UGB Chapter 21 The Seven Masters of Quanzhen
Chapter 21 The Seven Masters of Quanzhen
These past few days, Ouyang Ke has been sitting alone in the small courtyard, rarely leaving the house except for eating and sleeping.
The courtyard was simple, with an old locust tree providing shade for half an acre. Under the tree, a stone table and a few stone benches were his entire world. Birds chirped in the morning, cicadas sang in the afternoon, and the moonlight, like water, bathed the empty courtyard at night.
He was alone there, quite at ease and comfortable.
His Nine Yang Divine Skill was already quite proficient, so learning the martial arts from the Nine Yin Manual now would be twice as effective.
The "Crushing Divine Claw" technique was fierce and ruthless. He had grasped its essence in just half a day of studying it. The force emanating from his fingertips could be faintly heard as it cut through the air. Compared to the Black Wind Duo's arduous research back then, it was many times easier for him.
The "Heart-Shattering Palm" is extremely easy to master. Its palm force is subtle and can be released from a distance. He gently struck a small tree in the courtyard with his palm, leaving the bark intact, but the inside was broken inch by inch.
As for the two movement techniques, "Horizontal Shift" and "Snake-like Leap," they posed no challenge to him whatsoever. Although his legs could not walk, his upper body remained agile. These two movement techniques emphasized dodging and evading with divine skill, which were perfectly suited to him.
In just three days, Ouyang Ke had mastered these skills to the point of being able to use them with ease.
That evening, he finished his training and stood there, gazing at the setting sun on the horizon, feeling greatly satisfied. With this martial arts skill, even though his legs were weak, he would still have the strength to fight against powerful enemies in the future.
……
At the entrance of the small shop, Huang Rong leaned against the door frame, her gaze occasionally glancing at the tightly closed courtyard gate not far away.
"Brother Jing, has that person truly changed his nature?" she couldn't help but ask softly.
She had been observing carefully these past few days, and the door had hardly ever been opened. The young master of White Camel Mountain, who used to indulge in nightly revelry and have a multitude of concubines, could now stay in this dilapidated courtyard for three days without ever leaving the house.
There were no more birdsongs surrounding him; only a fiery red bird would occasionally fly in and out.
The change is truly enormous.
Guo Jing stood beside her, his gaze also fixed on the door. He shook his head, his tone calm yet firm: "Rong'er, I've said before that Brother Ouyang is no longer what he used to be. You shouldn't look at him with old eyes."
Huang Rong pouted but did not refute.
She recalled Ouyang Ke's focused attention as he treated Guo Jing's injuries that day, the calm and serene look in his eyes when he looked at her, and the composed and unhurried manner with which he left. That person was indeed completely different from before.
But she couldn't help but mutter, "Who knows if he's faking it..."
Just as Guo Jing was about to speak, he suddenly heard a creak, and the courtyard gate, which had been closed for three days, finally opened.
Ouyang Ke, leaning on crutches under his arm, walked out slowly.
He was dressed in pure white, his elegance and ethereal beauty accentuated by the setting sun. His face remained handsome, but his brows held a newfound composure and determination.
His eyes were clear as water, looking calmly in this direction, without a trace of his former frivolity and wickedness.
Guo Jing immediately clasped his hands in greeting and said loudly, "Brother Ouyang!"
Upon hearing the sound, Ouyang Ke looked over and saw that Guo Jing's complexion was rosy and he was full of energy, clearly indicating that his injuries had healed. He immediately returned the greeting with a cupped-hand salute: "Brother Guo, it seems that your injuries have greatly improved. Congratulations!"
Guo Jing shook his head, his tone sincere: "If it weren't for Brother Ouyang's righteous intervention, how could I have recovered so smoothly? I will remember this kindness forever."
Ouyang Ke smiled slightly, his expression calm: "Brother Guo, you flatter me. I saved you for the Nine Yin Manual. We each get what we need, so there's no need to worry about it."
