Ten years has passed. A group of Huashan Sect disciples were seated around a courtyard attending a literature class. Four of them stood around Lu Dayou looking at an erotic book in his hands. “Looks at this one,” Lu Dayou whispered excitedly. His apprentice brothers leaned forward to take a closer look at the page. “Wow…” one of them uttered in astonishingly.
A girl dressed in green was busy looking at a hand mirror applying some makeup to her face. She was the only girl in the group. Her name was Yue Lingshan, the daughter of the Huashan Sect leader, Yue Buqun.
An old man seated at a table in front propped his face on his hand dozing off in his chair. He was employed by Yue Buqun to teach the youngsters literature.
One of the disciples stood beside him and started tickling his nose with a twig. The old man felt ticklish and subconsciously pushed the twig away.
A sturdy and strong stature young man with tanned complexion, around the age of twenty five sat at by himself eating peanuts. His name was Linghu Chong, the head disciple of the Huashan Sect.
Yue Lingshan picked up a stone and threw it at her Big Apprentice Brother.
Linghu Chong felt the stone hitting his arm and quickly turned toward the direction where it came from.
Yue Lingshan asked, “Am I pretty?”
Linghu Chong turned to look at her. He replied with a smile, “Pretty!”
Yue Lingshan blushed and looked back at the hand mirror with a long smile on her face.
The four disciples standing around Lu Dayou got very engrossed with the erotic book. One wanted to turn back to the previous page while another wanted to skip to the next page. Lu Dayou shrugged and said, “Stop it! One page at a time!” he said in a loud voice.
The old man was awakened by their noises. He reached for cane and slammed it down on the table. “What are you all doing?!” he asked angrily.
All of them stopped whatever they were doing and looked at the old man in alarm.
“Do you all want me to punish you all!” the old man rose from his seat staring at them. He paused for a moment and looked at Lu Dayou. “Lu Dayou! Give me that book that you just hide!” he said sternly.
Lu Dayou ignored him and pretended to be busy reading a literature book.
The old man slammed the cane down on the table once more. “You better give it to me now! If I find it myself I’m going to punish you severely!” he shouted. After finishing his words, he stepped away from the table and walked up to Lu Dayou.
Linghu Chong immediately kicked a long wire rope to his apprentice brother who was sitting on his left. The two of them waited till the old man got nearer before pulling up the rope.
The old man tripped over the rope and fell on his face. He slowly looked up and groaned, “I’m going to get you all for this!” he shouted angrily.
All of them started laughing at him hysterically.
In the meantime, Yue Buqun sat crossed legged on the floor inside a meditation room. He placed his hand on a small wooden box on the altar table. The words Sunflower Scripture were inscribed on the cover of the box. He slowly slide the box open. There was nothing inside. He stared at the empty box disappointedly and started recalling his master’s words to him.
“Master, why is it that the box is empty?” a young Huashan disciple lifted his head and looked at his master.
A middle aged man let out a sigh and replied, “Buqun, this wooden box plays an important role in determining our Huashan Sect’s future. You must watch over it closely. Now, look at these moves that I’m going to show you.”
The middle aged man reached for a sword and stepped to the front. He swung the sword in a wide arc upward, then downward performing a series of sword moves. After he was done, he placed the sword behind his back, and asked, “Buqun, did you see it clearly?”
The young Huashan Sect disciple nodded and replied, “Disciple saw is clearly. Could it be that these few moves are from the Sunflower Scripture?”
The middle aged man shook his head and replied, “I’m not sure either. I only know that the Sunflower Scripture contains extraordinary and unfathomable martial art skills. We use to have it until it was stolen by the devil cult. Now there are only these few moves left.”
The young Huashan Sect disciple lowered his head and said, “Master, please forgive disciple for being straightforward. But those few moves …”
The middle aged man interrupted him, “Doesn’t seem to have any strength at all?”
The young Huashan Sect disciple nodded without saying a word.
“I use to say that to your Grandmaster too but our founder has instructed that we’re to pass down these few moves to the next generation until one day when our Huashan Sect’s descendants can find out the secrets within them,” the middle aged man explained. He then paused for a moment and walked up to the young man. “Buqun,” he continued.
The young Huashan Sect disciple bent down on one knee and bowed at his master, “Yes, Master?”
“Our Huashan Sect’s prominence suffered a great decline after that conflict between the Sword Branch and Qi (Energy) Branch. Whether our Huashan Sect get to greater heights will depend on you now,” the middle aged man continued.
The young Huashan Sect disciple looked up at his master and responded, “Yes, Master!”
Yue Buqun swung the sword in a wide arc upward, then downward performing a series of sword moves. It was the same moves imparted to him by his master years ago. “Yue Buqun, how are you going to bring Huashan Sect to greater heights? What do you have in you to become the leader of the martial arts community? Ten years ago Dongfang Bubai ousted Ren Woxing and seized his position as Chief. The shamed of losing to Ren Woxing that year can longer be avenged,” he thought to himself. He moved three steps back and thrust the sword downward. “With just these few ordinary moves it would impossible to even defeat Zuo Lengchan.”
“Senior Apprentice Brother!” a female voice called out.
Yue Buqun returned the sword into the scabbard and turned toward the direction of the voice.
Ning Zhongze came running into the room. “Senior Apprentice Brother! The new tutor said that he wants to leave. I tried to persuade him to stay but he refused to,” she explained.
