The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 123 A Storm from All Directions Meets in Lin'an

The lake in front of Green Ripples Hall is green, accompanied by mist and clouds, and the grass is lush.

The elegant residence is nestled by the lake, surrounded by drooping green willows.

Morning light filtered through the treetops and fell into the hall through the carved window. Huang Yaoshi clenched his thumb and forefinger, while slightly spreading the remaining three fingers, which extended like an orchid, a gesture of exquisite beauty. He placed his fingers on Huang Rong's "Fengfu" acupoint on her Du meridian, and in an instant, his fingers transformed into the "Falling Flower Divine Sword Palm," continuously striking down along the Du meridian within Huang Rong's body.

Huang Yaoshi used both the "Orchid Buddha Acupoint Hand" and the "Falling Blossom Divine Sword Palm" from Peach Blossom Island. When his palm struck, it was like falling petals, and when his fingers brushed, it was like spring orchids flourishing. Every time Huang Yaoshi's palm and fingers struck, Huang Rong felt a surge of heat enter her body. This internal energy moved like a nimble snake, flowing out from between her major acupoints and converging together like a great river, relaxing her muscles and tendons.

When the meridians are active, Qi and blood circulate within them, connecting the internal organs with the five sense organs, nine orifices, skin, muscles, and bones on the body's surface. Blood and Qi carry the Qi of the meridians, and the Qi of the meridians stimulates internal strength.

Huang Rong felt a sudden warmth in her dantian, and a wisp of pure internal energy began to grow.

For nearly a month, Huang Yaoshi used this method to fully activate the effects of the snake gall that had settled in Huang Rong's blood. Not only did Huang Rong's injuries heal, but her internal strength also improved considerably.

Zhou Yan swallowed the snake gall and used his mind to guide his qi, thus stimulating his internal energy with his blood and qi. Huang Rong was seriously injured and had difficulty healing herself, so she could not use the snake gall to improve her cultivation like Zhou Yan did.

Having reached the pinnacle of cultivation, possessing exceptional talent and vast knowledge, Huang Yaoshi accomplished this step for Huang Rong.

On the day of the battle at Taihu Lake, Zhou Yan witnessed the Eastern Heretic's small boat disappear into the turbulent waves. The actions of figures like Huang Yaoshi and Hong Qigong were unpredictable and defied logic; he wasn't even sure if they had returned to Guiyun Manor.

By a twist of fate, the Eastern Heretic ended up with Lu Chengfeng.

Huang Yaoshi only wanted to see how his disciples, whom he had expelled from the sect, were doing, but unexpectedly he saw Mei Chaofeng and Huang Rong in the manor.

Upon inquiry, they learned the whole story of how Huang Rong was seriously injured in Zhongdu, and how Mei Chaofeng hired a bodyguard, Zhou Yan, to escort her to Guiyun Manor.

Having narrowly escaped death, Huang Rong hugged Huang Yaoshi, crying and laughing in her excitement. Her previously orderly internal energy surged wildly, aggravating her injuries, and she immediately fainted.

Huang Yaoshi, whose beloved daughter had become a demon, could no longer care about Mei Chaofeng and had Lu Chengfeng arrange a secluded retreat for him to heal his injuries.

For the entire month, Huang Yaoshi stayed in the hospital, and in the end, he not only cured Huang Rong's internal illness, but also used the snake gall to greatly improve her internal strength.

The father and daughter also had conversations during this time.

Huang Rong recounted in detail all the events that had occurred from Fenglingdu to Zhongdu, naturally embellishing the story by saying how Ouyang Feng had injured her.

In fact, Huang Rong's serious injury was purely accidental. When Western Poison and Northern Beggar were exchanging blows, the sedan chair pole was propelled out and hit her body, but Huang Rong didn't care about such things.

Hong Qigong appeared on the long street to help Zhou Yan out of a predicament. Huang Rong then assumed that he was a good person, and the culprit who caused her serious injury became Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison.

Huang Yaoshi was an extremely intelligent man. After learning about Huang Rong's back injury and the situation, he deduced from some speculations about the scene that his daughter had suffered an unexpected disaster. However, he felt sorry for Huang Rong and was quite dissatisfied with Ouyang Feng.

Huang Yaoshi recalled the scene of rescuing Zhou Yan at Taihu Lake, and felt a surge of emotion. The young man he encountered by the river in Jingzhou was actually his daughter's savior.

