Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

The servant carried the black iron token and hurried towards the inner courtyard, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Before long, the vermilion gate of the Prince's Mansion slowly opened from the inside, and Wang Huai'an, holding a token, quickly came out to greet them.

He wore a worn brocade robe, his temples were streaked with gray, and dark circles were visible under his eyes, clearly indicating that he had been worrying and losing sleep for days over his daughter's situation. The token in his hand was warm from his grip, and he was all too familiar with the ancient patterns of the two characters "Quanzhen" on it.

Looking up, one sees the two people standing in front of the door. The one in the lead, Su Yan, is dressed in a plain Taoist robe. He has clear features and a calm demeanor, exuding the peace and composure of a monk. The woman beside him is dressed in a neat and tidy outfit, with a long sword at her waist. She has a cold expression and exudes a sharp aura that keeps strangers at bay. It is clear at a glance that she is a martial arts master with extraordinary skills.

Wang Huai'an stepped forward, clutching the token, his tone filled with urgency and doubt.

"Are you two highly accomplished disciples of the Quanzhen Sect?"

Su Yan reached out and took the token, her fingertips tracing the patterns on it, her tone calm.

"My name is Su Yan, a disciple of the Quanzhen School of Zhongnan Mountain. This is Su Ye, who is traveling with me. This plaque was given to me by Daoist Sun Bu'er. I was entrusted by the Daoist to come to Xiangyang specifically to visit your daughter, Wang Xingyi. I did not expect to see this situation as soon as I arrived at the Wang residence."

Upon hearing this, Wang Huai'an was taken aback at first, then his eyes lit up with hope, and he repeatedly cupped his hands in greeting.

"So you're a Taoist priest from the Quanzhen School! My apologies for not recognizing you! My wife and Master Sun have a long-standing friendship. If it weren't for your intervention back then, my wife would be dead long ago. I never expected that a master from the Quanzhen School would come to our door today..."

His voice suddenly choked with emotion, and as he thought of his daughter's ordeal, his tone became increasingly urgent.

"Come in quickly! Something terrible has happened to Xingyi. Please, both of you, listen carefully to what I have to say!"

He stepped aside and led the two inside. The flowers and trees in the courtyard were elegant, but the stone path was covered with a thin layer of dust, and a few leaves of the hanging orchid under the eaves had withered. It was clear that everyone in the mansion was in a state of panic and had no intention of even tending to the courtyard.

Upon entering the main hall, Wang Huai'an waved for the servants to leave, then sat down in the main seat. He let out a long sigh, his forced composure instantly crumbling, his face filled with regret and anxiety.

"Master Su, Miss Su, to be honest, Xingyi has been spoiled by my wife since she was a child and has a wild nature. But these days are full of war and chaos, and I have always been strict with her and never allow her to leave the manor easily."

Su Yan accepted the tea offered by the maid, her fingertips lightly touching the rim of the cup. Her expression was calm, yet her tone carried the composure of a monk.

"Uncle Wang, please don't be anxious. Tell me slowly. Now that I'm here, I won't sit idly by."

Su Ye sat down beside Su Yan, her long sword leaning against the chair, her fingertips always resting on the hilt. Her gaze swept over the furnishings in the hall without making a sound, her ears were sharp, and she was paying close attention to the surrounding movements. Years of experience in the martial world had kept her on high alert.

"The day before yesterday, she told me that she felt stifled at home and wanted to go out for some fresh air, but I didn't agree."

Wang Huai'an rubbed his throbbing temples, his voice hoarse.

"But yesterday afternoon, while I was distracted by the accounting, she secretly took two maids and slipped out of the manor. By the time I discovered it, she was long gone. I panicked and immediately picked six of the most skilled guards and servants, ordering them to catch up with the young lady and bring her back safely."

At this point, his Adam's apple bobbed violently, and his eyes became bloodshot.

"But I waited and waited until late at night before a servant covered in blood crawled back to the mansion. He said that when the group reached Shilipo outside the city, they were suddenly ambushed by bandits from Black Wind Ridge. The bandits were numerous and ruthless. The guards fought desperately to protect the young lady, and almost all of them died on the spot. Only he was knocked unconscious in the pile of corpses and was lucky enough to survive."

Su Ye frowned slightly. She knew the Black Wind Ridge bandits' modus operandi all too well.

They only ever robbed people of their money, and even when they injured people, it was usually to escape. They rarely went so far as to kill everyone, and they would never leave a single person alive to report back.

"After the servant regained consciousness, did he describe what the bandits looked like, or the reason for the abduction?"