He spoke of it casually, as if those sleepless nights spent healing were nothing more than a trivial matter.
Watching from the side, Huang Rong couldn't help but shake her head slightly, her tone carrying a hint of disbelief: "You... are truly different from before."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Ke couldn't help but chuckle. He looked at Huang Rong, his gaze calm and serene, devoid of any of his former infatuation and fervor.
"To earn such a high opinion of me from Miss Huang is truly harder than climbing to heaven," he said calmly.
Huang Rong was taken aback.
She sensed a subtle distance in his tone, and then a strange feeling suddenly welled up inside her.
This wicked person actually... reformed?
If he were still the same Ouyang Ke as before, he would definitely pester her relentlessly the moment she tried to talk to him, his burning gaze repulsive. But at this moment, he was deliberately keeping his distance from her, and his gaze and tone seemed genuine.
Just then, a clear eagle cry suddenly came from the distant sky.
Guo Jing and Huang Rong looked up and saw that the pair of white eagles that had accompanied them for many days were fighting with a red light high in the sky.
"It's that little bird!" Huang Rong exclaimed in surprise.
She stared intently, and only then did she realize that the red light was the firebird beside Ouyang Ke. The bird was small, only about the size of a white eagle's head, but it flew swiftly, as fast as a shooting star, and in the blink of an eye, it had already shuttled back and forth within a radius of several miles.
Two white eagles attacked from the left and right, but they couldn't gain the upper hand. The firebird, relying on its small size and speed, would sometimes swoop down, sometimes climb up, and sometimes make a sharp turn, nimbly avoiding the white eagles' sharp talons and beaks.
Every now and then it would fly up to the top of the white eagle's head, peck off a tuft of feathers, and then triumphantly flap its wings and fly away.
The white eagle cried out angrily, but it couldn't do anything to it.
In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the pair of white eagles had lost all their feathers and were in a sorry state.
Huang Rong found it both amusing and exasperating, pouting as she said, "Brother Jing, this eagle is so useless today!"
Guo Jing stared intently at the sky, but shook his head: "Although the eagle is large, that bird is exceptionally swift and flies like lightning. The eagle naturally cannot defeat it."
He could tell that although the firebird had the upper hand, it was merely playing around and had no intention of harming the two eagles.
But seeing the white eagle being pecked so badly, he could only turn to look at Ouyang Ke and say with a wry smile:
"Brother Ouyang, your red bird is quite formidable. Even with two of my white eagles against one, we are no match for it. Please call it back."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Ke smiled slightly and whistled.
The whistle's clear and melodious sound soared into the sky.
Hearing the whistle, the firebird, which was having a great time high in the sky, responded with a sharp, long cry, then folded its wings and swooped down from the sky like a streak of fire.
Its speed was so fast that it was truly as swift as a shooting star, and in the blink of an eye, it had already landed on Ouyang Ke's shoulder.
Guo Jing and Huang Rong only saw a blur before their eyes, and the firebird had already landed steadily, triumphantly preening its feathers, just like a victorious general returning home.
It cooed a few times, as if showing off its achievements to Ouyang Ke.
"You little rascal." Ouyang Ke shook his head and chuckled, reaching out to gently stroke its feathers. The firebird squinted its eyes, not flinching but instead nuzzling his palm with its head, looking quite pleased.
Huang Rong watched with immense envy. She couldn't help but reach out and tentatively call out, "Bird, come here."
The firebird tilted its head and glanced at her, its eyes clearly showing arrogance and disdain. It cooed and went about preening its feathers, ignoring her completely.
Huang Rong was so angry her teeth itched, but there was nothing she could do. If the bird hadn't belonged to Ouyang Ke, she would have definitely gone over and teased it. But if she continued to pester it now, it would seem like she was bowing down to Ouyang Ke.
She wouldn't do that.
Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from the village entrance.
