Shooting the Eagle: Starting from Iron Palm Peak

Three days after Qiu Qianren emerged from seclusion, Lin Qi decided to talk to him.

For the next three days, Qiu Qianren locked himself in the stone building, refusing to see anyone except Lin Qi. He entrusted the affairs of the gang to Zhou Mingyuan temporarily, with Qian Sihai and Mei Ruolan assisting him. No one dared to disturb him, nor did anyone dare to mention the disciple who had been beaten to death.

Lin Qi delivered meals to Shi Lou every day, but Qiu Qianren ate very little and spoke even less. The bloodshot in his eyes hadn't subsided; instead, it had thickened, like a red net covering his entire eyeballs. Sometimes he would suddenly stop, staring at a point in the void, his hands trembling slightly, as if he were fighting something.

Lin Qi saw this and was very anxious.

He knew that Qiu Qianren's condition was worse than before his seclusion. Before his seclusion, Qiu Qianren could suppress his inner demons, only occasionally having murderous thoughts. But now, that suppressive defense had cracked, and his inner demons seeped out like water from the cracks, gradually eroding Qiu Qianren's sanity.

If we don't do something, the next one to be killed might not be just a disciple.

That night, Lin Qi went to the Stone Building again.

The moon was obscured by clouds, and Iron Palm Peak was shrouded in darkness. Lin Qi, carrying a food box, knocked on the door of the stone building.

"Master, your disciple is Lin Qi."

After a moment of silence, Qiu Qianren's hoarse voice came from inside: "Come in."

Lin Qi pushed open the door and entered. The hall on the first floor of the stone building was unlit, only dim light from the windows filtering in, casting indistinct shadows. Qiu Qianren sat in a chair, hands on his knees, head bowed, like a stone statue. The portrait of Shangguan Jiannan on the wall was indistinct in the dim light, only his eyes seemed to glow.

Lin Qi placed the food box on the table, opened the lid, and took out a bowl of porridge and two small dishes.

"Master, you haven't eaten anything all day."

Qiu Qianren did not move.

Lin Qi wasn't in a hurry. He pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Qiu Qianren.

"Master, I have something I'd like to say to you."

Qiu Qianren raised his head and glanced at him. His eyes appeared unusually bright in the dim light, almost unnaturally so.

"explain."

Lynch took a deep breath.

"Master, I wish to ask someone for a favor."

"Who?"

"Duan Zhixing."

These three words fell into the hall of the stone building like three stones thrown into a deep pool. Qiu Qianren's body stiffened visibly, and his hands unconsciously tightened their grip on the armrests.

"Who did you say?" Qiu Qianren's voice was so deep it seemed to be squeezed out of his chest.

"Emperor Duan Zhixing of the South. He is now a monk, with the Dharma name Master Yideng." Lin Qi looked into Qiu Qianren's eyes and said, word by word, "Master, perhaps he can resolve your inner demons."

Qiu Qianren remained silent. His expression shifted in the dim light, as if countless emotions were churning within him simultaneously—shock, shame, anger, and pain. Lin Qi noticed his hands beginning to tremble, not the uncontrollable trembling of someone experiencing a demonic attack, but a deeper tremor that seemed to spread from his very bones.

"You know about what happened between him and me." Qiu Qianren's voice was very soft, almost inaudible. It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"This disciple knows," Lin Qi said without hesitation. "Back then, Master injured an infant in order to eliminate an opponent during the Mount Hua Sword Tournament. The infant was severely injured, and only Emperor Duan's One-Finger Divine Skill could save him. Master originally intended to have Emperor Duan expend his inner strength to save the child, thereby weakening his strength during the Mount Hua Sword Tournament."

Qiu Qianren closed his eyes.

"That baby died." Qiu Qianren opened his eyes, his voice hoarse. "Emperor Duan couldn't be saved. Because that child... wasn't his own flesh and blood. From then on, Emperor Duan was utterly despondent and became a monk."

He looked down at his hands.

"Over the years, I've sometimes wondered, if I hadn't struck that blow, would Emperor Duan still be the Southern Emperor sitting on the dragon throne? Would that child still be alive?"

Lin Qi didn't speak, he just listened quietly.

"But what's the use of thinking about all this?" Qiu Qianren smiled bitterly. "What's done is done, there's no going back."

"Master," Lin Qi finally spoke, "it is precisely because we cannot go back that we must look forward."

Qiu Qianren raised his head.

"I don't want you to go beg for mercy from Emperor Duan," Lin Qi said. "I want you to see Master Yideng. Emperor Duan is dead, and now a monk is alive. Since he can let go of the throne and his grudges to cultivate, perhaps he can also help you overcome your inner demons."

Qiu Qianren remained silent for a long time.

"Will he see me?" he asked, his voice tinged with a hesitation Lynch had never heard before.

"This disciple does not know," Lin Qi answered truthfully, "but how will I know if I don't try?"

Qiu Qianren fell silent again.

