The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 241 The Last Dart of Nine Suns
The clouds are like white gauze, changing like greyhounds.

Zhou Yan listened quietly to Duan Chaoxi, the current owner of Fu'an.

"The main cargo is gold, with thirty chests of jewels and rare treasures. The escort fee will be estimated by the escort agency. The destination is Yumen Pass, and we will arrive at the appointed time. It's perfect that the chief escort and Zhou escort have arrived. This escort is of great importance. Wang and Shi escorts have not yet returned from their missions, so my idea is for the chief escort to personally lead the escort, with Zhou and Huyan escorts accompanying him."

After Duan Chaoxi finished speaking, he sighed, "So Guo Jing is the Khan's son-in-law, the Golden Knife Son-in-Law. That's why that Mongolian man went to the escort agency."

Hu Yanlei, unaware of Guo Jing's identity, was astonished upon hearing this and muttered to himself, "No wonder the Guo brothers were able to dissuade the Khan from slaughtering the people back then; I thought he was just a commander of ten thousand. I never imagined his identity was so astonishing."

“Indeed, his identity is extraordinary.” Zhou Yan changed the subject and asked Duan Chaoxi, “Yumen Pass is a barren land.”

Fu'an Dongjia said, "The Mongol envoy is going to Khwarezm. The Great Khan has ordered the collection of gold and silver, and the envoy's team will receive them there."

Zhou Yan suddenly realized.

In the world of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, Genghis Khan did indeed send an envoy to Khwarazm, but because Wanyan Honglie obstructed the mission, the envoy was humiliated by the Khwarazmian king by having his beard plucked and was then released. Subsequently, Guo Jing accompanied the Great Khan on his western expedition, but this was brought forward.

Wanyan Honglie will definitely make this move again. The Khan has now sent an imperial envoy. Is this a strategy of befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones based on the current situation, or did Guo Jing, Tolui and others hear something when they went to Lin'an?

As he was carefully considering the matter, Duan Huai'an suddenly asked, "Chief镖头, is this arrangement appropriate?"

Zhou Yan looked at Zhang Wangyue. He felt that after giving the other party the "Wumu's Legacy", the chief镖头 (bodyguard) of Fu'an seemed to have changed in some way. Was he now as dignified and imposing as a mountain? Zhang Wangyue had always had this kind of demeanor, but now he had become cold and aloof.

It's like a knife that's been sharpened for ten years suddenly being drawn three inches from its sheath, exuding a chilling aura.

“Brother Zhou is leaving Fu’an,” Zhang Wangyue suddenly said.

"Ah!" Duan Chaoxi was shocked. His gaze unfocused for a moment, then focused again, but it was unfocused and looked empty.

Hu Yanlei knew that Zhou Yan was going to resign. He remained silent, his eyes showing reluctance.

After a long pause of more than ten breaths, Duan Chaoxi gave a bitter smile. "Back in the Western Regions, when Chief Escort Zhou left with the high monk, my father entrusted the escort agency to me, saying that you might have to leave Fu'an. But if you stay, a branch will be opened in Fu'an, and you will be in charge of it."

The eldest son, who was only a few years older than Zhou Yan, sighed and said bitterly, "I never thought that the head of the escort agency would leave so soon after I took over the agency. I was thinking about how to talk to him and how to cultivate our relationship when he came back."

Zhou Yan felt that Duan Chaoxi had matured a lot. He suddenly remembered what his former employer, Duan Huai'an, had said: Duan Chaoxi did not like the escort agency business, but was kind-hearted. He apologized and said: "Iron Palm Gang's Qiu Qianren, Western Region Vajra Gate, Helian Chuncheng, and Western Poison Ouyang Feng are all enemies I have offended, so I had to leave the escort agency."

"I know."

“However, if the master is willing, I will escort this shipment. But I have one request: that the high monk from India accompany the caravan. He is going to India. Also, on the return journey, I will head south after reaching the Yellow River and will not return to Zhongdu.” Zhou Yan said with a smile, “So as not to make you brothers envious.”

Hu Yanlei laughed heartily, “That’s great. Brother Zhou became a bodyguard and his first mission was to Jingzhou, escorted by the chief bodyguard. Now the chief bodyguard is escorting the mission again, and Brother Zhou is protecting it. It’s a good start and a good finish. Brother Zhou and I still have time to spend together day and night, discussing spear techniques and martial arts.”

Duan Chaoxi stood up and thanked him, saying, "The journey to the Western Regions will surely be arduous. Thank you, Chief Escort Zhou. The high monk saved my father's life, so we will follow your advice."

Zhang Wangyue smiled and said, "Thank you for your company, Brother Zhou."

Zhou Yan laughed, "Then shall I go with Brother Huyan to the horse trading company to hire mules and horses?"

"Okay!"

"Let's go, Brother Huyan."

The two got up, walked through the courtyard, left the escort agency, and headed towards the horse stables on the outskirts of the city. Soon after, news spread that the escort agency was going to take a shipment from the Western Regions, and all the capable escorts set off, including Mu Nianci.

At dusk, Zhou Yan and Hu Yanlei returned to the escort agency. Zhou Yan led the "Night-Shining Jade Lion" into the stable. Just as he was about to leave, Duan Chaoxi came over with a brocade box and said, "The head of the escort agency said that we won't be going to Zhongdu on the way back. There is some money inside. Don't refuse it."