The three looked in the direction of the sound and saw a yellow horse galloping towards them, kicking up dust. The rider was short and stout, round like a big lump of flesh, with short arms and legs, no neck, and an unusually large head that seemed to be tucked between his shoulders. Yet, this very man rode the horse with incredible agility, as if it were his own arm or leg.
The horse weaved through the ruins, sometimes turning sharply, sometimes leaping, deftly avoiding all obstacles. In the blink of an eye, it was several feet in front of the three.
Strangely enough, just as the horse was galloping, it suddenly stopped, its four hooves halting, without showing any further momentum. A horse that is galloping must gradually slow down to come to a stop; this horse's ability to suddenly halt while moving at full speed was truly unprecedented.
Guo Jing was overjoyed upon seeing this and exclaimed with a smile, "Third Master!"
The person who came was none other than "Horse King God" Han Baoju.
Han Baoju dismounted, his movements clumsy yet swift. He strode forward and, seeing Guo Jing's rosy complexion and vibrant spirit, exclaimed with delight, "Jing'er, are you healed?"
Guo Jing bowed respectfully: "Third Master, my injuries are mostly healed."
Han Baoju nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, his rugged face full of relief: "Good! Good! It's good that you're alright!"
He patted Guo Jing on the shoulder with such force that Guo Jing swayed. Then he sighed, his tone becoming indignant:
"It's a pity that despite my best efforts searching the area around Lin'an Prefecture these past few days, I haven't been able to find any trace of Yang Kang and his group!"
When Yang Kang was mentioned, his tone was full of anger.
After Guo Jing's injuries stabilized, he told his six masters the whole story.
Yang Kang not only failed to keep his oath, but also coveted wealth and status as a prince of the Jin Kingdom. In the Lin'an palace, he led Peng Lianhu and others to fight Guo Jing for Yue Fei's martial arts manual. Although they failed, he took advantage of the chaos to launch a sneak attack, stabbing Guo Jing in a vital spot. He was then struck by an iron palm, nearly killing Guo Jing.
If Huang Rong hadn't risked her life to protect him, Guo Jing wouldn't have survived until they arrived.
Upon hearing the news, Ke Zhen'e and his companions were naturally furious. In the past few days, the six siblings split up and searched for Yang Kang and the others in the vicinity of Lin'an Prefecture.
Guo Jing and Huang Rong exchanged a glance and sighed, "Third Master, you don't need to look anymore. Rong'er and I already know where he went."
Han Baoju was taken aback: "You know Yang Kang's whereabouts?"
Huang Rong rarely showed such a serious expression, and her tone was tinged with annoyance: "Yang Kang stole the Dog-Beating Stick that my master gave me, and he should be on his way to a gathering at Junshan now."
She had always been at odds with Jing-gege's six masters, but after this dangerous experience, she gradually changed her attitude towards them.
"The Dog-Beating Stick? Attending the Feast at Junshan?" Han Baoju was completely confused.
He had learned from Guo Jing that the two of them had become disciples of Hong Qigong. However, he knew nothing about the internal affairs of the Beggars' Sect.
Just then, a clear, melodious chanting voice suddenly rang out from the village entrance:
"Free and unrestrained, with a heart free from greed for glory and a body free from disgrace!"
The voice was loud and clear, full of energy, and carried from afar, making people's eardrums tingle slightly.
The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a group of people walking slowly along the village path.
The three leaders were led by a man with a long, black beard and a spirited demeanor, carrying a long sword on his back—none other than Qiu Chuji, the "Changchun Zhenren" (Master of Everlasting Spring). Beside him was a man with a white beard and eyebrows, and a kind expression—none other than Ma Yu, the leader of the Quanzhen School. The third man wore a gray Taoist robe, held a whisk, had long eyebrows and handsome eyes, and three tufts of black beard under his chin—none other than Wang Chuyi, the "Iron-Legged Immortal."
