Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 62 Yi Daoren

Inside the main hall of the Nanyang Gang headquarters.

A tall, bearded old man stood before a painting titled "The Heavenly King Who Receives the Pagoda," a work by his friend Zhan Ziqian.

On the side of the Heavenly King painting, there is a long, crescent-shaped sword weighing nearly sixty pounds.

The old man looked to be over sixty years old, with a high nose bridge, a chiseled face, and a calm yet sharp gaze.

This person is none other than Yang Zhen, the leader of Nanyang.

He seemed to have thought of something, and his feet unconsciously paced back and forth.

There were two other people in the hall, one in his fifties with an upright appearance, and the other in his early forties with thick eyebrows and lips.

The older one is called Meng Degong, nicknamed Left-Handed Swordsman.

The guy with the thick eyebrows is named Fan Naitang.

They were breathing deeply, and possessed a spirit that was rare among ordinary people.

These two were not only top martial arts masters, but also Yang Zhen's right-hand men.

With an upright expression, Meng Degong put down his teacup and couldn't help but ask, "What's troubling you, Chief?"

Fan Naitang raised a thick eyebrow: "Is it because of Zhu Can, the cannibalistic madman from Champion City? Or is it because of the recent conflicts between those families in the city?"

"neither."

Yang Zhen responded in a low voice, stood at the entrance of the hall, stroked his beard, and looked eastward: "I don't know why, but lately I've been feeling uneasy."

At this moment, Meng Degong and Fan Naitang stood up and stood next to Yang Zhen.

Together they looked eastward.

In the distance, thick, dark clouds gathered, like layers of lead forged by a heavy hammer, pressing down on the horizon.

A lightning bolt flashed through the clouds, blinding the three of them.

"Boom~!"

A thunderous roar erupted.

……

"It is going to rain?"

Zhou Yi looked up at the dark clouds, then gazed ahead and could vaguely make out a small town.

He quickened his pace and headed towards the city.

If it suddenly rains, getting soaked to the bone wouldn't be pleasant.

The phrase "leaning against the Funiu Mountains and embracing the Han River, gazing at the Golden Basin and scooping up the finest wine" perfectly describes the land beneath his feet.

He borrowed a flag to visit the general and raised an army to rebel against Wang Mang.

The great magician Liu Xiu also set foot here.

Dark clouds hung low like a gaping maw, and Zhou Yi sped up a few more paces, entering the ancient city of Sheqi.

A quick glance revealed a teahouse not far away, its signboard hanging high, swaying left and right in the wind blowing through the city.

A waiter came out of the teahouse and brought a large stone to weigh it down, which made it stable.

"Sir, would you like a bowl of tea to quench your thirst?"

As Zhou Yi approached, the shop assistant naturally moved closer.

This teahouse, situated at the city gate, easily attracts customers and is therefore extremely lively.

There were people everywhere, inside and out.

Four or five carriages were parked at the gate, with guard flags hanging on them.

There were also about ten strong horses, guarded by alert guards, and several江湖人士 (jianghu figures) drinking tea by the horses, each carrying a knife and a stick.

Traveling merchants, travelers,镖客 (bodyguards/escorts), a few beggars sitting at the entrance, and some government officials from within the city were all mixed together.

People seem to have gotten used to it.

Zhou Yi quickly adapted to the atmosphere around Nanyang County, "There was tea to drink, but no seats available."

He was speaking.

At the entrance, six herb vendors carrying bundles stood up and shouted for their bill.

"It seems you are a distinguished guest," the waiter said, implying that Zhou Yi had arrived at the perfect time.

He quickly tidied the table, and Zhou Yi sat down.

The voice of the tea server came from the second floor of the teahouse. He talked about the affairs of the martial arts world and the chaos of the world together, which made it quite a lively discussion.

One of the things that happened made Zhou Yi laugh.

It is said that Zhang Xutuo's troops are pursuing Li Mi in a large-scale campaign, and the experts of the Jinzi Camp are engaged in a fierce battle with the Pushan Public Camp.

Just as they were about to listen carefully, six people suddenly rushed in from outside, four men and two women, all of whom were very young.

Their clothing and weapons were uniform and quite impressive.

The man in the lead was tall and had a rather honest-looking face. He was accompanied by a pretty young woman, both around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.

The man glanced around and then went up to the second floor.

Unable to find an open space, they then approached Zhou Yi.

"Junior sister, let's gather here."

"Okay," the woman replied.

After speaking, he cupped his hands to Zhou Yi, but swallowed the word "brother" before he could say it.

"Master, excuse me for disturbing you."

Quite polite.

Zhou Yi smiled and moved aside slightly to make room for them. "Please."

"Thank you."

The man first asked his junior sister to sit down, while his companion shouted "Hey, buddy!"

The people in the teahouse were used to it.

"Hey, senior brother, look."

The woman's eyes were fixed on the banner beside Zhou Yi, noticing the characters for "yin and yang" fluttering in the wind. Several people around looked over at the sound, then turned back to Zhou Yi.

"Does the Taoist priest engage in shady business?"

The term "出黑" refers to a yin-yang master.

“I can do it, but I need to go to Nanyang to look for someone, so it won’t be convenient to delay,” Zhou Yi politely declined.

The man advised, "It won't take up your time; it's just a short trip along the way, only two or three hours. You won't be shortchanged on your Dharma fee."

"Zhu Can of Champion City is causing trouble in the surrounding area. You need to be questioned before you can enter the city. If you come with us, you can pass through without any problems and avoid trouble."

Zhou Yi shook his head and declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, but I still want to go find the person on my own."

"Young Taoist priest, wouldn't it be better to give us a favor? Why rush things?" the girl said with a hint of complaint. "What important person are you looking for this time?"

