and let me take a look.” The boy thought it made sense, considering the man was upside down and couldn’t see clearly. He inverted himself, supporting himself with his right hand, while the man examined him and muttered to himself in strange sounds.

The boy now saw the man’s face clearly: he had a high nose, deep-set eyes, and a face full of short, white, iron-like stubble. The man spoke in an incomprehensible, grumbling manner. Fearing the man wouldn’t help him, the boy pleaded, “Good sir, please save me.” The man, seeing the boy’s delicate features, felt some affection and said, “Alright, saving you isn’t hard, but you must promise me something.” The boy quickly agreed, “I’ll do whatever you say. What do you want me to promise?”

The man grinned, “I want you to promise that whatever I say, you must obey.” The boy hesitated, thinking, “Obey everything? Even if he tells me to act like a dog and eat dirt?” The man, seeing his hesitation, angrily said, “Fine, you can die then!” He pushed off the ground and leaped several feet away. The boy, afraid the man would leave, chased after him and cried, “Alright, alright, I’ll promise. Whatever you say, I’ll do.” The man returned and said, “Good, swear an oath.” The boy, with the numbness spreading to his shoulder, grew more frightened and swore, “If this good sir saves my life and removes the poison, I will obey him. If I don’t, the poison will return.” Thinking, “I’ll never touch silver needles again, so how can the poison return?” But the man looked pleased and satisfied. The boy was happy, thinking, “He believes me!”

The man nodded, turned right-side up, and massaged the boy’s arm. The numbness lessened, and the boy exclaimed, “Good sir, do it more!” The man frowned, “Don’t call me sir, call me father!” The boy said, “My father is dead. I have no father.” The man shouted, “You disobey my first order; what use are you?” The boy thought, “He wants to adopt me.” Having never seen his father, he envied other children with fathers. However, this strange man seemed insane, and he didn’t want to acknowledge him as a father. The man shouted, “You refuse to call me father? Fine, others want me to be their father, but I refuse.” The boy thought, “How can I trick him into healing me?” The man began chanting strange sounds and started to leave. The boy cried, “Father, father, where are you going?”

The man laughed, “Good boy, come here, and I’ll teach you how to expel the poison.” The boy approached. The man explained that the poison was from Li Mochou’s Ice Soul Silver Needle and difficult to treat. He taught the boy a method of reversing the flow of energy by standing on his head, causing the poison to flow out. Practicing for a month could fully expel the poison. The boy was intelligent and quickly understood, practicing the method and seeing results as black liquid dripped from his fingers.

The man was pleased, “Good, good, you’re a good boy.” The boy felt the numbness decrease and asked for more help. The man said, “You are my son. Wherever I go, you follow.” Suddenly, they heard eagle cries. Two large eagles flew overhead. The man, recalling something, looked panicked, “I mustn’t see them!” He leaped away, using his powerful arms to move swiftly, and soon disappeared.

The boy called, “Father, father!” and chased after him. Turning around a large willow tree, the eagles flew over him and landed in front of a man and a woman. The man was broad-shouldered and strong, about thirty years old, with a mustache. The woman, not yet thirty, had delicate features and lively eyes. She glanced at the boy and said to the man, “Who does he look like?” The man stared at the boy for a long time and replied, “You think he looks like…” but didn’t finish his sentence.

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These two people were none other than Guo Jing and Huang Rong. That day, they were in a teahouse inquiring about news of Huang Yaoshi. Suddenly, they saw a towering blaze in the distance. After a while, people ran through the streets shouting, “The Lu family manor is on fire!” Huang Rong’s heart skipped a beat, recalling that the Lu family manor in Jiaxing belonged to Lu Zhanyuan, a well-known figure in the martial world. Though she had never met him, she had long heard of his reputation. In the martial world, there were many “Lu family manors” in Jiangnan, but when martial artists spoke of the “two Lu family manors,” they were referring to the Lu family manor in Taihu and the Lu family manor in Jiaxing. Lu Zhanyuan, who could be mentioned alongside Lu Chengfeng, was not an ordinary person. Upon further inquiry, they learned that the burning manor indeed belonged to Lu Zhanyuan. They rushed to the scene and arrived to find the fire dying down, but the manor had already been reduced to a fiery ruin. Several charred bodies lay within the inferno, burnt beyond recognition.

Huang Rong said, “Something strange is going on here.” Guo Jing asked, “What do you mean?” Huang Rong explained, “Lu Zhanyuan has a significant reputation in the martial world, and his wife, He Yuanjun, is also a renowned heroine. If this were an ordinary fire, how could no one in the house escape? It must have been set by an enemy.” Guo Jing thought she was right and said, “Let’s search around and see who set the fire and why they were so ruthless.”

The two circled the manor but found no clues. Huang Rong suddenly pointed at a half-collapsed wall and exclaimed, “Look there, what’s that?” Guo Jing looked up and saw several bloody handprints on the wall, made even more frightening by the smoke stains. The collapsed wall left only half of some of the handprints. Guo Jing’s heart sank, and he blurted out, “The Scarlet Serpent Deity!” Huang Rong said, “It must be her. We’ve long heard that the Scarlet Serpent Deity Li Mochou has formidable martial skills and is incredibly ruthless, comparable to the Western Venom of old. Since she’s come to Jiangnan, we might as well take her on.” Guo Jing nodded and said, “Martial friends all say this witch is tough to handle. If we can find my father-in-law and have him take charge, that would be ideal.” Huang Rong laughed, “As you get older, you become more cautious.” Guo Jing replied, “That’s true. The more you practice martial arts, the more you realize your own limitations.” Huang Rong teased, “Master Guo is so modest! I, on the other hand, feel more and more invincible.”

Though they joked, they remained vigilant, carefully searching the surroundings. By a pond, they found two Ice Soul Silver Needles. One needle was half-submerged in the water, and dozens of goldfish floated belly-up, dead. The poison of the needle was truly terrifying. Huang Rong stuck out her tongue, used two broken branches to pick up the needles, wrapped them heavily in a handkerchief, and placed them in her pouch. They continued searching and soon encountered the twin eagles and the ragged boy.

Guo Jing found the boy somewhat familiar but couldn’t immediately place him. Suddenly, he smelled something foul and felt a bit dizzy. Huang Rong had already noticed the smell and saw that it seemed to be coming from nearby. She looked closer and saw a wound on the male eagle’s left foot. Approaching, she confirmed the smell was coming from the wound. Both were alarmed and examined the wound, which was merely a scratch, but the leg was swollen twice its normal size and beginning to rot. Guo Jing wondered, “What kind of injury could be this severe?” He then noticed the boy’s left hand was entirely black and exclaimed, “You’ve been poisoned too?”

