The Return of the Condor Heroes

Guo Jing broke free from the entanglement of the Taoist priests and swiftly made his way towards Chongyang Palace. Suddenly, the sound of an urgent bell tolling echoed from the palace. The bell rang urgently, as if signaling a warning. Guo Jing looked up and saw flames rising high from the back courtyard of the palace. Alarmed, he thought, “It seems the Quanzhen Sect is indeed under a major attack today. I must hurry to help.” However, hearing the shouts and cries behind him, with the Taoist priests rushing after him, he realized, “These Taoist priests must have mistaken me for one of the enemies. Now that the main palace is in danger, they will fight me even more desperately.” Ignoring them, he continued to rush up the mountain.

Using his lightness skill, he leaped several dozen feet in a few moments. In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he reached the front of Chongyang Palace. There he saw flames roaring, thick smoke billowing, and the fire raging fiercely. Strangely, despite the numerous Taoist priests in the palace, not one was seen trying to extinguish the fire.

Guo Jing felt a deep sense of foreboding. He saw that while the fire in the back courtyard was intense, it had not yet spread to the main courtyard. However, he could hear loud shouts, curses, and the sound of weapons clashing from within the main courtyard. With a powerful leap, he jumped onto the high wall and saw a large open square packed with people engaged in fierce combat. Focusing his gaze, he recognized forty-nine yellow-robed Taoist priests arranged in seven Big Dipper formations, struggling against over a hundred enemies. The enemies were of varying heights and builds, dressed in different attires, using various weapons and martial arts styles, attacking the Big Dipper formations from all directions. Though the enemies were formidable and numerous, the seven Big Dipper formations coordinated well, defending effectively and managing to hold their ground despite being at a disadvantage.

Just as Guo Jing was about to shout a warning, he heard the sound of fierce fighting inside the hall. From the sound of the punches and kicks, it was evident that the martial artists inside the hall were even more skilled than those outside. He jumped down from the wall, sidestepped, and weaved through the gaps between three Big Dipper formations. The Taoist priests were alarmed and signaled with their swords, but the ferocity of the enemy’s attack prevented them from diverting their attention to stop him.

Inside the grand hall, dozens of giant candles were originally burning brightly, but now the flames from the back courtyard overshadowed the candlelight, casting a dim glow. In the hall, seven meditation cushions were arranged in a row, with seven Taoist priests seated cross-legged, their left hands linked and their right hands defending against the attacks of over a dozen enemies surrounding them.

Guo Jing ignored the enemies and first observed the seven Taoist priests. He recognized three of them as the elders Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, and Wang Chuyi. Among the younger four, he only knew Yin Zhiping. The seven Taoist priests formed a stationary Big Dipper formation, not moving from their positions. One Taoist priest lay prone on the ground, his condition unknown, but his white hair suggested he was quite old.

Seeing the perilous situation of Ma Yu and the others, Guo Jing’s blood boiled with anger. Without considering who the enemies were, he bellowed, “You audacious scoundrels, how dare you create chaos in Chongyang Palace!” With both hands, he grabbed the backs of two enemies, intending to throw them out. However, the two were skilled fighters, firmly rooted to the ground, and could not be moved. Guo Jing thought, “Where did these formidable opponents come from? No wonder the Quanzhen Sect is suffering today.” Suddenly, he changed his technique, sweeping his leg across. The two opponents, using their heavy stance to counter his grip, were caught off guard by the leg sweep, and were sent flying out the door.

The enemies were shocked to see such a powerful newcomer but remained confident in their numbers. Two more stepped forward, demanding, “Who are you?” Guo Jing did not respond, swiftly launching a double palm strike. Before the two could get close, his palm force sent them crashing into the wall, spitting blood. The remaining enemies, seeing four of their own incapacitated in quick succession, hesitated to approach. Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, and Wang Chuyi recognized Guo Jing and were overjoyed, thinking, “With him here, our sect is safe!”

Disregarding the enemies, Guo Jing knelt and kowtowed to Ma Yu and the others, saying, “Disciple Guo Jing pays his respects.” Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, and Wang Chuyi smiled and nodded, returning the salute. Yin Zhiping suddenly shouted, “Brother Guo, watch out!” Guo Jing heard the wind behind him and knew someone was launching a sneak attack. Without standing up, he pushed off the ground with his elbows, sending his body into the air. As he landed, his knees struck the “Soul Gate” acupoints on the backs of the two attackers, causing them to collapse.

Ma Yu smiled faintly and said, “Jing’er, please rise. I see your skills have greatly improved over these ten years!” Guo Jing stood up, replying, “How should we deal with these people? I await your instructions.” Before Ma Yu could answer, Guo Jing heard two people laughing strangely behind him.

He turned and saw two men. One was a thin middle-aged Tibetan monk in a red robe and gold crown. The other was a thirty-something man in a light yellow brocade robe, holding a folding fan, with an arrogant and ruthless expression. Guo Jing, seeing their imposing demeanor, did not dare to underestimate them and cupped his fists, asking, “Who are you two, and what business do you have here?” The brocade-robed man retorted, “Who are you, and what are you doing here?” His accent revealed he was not a native of the Central Plains.

Guo Jing replied, “I am a disciple of these respected masters.” The brocade-robed man sneered, “I wouldn’t have thought the Quanzhen Sect would have someone like you.” Although he was a few years younger than Guo Jing, he spoke with an air of superiority. Guo Jing, initially intending to clarify that he was not actually a Quanzhen disciple, was irritated by the man’s arrogance and decided to say no more. He simply asked, “What grudge do you have against the Quanzhen Sect to come here and burn the temple?” The brocade-robed man sneered, “You are just a junior disciple of the Quanzhen Sect; this is no place for you to speak.” Guo Jing retorted, “Your actions here are outrageous.” By this time, the flames were spreading closer to the main hall.

The brocade-robed man flicked open his fan, stepping forward, and laughed, “These friends are here on my orders. If you can withstand thirty of my moves, I will spare these old Daoists.” Seeing the urgent situation, Guo Jing did not waste words. He reached out with his right hand, grabbing the fan and pulling it towards himself, intending to draw the man closer if he didn’t release the fan.

To his surprise, the man swayed slightly, but the fan remained firmly in his grip. Guo Jing was taken aback, “This young man’s internal strength is quite formidable. His technique is similar to the Tibetan monk Lingzhi Shangren, but more flexible and sophisticated. It must be a secret of the Esoteric Sect. His fan’s ribs are steel; it’s a weapon.” He increased his strength, shouting, “Let go!” The man’s face turned purple for a moment but quickly returned to normal. Guo Jing realized the man was using his inner strength to resist. He thought, “It’s impressive that this man has reached such a level at a young age. I shouldn’t harm him.” Smiling slightly, Guo Jing suddenly released his grip.

The fan lay flat on his palm. The man, unable to counter the sudden push of Guo Jing’s internal force transmitted through the fan, stumbled back. Had Guo Jing exerted more force, the man would have fallen flat on his back. The man, understanding that his opponent had spared him to save face, leaped back, blushing, and said respectfully, “May I know your name?” Guo Jing replied, “My name is not worth mentioning. These are my masters: Master Ma, Master Qiu, and Master Wang.”

The man was skeptical, thinking, “I fought these old Daoists for half a day, and only their Big Dipper Formation was formidable. How can their disciple be so powerful?” He scrutinized Guo Jing, who looked plain and unassuming, dressed in coarse cloth like an ordinary farmer, yet his martial prowess was extraordinary. The man conceded, “Your skills are impressive. I am humbled. I will seek your guidance again in ten years. For now, I have matters to attend to and must take my leave.” He cupped his hands in salute. Guo Jing returned the gesture, saying, “I will await you here in ten years.”

The man turned to leave, saying, “I admit my loss to the Quanzhen Sect today. But I hope you will not interfere in my personal matters in the future.” According to the martial code, if one admits defeat and sets a date for a rematch, they cannot engage in combat before that date. Guo Jing, understanding this, agreed, “Of course.”

The nobleman smiled faintly and spoke a few words in Mongolian to the Tibetan monk. Just as he was about to leave, Qiu Chuji suddenly gathered his breath and shouted, “No need to wait for ten years, I, Qiu Chuji, will come to find you.” His shout was so powerful that it seemed to shake the roof tiles, revealing his profound internal strength. The nobleman’s ears rang, and he felt a chill in his heart, thinking, “This old Taoist’s internal strength is not weak; they must have held back earlier.” Not daring to linger any longer, he hurried towards the hall door. The red-robed Tibetan monk gave Guo Jing a fierce glare and then followed the others out.

Guo Jing noticed that many in this group had distinctive features, such as high noses and curly hair, indicating they were not natives of the Central Plains. He was puzzled and heard the sounds of weapons clashing and shouting gradually subsiding in the courtyard, signaling that the enemies were retreating.

Ma Yu and the other six stood up, but the elderly Taoist lying on the ground remained motionless. Guo Jing hurried over to check and found that it was Guangningzi Hao Datong. He then realized that despite enduring the fire, Ma Yu and the others had remained seated to protect their fellow disciple. Seeing Hao Datong’s face pale like gold paper, his breathing faint, and his eyes tightly closed, Guo Jing knew he was severely injured. He untied Hao Datong’s robe and was shocked to see a handprint on his chest, the five fingers splayed and deeply purple, imprinted into his flesh. Guo Jing thought, “The enemy’s martial arts must be from the Esoteric Sect, this is the Great Handprint technique. Although the palm was not poisoned, the power is greater than that of Lingzhi Shangren in the past.” He then felt Hao Datong’s pulse and was relieved to find it still strong and steady, indicating that despite the severe injury, his profound internal strength cultivated over many years would ensure his survival.

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At this time, the fire in the rear courtyard was getting closer. Qiu Chuji picked up Hao Datong and said, “Let’s go!” Guo Jing asked, “What about the child I brought? Who’s looking after him? We can’t let the fire harm him.” Qiu Chuji and the others, focused entirely on fighting off the strong enemies, didn’t know about this and asked, “Whose child? Where is he?”

