The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 236 Winning Hearts and Minds to Obtain the Black Jade Rejuvenating Ointment
Among Hong Qigong, Huang Yaoshi, Ouyang Feng, and Qiu Qianren, some made a move while others did not display their martial arts. However, their reputations were so great that when Zhou Yan and Bao Shou began to show their skills, many spectators overlooked the footprints left by the Vajra Sect monks on the bluestone ground in front of Shaolin Temple, which lowered their expectations for the confrontation.

It wasn't until Bao Shou unleashed one of Shaolin Temple's most advanced martial arts techniques, "Vajra Finger," that everyone's memories were brought back to life.

His body was as heavy as a thousand pounds, leaving a five- or six-inch imprint on the bluestone without leaving a mark. Few could match his skill.

The head monks of the Luohan Hall and the Damo Hall, Tianxin and Tianming Zen Masters, were very familiar with the "Vajra Finger of Mighty Strength". With a cracking sound, Baoshou opened his fist stance, and the two of them knew that there was a clear gap between their levels of skill and that of their opponent.

Zhang Wangyue was in the same boat. The chief镖头 (bodyguard) of Fu'an thought that leaving a four-inch seal was not difficult, but adding another inch would not be as simple as it could be done in a year or two. It would require several years or even longer of skill accumulation.

The man before him, Bao Shou, appeared to be around thirty-five or thirty-six years old. To have reached such a level, besides diligent practice, he must at least possess a naturally gifted martial arts physique, namely the "Dragon Tendons, Tiger Bones, and Qilin Strength."

In the path of martial arts, those who practice know that long tendons bring great strength. By training to stretch the tendons, one can achieve rapid and powerful strikes, extending the range and distance of the blows. This is especially true for external martial arts.

"Dragon tendons, tiger bones, and unicorn strength" can be cultivated through practice with the aid of medicine. For example, the "Tendon-Changing and Bone-Forging Chapter" of the Nine Yin Manual can improve one's physical constitution. This cultivation process may take several years or even longer.

However, those born with martial arts talent and extraordinary physical abilities may achieve results in a year or two what would take an ordinary martial artist ten years to accomplish.

Without a doubt, in Zhang Wangyue's eyes, Bao Shou of the Vajra Sect was this kind of person, and probably Bao Shu and Bao Xian were as well, and of course, Zhou Yan as well.

However, after Zhou Yan fought two fierce battles and Bao Shou displayed his skill and cultivation, Zhang Wangyue became vaguely worried.

However, the next moment, the chief镖头 of Fu'an felt at ease.

Zhou Yan did not use the freehand techniques, elbow strikes, or other hard-hitting clashes from the Yue Family Boxing Method, but instead employed a mobile fighting style. Inside the arena, Monk Baoshou coordinated his footwork with his body and spine, leaping and unleashing his power. His arms moved like two giant dragons, tearing and biting, his powerful energy emanating from his body and condensing in his ten fingers. The air, swirling with dust, rippled with waves of energy as Baoshou's fingers locked, gripped, pinched, and seized.

Zhou Yan was like a willow catkin, ethereal yet intangible, drifting with the air currents, moving left and right, up and down, his movements unpredictable. Occasionally, he would casually throw a punch and then retreat immediately. To an untrained eye, he appeared to be being chased and beaten.

"it is good!"

"Master is mighty!" The cheers from the martial arts community of the Western Regions were thunderous.

Lu Beihe was on the verge of tears when he suddenly heard the Fisherman of the Misty Waves say, "The monk is going to be in trouble."

"Why?" Zhenwei's young master hurriedly asked.

The old fisherman said, "He's recovering his strength through fighting. Ten days ago, he received a 'Toad Stance' from Ouyang Feng at the 'Drunken Immortal Pavilion' in Xiangyang, and recovered his strength in an extremely short time."

"You seem to know him very well."

"Naturally, a sworn brotherhood forged through thick and thin." The old fisherman on the misty waves said smugly.

Suddenly, Bao Shou clenched his ten fingers into claws and struck out fiercely. The claw force tore through the air, making a tearing sound like ripping silk. A piece of clothing was torn off Zhou Yan's body and instantly exploded into pieces.

A gasp of surprise rang out from the onlookers.

Zhou Yan was completely unaffected, his figure flashing between the attacks formed by Bao Shou's ten fingers. After finishing a set of "Free and Easy Wandering" boxing techniques, he used the warm and pure energy of the Jade Guanyin to restore his blood and energy. He felt that the swelling and pain in his meridians caused by fighting with Qiu Qianren had disappeared, and he felt refreshed.

