The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 128 Pretending to be weak while actually being strong, Little Big Soldier

The night is quiet and deep, and the floating light is hazy.

Zhou Yan leaped from the roof beam and disappeared into the night of the palace.

Hong Qigong slept all day while he analyzed the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms".

The Dragon Subduing Palm technique's moves are unremarkable; the key lies entirely in the application of energy. The "Hidden Dragon, Do Not Use" move directs energy along the Liver Meridian of Foot Jueyin. The "Double Dragons Taking Water" attack is divided into two, quite similar to Zhou Botong's self-created Ambidextrous Fighting Technique. Energy flows from the dantian to the acupoints on the shoulders and back, traversing the Yin Qiao and Yin Wei meridians. Comparing the two moves, the former's power lies in the proper functioning of the meridians to support internal energy, while the latter involves the extraordinary meridians.

Even though Zhou Yan was thoroughly familiar with the body's eight extraordinary meridians, twelve regular meridians, and other meridians, and was proficient in four moves of the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms," including "The Dragon Regrets," he still had to expend all his energy to analyze and comprehend the other fourteen moves in order not to miss any of the many methods of circulating qi in the technique.

While he was on the beam, he would occasionally drift into thought, wondering how powerful the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" would be if he used the Nine Yang Internal Force to activate them.

The Jiaming Hall fell silent again, and the eunuchs, as usual, dozed off.

Zhou Yan then left the imperial kitchen and began searching the palace.

Hong Qigong opened his eyes after Zhou Yan disappeared. He wasn't the type to ask Zhou Yan all sorts of questions. He muttered to himself, "With this kid's martial arts skills, isn't the palace still a den of dragons and tigers? I have to check on him, lest something happens to him and that girl can't find him at the mountain god temple on the outskirts of Datong Prefecture."

As Hong Qigong thought this, his body floated to the ground. The imperial kitchen was full of wine and meat. He filled his gourd with wine, found some food, wrapped it in oil paper, and with a sway, he disappeared into the night outside.

Zhou Yan followed the winding path, and as he went forward, the sound of water grew louder. He rounded a flower-lined path and saw tall pines and bamboos, their verdant greenness reaching the sky. Layer upon layer of strange peaks and secluded valleys stretched out in a quiet and deep place. A silver waterfall, like a ribbon, cascaded down from the mountainside and poured into a pond.

Looking at the mountain and waterfall, Zhou Yan recalled the scattered memories in the Sculptor's World. He thought to himself that there must be a stone cave behind the waterfall. This was the place where Wanyan Kang and Ouyang Ke had been looking. Should he go in and catch them off guard?

As soon as the thought crossed Zhou Yan's mind, he smiled and put it out of his mind. Entering the stone cave by himself could catch the enemy off guard, but conversely, he could also be caught like a turtle in a jar.

Guo Jing was seriously injured when he took Ouyang Feng's palm strike head-on inside the cave.

He left with a smile.

……

The dim moonlight seemed to flicker, and Hong Qigong appeared by the pond.

He had already seen through Zhou Yan's actions.

The Nine-Fingered Beggar paused for a moment, then suddenly leaped up, soaring through the sky like a dragon. His figure passed through the waterfall and landed behind it. There was an iron gate blocking the way. He pushed the gate open, and the stone cave was suddenly revealed before his eyes.

Hong Qigong lit a tinderbox to examine the situation inside the cave. He saw that the ground was covered with dust, indicating that no one had been there for a long time. In the center, there was a stone table with a two-foot square stone box on it. The box was sealed with a strip of paper. There was nothing else inside.

Hong Qigong laughed and said, "Wonderful! From now on, if you have a craving, you can bring food from the imperial kitchen here and eat and sleep here for a year or two without any problem."

As he recited this, he used his inner strength to move his sleeves, and with two quick movements, he swept away the dust on the stone table and the stone box.

In the dimly lit space, Hong Qigong lay on his side facing the water curtain, his head resting on a stone box, his body on a stone table, drinking wine heartily, completely carefree.

……

A clear breeze and a bright moon make for a perfect night, amidst a field of jade-like blossoms. Who envies those riding phoenixes? For one is an immortal in a boat.

Wanyan Kang had this feeling.