Before Guo Jing could answer, a small figure suddenly jumped down from a beam amid the firelight and said with a smile, “Uncle Guo, I’m here.” It was Yang Guo. Guo Jing was overjoyed and quickly asked, “Why were you hiding on the beam?” Yang Guo laughed, “You were fighting with those seven smelly Taoists…” Guo Jing scolded, “Nonsense! Quickly, come and pay respects to the grandmasters.”

Yang Guo stuck out his tongue and obediently kowtowed to Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, and Wang Chuyi. When he reached Yin Zhiping, he saw that Yin was young and turned to Guo Jing, saying, “This one isn’t a grandmaster, right? I don’t need to kowtow to him.” Guo Jing replied, “This is Uncle Yin. Quickly, kowtow to him.” Reluctantly, Yang Guo did so. Guo Jing noticed that Yang Guo did not pay respects to the other three middle-aged Taoists and scolded, “Guo’er, why are you being so rude?” Yang Guo laughed, “If I finish kowtowing, it will be too late, don’t blame me.”

Guo Jing asked, “What do you mean, ‘too late’?” Yang Guo replied, “There’s a Taoist tied up in that room over there. If we don’t rescue him, he might be burned to death.” Guo Jing urgently asked, “Which room? Quickly, show me!” Yang Guo pointed to the east and said, “It seems to be over there, but I don’t know who tied him up.” He then laughed mischievously.

Yin Zhiping glared at him and hurried to the east wing, kicked open the door but found no one. He then rushed to the meditation room in the east wing where the fourth-generation disciples practiced internal skills. Opening the door, he saw thick smoke filling the room, and a Taoist bound to a bedpost, calling out for help in distress. Yin Zhiping immediately drew his sword and cut the ropes, rescuing the Taoist.

By this time, Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, Wang Chuyi, Guo Jing, and Yang Guo had all left the main hall and were standing on the hillside, watching the fire. The rear courtyard was engulfed in flames, with firelight illuminating half the sky. The mountain had only a small spring for water, just enough for daily use, but insufficient for firefighting. They could only watch as the magnificent rear courtyard gradually collapsed into ashes. The Quanzhen disciples worked together to block the fire, preventing it from spreading to the other buildings. Ma Yu, being very philosophical, was unconcerned. However, Qiu Chuji, who was quick-tempered and more so with age, stood there gnashing his teeth and cursing.

Guo Jing was about to ask who the enemies were when he saw Yin Zhiping supporting a large, fat Taoist coming out of the smoke. The Taoist was coughing from the smoke, with tears streaming down his face. When he saw Yang Guo, he became furious and lunged at him. Yang Guo laughed and hid behind Guo Jing. The Taoist, not knowing who Guo Jing was, pushed at his chest to get to Yang Guo, but found that Guo Jing was immovable, as if pushing against a wall. The Taoist was taken aback and started cursing at Yang Guo, “You little bastard, you almost got me killed!” Wang Chuyi shouted, “Qingdu, what are you yelling about?”

The Taoist, Lu Qingdu, was Wang Chuyi’s grand-disciple. Having narrowly escaped death, he was in a panic and wanted to fight Yang Guo, not realizing that the grandmaster, the chief of the sect, and Grandmaster Qiu were all present. Hearing Wang Chuyi’s shout, he realized his rudeness, broke out in a cold sweat, lowered his head, and said, “Disciple is at fault.” Wang Chuyi asked, “What exactly happened?” Lu Qingdu replied, “It’s all because of my incompetence. Please punish me, Grandmaster.” Wang Chuyi frowned and said angrily, “Who said you’re competent? I’m asking you what happened.”

Lu Qingdu explained, “Yes, yes. Disciple was guarding the rear courtyard on master’s orders. Later, master brought this little… little… little…” He wanted to call Yang Guo a “little bastard” but realized he couldn’t be disrespectful in front of the grandmaster and changed his words, “this little child, saying he was brought up the mountain by a major enemy of our sect, and handed him to me to watch over, not letting him escape. I took him to the meditation room in the east wing. After a while, this little… child said he needed to relieve himself and asked me to untie the ropes binding his hands. Thinking he was just a small child, I didn’t worry and untied him. Who knew that while pretending to relieve himself, he suddenly jumped up and threw the bucket of waste at me.”

At this point, Yang Guo chuckled. Lu Qingdu, angry, said, “You… you… what are you laughing at?” Yang Guo looked up, laughed, and said, “I can laugh if I want to. What’s it to you?” Lu Qingdu wanted to argue, but Wang Chuyi said, “Don’t argue with a child. Continue.” Lu Qingdu replied, “Yes, Grandmaster. You don’t know, this child is very cunning. When he threw the waste at me, I dodged and he said, ‘Oh no, Taoist, I soiled your clothes…’ Everyone found it funny as Lu Qingdu imitated Yang Guo’s voice. Wang Chuyi frowned, feeling embarrassed by his grand-disciple’s actions.

Lu Qingdu continued, “Naturally, I was angry and rushed to hit him, but he lifted the bucket again and threw it at me. I shouted, ‘You little bastard, what are you doing?’ and used the ‘Brave Retreat in Swift Current’ move to dodge. I stepped into the waste and slipped, though I didn’t fall. During my confusion, the child took my sword, pointed it at my chest, and said if I moved, he’d stab me. I had no choice but to stay still. He then tied me to the bedpost, gagged me with a piece of cloth, and left me there. If it weren’t for Uncle Yin, I would have been burned alive.” He glared at Yang Guo with hatred.

Everyone looked at Yang Guo, then at Lu Qingdu. Seeing one thin and small, the other big and burly, they all burst into laughter. Lu Qingdu, puzzled by the laughter, scratched his head in confusion.

Ma Yu laughed, “Jing’er, is this your son? He seems to have inherited his mother’s cleverness.” Guo Jing replied, “No, this is my sworn brother Yang Kang’s posthumous son.”

Hearing Yang Kang’s name, Qiu Chuji was taken aback. He looked closely at Yang Guo and saw that his features indeed bore some resemblance to Yang Kang. Yang Kang was his only lay disciple. Though Yang Kang had been unworthy, greedy for wealth, and acknowledged a traitor as his father, Qiu Chuji always felt guilty for not teaching him well, leading him astray. Now hearing that Yang Kang had a son, he felt both sorrow and joy, and hurriedly asked for details.

Guo Jing briefly recounted Yang Guo’s background and mentioned that he had brought him to join the Quanzhen Sect. Qiu Chuji said, “Jing’er, your martial arts are far superior to ours. Why don’t you teach him yourself?” Guo Jing replied, “I’ll explain slowly later. Today, I have offended many Taoist brothers and feel very uneasy. I sincerely apologize and hope to be forgiven.” He then recounted how the Taoists had mistaken him for an enemy and attacked him. Ma Yu said, “If you hadn’t come in time, the Quanzhen Sect would have suffered a great defeat. We are all family, no need to talk about apologies or thanks.”

Qiu Chuji, already angry, said, “Zhi Jing was in charge of the outer formation and couldn’t distinguish between friend and foe. Truly useless. I was wondering how such a strong formation could be breached so quickly and leave us unprepared. It turns out he diverted the Beidou formation to stop you.” He then called for two disciples and asked why they had mistaken Guo Jing for an enemy.

The two disciples were fearful. The elder disciple said, “Brother Feng and Brother Wei at the foot of the mountain reported that this… this Guo Daxia was hitting the stone tablet at Puguang Temple, so we thought he must be with the enemy.”

Guo Jing then realized the misunderstanding, surprised that it all stemmed from this incident. He said, “It’s not the fault of the Taoist brothers. Earlier, at Puguang Temple at the foot of the mountain, I unintentionally struck a stone tablet that had a poem inscribed by a Taoist master. That must have caused the misunderstanding.” Qiu Chuji said, “So that’s what happened. What a coincidence. We had already learned that the signal for the attack on Chongyang Palace by these evil forces was a strike on the stone tablet.” Guo Jing asked, “Who are these people? How dare they be so bold?”

Qiu Chuji sighed and said, “It’s a long story, Jing’er. Come with me to see something.” He nodded to Ma Yu and Wang Chuyi, then turned and walked towards the back of the mountain. Guo Jing said to Yang Guo, “Guo’er, stay here with the grandmasters and don’t wander off.” He then followed Qiu Chuji. He saw Qiu Chuji walking briskly towards the mountain behind the temple, his steps agile, as if he were still in his youth.

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The two of them reached the summit of the peak. Qiu Chuji walked behind a large rock and said, “There are words carved here.”

At that moment, the sky was darkening, and the back of the rock was pitch black. Guo Jing reached out and felt the stone, discovering that there were indeed words engraved on it. He traced the characters one by one and realized it was a poem:

"Zifang's ambition to destroy Qin,

Once advanced under the bridge with a shoe.

Assisted Han in a grand undertaking,

Stood as a pillar of heaven.

Wished to accompany Red Pine,

Retired in success with a sweep of his robe.

Extraordinary man with extraordinary books,

Not lightly bestowed by creation.

Chongyang founded Quanzhen,

Looked high and walked broad.

Heroic bearing,

Seized opportunities and established territories.

In retrospect, realized the falsehood,

Returned to seclusion in the Tomb of the Living Dead.

It is said that in the beginning,

Two immortals met here.

Now descending from Zhongnan,

Pavilions and towers reach the mist."

As he felt the words and traced them with his fingers, he was suddenly struck by the realization that the strokes matched his fingers perfectly, as if they had been written on the stone with a finger. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “Written with fingers?”

Qiu Chuji said, “It sounds incredible, but it was indeed written with fingers!” Guo Jing was amazed and asked, “Could there really be immortals in this world?” Qiu Chuji said, “This poem was written by two people, both outstanding figures in the martial world. The person who wrote the first eight lines had an even more remarkable background, excelling in both literature and martial arts, unparalleled in talent. Although not an immortal, he was a once-in-a-century genius.” Guo Jing, greatly admiring, eagerly asked, “Who is this senior? Could you introduce me so that I may pay my respects?” Qiu Chuji said, “I’ve never met this person either. Sit down, and I will tell you the story behind today’s events.”

