The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 211 A Dream on Double Ninth Festival, A World of Spies

"Very well, since Brother Botong likes Peach Blossom Island, so be it. Stay as long as you like, come and go as you please." Huang Yaoshi was an extremely intelligent man. The two had fought on the island for sixteen years, so how could he not know the nature of the Old Urchin?

After he finished speaking, he turned to leave.

The old rascal turned over and sat cross-legged: "Old Master Huang, what kind of crooked idea are you coming up with this time?"

“I am no longer attached to the Nine Yin Manual in Brother Botong’s hands.”

"Shameless! You're kidding me!" Zhou Botong said, then immediately asked, "Why?"

Huang Yaoshi felt remorseful for imprisoning the Old Urchin on Peach Blossom Island for sixteen years and for even breaking his legs. He intended to leave, but the Old Urchin persisted. Huang Yaoshi turned around and said, "Because I already know the Nine Yin Manual."

"Haha, Huang Yaoshi's mouth is a lying devil. You know about the Nine Yin Manual, yet you still imprisoned me on Peach Blossom Island?"

That was in the past, not now.

"I do not believe."

"Following Brother Botong."

Tell me what you think, and I'll see if you're right or wrong.

Huang Yaoshi smiled slightly, strolled forward, and spoke in a clear and melodious voice.

"...Tendons are the meridians of the human body. They carry blood and serve as an external support for the spirit. Just as a person's shoulders can bear weight, hands can grasp, and feet can walk, the agility and flexibility of the whole body are all due to the firmness of the tendons..."

Huang Yaoshi was reciting the text from the "Tendon Changing and Bone Strengthening Chapter" of the first volume of the Nine Yin Manual.

Zhou Botong's expression changed drastically. "Huang Yaoshi, what trick are you playing?" As soon as he finished speaking, he moved like lightning, suddenly floating out of the stone cave and grabbing at Huang Yaoshi.

Huang Yaoshi's figure flickered, and a phantom image was shattered by Zhou Botong. He reappeared a few feet away, smiling slightly, "Brother Botong, you've lost."

The old rascal was dumbfounded.

Thinking of the sixteen years of struggle between the two, Huang Yaoshi sighed and said, "I don't want Brother Botong's true scriptures. You should believe me and leave Peach Blossom Island."

The old rascal tugged at his beard, stomped his feet, and burst into tears, "My senior brother told me to keep the Nine Yin Manual safe and not to reveal it. Now that you know the manual, how can I face my senior brother?"

The old rascal suddenly stood up and was about to kowtow, "Old Master Huang, did you use some kind of demonic magic? Tell me quickly."

Huang Yaoshi and Ouyang Feng had sworn a solemn oath not to reveal the secret of Chongyang's inscription, and he kept his mouth shut. He had also taught Huang Rong that it was appropriate to lie and deceive people when necessary. He helped Zhou Botong up and said, "It was Brother Chongyang who told me this in a dream."

"Ah, really? What else did you say, Senior Brother?" The Old Urchin was naturally mischievous and playful. He wasn't bothered by people scolding or irritating him; he was happiest as long as he could play pranks on others. Little did he know that Huang Yaoshi's lies and pranks were even more imaginative and unrestrained.

"It is also said that Brother Botong is obsessed with martial arts and wants to practice the Nine Yin Manual, so he went to practice it."

Zhou Botong was a martial arts enthusiast, and possessing the scriptures that all martial arts practitioners regarded as treasures, he was eager to study the martial arts within. This was not for fame or revenge, nor was it out of competitiveness or a desire to show off; it was purely an uncontrollable curiosity and love for martial arts. However, he dared not disobey Wang Chongyang's dying wish. Now, hearing Huang Yaoshi's offer, he was overjoyed. "Really?"

"Our bet is this: Brother Botong, if you take even one step out of the cave, you lose. In return, I'll have a look at the Nine Yin Manual. Now that you've left the cave, may I ask to see the manual?"

"Then it's true!" the old rascal shouted, somersaulted into the stone cave, and took out the first volume of the Nine Wings Scripture to practice.

"Brother Botong, feel free to come and go as you please. I'll treat you to some good wine."

