Reborn Ouyang Ke: From The Condor Heroes to the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 66 The Journey to the Ancient Tomb, and the Maidservant Lin!

After staying in the valley for several days, Ouyang Ke and Li Mochou bid farewell to Ouyang Feng and set off north.

Xiangyang is not too far from Zhongnan Mountain, but it still takes several days to reach the foot of Zhongnan Mountain. The route follows the Han River to Chencang, and from Chencang, it heads straight for Zhongnan Mountain.

Since Emperor Xuanzong of Jin implemented the policy of "replacing losses in the north with gains in the south," the border area between the Song and Jin dynasties had become extremely turbulent. The Yellow River in the Jin Central Plains was flooded, and uprisings were rampant in Hebei and Shandong, presenting a picture of a doomed dynasty. The Guanzhong region, however, became one of the few provinces in the Jin Dynasty that remained peaceful. But in order to guard against the southward advance of the Mongol cavalry, the Jin forces were concentrated around Tongguan Pass.

The Mongol army attempted to march south and destroy the Jin dynasty several times, but was dissuaded by the Jin troops entrenched at Tongguan. Only then did they consider using the Southern Song route to conquer the Jin. In fact, the Jin garrison at Tongguan held out for seventeen years, preventing the Mongol cavalry from breaching the Yellow River defenses and barely managing to keep the Jin's new capital, Bianliang, from the threat of the Mongol advance.

As Ouyang Ke and Li Mochou traveled north, they encountered numerous Jin scouts, clearly to guard against a potential Southern Song attack on Guanzhong. However, Ouyang Ke and Li Mochou's exceptional lightness skills prevented these scouts from detecting them. After approximately two days, the two successfully arrived at Zhongnan Mountain.

The ancient tomb where Li Mochou had lived since childhood was hidden in the back mountain of Chongyang Palace of the Quanzhen Sect. Since the passing of Master Chongyang, the two sects had rarely communicated. After arriving at Zhongnan Mountain, Li Mochou became extremely proactive. With a firebird perched on her shoulder, she smiled slightly and said, "Brother Ouyang, come with me."

Led by her, the two bypassed the main road and took an extremely hidden path, successfully circumventing the main road and heading straight for the ancient tomb in the back mountain. Perhaps because they were about to return to the ancient tomb, Li Mochou became more talkative: "My master dislikes those Taoist priests of the Quanzhen Sect and usually avoids them. This path up the mountain is known only to my master, Granny Sun, and me."

Ouyang Ke nodded upon hearing this. His relationship with the Quanzhen Sect was also strained, and if he were to run into those Taoist priests, conflict would be inevitable. Although he wasn't afraid of them, he didn't want to get entangled with them again.

In about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the two arrived at the back mountain. This place was a forbidden area of ​​the Quanzhen Sect, and Quanzhen disciples would never set foot here under normal circumstances. In fact, the Ancient Tomb Sect had long since raised jade bees here, and any outsider who dared to enter would be stung all over by the jade bees. Even if there were no prohibition, Quanzhen disciples would never come here to invite trouble.

The jade bee is a unique treasure of the ancient tomb. It is pure white and seems harmless, but even if you have extraordinary cultivation, once you are stung, you will suffer from unbearable itching all over your body. Unless you drink the jade bee nectar, you can only wail and wait to die.

As Ouyang Ke was walking, the firebird in his arms suddenly poked its head out, its small, coral-like eyes gazing into the depths of the forest. It seemed to sense something, flapped its wings, and flew from Ouyang Ke's arms, transforming into a streak of red light and hurtling into the forest.

"Firebird!"

Ouyang Ke called out softly, but it was too late to stop him.

The firebird flew into the forest and landed on an old tree covered in white wildflowers. The tree was densely covered with snow-white bees, which were collecting nectar from the flowers. The firebird had never seen such white bees before, and curiously poked its head out, gently pecking at one of them with its beak.

Startled, the jade bee emitted a faint buzzing sound. In an instant, all the jade bees on the tree took flight, rushing towards the firebird like a white mist!

The firebird, though highly intelligent, had never witnessed such a spectacle before. It cried out in alarm, flapped its wings, and transformed into a streak of red light that shot into the sky.

And so it rose. Hundreds and thousands of jade bees followed closely behind, their buzzing deafening, a dark mass that blotted out the sky.

Ouyang Ke frowned slightly, about to make a move, but Li Mochou had already stepped forward. She took out a small bamboo whistle from her bosom, put it to her lips, and gently blew it.

The whistle was sharp and long, carrying a strange rhythm that echoed through the mountains and forests. Strangely enough, the swarm of jade bees chasing the firebirds gradually stopped upon hearing the whistle, circled in the air a few times, and then slowly flew back into the bushes.