Huang Rong rushed over, grabbed the boy’s hand, and rolled up his sleeve. She took out a small knife, cut his wrist, and squeezed out the poisoned blood. To her surprise, the blood that flowed out was bright red, and she found it odd: his hand was completely black, so why wasn’t the blood poisoned? She didn’t know that the boy had been taught by a strange man to push the poisoned blood to his fingertips, temporarily stopping its spread. She took out a Nine Flower Jade Dew Pill from her pouch and said, “Chew this and swallow it.” The boy took the pill, smelled its fragrance, thanked her, and chewed it. He felt a sweet, refreshing sensation spreading through his body. Huang Rong also gave two pills to the twin eagles.

Guo Jing thought for a moment, then suddenly let out a long howl. The boy was startled by the unexpected sound, which made birds fly in all directions, and the willow branches nearby shook violently. Guo Jing’s first howl was followed by a second, louder and more resonant. His howls overlapped, creating a sound like thousands of troops galloping away.

Huang Rong knew her husband was challenging Li Mochou and joined in with a clear, high-pitched howl. Guo Jing’s howl was strong and majestic, while Huang Rong’s was bright and piercing. Together, their howls intertwined like a great roc and a small bird flying together, rising higher and higher, the small bird never falling behind the roc. The two had cultivated their inner strength to the peak on Peach Blossom Island, and their combined howls resonated far and wide.

The strange man walking on his hands quickened his pace to avoid the sound.

The green-robed man carrying Cheng Ying laughed and said, “They’ve come too. Let’s go farther to avoid any trouble.”

Li Mochou, carrying Lu Wushuang, was running swiftly when she suddenly heard the howls. She stopped abruptly, swung her dust whisk, and turned around, sneering, “Guo Daxia’s fame shakes the martial world; let’s see if he truly has the skills to match.” But as she listened to the harmonized howls, which were both forceful and harmonious, her heart sank. Knowing she couldn’t win, she thought about the couple traversing the martial world together while she was alone. Feeling desolate, she sighed, about to abandon Lu Wushuang, but then saw the half-piece of brocade around her neck and felt a pang of emotion. Grabbing Lu Wushuang by the back, she hurried away.

---

At this time, Madam Wu had already supported her husband and, along with her two sons, bid farewell to Ke Zhen’e and left. After the fierce battle just now, Ke Zhen’e feared that Li Mochou might return to harm Guo Fu, so he was looking for a concealed place to hide. Suddenly, he heard the howls of Guo Jing and Huang Rong, and his heart rejoiced. Guo Fu shouted, “Dad, Mom!” and ran off.

An old man and a young girl followed the sound and found themselves in front of Guo Jing and Huang Rong. Guo Fu ran into Huang Rong’s arms, laughing, “Mom, Grandpa just drove away an evil woman. He’s really powerful!” Huang Rong knew she was lying but only smiled. Guo Jing reprimanded, “Little girl, you must speak honestly.” Guo Fu stuck out her tongue and laughed, “Grandpa isn’t powerful? Then how could he be your master? That’s strange!” Fearing further scolding from her father, she quickly walked away and called out to the young boy, “Go pick some flowers and weave a crown for me!”

The boy followed her. Guo Fu noticed his blackened hands and said, “Your hands are so dirty, and your body must be even filthier. I don’t want to play with you. You’ll make the flowers you pick smell bad too.” The boy coldly replied, “Who wants to play with you?” and strode away.

Guo Jing called out, “Little brother, don’t leave in such a hurry. The poison in your body hasn’t been fully expelled. If it acts up, it’ll be terrible.” The boy hated being looked down upon and was hurt by Guo Fu’s words. He lifted his head and kept walking, ignoring Guo Jing’s calls. Guo Jing hurriedly stepped forward and said, “How did you get poisoned? Let us treat you before you go.” The boy replied, “I don’t know you. What’s it to you?” He quickened his pace, trying to pass Guo Jing. Guo Jing saw the stubborn look on his face, which reminded him of someone, and he suddenly had an idea. He asked, “Little brother, what’s your surname?” The boy gave him a sidelong glance and tried to rush past. Guo Jing flipped his palm and grabbed the boy’s wrist. The boy struggled but couldn’t break free, then punched Guo Jing hard in the stomach.

Guo Jing smiled slightly, unaffected. The boy tried to pull back his arm to punch again, but his fist was stuck in Guo Jing’s stomach as if it were glued there. His face turned red with effort, but he couldn’t free his hand.

Guo Jing said with a smile, “Tell me your surname, and I’ll let you go.” The boy said, “My surname is Ni, and my name is Laozi. Now let me go.” Guo Jing was disappointed but relaxed his muscles. He didn’t realize the boy was actually saying “your daddy” to mock him. The boy freed his hand, looked at Guo Jing, and thought, “Your skills are great, but your daddy isn’t as good as your smart son.”

Huang Rong noticed the sly and lazy expression on the boy’s face, which reminded her of someone. She couldn’t help but test him again, smiling, “Little brother, if you want to be my husband’s father, doesn’t that make you my father-in-law?” She swung her left hand and pressed his right shoulder.

The boy felt the strong force of her grip and tried to resist. Huang Rong suddenly relaxed her grip, causing the boy to stumble forward and hit his head hard on the ground. Guo Fu clapped her hands and laughed. The boy was furious, jumped up, covered in dust, and retreated a few steps, ready to curse. But Huang Rong quickly stepped forward, pressed his shoulders, stared into his eyes, and slowly said, “Your surname is Yang, and your name is Guo. Your mother’s surname is Mu, right?”

The boy, indeed named Yang Guo, was shocked and overwhelmed when Huang Rong revealed his identity. Blood rushed to his head, the poison surged back, and he fainted on the spot.

Huang Rong was startled and supported him. Guo Jing massaged him for a while and saw him slowly open his eyes, his mouth full of blood from biting his tongue. Guo Jing was both shocked and delighted, exclaiming, “He… he is Yang Kang’s child.” Huang Rong saw that Yang Guo was severely poisoned and whispered, “Let’s go to an inn in the city and get some herbs.” Yang Guo asked, “How do you know me?”

Guo Jing replied, “We are friends of your mother. Where is your mother?” Yang Guo said, “My mother is dead. She died a long time ago!”

Guo Jing was shaken by his words and accidentally squeezed harder, causing Yang Guo to faint again.