“What did those little monkeys do this time?” he asked in stern voice.
Ning Zhongze lowered her hear without saying a word. She knew exactly what happened but just could not tell her husband, fearing that the disciples will be punished severely for being impolite to the tutor.
Yue Buqun hummed and stomped out of the room angrily.
Linghu Chong, Yue Lingshan and Lu Dayou hid in the bushes watching the old man walked down the stone steps.
“Tutor! Please wait!” Yue Buqun called out. He and his wife exited a room and rushed towards him hurriedly.
The old man turned around to look at them.
Yue Buqun quickly climbed down the stone steps and stood in front of the old man. “Tutor, please don’t go. Please be generous and forgive those kids did to offending you in any way,” he said.
The old man held his hand out and sighed, “Forget it. I can no longer teach those disciples of yours. All of them are disrespectful and lazy. If I were to continue to teach them, this old life of mine will be over.”
Ning Zhongze smiled and said, “Tutor, these kids are still young so it’s difficult for them not to do wrong. This is why we hope that you can teach them.”
The old man just shook his head gesturing his desire to leave.
“Tutor, I know that it’s difficult to teach them and requires lots of your energy. How about this? Starting next month we will double your fee. What do you think?” Yue Buqun asked.
The old man paused for a moment and started laughing.
Yue Lingshan’s jaw dropped. “Big Apprentice Brother, what do we do now?” she asked.
Lu Dayou clenched his teeth and grumbled, “Not good…not good…this is not good at all Big Apprentice Brother…we can’t let him stay!”
Linghu Chong knitted his brows and tried to think of something. He then looked at his little apprentice sister with a wry smile on his face. “Don’t worry. He won’t be able to stay,” he said. After those words, he pulled out a slingshot from his chest pocket.
Yue Lingshan immediately knew what her big martial brother was up to. She picked up a stone and handed it to her big apprentice brother.
Linghu Chong grasped the stone with a rubber pocket, aimed it at the side of the old man’s face and shot it at the top old man’s ear.
The old man staggered to the side in shock and covered his ear with his hand. “That hurts!” he cried out in pain.
Yue Buqun turned toward the direction where the stone came from. “Who is it?” he asked in a loud voice.
Linghu Chong, Yue Lingshan and Lu Dayou quickly turned around and crawled away qutely.
The old man shook his head and said, “Madam Yue, Head Master Yue, I can understand your good intentions but I doubt I can do it. Farewell!” He turned around and ran to the doorway.
“Tutor! Please come back!” Ning Zhongze held her hand out.
Yue Buqun clenched his teeth and shouted, “They are really too much!” He then turned around and walked back up to the abode annoyingly.
Afterward, the group of disciples who were being tutored by the old man kneeled inside the main hall. They cried out in pain while they were being canned by their other apprentice brothers.
Ning Zhongze turned toward her husband with her worried look on her face. “Senior Apprentice Brother…” she sighed.
Yue Buqun held his hand out telling her to calm down. He then looked at the disciples and said, “You are a bunch of rude and unambitious kids! How many times have I told you this? Practice your martial arts skills diligently and study hard but you would not listen!” He paused for a moment and started shaking his hand as he said, “Tell me! How many tutors have you all scared off already?”
The disciples carrying out the canning noticed their master’s hand gesture. They retracted their hands and took a step back.
Linghu Chong turned his head to look at his master. “Master, all those tutors are completely useless. They just know how to tell us to memorize and write but never once explained anything to us. They only know how to sleep, get angry and blame others. Studying like that is like not studying at all,” he groaned in pain.
Yue Lingshan added, “That’s right! I asked him how to makeup and paint nails but he doesn’t even know how to answer me. He just knows how to say pass beliefs, absorb intelligence and solve problems. I think he only knows very little and pretends to be very knowledgeable. He also said that women with no talents are good. If that’s the case, why should I study?”
Yue Buqun and his wife opened their eyes wide staring at their daughter in disbelief.
Lu Dayou nodded and said, “That’s right! Mistress, he even insulted you!”
Ning Zhongze dropped her jaw and responded, “Insulted me?
Lu Dayou continued, “He said that women and villain are hard to distinguish. Isn’t that insulting you and junior apprentice sister?”
All the other disciples abruptly responded one after another, “That’s right!”
Yue Buqun sneered and said, “Nonsense! Denuo! Continue hitting them!’
Ning Zhongze interrupted, “Senior Apprentice Brother, they’ve received enough of canning.”
Yue Buqun hummed angrily, “I want them to learn from this beating and change their unacceptable behavior!”
Linghu Chong quickly raised his hand and looked at his master. “Master, I have a request,” he said, with an innocent look on his face.
Yue Buqun placed his hands behind his back and stared at him sternly. He was waiting to see what mischievous trick his eldest disciple had in his sleeves this time.
Linghu Chong continued, “After getting punished can we rest for a few days? If we are not allowed to rest then can we stay in the mountain and don’t need to go and buy food supplies? The last time after we got punished we had to go and buy food supplies right away. We were in pain but still had to carry so much food supplies. It was really terrible…”
Yue Lingshan nodded and sighed, “We were really pitiful.”
Yue Buqun pursed his lips and hummed angrily. He then looked at his third disciple and said, “Denuo! Keep hitting them for me! Make sure that they go and buy food supplies before the sunset.” After finishing his words, he turned to left and walked out of the main hall.