The firebird, still shaken, landed back on Ouyang Ke's shoulder, its feathers ruffled, and kept cooing as if complaining.

Ouyang Ke reached out and stroked it, saying softly, "I told you not to run around."

The firebird shrank back into his arms, only half of its head showing, and looked around warily.

Li Mochou put away the bamboo whistle and laughed, "Brother Ouyang, don't worry. These jade bees obey my master's commands. I've only learned a little bit. If my master blows the whistle himself, they'll be as obedient as kittens."

Ouyang Ke nodded and praised, "The Jade Bee of the Ancient Tomb Sect truly lives up to its reputation."

The two continued onward, passing through the dense forest, and finally arrived at the entrance to the ancient tomb. A deep, dark passageway led into the heart of the mountain, and a chilling aura swept over them.

After about half a cup of tea's time, the two arrived at the back hall of the ancient tomb. The hall was bare and sparsely furnished, except for a painting hanging on each of the east and west walls. The west wall depicted two young women, one around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, dressing in front of a mirror, and the other a maid of about fourteen or fifteen, holding a basin and attending to her. The older woman's reflection in the mirror was strikingly beautiful, with delicate eyebrows that reached her temples, yet a hint of murderous intent lingered in her eyes—it was none other than Lin Chaoying, the founder of the Ancient Tomb Sect.

Li Mochou respectfully bowed to the woman in the portrait and said softly, "Grandmaster, I brought Brother Ouyang into the Ancient Tomb today without intending to violate the sect rules. Please forgive me, Grandmaster."

Ouyang Ke sighed softly as he watched this scene and respectfully bowed to the portrait. He held Lin Chaoying in high esteem. It should be known that while there are many martial arts masters in the world today, those who can create a martial art out of thin air are extremely rare.

Huang Yaoshi was an extremely arrogant man, believing himself to be second to none. He created countless martial arts techniques, yet he could not create a completely new martial arts system from scratch. Lin Chaoying, on the other hand, did just that. Although the "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra" was not as all-encompassing as the "Nine Yin" or "Nine Yang," it undoubtedly paved a completely new path for martial arts.

"Who is it?"

Suddenly, an aged voice, tinged with wariness, came from the depths of the ancient tomb behind them. Soon, an old woman holding an oil lamp appeared nimbly in the back hall.

When the old woman saw Li Mochou bowing to the portrait of her sect member, a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes. Then, noticing Ouyang Ke standing with his hands behind his back, she immediately became wary. If the other woman hadn't been exposed by the candlelight, she wouldn't have been able to detect that there was another person in the back hall.

But the next moment, Li Mochou exclaimed in surprise, "Grandma, it's me! It's me, Mochou!"

Granny Sun's eyes lit up with surprise: "It's Mo Chou back!" The wariness in her eyes vanished, but she still stared intently at Ouyang Ke not far away, her brows furrowed as she asked, "Mo Chou, who exactly is this person?"

Ouyang Ke understood Granny Sun's concerns and smiled slightly, saying, "Junior Ouyang Ke greets Granny Sun."

"Ouyang Ke?" Granny Sun's eyes showed a hint of suspicion as she turned her gaze to Li Mochou, asking in confusion, "Mochou, have you forgotten the sect rules? How could you bring an outsider into the Ancient Tomb?"

Li Mochou hurriedly explained, "Grandma, I—"

Knowing that if news of Mochou bringing in outsiders reached Miss Lin's ears, Granny Sun deliberately put on a stern face and said, "Please leave this place immediately!"

Ouyang Ke shook his head and said, "It's not that I don't want to leave today, but that I can't leave."

Granny Sun was taken aback upon hearing this, and Li Mochou quickly said, "Granny, Brother Ouyang came to the Ancient Tomb at my invitation, please don't blame him!"

Granny Sun said without arguing, "Young lady, are you really confused! In the past, when you secretly ran down the mountain, I could cover for you in front of Miss Lin, but now you have brought outsiders into the ancient tomb without permission. Once Miss Lin sees you, even I can't help you!" Granny Sun's tone was full of anxiety at the end.

"Mother-in-law—" Even the usually willful Li Mochou felt a pang of guilt upon hearing this.

"Hurry up and leave!" Granny Sun ignored Li Mochou and urged Ouyang Ke with her eyes fixed on him.

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Ke sighed softly, met Granny Sun's gaze, and said frankly, "Mo Chou and I fell in love at first sight. I have come here today to pay my respects to Mo Chou's master and humbly request her permission."

It would have been better if Ouyang Ke hadn't mentioned these things; as soon as he did, Granny Sun's face changed drastically. She stamped her foot and said, "How can this person be so stubborn?"

