The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 108 Iron Palm Lotus Leaves the Valley, Fireworks in Jiangnan in March

The crimson clouds burned in the sky, and Gongsun Zhi's heart was also burning with a similar blaze.

This scene was completely unexpected.

The Valley of Heartbreak is isolated from the world, making it extremely difficult for outsiders to find. How did this little thief manage to track it down?

The thief is eloquent and loves to sow discord. I wonder what he said to Qiu Qianchi.

Gongsun Zhi was uneasy, but with the old Valley Master in front of him, he dared not act rashly.

He landed beside Qiu Qianchi and said, "Miss Qiu, are these thieves and their gang a threat to you?"

Qiu Qianchi was quite adept at keeping her emotions hidden. In the mountains of Xiangyang, after Zhou Yan's advice, she thought about her original intention to venture into the martial world, her heart was filled with ripples of emotion, and she said she would not make things difficult for Zhou Yan, but she still gave Gongsun Zhi a way out by changing her words.

When Gongsun Zhi asked, Qiu Qianchi replied, "It's alright, Valley Master, there's no need to worry."

"Then I'm relieved. This little thief is cunning."

Qiu Qianchi nodded, but said nothing more.

Seeing this, Gongsun Zhi knew he shouldn't ask any more questions and could only act according to the situation.

The old valley master glanced at Zhou Yan briefly and said, "This valley is isolated from the outside world, and the disciples within live a life of peace and tranquility. Why did the guest come to the valley and injure my disciple?"

Zhou Yan only believed half of what the other party said. Although his memory of the story of the Condor Heroes world was not very complete, he still knew some of the ins and outs of the Valley of Heartbreak. It had been settled here since the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty. After Qiu Qianchi arrived at the Valley of Heartbreak, enemies came to her door. If it weren't for Iron Palm Lotus turning the tide, the valley would have been almost destroyed. If they really wanted to live a peaceful life, how could they have enemies?
The thought passed quickly. Zhou Yan said, "The whole story started because of Miss Qiu. However, Miss Qiu is very righteous, and I had already resolved some misunderstandings with the people in the valley. But then the people in the valley captured a rare eagle that had done me a favor. So I helped the eagle escape, but they also captured my companion. That's why we came here."

Upon hearing this, the old Valley Master Gongsun looked at Qiu Qianchi.

Iron Palm Lotus said, "That is indeed the case, but I am unaware of what has happened recently."

The old Valley Master Gongsun asked Gongsun Zhi in a deep voice, "Is this true?"

"Indeed."

"Nonsense! Release them now!"

Gongsun Zhi dared not disobey and said to the disciples in the valley behind him, "Bring your men over here."

The two disciples in green robes quickly left, and Zhou Yan said to Elder Valley Master Gongsun, "Thank you."

"The fault lies with Gu Zhong; guests, there's no need to be so polite."

"Of course!" Zhou Yan noticed that Elder Master Gongsun's face was sallow and expressionless, making it difficult to discern anything from his words. However, he guessed that Qiu Qianchi was present and wouldn't resort to underhanded tactics. He then went to Fan Yiweng's side and said, "I apologize for my previous offenses."

As soon as he finished speaking, the porters sheathed their straight knives, and Fan Yiweng bowed without saying anything more. He walked over to Gongsun Zhi and stood dejectedly to the side.

Master Gongsun said, "What happened today was truly our fault. It would be best if you could turn a big problem into a small one and a small one into nothing."

"Indeed."

"From today onwards, the people in the valley are determined not to seek out strange eagles and cause trouble. We also hope that our guests will keep the secrets of the valley to avoid being disturbed by curious people."

"Rest assured, Valley Master, I will keep my mouth shut."

Huang Rong thought to herself, "It's you who keeps your mouth shut, not me. My father loves exotic flowers and rare herbs, so of course I have to tell him."

The old valley master had no idea of ​​the subtlety of Zhou Yan's reply or Huang Rong's thoughts. He said, "It would be wonderful if we could put aside our past grievances. It's getting late, so why don't you stay the night?"

Zhou Yan cupped his hands in greeting: "I am preoccupied with important matters and cannot stay any longer. Please forgive me, Valley Master."

"In that case, please make yourself at home."

The two exchanged words, and Gongsun Zhi and Qiu Qianchi never interrupted.

At the end of a teacup's time, two disciples of the Valley Master arrived with Liang Xiaowu and the medicine boy.

The young boy, Yao Tong, had an expression that betrayed his true feelings, while the other boy, Tang Zishou, was mature and said to Zhou Yan, "We're fine."

Zhou Yan nodded.

Liang Xiaowu led the medicine boy to stand behind him.

"Thank you for your kindness, Valley Master. I shall take my leave now."

"Of course, Elder, see the guest out."

Qiu Qianchi suddenly said, "This matter ultimately started because of me. I and an old man escorted the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) out of the valley."