Huang Rong suspected this boy resembled Yang Kang and remembered how Wang Chuyi had tested Mu Nianci’s martial arts heritage in the past. Wang had pressed her shoulder, and instead of leaning back, she had stumbled forward, indicating she practiced Hong Qigong’s unique technique. If this boy were Mu Nianci’s son, his martial arts would be similar. Huang Rong, as Hong Qigong’s disciple, knew the intricacies of their martial arts. Testing him confirmed his identity.

Guo Jing carried Yang Guo, and with Ke Zhen’e, Huang Rong, and Guo Fu, they returned to the inn with the twin eagles. Huang Rong wrote a prescription, and the inn’s waiter went to the pharmacy for herbs. However, Jiaxing, despite being a major city, could not provide all the unusual herbs she needed immediately.

Guo Jing was worried about the severe pain Yang Guo was in. Huang Rong knew her husband had always felt guilty about his sworn brother Yang Kang’s death and was now thrilled to find his son, but Yang Guo was gravely poisoned and might not survive. She suggested, “Let’s gather herbs ourselves.” Guo Jing knew she would comfort him if there were hope, but seeing her serious expression made him even more anxious. He instructed Guo Fu not to wander off, and the couple went to find medicinal herbs.

Yang Guo remained unconscious until nightfall, showing no signs of improvement. Ke Zhen’e checked on him several times but was at a loss. The poison from his darts differed from the Ice Soul Silver Needles, and their antidotes could not be mixed. Worried about Guo Fu sneaking out, he stayed to watch over her, coaxing her to sleep.

---

In his unconscious state, Yang Guo did not know how much time had passed. Suddenly, he felt someone massaging his chest. Slowly waking up, he saw a shadowy figure dart out of the window. Struggling to his feet and using the table for support, he made his way to the window. He saw someone standing upside down on the eaves, head down and feet up. It was the strange man who had demanded that he call him “Dad” during the day. The man’s body swayed as if he might fall off the roof at any moment.

Overjoyed and surprised, Yang Guo called out, “It’s you!” The strange man replied, “Why don’t you call me ‘Dad’?” Yang Guo called out, “Dad!” but thought to himself, “You are my son, but I’ll call you ‘Dad’ for now.” The strange man was very pleased and said, “Come up here.” Yang Guo climbed onto the windowsill and tried to leap onto the roof. However, his body was weakened by the poison, and he lacked the strength. His fingers couldn’t grip the eaves, causing him to fall back and cry out in alarm, “Ah!”

The strange man reached out, grabbed Yang Guo by the back of his shirt, and gently placed him on the roof. He then straightened up, but before he could speak, they heard a light sound from a window in the western room. Realizing someone had noticed their presence, he quickly picked up Yang Guo and fled. By the time Ke Zhen’e leapt onto the roof, they had already disappeared.

The strange man carried Yang Guo to a deserted area outside the town and set him down, saying, “Use the technique I taught you to expel more of the poison.” Yang Guo followed the instructions, and after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a few drops of black blood dripped from his fingers, and he felt a great relief in his chest. The strange man remarked, “You are very clever. You learn quickly, even faster than my own son did. Ah! My boy!” Thinking of his deceased son, his eyes became moist, and he gently patted Yang Guo’s head, sighing softly.

Yang Guo had never known his father, and his mother had died of illness when he was eleven. Before her death, Mu Nianci had told him that his father died in the Iron Spear Temple in Jiaxing. She instructed him to cremate her body and bury it outside the Iron Spear Temple and then seek out his master, Guo Jing. Yang Guo followed his mother’s wishes and, after burying her, lived a precarious life in a dilapidated kiln, stealing to survive. Though young, Yang Guo was stubborn and proud, refusing to seek help from Peach Blossom Island. Mu Nianci had taught him some basic martial arts, but her own skills were limited, and Yang Guo was too young to learn much before she passed. During these years, Yang Guo suffered much scorn and abuse. The strange man, despite being a stranger, treated him with genuine kindness, which deeply moved Yang Guo. Overcome with emotion, he leaped up and hugged the man around the neck, calling out, “Dad, Dad!” Since he was two or three, he had longed for a loving, protective father. Sometimes in his dreams, he would have such a father, only to wake up and cry bitterly when realizing it was just a dream. Now, calling someone “Dad” with all his heart, he let out all his pent-up longing and affection.

Yang Guo was deeply moved, and the strange man, feeling the genuine emotion in Yang Guo’s voice, was even happier. Initially, Yang Guo had been reluctant to call him father, but now their bond felt as strong as that of a real father and son. They felt they could face any danger for each other. The strange man laughed heartily, saying, “Good boy, good boy, call me ‘Dad’ again.” Yang Guo did so, leaning against him.

The strange man then said, “Good son, let me teach you my proudest martial art.” He crouched low and made a series of croaking sounds, then thrust his hands out. With a loud crash, a half wall of earth collapsed, sending dust flying. Yang Guo watched in awe, sticking out his tongue in amazement, and asked, “What is that technique? Can I learn it?” The strange man replied, “This is called Toad Skill. If you work hard, you can learn it.” Yang Guo asked, “Once I learn it, no one will bully me anymore?” The strange man raised his eyebrows and said, “Who dares to bully my son? I’ll break their bones! With this technique, you can defeat any number of enemies.”

This strange man was none other than Ouyang Feng, the Western Venom.

Since being driven mad by Huang Rong at the Huashan Sword Discussion, Ouyang Feng had wandered the ends of the earth for over ten years, constantly pondering, “Who am I?” He lingered in familiar places, hoping to find himself. For several months, he had stayed in Jiaxing for this reason. Over the years, he had practiced the Nine Yin Manual in reverse, greatly enhancing his internal strength, and his mind had cleared significantly, though he was still somewhat mad. He gradually remembered many past events, except his own identity.

Ouyang Feng taught Yang Guo the basics of Toad Skill, a top-tier martial art. The essence of Toad Skill lies in accumulating and storing power, making it difficult to practice. Incorrect practice could lead to severe internal injuries or even death. Even his own son, Ouyang Ke, had not learned it. At this moment, Ouyang Feng, emotionally charged and somewhat sane, taught it to his newly adopted son without any reservations. Yang Guo, having little martial arts foundation, memorized the basics but could not fully grasp the critical concepts. Though clever, he misunderstood many aspects. Ouyang Feng, initially patient, grew frustrated with Yang Guo’s confusion and was about to slap him. But under the moonlight, seeing Yang Guo’s handsome face, which was even more charming than Ouyang Ke’s in his youth, he couldn’t bear to strike him. He sighed and said, “You’re tired, rest now. I’ll teach you more tomorrow.”