It doesn't work!

As she spoke, her brows furrowed, as if she had made a decision. Suddenly, a flash of cold light appeared, and an incredibly tiny golden needle flew towards her. This hidden weapon she used was the Ancient Tomb Sect's unique weapon—the Jade Bee Needle. This needle, as thin as a hair, was forged from 60% gold and 40% refined steel, coated with the venom from the stinger of the jade bees of Zhongnan Mountain. Although small, its weight from the gold allowed it to travel a considerable distance when thrown. However, this weapon was extremely insidious, and Lin Chaoying rarely used it. After her martial arts reached a level of unparalleled skill in middle age, she no longer needed to use it. Later, she passed it on to her personal maid for use against enemies. Finally, her maid passed it on to Granny Sun for self-defense. Granny Sun was also reluctant to use the needle lightly, but seeing that her opponent was unwilling to leave the Ancient Tomb, and to avoid Lin Chaoying's subsequent punishment of Li Mochou, she gritted her teeth and used her trump card.

"Brother Ouyang!" Li Mochou's pretty face changed slightly upon seeing this, and she quickly reminded him.

Ouyang Ke was prepared. With a gentle flick of his right sleeve, a soft burst of true energy shot out from a distance, easily knocking the golden needle to the ground.

Granny Sun was dumbfounded. Her martial arts skills were not particularly high, and having lived deep in the ancient tomb for so long, her perspective was naturally not very broad. But seeing Ouyang Ke so easily knock down the golden needle, even Miss Lin, who taught her martial arts, might not be able to do it so effortlessly.

Her original surname was Sun. Years ago, Lin Chaoying, a chivalrous figure in the martial world, had saved her life. She went up the mountain to pay her respects, only to learn that Lin Chaoying had passed away. She wished to enter the tomb to pay her respects, but could not find the entrance. Wang Chongyang then instructed her on how to enter the tomb, and she was eventually able to enter. She was taken in by Lin Chaoying's personal maid and remained there ever since, caring for Li Mochou and Xiaolongnu.

She wasn't particularly bright, but she could tell that her opponent possessed superb martial arts skills and was clearly far beyond her ability to defeat.

Li Mochou moved swiftly, standing between the two and saying, "Grandma, this matter has nothing to do with Brother Ouyang, please don't interfere anymore."

I will tell my master the truth myself.

Granny Sun glanced at Ouyang Ke, then at Li Mochou, and could only sigh helplessly. At the same time, Ouyang Ke frowned slightly, as if he had sensed something. The next moment, a detached voice came from the inner room: "Fine, what do you want to confess to me?"

Before the words were finished, a woman in white with long hair walked out slowly. She was holding the hand of a little girl who looked as cute as white porcelain. The girl looked to be no more than three or four years old, and her big eyes were looking around curiously.

The woman in white was none other than Li Mochou's master—the maid who held the washbasin in the painting years ago, now in her thirties. She had delicate features, though not as stunning as Lin Chaoying, she possessed a unique ethereal beauty.

Her eyes and brows carried the coldness and loneliness unique to the ancient tomb, as if she had lived deep in the mountains for a long time and was detached from worldly affairs. Her skin was as white as snow, her long hair was like a waterfall, and she was dressed in white, her steps were so light that they could not be heard, clearly she had mastered the essence of the ancient tomb's lightness skill.

"Master!" Li Mochou was about to speak when she saw a white shadow flash before her eyes. Her master had already closed in on her and was in front of her in an instant. Before she could even react, her right wrist was firmly gripped by her master. His fingers were icy cold, like the stone walls deep in an ancient tomb.

Li Mochou's heart tightened, and she instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but she couldn't break free. She raised her head and met her master's cold, indifferent eyes. Fear filled her heart, and she stammered, "Master—Master—"

The woman in white remained expressionless, one hand gripping Li Mochou's pulse point, the other lifting the sleeve of her right hand. In the candlelight, a bright red mark, as pure as blood, was clearly visible on that fair forearm, perfectly intact.

The woman in white's gaze lingered on the mark of virginity for a moment, before the frost in her eyes softened slightly. She released her grip.

He said calmly, "At least you know your limits."

Li Mochou's cheeks flushed crimson, and she lowered her head, not daring to speak. She felt guilty, but also somewhat wronged. Although she and Brother Ouyang were truly kind to each other, they had never crossed any lines. Her master's examination seemed to suggest—

She dared not think any further, and simply bit her lip, silently taking a step back.

The woman in white then turned around, her gaze returning to Ouyang Ke, and said coldly, "Now that you've come to the Ancient Tomb, you should know our rules. Any man who dares to enter the Ancient Tomb will only face death."

