The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 192 Xiao Xiangzi's Undercover Mission, Refining Qi with the Great Rejuvenating Pill

Thin clouds curl in the clear blue sky, a faint fragrance drifts through the temple as if whispering secrets.

"I was escorting goods to the Western Regions. Near Wuwei, I stopped at an inn and happened to witness a group of Western Regions warriors attempting to kill Master Tiancong and an Indian monk. Thus, I became involved in the matter. When the master was struck down, he entrusted me with a letter before heading west."

Zhou Yan briefly recounted his encounter with Monk Tiancong, his interrogation of Luan Jie, and learned the general outline of the ambush by the Vajra Sect.

“Amitabha, well said, well said.” Upon hearing this, Ku Cheng put his hands together in prayer. “The head镖师 is kind and benevolent. This old monk is deeply grateful.”

"Abbot, you are too kind." Zhou Yan then asked, "Master and the accompanying Indian monk have been kind to me. May I ask why the Vajra Sect of the Western Regions intercepted and killed you?"

Ku Cheng said, "This is a matter of grudges within the temple, and it is inconvenient to discuss it. Thank you for sending the message, Chief Escort. I will deliver the escort fee later. Chief Escort is free and may stay in the temple for a few days to rest and recuperate."

"Master, you may not know this, but I once traveled to Xianyang as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort), and was murdered and robbed by the Vajra Sect and the martial arts world of the Western Regions. That is why I asked you this question. There is also something else I should tell the abbot."

"Please speak, Chief Escort."

"I dare to guess that the letter must be related to the Vajra Sect of the Western Regions, and that this sect is now secretly dealing with Prince Wanyan Kang of the Great Jin Dynasty."

"I am not angry on the outside, nor am I disturbed in my mind," he said. "Thank you for telling me,镖头 (镖头 is a nickname for a镖头 who is ...

"Does the Vajra Sect of the Western Regions have a grudge against your temple?"

“Indeed!” Ku Cheng said casually, turning his gaze away from the letter in his hand. “The head of the Shaolin Temple in the Western Regions is my junior brother. He sent his nephew Tian Cong with a letter, saying that the Vajra Sect will be detrimental to our temple.”

Zhou Yan is completely transparent.

Back then, Huo Gong Toutuo betrayed the temple, killing all the temple staff he had grudges against and fleeing to the Western Regions. Now, with the intervention of Changfeng Escort Agency, Yang Kang, and others, he has developed a desire for revenge.

However, those who had grudges against the Fire-Worker Monk had long since died at his hands. This time, his revenge was aimed at Shaolin Temple, as the Western Region Vajra Sect wanted to compete with Shaolin Temple.

Huo Gong Toutuo is not only vindictive but also quite ambitious.

Zhou Yan thought this through and said, "Does the abbot have any news to send back to the Shaolin Temple in the Western Regions? I can deliver the goods for him."

"I am already extremely grateful, how could I trouble you? The disciples of the temple can go to the Western Regions."

"In that case, I'll take my leave."

"Please wait a moment,镖头 (镖头 is a term used in martial arts novels, meaning '镖头 is a term used in martial arts novels')."

Ku Cheng got up and left the meditation room, summoned the young novice monk over and gave him a few instructions, and the young monk hurriedly left.

The old abbot came in again, and the two exchanged pleasantries. Ku Cheng casually inquired about the Indian monk.

The Indian monk and Master Tiancong first met at an inn in the Western Regions. They were going to travel south together, but they encountered an accident. This was something Zhou Yan already knew when he escorted the monk to Zhongdu.

He recounted in detail how the poisonous insects of India were mentioned, and how the divine monk traveled to western Hunan to seek the Golden Baby. He endured hardship, his white eyebrows drooping, his expression deeply moved, and he spoke of the Buddha's compassion.

The young monk returned and handed a brocade box to Kucheng.

The old abbot handed the brocade box to Zhou Yan and said, "The head镖师 (escort leader) is very thoughtful. Inside the box are the escort fee and a Great Rejuvenating Pill that can strengthen the body and restore energy. Please accept it with a smile."

Zhou Yan did not refuse, saying, "It would be impolite to refuse the abbot's kind invitation."

"Thank you, Chief Escort."

Ku Cheng had a young monk escort Zhou Yan out of the temple. Under the bright sunlight, several elderly monks entered the monastery one after another. The younger ones were in their sixties or seventies, while the older ones were in their eighties or nineties.

