Reborn Ouyang Ke: From The Condor Heroes to the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 17, 9 Yin True Scripture

The reason Ouyang Ke was willing to go to such lengths was not only because the six people in front of him were Guo Jing's masters, but also because of the respect he felt for the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan.

Back then, Ke Zhen'e and his seven siblings traveled to the desert for eighteen years without complaint, all for the sake of a bet with Qiu Chuji.

Over the course of eighteen years, they imparted all their knowledge to each other, wishing they could share all their skills!

That's eighteen years.

How many eighteen-year periods does one have in a lifetime?

Among the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan, Ke Zhen'e was already very old, with graying temples; even Han Xiaoying, the youngest of the siblings, had lost her youthful beauty, with fine lines around her eyes and her black hair had lost its luster.

But did they ever utter a single complaint?

Although the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan were not highly skilled in martial arts, none of them were afraid of death.

They fight against the strong with the weak, against the many with the few, and even knowing they are outmatched, they will still draw their swords to help. They act only to the best of their ability, never caring about gains or losses. Such people naturally deserve the title of "knight-errant".

Admittedly, the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan were not perfect.

The eldest brother, Ke Zhen'e, is truly righteous and hates evil, and he also has a fiery temper.

He was sharp-tongued and quick to anger, often scolding his disciple Guo Jing and even slapping and verbally abusing his junior Yang Guo. He was pedantic and stubborn, often leaving people both amused and exasperated.

But if you don't know martial arts and happen to be pursued by a powerful enemy, Ke Zhen'e will definitely be the first to draw his sword to help you, even if he knows he is no match for him and will never back down even if he is to be crushed to pieces.

This one point alone is enough to make the flaws outweigh the merits.

It was precisely because of this that Ouyang Ke showed a rare bit of patience and was willing to spend more time talking to these people.

The firebird perched on his shoulder, initially tilting its head to listen to the group's conversation, but gradually lost interest as they chatted on and on. It yawned, buried its head in its wing, and began to doze off.

……

"The Nine Yin Manual?"

Upon hearing Ouyang Ke's words, the Six Heroes of Jiangnan reacted in various ways. Ke Zhen'e's expression changed slightly, Zhu Cong seemed thoughtful, while Han Baoju, Nan Xiren, Quan Jinfa, and Han Xiaoying looked completely bewildered, clearly having never heard of this name before.

Ouyang Ke said calmly, "That's right. Back then, Mei Chaofeng and Chen Xuanfeng defected from Peach Blossom Island. Since they had not yet learned the profound martial arts of Peach Blossom Island, they stole the second volume of Huang Yaoshi's treasured 'Nine Yin Manual'."

Ke Zhen'e frowned: "Back when the Five Greats gathered at Mount Hua for the Sword Tournament, wasn't the Nine Yin Manual taken away by the founder of the Quanzhen Sect, Master Chongyang?"

Although his martial arts skills were far inferior to the Five Greats, he was about the same age as Hong Qigong, Huang Yaoshi, and others. He had naturally heard about the rumors of the Mount Hua Sword Tournament twenty-five years ago.

Ouyang Ke nodded: "As expected, Master Ke has heard of the fame of the Nine Yin Manual."

Ke Zhen'e remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, his tone tinged with reminiscence: "Back then, my elder brother, 'Flying Dragon' Ke Bixie, and I were in our prime. The two of us roamed the martial world hand in hand, having a wonderful time. At that time, masters from all walks of life were fighting tooth and nail for the Nine Yin Manual. My brother and I knew our martial arts were inferior, and we disdained those so-called masters fighting endlessly for a single manual, so we didn't participate..."

He paused here, then let out a long sigh, his tone turning somber: "But who would have thought that, a few years later, Mei Chaofeng and her husband would use the evil skills they learned from those scriptures to kill my elder brother, Ke Bixie. And because of that, I... lost my eyesight."

"Evil techniques?" Ouyang Ke shook his head. "Not necessarily."

Ke Zhen'e frowned, his voice tinged with displeasure: "Back when we brothers were traveling the martial world, we clashed with the Black Wind Duo because we witnessed them practicing the Nine Yin White Bone Claw with human heads. I saw it with my own eyes; how could it be false?"

Ouyang Ke said, "That's because Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng didn't understand the Daoist martial arts. They just wildly speculated based on their own ideas, turning that martial art into an evil one. The scriptures themselves are neither good nor evil; it's the methods of practice that create right and wrong. What does their going wrong have to do with the scriptures?"

Ke Zhen'e was stunned upon hearing this and was speechless for a moment.