Upon hearing this, Li Mochou's pretty face paled, and she hurriedly looked up to plead, "Master, shut up!" Before she could finish speaking, the woman in white coldly interrupted, "Now is not the time to punish you." Her gaze was already fixed on Ouyang Ke, scrutinizing him from head to toe for a long time before she slowly spoke, "Mochou, is it this person who made you violate the sect rules?"

Ouyang Ke remained calm and cupped his hands, saying, "This junior is indeed Ouyang Ke, paying respects to senior."

The woman in white didn't reply, but stared into his eyes, as if trying to see a trace of hypocrisy in those clear eyes.

After a long silence, she said calmly, "You do have some guts."

Ouyang Ke smiled slightly and said, "Senior, you flatter me."

The woman in white asked again, "What brings you to the ancient tomb?"

Ouyang Ke frankly said, "This junior fell in love with Mo Chou at first sight and wishes to marry her. I have come today to pay my respects to you, senior, and earnestly request..."

Please grant my request, senior.

"Very well. Since you know the rules of my Ancient Tomb Sect, you still have the audacity to bring this up with me." The woman in white's gaze turned cold, and her tone carried a hint of scrutiny.

Ouyang Ke said calmly, "That's the truth. I don't want to betray Mo Chou's deep affection, so I can only tell the truth."

"Since you two have already pledged your lives to each other, then Mo Chou should have explained the rules of my Ancient Tomb Sect to you. Disciples of my Ancient Tomb Sect must never leave the Ancient Tomb for their entire lives, unless a man is willing to sacrifice his life for them, then the oath will be broken. Are you willing to die for her?" The woman in white stared intently at Ouyang Ke and suddenly asked.

"Brother Ouyang—" Li Mochou subconsciously raised her head, her gaze fixed on Ouyang Ke beside her, her eyes filled with tension and anticipation.

"Of course I'm willing." Ouyang Ke smiled calmly, without the slightest hesitation.

"Alright!" The woman in white was taken aback at first, but then nodded. "In that case, I'll see how sincere you are."

As soon as she finished speaking, she moved swiftly, her toes lightly touching the ground, and she floated up like a falling leaf, without making a sound, and in an instant she was in front of Ouyang Ke. A fair, jade-like hand reached out and gently touched Ouyang Ke's chest.

The subtlety of the Ancient Tomb Sect's martial arts lies in its restrained and concealed power.

Seeing this, Ouyang Ke did not have the slightest thought of dodging. He just stood there quietly, watching the white-clad woman's palm print approach his chest.

"Brother Ouyang!" Li Mochou's face paled at the sight. In an instant, she felt the world go dark, and only one thought occupied her mind!

If Brother Ouyang were to perish, she would certainly not remain alive alone!

In the blink of an eye, the woman in white was back in her original spot, her lightness skill breathtaking. A hint of complexity flickered in her previously icy expression as she stared intently at Ouyang Ke and asked, "Why didn't you dodge?"

Ouyang Ke smiled slightly and said calmly, "Since you have no intention of harming me, why should I dodge?"

It turned out that although the white-clad woman's palm strike was fierce, the power was contained within, and at most it would only cause Ouyang Ke some minor injuries, with no danger to his life.

Her actions were merely a test of Ouyang Ke's courage and sincerity, not a genuine attempt to take his life.

As they spoke, the firebird in Ouyang Ke's arms seemed to sense the commotion and groggily peeked half its head out from under his clothes. It rubbed its eyes, looked at the woman in white, then at Ouyang Ke, and let out a soft "coo," as if asking:

What's wrong?

This unexpected scene eased the tense atmosphere. The woman in white's gaze fell on the small, fiery red bird, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, but she said nothing.

She stared at Ouyang Ke for a long time before saying calmly, "You do have some guts." Her tone was cold, but the hostility from before was gone.

Ouyang Ke clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Senior, you flatter me."

The woman in white remained silent for a moment, then turned to look at Li Mochou kneeling on the ground, and then at Ouyang Ke, before coldly saying, "Get up, both of you. As for your matter—" She paused, but didn't finish her sentence, turning and walking towards the inner hall, leaving only one sentence lingering in the air: "Follow me."

Li Mochou felt as if she had been granted a pardon and quickly stood up, her eyes filled with joy. She took Ouyang Ke's hand and whispered, "Brother Ouyang, Master—"

Ouyang Ke patted the back of her hand and smiled slightly, saying, "Let's go."

The two walked side by side, following the figure in white, deeper into the ancient tomb.

Behind them, Granny Sun held the porcelain-doll-like little girl, watched their retreating figures, sighed deeply, and murmured, "This girl is quite lucky; she's met a good man."

The girl seemed to understand nothing, still staring wide-eyed, curiously looking around.