Guo Jing sat down on the stone as instructed and watched the fire in the mountainside gradually diminish. He suddenly said, “It’s a pity that Rong’er didn’t come with me this time; otherwise, it would be wonderful to listen to Daoist Qiu’s stories together.”

Qiu Chuji said, “Do you understand the meaning of this poem?” Guo Jing, now middle-aged, still felt like a young man being instructed when Qiu Chuji spoke to him. He replied, “The first eight lines are about Zhang Liang, a story I heard from Rong’er, so I understand it. It talks about how he picked up a shoe for an old man under a bridge, who then taught him and gave him an extraordinary book. Zhang Liang later assisted Liu Bang in founding the Han dynasty, becoming one of the three heroes of the early Han. He then retired and followed the hermit Red Pine. I don’t quite understand the latter part about Master Chongyang.” Qiu Chuji asked, “Do you know who Master Chongyang was?”

Guo Jing was taken aback and answered, “Master Chongyang was your master, the founder of the Quanzhen Sect, and the champion of the first Huashan Sword Tournament.” Qiu Chuji said, “That’s correct. But what about his youth?” Guo Jing shook his head, “I don’t know.” Qiu Chuji explained, “‘Heroic bearing, seized opportunities and established territories.’ My master was not born a Taoist. In his youth, he first studied literature and then martial arts, becoming a heroic figure in the martial world. Out of hatred for the Jin invaders who destroyed our homes and killed our people, he raised an army against them, capturing cities and territories, and made a significant impact in the Central Plains. However, due to the Jin’s overwhelming strength, he suffered repeated defeats, with heavy losses among his soldiers. He then became disillusioned and renounced the world, calling himself the ‘Living Dead,’ living in an ancient tomb on this mountain for several years without stepping outside, feeling as if he were dead despite being alive, unwilling to share the same sky with the Jin invaders. That’s what is meant by ‘irreconcilable enmity.'”

Guo Jing said, “So that’s how it was.”

Qiu Chuji continued, “Years passed, and my master’s old friends, comrades, and former subordinates came to visit, urging him to come out of the tomb and take up arms again. He felt too ashamed to face his old companions in the martial world and refused to leave the tomb. It wasn’t until eight years later that a lifelong rival stood outside the tomb, hurling insults for seven days and nights, that my master could no longer endure it and came out to fight him. To his surprise, the rival laughed and said, ‘Now that you’re out, you don’t need to go back!’ My master then realized that this person had good intentions, using a ruse to get him out of the tomb to prevent his skills from being wasted. The two, after this incident, became friends and roamed the martial world together.”

Guo Jing, imagining the noble spirit of the seniors, couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of admiration. He asked, “Who was this senior? Was it one of the Four Great Masters: East Heretic, West Poison, South Emperor, or North Beggar?”

Qiu Chuji said, “No. In terms of martial arts, this person was even above the Four Great Masters. But because she was a woman, she didn’t often appear in public, so few people knew about her, and her reputation remained obscure.” Guo Jing said, “Ah, it was a woman.” Qiu Chuji sighed, “This senior actually had deep feelings for my master and wanted to marry him. Their constant fighting and bickering back then was her way of getting close to him. But she was proud and never expressed her feelings first. Later, my master understood but was always preoccupied with his country’s affairs, often saying, ‘How can one think of home until the Xiongnu are destroyed?’ He pretended to be oblivious to her affections. She felt slighted and grew resentful. They became friends, but later, their love turned to enmity, leading to a duel on Mount Zhongnan.”

Guo Jing said, “That wasn’t necessary.” Qiu Chuji replied, “Indeed! My master understood her good intentions and always let her win. But she was stubborn and said, ‘The more you let me win, the more you look down on me.’ My master had no choice but to fight her. They dueled here, exchanging thousands of moves, but my master never used his full strength, and they remained evenly matched. She was angry and said, ‘You’re not really fighting me; what do you take me for?’ My master suggested, ‘If fighting doesn’t resolve it, let’s compete in literature.’ She agreed, saying, ‘If I lose, I’ll never see you again, giving you peace of mind.’ My master asked, ‘If you win, what do you want?’ She blushed and couldn’t answer, finally saying, ‘I’ll live in your Living Dead Tomb.’

“This had a deeper meaning, implying she wanted to live with him in the tomb if she won. My master was in a difficult position. He knew his martial arts were slightly better, so he decided to lose to avoid future complications. He asked how they should compete. She said, ‘We’ve both had a long day; let’s settle it tomorrow night.’

“The next evening, they met again. She said, ‘Before we compete, we need to set a rule.’ My master asked, ‘What rule?’ She said, ‘If you win, I’ll commit suicide on the spot and never see you again. If I win, you’ll either let me live in the tomb, obeying my every command for life, or you’ll become a monk or Taoist and build a temple here, staying with me for ten years.’ My master understood: ‘Obeying her for life meant marrying her. Becoming a monk or Taoist would mean no other marriages. How could I bear to win and force her to suicide? But staying with her for ten years would be difficult.’ He pondered for a long time and finally decided to lose to her, saying, ‘Okay, let’s do that.’

“She said, ‘We’ll compete in literature. We’ll use our fingers to carve words on this rock. Whoever writes better will win.’ My master asked, ‘How can we carve with our fingers?’ She said, ‘That’s the point; it tests our finger strength.’ My master shook his head, saying, ‘I’m not an immortal; I can’t carve with my fingers.’ She said, ‘If I can, will you admit defeat?’ My master, seeing no way out, thought it impossible and a good way to end the duel without a clear winner, said, ‘If you can do it, I’ll admit defeat. If neither of us can, it’s a draw, and there’s no need to compete further.’

“She smiled sadly, saying, ‘Fine, you’ll become a Taoist then.’ She caressed the rock with her left hand, pondered for a while, and said, ‘What should I write? Ah, the greatest hero among those who renounced the world was Zhang Zifang. He resisted the tyranny of Qin without seeking fame or fortune. He’s your predecessor.’ Then, she began writing on the rock with her right index finger. My master watched as her finger moved, stone dust falling, forming characters. He was astonished. The characters she carved were the first half of this poem.”

“Master was deeply impressed and had nothing to say. That night, he moved out of the Tomb of the Living Dead to let her live there. The next day, he became a Taoist priest and built a small Taoist temple near the Tomb of the Living Dead, which became the predecessor of Chongyang Palace.”

Guo Jing was astonished. He reached out to carefully feel the engraved characters again, and indeed, they were not chiseled but seemed to be written with a finger. He said, “The finger skill of this senior is truly incredible.” Qiu Chuji laughed heartily towards the sky and said, “Jing’er, this matter deceived Master, deceived me, and even deceived you. But if your wife had been present, she definitely wouldn’t have been fooled.” Guo Jing widened his eyes and said, “Could there be a trick involved?”

Qiu Chuji replied, “Of course! Think about it, who in the world has the greatest finger strength?” Guo Jing answered, “That would be Reverend Yideng’s Yiyang Finger.” Qiu Chuji said, “Exactly! Even with Reverend Yideng’s extraordinary finger skills, it would be challenging to carve characters into wood, let alone stone. And how could anyone else do it? Master, having become a Taoist priest, pondered this mystery. Later, your father-in-law, Huang Yaoshi, visited Zhongnan Mountain. Master knew he was extremely wise and subtly mentioned this matter to him, seeking his advice. Huang Yaoshi thought for a long time, then laughed and said, ‘I can do this too, but I haven’t yet perfected the skill. I will come back in a month.’ Laughing, he descended the mountain. A month later, Huang Yaoshi returned to the mountain with Master to examine the stone. The previous senior’s poem ended at ‘The extraordinary man with extraordinary books, not lightly bestowed by creation,’ implying Master should follow Zhang Liang’s example and retire from the world. Huang Yaoshi caressed the stone with his left hand for a long time, then suddenly began writing with his right hand, starting from ‘Chongyang founded Quanzhen’ and ending at ‘pavilions and towers reach the mist,’ all flattering Master.

“Master saw that the rock was deeply indented just like before and was even more astonished, thinking, ‘Huang Yaoshi’s martial arts are clearly inferior to mine, so how could he have such powerful finger strength?’ Filled with doubts, he suddenly poked his finger into the rock and, surprisingly, it pierced a hole. Right here.” Qiu Chuji took Guo Jing’s hand and guided it to a spot on the rock.

Guo Jing felt a small hole and inserted his finger, finding it perfectly matched. He thought, “Could this rock be unusually soft?” He exerted his strength, trying to pinch it, but only felt a slight pain in his fingertip, and the rock remained unmoved.

Qiu Chuji laughed heartily and said, “Even you, my naive child, cannot fathom the trick here. That female senior caressed the stone with her left hand before writing with her right. She had a large piece of dissolving stone powder in her palm, which softened the stone surface. Within a stick of incense’s time, the stone surface wouldn’t harden. Huang Yaoshi figured out the trick, went down the mountain to gather herbs and prepare the dissolving stone powder, and then returned to mimic the process.”

Guo Jing remained silent for a long time, thinking, “My father-in-law’s intelligence is indeed not inferior to that female senior’s, but I wonder where he is now.” He felt deeply concerned.

Unaware of Guo Jing’s thoughts, Qiu Chuji continued, “When Master first became a Taoist, he was resentful, but after reading many Taoist scriptures, he eventually came to a great realization, understanding that everything is a matter of fate. He also comprehended the profound meaning of purity and emptiness, dedicating himself to cultivating and expanding our teachings. If it hadn’t been for that female senior’s provocation, there would be no Quanzhen Sect, I wouldn’t be here today, and who knows where you, Guo Jing, would be.”

Guo Jing nodded in agreement and asked, “But what was the name of this female senior, and is she still alive?” Qiu Chuji sighed, “This female senior was very secretive in her chivalrous deeds and rarely showed her true face. Besides Master, no one else probably knew her real name, and Master never mentioned it. She passed away before the first Huashan Sword Tournament; otherwise, with her martial skills and temperament, she would have certainly participated.”