The old rascal was so engrossed in his reverie that he didn't make a sound. Huang Yaoshi was used to this. He continued on his way and came to his wife's grave. The grave was surrounded by lush trees and exotic flowers that bloomed in all four seasons. They were all famous varieties carefully selected by Huang Yaoshi.

He pushed the tombstone three times to the left, then three times to the right, and the tombstone slowly moved aside, revealing a stone-paved tunnel. After turning three corners, he opened a mechanism, opened a stone door, and entered the tomb chamber. He lit a glass lamp with a tinderbox and took out a transcribed copy of the "Nine Yin Manual" from his bosom and lit it.

Tears streamed down his face as he chanted: "Heaven and earth are the furnace, and creation is the craftsman; yin and yang are the charcoal, and all things are the copper. Union and separation, waxing and waning, how can there be a constant rule? A thousand changes, ever-changing, without end, suddenly becoming human..."

"Aheng, I burned the Nine Yin Manual. Now you can take a good look at what those scriptures, which you struggled to understand all those years ago, actually said. If you know this in the afterlife, you can rest in peace."

When Huang Yaoshi finished speaking, he became dazed and burst into tears.

Behind the stone gate, large tears rolled down Huang Rong's cheeks.

She went to play with Zhou Botong, but the old rascal ignored her. Huang Rong was depressed. When she arrived at her mother's grave, she saw this scene.

A moment later, Huang Rong heard Huang Yaoshi mutter to himself, "I tricked the Old Urchin into practicing the Nine Yin Manual. Who told him not to give you the manual back then? After he mastered the martial arts of the manual, I told him that Chongyang's dream was fake. Ah Heng, if I hadn't followed the old poisoner in Zhongnan Mountain, I wouldn't have been able to obtain Chongyang's inscription. It was you guiding me from the shadows, wasn't it?"

Zhongnan Mountain, the Double Ninth Festival inscription. Huang Rong muttered to herself, taking advantage of Huang Yaoshi's distraction, she wiped away her tears and silently left the tomb passage.

As Huang Rong walked forward, she began to think about how to trick Zhou Yan into going to Zhongnan Mountain.

Time passed, and half a month later, the old rascal in the cave laughed three times.

He walked out of the stone cave with his hands behind his back, without looking for Huang Yaoshi. When he got to the seaside, he jumped onto a large ship. The mute servants on the island had long been instructed by Huang Yaoshi that they could be sent away from the island once the Old Urchin arrived.

The large ship hoisted its sails and sailed toward the coast.

...Early winter, Zhongdu.

Yang Tiexin and Mu Nianci left the escort agency and went out of the city.
Duan Huai'an and Duan Chaoxi have already returned to Zhongdu. Yang Tiexin did not tell Mu Nianci, who had just returned, about Zhou Yan's resignation. He thought that now that the monk had an accident and Zhou Yan had gone to Jiangxi, it was not appropriate to say anything. Perhaps things would change upon his return.

The low, heavy clouds seemed to shackle the earth, and the fine snow swirled down. The two hurried along, and seeing the lights on the upper floors in the distance, they quickened their pace.

As they drew closer, the sharp-eyed Mu Nianci spotted a splash of red in the snow. After a moment of surprise, she exclaimed with delight, "It's Brother Guo!"

"My nephew is back." Yang Tiexin was also pleasantly surprised.

The two quickly arrived at the courtyard, pushed open the door and entered. Bao Xiruo and Guo Jing, who had heard the noise, came out.

Bao Xiruo shook the snow off Yang Tiexin and said, "Nephew, you've been here for quite a while now, and you've brought a lot of things with you. I've been complaining about why you didn't bring your mother back from the desert."

"Yes, my dear nephew, why didn't you bring your mother?"

Guo Jing said, "Mother was overjoyed to hear the news from you, Uncle Yang. However, the Khan gave several instructions, and I left in a hurry without having time to think about these things."

"Is the Great Khan going to send troops again?" Yang Tiexin asked.

Guo Jing remained silent towards Yang Tiexin.