A young man around the age of twenty three dressed in grey was standing at the edge of the Jade Maiden Peak playing a melancholic tune on a flute. He was handsome and carried an elegant air around him. But his eyes were somewhat cold and indifferent. From the tune of his music one could tell that he was in pain, hatred, and sorrow.
“Lingfeng!” a female voice called out.
The young man pulled the flute away from his mouth and turned around. He bowed with his hands cupped, “Adopted Mother.”
Ning Zhongze walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder. “Your Adopted Father wants you to accompany your apprentice siblings to the city to get food supplies,” she said.
The young man replied, “Yes, Adopted Mother.”
Ning Zhongze looked around to make sure that there wasn’t anyone in the area. “You’re thinking of the girl again?” she asked with a smile.
The young man hesitantly nodded without saying a word.
Ning Zhongze continued, “Lingfeng, one cannot wallow in the past. You must let go of that painful experience. You’re a man and should not let the past drag you down.”
The young man got down on one knee and replied, “I am willing to try and do so.”
Ning Zhongze helped him up and said, “Good kid. Now go down the mountain with your apprentice siblings and get some fresh air.”
Linghu Chong, Yue Lingshan and Lu Dayou rubbed their backside as they limped along a stone bridge groaning in pain.
The young man followed them closely from behind. He had not said a word from the time they left the mountain to reaching their current location. He folded his arms across his chest and spoke up, “This should be far enough. Master won’t be able to hear this far.”
Linghu Chong. Yue Lingshan and Lu Dayou looked at him with a mischievous grin. The three of them pulled a small pillow out from under their backside and tossed it into the air. They looked at each other and started laughing.
“Second Apprentice Brother, you won’t say a word right?” Lu Dayou asked with a grin.
Yue Lingshan to the young man and put her arm on the young man’s shoulder. “Huashan Sect’s second disciple Yue Lingfeng is known to be tightlipped. You won’t say a word right, Big Brother?” she grinned.
The young man looked to the front and walked away.
“What does that mean?” Lu Dayou scratched his head confusingly.
Linghu Chong smiled widely and said, “That means yes!”
Lu Dayou placed his hands on Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan’s shoulder as he walked behind him. “This is great! We can finally go out!” he said. He looked at Yue Lingshan and continued, “Little Apprentice Sister, you’re the best. You knew Master would cane us and got us prepared. This time we can really enjoy ourselves!”
Yue Lingshan smiled and replied, “Of course.” She then held Linghu Chong’s arm and said, “Big Apprentice Brother, father gave us three days to buy food supplies and daily items. I think we need to think about where we’re going to play for the next three days!” After finishing her words, she ran toward her adopted brother. “Big Brother! Wait for me!”
Lu Dayou walked passed Linghu Chong and stood in front of him. “Big Apprentice Brother! Didn’t you want to bring me to that type of place?” he said and made a hand gesture to show a woman.
Linghu Chong stared at him in shock. “That might not be a good idea,” he responded.
Lu Dayou went on, “Big Martial Brother, it’s a waste of our youth if we don’t go and enjoy ourselves. You and Little Apprentice Sister are not even married yet and you’re already afraid of her. Once you marry her there will never be another chance for you to visit a place like that again.”
A hand suddenly came from the back and slapped Lu Dayou’s shoulder. “Liu Houer (Liu Houer means Sixth Monkey, it was also Lu Dayou’s nickname), what are you two whispering about?” Yue Lingshan asked suspiciously. “You are planning something bad, aren’t you?”
Lu Dayou turned around and looked at her innocently. He shook his head without saying a word.
“Let me warn you two, if you dare to hide anything from me I’ll tell father about it and let you two be sent to Repentance Cliff for a year!” she continued cheekily.
Linghu Chong pushed Lu Dayou to the side and walked up to his little apprentice sister. He laughed and said, “Junior Martial Sister, we have nothing to hide from you. We were just thinking about what kind of interesting things to show you.”
Yue Lingshan responded excitedly, “Really? What is it?”
Linghu Chong winked and said, “Take a guess?”
Yue Lingshan repeatedly pulled his sleeves and said with a smile, “Quick tell me what it is!”
Linghu Chong replied, “Sure. I’ll tell you if you can catch me.” He pinched his little apprentice sister’s nose and started to run.
“Wait for me!” Yue Lingshan turned around and chased after him.
The four of them quickly finished their meal and went of walking around the city. The entire city was even livelier in the night. There were different types of street performances such as fire breathing, martial arts, and magical tricks. Yue Lingshan was enjoying herself that night. Seeing that his Little Apprentice Sister was so happy, Linghu Chong was just as happy.
Yue Lingfeng stopped by at a doll stall. He held a pair of dolls in his hand and fixed his eyes on it.
Years ago, he and a girl were walking along a night market. The girl stopped by at a doll stall and reached for a pair of dolls. “Don’t they look like us?” she showed the dolls at Yue Lingfeng, and asked with a smile.
Yue Lingfeng returned a smile and said, “We look much better than them.”
The girl smirked and said, “That’s for sure.”
“Big Brother! Big Brother!” Yue Lingshan called out while patting him his shoulder.
Yue Lingfeng quickly regained his senses and turned to look at her. “Yes?” he asked.
Yue Lingshan knitted her brows and asked, “Are you alright? We want to go that side to take a look.”
Yue Lingfeng placed his hands behind his back and replied, “Sure. Let’s go.”
