On a pitch-black night,the only sounds were the ravages of the storm.Amid the intermittent flashes of lightning and thunder,two figures could be faintly discerned moving swiftly.
Mount Jiuyin,a desolate and eerie place in the northern suburbs of Feng County,was seldom visited even during the day.So why,on this stormy night,were there people making their way through the thorny paths?
"Crack!"
A silver lightning bolt split the sky,striking a massive tree that would have taken four men to encircle.Fire erupted instantly,only to be doused by the rain,leaving behind a scorched stench.
"Watch out!"came a cry.Both figures simultaneously used their lightness skills to leap several feet away,narrowly avoiding disaster.
In the flickering light,the two could be seen as middle-aged men,their faces grave beneath their斗笠(斗笠)and蓑衣(蓑衣).One pressed a hand to his chest,a flash of panic crossing his eyes.
"Let's go,"said the other.
Battling the storm and trudging through the mud,they walked for about half a hour until they halted at a narrow,deep cave.
Taking out a firefold wrapped in oilcloth,they ignited it,the weak flame flickering.They removed their斗笠 and蓑衣,their soaked clothes clinging to their skin.
"Brother Li,are you certain that Young Master Guo Xu is imprisoned here?"asked the man in a silk robe with golden thread,his face fair and handsome except for the deep wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.He peered into the cave's darkness,swallowing hard.
"Master Qiu,this is originally my matter.You shouldn't have come.Brother Guo and I are as close as brothers.Now that he's in great danger,I'll do everything in my power to ensure his safety,even at the cost of my life!"said the man in the coarse blue shirt,Li.
"Brother Li,what are you saying!"Qiu straightened his waist and liver:"My Luoma Sect is but a minor派 in the江湖,yet we hold Young Master Guo in the highest esteem!I'm glad to lend a hand.Don't try to dissuade me!"He glanced at the cave entrance,his brow furrowing."I just need to ask:are you sure the letter you received is from Guo Xiaoyang's hand?Better safe than sorry,lest we fall into a trap."
Li took out a letter from his怀中,now a sodden mess from the rain.He shook his head."Though I have some doubts—Guo brother's martial arts and intelligence should prevent easy capture—I recognize his handwriting.This is undoubtedly his genuine letter."
Qiu"clang"drew his steel knife,grabbed Li's arm,and said,"If that's the case,let's go.I'll brave the dragon's den!"
Both men,weapons in hand and True Qi circling to protect their vital points,cautiously stepped into the darkness.
After about a hundred steps,a strange sound erupted from within,followed by something darting out!"Who's there?!"Though startled by the sudden,eerie noise,the two,seasoned as they were,quickly composed themselves,positioning their bodies and swiftly brandishing their weapons to shield their faces and chests.To their surprise,a swarm of bats fluttered out in the firelight.
Li and Qiu exhaled in relief,exchanging chuckles.
"Brother Li,glad my followers didn't see my cowardly face just now,"Qiu said,lowering his steel knife with a bitter smile.
Li was about to respond when a deep voice echoed from within:"Have you come?"
"Who's there?!"the two men shouted again.
Li stepped forward with the firefold,his long sword pointed at the vague figure."Did you abduct Brother Guo Xu?If so,release him at once!"
"Is it so?And if not?So what?"the figure in the cave spoke,pausing after each word,devoid of emotion.
"Release him now,or I'll show you no mercy!"Li infused his sword with ten parts of inner strength and advanced two steps.
"Since you've come,die."
Outside the cave,the rain continued to pour.
From the ink-black cave came two shrill screams,reverberating across the rain-lashed Mount Jiuyin...
On a woodland path outside Chuzhou City,a few passersby could be seen here and there.A tea shed stood by the roadside,offering weary travelers a place to rest and hydrate.The shop assistant made a modest living from the small fees collected.
In the northeast corner stood a square table,partially obscured by a wooden pillar of the shed,making it a rather inconspicuous spot.Seated there was a youth dressed in white,wearing a fú head-dress.His fair skin,petite straight nose,and jet-black eyes were fixed on a fox crouching beside him.
The fox,about half the height of a person,was larger than the average fox.Its scarlet fur was lustrous and smooth.Its heterochromatic eyes—one water-blue,the other grass-green—emanated a captivating charm.
The youth gently stroked the fox with his slender fingers,his face soft with tenderness:"Honghong,I know you want to drink alcohol,but there's none here.Be a good boy and make do,will you?"
The fox"Honghong"gazed at its master with its heterochromatic eyes,tapping the youth's arm with a paw.
The youth pouted and shook his head:"Sorry,Honghong,I really can't help.I brought all the alcohol,and you've consumed it all.As you heard earlier,the shop assistant said they only have tea."
Honghong seemed to understand its master's words,slowly retracting its paw.Reluctantly,it lowered its head to lap at a bowl of plain tea on the ground.
"Ah,pah!What is this stuff!They dare call it tea with just some boiled water and two leaves thrown in?!"
"Forget it,Lao Si.There's not a soul for miles around here.We should be grateful for something to drink.Once we enter the town,we'll have fine wine and dishes served to us."The man paused,grabbed a handful of shelled peanuts from the plate,and threw them into his mouth."Crunch crunch"as he chewed,he changed the subject:"Hey,I heard Guo Xu killed Xiao Yan of the Wind and Rain Manor."
"I've heard that too!And the death of Jiu Wanzhang from the Fallen Horse Gang is probably also connected to him!"