Guo Jing nodded and asked, “Did she have any descendants?” Qiu Chuji sighed, “This is where the trouble began. This senior never accepted disciples, except for a maid who served her closely. They stayed in the tomb for over ten years, and she passed all her martial arts to the maid. This maid never ventured into the martial world, so no one knew about her. She took in two disciples. Her eldest disciple’s surname is Li. You might know her as the ‘Scarlet Serpent Deity,’ Li Mochou.”

Guo Jing exclaimed, “Ah, Li Mochou is so vicious; so that’s her origin.” Qiu Chuji asked, “Have you met her?” Guo Jing replied, “A few months ago, I encountered her in the martial world. Her martial skills are indeed formidable.” Qiu Chuji asked, “Did you injure her?” Guo Jing shook his head, “No. In fact, we didn’t really meet; I only saw her kill several people ruthlessly, far worse than Mei Chaofeng.”

Qiu Chuji said, “It’s good you didn’t injure her; otherwise, it would have caused much trouble. Her junior sister’s surname is Long…” Guo Jing was startled and asked, “Is it that girl with the surname Long?” Qiu Chuji’s expression changed slightly, “What? Have you met her? What happened?” Guo Jing replied, “I haven’t met her. But during my visit to the mountain, the senior brothers kept calling me a demon and a lecher, saying I came to marry the girl with the surname Long. It left me utterly baffled.”

Qiu Chuji laughed heartily, then sighed and said, “It’s also a calamity destined for Chongyang Palace. If not for this misunderstanding, the Beidou formation would have stopped those evildoers, and you would have arrived in time, preventing Hao Shidi from being seriously injured.” Seeing Guo Jing’s puzzled expression, he said, “Today is the eighteenth birthday of that girl with the surname Long.” Guo Jing repeated, “Yes, it’s her eighteenth birthday!” But he still didn’t understand how a girl’s eighteenth birthday could cause such a disaster.

Qiu Chuji explained, “This girl with the surname Long is called Xiaolongnü. Eighteen years ago, one night, there was a baby’s cry outside Chongyang Palace. The disciples went to check and found a baby girl wrapped in a bundle on the ground. It was inconvenient for the palace to adopt a baby girl, but as compassionate people, they couldn’t leave her to die. The sect leader and I weren’t on the mountain then, and the disciples didn’t know what to do. Suddenly, a middle-aged woman appeared from behind the mountain and said, ‘This child is pitiful; let me take her in!’ The disciples were relieved and handed the baby to her. Later, when Brother Ma and I returned to the palace and heard about it, we realized the woman was the maid living in the Tomb of the Living Dead. She had met us a few times but never spoke. Although our sect and her family lived close by, we never interacted due to past grievances. We thought nothing of it.

“Years later, her disciple, the Scarlet Serpent Deity Li Mochou, emerged. She was ruthless and highly skilled, causing chaos in the martial world. Our sect considered dealing with her multiple times but refrained out of respect for the senior in the tomb. We sent a letter to the tomb, written very politely. However, the letter seemed to vanish into thin air, with no response, and she continued to indulge Li Mochou without restraint.

“A few years later, a white mourning flag appeared in the thicket outside the tomb. We knew the senior had passed away and went to pay our respects. After the ceremony, a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl emerged from the thicket, thanked us for our condolences, and said, ‘My master instructed me to tell the seniors that she had her own way to deal with that troublemaker, so there was no need for concern.’ She then turned and went back in. We wanted to ask more, but she had already entered the tomb. Our founder had instructed that no one from the Quanzhen Sect should step into the tomb, so we left it at that. We wondered how the senior could deal with her disciple posthumously. The girl seemed solitary, so we sent supplies, but they were always returned untouched. She had a servant taking care of her, so there was no need for further concern. Later, we had various matters to attend to, and news of this girl became scarce. We didn’t know why Li Mochou suddenly vanished from the martial world. We thought the senior had indeed left a way to restrain her, and we were all impressed.”

“Last spring, I went with Junior Brother Wang to the northwest on some matters. While staying at the house of a great hero in Ganzhou, we heard some shocking news. It was said that a year later, various evil sects from all over would gather on Mount Zhongnan to take action. Mount Zhongnan is the foundation of the Quanzhen Sect, so we couldn’t ignore this. Junior Brother Wang and I were worried the news might not be accurate, so we sent people to investigate. It turned out to be true. However, they weren’t targeting our sect; they had intentions towards Xiaolongnü in the Tomb of the Living Dead.” Guo Jing was puzzled, “She’s just a young girl who never goes out. How could she have enmities with these evil sects?” Qiu Chuji replied, “The internal details weren’t our concern, but once these evil people came to Mount Zhongnan, we couldn’t ignore it. So we tried to find out more and learned that this situation was instigated by Xiaolongnü’s senior sister.” Guo Jing asked, “Li Mochou?”

Qiu Chuji nodded, “Yes. Their master taught Li Mochou for a few years and saw her nature was not good, so she declared her training complete and sent her down the mountain. When their master was alive, Li Mochou, although evil, still had some scruples. After her master died, she used the pretext of mourning to break into the Tomb of the Living Dead, intending to drive her junior sister out. She knew she hadn’t learned all of their master’s skills and wanted to search the tomb for martial arts secrets. However, the tomb was full of ingenious traps. After many attempts, she barely got past the second tomb door and found a letter from her master at the third door. Her master had foreseen this and left a letter, stating that on a certain date, Xiaolongnü would become the head of their sect. The letter advised Li Mochou to reform; otherwise, her junior sister would deal with her as the sect leader.

“Li Mochou was furious and tried to break through the third door, but fell into a trap set by her master and would have died if not for Xiaolongnü’s help. She knew the danger and retreated but couldn’t let it go. She tried several more times, suffering great losses each time. The last time, she even fought with her junior sister. At that time, Xiaolongnü was only fifteen or sixteen years old, but her martial arts skills far surpassed her senior sister’s. If she hadn’t held back, killing Li Mochou would have been easy…”

Guo Jing interrupted, “This might be a rumor in the martial world.” Qiu Chuji asked, “Why?” Guo Jing explained, “My mentor, Elder Ke, fought Li Mochou twice and said her martial arts were exceptional. Even Wu Santong, a top disciple of Reverend Yideng, lost to her. If Xiaolongnü wasn’t yet twenty, no matter how skilled she was, she couldn’t defeat Li Mochou.”

Qiu Chuji said, “That’s what Junior Brother Wang heard from a Beggar Sect friend. Whether Xiaolongnü truly defeated her senior sister is unknown since no third person witnessed it. It’s just a rumor in the martial world. This made Li Mochou even more resentful, believing their master left the best skills to her junior sister. So, she spread a rumor that on a certain date, Xiaolongnü would hold a martial arts contest to find a husband…” Hearing ‘martial arts contest to find a husband,’ Guo Jing immediately thought of Yang Kang and Mu Nianci in Zhongdu years ago and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Ah!”

Qiu Chuji understood his thoughts, sighed, and continued, “She claimed that anyone who could defeat Xiaolongnü would marry her, and the tomb’s treasures and martial arts secrets would also be given to him. These evil people didn’t know who Xiaolongnü was, but Li Mochou spread the word that her junior sister’s beauty surpassed her own. The Scarlet Serpent Deity is said to be very beautiful, unmatched in the martial world and even among noble ladies.”

Guo Jing thought, “That’s nothing special. My Rong’er is a hundred times more beautiful.”

Qiu Chuji continued, “Many in the martial world were infatuated with Li Mochou, but she showed no interest in anyone and killed those who were disrespectful. Hearing about her junior sister’s beauty and the martial arts contest, who wouldn’t want to try their luck?”

Guo Jing suddenly understood and exclaimed, “So these people came to seek a wife. No wonder the palace disciples called me a lecherous demon.” Qiu Chuji laughed heartily and said, “We also learned that these villains didn’t entirely ignore the Quanzhen Sect. They planned to eliminate us if we intervened. We decided to confront them, gathered our sect members at Chongyang Palace ten days early, and trained the Beidou Formation while sending a warning to Xiaolongnü. But there was no response, and she ignored it completely.”

Guo Jing said, “Maybe she’s not in the tomb anymore.” Qiu Chuji replied, “No, we can see smoke rising from behind the tomb every day from the mountaintop. Look, over there.” He pointed west. Guo Jing followed his direction and saw dense forests stretching for over ten miles, unable to pinpoint the Tomb of the Living Dead’s location. Imagining an eighteen-year-old girl living in a tomb all year round, he thought, “If it were lively Rong’er, she’d be bored to death.”

Qiu Chuji continued, “We prepared to defend ourselves. Five days ago, our scouts returned, finding that the two most formidable villains were two great demons. They planned to meet at Puguang Temple at the mountain’s base and signal each other by striking a stone tablet. You accidentally struck the tablet, revealing your power, so it’s no wonder my useless disciples panicked. These two demons are disciples of the Mongolian secret sect and possess formidable martial arts. They shocked the martial world with their actions in the Central Plains this year. You’ve been secluded on Peach Blossom Island, so you wouldn’t know. That noble is a Mongolian prince, reportedly a close relative of Genghis Khan, known as Prince Huo Dou. You’ve spent much time in the desert and know the Mongolian royalty. Do you recognize his background?”

Guo Jing muttered “Prince Huo Dou” several times, recalling his appearance and behavior, but couldn’t place his lineage. He only noted that Huo Dou had a handsome, elegant demeanor, a mix of arrogance and cunning. Genghis Khan had four sons: the brave and strong Jochi, the violent yet shrewd Chagatai, the current emperor Ögedei, and the valiant Tolui, none resembling Huo Dou.

Qiu Chuji said, “He might be boasting about his status. His martial arts are of the secret sect. Early this year, he injured the Three Heroes of Henan and later single-handedly killed the Seven Overlords of Lanzhou, gaining widespread fame. We didn’t expect him to get involved in this matter. The other Mongolian monk, Dalba, has great strength and similar martial arts to Huo Dou. He’s likely Huo Dou’s senior brother or teacher. As a monk, he’s not seeking a wife but likely assisting Huo Dou. The other villains, hoping to share the tomb’s treasures, followed suit. There were over a hundred of them. Our Beidou Formation should have kept these second-rate characters at bay, preventing them from approaching Chongyang Palace. But due to this misunderstanding, we couldn’t block them.”

