The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 86 Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison, His Sword Blooms Like Plum Blossoms
"Zhou Yan's kick was really vicious."

"That's right, I think Brother Cui will rely on Cui Changshun for his old age in his next life."

"Hehe, Cui Changshun's closest thing is a woman's belly."

"Be careful what you say."

Cui Qingshan felt a piercing pain spreading from his lower body, making his breathing so rapid, and he felt every tendon twitching. He heard the conversation of his lovers and bodyguards outside the room, and his face contorted with rage as he gritted his teeth.

"Zhou Yan, you'd be a man to let this go unpunished. We'll see."

Suddenly, greetings rang out from inside and outside.

"The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) has arrived."

"How is Brother Cui?"

"He was still unconscious just now."

"Go inside and take a look. I have something else to say."

"it is good."

Cui Qingshan struggled to get up despite the pain.

"Creak!" The door was pushed open, and the burly Shi Xiangui walked in. Cui Qingshan gasped, "Head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), I'm not reconciled, I hate it so much!"

Shi Xiangui patted Cui Qingshan on the shoulder: "I know."

"Head镖师, what did the master say?"

Shi Xiangui's eyes darkened as those humiliating images and conversations resurfaced.

“Master, I have no face to stay in the escort agency. You say that Escort Zhou is not at fault, and you are reasonable, which I understand. But I am the head of the escort agency, and I have a group of escorts under my command. Besides being reasonable, I also have to value loyalty. Otherwise, in this chaotic world, when we encounter bandits robbing our goods, how can the escorts and porters risk their lives? I also have my pride. But now Zhou Yan has humiliated me, and I cannot appease Escort Cui’s resentment. Therefore, I have no choice but to leave the escort agency and find another way out.”

“Everyone has their own ambitions. Since the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) is so interested, I will not force him. He has worked diligently for the镖局 (bodyguard/escort agency), and I will reward him handsomely. If he wants to start his own镖局 (bodyguard/escort agency), Fu’an will give him its full support.”

"Hoo," Shi Xiangui shook his head, suppressing these humiliating conversations, and said in a low voice, "I cannot seek justice for Brother Cui in front of the boss. The only option is to leave the escort agency. Are you brothers willing to come with me?"

Upon hearing this, Cui Qingshan suddenly felt that the pain in his body was not so bad. "From now on, my life belongs to the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort)."

Several bodyguards expressed their opinions.

"Staying here will only lead to being bullied; I'll just have to work for the镖头 (bodyguard/escort)."

"That's right!"

"Tell us, head镖师, where to go?"

Shi Xiangui said in a low voice:
"Changfeng Escort Agency".

……

Do you still remember what I told you when we were escorting goods through Jingzhou?

Inside the council chamber of the Fu'an Escort Agency, Duan Huai'an asked Zhou Yan a question.

After Shi Xiangui left, the owner of Fu'an immediately sent his men to summon Zhang Wangyue, Huyan Lei, Zhou Yan, Yang Tiexin and others.

When he asked this, Zhou Yan replied, "I remember."

"tell me the story."

"Raising a mournful cup, I gaze at the blue sky; beneath my feet, I tread upon mountains and rivers. When I departed, I was a dragon entering the sea; when I returned, I was a dragon soaring into the clouds."

“That’s right, that’s it. From this day forward, you will be the youngest head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) in the history of Fu’an.”

Zhou Yan already knew he had been promoted to head镖师 (bodyguard/escort). He cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your trust, sir."

"The future of Fu'an depends on you."

"Working together"

Duan Huai'an was pleased, then turned to Hu Yanlei, Wang Kui, and Shi Baichuan and said, "You and Zhou Yan will be the four great镖头 (bodyguards) of Fu'an from now on. I hope you can revitalize Fu'an and make your镖行 (bodyguards) throughout the world."

"Thank you for your trust, sir. We will certainly work diligently." Hu Yanlei and the others bowed respectfully.

"Congratulations to Miss Mu on becoming a formal bodyguard, a bodyguard in Fu'an. Master Yang will conduct the examination another day."

Mu Nianxi was delighted: "Thank you, Master." Duan Huai'an nodded, and then said to everyone: "I have accepted the resignation of Chief Escort Shi. The escort agency will be a little turbulent in the next few days, so please do your best."

Zhou Yan let out a slight sigh of relief. Zhang Wangyue's deduction was absolutely correct. Shi Xiangui was definitely using a strategy of retreat to force his employer to punish him. As a result, his employer seized the opportunity and decisively resolved the situation.

Having traveled through time and ended up in Fu'an, meeting such a master is truly a matter of fate. Even if I wander the world in the future, I will never forget this kindness.

……

As the time drew to a close, a subtle atmosphere permeated the Fu'an Escort Agency.

Shi Xiangui left Fu'an in full view of everyone. In the following days, one after another, the seven bodyguards, including Cui Qingshan, resigned.