The old abbot, who had remained calm and composed in front of Zhou Yan, finally became serious and said, "Brothers and fellow disciples, my junior brother Ku Hui has sent a letter from the Western Regions. He said that the Fire-Worker Monk, whom we searched for all over the country, actually founded the Vajra Sect in the Western Regions."

"Amitabha." The monks were all roused, their expressions a mixture of bewilderment, grief, indignation, and hatred.

Ku Cheng said, "Junior brother also said that the Vajra Sect is going south. Let's all discuss how to deal with it."

……

Zhou Yan left the temple carrying a sword and summoned the "Jade Lion Illuminated by Night".

Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, they opened the brocade box given to them by the monk Ku Cheng. Inside were one hundred taels of silver and a porcelain bottle containing a large elixir that was emerald green in color and had a refreshing fragrance.

Seeing is believing, but this opportunity has come at just the right time. I can take some pills to temper and open up a meridian, Zhou Yan thought to himself.

He wasn't worried about the Vajra Sect provoking Shaolin Temple. In sectarian disputes, Yang Kang wouldn't mobilize a large force to assist the Vajra Sect in besieging Shaolin Temple. It was true that the abbot was old, but in the world of Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, Zhang Sanfeng was over a hundred years old and his cultivation had reached the Transformation Realm. He expected that Ku Cheng was no less capable than Huo Gong Toutuo.

If Yang Kang and his men make any moves in Kaifeng, the scouts Yang Miaozhen has sent there will be able to relay the message to Zhongdu. They can then come over and investigate.

As for the Nine Yang Manual, there is currently no opportunity to obtain it.

Zhou Yan did not believe he had the same good fortune as Zhang Wuji in the world of Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber. After cultivating the Nine Yang Manual for several years, he unexpectedly received the help of the monk Shuobude's "Qiankun Yiqi Bag" and mastered the technique.

But he always had a premonition that if he obtained the Nine Yang Manual, the Jade Guanyin would definitely have miraculous effects. Alternatively, like Zhang Sanfeng and Guo Xiang, he could obtain only a portion of the essence of the Nine Yang Manual and use it as a reference for the Nine Yin Manual, which would be a win-win situation.

The Nine Yin Manual is hailed as the general outline of all martial arts, while the Nine Yang Manual has the characteristic of "all martial arts are readily available." Comparing the two can help one analyze and deduce the techniques of opponents in future battles, thus forming one's own martial arts.

His thoughts returned, and he spurred his horse straight towards Zhongdu.

……

The jade toad crouches in the sky, bathed in the soft glow of the moon.

The group of more than ten people stopped at a forest several hundred miles away from Kaifeng. The young man in the center, with his red lips and white teeth, was none other than Yang Kang.

Among the entourage were Helian Chuncheng, Nimo Xing, Yin Kexi, and Lingzhi Shangren.

There was another tall, thin man with a bloodless face, resembling a zombie.

Yang Kang was in high spirits, and his trip south had been worthwhile. The Iron Palm Clan was powerful and had connections with local officials. With Qiu Qianren's help, when the Jin Kingdom marched south, they could cooperate from within and without, conquering cities and seizing territories as easily as picking up mustard seeds.

On the way back, he encountered Xiangxi Xiaoxiangzi, recruited him, and gained another master.

The campfire crackled and popped as everyone sat around it. Helian Chuncheng asked, "Your Highness, what do you think of the Mongol prince Huodu's grand banquet for heroes?"

Upon hearing the news from Taihu Lake, Huang Rong traveled north along the river. The Jingxiang region was bustling with commerce, and people from all walks of life were coming and going, so the news had already spread far and wide.

Helian Chuncheng asked the question, and Yang Kang pondered for a moment, then stood up, bowed, and said to Xiao Xiangzi, "Please help me, sir."

Xiao Xiangzi hurriedly stood up and returned the greeting with a bow: "I am deeply grateful for the Crown Prince's appreciation. If there is anything you need, I will do my utmost, even at the cost of my life."

Yang Kang said, "Prince Huo Du of Mongolia is holding a grand banquet for heroes in order to recruit people. With your martial arts skills, you will surely be given an important position."

Xiao Xiangzi was a man skilled in scheming, and said, "The Crown Prince wants me to use the Heroes' Banquet to gain Huo Du's trust and gather information."

"Mr. Nemo or Mr. Yin would have been suitable, but they have both appeared in Zhongdu before, so it is inconvenient for them. Only you, sir, can take on this task."

"it is good."

"Thank you, sir. Once I have accomplished something great, I will gladly grant you any request you may have."

"No problem, Your Highness, just wait for my message."

The two sat down and had another long talk.

At another campfire, Ouyang Ke was talking about the ancient tomb.