Guo Jing felt deeply apologetic and wanted to express his regret. Qiu Chuji waved his hand, smiling, “When you leave home, let go of all constraints. Palaces and pavilions are just external possessions. Even your body is insignificant, let alone material things. Haven’t you understood this after ten years of diligent internal cultivation?” Guo Jing smiled and replied, “Yes!” Qiu Chuji laughed, “Seeing the rear courtyard of Chongyang Palace burn, I was furious too. Only now have I calmed down. Compared to Senior Brother Ma’s calm detachment at the time, my cultivation is far inferior.” Guo Jing said, “These villains came without reason; it’s no wonder you were angry.”

Qiu Chuji said, “While the Beidou Formation was engaging with you, the two demons led a group of villains and took the opportunity to attack Chongyang Palace. They set fire to the temple as soon as they arrived. Junior Brother Hao stepped out to fight Prince Huo Dou. Unfortunately, he underestimated his opponent. Huo Dou’s martial arts are peculiar and unpredictable, and Junior Brother Hao, in his impatience, was struck on the chest by Huo Dou. We quickly formed a protective formation, but with one person missing, the replacement disciple’s skills were insufficient, and the formation’s power was greatly reduced. If you hadn’t arrived in time, the Quanzhen Sect would have been in real trouble today. Now that I think about it, even if our disciples at the mountain base had not mistaken you for an enemy, they couldn’t have stopped Dalba and Huo Dou. While we might not have lost, we certainly couldn’t have achieved such a clean and decisive victory like you did…” Just as he finished speaking, they suddenly heard a series of loud horn blasts from the west. The sound was somber and stirring, making Guo Jing think of the vast Mongolian steppes and the endless plains.

As they listened, the horn’s tone gradually became more intense, as if issuing a challenge. Qiu Chuji’s face showed anger as he cursed, “Insolent scoundrel!” He looked towards the western woods and said, “Jing’er, that villain set a ten-year challenge with you, hoping to run rampant during this period, thinking you wouldn’t interfere. How could things be so convenient? Let’s go!” Guo Jing asked, “Is it Prince Huo Dou?” Qiu Chuji replied, “Of course. He’s challenging Xiaolongnü.” As he spoke, he quickly descended the mountain, with Guo Jing following close behind.

They had walked about a mile when they heard the horn blowing more urgently, mixed with the clashing of weapons, indicating that Dalba had also joined the fight. Qiu Chuji angrily said, “Two renowned martial artists ganging up on a young girl, how shameless!” He quickened his pace. In no time, they reached the mountainside and turned past a row of stone walls. Guo Jing saw a large forest ahead, filled with shadows. Outside the forest stood a hundred or so people, the same group that had attacked Chongyang Palace. The two of them hid behind a stone wall to observe.

They saw Prince Huo Dou and Dalba standing side by side. Huo Dou was blowing the horn, while Dalba held a golden staff in his left hand and continuously struck a gold bracelet on his right wrist against the staff, creating a clanging sound that complemented the horn, trying to lure Xiaolongnü out. After some commotion, the forest remained silent.

Huo Dou put down the horn and said loudly, “Prince Huo Dou of Mongolia congratulates Xiaolongnü on her birthday.” As soon as he finished speaking, three sharp notes sounded from within the forest, as if in response to his greetings. Huo Dou was delighted and continued, “I have heard that Miss Long has announced a martial arts contest to find a husband. I am here to seek your guidance and hope you will honor me with a match.” Suddenly, the music became angry and intense. Although the villains did not understand music, they could tell the player was upset and wanted them to leave.

Huo Dou smiled and said, “I come from a noble lineage and am not unworthy of you. You, Miss Long, are a heroine of our time; there is no need to be shy.” As soon as he finished speaking, the music became even more aggressive, clearly conveying disapproval.

Huo Dou glanced at Dalba, who nodded. Huo Dou said, “Since you won’t come out, I will have to force you.” He put away the horn and, with a wave of his right hand, strode into the forest. The group of villains rushed forward, thinking, “Even the famous Quanzhen Sect couldn’t stop us, how can a lone girl like Xiaolongnü do anything?” However, each one wanted to be the first to grab the treasures, so they rushed into the forest eagerly.

Qiu Chuji shouted, “This is the ancestral home of our Quanzhen Sect founder, Wang Chongyang. Withdraw immediately!” The crowd hesitated briefly at his words but didn’t stop. Qiu Chuji angrily said, “Jing’er, let’s act!” The two of them stepped out from behind the wall, ready to enter the forest when suddenly the villains started shouting and fleeing from the forest.

Qiu Chuji and Guo Jing were stunned. They saw dozens of people running for their lives, followed by Huo Dou and Dalba, who looked even more disheveled than when they had fled from Chongyang Palace. Qiu Chuji and Guo Jing were both amazed, wondering what Xiaolongnü had done to drive them away. This thought had barely crossed their minds when they heard a buzzing sound growing louder. Under the moonlight, they saw a white, misty swarm flying out of the forest, heading straight for the villains. Guo Jing wondered, “What is that?” Qiu Chuji didn’t answer but watched intently. They saw a few slower runners being engulfed by the swarm and immediately falling to the ground, clutching their heads and screaming. Guo Jing exclaimed, “It’s a swarm of bees, but why are they white?” Within moments, the bees had stung five or six more people. A dozen or so were writhing on the ground, their screams piercing the night. Guo Jing thought, “Getting stung by bees shouldn’t be this painful. Could these bees be exceptionally poisonous?” He saw the grayish swarm moving towards him and Qiu Chuji.

Seeing the fierce swarm approaching, Guo Jing prepared to run. Qiu Chuji gathered his inner strength and blew a strong gust of air towards the bees. The swarm, flying fast, was momentarily slowed by the wind. Qiu Chuji blew a second gust, and Guo Jing, learning the technique, joined in, combining their breath into a strong wind. The bees couldn’t withstand it and veered off to the side, eventually chasing after Huo Dou and Dalba.

The people rolling on the ground were now screaming even more pitifully, begging for mercy. Guo Jing was shocked, thinking, “These people are ruthless outlaws. Even if they lose a limb, they wouldn’t beg for mercy. How could bee stings make them suffer so much?” 

They heard zither music from the forest, followed by a faint white smoke rising from the treetops. A sweet floral scent filled the air. Soon, the buzzing sound of the bees returned as they flew back to the forest, summoned by the scent. 

Qiu Chuji, who had been Xiaolongnü’s neighbor for eighteen years, had never known she possessed such skills. He was both impressed and amused, saying, “If we had known our neighbor had such great abilities, the Quanzhen Sect wouldn’t have needed to intervene.” Though speaking to Guo Jing, he intended for Xiaolongnü to hear. Sure enough, the zither music softened, expressing gratitude. Qiu Chuji laughed and called out, “Miss Long, no need to be so polite. I, Qiu Chuji, along with my disciple Guo Jing, wish you a happy birthday.” The zither played two notes in response and then fell silent.

Guo Jing, feeling pity for the suffering villains, said, “Daozhang, how can we help them?” Qiu Chuji replied, “Miss Long will take care of it. Let’s go.”

As they walked back, Guo Jing asked Qiu Chuji to accept Yang Guo as a disciple. Qiu Chuji sighed, “Your uncle Yang Tiexin was a hero. How could he not have a successor? Yang Kang’s fate was tragic, and I am partly to blame. Rest assured, I will do my best to teach and raise this child.” Guo Jing was overjoyed and knelt on the mountain path to express his gratitude.

They chatted as they returned to Chongyang Palace, where dawn was breaking. The disciples were busy cleaning up the remnants of the fire in the rear courtyard.

Qiu Chuji gathered the disciples and introduced Guo Jing. Pointing to the long-bearded Daoist who had led the Beidou Formation, he said, “This is the senior disciple of Junior Brother Wang. His name is Zhao Zhijing. Among the third-generation disciples, his martial arts are the most refined. He will guide Guo’er in his training.”

Guo Jing had previously sparred with Zhao Zhijing and knew his martial arts skills were quite impressive. He was very pleased and instructed Yang Guo to formally bow to Zhao Zhijing as his master. Guo Jing then sincerely thanked Zhao Zhijing.

Guo Jing stayed on Zhongnan Mountain for a few days, earnestly advising and instructing Yang Guo. He explained in detail that the martial arts of the Quanzhen Sect were of the highest caliber. He recounted how Wang Chongyang’s martial arts were once unmatched, and that none of the top experts from various schools and sects could defeat him. Guo Jing emphasized that the reason he could defeat the Daoists was not due to the inadequacy of Quanzhen martial arts but because the Daoists had not yet reached the pinnacle of their training.

However, Yang Guo believed that Guo Jing and his wife did not want to teach him their skills and were shirking responsibility by entrusting his training to others. Moreover, having personally witnessed the humiliating defeat of the Daoists, with their swords broken and their falls, Yang Guo remained skeptical. Despite Guo Jing’s repeated explanations and reassurances, Yang Guo outwardly agreed but inwardly refused to believe him.

After settling Yang Guo, Guo Jing bid farewell to everyone and returned to Peach Blossom Island.

---

Qiu Chuji recalled teaching martial arts to Yang Kang in the past, but allowing him to live a life of luxury in the prince’s mansion, which ultimately led to great mistakes. He thought, “A strict teacher produces excellent disciples, and strict discipline leads to filial children. This time, I must be strict with Guo’er to prevent him from repeating his father’s mistakes.” He then called Yang Guo over, harshly admonished him, and instructed him to be diligent, endure hardships, and obey his master’s teachings without any negligence.

Yang Guo, already unwilling to stay on Mount Zhongnan, felt wronged after being scolded without reason and could hardly contain his anger. Though he agreed tearfully at the time, once Qiu Chuji walked away, he couldn’t help but cry out loud. Suddenly, a cold voice behind him said, “What? Did the patriarch say something wrong about you?”