Although he was stubborn, he was not unreasonable. Ouyang Ke had an extraordinary background; he was a direct disciple of "Western Poison" and had mastered his martial arts. Seeing that Ouyang Ke's words were sincere and did not seem fake, Ouyang Ke was already seven or eight parts convinced. However, Ouyang Ke was always stubborn and could not bring himself to ask for advice, so he could only snort coldly and remain silent.

Seeing this, Zhu Cong stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Please enlighten me, Young Master Ouyang, what is the origin of this 'Nine Yin Manual'?"

Ouyang Ke picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and began to speak slowly.

"The author of the Nine Yin Manual was a high-ranking civil official named Huang Chang during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty. At that time, he was nearly seventy years old and was ordered by Emperor Huizong to proofread the Longevity Daoist Canon. He read it word by word for several years and became proficient in Daoist philosophy, from which he comprehended a profound martial arts skill."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cong and the others exchanged bewildered glances. They had originally assumed the scripture was written by some evil spirit or heretic, never expecting it to be the work of an elderly civil official.

Ouyang Ke continued, "Later, when Fang La rebelled, Huang Chang was ordered to lead troops to suppress the Ming Cult, thus incurring a blood feud with the Ming Cult disciples. These disciples came from various sects and factions, and when Huang Chang killed them, their sects came seeking revenge. Huang Chang was outnumbered and surrounded by dozens of masters. After fighting his way out, his family was all killed."

Upon hearing this, Han Xiaoying couldn't help but let out a soft "Ah," her eyes filled with astonishment and reluctance.

"Huang Chang fled into the deep mountains and lived in seclusion for over forty years. He memorized every move of his enemies' martial arts, racking his brains for ways to counter them. After an unknown amount of time, he finally figured out how to counter all his enemies' martial arts. He was overjoyed, thinking that he could finally take revenge. But when he came out of the mountains to seek revenge, he found that his enemies were already dead."

Ouyang Ke's voice was calm, yet carried a strange sense of desolation.

"He found a woman who had fought him years ago. She was just a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl back then, but when Huang Shang found her, she had become an old woman in her sixties, frail and sickly, lying in bed waiting to die. The deep hatred that Huang Shang had accumulated in his heart for decades suddenly vanished without a trace. Not only did he not kill her, he fed her porridge and medicine."

"Only then did he realize that he was getting old. He thought that his life's work should not be buried, so he wrote down all his knowledge in the Nine Yin Manual and hid it in a very secret place. Several decades later, the manual was rediscovered."

After he finished speaking, the Drunken Immortal Pavilion fell silent.

The six siblings, including Ke Zhen'e, were all dumbfounded.

They were all people of the martial arts world, so they naturally understood the hardships of practicing martial arts and being determined to take revenge. They could also better understand the helplessness and emptiness of finding one's enemy dead when one finally gets revenge. Huang Shang's magnanimity in letting go of hatred in the end is even more admirable.

Zhu Cong pondered for a moment, then asked, "Young Master Ouyang, how did the Nine Yin Manual end up in Huang Yaoshi's hands?"

Ouyang Ke said, "After the passing of the immortal Chongyang, his junior brother Zhou Botong was instructed to hide the two volumes of the scripture. On the way, he encountered Huang Yaoshi and his wife. Huang Yaoshi was newly married at the time and was arrogant, disdaining to use tricks to steal the scripture. However, his wife was curious about the scripture and wanted to borrow it to take a look."

"Zhou Botong was initially unwilling, but was provoked by Madam Huang's words. The two made a bet, and in the end, Madam Huang was more skilled and won the second volume of the scripture. Later, Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng's affair was exposed, and they stole the scripture when they fled Peach Blossom Island. To comfort her husband, Madam Huang tried to write the scripture from memory, but due to the passage of time, her memory had become blurred, and she only wrote down seven or eight thousand words. She was exhausted and died in childbirth after giving birth to Huang Rong."

Upon hearing this, the Six Eccentrics of Jiangnan reacted with varying expressions.

Ke Zhen'e's ashen face showed a constantly shifting expression.

He suddenly remembered how he had repeatedly called Huang Rong a "little witch," and how he had been prejudiced and malicious because of her surname Huang. He suddenly felt his face burning.

Han Baoju also fell silent.

He was known for his fiery temper and hated evil spirits and heretics, but after hearing these words, his disgust for that little girl unconsciously lessened.

Han Xiaoying's eyes were slightly red.

As a woman, she was sensitive and perceptive, and naturally understood Huang Rong's hardships better than others.

Ouyang Ke sighed and continued, "Huang Yaoshi was heartbroken and vowed to create a martial art that was no less powerful than the Nine Yin Manual, to comfort his deceased wife's spirit in heaven. From then on, he lived a secluded life and never left the island again. It wasn't until Huang Rong argued with her father and secretly ran away from Peach Blossom Island that he went to the Central Plains to find his daughter."