He made a direct comparison: the one he fought against when he assassinated the Golden Lord in Zhongdu was the monk Baoxiang, and this Baoshou's cultivation was far superior to his opponent's.

If it weren't for the "Great Rejuvenation Pill" he obtained in the past six months to enhance his internal strength, greatly improve his cultivation of the "Tendon Changing and Bone Strengthening Chapter," and enhance his physical constitution and blood production, he would have been really difficult to deal with.

"Don't hide if you've got the guts!" Bao Shou, whose lightness skill was inferior to Zhou Yan's, suddenly roared.

"Okay, you said it." Zhou Yan chuckled softly.

Zhou Yan's body and spine suddenly trembled, his muscles and bones cracked like a whip, and his arms suddenly sank, the muscles in his hands tumbling like giant pythons.

"Dragon tendons, tiger bones, and unicorn strength"

"Brother, be careful!"

Zhang Wangyue and Bao Xian both came from the same background; one praised them, while the other offered a reminder.

Zhou Yan has launched his offensive.

He did not use the "Cuijian Divine Claw" that he had used against Bao Xiang in Zhongdu, but instead used "Yue Family Scattered Hands" to fight back. This technique is also known as "Yue Family Eagle Hands". It involves binding, grabbing, locking, leaning, pushing, hitting, and catching. The hands rise and the feet fall, the feet fall and the hands rise, the elbows hit and the shoulders hit, and the body moves closely and seizes every opportunity.

The two exchanged blows more than twenty times in the blink of an eye. Their movements were so fast that the onlookers had the illusion that they were not fighting human beings, but rather birds of prey such as eagles, tigers, and leopards.

Amidst the violent crackling and booming sounds, Bao Shou roared, pushing, stomping, and kicking the ground with all his might, channeling his internal and external strength. His right hand, amidst a chilling sound of tearing the air, reached for Zhou Yan's right elbow. Zhou Yan lowered his elbow and pushed his shoulder, leaning his right arm towards his opponent. Surprisingly, Bao Shou did not retreat, and instead pointed his right hand at Zhou Yan's "Jianjing" acupoint.

Zhou Yan's left hand flashed with lightning from his left rib, close to his chest, and grabbed Bao Shou's right elbow.

Bao Shou used his left hand to disassemble and reverse the lock, and in the blink of an eye, he locked Zhou Yan's right hand.

The two men's hands were entangled together, and in an instant, they attacked each other's lower body with kicks and rubs. Amidst the muffled "thump thump" sounds and billowing white smoke, Zhou Yan and Bao Shou kicked each other more than ten times while spinning rapidly.

With each kick, Bao Shou felt as if his foot was landing on a hard rock. Although Zhou Yan could not sweep his leg horizontally, he had cultivated the "Whirlwind Sweeping Leaf Leg" technique, and his internal strength was far superior to Bao Shou's.

Zhou Yan breathed heavily, his breath rapid like a whirlwind, his feet treading in an arc, his hands exerting force, constantly dragging Bao Shou around, his trouser legs crackling, each kick and low kick landing on Bao Shou with increasing ferocity.

The monk's eyes were bulging from the kick; his leg techniques did not include side kicks.

Among the onlookers, Xixia's Swift Leg Ma Xiuping felt a chill run down his spine; such a ferocious leg technique was unprecedented. Suddenly, with a thunderous roar like the beating of drums, Zhou Yan landed several low side kicks on Bao Shou's right leg, and a "crack" was heard as the opponent's shinbone was broken.

Bao Shou let out a muffled groan, and his energy suddenly weakened. Zhou Yan's freehand technique had transformed into the "Iron-Strengthening Divine Claw," with internal force surging from the vital points between his fingers and condensing at his fingertips, crushing the bones of Bao Shou's right wrist and left palm.

His technique focused on the "Destroying Divine Claw" method of guiding qi rather than the specific moves, and even Ouyang Feng and Huang Yaoshi, who practiced the "Nine Yin Manual," couldn't see through it.

"Ah!" Bao Shou screamed hysterically as his lower leg was severed first, followed by his wrist and palm.

Zhou Yan swiftly withdrew his hands, then, as if flitting among flowers like a butterfly, extended them from the monk's drooping arms and landed on Bao Shou's chest. He didn't kill him, but instead used the "Charging and Slaying Generals" move from the Taizu Fist style to send his opponent flying.