Yang Guo was startled and stopped crying, turning around to see his master Zhao Zhijing standing there. He quickly lowered his hands and said, “No.” Zhao Zhijing asked, “Then why are you crying?” Yang Guo replied, “Disciple was thinking about Uncle Guo and felt sad.” Zhao Zhijing, clearly hearing Qiu Chuji’s stern reprimand, was displeased by Yang Guo’s excuse of missing Guo Jing and thought, “This child is already so cunning at a young age; if not heavily punished, how can he change when he grows up?” With a stern face, he shouted, “How dare you lie to your master?”

Yang Guo had seen the Quanzhen disciples being thoroughly defeated by Guo Jing and had seen Qiu Chuji and the others being overwhelmed by Huo Du’s group of evildoers, relying entirely on Guo Jing for rescue. He had no respect for these Taoist priests and even less for Zhao Zhijing. Seeing his master’s angry face, he thought, “I was forced to take you as my master. Even if I train to be exactly like you in martial arts, what use is it? You’re still useless. Why are you being so fierce?” He turned his head away without answering.

Zhao Zhijing was furious and raised his voice even higher, “I asked you a question, how dare you not answer?” Yang Guo said, “What does master want me to answer?” Zhao Zhijing couldn’t contain his anger anymore and slapped Yang Guo hard across the face, leaving his cheek red and swollen. Yang Guo cried out and ran away. Zhao Zhijing caught up with him, grabbed him, and asked, “Where are you going?” Yang Guo said, “Let go, I don’t want to learn martial arts from you anymore.”

Zhao Zhijing became even angrier and shouted, “You little bastard, what did you say?” Yang Guo, now determined, cursed, “Stinking Taoist, dog Taoist, kill me if you dare!” In the martial arts world, the relationship between master and disciple was as sacred as that of father and son, and even if a master wanted to kill his disciple, the disciple would not dare to resist. Yang Guo’s act of cursing his master was considered highly rebellious and unheard of. Zhao Zhijing’s face turned livid with rage, and he raised his hand to strike Yang Guo again. Yang Guo suddenly leaped up, grabbed Zhao Zhijing’s arm, and bit down hard on his right index finger, digging his teeth into the flesh.

Yang Guo had learned some internal martial arts from Ouyang Feng, and although Zhao Zhijing was furious and underestimated him as a child, he couldn’t break free from Yang Guo’s tight grip and bite. The pain was excruciating. Zhao Zhijing punched Yang Guo hard on the shoulder with his left hand and shouted, “Are you trying to die? Let go!” Yang Guo, in a fit of rage, decided not to let go even if faced with knives and guns. As the pain in his shoulder intensified, he bit down harder, his teeth reaching the bone with a crunch. Zhao Zhijing screamed, “Ouch!” and struck Yang Guo on the head, knocking him unconscious. He then pried Yang Guo’s jaw open and removed his finger, which was bleeding profusely with the bone fractured. Although the finger could be healed, it would never be as strong as before, and his martial arts would suffer. Enraged, Zhao Zhijing kicked Yang Guo several times.

He tore off Yang Guo’s sleeve to bandage his finger wound and looked around, relieved that no one else was present. If others found out that Zhao Zhijing of the Quanzhen Sect had his finger bitten off by a young disciple, it would be a great humiliation. He fetched a basin of cold water and splashed it on Yang Guo to wake him up.

As soon as Yang Guo woke up, he attacked again. Zhao Zhijing grabbed him by the chest and shouted, “You beast, do you really want to die?” Yang Guo cursed, “Dog thief, stinking Taoist, useless coward who was beaten by my Uncle Guo and begged for mercy, you’re the real beast!”

Zhao Zhijing slapped him again. This time, he was on guard, and Yang Guo couldn’t get close. In an instant, Yang Guo was kicked and flipped several times. Zhao Zhijing could easily have injured him severely, but he held back, thinking that if he hurt Yang Guo too badly, he wouldn’t be able to explain to his master and senior brothers. However, Yang Guo kept attacking desperately as if he had a deep-seated grudge. Despite being repeatedly hit, he showed no signs of backing down.

Zhao Zhijing regretted his actions but saw that Yang Guo, despite being injured all over, was becoming more and more fierce. In desperation, he pressed a point on Yang Guo’s side, immobilizing him. Yang Guo lay on the ground, glaring with anger. Zhao Zhijing asked, “Do you submit now, you rebellious disciple?” Yang Guo stared back defiantly. Zhao Zhijing, breathing heavily, sat on a large stone. If he were fighting a skilled opponent, he wouldn’t be this exhausted, but his anger made it hard to calm down.

Master and disciple glared at each other, with Zhao Zhijing at a loss for how to handle this defiant child. Suddenly, the sound of a bell rang out, summoning all disciples. Zhao Zhijing was startled and said to Yang Guo, “If you stop being disobedient, I’ll let you go.” He released the pressure point.

Unexpectedly, Yang Guo sprang up and attacked again. Zhao Zhijing stepped back and said angrily, “I’m not hitting you, what do you want now?” Yang Guo asked, “Will you hit me again?” Zhao Zhijing, hearing the urgent bell, couldn’t afford to delay and said, “If you behave, why would I hit you?” Yang Guo said, “Fine. If you don’t hit me, I’ll call you master. If you hit me again, I’ll never acknowledge you.” Zhao Zhijing, frustrated, nodded and said, “The headmaster is summoning us, let’s go.” Seeing Yang Guo’s torn clothes and bruised face, he hurriedly tidied him up and took him to the gathering place.

When Zhao Zhijing and Yang Guo arrived, the other disciples were already assembled. Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, and Wang Chuyi were seated facing outward. Ma Yu clapped three times and announced loudly, “Changsheng Zhenren and Qingjing Sanren have sent urgent news from Shanxi, saying the situation there is extremely troublesome. After discussing with my junior brothers, we’ve decided that Changchun Zhenren and Yuyang Zhenren will take ten disciples and depart immediately to assist.” The disciples exchanged glances, some surprised and some angry. Qiu Chuji then called out the names of ten disciples, saying, “Prepare your things. Tomorrow morning, you will leave with Yuyang Zhenren and me to Shanxi. The rest may disperse.”

As the disciples dispersed, they whispered among themselves, “How can Li Mochou be so formidable? Even Master Liu couldn’t handle her?” Some said, “Isn’t Master Sun also a woman? It shows that there are capable women too, not to be underestimated.” Others said, “With Master Qiu and Master Wang going, Li Mochou will surely be captured.”

Qiu Chuji approached Zhao Zhijing and said, “Your master wanted to take you along, but feared it would hinder Guo’er’s progress. You will stay behind this time.” He then noticed Yang Guo’s bruised face and asked, “What happened? Who did you fight with?” Zhao Zhijing, panicked, feared severe punishment if Qiu Chuji learned the truth, and signaled to Yang Guo. Yang Guo, having a plan, pretended not to notice Zhao Zhijing’s signals and hesitated without answering. Qiu Chuji, angry, demanded, “Who beat you like this? Whose fault is it? Speak up.” Zhao Zhijing, hearing Qiu Chuji’s stern tone, became even more fearful.

Yang Guo said, “It wasn’t a fight; I fell and tumbled into a mountain pit.” Qiu Chuji didn’t believe him and angrily said, “You’re lying. How could you just fall like that? The injuries on your face weren’t from a fall.” Yang Guo replied, “Earlier, Grandmaster scolded me and told me to behave and learn properly…” Qiu Chuji interrupted, “Yes, so what happened?” Yang Guo continued, “After Grandmaster left, I thought about his words and realized I must strive to improve myself to meet his expectations.” These flattering words softened Qiu Chuji’s expression, and he grunted in acknowledgment. Yang Guo continued, “Then suddenly, a mad dog came out of nowhere and attacked me without reason. I tried to kick it away, but it became even more vicious. I had no choice but to run, and in my haste, I fell into a mountain pit. Fortunately, my master came and rescued me.”

Qiu Chuji was skeptical and looked at Zhao Zhijing, silently asking if Yang Guo’s story was true. Zhao Zhijing was furious, thinking, “You brat! How dare you call me a mad dog?” But he couldn’t expose the lie and had to go along with it, nodding and saying, “Yes, I was the one who saved him.”

Only then did Qiu Chuji believe the story and said, “After I leave, make sure to teach him our sect’s profound skills properly. Every ten days, I will check his progress and give guidance.” Zhao Zhijing was unwilling, but he dared not disobey his senior, so he bowed and agreed. Yang Guo, however, was only focused on the fun of forcing his master to admit to being a mad dog and didn’t listen to Qiu Chuji’s words at all. After Qiu Chuji walked away, Zhao Zhijing, seething with anger, couldn’t help but raise his hand to hit Yang Guo again. Yang Guo shouted, “Grandmaster Qiu!” Qiu Chuji turned back in surprise and asked, “What is it?” Zhao Zhijing’s hand was suspended in mid-air, too afraid to strike, making the situation awkward. He pretended to scratch his head instead. Yang Guo ran to Qiu Chuji and said, “Grandmaster, after you leave, no one will look after me. Many uncles here want to hit me.” Qiu Chuji frowned and said sternly, “Nonsense! There is no such thing!” Though outwardly strict, he was kind-hearted and felt pity for the orphan. He loudly said, “Zhijing, take good care of this child. If anything goes wrong, I will hold you accountable.” Zhao Zhijing had no choice but to agree again.

That evening, after dinner, Yang Guo walked slowly to his master’s quiet room and respectfully called, “Master!” It was time to learn martial arts. Zhao Zhijing, who had been meditating cross-legged on the bed, had been thinking for a long time. He thought, “This child is so rebellious now. If he becomes skilled in martial arts in the future, who will be able to control him? But I can’t disobey Senior Uncle Qiu and the master who ordered me to teach him.” After much deliberation, he had an idea: “He knows nothing about our sect’s skills. I’ll just teach him the secret formulas without the actual practice methods. What good will it do for him to memorize hundreds of verses? If questioned by the masters, I can simply say he didn’t put in the effort.”