Su Yan asked calmly, but doubts had already arisen in his heart: Wang Xingyi's unauthorized departure from the manor was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and if the bandits were just randomly robbing, it would be impossible for them to have timed it so precisely.

"He was so badly injured that he could only vaguely describe the location and what happened before he lost consciousness again and is still lying in bed unconscious."

Wang Huai'an shook his head and smiled bitterly, his expression full of bitterness.

"But something about this is not right. The people of Black Wind Ridge never kidnap people intentionally, let alone kill them all and leave them alive. It's obvious they're after the Wang family."

As soon as he finished speaking, his tone became tinged with resentment and helplessness.

"At daybreak today, I had people post reward notices throughout the city, and I personally prepared generous gifts to report the case to the yamen. But the officials either made excuses or refused to see me. They were just going through the motions from beginning to end, and they wouldn't even take a record of the case."

"Later, it was a distant relative of my wife who worked for the magistrate and risked his life to secretly pass me a message."

Wang Huai'an lowered his voice and looked solemn.

"He said that someone had already made arrangements with the officials last night, instructing them not to interfere in the Wang family's affairs, and he also subtly reminded me that I might have offended someone in Xiangyang who was not someone to be trifled with."

Su Yan's heart skipped a beat. This was no simple robbery in the martial arts world; it was clearly a long-planned scheme. He pondered to himself.

The person behind this must be able to bribe government officials and mobilize bandits from Black Wind Ridge. They must wield considerable power in Xiangyang and have a grudge against the Wang family, otherwise they wouldn't have gone to such lengths to exterminate them.

Wang Huai'an, however, looked completely bewildered and sighed heavily.

"Our Wang family has been in business for generations and has always been kind to others. Even when there is competition in business, we always part ways amicably and have never made such a deadly feud. My wife is gentle and mild-mannered, and although Master Sun is a monk, he has always been very supportive of us. My wife and I really can't understand who would target Xingyi like this."

"The bounty has been posted for most of the day, and there are quite a few onlookers, but anyone who knows a little martial arts either shakes their head and leaves, or says they dare not provoke Black Wind Ridge. Not a single person dares to accept the bounty."

Wang Huai'an leaned back in his chair, looking exhausted.

"I can't rely on the government, and I don't dare to stand up for myself in the martial arts world. If it weren't for the two of you coming to my door with Master Sun's token, I really wouldn't know what to do with my old bones."

Su Yan put down her teacup, her expression remaining calm, but she had already sorted out the doubts in her mind.

"Uncle Wang, there's no need to worry too much."

Su Yan spoke, his tone steady and resolute, carrying the certainty of a Taoist priest.

"Master Sun and your mother have a past relationship. I was entrusted by her to find Miss Wang. Now that the young lady is in trouble, I will not stand idly by. This matter is no ordinary kidnapping; there must be a cause and effect involved. Since that servant is the only survivor, he may be hiding a crucial clue. Why don't you take me to see his injuries? I have some knowledge of healing techniques and may be able to help him wake up sooner."

Upon hearing this, Wang Huai'an's eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Thank you so much, Master Su! If he can wake up sooner, it will be a great help to the Wang family!"

As he spoke, he led the two towards the back room.

Su Yan bent down to examine the servant's injuries, gathered his inner strength at his fingertips, and gently pressed several key acupoints. He then took out a healing pill from his bosom and fed it to the servant. His movements were swift and steady.

After a moment, the servant's expression eased slightly, and his breathing became more even.

"There's nothing seriously wrong for now. He should wake up after a day or two of rest."

Su Yan straightened up and said.

Wang Huai'an was extremely grateful and thanked him repeatedly. Before Su Yan could ask any further questions, he took the initiative to explain in detail.

"I've heard many rumors about Black Wind Ridge over the years. The leader of the stronghold, One-Eyed Dragon, is said to be a peak second-rate fighter, skilled with a ghost-head saber, and ruthless in his attacks. He also has two capable lieutenants, both of whom are top-third-rate fighters. The stronghold is garrisoned by nearly three hundred bandits year-round, each armed with weapons, who commit arson, murder, robbery, and all sorts of evil deeds."

He paused, then added with a serious expression.

"What's even more troublesome is the terrain of Black Wind Ridge. It's high and densely forested, with only one narrow mountain path leading to the stronghold. Both sides are sheer cliffs, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. The government had tried to suppress it three times in the past few years, but each time they suffered heavy losses due to the treacherous terrain and the bandits' preparedness, and in the end, they had to give up."

Su Yan listened quietly, his mind becoming clearer. With the one-eyed dragon at the peak of the second rank, plus hundreds of bandits and the treacherous terrain, a direct assault was definitely not the best strategy.