Feeling resentful toward Guo Fu and her family, Yang Guo said, “I’ll stay with you, Dad. I won’t go back.” Ouyang Feng, despite his own confusion, was aware of the dangers of his condition and said, “My mind isn’t quite right. I’m afraid I’ll endanger you. You should go back first. Once I figure something out, we’ll be together forever. How about that?” Yang Guo, who had longed for such comforting words since his mother’s death, took his hand and choked, “Come for me soon.” Ouyang Feng nodded, “I’ll secretly follow you. No matter where you go, I’ll know. If anyone bullies you, I’ll break their ribs into pieces.” With that, he carried Yang Guo back to the inn.

Ke Zhen’e had searched for Yang Guo, but finding him gone, he searched the inn and its surroundings without success, growing increasingly anxious. On his second search, he found Yang Guo had returned. Just as he was about to question him, he heard the sound of wind on the roof and knew two highly skilled martial artists were moving there. He quickly placed Guo Fu on Yang Guo’s bed and guarded the window with his iron staff, fearing the return of the intruders. The wind soon approached again, and two figures landed on the roof. One said, “Look, who is that?” The other replied, “Strange, strange, it’s really him?” These two were Guo Jing and Huang Rong.

Relieved, Ke Zhen’e opened the door to let them in. Huang Rong asked, “Master, is everything alright here?” Ke Zhen’e replied, “No problem.” Huang Rong turned to Guo Jing, “Could we have mistaken the person?” Guo Jing shook his head, “No, it must be him.” Ke Zhen’e asked, “Who?” Huang Rong tugged at Guo Jing’s sleeve, signaling him not to say, but Guo Jing, respecting his master, said, “Ouyang Feng.” At the mention of Ouyang Feng, Ke Zhen’e, who had always hated him, turned pale, “Ouyang Feng? He’s still alive?” Guo Jing replied, “We saw a figure by the house just now. The movement was fast and strange, so we chased, but he disappeared. It looked a lot like Ouyang Feng.” Knowing Guo Jing’s reliability, Ke Zhen’e believed him.

Concerned about Yang Guo, Guo Jing brought a candle to the bedside and saw his rosy face and steady breathing, exclaiming joyfully, “Rong’er, he’s fine!” Yang Guo was actually pretending to sleep, listening to their conversation. He vaguely heard that his adoptive father was named Ouyang Feng and noticed the three were wary of him, feeling secretly delighted.

Huang Rong, checking on Yang Guo, found it strange that the poison in his arm had receded, contrary to expectations. She and Guo Jing had searched all day but could not find all the necessary herbs. She mashed the ones they had, extracting the juice for Yang Guo and the male eagle.

The next morning, Guo Jing and Huang Rong saw that Yang Guo was more awake and healthy. The blackness on his palm had largely faded, which made them very happy. They asked him about his mother’s death. Yang Guo said, “My mother coughed for several months. She took medicine but didn’t get better, then started coughing up blood. I was very worried and just kept crying. My mother said she wouldn’t make it and asked me to cremate her body after she died and bury her outside the Iron Spear Temple in Jiaxing, where my father is buried…” Guo Jing sighed heavily.

Yang Guo continued, “A few days later, my mother passed away. I burned her body to ashes, wrapped them up, and, asking around, found the Iron Spear Temple in Jiaxing. I dug a pit outside the temple and buried my mother’s ashes there. Before she died, my mother told me to find Uncle Guo and Aunt Guo at Peach Blossom Island…”

Guo Jing said, “I am your Uncle Guo.” Pointing to Huang Rong, he added, “She is your Aunt Guo.” Yang Guo called out, “Uncle Guo, Aunt Guo!” He didn’t know whether he should bow or kneel. Guo Jing and Huang Rong acknowledged him, thinking of how Peach Blossom Island wasn’t too far from Mu Nianci’s home in Changxing. They felt guilty for not having visited to care for their old friend. Fortunately, they had now found her son, and they resolved to take good care of him and raise him to adulthood. Huang Rong asked, “Why didn’t you come to Peach Blossom Island to find us?” Yang Guo replied, “My mother told me to be very careful when I got there, to listen and obey, and not to offend anyone… I thought I wouldn’t starve here, so… hehe… I didn’t go!” Guo Jing felt sad, but Huang Rong understood that Yang Guo didn’t want to be restricted, which is why he didn’t come to Peach Blossom Island.

That day, Guo Jing and Huang Rong, along with Ke Zhen’e and the children, left Jiaxing and headed southeast, deciding to return to Peach Blossom Island and first heal Yang Guo’s poisoned wound. That night, they stayed at an inn. Ke Zhen’e shared a room with Yang Guo, while Guo Jing and Huang Rong shared another with their daughter.

In the middle of the night, they suddenly heard a noise on the roof, followed by Ke Zhen’e’s loud shout and the sound of breaking windows. Guo Jing and Huang Rong quickly got up and rushed to the window, seeing Ke Zhen’e engaged in a fierce fight on the rooftop with a tall figure. It was indeed Ouyang Feng. Guo Jing was shocked, fearing that Ouyang Feng might kill his master in a single move. Just as he was about to jump up to help, he saw Ke Zhen’e shout and fall from the roof. Guo Jing leaped up and caught him by the collar, gently lowering him to the ground. He asked, “Master, are you hurt?” Ke Zhen’e replied, “I’m not dead. Go stop Ouyang Feng.” Guo Jing said, “Yes.” and leaped onto the roof.

At that moment, Huang Rong was already engaged in a fierce fight with their old adversary, whom they hadn’t seen in over ten years. Over the years, her martial arts had greatly improved, her internal strength had increased, and her moves had become more intricate. In the span of a dozen moves, Ouyang Feng couldn’t gain any advantage.

Guo Jing called out, “Mr. Ouyang, long time no see.” Ouyang Feng replied, “What are you saying? What did you call me?” His face was blank. Facing Huang Rong’s attacks, he only defended and did not attack, vaguely feeling that the name “Ouyang” had a very close relationship with him.

Guo Jing wanted to say more, but Huang Rong had already noticed that Ouyang Feng’s madness had not been cured. She quickly shouted, “Your name is Zhao Qian Sun Li, Zhou Wu Zheng Wang!”

Ouyang Feng was stunned and asked, “My name is Zhao Qian Sun Li, Zhou Wu Zheng Wang?” Huang Rong said, “Yes, your name is Feng Zheng Chu Wei, Jiang Shen Han Yang.” She was reciting the surnames from the “Hundred Family Surnames.” Ouyang Feng, already confused, was even more perplexed after hearing dozens of surnames recited in one breath. He asked, “Who are you? Who am I?”