Having made up his mind, he said kindly, “Guo’er, come here.” Yang Guo asked, “Are you going to hit me?” Zhao Zhijing replied, “Why would I hit you while teaching you martial arts?” Yang Guo, surprised by his tone, approached cautiously, fearing some trick. Zhao Zhijing pretended not to notice and said, “Our Quanzhen Sect’s skills are cultivated from the inside out, unlike other external skills. Now I will teach you our sect’s inner techniques, and you must remember them well.” He then recited the entry-level inner strength formulas of the Quanzhen Sect.

Yang Guo memorized them after hearing them once, thinking, “This long-bearded goat hates me. Why would he sincerely teach me real skills? He’s probably giving me useless fake formulas to mess with me.” After a while, he pretended to forget and asked Zhao Zhijing to teach him again. Zhao Zhijing repeated the same thing. The next day, Yang Guo asked again, and Zhao Zhijing’s words were still the same, convincing Yang Guo it wasn’t fake. He reasoned that if Zhao Zhijing had made it up, he couldn’t repeat it word for word three times.

After ten days, Zhao Zhijing only taught him the formulas and not the actual practice methods. On the tenth day, Zhao Zhijing took him to see Ma Yu, saying he had taught him the sect’s inner techniques and asked Yang Guo to recite them. Yang Guo recited them flawlessly, and Ma Yu was very pleased, praising the child’s intelligence. Ma Yu was a sincere and humble man who couldn’t imagine Zhao Zhijing had other plans.

As summer ended and autumn came, then autumn gave way to winter, several months passed. Yang Guo memorized many formulas but didn’t learn any real skills. His martial arts and inner strength were no better than when he first came to the mountain. He realized a few days after memorizing the formulas that his master was messing with him. But since Zhao Zhijing refused to teach him, he couldn’t do anything about it. He thought of complaining to the kind Grandmaster Ma, but he feared Zhao Zhijing might find other ways to torment him. So he decided to wait for Grandmaster Qiu to return. But Qiu Chuji never came back during those months. Yang Guo didn’t care much for the Quanzhen Sect’s martial arts and thought, “These useless skills are no good anyway. The less I learn, the better!” Despite Zhao Zhijing’s trickery, Yang Guo bore the grudge deeply but didn’t show it, acting even more obedient on the surface.

Zhao Zhijing was secretly pleased, thinking, “You defy your master; let’s see who suffers in the end.”

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In the blink of an eye, it was already the twelfth lunar month. According to the rules handed down by Wang Chongyang, the founder of the Quanzhen Sect, three days before New Year’s Eve every year, the disciples would have a major martial arts competition to evaluate everyone’s progress over the past year. As the competition drew near, the disciples practiced diligently day and night.

On the fifteenth day of the twelfth month, the disciples of the Quanzhen Seven Masters had a preliminary competition called the “small competition.” The disciples were divided into seven groups: Ma Yu’s disciples and grand-disciples formed one group, Qiu Chuji’s and Wang Chuyi’s disciples and grand-disciples formed their own groups, and so on. Although Tan Chuduan had passed away, his disciples and grand-disciples remained strong. Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, and the others, feeling sympathy for Tan Chuduan’s early death, gave special attention to his disciples. As a result, during the annual major competition, the disciples of Tan Chuduan’s line often performed no worse than those of the other six masters. This year, the Chongyang Palace had faced disaster and the Quanzhen Sect had nearly been overthrown. Realizing that the Quanzhen Sect, despite being reputed as the orthodox school of martial arts, was actually at risk due to the emergence of many skilled martial artists from other sects, everyone practiced even more diligently than before.

The Quanzhen Sect was founded by Wang Chongyang, who was the grand master. Ma Yu and the other six were his direct disciples, making them the second generation. Zhao Zhijing, Yin Zhiping, Cheng Yaojia, and others were disciples of the seven masters, making them the third generation. Yang Guo and his peers were the fourth generation. That afternoon, Zhao Zhijing, Cui Zhifang, and other disciples of Ma Yu gathered in the open space in the southeast corner for their martial arts competition. Since Wang Chuyi was not on the mountain, his chief disciple Zhao Zhijing presided over the small competition. The fourth-generation disciples showcased their skills in various forms, including fist techniques, weapons, hidden weapons, and internal strength, with Zhao Zhijing and others providing commentary and ranking them.

Yang Guo, being the latest to join the sect, sat at the end of the line. He saw many young Taoist disciples and secular boys around his age with well-honed martial arts skills, each with their specialties. Instead of feeling envious, he harbored resentment. Zhao Zhijing noticed his discontented expression and deliberately wanted to embarrass him. After two young Taoists finished their weapon match, Zhao Zhijing called out loudly, “Yang Guo, come forward!”

Yang Guo was startled and thought, “You haven’t taught me any martial arts, so why are you calling me?” Zhao Zhijing called again, “Yang Guo, didn’t you hear me? Come out now!” Yang Guo had no choice but to step forward, bow, and say, “Disciple Yang Guo greets Master.” Most members of the Quanzhen Sect were Taoist priests, but a few, like Yang Guo, were secular disciples and performed secular greetings.

Zhao Zhijing pointed to the young Taoist who had just won the match and said, “He’s not much older than you. Go and compete with him.” Yang Guo replied, “I don’t know any martial arts. How can I compete with Senior Brother?” Zhao Zhijing angrily said, “I’ve been teaching you for more than half a year. How can you say you don’t know any martial arts? What have you been doing all this time?” Yang Guo had no answer and lowered his head in silence. Zhao Zhijing said, “You’ve been lazy and playful, not willing to put in the effort, so naturally, your skills are rusty. Let me ask you: ‘What is the foundation of cultivating the true path?’ The next two lines?” Yang Guo replied, “The essence is full, and the energy is complete; the divine light shines, illuminating the entire mind.” Zhao Zhijing said, “Correct. Now let me ask you again: ‘The secret words of the master lead to enlightenment; coming and going, nothing is lacking.’ The next two lines?” Yang Guo answered, “Years of dust wiped away; the whole body radiates brightly in the void.” Zhao Zhijing smiled and said, “Very good, not a single mistake. Now use these verses and spar with your senior brother.” Yang Guo was stunned again and said, “I can’t do it.” Zhao Zhijing, feeling pleased with himself but showing an angry face, shouted, “You learned the formulas but didn’t practice, always making excuses. Get into the arena now!”

These verses were essential for practicing internal skills, teaching one to calm the mind and cultivate energy. Each line was paired with several moves, forming a basic set of Quanzhen Sect’s introductory fist techniques. The Taoist priests who heard Yang Guo recite the verses perfectly thought he was just nervous and encouraged him. Some gloated and ridiculed him. Although most Quanzhen disciples were kind-hearted, many bore grudges from the battle with Guo Jing on Mount Zhongnan, where they had been defeated, causing some to take out their anger on Yang Guo. Although not necessarily malicious, they still hoped to see him struggle, a common human sentiment.

As the crowd urged him, some with sarcastic remarks, Yang Guo’s anger grew. He steeled himself, thinking, “I’ll fight to the death today,” and leaped into the arena, swinging his arms wildly and charging at the young Taoist. The young Taoist was already surprised that Yang Guo didn’t follow the sect’s etiquette and even more shocked by his wild attacks, causing him to retreat repeatedly. Yang Guo, disregarding life and death, pressed forward relentlessly. The young Taoist, retreating several steps, saw Yang Guo’s unsteady footing and used a move called “Wind Sweeps the Leaves” to sweep his leg. Yang Guo, not knowing how to dodge, fell to the ground, bleeding from the nose.

Some of the Taoists laughed at his sorry state. Yang Guo got up without wiping the blood, lowered his head, and charged at the young Taoist again. The young Taoist, seeing his fierce approach, dodged sideways. Yang Guo, with no regard for proper techniques, grabbed the young Taoist’s left leg. The young Taoist struck Yang Guo’s shoulder with a move called “Wiping Away the Dust.” Since Yang Guo had not learned martial arts on Peach Blossom Island and had not been taught practical skills at Chongyang Palace, he didn’t understand the opponent’s moves. He only felt a sharp pain as he was hit hard. The more he lost, the fiercer he became, headbutting the young Taoist’s right leg, causing the young Taoist to fall. Yang Guo raised his fist and struck the young Taoist’s head hard.

The young Taoist, seeking victory in defeat, elbowed Yang Guo’s chest, using the momentum to leap up and flip Yang Guo over with a move called “Nothing Lacking.” He bowed and said, “Thank you for letting me win, Brother Yang.” In a normal match between peers, one would stop after a clear victory. But Yang Guo, like a mad tiger, charged again. After a few more moves, he was thrown down again but kept fighting more fiercely, his moves getting faster.

Zhao Zhijing shouted, “Yang Guo, you’ve already lost. Why continue?” But Yang Guo ignored him, fighting desperately. The Taoists initially found it amusing, thinking, “How could our Quanzhen Sect have such brute, clumsy skills?” But as the fight continued, they feared things might get out of hand and urged, “Stop, stop. This is just a friendly match among brothers.”

After another round, the young Taoist became fearful and only dodged and avoided Yang Guo. As the saying goes, “A desperate person is unstoppable.” After months of resentment, Yang Guo vented all his anger. Though the young Taoist’s skills were far superior, he lacked the fierce spirit. Seeing he couldn’t resist, he ran around the arena with Yang Guo in hot pursuit, shouting, “Stinky Taoist, you hit me well. Now you want to run?”

Among the spectators, most were Taoists. Hearing Yang Guo’s insults, they felt both angry and amused, thinking, “This boy needs to be taught a good lesson.” The young Taoist, panicking, cried out, “Master, Master!” hoping Zhao Zhijing would intervene. Zhao Zhijing repeatedly shouted angrily, but Yang Guo ignored him.

Just as things were getting out of hand, a fat Taoist rushed out from the crowd, grabbed Yang Guo by the collar, and slapped him hard three times, making one side of his face swell up. Yang Guo nearly fainted from the blows and saw that it was his old enemy, Lu Qingdu. On his first day on the mountain, Lu Qingdu had tried to burn him, causing him to be ridiculed by his fellow disciples for not even being able to handle a child. He had harbored resentment ever since and couldn’t resist taking action when he saw Yang Guo causing trouble again.

