The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 4 Youthful Arrogance

The wind howled like a tiger, sweeping across the dark forest and towards the dilapidated mountain temple.

Hou Tonghai was greatly shocked and said, "Hong..."

"Get lost, my foot!"

Sha Tongtian, who was waiting at the entrance of the mountain god temple to deal with Li Mochou, suddenly heard Hong Qigong's voice. His face was full of fear. When he heard the words "Get out of here now," he turned around and ran out fiercely.

Hou Tonghai retreated by the sea, saying, "I don't know you two or you, sir..."

"Are you going to get out of here or not?"

"Get out now."

Hou Tonghai turned around and disappeared into the night with a few leaps.

Zhou Yan let out a slight sigh. Although he didn't know how Hong Qigong had ended up here, it would have been extremely difficult for him to escape from the two of them without this unexpected turn of events.

Zhou Yan saw through it but didn't say anything, and bowed, saying, "Thank you for saving my life, senior."

Hong Qigong took the gourd from his back, uncorked it, and the aroma of wine filled the air. He gulped down a few mouthfuls before saying, "When I arrived at the outskirts of Datong Prefecture, I happened to see more than ten people dead at the restaurant. I wondered who could be so ruthless. Later, I saw that it was the Four Ghosts of the Yellow River. After inquiring further, I learned that the perpetrators were a young boy and girl. Out of curiosity, I followed those two bastards. You're young, but you've already struck hard enough."

Li Mochou quickly walked to Zhou Yan's side and, upon hearing Hong Qigong's words, said with dissatisfaction, "Those people deserve to die."

"Why should he die?"

“Bullying men and women.” Li Mochou simply recounted how she encountered the Four Ghosts of the Yellow River on her journey, how they said they wanted to capture her and hand her over to some young master Ouyang, how she escaped after a fight, and how she encountered them again at a restaurant, where Zhou Yan chivalrously came to her aid.

Hong Qigong was surprised: "So you're not from the same sect. You've got guts and chivalry, kid. But you were still too ruthless. The Four Ghosts of the Yellow River deserve to die, but the remaining nine don't deserve to die."

Zhou Yan said, "Release the tiger back to the mountain, and there will surely be trouble in the future. Senior, your martial arts are superb, so you are not worried about retaliation. My martial arts are low, and there are hundreds of mouths to feed behind the dozens of people in the escort agency. If someone escapes, it will attract the revenge of Sha Tongtian and others. Wouldn't it be harming the innocent because of a sense of benevolence?"

Hong Qigong had already recognized Zhou Yan as a镖人 (bodyguard/escort) from his attire. Hearing this, he nodded and said, "That makes some sense. I didn't expect you to be so meticulous."

"Thank you for your understanding, senior."

"No need for that, but I have already averted trouble for you. Sha Tongtian and Hou Tonghai will probably not dare to cause you any more trouble."

“I’m not afraid even if they come,” Li Mochou said.

“You’re quite bold, girl,” Hong Qigong said with a smile. He then said to Zhou Yan, “Your ‘Taizu Long Fist’ and ‘Yanqing Fist’ are quite impressive, but unfortunately you lack internal strength. Otherwise, the ‘Charging into the Formation and Slaying the General’ move of Taizu Long Fist would be a perfect match for Hou Tonghai, as it combines strength and gentleness.”

"Indeed."

"Who is your master?"

Zhou Yan's "Yanqing Fist" and "Taizu Long Fist" techniques were widely known, so Hong Qigong could not determine his school from the moves.

"I learned martial arts at the security escort agency, but I have never formally become a disciple."

Hong Qigong admired Zhou Yan for his youthful promise and chivalrous spirit, but also felt he was too cold-hearted. Intending to test him, he said, "You're quite to my liking in some ways. How about you become my disciple? With your foundation in external martial arts, you'll be completely fearless against the likes of Hou Tonghai in just a month or two."

"He would never become your disciple."

Hong Qigong laughed heartily, "Why?"

"I wanted to teach him light-footed swordsmanship, but he wouldn't learn it."

"Interesting." Hong Qigong took a step to the side and floated down. "Boy, have you thought this through? You really don't want to learn?"