A group of onlookers standing around a magical trick stall gave the performer a loud round of applause. Yue Lingshan was amused by his performances. She stayed on at the stall to watch the next performance.
Lu Dayou reached his hand out and started pulling the strap tied around Linghu Chong’s waist. “Let’s go…” he whispered.
Linghu Chong glared at him and started shaking his head.
Lu Dayou pulled the strap once more and sneered, “Let’s go…”
Linghu Chong angrily nodded his head. He then got closer to Yue Lingshan and asked, “Little Apprentice Sister, is it interesting?”
Yue Lingshan responded excitingly, “Yes! It’s very interesting!”
“Are you hungry?” Linghu Chong asked.
Yue Lingshan turned to look at Linghu Chong and replied, “No. I’ve food.” She showed him the meatball on a stick that she was holding in her hand.
Linghu Chong replied, “You have food? But you can eat more.”
Yue Lingshan clapped her hands after seeing another splendid performance. “Let’s talk about this later,” she said.
Linghu Chong raised his eyebrows and replied, “How can I wait to talk about this later?” He pointed to another right and said, “I saw a stall there selling delicious food. I’ll go buy you some!” After finishing his words, he quickly turned to the right and walked away.
Yue Lingshan turned to look at Linghu Chong and started calling him back.
Lu Dayou immediately pulled her back. “Little Apprentice Sister, Big Martial Brother is just trying to make you happy.”
Yue Lingshan narrowed her eyes and said, “He must be up to something bad and doesn’t want me to expose him!”
Lu Dayou suddenly placed his hand on his stomach and pretended to be in pain. “Ouch,” he cried out.
Yue Lingshan looked at him and asked, “Now what’s wrong with you?”
“My stomach hurts! I need to go to the washroom!” he whined. He then turned around and walked away.
Yue Lingshan reached her hand out and grabbed his arm. “Hold it! One needs to go to the toilet and the other needs to buy food. Are you guys going somewhere else to have fun without me?!” she asked angrily.
Lu Dayou shook his head and replied, “Little Martial Sister, if you don’t believe me you can come with me to the washroom. Let’s go! I can’t hold it anymore!” He grabbed her arm and pulled her away with him.
Yue Lingshan halted her steps and pulled her hand away from him. “Alright! You can go by yourself. I’ll wait for you guys here,” she said.
Yue Lingfeng folded his arms around his chest and walked up to her. “I can keep you company,” he said in a low voice.
“I’ll be right back!” Lu Dayou grinned and walked away.
The brothel house on the other street was packed with patrons. There was also a group of dancers performing on the stage in front. Most of the tables had already been taken up. The courtesans working in the premise were busy flirting and serving their respective customers wine.
A chubby looking middle aged woman dressed in pink went on to the stage shortly. The dancers stopped their performance and returned to the back stage right away. “Respectful guests, in the pugilistic world we have Dongfang Bubai who is the most powerful person. Here at our Yi Shui Nian Hua brothel house, among our beauties, there’s also a Dongfang Bubai!” the chubby looking middle aged woman announce proudly.
The fireworks suddenly went off. Tiny pieces of paper started falling down from the top. A beautiful looking young lady dressed in green soared down from the ceiling. She gracefully leaped along the five long red fabrics hanging diagonally across the railings and glided through the air in circles.
The patrons and courtesans gave her a loud round of applause for her splendid performance.
The young lady was in fact Dongfang Bubai herself. She smiled at the crowd sweetly as she continued gliding through the air in a circle.
The chubby looking middle aged woman looked up in awe and said, “How beautiful…how elegant…Who among our guests would be lucky enough to be her customer tonight?!”
Dongfang Bubai finally made her way to the ground. She lightly landed in front of a young man dressed in white. She gave him a sweet smile and started to caress his cheek. She then placed her hand around his waist and leapt into the air with him. The two of them flew into a room upstairs in a blink of an eye.
Moments later, Linghu Chong and Lu Dayou arrived at the brothel house. They stood at the corridor admiring the premise’s beautiful ambiance and decoration. “Wow…Big Apprentice Brother this place is beautiful!” Lu Dayou commented.
“Yes it is!” Linghu Chong replied.
Lu Dayou walked over to a vacant table.
Linghu Chong pulled him back and said, “We don’t have enough money for such places. It’s enough to just look. Let’s leave.”
Lu Dayou reached inside his pocket and took a handful of coins.
“Where did you get so much money?” Linghu Chong asked him.
Lu Dayou placed his hand around Linghu Chong’s shoulder and walked him to the table. “I’ve been saving up for a year. It’ll be enough for us to drink some tea and look at the beautiful women,” he grinned.
Linghu Chong paused for a moment. “What about Little Apprentice Sister?” he asked in alarm.
Lu Dao You sighed, “Junior Apprentice Sister’s martial arts skills are quite good. Ordinary people wouldn’t be able to harm her. Furthermore, you have to broaden your horizon by seeing other girls to differentiate between the good and bad ones.”
Linghu Chong snorted and said, “That’s not necessary. Seeing Little Apprentice Sister is all I need. But I don’t mind drinking a few cups of good wine.”
The chubby looking middle aged woman walked towards them. “Welcome to our brothel house, sirs. We have good wine and beautiful women,” she caressed Linghu Chong’s back as she spoke.
Linghu Chong started to feel uncomfortable. He stepped away from her and said. “Okay. Just brings us a bottle of good wine."
The chubby looking middle aged women nodded. “Sure. Please take a seat,” she led them to an unoccupied table.