"The Great Khan ordered me, my brother Tolui, my teacher Jebe, and I to go to Lin'an to negotiate with the court for a joint attack on the Jin Dynasty."

"Is that so? Come on, let's go inside and talk."

"okay"

Yang Tiexin led the way, followed by Guo Jing and Mu Nianci, and the group entered the house.

Bao Xiruo carried the food and drinks, ignoring the conversation between the three, and went up to the second floor alone. From the terrace, she could vaguely see half of the city lights of Zhongdu. Her gaze was directed towards the direction of the Prince Zhao's mansion.

"I wonder how Kang'er is doing now?" Her face was full of worry.

The Zhao Prince's Mansion, which Bao Xiruo could not see, had now become Huo Du's residence. Xiao Xiangzi walked out of the grand gate, turned a few times, and arrived at Songhe Tower.

A new waiter from Songhelou Restaurant came forward, and Xiaoxiangzi took the opportunity of ordering food to slip a wax pill to the waiter. The note inside the sealed wax pill contained intelligence that Guo Jing, Genghis Khan's fourth son Tolui, and others were about to set off for Lin'an to negotiate a joint attack on the Jin Dynasty by the Song Dynasty.

……

The monkeys' cries on both banks could not be stopped, yet I returned to Jiangling, a thousand miles away, in a single day.

A thin mist floated on the river, and Zhou Yan sat upright in his cabin on the large ship, his body enveloped in a wisp of white mist.

He and his men left Zhongdu, riding at breakneck speed, crossing the Yellow River from Luoyang, passing through Nanyang and Xinye, and arriving in Xiangyang. Zhou Yan hired a large boat, and the men and horses sailed down the Yangtze River at an astonishing speed, heading straight for Poyang Lake.

Traveling by land, he rarely had any free time, but it was different by water. Apart from necessary sleep and rest, he devoted all his time to practicing the "Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian" (a manual for strengthening tendons and bones).

This technique from the True Scripture has the effect of improving one's physical constitution. At this moment, with Zhou Yan's rhythmic breathing, his qi and blood surged like a great tide, endlessly washing over his limbs and bones. His body felt like it was embracing a furnace, with heat squeezing out from his pores and turning into a misty vapor.

Blood originates from the bone marrow, and blood is the mother of qi. Qi can also contain blood, and blood can also nourish qi.

As Zhou Yan progressed through the fourth stage of practicing the "Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian" (a traditional Chinese medical text), he experienced bone regeneration, blood renewal, and the flow of qi (vital energy) from his blood.

This state lasted for the entire day. Then, at dusk, suddenly, centered on Zhou Yan's spine, every bone trembled and every muscle tightened. A powerful force propelled his blood and qi, reaching his internal organs and limbs, merging with his breathing and generating a force capable of splitting rocks and shattering monuments.

Zhou Yan suddenly exhaled a breath of white vapor that condensed and did not dissipate, reaching a length of three feet. He slowly opened his eyes.

The fourth section of "Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian" is now complete.

As he felt the increase in strength with every movement, he suddenly thought of Mingxia Island, where Guo Jing practiced his martial arts and his strength improved by leaps and bounds, easily tearing through thick ropes, and Huang Rong was able to catch up with wild goats with a single step—that incredible, shocking, and surprising moment.

If he hadn't known about the effects of the "Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian" beforehand, he would probably have gone even more insane than the two of them. He regained his senses and looked out the window. A setting sun cast its glow on the water, half of the river shimmering green and half crimson red. Unbeknownst to him, he had spent the entire day cultivating.

"Where are you?"

Zhou Yan went out of the room and asked the boatman standing at the bow of the boat.

"Reporting to the镖头 (镖头 is a term used in the Chinese military), Dongting Lake is just over twenty miles ahead."

Zhou Yan nodded. At the speed of the large ship, they would arrive at Poyang Lake by dawn.

The twenty-mile river road was reached in the blink of an eye. As the sun was about to set, suddenly, in the distance, a sword light flashed, darting and shifting like lightning.

Zhou Yan's pupils constricted slightly, a sign of Hengshan's "Returning Wind and Falling Goose Sword".

(End of this chapter)