The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 94 Flying Dragon Soars in the Sky, Shocking Hundreds of Miles

The Nine-Fingered Beggar Hong Qigong still believed in "three cups of strong liquor and four windows of empty dreams," disliking the sweetness of "green ant wine" and preferring strong, heart-burning liquor.

The courtyard was lit by deep yellow lights, and the gnarled branches of the ancient trees blocked half of the moonlight.

Because of the approaching New Year, Zhou Yan had prepared some food at home, so melon seeds, candied fruit, and beef were quickly placed on the stone table.

While eating, Hong Qigong asked, "What exactly happened last night? It was a complete mess."

"I was strolling through the streets with several head镖师 (bodyguards) from the镖局 (escort agency) to enjoy the lanterns when we happened to encounter several heroes attempting to assassinate Wanyan Honglie. The ones fighting us were镖师 from the Changfeng镖局 (escort agency) of Datong Prefecture. They wanted to curry favor with the Prince of Zhao's mansion, so they tried to capture the heroes, but we stopped them."

After saying this, Zhou Yan asked, "Senior, do you recognize me?"

Hong Qigong laughed and scolded, "You used 'Free and Easy Wandering' to break people's bones. But you really have talent, kid. Your boxing style has a unique artistic conception."

"The seniors have all seen it."

"What do you say?"

Zhou Yan smiled. "The heads and guards of the two escort agencies are familiar with each other, so it's easy to identify them using ordinary fist techniques. That's why I used 'Free and Easy Wandering'."

“That’s true,” Hong Qigong gulped down his wine, placing the gourd on the stone table. The smell of wine mingled with the chill in the air, and his voice was somewhat deep. “The last time we met was here too. You were sitting right across from me, saying, ‘Kill one man in ten steps, leave no trace for a thousand miles.’ If Liang Ziweng had fallen into your hands, you certainly wouldn’t have shown any mercy. The old beggar even said you have the madness of the Eastern Heretic and the ruthlessness of the Western Poison.”

"I encountered the Western Poison the night before last. If it weren't for you, senior, I'm afraid I would have been beheaded."

Hong Qigong laughed heartily. He had originally intended to say that he regretted not killing the old monster Ginseng Immortal back then after seeing Liang Ziweng serving the Jin people the night before, but after Zhou Yan's joke, he felt there was no need to reveal his thoughts.

However, the next moment Hong Qigong heard Zhou Yan's unexpected words.

"I will kill Liang Ziweng in place of my predecessor."

"Why?"

"Since you mentioned Liang Ziweng, you must have some regrets. You said that Liang Ziweng used yin to replenish yang back then. You should teach him a lesson and warn the old monster that if he does it again, he will be executed without mercy. But if the old monster Liang remembers this, you will not be able to do it, lest you be accused of breaking your promise. You taught me your skills, so it is only reasonable for me to take his life for you."

"Interesting. You think you can beat Old Monster Liang?"

"If we can't beat them this year, there's always next year."

"You've got potential." Hong Qigong wasn't mocking him; it was pure admiration.

"What level has 'the dragon soaring too high will regret it' reached?"

"I went on a convoy to Jingzhou before the New Year and practiced my skills in the river tide. When the waves came, they were raging, but when they receded, they were as smooth as silk. I realized another meaning of 'fullness cannot last long'. At the end of the year, I took advantage of half a month to have a sudden enlightenment on my skills. Now my palm technique has improved a lot. When I fight with others, I can add two more strikes at once."

"Come and give it a try."

"it is good!"

Hong Qigong stood in the courtyard. When Zhou Yan stepped forward, he lightly clapped his hands out. Zhou Yan slightly bent his left leg and drew a circle with his right palm before pushing it out horizontally.

With a "bang," the two palms collided. Hong Qigong struck and deflected Zhou Yan's palm force. Suddenly, two palm forces rose from Zhou Yan's palm like a tide, with the latter force stronger than the former, surging forth.

Hong Qigong withdrew his palm and laughed: "When I said 'The dragon will regret its ascent,' I used ten parts of force, but I retained twenty parts of it. You have more than twenty parts, you have thirty parts. Jiang Tao, you are truly a master of palm techniques that cannot last long."

"Watch out, kid."

The moonlight seemed to shift suddenly as Hong Qigong ascended into the air, striking down from above. His palm strikes were like sharp claws stirring up the clouds, surging and roaring, causing ripples to spread across the ground and shaking the surrounding area.

As Hong Qigong landed, he pushed his palms forward. Zhou Yan clearly saw the dust in his field of vision suddenly cave inward, then surge forward like a dragon, shocking the surrounding area for miles.