A waiter brought a pot of wine to their table minutes later. Linghu Chong poured himself a cup of wine and finished it in one gulp. “Good wine!” he commented satisfyingly.
Lu Dayou reached his hand out at the pot and said, “Big Apprentice Brother, let me have some wine too…”
Linghu Chong pulled the pot away from him. “The wine is for me. You’re only allowed to look at the beautiful women!” he asserted.
Yue Lingfeng and Yue Lingshan sat on a stone steps outside a shop as they waited for their apprentice brothers. “Those two have been gone for so long and still not back yet. They must be up to something!” Yue Lingshan snorted.
“We can walk around to look for them if you want,” Yue Lingfeng suggested.
“Let’s go!” Yue Lingshan replied with a smile.
Meanwhile inside a room upstairs the brothel house, a man dressed in white climbed into to the bed and tried to get close to Dongfang Bubai.
“Don’t be in a hurry. It’s no fun when you rush into it,” she waved her sleeves lightly and forced him to back off. “Why don’t we have a chat first?” she uttered in a soft and gentle voice
The man dressed in white pulled himself to the back and frowned. “What do you want to talk about?” he asked.
Dongfang Bubai paused for a moment then said, “For example, where are there so many swordsmen here over the last few days? Normally we seldom see so many highly skilled martial artists gathered here.”
The man dressed in white smiled and replied, “We’re here to deal with the devil cult’s Dongfang Bubai.”
Dongfang Bubai opened her mouth and looked at him in disbelief. “Oh, how do you intend to do that?” she asked.
The man dressed in white smirked and said, “I’ll tell you once I’ve dealt with you.” He leaned forward and tried to get close to her again.
Dongfang Bubai instantly lifted up her hand and waved her sleeve it at his face, forcing him to back off. “If you don’t tell me I’ll not let you touch me,” she smirked.
“Alright. I’ll tell you. We’ve gotten someone to challenge Dongfang Bubai to a duel. Once he shows up we’ll poison his food and wine,” the man dressed in white explained.
Dongfang Bubai burst out laughing, “Wow that’s wicked.”
The man dressed in white laughed with her and said, “Wickedness is the mark of a truly great man.”
Dongfang Bubai continued, “This is the best joke that I’ve ever heard. You call such a useless method a plan?”
The man dressed in white sneered and asked, “What suggestions to you have in mind?”
Dongfang Bubai got out from the bed and said, “There are many martial arts exponent up at the Dark Wood Cliff. There are the Heaven, Earth, Wind and Thunder division members, twelve flags leaders, ten elders and the left and right messengers. Years ago the Five Mountain Sword Sects Alliance tried to attack the Dark Wood Cliff but could not even find the route to the cliff. It’s only a wishful thinking for you to poison Dongfang Bubai.”
She then sat at a table and continued, “Furthermore, there’s nothing that Dongfang Bubai doesn’t know. Even those who are close to him are unable to poison him. Someone using a below average poisoning skills such as yours would have to die a hundred times.”
The man dressed in white glowered and asked, “How would you know about all this?”
Dongfang Bubai rested her right arm on the table as she continued, “Didn’t you see the sign outside? I’m Dongfang Bubai!” After finishing her words, she flicked her finger and shot a needle at the man’s head.
The needle pierced the man’s forehead in the blink of an eye. He jolted backward and fell into the bed motionless. There was a small red dot on his forehead.
“Didn’t I tell you that she’s very fast?” she murmured softly.
“Subordinate pays respect to the Chief,” a voice from outside said.
Dongfang Bubai looked at the door and said in a stern voice, “Come in.”
A man dressed in black walked into the room. He knelt and bowed at Dongfang Bubai. “Chief, the information of all the sects and groups are in this book,” he presented a book to her.
Dongfang Bubai reached out for the book. “You’ve done well. Take care of that body lying in the bed,” she flipped through the pages of the book as she responded to him.
“Yes,” the man replied. He walked over to the bed, took out a small bottle from his chest pocket and poured some white powder on the dead body. The body slowly dissolved itself.
Meanwhile, a fierce looking man dressed in green sitting downstairs struck the table and called out in a loud voice. “Procuress!”
The chubby looking middle aged woman rushed toward him instantly. “Yes sir, I’m here.”
The fierce looking man placed his hands at his waist. “We’ve been here for a while now. I’ve yet to see any beautiful woman around. You took my money without giving me what I want. Do you want me to demolish your shop?” he spoke arrogantly.
The chubby looking middle aged woman shook her head, as she said, “Please don’t.” She quickly grabbed the courtesan closest to her and pushed her towards the man. “Look at how beautiful Tao Hong is,” she said.
The fierce looking man held the courtesan’s chin up and took a closer look at her. “Unappealing! Get lost!”
“Huh?” the chubby looking middle aged woman looked at the courtesan up and down. She sighed and yelled, “You look so unattractive. Get lost!” She then looked at the fierce looking man with a smile. “Sir, please wait a while more. I’ll get you Liu Hong. She’s gorgeous,” she said.
The fierce looking man looked around the place and noticed Dongfang Bubai walking down the stairs. She gracefully climbed down the steps smiling at those in front of her. Her countenance was absolutely stunning.
Lu Dayou looked at her with his mouth wide open. “Big Apprentice Brother! Look quick!” he pulled Linghu Chong’s sleeve.