Bao Shouren had already fainted while in the air. Bao Xiang's body shot through the air like an arrow and caught Bao Shouren.

Bao Xian followed closely behind and landed beside Bao Shou. He checked Bao Shou's pulse and breath, and found that he was still alive.

Monks Bao Lei, Bao Yin, and others quickly gathered around.

Bao Xiang said with a ferocious expression, "Senior brother, it would be ungentlemanly not to avenge this grudge."

"Save them first!" Bao Xian said.

Bao Shou's metacarpal and sternal bones had just fractured, making it the perfect time for treatment.

Bao Xian kneaded his hands, pushing blood and qi in. After more than ten breaths, Bao Shou groaned and woke up. His body ached as if it were falling apart, making his features look ferocious and terrifying.

"Junior brother, do not move."

As soon as Bao Xian finished speaking, he took out a black ointment from his pocket. It had a fragrant and cool scent. He first straightened Bao Shou's hand bones, and then evenly applied the ointment to the joints of his hands and legs, as well as the broken sternum.

Several warrior monks from the Western Regions Vajra Sect had already chopped down trees outside the arena and carved them into planks.

Bao Xian's technique was skillful; he performed bone setting, applied medicine, bandaging, and bone fixation.

Zhou Yan breathed heavily in the arena. His calf was actually in pain from the monk's kick, but the pain was greatly reduced after his internal energy circulated along the foot meridian several times.

With the pain in his legs relieved, Zhou Yan's eyes were fixed on the ointment in Bao Xian's hand, quite tempted. This was the "Black Jade Broken Joint Ointment," a unique and miraculous medicine in the world of Yitian, which could also be said to be a elixir that martial artists dream of.

Huang Rong glanced at the Fire-Worker Monk beside her and said, "Master, aren't you going to make a move?"

Bao Shou's serious injury did not arouse much anger in the monk. He said, "It's not the right time."

"But your apprentice's hands are all broken."

The Fire-Worker Monk said, "See that? That plaster is called 'Black Jade Bone-Mending Plaster,' and it can restore all bone injuries to normal."

"I was injured by Ouyang Feng and his son, and my tendons and bones were broken. It took me more than half a year to recover," Huang Rong said quietly.

"Here's a gift for your apprenticeship." The Fire-Worker Monk chuckled and took out a small medicine box from his robes, handing it to Huang Rong. "The 'Black Jade Bone-Mending Ointment' inside is enough to mend all the broken bones in your body."

"Thank you, Master." Huang Rong reached out and took it.

"Shouldn't we change the title?" Fireworker Monk chuckled.

"The accounts at the Tongguan Wharf on the Yellow River haven't been settled yet," Huang Rong thought to herself. "I must straighten my clothes, perform the apprenticeship ceremony, cleanse my hands and mind, have my wisdom opened with cinnabar, and offer incense and tea before I can proceed."

“That makes sense.” The Fireworker Monk smiled coldly, his gaze returning to the arena.

Zhou Yan patiently waited for Bao Xian to finish bandaging and treating Bao Shou before saying, "He lost. The Vajra Sect should apologize to me."

Bao Shu's face was ashen, and his expression was sinister. The martial arts practitioners from the Western Regions who had come with the Vajra Sect were completely silent.

All eyes turned to Zhou Yan and Bao Shu.

The Fisherman of the Misty Waves laughed heartily, “The monk is not going to break his promise? If that’s the case, then that’s fine too. The Shaolin Temple won’t need to abide by the three-round agreement and start a brawl.”

"That makes sense," a hero agreed.

Baoshu thought that a small act of impatience would ruin a great plan. Both the Manichaean leader Zhang Sanqiang and the Beggar Clan leader were biased towards the other side. It would be better to take a step back and avenge the great humiliation another day.

Thinking this through, he said, "Junior Brother was very rude just now, I apologize."

The old fisherman said, "He really is a monk from a barbarian land. He doesn't know any manners. How can he apologize like this? His heart is not sincere, his manners are not proper, and he is just going through the motions."

Zhou Yan smiled and said, "That's true."

Bao Xiang was furious. In the Vajra Sect, not to mention the eldest brother, any junior brother could speak as law in the Western Regions, and no one in the martial arts world dared to disobey him. Yet today he was being made to make things difficult for him. It was clearly a deliberate attempt to cause trouble.

He said angrily:

"Kid, you're looking for trouble."

(End of this chapter)