She was quite boastful:
“Just tell us about the important figures in Nanyang County, and we’ll see if there are any we don’t recognize.”

Zhou Yi's expression changed slightly: "This humble Taoist priest is blind and does not know who you are."

The man said, "My name is Ying Yu, and my master is Lü Chong, the leader of the Tiankui Sect."

“What my junior sister said is true. She is Master’s beloved daughter. If you are looking for an important person, even Yang Dalongtou can help pass on a message.”

The woman said with a hint of pride, "My name is Lü Wuxia, young Taoist priest. Would you like to come with us now?"

Zhou Yi glanced at their weapons.

As expected, they were all long, narrow swords with ring pommels and straight blades.

Master Lü Chong, the leader of the Tiankui Sect, is a renowned figure in the martial arts world, known to outsiders as "Ring-Handed Saber".

Looking at it this way, it's clear that these people are from the Tiankui Sect.

With a quick change of heart, he first offered a polite greeting: "So you are a disciple of the Tiankui Sect. My apologies for not recognizing you."

Then, I tentatively asked:
"If I still refuse, you gentlemen will not be angry, will you?"

The disciples behind him chuckled: "You underestimate the Tiankui Sect."

Lu Wuxia rolled her eyes: "He's not underestimating us, he's just cowardly, afraid that we'll do something to him."

Senior Brother Ying Yu glanced at his junior sister and said, "It seems that Daoist has important business to attend to. Please make yourself at home. The tea here is on me."

After hearing this, Zhou Yi suddenly adopted a serious expression:
“I often heard outsiders say that Master Lü Zhong was a skilled teacher, and that his disciples often performed acts of chivalry in Nanyang, Xiangyang, and Hannan. At first, I didn’t believe it.”

"Having seen your elegance today, I know the rumors are true."

"I admire you, I admire you!"

After speaking, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to the group.

This use of understatement to elicit praise pleased the group greatly, and their gazes toward Zhou Yi became more friendly. They returned the gesture with clasped hands, displaying impeccable manners.

Zhou Yi's words were a mix of truth and falsehood.

The Tiankui Sect did indeed perform acts of chivalry, but not as virtuously as he portrayed them.

However, among the eight major forces in Nanyang, the Tiankui Sect is the most upright.

This is thanks to the sect leader, Elder Lü Zhong. If the upper beam is straight, the lower beam will not easily go astray.

"Young Taoist priest, you speak so kindly," the eldest brother Ying Yu wanted to reply, but he was speechless. His junior sister Lü Wuxia spoke first, "Now that you've finished your kind words, would you be willing to change your mind and perform a ritual with us?"

"I can't ask for it."

Zhou Yi smiled and said, "I'll perform the ritual for you free of charge. The City God's certificate, the paper money for the deceased, and all the paper money for the deceased will be burned. I guarantee you'll have a respectable life."

"But I would like to ask a few heroes and heroines for a small favor."

"Hey, Daoist, you're quick to jump on the bandwagon. You were just pushing and pulling each other a moment ago, it was all on purpose," a Tiankui disciple behind him grinned. "You don't really want us to help you find some big shots from the major sects, do you?"

“How dare I?” Zhou Yi’s face darkened. “Actually, I came to Nanyang to look for someone because I wanted to send a letter home. I only know that the old man is in the Wolonggang area of ​​Nanyang.”

The origins of the man surnamed Yu from the Golden Purple Camp are omitted; only the story of Xiang Liao dying while delivering a letter home is told.

Upon hearing this, the Tiankui Sect members' gazes towards Zhou Yi changed once again.

Or rather, there was a greater sense of identification.

Senior Brother Ying Yu looked on with admiration and cupped his hands in respect again: "Daoist Master, you have delivered a message from a thousand miles away. You are truly a person of virtue and ambition!"

He patted his chest and said, "Leave this to me. There are few people in Nanyang that my Tiankui Sect cannot find. As long as this old man is still alive, I will definitely help you send back the letter home."

"Thank you."

Zhou Yi thanked them and paid for the tea before the others.

Although a few bowls of tea weren't worth much money, his gesture brought them closer together.

Zhou Yi wasn't sure if the old man in Wolonggang was easy to find.

If it's really hard to find, with local bigwigs like Tiankui Sect helping out, the efficiency would be ten or a hundred times higher than if he did it alone.

If you want to survive in Nanyang, you can't avoid the eight major powers.

It is a pleasant surprise that I have the opportunity to meet Lü Zhong's daughter and his top disciple.

Moreover, although these people carried the arrogance of members of a major sect, their character did not seem bad.

Making friends with these people is much more comfortable than saying things against your conscience to Mi Gong.

Ying Yu sized him up: "Daoist, your demeanor is extraordinary. May I ask your name and which lineage you belong to?"

"Oh, I am a man of miscellaneous learning, my study of the classics is without order or structure, I know a little about Huangdi, Laozi and Zhuangzi, but I only know the superficial and simple surface, so I pretend to be a Taoist."

Zhou Yi bluntly stated, "I'm just someone who makes a living in the underworld; I'm not exactly respectable."

Ying Yu was an honest person. He noticed that the young Taoist priest in front of him was dressed simply and looked travel-worn.

Just assume that everything he said was true.

So I comforted them with a remark: "We're all just trying to make a living, so let's not talk about formalities."

"The Ren family, who are performing the rituals this time, are a wealthy family and enjoy making friends. They are always generous."

“Master Yi, you should accept whatever amount of money you are entitled to. There’s no need to compromise yourself.”

Zhou Yi took a sip of tea and asked, "Whom are you guiding to the underworld?"

Ying Yu said, "It is indeed Old Master Ren."

……

(End of this chapter)