It was the dead of night, and the group used wild grass as mats and the sky as blankets. As dawn broke, Xiao Xiangzi led a horse away from the group and headed straight for Zhongdu.

……

Outside Zhongdu, in the valley of Xishan.

After several days of torrential rain, the waterfall cascading down from the mountaintop became turbulent and white due to the accumulation of rainwater, crashing against rocks and cliffs, creating cool water vapor that was swept away by the mountain wind.

Zhou Yan swallowed the azure pill given to him by the abbot of Shaolin Temple.

After a short while, the medicinal properties took effect, and Zhou Yan felt a burning sensation rise in his chest and abdomen, which quickly spread throughout his body. He felt like he was sitting in a furnace, and his blood felt like boiling water in a kettle.

Zhou Yan skillfully used the Quanzhen Internal Energy Technique to circulate his Qi and blood, stimulating his pulse to generate internal force. In just a few hundred breaths, his dantian suddenly warmed, and a wisp of pure internal energy emerged, followed by a second wisp, and a third wisp...

A full half-hour later, after no internal energy was generated, Zhou Yan assessed the effect of this Great Rejuvenation Pill on improving internal strength, concluding that it was second only to the Great Treasure Snake raised by Liang Ziweng, far surpassing snake gall and herbal wine.

It adds to the inner strength gained from a year of arduous training.

Five days after Zhou Yan arrived in Zhongdu, he told Zhang Wangyue and Huyan Lei about the Vajra Sect's plan to move south to Shaolin Temple.

He waited for Duan Huai'an and Duan Chaoxi to return before bringing up his resignation. Little did he know that Hu Yanlei, upon hearing the news, exclaimed that he would not be a镖头 (bodyguard/escort) but would instead enter the martial world, emulating Yang Miaozhen, so that he could kill Jin and Mongol soldiers, participate in martial arts events, and seek revenge with pleasure.

Zhang Wangyue laughed and scolded, saying that the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) had a family to support, and the young master was the one who managed the镖局 (escort agency), so how could he be so unrighteous and unjust?

Hu Yanlei was dismissive of Zhang Wangyue's earlier remarks, but the single word "unrighteous and immoral" made him dejected and sigh repeatedly.

Zhou Yan quickly offered some words of comfort.

If he were to leave, then Chief Huyan would indeed be unable to leave at the moment.

With the Jin and Mongol armies fighting on two fronts in Hebei and Shanxi, southward trade routes were blocked. Since the escort agencies did not travel through the Western Regions, many escorts and porters had nothing to do but wait to watch the spectacle at the grand banquet of heroes.

Zhou Yan then went to Xishan to cultivate himself.

Having gained a year's worth of internal strength, Zhou Yan felt his internal energy surging and flowing along his meridians, constantly washing over and expanding his muscles. He used his mind to guide the energy, tempering the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian.

The pure internal energy flows like a great river, passing through the diaphragm from the dantian, solidifying the meridians and cleansing nine major acupoints, including "Tianchi", "Tianquan", "Zhongchong", "Quze", and "Guangchong".

Like refining iron in a hot fire, after stretching the meridians, pressing the acupoints, and pulling out the bones for half an hour, suddenly the muscles and bones resonate together.

He used his "Finger Flicking Divine Skill," and a wisp of pure, subtle, condensed internal energy "hissed" out from the "Guangchong" acupoint, shooting out more than two feet.

When the Pericardium Meridian of Hand Jueyin is open, internal energy is released outwards. Although Zhou Yan only mastered the two methods of circulating energy in the main and secondary meridians of the "Flick of the Finger" technique, he has already stepped into the threshold of releasing internal energy outwards.

Overjoyed, he took a pebble, activated it with his internal energy, and with a "whoosh," the pebble flew straight up to three zhang (approximately 10 meters) and struck the tree trunk with a "thud," sending bark flying in all directions.

Its power has increased by at least 30%. How astonishing it will be if Huang Yaoshi uses his "Finger Flicking Divine Skill" with all his might!

Zhou Yan sighed, took off his long robe, and leaped into the waterfall to begin practicing and refining the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms". With a single palm strike, "The Dragon Regrets", water splashed everywhere, and a rainbow hung across the water, creating a magnificent sight.

As the clouds drifted across the sky and dusk settled in, the sky began to darken.

After practicing palm techniques, fist techniques, and sword techniques in the rapids, Zhou Yan, carrying the two pheasants he had shot, whistled and summoned the "Night-Shining Jade Lion," heading straight into the city.

(End of this chapter)