Behind the three were three men and one woman, namely Hao Datong, Liu Chuxuan, Sun Bu'er, and Tan Chuduan, four masters of the Quanzhen School.
"Master Ma! Master Qiu! Master Wang!" Upon seeing this, Han Baoju quickly bowed and paid his respects.
They had met Ma Yu and his two companions once in the capital city and were fairly familiar with each other. Furthermore, the Quanzhen Sect had recently sent someone to Jiaxing to warn them that Huang Yaoshi intended to kill the families of the Six Heroes of Jiangnan to vent his anger, which deepened their friendship.
Qiu Chuji strode forward, his gaze sweeping over Guo Jing. Seeing his rosy complexion and vibrant spirit, he couldn't help but smile and say, "Jing'er, it seems your skills have improved somewhat these past few days!"
But then he suddenly let out a soft exclamation, for he had noticed that Guo Jing seemed to be recovering from a serious illness, and couldn't help but ask with doubt, "Jing'er, are you injured?"
Guo Jing bowed respectfully: "Thank you for your concern, Daoist Qiu. I have fully recovered!"
Qiu Chuji nodded and was about to ask a question, but his gaze swept over Ouyang Ke beside him.
The man in white stood leaning on a cane. His white robes were as white as snow, his face was as handsome as jade, his lips as red as cinnabar, and his eyebrows and eyes were strikingly bright. Even with two canes under his arms, his refined and elegant demeanor could not be concealed.
Qiu Chuji felt that this person looked somewhat familiar, but for a moment he couldn't remember where he had seen him before.
Wang Chuyi felt the same way. He stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said in a gentle voice, "This humble Taoist is Wang Chuyi. May I ask how you are addressed, sir?"
Upon hearing this, Huang Rong raised her eyebrows slightly, a strange smile flashing in her eyes. She glanced at Ouyang Ke, clearly waiting to see a good show.
Ouyang Ke's expression grew increasingly strange, yet he still smiled and returned the greeting: "Has Iron-Legged Immortal forgotten his old friends from Dadu?"
As he spoke, he reached out and stroked the firebird on his shoulder again, saying casually, "Little guy, why don't you go out and fly around for a bit?"
The firebird was puzzled, but after glancing up at Ouyang Ke, it let out a soft cry and flew into the sky. It was born to fly swiftly, and in just a moment it had flown out of the village.
At the same time, Wang Chuyi was taken aback and exchanged a glance with Qiu Chuji. Both of them looked confused, but soon that confusion turned into astonishment and disbelief.
"Could it be you?" Qiu Chuji blurted out, his voice trembling.
Ouyang Ke smiled slightly and said frankly, "That's right, I am Ouyang Ke."
He underwent a marrow-washing ritual in Luoyang, which made him look much younger and his demeanor completely different from before. It was understandable that Qiu Chuji and the others didn't recognize him at first, only feeling that he looked familiar.
"You scoundrel! It was you!"
Qiu Chuji's beard and eyebrows bristled, his eyes wide with anger! He flashed away like a whirlwind.
He channeled all his power into his left palm, and with a whooshing sound, he struck Ouyang Ke squarely in the chest!
This palm strike, unleashed with fury, was incredibly powerful! Even before the force of the palm reached him, the sharp wind had already made Ouyang Ke's clothes flutter wildly!
Han Baoju, who was watching from the sidelines, felt his breath catch in his throat and his face turned pale with shock.
After eighteen years, I never expected that "Master Changchun's" skill would be several times more profound than before!
Guo Jing was shocked and tried to stop him, but it was too late.
Huang Rong's expression also changed; she never expected Qiu Chuji to suddenly launch an attack!
Only Ouyang Ke remained calm, as if the whistling palm wind was nothing more than a gentle breeze.
He lightly tapped his crutches under his armpits, and his body floated back several feet. At the same time, he slightly raised his right palm, intending to take the blow head-on!
In the blink of an eye, a great battle is about to break out!