Lin Qi didn't rush him. He knew how difficult this was for Qiu Qianren—asking him to find Duan Zhixing was tantamount to asking him to confront the most shameful thing he had ever done in his life. That was far more difficult than asking him to fight Hong Qigong.

After a long while, Qiu Qianren suddenly spoke.

"Do you know where he is?"

Lin Qi was secretly delighted, but remained outwardly calm: "I've inquired. Master Yideng isn't in Dali; he's living in seclusion in Taoyuan County, Hunan. After he became a monk, he moved from Dali to western Hunan to escape his enemies. We can find out his exact location when we get there."

Qiu Qianren nodded.

"I'll go," he said, his voice low but clear.

Lin Qi stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "This disciple will accompany Master."

Qiu Qianren looked at him, and a hint of relaxation finally appeared in the dim light in his eyes.

"Aren't you afraid?" Qiu Qianren asked. "I might lose control at any moment. If I go berserk on the road, you'll be the first one to die."

"I'm not afraid," Lin Qi said. "If Master loses control, I'll run. Although my martial arts are not as good as Master's, I can still escape."

Qiu Qianren stared at him for a few moments, then suddenly smiled. The smile was faint, but it had a bit more warmth than the bitter smile he had given her a few days ago.

"You've thought this through quite well."

Early the next morning, Qiu Qianren summoned Zhou Mingyuan, Qian Sihai, and Mei Ruolan.

The three people stood in the hall on the first floor of the stone building, looking at Qiu Qianren's face, none of them daring to ask any questions. Qiu Qianren's complexion was better than a few days ago, but the bloodshot in his eyes was still there, and he had lost weight, with his cheekbones protruding high.

"I'm going on a long trip," Qiu Qianren said bluntly. "For now, the three of you will handle the affairs of the gang. Send someone to me with important matters, and you can make your own decisions on minor ones."

Zhou Mingyuan clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Rest assured, Chief, I will do my utmost."

Qian Sihai also cupped his hands in greeting: "Take care on your journey, Chief."

Mei Ruolan didn't speak, she just nodded.

Qiu Qianren glanced at Lin Qi, then said to the three of them, "Lin Qi, come with me. Take care of the gang's affairs."

The three of them agreed in unison and left.

Lin Qi returned to the side courtyard to pack his things: a few changes of clothes, a bottle of ointment, some loose silver, the short knife, and the copy of "The Complete Dao of Quanzhen" that Wang Chuyi had given him. He packed the things into a small bundle, carried it on his back, locked the door, and headed towards the stone building.

The fog was thick on Iron Palm Peak at dawn. Dewdrops clung to the pine needles lining the mountain path, and the air was crisp and damp. Lin Qi walked to the stone building, where Qiu Qianren was already standing at the door.

He had changed into a dark gray cloth robe, with a black cloth belt tied around his waist, and thin-soled cloth shoes, making him look like an ordinary江湖人 (jianghu person, a person who travels the martial arts world). However, the light in his eyes was still so sharp that people dared not look directly at him.

"Let's go." Qiu Qianren didn't say anything more and strode down the mountain.

Lin Qi followed behind him, the two of them going down the mountain along the bluestone path.

The gatekeepers at the mountain entrance bowed respectfully upon seeing Qiu Qianren. Qiu Qianren ignored them and walked straight out. Lin Qichong and the others nodded and quickly followed.

At the foot of the mountain, Qian Sihai had already prepared two horses. They were tall, chestnut-colored horses, fully saddled and bridleed, with dry rations and water bags hanging on their backs.

"Master, this is what I prepared," Qian Sihai said with a smile. "The horses are top-quality Hequ horses, fast and good for long distances."

Qiu Qianren nodded and mounted his horse. Lin Qi followed suit.

Qian Sihai stepped back a few paces, cupped his hands, and said, "Have a safe journey, Chief."

Qiu Qianren didn't turn back. He flicked the reins, and the horse started moving, heading southwest along the official road. Lin Qi urged his horse to follow, and the two horses, one in front of the other, gradually disappeared into the morning mist.

After walking for about an hour, the fog dissipated. Sunlight streamed down from the eastern mountain ridge, illuminating the official road in a golden glow.

Lin Qi glanced at Qiu Qianren beside him. He sat upright on his horse, staring straight ahead, his face expressionless. But Lin Qi noticed that his right hand remained on his knee, palm slightly open, as if ready to strike at any moment.

"Master, the journey from Iron Palm Peak to Peach Blossom County is not far. We can arrive in less than three days."

Qiu Qianren didn't speak, he just nodded.

Lin Qi knew that his role on this journey was more than just leading the way. He had to keep an eye on Qiu Qianren and prevent him from losing control. Lin Qi wasn't sure if Master Yideng could resolve his inner demons. But it was the only solution he could think of.

The sound of horses' hooves echoed along the official road, the rice paddies on both sides were golden, and wisps of smoke rose from the distant villages.

Lin Qi withdrew his gaze and looked at the road ahead.

He didn't know what awaited them in Taoyuan County, nor whether Master Yideng would even meet them. But at least, they were on their way.

Sometimes, taking the first step is the biggest change.