"Thank you."

After Zhou Yan finished speaking, he cupped his hands to the old valley master and said, "Farewell!"

"Guest, move slowly."

Zhou Yan did not linger any longer, Mei Chaofeng carried Huang Rong on her back, and the group left.

As Gongsun Zhi watched Zhou Yan and the others walk away, he asked, "Father, are we just going to let them go like this?"

"What do you intend to do?" the old valley master said. "You are much older than this young man, yet you lack his cunning. Let me ask you, how did this young man track us down? How did he enter the valley? Did he have any backup plans? And what about the eagle the young man mentioned? Even animals have intelligence; how can we be sure it wasn't raised by a master? You are in charge of all matters in the valley; how can you act so recklessly?"

"Father's teachings are correct."

“This young man knows when to advance and retreat, which is better than yours. Zhi’er should reflect on his actions.”

"Yes!" Gongsun Zhi replied, but in his heart he harbored even greater resentment towards Zhou Yan.

……

As dusk fell, Zhou Yan and Qiu Qianchi continued their descent until they reached the stream.

Fan Yiweng wanted to travel with Zhou Yan.

Huang Rong laughed and said, "Long-bearded monster, come here."

Fan Yiweng asked in a deep, muffled voice, "What do you want to do?"

"I'd like to reason with you. Are you scared?"

Fan Yiweng retorted angrily, "What am I afraid of?"

"Then come here."

“I’m coming.” Fan Yiweng leaped onto the small boat where Huang Rong was.

Zhou Yan, Tang Zishou, and Qiu Qianchi boarded a boat together, with Qiu Qianchi rowing as they sailed away from the shore.

How did you find this valley?

“The porters carried lime on them, leaving traces along the way, which led them to this place.”

Qiu Qianchi paused for a moment, then recalled Zhou Yan's method of tying lime packets to arrows to attack people, and said with a wry smile, "You guys seem to really like this."

"If the world were at peace, escort agencies would rely on personal relationships when transporting goods, and there would be no need for such measures. But in this chaotic world of war, long-distance escorts are plagued by bandits, and few people care about personal relationships. To protect the goods and save lives, some extraordinary measures are necessary."

"That makes some sense. How did you get into the valley?"

“They came down from the top of the cliff and descended with ropes.”

Qiu Qianchi recalled Zhou Yan's escape from a cliff in the mountains of Xiangyang, and realized that the other party did indeed have such ability.

"Will Miss Qiu remain in the valley from now on?"

"Speak directly if you have anything to say."

Zhou Yan stopped saying things like "Gongsun Zhi is not a good man" to Qiu Qianchi, because saying too much would only make him disliked.

"The old Valley Master said that the Gongsun lineage migrated here and has lived here for a long time." "Yes, it's been over a hundred years."

"How should I address the old Valley Master?"

"Gongsun Li".

"The lineage of Master Gongsun has been living in seclusion in the valley for over a hundred years, and has naturally severed all ties with other relatives. But Miss Qiu still has parents and brothers, and she must go out of the valley to visit relatives."

Qiu Qianchi's mind raced. She had learned all her martial arts from her second brother, but she was closest to her eldest brother. The pursuit of Sun Bu'er had also started because of her eldest brother. Why not take some time to visit him and tell him about her stay in the Valley of Heartbreak? The eldest brother is like a father; she should listen to his opinion.

Thinking this through, she said, "Of course I need to go out of the valley and move around."

"Very good."

Having said that, Zhou Yan said no more on the topic.

The two small boats traveled downstream at an astonishing speed. In half an hour, they emerged from the canyon and, as the view opened up, they reached the valley where the group had climbed up the cliff.

After Zhou Yan and the others disembarked, he thanked them and left.

As dusk fell, we harnessed the horses and carts at the edge of the valley near the woods and headed straight for the Snake Valley camp.

……

The lamplight flickered like fireflies as Qiu Qianchi studied the cultivation method in the stone chamber, while Gongsun Zhi entered carrying ginseng soup.

"How about Miss Qiu drinks the ginseng soup and then tries to comprehend the cultivation technique?"

"Thank you, Master Gongsun."

"It was just a small favor, nothing to mention."

Qiu Qianchi picked up the soup bowl and stirred it slowly with a spoon, when she heard Gongsun Zhi say, "How did that little thief and his group manage to track us down?"

"The porters had lime on their bodies, leaving traces along the way."

Gongsun Zhi suddenly realized, "That gang must have learned their skills from a petty thief."

Qiu Qianchi remained silent.

"But how did that little thief get into the valley? There was clearly no boat on the waterway."

“We walked up the cliff top and descended using ropes.”

"Cunning and treacherous." Gongsun Zhi said indignantly, "Given that little thief's nature, he must have spread rumors and said a lot of nonsense."