However, I saved his life, so I'm not indebted to him.

Huang Yaoshi finished his practice, and Huang Rong leaped up, swaying her body. She felt her muscles and bones were strong and her blood and qi were abundant. She sensed the increase in her internal strength and thought to herself, "Three-headed ghost, Three-headed ghost's senior brother, the big and little ghosts of the Yellow River Gang, you're in trouble."

"How are you feeling now, Rong'er?"

"It couldn't be better." Huang Rong was in high spirits, but when she looked at Huang Yaoshi, she saw that her father looked haggard and tired. This was naturally because he had been healing her injuries.

Huang Rong hugged Huang Yaoshi's arm and said, "Father, I'll go to Xiangyang to catch a snake and get its gallbladder for you."

Huang Yaoshi already knew about the Divine Condor and the snake gall from Huang Rong.

"Am I so useless that you have to travel all the way to Xiangyang to get snake gall to relieve my fatigue?"

"Rong'er feels sorry for her father."

Huang Yaoshi was easily swayed by this approach. He was pleased and said, "A few days of recuperation will be enough; there's no need for such a complicated process."

"Rong'er will listen to her father."

"But that kid is quite generous. This snake gall not only has the effect of relaxing muscles and tendons, but also enhances vitality and nourishes blood and qi. For martial artists, it is like a panacea. He actually gave you this opportunity."

“He is indeed a bit different from others. Back then, by the river, I borrowed a horse from him, and he lent me the ‘Jade Lion Under the Night’ without even asking who I was.”

Huang Yaoshi smiled slightly as he recalled his encounter with Zhou Yan by the river in Jingzhou. Perhaps it was because of this mindset that the old beggar taught him the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms".

Huang Yaoshi, his thoughts returning to normal, said to Huang Rong, "Call them over."

"Hmm." Huang Rong did not plead with Mei Chaofeng. She knew the outcome. If her father still wanted to kill Mei Chaofeng, wouldn't her own life be of little value in his eyes?

She left the study to find Lu Chengfeng and Mei Chaofeng.

The garden features ancient and rustic rocks, clear streams and ponds, and a riot of colorful flowers.

However, all the exquisite details paled in comparison to Huang Rong's beautiful face after she regained her female form. Huang Rong, with her long hair flowing down her shoulders, dressed in white, with skin as white as snow and a stunning appearance, walked among the bamboo forest and flower hedges, looking like a fairy.

She wondered if Chief Escort Zhou had arrived in Zhongdu and whether he had found the "Jade Lion Illuminated by Night."

Huang Rong returned, bringing Lu Chengfeng and Mei Chaofeng with her. She ignored Huang Yaoshi's conversation with Lu and Mei. Since her injury, she hadn't had a chance to stretch her muscles and move around, and she was determined to get some exercise.

As Huang Rong left the courtyard, she saw the medicine boy and greeted him with a smile.

Behind her, in the secluded chamber, Mei Chaofeng knelt on the ground, her body trembling. Whether she lived or died was a matter of moments.

Huang Yaoshi coldly said, "Chaofeng, you have committed a great evil and suffered greatly. Considering that you have shown remorse and saved Rong'er, I will forgive you for now." "Thank you for your forgiveness, Master."

"Let me ask you, when you took the Nine Yin Manual with you when you fled, did anyone see the manual?"

Mei Chaofeng trembled.

"That's it."

"Please forgive me, my esteemed teacher."

Huang Yaoshi said coldly, "Kill anyone who has seen this, kill them all. After you finish this matter, do something else. Your four fellow disciples, Qu, Lu, Wu, and Feng, have all suffered because of you. Go and find Lingfeng and Mofeng, and then investigate Mianfeng's family and descendants, and send them to live in Guiyun Manor."

"Disciple, obey."

Huang Yaoshi remained silent. Mei Chaofeng kowtowed, rose, and withdrew. Seeing an opportunity to return to Peach Blossom Island, she thought that no matter how vast the world was, she would find someone to bring back.

Huang Yaoshi asked if anyone had read the "Nine Yin Manual". Mei Chaofeng thought that Wanyan Kang and Zhou Yan had learned the skills in the manual, so it was as if they had read it.

Mei Chaofeng dared not explain inside the hall. Once in the courtyard, she pondered how she could kill the head of the Fu'an Escort Agency. He had saved her junior sister's life; perhaps she should capture him and take him to Peach Blossom Island for her master to deal with.