Linghu Chong swung his hand away from Lu Dayou. “What’s there to look?!” he turned around and saw the stunning looking Dongfang Bubai in the back. He fixed his eyes on her admiring her beauty in silence.
The fierce looking man smiled lustfully. He pointed his finger at Dongfang Bubai and said, “I want her.” He charged towards Dongfang Bubai and tried to grab her arm.
Dongfang Bubai instantly brushed her sleeve and slide away from him swiftly. “Forget it. I’m very tired. We’ll meet again next time,” she said. She then turned around and walked towards the door.
“Looks like you don’t want to live anymore. Renhao! After her!” the fierce looking man shouted and reached the sword on the table.
The other man sitting next to him got up from his seat and followed him from behind.
Linghu Chong took another gulp of wine as he watched them from his seat. “Let’s go,” he said.
Lu Dayou looked at him. “Where are we going?” he asked.
“Save the young lady,” Linghu Chong grabbed his sword as he replied.
Dongfang Bubai exited the brothel house and walked off into the dark street. The two other men followed her from behind. They were the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect. The fierce looking one was Luo Renjie while the one accompanying him was Yu Renhao.
Linghu Chong and Lu Dayou stepped out of the brothel and followed them from behind in discreet.
Yue Lingfeng and Yue Lingshan were coming from the other side of the street. They spotted their apprentice brothers walked past them. “Big Apprentice Brother!” Yue Lingshan called out.
Linghu Chong was so engrossed in trying to save Dongfang Bubai from those lecherous Qingcheng Sect disciples that he didn't hear his little apprentice sister's voice.
Yue Lingshan folded her arms, “Where are those two going?
Yue Lingfeng shrugged and said, “We’ll find out real soon.” He turned to the left and went after his two apprentice brothers.
After walking a short distance, Dongfang Bubai turned into a dark alley. The two Qingcheng Sect apprentices were still following her very closely. She intentionally lured them into the alley so that she could kill them without attracting any unwanted attention. She finally halted her steps and pulled a needle out from her sleeve.
Luo Renjie and Yu Renhao also halted their steps. “Renhao, go get her,” Luo Renjie whispered.
Just then, a male voice from behind said, “Master has always told us that being members of the pugilistic world it’s important for us to know who the greatest heroes out there are!” Linghu Chong and Lu Dayou had arrived at the dark alley too. “Do you know who the recent most famous heroes are?” Linghu Chong continued.
Lu Dayou shook his head, “Big Apprentice Brother, I’m not sure.”
Linghu Chong looked at him and snorted, “How ignorant! Of course it’s the famous Four Elegants of Qingcheng (Qingcheng Si Xiu).”
Luo Renjie and Yu Renhao turned around to look at the two Huashan Sect apprentices with smiles on their faces. They were glad that their names were renown within the pugilistic world. They were also impressed that the two passersby standing behind them could recognize them.
“Four Elegants of Qingcheng?” Lu Dayou scratched his head confusingly.
Linghu Chong nodded, “Yes! Do you know why they are called the Four Elegants of Qingcheng?”
Lu Dayou looked at Linghu Chong and shrugged, “I’m not sure.”
Linghu Chong snorted, “You’re not sure? That’s because they are not human, but beasts!”
Dongfang Bubai pursed her lips and grinned as she listened to Linghu Chong’s words. She felt that he was very humorous.
Yu Renhao stepped forward angrily, “Damn you! Who are you?! How dare you insult us, the Four Elegants of Qingcheng!”
Linghu Chong turned his thumb up, “Very classy indeed. I’m Linghu Chong of the Huashan Sect.”
Dongfang Bubai turned her head slightly and took a quick glance of Linghu Chong.
“So it’s Huashan Sect’s head disciple Linghu Chong!” Yu Renhao commented. “Our Qingcheng Sect and your Huashan Sect has never had any disagreement. Why are you insulting us?”
Linghu Chong responded with a shock on his face, “I insulted you?” He then looked at Lu Dayou and asked, “Did I insult them?”
Lu Dayou shook his head and said, “Of course not!”
Linghu Chong then looked back at the two Qingcheng Sect disciples and said, “Exactly! No matter from which angle I look at them, they still look like beasts.”
Yu Renhao pointed his finger at Linghu Chong in anger, “Linghu Chong! If you keep talking nonsense don’t blame me for being impolite!”
Linghu Chong took a step back and heaved a sigh, “Please don’t be polite to me. I’m really scared whenever someone is polite to me.”
Luo Renjie snorted, “Don’t waste your breath on him. We’ll let him have a taste of our Qingcheng Sect’s Pine Wind (Song Feng) Swordplay!” With those words, he and Yu Renhao drew their swords and charged forward.
Linghu Chong and Lu Dayou immediately fought back. A duel between the Huashan Sect and Qingcheng Sect disciples immediately broke out.
Dongfang Bubai finally turned around to look at them, her eyes were ice cold and indifferent.
After exchanging over fifty sword moves, Linghu Chong leapt forward, stood in front of Lu Dayou, executing a forceful semi-circle slash that drove his opponents to the back. “The sword moves that you were using just now don’t seem to be Qingcheng Sect’s Pine Wood (Song Feng) Swordplay!” he commented.
Yu Renhao smirked and said, “You don’t have to worry what kind of sword moves that we’re using. If we can defeat you then it’s a good swordplay!”
Linghu Chong raised his eyebrows, “Oh I know! You guys were using the Stroke Attack (Zhong Feng) Swordplay!”