Suddenly, a voice from behind shouted, “You are the old poison who killed my five good brothers.” Ouyang Feng, hearing “old poison,” felt a faint realization but had no time to think. An iron staff was already upon him; it was Ke Zhen’e. He had gone back to fetch his iron staff to fight again. Guo Jing shouted, “Master, be careful!” Ke Zhen’e’s iron staff was less than a foot away from Ouyang Feng’s back when there was a sudden noise. The iron staff flew backward, and Ke Zhen’e lost his grip and fell into the courtyard.

Guo Jing knew his master was not seriously hurt but feared Ouyang Feng might follow up with a deadly strike. He shouted, “Watch out!” His left leg bent slightly, and his right palm drew a circle, pushing forward. It was the “Regret of the Dragon” from the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms. This move, which he had practiced diligently, had become highly refined. At first, it seemed light, but it could instantly add thirteen layers of force, each stronger than the last, making it almost unstoppable. This level of mastery, even Huang Rong’s teacher Hong Qigong might not have achieved.

Ouyang Feng had just knocked Ke Zhen’e off the roof when he felt a gentle breeze on his face. Although not strong, it made it difficult for him to breathe. Realizing the danger, he crouched down and pushed out with both palms, using his most prized Toad Skill.

The three palms collided, and both men trembled. Guo Jing’s palm strength surged forward like waves, growing stronger with each layer. Ouyang Feng, grunting, wobbled as if he might fall but matched Guo Jing’s increasing power with equal force.

The two had not fought in over ten years. Now, in Jiangnan, they were evenly matched. At the Huashan Sword Discussion, Guo Jing had been no match for Ouyang Feng, but years of diligent practice had made his martial arts highly refined. Although Ouyang Feng had insights from reversing the Nine Yin Manual, in a direct confrontation, the correct path often prevails. In this encounter, Guo Jing could match Ouyang Feng blow for blow. Huang Rong wanted her husband to win on his own and only observed from the side.

In the south, rooftops are lighter and less sturdy compared to the north. The roofs are designed to be light and flexible rather than heavy and durable to withstand snow. As Guo Jing and Ouyang Feng exerted their strength, the roof creaked and then collapsed with a crash, creating a large hole. Both fell through the roof.

Huang Rong was alarmed and jumped down, seeing the two still locked in a palm clash, standing on some beams that were pressing down on a sleeping guest. The guest, awakened by the sudden collapse, screamed in pain as his legs were broken. Guo Jing, unwilling to harm the innocent, dared not use his full strength. Ouyang Feng, however, did not care about others. Though they were initially evenly matched, Guo Jing’s footing was weak, putting him at a disadvantage. With his full strength in his right palm and unable to use his left, he began to lose ground. Seeing her husband’s slight retreat, Huang Rong shouted, “Hey, Zhang San Li Si, stupid turtle, watch out!” She struck lightly at Ouyang Feng’s shoulder.

This palm strike, although seemingly light, employed the superior skills of the Falling Blossoms Divine Sword Palm technique. When it hit the enemy, the force penetrated the internal organs, even a master like Ouyang Feng could not withstand it without being injured. Hearing Huang Rong call him by strange names again, Ouyang Feng hesitated. As her strike approached, he used both palms to push, forcing Guo Jing’s palm back half a foot. In that split second, he grabbed Huang Rong’s shoulder, his five fingers like hooks, ready to tear off a piece of her flesh.

All three were shocked when he made the grab. Ouyang Feng felt a sharp pain in his fingertips; he had grabbed onto the spikes of her soft hedgehog armor. Quickly, he released his grip. At that moment, Guo Jing’s palm strike arrived, and Ouyang Feng met it with his own palm. In their desperation, both used their full strength. With a loud bang, they both retreated rapidly, causing dust and debris to fly as walls and roofs collapsed. In the dark, unable to see each other’s forms clearly, the immense power of the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms and the Toad Skill clashed, hitting each other’s shoulders. The force of their strikes broke through the walls, collapsing half of the roof. Although Huang Rong was not injured by the grab, she was frightened and quickly flew out just as the roof was about to collapse. She saw Ouyang Feng and Guo Jing standing half a meter apart, both motionless, clearly both had suffered internal injuries.

Huang Rong did not attack and immediately stood by her husband to protect him. Both men closed their eyes to regulate their breathing and simultaneously spat out a mouthful of blood. Ouyang Feng laughed wildly and said, “The Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, hey, impressive, impressive!” He laughed crazily and then quickly disappeared without a trace.

By this time, the inn was in chaos, with people shouting and screaming. Huang Rong knew they couldn’t stay there any longer. She took her daughter from Ke Zhen’e and said, “Master, you carry Brother Jing, let’s go!” Ke Zhen’e hoisted Guo Jing onto his shoulder and hobbled northward. After walking for a while, Huang Rong suddenly remembered Yang Guo and wondered where the child had gone. But worried about her seriously injured husband, she decided to deal with other matters later.

Guo Jing understood the situation but couldn’t speak because Ouyang Feng’s palm force had blocked his qi. As he lay on Ke Zhen’e’s shoulder, he regulated his breathing and circulated his qi. After traveling about seven or eight miles, his meridians were clear, and he said, “Master, I’m okay now.” Ke Zhen’e set him down and asked, “Are you alright?” Guo Jing shook his head and said, “The Toad Skill is truly formidable!” He saw his daughter sleeping soundly on her mother’s shoulder and suddenly asked, “Where’s Guo’er?” Ke Zhen’e couldn’t remember who “Guo’er” was and was momentarily speechless.

Huang Rong said, “Don’t worry, let’s find a place to rest first, and I’ll go back to find him.”

By this time, the sky was starting to lighten, and trees and houses by the roadside were faintly visible. Guo Jing said, “My injury is not serious, let’s go find him together.”

Huang Rong frowned and said, “That child is very clever, there’s no need to worry about him.” Just then, they saw a small head peek out from behind a white wall by the roadside and then quickly withdraw. Huang Rong rushed over and grabbed him; it was Yang Guo. He smiled and said, “Aunt Guo, you’ve finally come! I’ve been waiting here for a long time.” Huang Rong, with many unresolved doubts in her mind, responded absentmindedly, “Alright, come with us!”

Yang Guo smiled and followed behind. Guo Fu woke up and asked, “Where did you go?” Yang Guo replied, “I went to catch crickets. It’s really fun.” Guo Fu asked, “What’s so fun about that?” Yang Guo said, “Hmph, who said it’s not fun? A big cricket fighting with an old cricket, the old cricket lost, and then two small crickets came to help. Three against one, the big cricket jumped around, kicking here and biting there, it was really fierce…” At this point, he stopped talking. Guo Fu, listening intently, asked, “What happened next?” Yang Guo said, “You said it’s not fun, why ask me?” Guo Fu, feeling rebuffed, turned away angrily and ignored him.