As night falls, lights stretch along the West Lake, and in the brocade pavilions and embroidered courtyards, music and dance fill the air.

Several ships were moored together, like a floating palace.

The courtesans played the qin, xiao, and pipa, their melodies melodious and graceful.

The dancers were graceful and their movements were elegant.

Wanyan Kang lived a life of luxury in Zhongdu, but the scene before him made him realize that he, a prince of the Great Jin Dynasty, was far inferior to a minor official in Lin'an Prefecture when it came to enjoying life.

At that time, the Mongol army was strong and well-equipped, and its advance was unstoppable. However, although the Jin Dynasty suffered repeated defeats, it was still a vast and resource-rich country with a strong foundation. Relying on its strategic passes and high fortified cities, the Mongol army was unable to overcome it for a time.

Therefore, in the eyes of the Lin'an Prefecture court, the Jin Kingdom was still a powerful and invincible force in the world, and they flattered and entertained Wanyan Kang with great hospitality.

Seeing this scene, Wanyan Kang tapped his left palm with his right folding fan, and couldn't help but recall the inscription on the fan.

"If you hold the reins of power, you can bring peace and prosperity to the world."

"Power is really intoxicating," Wanyan Kang thought to himself.

"Young Prince, how does it feel to have these courtesans and dancers with your wine?"

Suddenly, the obsequious voice of the accompanying Lin'an Prefecture government official rang out beside him.

"Very good."

"The young prince is a man of strong character."

Wanyan Kang laughed heartily, "Let's drink."

A little further away, the musician hurriedly said, "Continue the singing and dancing."

Wanyan Kang sat down and looked at the Imperial City Guards on the fast boats cruising around the lake. He thought to himself that Ouyang Feng and Ouyang Ke would surely succeed in stealing the "Wumu's Legacy" from the palace.

……

“Mei Ruohua, Wanyan Kang is on that big ship over there. But let me tell you, he has quite a few guards.”

A painted boat sailed on the lake. Huang Rong, still disguised as a man, spoke to Mei Chaofeng. Beside her sat a young apprentice.

"how many people?"

Medicine boy: "I can't count them all."

"Then count them slowly."

"understood."

The medicine boy is now Mei Chaofeng's eyes and ears; she takes him everywhere she goes. However, since Huang Yaoshi temporarily pardoned Mei Chaofeng, she has been in a good mood. Not only has she not blamed the medicine boy, but she has also carefully instructed him in martial arts, and the medicine boy has learned a great deal.

He now knew that Mei Chaofeng was a disciple of the famous Huang Yaoshi, and that she was devoted to the Iron Corpse, hoping one day to become a disciple of Peach Blossom Island. Mei Chaofeng scolded him, and the medicine boy counted on his fingers the number of Imperial City Guards on the fast boats surrounding the ship's deck.

Huang Rong brought Mei Chaofeng to Lin'an. Mei Chaofeng, being playful, insisted on going to West Lake.

Wanyan Kang indulged in nightly revelry, with the imperial court in Lin'an Prefecture providing him with the most extravagant hospitality. Literati presented poems and lyrics, and the West Lake was bustling with activity, as if a poetry gathering were being held. Not only Huang Rong, but also the Seven Masters of Quanzhen saw Wanyan Kang.

Mei Chaofeng's target was Wanyan Kang, while Huang Rong's target was the Three-Headed Flood Dragon. However, half a day passed and dusk fell, and Hou Tonghai was nowhere to be seen. She pondered what the other party was plotting.

"Mei Ruohua, I want to go ashore for a walk."

"Where is Junior Sister going?" Mei Chaofeng asked hurriedly.

"I can't stand this vulgar scene." Huang Rong picked up a bamboo pole to pole the boat, and as the painted boat docked, she jumped ashore. "I'm going to find some rare and interesting calligraphy and paintings for Father."

Since Huang Rong said so, Mei Chaofeng didn't ask any more questions.

Lin'an City is a huge place. Huang Rong wandered around and came to a shop. She saw many masks hanging at the door, including Zhong Kui, the judge, the kitchen god, the earth god, divine soldiers, and ghost messengers. She thought of the scene of the Lantern Festival in Zhongdu and smiled as she took the earth god mask.

Just as they were about to hand over the money to the shopkeeper, a sound like a broken cymbal suddenly rang out from the street.