“Nonsense!” Yu Renhao raised his sword and made another dash towards Linghu Chong.
Luo Renjie followed him from the side.
Linghu Chong swung his sword upwards to parry a slash from Yu Renhao and subsequently swung it downwards to parry a slash from Luo Renjie. After that, he jumped up and simultaneously kicked them both in the chest.
The two Qingcheng Sect apprentices tripped and fell flat on their back.
Seeing that the winner had been determined, Lu Dayou went over to Linghu Chong with a smile. “Liu Hou, did you see that? It’s Qingcheng Sect’s greatest skill, bum backwards as the geese falls flat on to the sand move (pigu xiang hou, ping sha luoyan shi).”
“Linghu Chong! Stop being arrogant!” Yu Renhao got up, reached into his chest pocket and pulled out two hand bombs. “Looks at this!” He hurled the two smoke bombs at his opponent. The bombs hit the ground, exploded and filled the air with thick white smoke.
Linghu Chong instantly hurried towards Dongfang Bubai. He grabbed her by the waist and made a quick leap towards the side.
Dongfang Bubai was completely startled by Linghu Chong’s sudden move. She quickly regained her senses and got her guard up.
Lu Dayou stooped behind some barrels to take cover.
“Young lady, are you hurt?” Linghu Chong looked at her, and asked with a smile. Dongfang Bubai shook her head with a sweet smile without saying a single word.
Suddenly, a masked red figure somersaulted in the air, and landed behind the two Qingcheng Sect disciples.
The two Qingcheng Sect disciples immediately turned toward the red figure. “Who are you?” Yu Renhao raised his sword, and asked abruptly.
“Shameless junior! I’m Dongfang Bubai!” the red figure said in a stern female voice. The red figure was actually Yue Lingshan in disguise. She wore a face mask and had her back facing the two Qingcheng Sect apprentices so that they couldn’t see her properly.
Yu Renhao was startled. “Dongfang Bubai?! Senior Martial Brother, we’re no match against him. We better get out of here quick!” he stammered.
Luo Renjie returned his sword into the scabbard, and said, “So, it’s Senior Dongfang. Please forgive junior for not recognizing you.” He bowed at Yue Lingshan with his hands cupped. He then patted Yu Renhao’s arm and walked away.
Yue Lingshan remained still and waited for them to leave.
As the two Qingcheng Sect apprentices walked passed her, Luo Renjie suddenly grabbed the mask and pulled it off from her face.
Yue Lingshan was startled. She immediately took ten steps back. “How dare you!” she yelled angrily.
The two Qingcheng Sect disciples burst out laughing.
“It’s Little Apprentice Sister!” Linghu Chong quickly rushed towards her.
“Who would have guessed that the great and illustrious Dongfang Bubai is really just a little girl?” Luo Renjie sneered. “This is the funniest joke that I’ve heard in a long time.”
Yue Lingshan snorted and said, “You just look down on people!” She paused and then continued, “I’ve not finished my words. I’m Dongfang Bubai’s (Eastern Invincible) cousin Xifang Shibai (Western Failure)!”
Linghu Chong contained his laughter by putting a hand over his mouth.
Dongfang Bubai was enjoying herself in the back watching them from behind. The moment she heard Yue Lingshan’s word, she had to purse her lips to contain her laughter.
Luo Renjie smirked, “Then you’re destined to fail! Renhao!”
“Yes!” Yu Renhao reached for another bomb and hurled it at Yue Lingshan.
Linghu Chong quickly grabbed Yue Lingshan by the arms and pulled her away.
With a flick of her fingers, Dongfang Bubai shot the needle at the bomb and produced an explosion in the air.
Suddenly, a cold ray flashed past the top of the two Qingcheng Sect disciples heads. The hair band strapped around their hair split open while their hair fell loosely over the shoulders. “It's sword energy….” Luo Renjie trembled.
A black figure somersaulted towards the dark alley and landed in front of the two Qingcheng Sect apprentices. “Qingcheng Sect disciples, if you want to live I would suggest that you leave right now,” Yue Lingfeng returned the long sword into the scabbard and said in cold voice.
“This is getting out of hand…we’d better leave now…” Luo Renjie helped his apprentice brother up and slowly limped away.
Yue Lingshan walked up to Yue Lingfeng. “Big Brother! Since when did you learn such powerful sword skills?” she asked excitingly.
Yue Lingfeng shrugged, “These are just some basic sword energy that I learned from Adopted Father a while ago.”
Linghu Chong patted Yue Lingshan’s shoulder gently. “Little Apprentice Sister, are you alright?” he asked.
Yue Lingshan looked at him angrily and said, “Don’t tell me that it took you that long to buy something and that you had to come all the way to this dark alley to buy it!”
Linghu Chong shook his head, “No…no. I came here to rescue a young lady.” He turned around looking for Dongfang Bubai but she was no longer there. “She has disappeared….” Linghu Chong's jaw dropped.
“There’s a young lady involved as well?!” Yue Lingshan asked angrily. “You’ve a lot of explanation to do mister!” She then turned to the around and walked away angrily.
“Little Apprentice Sister!” Linghu Chong started running after her.
Lu Dayou and Yue Lingfeng followed him from behind.
Dongfang Bubai hiding behind the corner wall took a peep at them. “Linghu Chong?” she muttered, with a smile on her face.