Huang Rong noticed that his words were clearly mocking her, her husband, and Ke Zhen’e, seemingly siding with Ouyang Feng. She asked, “Tell your Aunt Guo, who won in the end?” Yang Guo laughed and said lightly, “I was watching with interest when you all arrived, and the crickets all ran away.” Huang Rong thought, “Like father, like son.” She couldn’t help but feel a bit angry.

While talking, they arrived at a village. Huang Rong requested to see the owner of a large courtyard. The owner was very hospitable. Hearing that someone was injured and sick, he immediately ordered his servants to clean the guest rooms for them. Guo Jing ate three large bowls of rice and sat on the couch to rest. Seeing her husband calm and composed, Huang Rong knew he was out of danger. She sat by his side, thinking about everything since they met Yang Guo. She found that although he was young, there were many strange and inexplicable things about him. But if she asked him directly, he probably wouldn’t tell the truth. She decided to keep a close eye on him instead. They spent the day in silence, and after dinner, everyone went to bed.

---

Yang Guo and Ke Zhen’e shared a room. In the middle of the night, Yang Guo quietly got up, hearing Ke Zhen’e’s loud snores, and opened the door to sneak out. He walked to the wall, climbed a osmanthus tree, and leaped onto the wall before sliding down gently. Outside, two dogs smelled him and started barking. Yang Guo had anticipated this and threw out two meat bones he had hidden during the day. The dogs grabbed the bones and started chewing, stopping their barking immediately.

Yang Guo identified the direction and walked southwest for about seven or eight miles until he reached the Iron Spear Temple. He pushed open the temple door and called out, “Father, I’m here!” He heard a groan inside—it was Ouyang Feng’s voice. Overjoyed, Yang Guo found a candle holder on the offering table, lit a stub of a candle, and saw Ouyang Feng lying on several prayer mats in front of the deity, looking exhausted and breathing weakly.

Both Ouyang Feng and Guo Jing had sustained similar injuries, but Guo Jing, being young and vigorous, recovered quickly. Ouyang Feng, however, was older and not as resilient. 

The previous night, Yang Guo and Ke Zhen’e had stayed in the same room. Ouyang Feng had come to check on Yang Guo in the middle of the night. Ke Zhen’e awoke and fought with Ouyang Feng, followed by Huang Rong and Guo Jing joining the battle. Yang Guo had watched from the sidelines. Eventually, both Ouyang Feng and Guo Jing were injured, and Ouyang Feng retreated. Amidst the chaos, no one noticed Yang Guo sneaking after Ouyang Feng. Initially, Ouyang Feng moved swiftly, but as his injuries took their toll, he slowed down, allowing Yang Guo to catch up and help him rest by the roadside. Yang Guo knew that if he did not return, Huang Rong and Ke Zhen’e would come looking, potentially endangering his adoptive father. He and Ouyang Feng agreed to meet at the Iron Spear Temple, a place significant to both. Yang Guo waited on the main road to meet Guo Jing and the others before coming to the temple at midnight.

Yang Guo took out seven or eight steamed buns from his coat and handed them to Ouyang Feng, saying, “Father, eat these.” Ouyang Feng, who had been hiding in the temple all day to avoid enemies and had not eaten, felt invigorated after eating the buns. He asked, “Where are they?” Yang Guo explained everything.

Ouyang Feng said, “That fellow Guo took a hit from me and won’t recover for seven days. His wife has to care for him and won’t leave his side. Our only worry now is Ke the Blind. If he doesn’t come tonight, he will surely come tomorrow. But I have no strength left. Alas, I seem to have killed his brothers—was it four or five of them…” He coughed violently as he spoke.

Yang Guo sat on the ground, supporting his chin with his hand, his mind racing with ideas. Suddenly, he thought, “I know! I’ll set some traps to injure the old blind man if he comes in.” He took four candle holders from the offering table, dusted off the old candles, and placed the holders at the entrance, then lightly closed the temple door. He moved an iron incense burner and placed it on top of the temple door.

He looked around, thinking of more traps, and noticed two large iron bells hanging in the side halls. Each bell was too large for three people to wrap their arms around and likely weighed over a thousand pounds. The top of each bell was connected to a massive wooden frame by a thick iron hook.

The Iron Spear Temple was old and dilapidated, but the bells and their frames remained intact. Yang Guo thought, “If the old blind man comes, I’ll climb onto the bell frame and he won’t find me.”

Holding the candle holder, he intended to go to the back hall to find a weapon. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a staff hitting the ground on the main road—tap, tap, tap—knowing Ke Zhen’e had arrived. He considered blowing out the candle but then remembered, “The blind man can’t see, so there’s no need.” He let the candle stay lit and placed the holder on the offering table. The tapping sound grew closer, and Ouyang Feng sat up suddenly, preparing to muster all his remaining strength into his right palm to strike first and kill Ke Zhen’e. Yang Guo picked up another candle holder, holding the iron prong outward, standing by Ouyang Feng, determined to help his father even though his skills were meager.

Ke Zhen’e knew his martial arts were far inferior to Ouyang Feng’s. But after hearing from Guo Jing and Huang Rong that Ouyang Feng had been seriously injured in their duel and couldn’t travel far, he figured Ouyang Feng would hide in the nearby Iron Spear Temple, his old haunt. Remembering how Ouyang Feng had killed his five sworn brothers and sisters, he saw this as a rare chance for revenge and couldn’t pass it up. He softly called out to Yang Guo, “Guo’er, Guo’er!” Hearing no answer, he assumed the boy was sound asleep and didn’t check further, instead scaling the wall to leave. The two dogs, busy chewing on the bones Yang Guo had given them, only growled softly but didn’t bark.

Ke Zhen’e slowly approached the Iron Spear Temple, listening carefully and hearing breathing inside. He called out loudly, “Old Poison, Ke the Blind is here to find you! Come out if you dare.” He thumped his iron staff on the ground. Ouyang Feng, fearing it would disrupt his concentration, remained silent.

Ke Zhen’e called out several times but received no response. He lifted his iron staff and smashed open the temple door, stepping inside. Immediately, a heavy object fell from above, and at the same time, his left foot stepped onto an iron prong on a candle holder, piercing his boot and causing severe pain in his foot. Confused, he swung his iron staff, hitting the iron incense burner above, which rolled away with a deafening clang. To prevent the iron prongs from penetrating further, he rolled on the ground but felt another prong stab into his shoulder. Pulling it out, he bled profusely. Cautious now, he advanced slowly, following Ouyang Feng’s breathing, step by step, until he was three feet away. He raised his iron staff and said, “Old Poison, any last words?”