Mei Chaofeng thought this was a win-win solution.

As she strode out, she seemed to hear Huang Yaoshi talking to Lu Chengfeng about a leg technique inside the hall behind her.

……

"You mean the Three-Headed Demon and the Jin Kingdom's Little Prince have arrived at Taihu Lake?"

The courtyard was filled with fragrant blossoms, and butterflies fluttered about. Huang Rong and the medicine boy walked together, and when the medicine boy mentioned the naval battle on Taihu Lake, she exclaimed in surprise.

Huang Rong was recuperating at Guiyun Manor and had not left the courtyard. Now that she was with the medicine boy, she learned from him what happened at Taihu Lake that day.

“Confirmed,” the young apprentice said. “I heard the young master mention a man with a fleshy growth on his head who is skilled in swimming. Isn’t that Hou Haitong?”

Huang Rong, being quick-witted, realized that the three-headed ghost had arrived in Lin'an Prefecture, but she couldn't find it; it turned out it had run off to Taihu Lake. Wanyan Kang had arranged for the three-headed ghost to go to Lin'an first, a move with hidden purpose.

"Should we go to Lin'an for another trip?" Huang Rong thought to herself when Mei Chaofeng came over from the study.

"Mei Ruohua, has your father forgiven you?"

Mei Chaofeng's face lit up with joy: "My master asked me to do two things, and if I complete them, I will probably be forgiven."

Where are you going now?

"Find Wanyan Kang."

Huang Rong's eyes sparkled. "I know where Wanyan Kang went. I'll take you there."

"Thank you, Junior Sister."

……

The city of Qiantang is bustling with activity, its willows swaying in the breeze, its bridges painted with mist and green curtains fluttering in the wind. The sounds of singing, dancing, and playing instruments fill the warm air of West Lake. Zhang Wangyue and Zhou Yan, who came from Caizhou, enter the city and continue their journey. The chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of Fu'an purchases a large sum of money as gifts.

Zhou Yan could roughly guess what his chief镖头 (chief镖头, a type of bodyguard/escort) had done.

Back when they were escorting goods through Jingzhou, the Fu'an Escort Agency and the Longmen Escort Agency encountered each other in a valley outside Xiangyang, leading to a conflict. Zhang Wangyue shot down the Longmen Escort Agency's banner with a series of arrows, and the young head of the Longmen Escort Agency vowed to demand an explanation. Zhang Wangyue is now going to the Longmen Escort Agency to resolve the conflict. It's just unknown whether the Imperial City Guard's rapid journey to Zhongdu is related to the Longmen Escort Agency.

Zhou Yan guessed along the way. The two found an inn, gave the yellow horse and the 'Night-Shining Jade Lion' to the innkeeper, and instructed him to take good care of them. When they arrived at their room, Zhang Wangyue said, "Brother Zhou, wait for me at the inn. I'm going to the Longmen Escort Agency."

Zhou Yan said, "The chief镖头 (chief镖头) is worried that my presence there will cause trouble."

"You shot down the flag of the Longmen Escort Agency, do you expect them to greet you with a smile?"

Zhou Yan said, "The head of the Longmen Escort Agency was arrogant and domineering. He seized the escort flag of the Fu'an Escort Agency earlier. They are not in the right."

"If everything were done reasonably, there would be far fewer disputes in the martial arts world."

"But I'm the one who started it."

"I am the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of Fu'an," Zhang Wangyue said with a smile. "West Lake is a magnificent sight; you should go and experience it for yourself."

Zhou Yu stopped insisting and said, "Thank you, Chief Escort."

"There's no need for thanks between us," Zhang Wangyue said with a smile as he departed.

Zhou Yan sighed, thinking to himself that the chief镖头 (chief镖头, a term referring to a person who is very talented) was being wasted in Fu'an. He decided to wait and see, and try to find a connection between the chief镖头 and Yang Miaozhen's righteous army.

After Zhang Wangyue left, Zhou Yan had a waiter bring him a pot of tea. He drank the tea to quench his thirst, then sat cross-legged on the bed and began practicing the "Heart-Shattering Palm" technique from the Nine Yin Manual.

At dusk, the setting sun molten gold.

After half a day of meditation, Zhou Yan left the inn and walked along the street. He found a restaurant, ordered two side dishes and a bowl of rice, and after filling his stomach, he strolled towards West Lake.

(End of this chapter)