The Fu'an Escort Agency underwent a complete transformation, changing from a structure where two chief escorts were in charge to one where Zhang Wangyue was the chief escort, while Zhou Yan, Hu Yanlei, Wang Kui, and Shi Baichuan were the four chief escorts responsible for the agency's operations.

Duan Huai'an was actually overthinking it. In the next two days, no more bodyguards or porters left the escort agency. On the contrary, due to the resignations of Cui Qingshan and others, those bodyguards and porters who had always respected Zhang Wangyue and admired Zhou Yan became a united force.

Duan Huai'an saw this and was delighted. This move was the right one. Given time, Fu'an could travel the world as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort).

Just before the end of the year, Fu'an held a test, a fair competition, and Yang Tiexin and four others were hired as bodyguards.

The security escort agency also distributed year-end bonuses.

Zhou Yan received forty taels.

After a busy year, the bodyguards and escorts enjoyed a rare ten-plus days of leisure.

The sound of firecrackers bids farewell to the old year, and we always replace the old charms with new ones.

Zhou Yan put up couplets on the door early, arrived at the escort agency, led a yellow horse, carried a bow case, a steel sword, a lance, and two blankets, and headed straight for the mountains and fields after leaving Zhongdu.

He built a thatched hut in the mountains when he hunted, and this time he came into the mountains to take advantage of the rare leisure opportunity to cultivate and improve his strength.

……

The clattering hooves of the yellow horse shattered the tranquility of the outskirts of the capital. Zhou Yan followed the official road and then turned onto a mountain path, disappearing into the layered mountains and fields.

The sound of hooves echoed along the official road again, and a pure white camel came slowly and steadily. The man on the camel's back, though he looked to be in his fifties or sixties with a sallow complexion and beard, had sharp, piercing eyes that made him appear imposing.

The man looked towards Zhongdu and muttered to himself, "I wonder if Ke'er is still there."

The man spoke, his voice ringing like metal. Suddenly, his voice amplified, and he said:
"With staff and sword in hand, I roam the yellow sands, every place in the vast western regions is my home. The west wind of the desert blows emerald feathers, and in the third month of Jiangnan, I watch the fireworks. Old beggar, Huang Yaoshi, Ouyang Feng is here."

……

At the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), the yang energy begins to rise, and the spirit is vibrant.

A yellow horse covered with a blanket was grazing in the mountains and forests.

A bonfire burned inside the thatched hut, filling the air with warmth.

The pure internal energy originates from Zhou Yan's dantian, flows down through the abdomen to connect with the large intestine, enters the lungs, and then travels horizontally from the lung system to the "Zhongfu" and "Yunmen" acupoints on the upper outer side of the chest wall, heading towards the armpit. It then flows along the anterior edge of the inner side of the upper arm, purging and solidifying the "Tianfu" and "Xiabai" acupoints, reaching the "Chize" acupoint at the elbow. From there, it follows the meridian to the "Kongzui" acupoint on the radial side of the inner forearm. This rich and pure internal energy, imbued with the gentle and virtuous spirit of Guanyin, travels along the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin and finally reaches the "Yuji" acupoint on the anterior edge of the thenar eminence of the palm and the "Shaoshang" acupoint on the radial side of the thumb.

The key to "One Sword Transforms into Three Pure Ones" lies in the flow of internal energy between the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin and the Separate Meridian. Zhou Yan's two meridians, which he has tempered for a long time, are now wide and tough, and the internal energy they carry is several times greater than when he first started practicing the Quanzhen Sword Technique.

After years of arduous training and relentless refinement, Zhou Yan has sensed that the path to success is about to be opened.

As the sun blazed high in the sky, a sudden surge of internal energy erupted from eleven acupoints along the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin within Zhou Yan's body. His meridians snapped, and after a sharp, chapped pain, his body felt as if it were cracking. Then, the internal energy flowed freely and smoothly along this meridian, like a great river.

"A fisherman on the lakes and seas of Shaoshang, sailing freely across the vast abyss, though the canals are said to be unfathomable, he still manages to make dragons rise from the marshes."

Zhou Yan refined the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian.

With a soft whistle, he appeared outside the thatched hut, a steel sword in his hand amidst the clang of the blade.

The mountain wind blew, and Zhou Yan's hair danced wildly. He guided his qi with his mind, connecting the eleven acupoints of the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, and circulated his qi and energy in one smooth motion.

"Forged from the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin, and propelled by powerful internal energy, each sword strike can not only be divided into three, but also into five."

Zhou Yan thrust out with his sword.

The five sword shadows seemed to have formed an incredible arrangement in the vastness of Mount Sumeru, landing neatly on the tree trunk in front of him from five different angles.

There was a "pop" sound.

The sword split into five, each strike landing evenly, like a plum blossom in bloom.

(End of this chapter)