Ouyang Feng gathered all his remaining strength into his right arm, ready to strike as soon as Ke Zhen’e’s staff fell, intending to fight to the death. Ke Zhen’e, unsure of Ouyang Feng’s condition despite knowing he was injured, hesitated, waiting for Ouyang Feng to make the first move to gauge his strength. The two stood motionless, neither willing to act first.

Listening to Ouyang Feng’s labored breathing, Ke Zhen’e suddenly heard the voices of his sworn brothers Zhu Cong, Han Baoju, and Nan Xiren urging him to strike. Unable to contain himself any longer, he roared and struck with a move called “King Qin Whips the Stone,” aiming for Ouyang Feng’s head. Ouyang Feng slightly dodged but couldn’t muster enough breath to counter, his arm dropping weakly. With a thunderous crash, the iron staff shattered several floor tiles.

Missing his mark, Ke Zhen’e followed with another strike, sweeping his staff at Ouyang Feng’s midsection. Normally, Ouyang Feng could easily deflect or evade, but weakened as he was, he could only roll on the ground to avoid the attack. Ke Zhen’e’s strikes came fast and furious. Ouyang Feng’s evasions grew slower, and finally, Ke Zhen’e hit him on the left shoulder with a move called “Subduing Demon with the Rod.”

Yang Guo, watching from the side, was terrified but knew he was too weak to help his adoptive father.

Ke Zhen’e struck Ouyang Feng three times in succession. Though severely beaten, Ouyang Feng’s deep internal strength allowed him to deflect most of the force. His skin was torn and his flesh bruised, but his bones and internal organs remained unharmed. Ke Zhen’e marveled at Ouyang Feng’s skill, noting that each blow slid off without causing critical damage. Thinking Ouyang Feng couldn’t dodge a direct hit to the head, he swung his staff again and again at Ouyang Feng’s skull.

Ouyang Feng dodged a few times but soon found himself surrounded by the staff’s wind. Desperate, he lunged forward and grabbed Ke Zhen’e’s chest. Ke Zhen’e was shocked and couldn’t bring his staff back in time, forcing him to grapple with his opponent. They rolled on the ground together.

Ouyang Feng clung to Ke Zhen’e’s chest, reaching for his waist and finding something hard—Ke Zhen’e’s sharp knife. This knife, formerly used by Zhang Asheng, could cut through gold and jade. Though named a butcher knife, it was much more lethal. Zhang Asheng had died in Mongolia at the hands of Chen Xuanfeng, and Ke Zhen’e, mourning his brother, always carried the knife. In their close struggle, Ouyang Feng pulled out the knife and attempted to stab Ke Zhen’e in the side. Just then, Ke Zhen’e released his staff and punched Ouyang Feng, sending him tumbling. Dazed, Ouyang Feng blindly threw the knife. Ke Zhen’e heard the knife whistling through the air and dodged. The knife hit the iron bell with a resounding clang

Yang Guo stood by the bell as the sharp knife flew past his face, narrowly missing his cheek, causing his heart to pound in fear. He quickly climbed up the bell frame. Ouyang Feng quietly stood up and moved behind the bell, holding his breath. The bell’s ringing continued, making it difficult for Ke Zhen’e to discern Ouyang Feng’s breathing. He tilted his head, trying to listen closely. In the dim candlelight of the hall, he could see Ke Zhen’e with his hair in disarray, leaning on his staff. Yang Guo noticed the key moment, pulled out the butcher knife, and struck the bell with the handle, creating a loud clang that drowned out all other sounds.

Hearing the bell, Ke Zhen’e lunged forward, swinging his staff horizontally. Ouyang Feng dodged to the side, and the staff struck the iron bell with a deafening crash. The sound was so loud that Yang Guo felt his eardrums ache. Ke Zhen’e, enraged, continued to strike the bell with his iron staff, each strike louder than the last. Ouyang Feng, worried that the noise might draw Huang Rong to help, tried to sneak out of the rear hall. However, Ke Zhen’e’s hearing was exceptionally sharp, and even amidst the loud ringing, he could detect the slightest sounds. Hearing Ouyang Feng’s footsteps, he pretended not to notice and kept striking the bell until Ouyang Feng was a few steps away. Then, he suddenly leaped forward and swung his staff at Ouyang Feng’s head.

Despite his weakened state, Ouyang Feng was no stranger to combat tricks and strategies. Noticing Ke Zhen’e’s right shoulder lifting slightly, he anticipated the attack and dodged back behind the bell before the staff could hit him. Though severely injured, the life-or-death situation allowed him to draw on a hidden reserve of strength built up over decades of martial arts training. Ke Zhen’e, furious, shouted, “Even if I can’t kill you, I’ll tire you to death!” and chased him around the bell.

Yang Guo saw the two circling the iron bell and realized that his adoptive father would eventually run out of strength. In this critical moment, an idea struck him. He climbed onto the bell frame and waved his hands, making large gestures. Ouyang Feng, focused on evading the attacks, did not notice at first. After a couple of laps around the bell, he finally saw Yang Guo’s shadow on the ground, signaling him to leave. Though he didn’t fully understand the gesture, he trusted Yang Guo’s intention and took the risk to dash outside.

Ke Zhen’e paused, trying to determine his enemy’s direction. Yang Guo removed his shoes and threw them towards the rear hall. The shoes landed with a thud, causing Ke Zhen’e to be confused. He clearly heard Ouyang Feng heading towards the door, so why was there noise from the rear hall? This moment of hesitation allowed Yang Guo to pick up the butcher knife and strike the beam holding the bell. The beam was thick, and Yang Guo, though using a sharp knife, lacked the strength to cut through it quickly. However, the heavy bell’s weight combined with the multiple cuts weakened the beam. With a series of cracks, the beam broke, and the giant bell fell, aiming straight for Ke Zhen’e.

Ke Zhen’e heard the sudden noise above and was puzzled when the massive bell fell rapidly towards him. There was no time to escape. In desperation, he raised his iron staff vertically. With a loud clang, the bell’s edge struck the staff. This brief resistance allowed Ke Zhen’e to roll out from under the bell. As the bell continued to fall, it crashed into his legs, throwing him out of the temple gate. He tumbled several times, his nose bleeding, and a large gash appeared on his forehead. Unable to see, Ke Zhen’e didn’t understand what had happened, fearing another enemy might be inside the temple. He struggled to his feet and hobbled away.