After travelling for many days, Dongfang Bubai finally returned to the Dark Wood Cliff. Dressed in a man clothing, she stepped into the main hall.
A girl exited from a corridor and walked toward her. “Chief, you’re back. I hope everything went well,” she bowed and said.
Dongfang Bubai looked at her indifferently. “With me going personally how can anything go wrong. Is everything in the cult ok?” she responded coldly.
The girl nodded and replied, “All is good. Yu Niang made some birds nest soup. Why not Chief have some?”
Dongfang Bubai replied with a smile, “Okay.”
The girl filled a bowl with some soup and handed it Dongfang Bubai.
Dongfang Bubai placed the bowl to her lips and finished the soup in one gulp. She then looked at the girl and returned to bowl to her.
The girl pursed her lips and had a worried look on her face.
Dongfang Bubai stared at her suspiciously. “What’s wrong with you? You’re acting strange,” she commented.
The girl looked at the empty bowl and stuttered, “I….”
Dongfang Bubai casted a quick glance at the bowl and then looked back at the girl. She immediately rose from her seat and threw the bowl to the ground. She then pressed her stomach with her right hand and stared at the girl viciously. “You poisoned me!”
The girl dropped down to her knees. “Subordinate deserves to die. Subordinate has an unexplainable reason for doing this. Please forgive me…” she explained.
Dongfang Bubai raised her arm and shouted angrily, “I’ll kill you!” She started feeling an abdominal pain, threw up a mouthful of liquid and fell down to the ground. Blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth.
“Chief, please go in peace. In the next life I’ll do whatever it takes to repent my sin…” the girl sobbed.
Dongfang Bubai closed her eyes and hit the floor motionlessly.
The girl bowed at her three times before pulling herself up and leaving the main hall.
After leaving the Dark Wood Cliff, the girl went straight to an inn at a nearby town. She pushed a room door open stepped inside.
There was a young man dressed in blue standing at a window, pondering to himself inside the room. He turned around and rushed toward her. “Yu Niang, did you succeed?” he asked anxiously.
The girl nodded with a smile.
The young man reached out and embraced her. “That’s great. I’ve made a major accomplishment for the Songshan Sect,” he said with a smile.
The girl nodded with a long smile in her face. A thought suddenly came to her mind. She step away from him and asked, “Ah Long, what about us?”
The young man was startled and could not answer her. He turned away and took a few steps forward to avoid her. “Yu Niang, it’s against the orthodox sect rules to be with a follower of the devil sect. I was thinking that at once you’ve accomplished this task I can beg Master to permit us to be together. But if people know that we had to rely on a girl to help us destroy the evil, we will lose face in the martial arts world…”
Yu Niang looked at him confusingly and asked, “Ah Long, what do you have in mind then?”
“I’m thinking of….” the young man paused for a moment as he slowly pulled a knife out from his sleeve. He then turned around and drove the knife at the girl’s heart. ”I’ll have to be unfair to you!” he yelled.
Suddenly, the door flew wide open. A stone flew straight at the young man’s hand, knocking the knife off his grip.
Dongfang Bubai dashed into the room and stood in front of the young man. She shot her hand out and struck his chest with her fingers, sealing his acupoints. After that, she sent a palm strike to his chest. Her speed was incredible fast.
The young man skidded to the back and knocked against the window.
Dongfang Bubai stood beside the girl and looked at her, “Yu Niang, is it worth betraying me for a man like that?”
The girl looked at Dongfang Bubai astonishingly. She could not believe that Dongfang Bubai was still alive. “Chief…” she called out with her mouth wide open.
Dongfang Bubai glared at her coldly, “If a little poison can kill me so easily I would have died over a thousand times already.” She then looked away and continued, “I can see that you still have some loyalty towards me.” After finishing her words, she extended her hand and manipulated a stream of light around the knife, pulling it up from the floor.
She handed the knife to the girl, “Kill him personally and I will spare your live.”
The girl hesitantly took the knife from Dongfang Bubai’s hand. She turned around and walked toward the young man.
The young man was so scared that his face turned pale. “Yu Niang…don’t do it…” he shuddered.
The girl raised the knife into the air and plunged it into her own abdomen. She let out a loud cry and fell backward.
Both Dongfang Bubai and the young man were astonished by her action.
Dongfang Bubai rushed toward her and propped her from the back. “Yu Niang, why are you so silly?” she sighed.
The girl’s eyes were filled with tears as blood trickled from her wound. “It’s because…I love him. Chief, you don’t know how…sweet can love be… I’m willing to trade my life for it…” she gasped.
The young man was just startled by her words.
Dongfang Bubai sneered, “You’re just too silly.”
The girl responded, “I’m not silly. Chief, you’re just too busy managing the cult and planning…on how to strengthen the cult like every other day. One day when you do meet…someone whom you love…you would definitely…” She died before finishing her final words.
“Yu Niang…” Dongfang Bubai heaved a sigh. She then raised her eyebrows and glared at the young man viciously. “What is love?” she asked in a cold voice.
The young man heaved a long sigh, “I’m not sure either…”
Dongfang Bubai grabbed the girl’s hand, pulled the knife out from her wound and aimed it at him. She then hurled the girl at him in a flash. The knife in the girl’s hand pierced into his chest. “Then you should go and ask Yu Niang to teach you,” Dongfang Bubai said as she rose from the floor
The young man groaned in pain and fell sideways toward the ground motionless with the girl lying on top of him.
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