Yang Guo, already determined to fight to the death, knew he had no hope upon seeing Lu Qingdu. Being grabbed by the back, he couldn’t move. Lu Qingdu laughed grimly and slapped him three more times, saying, “You disobeyed your master, so anyone in our sect can beat you.” He raised his hand to strike again.

Cui Zhifang, Zhao Zhijing’s junior brother, noticed that Yang Guo seemed not to know any of the sect’s skills and suspected Zhao Zhijing of some underhanded dealings. Seeing Lu Qingdu’s harsh blows, he feared Yang Guo might get seriously hurt and shouted, “Lu Qingdu, stop!”

Lu Qingdu, hearing his uncle’s command, reluctantly let go of Yang Guo, saying, “Uncle, you don’t understand. This boy is extremely cunning and needs a harsh lesson to maintain our sect’s rules.”

Ignoring him, Cui Zhifang approached Yang Guo, seeing his swollen, bruised face and bloodstained nose and mouth. He gently asked, “Yang Guo, your master taught you martial arts, so why didn’t you practice and instead caused trouble with your senior brothers?” Yang Guo angrily replied, “What master? He didn’t teach me any martial arts.” Cui Zhifang said, “I clearly heard you reciting the formulas without any mistakes.”

Yang Guo recalled how Huang Rong had made him memorize the Four Books and Five Classics on Peach Blossom Island. He thought that what Zhao Zhijing had taught him was also unrelated to martial arts and said, “I don’t want to become a top scholar by taking exams, so what’s the use of memorizing this nonsense?” Cui Zhifang pretended to be angry to test whether Yang Guo really didn’t know any martial arts. He sternly said, “How dare you speak so rudely to your elders?” Then, he suddenly reached out and pushed Yang Guo on the shoulder.

Cui Zhifang was one of the top third-generation disciples of the Quanzhen Sect. Although his martial arts skills were not as high as Zhao Zhijing’s, he was well-rounded and had considerable internal strength. His push was perfectly measured, but to his surprise, he felt Yang Guo’s shoulder slightly shift, and the internal force naturally dispersed his push by half. Although Yang Guo staggered back a few steps, he did not fall. This astonished Cui Zhifang and raised suspicions in his mind: “How could he have such internal strength at such a young age, having only been in our sect for half a year? If he truly had this internal strength, he wouldn’t have fought so chaotically earlier. Could he be deceiving us?” What Cui Zhifang didn’t know was that Yang Guo had unknowingly made significant progress in practicing the internal skills taught by Ouyang Feng. The internal skills of the White Camel Mountain sect were easy to start with and progressed rapidly, unlike the Quanzhen Sect’s internal skills, which emphasized a solid foundation. In the first ten years of practice, the disciples of the White Camel Mountain would have much higher internal strength. Only after ten years would the Quanzhen Sect disciples start to catch up. Although the internal skills of the two sects were very different, Cui Zhifang could not distinguish the differences with a casual push.

Yang Guo, struggling to breathe from the push, thought Cui Zhifang was also attacking him. He feared neither heaven nor earth at this moment and would have fought even if Qiu Chuji himself had come. How could he be afraid of Cui Zhifang? He lowered his head and charged at Cui Zhifang’s abdomen. Cui Zhifang, not wanting to stoop to a child’s level, smiled slightly, sidestepped, and wanted to see Yang Guo’s real skills. He said, “Qingdu, spar with Junior Brother Yang, but be gentle.”

Lu Qingdu was eager for this instruction. He immediately stepped in front of Yang Guo, striking with his left palm. Yang Guo dodged to the right, but Lu Qingdu’s right palm followed, using a move called “Tiger’s Gate Hand” with considerable force, hitting Yang Guo squarely in the chest. If Yang Guo had not practiced the internal skills of the White Camel Mountain, he would have coughed up blood on the spot. Even so, his chest hurt terribly, and his face turned pale. Lu Qingdu was surprised that one palm strike didn’t knock him down and threw another punch at his face. Yang Guo raised his arm to block, but not knowing any martial arts techniques, he couldn’t defend himself properly. Lu Qingdu’s right fist diverted, and his left fist struck Yang Guo’s abdomen again. Yang Guo bent over in pain. Lu Qingdu mercilessly chopped at Yang Guo’s neck with the edge of his right palm, aiming to knock him out immediately. However, Yang Guo staggered but didn’t fall, though he was dizzy and had no strength to fight back.

Cui Zhifang now knew that Yang Guo truly didn’t know any martial arts and called out, “Qingdu, stop!” Lu Qingdu asked Yang Guo, “Do you admit defeat?” Yang Guo cursed, “You dirty Taoist, I’ll kill you someday!” Lu Qingdu was furious and punched Yang Guo twice on the nose.

Yang Guo was beaten to the point of dizziness, staggering and nearly falling. Suddenly, a surge of heat rose from his lower abdomen, and he instinctively bent his knees and shouted, pushing his palms forward. He struck Lu Qingdu in the abdomen, sending the large Taoist flying several feet away. He landed heavily and lay motionless on the ground.

The watching Taoists, seeing Lu Qingdu bullying Yang Guo, were already upset. Now they were shocked to see Lu Qingdu lying motionless after being struck by Yang Guo’s palm and rushed over to check on him.

Yang Guo didn’t know how to use the internal power of the Toad Skill but instinctively unleashed it in a desperate moment. He had used it once before on Peach Blossom Island to knock out Wu Xiuwen. Since then, he had practiced it on his own, increasing his internal strength significantly. His hatred for Lu Qingdu was much stronger than for the Wu brothers, giving him even more power in his strike. The Taoists exclaimed, “Oh no, he’s dead!” “No breath, his internal organs must be shattered!” “Report to the grand master quickly!” Realizing he had caused a serious incident, Yang Guo didn’t think twice and ran off.

Everyone was checking on Lu Qingdu, so no one noticed Yang Guo slipping away. Zhao Zhijing saw Lu Qingdu’s eyes rolling back and couldn’t tell if he was alive or dead. He shouted in anger, “Yang Guo, what kind of sorcery is this?” Although Zhao Zhijing was highly skilled, he had spent most of his time at Chongyang Palace and hadn’t seen much of the world. He didn’t recognize the Toad Skill. After calling several times and hearing no response from Yang Guo, the Taoists turned around to find he had disappeared. Zhao Zhijing issued an order for everyone to search for him, thinking, “This boy can’t have gone far in such a short time.”

Yang Guo, in a panic, ran aimlessly, heading for dense woods. After running for a while, he heard shouts behind him, with people calling, “Yang Guo, come out!” His fear increased, and he stumbled through the uneven terrain. Suddenly, he saw a figure ahead. A Taoist had spotted him and was running towards him. Yang Guo quickly turned, only to see another Taoist to the west shouting, “He’s here!” Yang Guo ducked into a thicket. The large Taoist couldn’t fit through and had to go around, losing track of Yang Guo.

Yang Guo rushed through the underbrush, running until the shouts behind him faded. He didn’t dare stop, avoiding the roads and running through grass and rocks. Eventually, his body was too sore and exhausted to continue. He sat on a stone, panting. After a while, he thought, “I need to keep running.” But his legs felt as heavy as lead, and he couldn’t stand up. Suddenly, he heard someone laughing coldly behind him. Startled, he turned to see Zhao Zhijing glaring at him, with his long beard hanging down.

They stared at each other for a moment without moving. Yang Guo suddenly shouted and turned to flee. Zhao Zhijing lunged forward, reaching for Yang Guo’s back, but Yang Guo dodged just in time, picked up a stone, and threw it. Zhao Zhijing dodged the stone and quickened his pace, closing the distance between them. Yang Guo ran a few more steps and saw a deep ravine ahead with no way forward. Without thinking, he leaped down.

Zhao Zhijing reached the cliff’s edge and saw Yang Guo rolling down a grassy slope into a thicket. The drop was at least six or seven meters, and he didn’t dare jump down. He quickly took a detour to the grassy slope, following Yang Guo’s path into the woods but couldn’t find him. As he walked deeper into the forest, it became so dense that it blocked out the sunlight. After walking a dozen steps, he suddenly realized this was the entrance to the Tomb of the Living Dead, where the founder of their sect, Wang Chongyang, had lived. According to strict sect rules, no one was allowed to enter. However, he couldn’t let Yang Guo escape and called out, “Yang Guo, come out!”

After a few calls, the forest remained silent. Gathering his courage, he walked a few more steps and saw a stone tablet with the words “No Entry for Outsiders” carved on it. He hesitated for a moment, then shouted, “Yang Guo, you little thief! If you don’t come out, I’ll beat you to death when I catch you.” As soon as he finished shouting, a strange buzzing sound arose, and a swarm of white bees flew out from the trees, rushing towards him.

Zhao Zhijing was greatly alarmed and swung his robe sleeves to drive away the bees. With his deep internal energy, the force from his sleeves was not insignificant. However, after a few swings, the swarm suddenly split into two: one group attacked from the front, and the other from behind. This shocked Zhao Zhijing even more. He didn’t dare to be careless and waved his sleeves furiously to protect his entire body. The swarm dispersed, attacking him from above, below, left, and right, from all directions. Zhao Zhijing didn’t dare resist any longer. He covered his head and face with his sleeves and turned to run out of the forest.

The swarm of Jade Bees buzzed after him, not very fast but persistently chasing. If Zhao Zhijing fled east, the bees followed east; if he fled west, the bees followed west. When he slowed his sleeve movements slightly, two bees swiftly flew through the gap and stung him on his right cheek. In no time, Zhao Zhijing felt unbearable numbness and itching, as if his internal organs were also itching. He thought, “Today is the end of me!” Eventually, he lost his balance and rolled on the grassy slope at the edge of the forest, crying out loudly. The bees swarmed around him, and some took the opportunity to sting him a few more times before returning to the forest.