Ouyang Feng watched from the side, slightly startled. He kept muttering, “What a shame, what a shame!” Then he added, “Good boy, you’re so clever!” Yang Guo climbed down from the bell frame, delighted. “The blind man won’t dare come back!” Ouyang Feng shook his head. “He harbors deep hatred against me. As long as he lives, he’ll return.” Yang Guo suggested they leave quickly, but Ouyang Feng shook his head again, saying, “I’m too badly injured to go far.” Realizing the danger had temporarily passed, he felt his limbs aching and incapable of movement. Yang Guo, concerned, asked, “What should we do?” After pondering, Ouyang Feng replied, “There’s a way. Cut the beam of the other bell and cover me with it.” Yang Guo asked, “How will you get out?” Ouyang Feng explained, “I’ll use my internal energy to lift the bell after seven days. During that time, Ke Zhen’e won’t be able to lift it. As long as Huang Rong doesn’t come, no one will figure out this trick. If she does, we’ll be in big trouble.”

Yang Guo agreed there was no other option. Confirming Ouyang Feng could indeed lift the bell himself, he asked, “Will you be okay without food for seven days?” Ouyang Feng said, “Find a pot, fill it with water, and leave it by me. There are still some buns left here. I can manage for seven days.”

Yang Guo found a clay pot in the kitchen, filled it with water, and placed it under the still-hanging bell. He then helped Ouyang Feng sit properly beneath the bell. Ouyang Feng said, “Boy, you can follow the Guo family. I’ll come find you later.” Yang Guo agreed, climbed the bell frame, and cut the beam, letting the bell fall and cover Ouyang Feng.

Yang Guo called out “Father” a few times, but hearing no response, he knew Ouyang Feng couldn’t hear him inside. He prepared to leave but thought better of it and fetched another pot of water. Using the reverse circulation technique Ouyang Feng taught him, he managed to expel some poison from his hand, though it was tiring. He only managed to squeeze out a few drops of black blood before becoming exhausted. After resting, he used some banners from the altar to wrap around a bamboo stick, dipped it in the blood, and smeared it all over the bell, thinking if Ke Zhen’e tried to lift it, he would be poisoned.

Worried Ouyang Feng might suffocate under the bell, he used the knife to dig a small hole near the bell’s base for ventilation. However, while digging, the knife hit a stone and broke. The knife, though sharp, wasn’t meant for such rough use and ended up broken. Unconcerned, Yang Guo threw it aside and shouted through the hole, “Father, I’m leaving. I’ll wait for you to come get me. I dug a hole for air. Be careful of the poison on the bell.” He heard Ouyang Feng’s faint reply, “Good boy, I’m not afraid of poison. Take care. I’ll come for you.”

Standing silently for a moment, Yang Guo reluctantly left and ran back to the house where they were staying. Climbing over the wall cautiously, he was surprised to find Ke Zhen’e hadn’t returned yet. Entering the room, he saw that Ke Zhen’e still hadn’t come back, which was unexpected.

The next morning, someone banged on the door with a stick. Yang Guo jumped out of bed and opened the door to see Ke Zhen’e holding a wooden stick, his face pale. He stumbled in and collapsed on the floor. Yang Guo saw his hands were blackened, realizing he had gone after Ouyang Feng and had been poisoned by the trap. Pretending to be shocked, he called out, “Uncle Ke, what’s wrong?”

Guo Jing and Huang Rong rushed over and were alarmed to see Ke Zhen’e on the ground. Though Guo Jing could walk, he was still weak. Huang Rong helped Ke Zhen’e onto the bed and asked, “Master, what happened?” Ke Zhen’e shook his head, not answering. Huang Rong saw his blackened palms and angrily said, “It must be that wicked woman Li! Jing, let me go deal with her.” She grabbed her belt and was about to leave.

Ke Zhen’e weakly said, “It’s not that woman.” Huang Rong stopped and asked, “Who is it then?” Ke Zhen’e, feeling ashamed for failing to deal with even a single foe and getting injured, remained silent. Knowing his temper, Guo Jing and Huang Rong didn’t press further. They knew he would speak if he wanted to. Huang Rong decided they needed to take the injured and children back to Peach Blossom Island for safety before dealing with Li Mochou. That morning, they rested at the house and in the afternoon hired a boat to head east.

Yang Guo was relieved Huang Rong wasn’t looking for Ouyang Feng and wondered why his father feared her so much. Was she more formidable than Ke Zhen’e?

They traveled by boat until evening, stopping to cook rice. Guo Fu, feeling bored and ignored by Yang Guo, leaned out the window and saw two boys crying under a willow tree. She recognized them as Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen. She called out, “Hey, what are you doing?” Wu Xiuwen looked up and cried, “We’re crying, can’t you see?” Guo Fu asked, “Why? Did your mother hit you?” Wu Xiuwen replied, “Our mother is dead!”

Huang Rong asked, “Who is their mother?” Guo Fu replied, “They are Uncle Wu and Auntie Wu’s sons.” Huang Rong had already learned that Wu Santong and his wife had helped resist Li Mochou, and since Wu Santong was the disciple of their benefactor, Master Yideng, she was shocked and immediately jumped ashore.

She saw the two boys crying over their mother’s corpse. Mrs. Wu’s face was pitch black, and she had been dead for some time. Huang Rong asked about the whereabouts of Wu Santong. Wu Dunru cried, “We don’t know where Father went.” Wu Xiuwen added, “Mother sucked the poison from Father’s wound and got out a lot of black blood. Father got better, but Mother died. When Father saw that Mother was dead, he suddenly went mad again. We called to him, but he ignored us and just left.” Saying this, he started crying again. Huang Rong thought, “Madam Wu sacrificed her life to save her husband. She was truly a righteous and courageous woman.” She asked, “Are you hungry?” The two brothers nodded continuously.

Huang Rong sighed and instructed the boatman to bring them on board to eat. She then went to the town and bought a coffin for Madam Wu. Since it was too late to bury her that night, they found a burial site the next morning and buried the coffin. The Wu brothers knelt and cried bitterly at the gravesite.

Guo Jing said, “Rong’er, these two children have lost their parents. We should take them to Peach Blossom Island. It will take more of your care to look after them.” Huang Rong nodded in agreement. She then comforted the Wu brothers, brought them on board, and they sailed to the coast. There, they hired a larger boat and headed east towards Peach Blossom Island. Since Huang Yaoshi had been away from the island for a long time, and Guo Jing and Huang Rong had settled there without causing trouble, the nearby boatmen no longer feared Peach Blossom Island as if it were a dragon’s den.