The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 102 A Hundred Snakes Avoid, Roaming Unrestrained

"The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) has arrived."

Zhou Yan returned to the forest, and Liang Xiaowu, the porter, came to greet him.

When Mei Chaofeng returned, she had already told him about killing the enemy leader, and the tense atmosphere from before had completely disappeared.

"Ah."

"When will you leave?"

The caravan needed to rest after landing. The people in the carriages weren't sleepy, but the horses were tired. Zhou Yan thought about how the Zhenwei Escort Agency's team needed to bandage and treat the wounded and clean up the bandits' corpses, so he said, "Let the horses graze in the woods and rest for a while. We'll set off after noon."

"I'll make another bowl of noodles for the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort)."

"A quick meal before setting off is enough."

"Alright." Liang Xiaowu was now familiar with Zhou Yan's personality and knew that his head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) was a man of his word, so he stopped insisting, dismounted the horse, and drove it into the woods.

Zhou Yan, carrying his sword and bundle, went to the riverbank. He found a secluded spot in deep water, took off his blood-stained clothes, washed them clean, and laid them out to dry on the river stones. He then went into the water to bathe, climbed onto the riverbank, and sat on a flat stone, recalling Lu Beihe's words.

Zhenwei Escort Agency is based in Kaifeng Prefecture and frequently travels south to escort goods. They are well-informed and know that a group of bandits from Jiangxi is active in the Jingxiang area. They must be the same group that Fu'an Escort Agency encountered in Jingzhou before the New Year.

It seems that Zhang Sanqiang has not yet thoroughly investigated this matter.

On an emotional level, Zhou Yan was naturally disappointed. He had encountered Zhang Sanqiang in Xiangyang. Although they didn't talk much and didn't know each other well, judging from Zhang's actions, he could be considered a hero. However, his subordinates committed murder and robbery without conducting any investigation, which was unbecoming of him.

But rationally speaking, there's nothing to complain about. Zhang Sanqiang is currently in the process of preparing for rebellion, traveling around and developing followers, so it's possible he's overwhelmed. The Ming Cult is currently eager to expand its power, and it's a mixed bag, much like the Beggars' Sect, which isn't exactly pure either. Even Hong Qigong can't be all-encompassing.

Zhou Yan then thought of his encounter with the bandits. He could easily handle both guns and swords, but when wielding both at the same time, there was no method to it.

Later, as the Mongols moved south, there was much war and conflict. When encountering bandits and brigands, riding a horse and wielding a gun would be more imposing, but simultaneously wielding a gun and sword would be restrictive. He wondered if the Old Urchin's "Ambidextrous Fighting" could solve this problem. He smiled. In fact, when reading The Legend of the Condor Heroes and The Return of the Condor Heroes, he had always had doubts about this technique. No matter how one multitasks, one cannot have an extra arm. How can one control the internal energy when using different techniques with both hands?

Without luck, one cannot channel internal energy outwards, and one's fists and feet lose their power.

He pondered the matter quite deeply, but couldn't come to a conclusion. He thought to himself that even if he had the opportunity, he probably wouldn't be able to learn it.

The new buds of willows on both sides of the riverbank are like curtains, their tender yellow color resembling the beaks of sparrows in the spring light.

Zhou Yan sat cross-legged, silently circulating his inner energy through the Quanzhen Scripture to refine his meridians and nourish his internal organs. As the sun reached its zenith, he used the Qi-intercepting method to store the gentle, pure energy emanating from the Jade Guanyin into the opened meridians and acupoints.

There were fish in the river. Zhou Yan used the Quanzhen sword technique and, after much effort, stabbed several large fish and brought them ashore. He then gathered some wild onions and went to the caravan, where he handed them over to the porters to handle.

After Liang Xiaowu made fish soup noodles and everyone ate their fill, Zhou Yan finished treating Huang Rong's injuries. He then found a place to meditate. Mei Chaofeng took the opportunity to ask about some Taoist cultivation methods and said, "I saw you kill the bandit leader with your claw technique. How did you cultivate that? Your skill is quite good."

Zhou Yan chuckled inwardly. Mei Chaofeng was clearly incredibly curious, yet she still maintained a haughty demeanor as she asked questions.

"Practicing Qi Returns to its Origin: Following the method of circulating Qi, it travels along the meridians of the arms, and the internal strength surges out from the five fingers: 'Shaoshang,' 'Shangyang,' 'Zhongheng,' 'Guangchong,' and 'Shaozhe,' and exerts force externally."

Mei Chaofeng was taken aback and said, "With the power of five fingers, nothing is insurmountable, and you can destroy the enemy's head as easily as piercing through rotten soil. How did you cultivate this skill?"

"This means that when the skill is perfected, it is invincible and can strike the enemy's vital points as easily as piercing rotten soil."

Mei Chaofeng fell silent.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at the other person.

Mei Chaofeng was blind and pale. Zhou Yan couldn't discern any unusual emotions from her, but her silence for several breaths was enough to reflect her inner turmoil.

"Nothing much, you've been practicing very well."

Mei Chaofeng gave a perfunctory reply and slowly walked towards the carriage. Her heart was in turmoil, and she couldn't help but mutter, "You scoundrel, we've all been practicing the wrong techniques. If we hadn't misunderstood their meaning, we wouldn't be making enemies everywhere. That damned Heaven really can't stand to see people do well."

Mei Chaofeng suddenly froze. The head镖师 of Fu'an had said that internal strength should be manifested externally. If one practiced this method, the "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" would surely be further improved in time. But which meridian did he expend energy through?

Mei Chaofeng hesitated whether to go over and ask again, when Zhou Yan's voice rang out: "Xiao Wu, hitch up the carriage."

Alright!