"But I've also heard that Guo Xu was a decent man before.Could these rumors be false?"
"Humph!Nonsense!Zhang Huai,you fool,what is Guo Xu?Nothing but a fame-seeking scoundrel.With the'Dragon Ying Sword'on him,how could he be clean?"The speaker downed a bowl of tea as if it were a bowl of spirits,wiped the water from the corners of his mouth,and squinted his eyes as he said:"Dragon Ying Sword,Dragon Ying Sword...One day,I will possess it!"
"His Highness the Crown Prince speaks wisely,speaks wisely..."
"His Highness the Crown Prince has keen insight.The world shall one day belong to the Emperor and you.What is a mere'Dragon Ying Sword'?"
"Exactly!He Guo Xu is nothing!Not even worthy to carry the shoes of His Highness the Crown Prince!"
The voices grew louder and the flattery more excessive.
The white-clothed youth frowned and glanced at the noisy group seated in the center of the tea shed.Six people were gathered around a table,dressed in gold and silver,far from ordinary civilians.
He mused:"They call that man facing south the'Crown Prince.'Likely the son of some rebel king."He shook his head lightly:"The son of a king,with a slick appearance and parroting others'words—nothing special."
Annoyed by their clamor,he gently patted the red fox's head."Honghong,are you full?If so,let's be on our way."
Honghong looked at its master and let out a soft cry.The youth nodded with a faint smile and called out loudly:"Waiter,the bill,please!"
"Coming right up!"The waiter trotted over cheerfully,counted the tea bowls and snacks on the table,nodded,and held out his hands:"Young sir,that'll be eight cash coins.Thank you for your patronage!"
As the youth reached for his money pouch,the Crown Prince shouted:"Wait!I'll cover his bill!"With that,he slapped a gold ingot on the table.
"This..."The waiter was utterly confused,glancing helplessly between the youth and the Crown Prince.
The youth frowned and cast a sidelong glance at the Crown Prince.
"Crown Prince,what are you...?"The Crown Prince's entourage was equally puzzled by his actions.
The Crown Prince let out a"hehe"chuckle:"Pleasure's mine to treat a beauty!"
"Beauty?!"His followers gaped."Your Highness,are you implying that..."
"Look again,you fools with eyes like dogs and pigs!"The Crown Prince scrutinized the youth from head to toe:"See this?Skin fairer than snow,soft enough to break with a touch.Eyes like peach blossoms,a smile that could steal one's soul!"He licked his lips and tapped them with his index finger:"Oh my,those ruby lips,they make my heart race!"He burst into laughter:"At a glance,I can tell she's no ordinary beauty.Dressed in women's attire,she'd be a peerless enchantress!Isn't that right,my little beauty?"
The Crown Prince leered at the youth and said,"Come with me,my beauty,and I'll grant you endless glory and wealth!"As he spoke,he prepared to rise and approach the youth.
"Indeed,Your Highness..."The sycophants tried to join in,but a thunderous"bang!"silenced them.The youth struck the square table with a heavy palm.Two chopsticks shot up from the bamboo container on the table.With a flick of her fingers,she sent them flying."Thud"they landed,precisely half buried and half exposed,in the pine wood table before the Crown Prince.
The youth's display left everyone in the teahouse agape.
The Crown Prince recoiled,nearly knocking over the bench behind him.He dared not approach the youth whose martial arts skills far surpassed his own.The body that had begun to rise immediately retreated,coughing lightly as if nothing had happened.He feigned nonchalance,raised his teacup,and said to his flatterers,"Let's drink tea,drink tea..."
The youth glanced at them with disdain,feeling nothing but revulsion,and decided to leave without further ado.After paying the bill,she exited the teahouse.
She and the little red fox walked leisurely along the foot of the mountain.The youth's eyes were fixed on the distance;she seemed uninterested in the scenery around her but was in no hurry to reach her destination.
Suddenly,the red fox let out a few barks at the sky.The youth looked up in surprise and saw a magnificent flower growing on the mountainside,dozens of feet up the cliff.
"That's the'Vajra Lotus'!Truly the Vajra Lotus!Well done,Honghong!I can finally make my master happy!"The youth picked up the fox and kissed it vigorously.
"But the cliff is so smooth and steep,with no footholds.How am I to climb up?..."The youth's eyes darted around."I've got an idea!"
She found a long vine and took two throwing knives from her waist belt,attaching one to the end of the vine.
The youth patted the red fox's head,"Be a good boy,Honghong.Wait for me here.I'll be back soon with the Vajra Lotus."
She swung the long vine with her right arm,the knife at the end embedding itself in the rock.Using it as leverage,she leaped up the cliff.Once she reached a certain height,she gripped the other knife with her left hand and plunged it into a crevice,suspending herself on the steep wall.After stabilizing herself,she swung the vine upward again.
After ten or so repetitions,she finally reached the Vajra Lotus.
She secured her left hand to her body and carefully dug around the flower with her right hand,uprooting it with its surrounding soil.
The youth could barely contain her joy and laughed out loud,her voice echoing through the mountains like a skylark:"I've got it!Honghong,I've picked the Vajra Lotus!Master will praise me!He'll say I've done well!"
As she reveled in her triumph,she suddenly noticed a figure plummeting past her from above.
Without a moment's hesitation,she hurled her vine to catch the falling person.But the downward force was too great.Not only did she fail to save them,but she was pulled down as well,crashing heavily to the ground...