"Boy, these two moves are called 'Flying Dragon in the Sky' and 'Shocking the Hundred Miles' respectively. You must learn them well. When you fight Old Monster Liang one day, use them to take his life."

Zhou Yan was truly surprised that Hong Qigong could also teach the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, and he immediately said, "Good!"

Hong Qigong has already explained the techniques for generating power and the method of controlling one's qi in two moves.

As the iron gray of the sky gradually faded, a faint white mist filled the air. Hong Qigong sat on a stone bench, drinking and eating meat. Zhou Yan leaped up and struck with a palm like thunder. He then landed on the bluestone ground that had been swept by the palm force a moment before, pushing his palms flat.

The force of "Flying Dragon in the Sky" hadn't subsided when "Shocking the Hundred Miles" struck again. A few withered leaves happened to fall, caught in the turbulent air currents, whistling and swirling before being torn into shreds. The Nine-Fingered Beggar paused in his drinking, thinking to himself, "So, he's already grasped the basics?"
……

A wisp of smoke rises from the chimneys, and chickens and dogs roam the alleyways.

Zhou Yan cooked some meat porridge, which filled the stomachs of the old man and the young man. Hong Qigong asked, "Is your duel with that girl still valid?"

"Yes, a promise is a promise, and a word is worth a thousand pieces of gold."

"When you're in the martial world, you're not in control of your own destiny, especially since you're also on a delivery mission, and what if you're thousands of miles away?"

Zhou Yan thought to himself that if he broke his promise, Li Mochou would probably say things like, "Men are all bad, and seemingly loyal men can't be trusted." Wouldn't he then become like Lu Zhanyuan?

He asked, "Senior, are you still going to the mountain god temple outside Datong Prefecture?"

"That goes without saying, the old beggar is a man of his word."

“Then you will be able to see me, senior.”

"Okay, let's wait and see."

"See you again at the Mountain God Temple outside Datong Prefecture in six months."

"Haha!" Hong Qigong took two big gulps from the gourd and said, "Kid, let's go."

Zhou Yan saw Hong Qigong out of the house, and the Nine-Fingered Beggar laughed loudly, "Outside Datong Prefecture, I'll see you there."

The word "no" was uttered when someone was inside the courtyard; the word "scatter" was uttered when the sound was already outside the alley.

Zhou Yan muttered to himself, "I have mastered the fourth of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The Flying Dragon in the Sky shakes the world for miles around—a good omen."

A few alleys away, Hong Qigong walked and said, “When I saw this kid last time, I said, ‘Thirty years for ordinary people, sixty years for Buddhas and dragons.’ This kid is destined to become an outstanding person. Now it seems that with his ‘Free and Easy Wandering’ as his own, and Jiang Tao’s comprehension of martial arts, he doesn’t need thirty years. Twenty years is enough for him to dominate the world and shock the surrounding area.”

……

The air seemed to be filled with the scent of life. After the Lantern Festival, it would be time for the escort agency to open for business. Zhou Yan fetched water to bathe, changed into clean clothes, and headed straight for the escort agency with his bow bag on his back.

"When the thunder roars as it strikes the ground, one or two roars startle a hundred ghosts; three or four roars cause the ghost's lair to collapse. Ten roars in succession bring peace to a hundred gods, and all directions, above and below, are at peace."

As is customary for the security escort agency's opening day, the four head escorts—Zhou Yan, Hu Yanlei, Wang Kui, and Shi Baichuan—lighted a long string of firecrackers. The crackling and popping sounds were deafening.

After Zhou Yan and the others lit firecrackers, they declared that the trainees could train under the escort masters and escort leaders from now on.

The slingers were in high spirits, ready for their first dart of the year.

Mu Nianci was also full of hope. In the future, she would travel all over the country, no longer to choose a husband through martial arts competitions, but to escort goods across rivers and mountains.

……

Where is my medicine?

A voice that sounded both wild and insane came from Liang Ziweng in one of the rooms of the Prince Zhao’s mansion.

Wanyan Honglie was poisoned, and Liang Ziweng felt this was the perfect opportunity to show his skills. He had a room in the palace filled with all kinds of medicinal herbs and concocted elixirs.

To everyone's surprise, when they came to sort the medicinal herbs and prepare the medicinal dishes in the morning, the inn was in a mess. Not only had a large amount of wild ginseng disappeared, but even the young herbalist who was in charge of the herbs had vanished without a trace.

"What the hell happened?"

"My ginseng!"

In his grief and despair, Liang Ziweng remembered his precious snake.

"My precious snake!" he gritted his teeth, determined to find out who had harmed the snake and stolen the wild ginseng, and to suck its blood dry.

　Four chapters for now, more tonight.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)