"Hmm!" "Why?"

“If I want to become an apprentice and cultivate, I must follow the rules and teachings of my seniors. This cannot be killed, that cannot be killed. I am not a person who kills indiscriminately, but I have my own standards of good and evil. If I am bound by these rules, how can I be happy?”

In Mr. Jin Yong's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes, Zhou Yan's most memorable impression of Hong Qigong was not the Mount Hua Sword Tournament, where he taught Guo Jing martial arts because of his love of food, but rather the second sword tournament where Qiu Qianren was surrounded and knew he could not escape. He asked Master Yideng, Guo Jing, Huang Yaoshi and others why they should kill him.

Zhu Ziliu said that Qiu Qianren had committed many evils and everyone had the right to kill him.

Qiu Qianren retorted, asking who among them had never killed anyone or committed any evil deeds in their life, and then to come forward and do the deed.

His words left everyone except Hong Qigong speechless. Hong Qigong glared angrily and said that he had killed 231 people in his life, all of whom were villains, and he had never killed a good person.

Upon hearing this, Qiu Qianren was furious. Thinking of his master, Shangguan Jiannan, he suddenly realized his mistake and became a disciple of Master Yideng.

Zhou Yan refused Hong Qigong for several reasons. First, he knew Hong Qigong was testing him. Second, he didn't want to be bound by the rules. Third, he had just transmigrated and was using the opportunity of traveling the country with the escort agency to gradually build his power; he didn't want to get involved in the Beggars' Sect's conflicts. Hong Qigong's chivalry was undeniable, but the Beggars' Sect was also a mixed bag.

Upon hearing this, Hong Qigong laughed and scolded, "In the end, it's all because you have a bloodthirsty heart."

"I just feel that a person should not be too aggressive, so one must learn to control it. But control does not mean not distinguishing between what is important and what is not. Otherwise, what is the point of learning martial arts? In short, it means to strike when it is time to strike."

Li Mochou, being new to the world of martial arts, had never heard such words before, but she thought Zhou Yan was good-looking, had a pleasant voice, and was righteous, making him worthy of being a close friend.

Aside from rarely killing, Hong Qigong was actually a free-spirited and unconventional person, and Zhou Yan's words really hit the nail on the head.

“I, Beggar, like what you said and cherish your talent even more. How about this? I will teach you a set of martial arts. You don’t need to become my disciple. Although this set of martial arts is not a peerless skill, it can help you cultivate internal energy.”

Li Mochou was overjoyed: "Quickly agree!"

"Aren't you worried that if I learn the senior's techniques, you'll surpass me?"

"No way! My sect has plenty of profound martial arts techniques. Once I return to my sect, I will study them diligently and make you look at me with new eyes."

"Hey, what are you two kids saying?"

Li Mochou spoke frankly, recounting her encounter with Zhou Yan, who told her how inexperienced she was in the martial world, how easily she could be deceived, and that she should return to her sect to cultivate, and that they should agree to a sword duel a year later.

Hong Qigong, a seasoned veteran of the martial arts world, understood Zhou Yan's meaning perfectly. They had met by chance, and he couldn't take Zhou Yan with him, but he was also worried about causing trouble if he left him behind. That's why he provoked Zhou Yan to return to his sect.

"Interesting. A year from now, the beggar will come here as a witness." Hong Qigong, who loved excitement, helped Zhou Yan out.

"Is this true?" Li Mochou asked.

"How could I lie about what I say?"

"it is good!"

Hong Qigong said, "Boy, what do you say? Will you learn or not?"

How could Zhou Yan refuse at this point? "Thank you, senior. I will gladly accept your offer."

"Alright, I will teach you a set of 'Free and Easy Wandering' boxing techniques that I used when I was a beggar wandering the world in my younger days."

As soon as Hong Qigong finished speaking, he leaped up, his sleeves fluttering, leaping east and west with extreme agility.

"Kid, listen up, this is the mantra of the mental cultivation method."

"Before taking action, move the body; before moving the body, move the mind; before moving the intangible, move the substantial; before moving the extremities, move the roots. Alternately relax and sink, proceeding in sequence; let the mind arise like water, freely flowing..."

(End of this chapter)