"Thank you, boss." Zhou Yan didn't refuse, but the bag felt incredibly heavy in his hand.

"Thank you for your hard work, Chief Escort."

"Don't be so polite, sir."

"While you're in the martial world, never forget Fu'an." "I will!"

"Take a good rest, Chief Escort. You'll have a tough day tomorrow."

"it is good."

After Duan Chaoxi left, Zhou Yan found the Indian monk and told him about his arrangements. The Indian monk was overjoyed and expressed his gratitude repeatedly. Zhou Yan exchanged a few polite words with the Indian monk, bid him farewell, and walked through the streets and alleys until he arrived at the courtyard. He climbed over the wall and entered, cleaned inside and out, fetched water to bathe, and then took out pen and ink to record the "Nine Yang Manual".

After doing all this, he opened the brocade box that Duan Chaoxi had given him, which contained ingots of gold.

He took a few ingots of gold and then stored them in the brocade box.

As night fell, birds spread their wings and flew across the night sky. Under the half-moon, the old trees and houses in the courtyard were shrouded in silvery light. Zhou Yan brewed a pot of tea, sat on the stone bench, and pondered in a daze.

In the world of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," Zhang Sanfeng, Guo Xiang, and Wuse each memorized a portion of the "Nine Yang Manual." Zhang Sanfeng memorized the most, about 50-60%, and used it to cultivate his own martial arts, creating the "Wudang Nine Yang Skill." Although he had read one less volume of the "Nine Yang Manual," he was knowledgeable in Taoist practices, had spent a long time with Indian monks, and had studied Buddhism at Shaolin Temple. Therefore, he could use the Jade Guanyin to try cultivating with these three volumes, without having to wait to collect the fourth volume. "A loss may turn out to be a blessing in disguise," and perhaps he could even avoid the disaster of losing his martial arts skills.

His thoughts returned, and he opened the first volume of the "Nine Yang Manual" to study it.

……

The crescent moon sets over the city wall, and the sound of the clapper at dawn echoes along the long street. Zhou Yan closes the third volume.

After a night of contemplation, I understood three volumes of scriptures and grasped their general meaning.

The cultivation path involved in the *Nine Yang Manual* is even more profound and complex than that of the *Nine Yin Manual*. Besides the eight extraordinary meridians and twelve regular meridians, it also connects to the separate meridians, the Three Imperial Meridians, and the twenty-eight hidden meridians that are the source of Yang energy in the human body. When the technique is perfected, the internal energy is condensed, and the true energy becomes fiercely Yang. When the extreme Yang transforms, it nourishes the body, opens the body's mysterious gates, and achieves a balance of water and fire, a union of dragon and tiger. Conversely, if cultivated improperly, the accumulated Nine Yang true energy, once triggered, will lead to the calamity of being consumed by Yang fire. Moreover, during the practice of this technique, before the Nine Yang is perfected and before the extreme Yang gives rise to Yin, one must maintain the body of a pure Yang virgin.

However, Zhou Yan was certain that the Jade Guanyin could assist in his cultivation. Her gentle and warm energy could neutralize the heat of the Nine Yang internal energy, and it could also continuously repair his meridians and nourish his internal organs. Furthermore, he was well-versed in the Daoist principles of emptiness and harmony. With gradual cultivation, he might be able to master his own unique Nine Yang Divine Skill.

As a second choice, proper cultivation can increase the body's yang energy, which in turn generates qi, which invigorates blood, and blood generates strength. Isn't this also a way to enhance internal strength? Moreover, it can strengthen the kidneys.

As he thought about it, he suddenly saw a bright path in martial arts: diligent study and practice, surpassing even Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison, who was now able to cultivate the Nine Yin Manual.

As the night receded like the tide, Zhou Yan sat cross-legged and regulated his breathing for an hour. When he opened his eyes, he was full of energy and radiant. He washed up, changed his clothes, carefully stored away the "Nine Yang Manual," and without taking any weapons, left the hospital, closed the gate, and headed straight for the Fu'an Escort Agency.

……

The sun was shining brightly, and the air was filled with the fragrance of peach blossoms.

Thirty cargo boxes were parked inside the courtyard of the Fu'an Escort Agency.

There were only a few people in the courtyard: a Mongolian man, his attendants, Zhang Wangyue, Zhou Yan, Huyan Lei, and the shopkeeper.

The man's attendant read out the account book.

"A pair of agate cups, a pair of mutton-fat jade cups, a pair of flawless mutton-fat jade bowls, a gold and jade Guanyin statue, a gold and jade Buddha shrine, a pair of dragon-patterned tripods, and four Shang dynasty bronze vessels, four Zhou dynasty bronze pans, and four Zhou dynasty bronze vessels..."

In the morning, the Mongolian man delivered the goods, and the two sides settled accounts.

Looking at the items, Hu Yanlei said to Zhou Yan in a low voice, "If one or two items are lost, the escort agency will probably go bankrupt and still not be able to compensate. If you don't take this escort mission, even if it means losing your reputation, I will persuade the chief escort to decline the mission."

Zhou Yan joked, "My legs are trembling right now."

"Haha... After this slinging mission, I'm thinking of quitting with Brother Zhou."

"Then one will do."

"Brother Zhou, please give me some advice on the way."

Under the warm spring sun, Zhou Yan smiled. With such a friend, what more could one ask for?

(End of this chapter)