"Never."

Gongsun Zhi looked at Qiu Qianchi with surprise, but his expression returned to normal.

Iron Palm Lotus put down the porcelain bowl in her hand and said to Gongsun Zhi, "Since I came to the valley, I have not seen any strangers. Today, their intrusion has made me miss my brother. I should leave the valley and go see him."

Gongsun Zhi instinctively wanted to stop him, but considering the other party's unwavering nature, he apologized and said, "I was busy in the valley and neglected this matter. Please have an old man accompany me."

Qiu Qianchi nodded, "That works too!"

As the seasons change and the sun and moon alternate, so too do the stars shift and the world turns.

Two days later, Zhou Yan, Huang Rong, Mei Chaofeng, and others arrived at the Snake Valley camp. Qiu Qianchi also left the Valley of Heartbreak with Fan Yiweng at that time.

……

"Brother Eagle, we meet again."

Without the disturbance of the disciples from the Valley of Heartbreak, Zhou Yan saw the majestic Divine Eagle as soon as he entered Snake Valley.

After Huang Rong consumed the snake gall, she was able to regulate her qi and relax her muscles. Zhou Yan then decided to stay for another day or two to collect more snake gall and head south to Taihu Lake.

When the human and the sculpture reunited, he greeted each other.

"Screech!" the eagle answered with a cry, gently flapping its wings.

"I need to collect some snake gallbladders; would you mind coming along?"

The eagle was delighted.

As the man and the eagle traveled together, Zhou Yan said, "The people from the Valley of Heartbreak will no longer harass Brother Eagle, so you can rest assured from now on."

"Huh."

"Brother Eagle, I have been fortunate enough to be unafraid of snake venom. How about we cooperate? You lure the giant snake, and I will seize the opportunity to kill it."

The eagle stopped, stared for a long time with its scarlet eyes, then bowed its head and let out a cry.

……

The ground is covered in the shade of trees at midday.

Zhou Yan and the Divine Eagle arrived deep in Snake Valley.

Throughout their journey, neither the eagle nor the human had ever considered taking advantage of the little snake.

The valley here is deep and secluded, and the air is filled with the smell of withered leaves and decaying earth.

The eagle flapped its wings to signal Zhou Yan to stop, and then it moved about ten feet away, standing under the lush tree.

It was the first time in my life I'd ever outmaneuvered a beast, and I was a little excited.

The eagle moved forward several feet, making a constant "screeching" sound. In just over ten breaths, a fishy smell filled the air, and more than ten large venomous snakes emerged.

Zhou Yan was overjoyed, grabbed his steel sword, and swiftly moved forward.

With a single sword strike, he transformed into three venomous snakes, each struck at its vital point by the scabbard and collapsing to the ground. He then flashed again, his swordplay continuous, piercing the snakes one by one, far more efficiently than the Divine Eagle.

In no time, more than ten large venomous snakes died.

Zhou Yan used a dagger to take the purple gallbladders from the two snakes and put them into a pottery jar, then threw the large snake to the Divine Eagle.

"Brother Eagle, catch!"

With a swift movement, the eagle stretched out its head and pecked with lightning speed, swallowing the two large venomous snakes one after the other.

One person and one sculptor work together seamlessly.

Zhou Yan put away the snake gall and stood up, saying, "Brother Diao, I have important matters to attend to and cannot stay long. I will come to visit you again when I have some free time."

The eagle raised its head, cried out three times, and slowly walked to Zhou Yan's side, stretching out its wings to gently pat his shoulder a few times.

"a man of his words."

Zhou Yan patted its back, and the divine eagle cried out several times, clearly reluctant to part.

A gentle breeze and the warm glow of the setting sun graced their robes. Zhou Yan departed from Snake Valley and returned to the camp. After two days, they had reaped a bountiful harvest, obtaining over thirty purple snake gallbladders, enough for Huang Rong to consume along the way to revitalize her body.

Liang Xiaowu had already prepared the carriage as Zhou Yan had instructed.

The carriage rumbled and the horses neighed as the eagle departed, accompanied by the cry of the divine eagle. Huang Rong lifted the curtain, and was quite surprised to see the giant eagle for the first time. The eagle was both ugly and strange. She had many wild thoughts, thinking that if the giant eagle accompanied her when she went on escort missions for Zhou Yan in the future, it would be very majestic and its aura would make ordinary bandits retreat.

After traveling all night, Zhou Yan arrived at Xiangyang Wharf at dawn.

While he was hiring a large boat, Huang Rong had her apprentice buy writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. After the carriages and horses boarded the boat, Zhou Yan finished his Qi-blocking treatment. Huang Rong then took a snake gall bladder, circulated her Qi to relax her muscles and tendons, and began to memorize the martial arts techniques she had learned from the Valley of Heartbreak.

(End of this chapter)