Ouyang Feng? Huang Rong's heart tightened, but she didn't turn around. The piercing, metallic sound gradually faded away, and Huang Rong vaguely heard words like "inside the palace" and "in Cuihan Hall".

Huang Rong suddenly realized that the three-headed ghost, the bald ghost, and Ouyang Feng were all heading to the palace, while Wanyan Kang's banquet and revelry at West Lake were a cover-up.

Huang Rong chuckled softly, "If you can't beat them, you can cause trouble."

She paid the money and hurried to the palace via a detour.

……

Zhou Yan found a set of guard's clothes in the palace and, under the cover of night, headed towards the imperial kitchen.

He changed his clothes, clearly with some ulterior motives.

Hiding in the Water Curtain Cave would allow for a surprise attack, but it would also make one vulnerable to being trapped. After much thought, it would be better to disguise oneself and wait for Sha Tongtian, Ouyang Ke, and the others to arrive. Then, one could raise an alarm to attract the palace guards to surround and kill them, and even take advantage of the chaos to strike. It would be like playing the fool to catch the tiger.

The wind rustled through the forest, and Zhou Yan walked smoothly toward Jiaming Hall.

Suddenly, the leaves parted, and a white figure wearing a mask leaped out. The thumb and forefinger were clenched together, while the remaining three fingers were slightly spread. The fingers stretched out like an orchid, the posture was extremely beautiful, and brushed towards several major acupoints on Zhou Yan's back.

Hearing the wind behind him, Zhou Yan swung his hand back and used the "Dragon Tail Swing" move from the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms".

He was immediately confused. Had he been exposed? No way.

The figure wearing the Earth Goddess mask was also taken aback. He had only captured a guard and asked him where "Cuihan Hall" was, so how could an ordinary guard in the palace have such amazing skills?

The figure dared not meet the attack head-on, its body arching backward sharply, its back remaining perfectly clean, parallel to the ground, and it flew several feet away in a flash.

Zhou Yan turned around, intending to kill him and silence him. He moved swiftly forward, his left hand hooking downwards in a circular motion, while his right hand suddenly extended, unleashing the "Crushing Divine Claw" to strike the opponent's face.

Suddenly, a hurried voice rang out: "Huang Rong!"

With a whoosh, the five claws vanished, and Zhou Yan solidified into form. The figure in front of him removed its mask, revealing Huang Rong disguised as a man.

Zhou Yan asked in confusion, "Your injuries have healed, how did you get here?"

Huang Rong's voice was fast and urgent: "Father helped me heal my injuries, and I'm all better now. When Mei Ruohua and I arrived in Lin'an, we encountered Ouyang Feng and his men outside. We heard that they were going to Cuihan Hall in the palace, so we took a detour and sneaked in, intending to ask a guard where Cuihan Hall was. Why are you dressed as a guard? Didn't you return to Zhongdu?"

"This is a long story." Zhou Yan, upon hearing Huang Rong's words, knew that Ouyang Feng and the others were about to enter the palace, and said, "I need to deal with Sha Tongtian, Ouyang Ke and the others."

Huang Rong's eyes darted around and she guessed Zhou Yan's thoughts.

"Where can I find the guard's uniform?"

Zhou Yan was well aware of Huang Rong's cunning and mischievous intentions.

"wait for me."

"it is good."

Zhou Yan swayed and disappeared into the flower hedges and trees.

In about a hundred breaths, Zhou Yan stole a knife and a clean set of guard captain's clothes.

Huang Rong was innocent and didn't care about appearances, so she wore her guard uniform over her white robe.

The size was just right to cover the white shirt.

Huang Rong greatly admired Zhou Yan's meticulousness.

"Tell me the plan," Huang Rong said.

"If you make a fuss, I'll take action in secret."

"it is good."

The two hit it off immediately and disappeared into the woods.

……

Sparse stars and a pale moon; all around was silent.

Ouyang Feng, Ouyang Ke, Sha Tongtian, Liang Ziweng, and several skilled fighters from the Yellow River Gang leaped into the palace with lightning speed.

A little while later, the boy's voice rang out in the night, "Master, Second Master, they've gone in."

"Follow them. Breaking into the palace in the middle of the night, they must be up to something detrimental to our Great Song Dynasty."

(End of this chapter)