As he said this, his gaze slowly swept over the six people.

"Your prejudice against Miss Huang ultimately stems from the Black Wind Duo. They stole the scriptures out of selfish motives, leading to the early death of their master's wife; they practiced martial arts incorrectly, becoming neither human nor ghost. But what does all of this have to do with Miss Huang?"

He then looked at Ke Zhen'e, his tone solemn.

"Master Ke, you brothers rid the martial arts world of evil back then, knowing you were no match for them, yet you still fought the Black Wind Duo to the death; later, for a bet, you went to the desert for eighteen years, painstakingly teaching a disciple. I admire your chivalry very much."

Upon hearing this, Ke Zhen'e's lips twitched slightly.

Although these words were meant as praise, they warmed his heart.

This was the thing that the brother and sister were most proud of in their lives.

Now that someone has brought it up to my face, I am naturally delighted.

Ouyang Ke raised the wine pot, poured himself a cup of wine, and slowly said, "Looking at the world, if we talk about the word 'chivalry,' I'm afraid no one can compare to you six heroes. But as heroes, we cannot act solely on bloodlust; we must also be able to distinguish right from wrong. Although Huang Yaoshi's behavior is a bit eccentric, he rarely kills innocent people indiscriminately; Huang Rong is a bit cunning, but she is devoted to Guo Jing."

He paused, then looked directly at Ke Zhen'e.

"Is it fair to regard them as evil villains based solely on rumors and past prejudices?"

Upon hearing this, Ke Zhen'e was stunned.

He stood there, his expression shifting across his dusty face. His lips moved, but he couldn't utter a word for a long time.

After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter. The laughter was old yet bold, echoing throughout the restaurant.

"Hahaha! I never thought that not only would my eyes go blind, but my heart would almost go blind too!"

Upon hearing this, Han Xiaoying couldn't help but feel happy for Jing'er's future.

She could tell that her older brother had truly come to his senses.

Zhu Cong suddenly spoke up and asked, "Young Master Ouyang, may I ask who your uncle is?"

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback.

Although they had never met "Western Poison," they had heard of his name. The Eastern Heretic, Western Poison, Southern Emperor, Northern Beggar, and Central Divine were the Five Greats, renowned in equal measure.

They had already experienced the "evil" in Huang Yaoshi's nickname "Eastern Heretic" at Guiyun Manor, and knew that this person's actions were both righteous and evil, and that he had strange and powerful nature.

Ouyang Ke's uncle was known as "Western Poison," which must also be related to the word "poison."

Thinking of the "evil" in "Eastern Heretic," there is probably another deeper meaning hidden in the word "poison."

Ouyang Ke said calmly, "My uncle is a master of martial arts and a man of great integrity. However, he never shows mercy in battle and disdains to resort to tricks and schemes. He may not be a hero, but he is certainly worthy of being called a grandmaster of martial arts."

Zhu Cong was taken aback upon hearing this, then clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Excellent! I admire your frankness, young master!"

He bowed respectfully and said solemnly, "I will remember your words today, young master. A prodigal son who returns is more precious than gold; you are destined for great things in the future."

Ke Zhen'e shook his head and sighed, "The ancients said, 'A scholar should be treated with respect after three days of separation,' and they were right."

He recalled his earlier suspicions and cold words towards Ouyang Ke, and felt a pang of guilt.

Just as Han Xiaoying was about to speak, she suddenly heard a series of stumbling footsteps coming from the doorway.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young Taoist nun staggering into the restaurant.

She wore a gray Taoist robe and covered her mouth and nose with a dust cloth, leaving only her eyes exposed.

After the nun stepped into the restaurant, she hurriedly looked around.

As her gaze swept across the hall and landed on Ke Zhen'e and his group, a hint of surprise suddenly appeared in her eyes.

"Master Ke... Master Ke..."

Her voice was hoarse and she was exhausted. Before she could finish speaking, her body went limp and she almost collapsed.

Han Xiaoying quickly stepped forward and steadied her, saying, "Be careful!"

The young Taoist nun, panting, grabbed Han Xiaoying's hand, her knuckles white from the force. Her lips trembled, and with her last strength, she spoke haltingly:

"Heroine Han... hurry... Guo Jing and Miss Huang... are trapped... their lives are in grave danger..."

Before she could finish speaking, she closed her eyes, slumped into Han Xiaoying's arms, and fell silent.

The firebird was startled awake by the sudden noise, poked its head out from under its wing, and looked around groggily.

Seeing the sudden change in everyone's expressions and the tense atmosphere, it let out a "coo" and stretched out its wings.

But right now, nobody cares about it.