The four porters got busy, while the young apprentice tidied up the blankets spread on the ground.

Mei Chaofeng had no choice but to give up, thinking that there was still time to reach Taihu Lake, and she could ask again along the way. Zhou Yan rode ahead with his spear in hand, and Liang Xiaowu followed behind. They passed the place where Zhenwei Escort Agency and the bandits had fought. Lu Beihe's escort team had long since left, and the ground had been cleaned up. In the distance, there were signs of freshly turned soil in the woods, so it was likely that the dead escorts from the agency were buried there.

"The wilderness is littered with white bones, and women wait for their husbands to return, but they do not." He sighed.

……

Aoyama is still there, How Many Suns.

He traveled from Xinye through Nanyang to reach the mountains and fields of Xiangyang.

Nothing else happened along the way.

The setting sun hangs over the distant mountains, and a carved carriage travels along the edge of the forest.

Zhou Yan seemed to see a "jade lion illuminated by the night".

BMW and Divine Eagle once fought a battle at the mouth of the valley ahead.

When Zhou Yan traveled north from Jingzhou in search of Snake Valley, his yellow horse had been grazing alone in the mountains for many days, waiting for him. An old horse knows the way, especially a rather intelligent one like the yellow horse. Before the carriage even reached Snake Valley, the yellow horse was already snorting excitedly.

Zhou Yan was also quite excited.

The scene of the Condor helping him defeat Gongsun Zhi and Qiu Qianchi is still vivid in my mind.

This time, encountering the great eagle again, we should be able to have a friendly exchange.

Looking around, Zhou Yan saw none of the desolation he had experienced when he visited years ago. The mountains were verdant, covered with pines and cypresses of varying heights, while waterfalls, strange rocks, wildflowers, and miscellaneous trees created a vibrant tapestry of colors. Distant peaks were shrouded in white clouds, each displaying its own unique beauty.

Such a scene was breathtaking. Huang Rong even lifted the carriage curtain and leaned against the carriage, gazing at the landscape of peaks and valleys like a traditional Chinese ink painting. Mei Chaofeng was blind and didn't know the way. The young apprentice had sharp eyes, but he didn't know where he was.

Huang Rong, with her keen observation and sharp mind, guessed that Zhou Yan's arrival here was most likely related to her injuries.

However, along the way, she also discovered a pattern: when Zhou Yan used internal energy to treat her, her energy and spirit would improve considerably, but after a while, her spirit would weaken again. Moreover, this phenomenon became more and more serious.

To be precise, her life was like a flickering lamp, its light faintly illuminated by Zhou Yan's oil. Her knowledge of the human body far surpassed Mei Chaofeng's. Zhou Yan's good intentions were merely a temporary fix; over time, her vital energy, ancestral energy, nutritive energy, and defensive energy would become insufficient, her meridians would atrophy, and she would become a dwarf, a hideous monster.

As Huang Rong pondered these thoughts, Zhou Yan's good intentions were evident, but even with her keen intellect, she couldn't guess how he intended to treat her.

With Huang Rong and Zhou Yan each having their own thoughts, the carved carriage stopped in a mountain forest near Snake Valley.

Entering Snake Valley to capture the Bodhi Snake and extract its gallbladder for Huang Rong's treatment is not something that can be accomplished in a few days, so Zhou Yan instructed Liang Xiaowu to set up camp.

He was familiar with the surrounding terrain, so he took some scrap paper, drew a rough map of the area, marked where water could be obtained, and handed the map to the other party. He then gave Mei Chaofeng some instructions, and then, carrying two communication flares, a bow and arrow sack on his back, a sword in hand, and a satchel containing snake-repelling medicine and a pottery jar slung over his shoulder, he entered Snake Valley.

The valley was deep and the forest secluded. When the wind blew, the bushes and grass rustled, as if hundreds of snakes were lurking all around. Zhou Yan moved forward with ease, guiding his breath with his mind and amplifying his senses.

After traveling about three miles, the setting sun turned the cliffs on the left into a dazzling golden yellow. Suddenly, a soft rustling sound came from behind. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a Bodhi snake, slightly thicker than a thumb, raising its triangular tongue and already on guard on a shrub branch a few feet away.

Zhou Yan looked around but saw no other snakes. He straightened up, took his sword, and slowly approached. The snake flicked its scarlet tongue rapidly, sniffing the ground countless times in the blink of an eye. Then, right before Zhou Yan's eyes, it swooped down from the entangled shrub branch and tried to escape into the depths of the bushes.

Zhou Yan moved with lightning speed, his body darting like a monkey through the forest. With a "snap," the scabbard struck the Bodhi snake at its vital spot, and the snake immediately collapsed to the ground.

He wasn't in a hurry to catch the snakes. He expanded his search area and had only walked about three or four zhang when he saw two Bodhi snakes writhing and slithering among the roots of a broad-leaved fern, making a hasty escape.

Zhou Yan realized what was happening.

When Guo Jing ate the Liangzi Weng Great Treasure Serpent and arrived at Peach Blossom Island, all the snakes controlled by the snake slaves under the command of the Western Poison Master avoided him. He was now facing a similar situation.

It's hard to say whether it's immune to all poisons, but it's certain that it can counteract snake venom.

The previous attack in Snake Valley was probably related to the vitality of the Bodhi snake. That thick-armed, intelligent snake had strong resistance, and these insignificant Bodhi snakes could only retreat when they encountered him.

Zhou Yan's spirits lifted, realizing he could now act with impunity in Snake Valley.

　I just checked the data today, and the first-day subscriptions have exceeded 1,000. I am extremely grateful to all the readers who have subscribed and supported me. There's not much to say, but I will try my best to update more tomorrow, and I will definitely update a lot on Saturday to express my gratitude.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)