Ever since Qin Zhonghai had miraculously survived and recovered his life, he had been staying at Yan Er’niang’s inn recovering from his injuries—it had already been about a month. But Qin Zhonghai was unwilling to burden Yan Er’niang and the others, so he consistently refused to reveal his true origins, planning to make decisions only after his injuries healed. However, seeing the tattoo on Qin Zhonghai’s back, Yan Er’niang had already guessed that his connection to the mountain stronghold ran extremely deep. Even though Qin Zhonghai wouldn’t speak plainly, Yan Er’niang had been doing her utmost to care for him these past days without the slightest negligence.
Qin Zhonghai was a perceptive person. Ever since he had shed tears in front of Yan Er’niang, he never again revealed his troubles, cleaning up all the sorrow from his face and spending his days with a grinning, playful demeanor. Later, when his injuries improved, he was unwilling to eat and drink for free, so he volunteered to find work to do. But Qin Zhonghai’s mobility was limited—he could neither lift heavy loads nor understand brewing wine and cooking, so he could only help with miscellaneous tasks.
This day, Qin Zhonghai sat carelessly in the courtyard in his usual slovenly appearance, washing and peeling Chinese cabbage. His gaze was downcast as he murmured quietly, though no one knew what he was saying. While peeling vegetables, he suddenly saw a pair of boots stop before his eyes. Looking at those boots, gleaming and bright, the visitor must be an important personage.
At this time, Qin Zhonghai was dispirited and dejected—in the martial world, there was no longer such a person as him. Even if the visitor were the abbot of Shaolin, it would be none of his business. Without lifting his head, he said directly: “If the guest wants to drink wine, please enter through the main door—the shopkeeper will come attend to you.” After Qin Zhonghai said these words, the boots showed no sign of moving, just standing stiffly in front of him.
Qin Zhonghai felt vexed and didn’t know what that person wanted. He grunted sullenly and, without lifting his head, frowned and said: “Brother, what exactly do you want to do? Are you trying to buy Chinese cabbage?”
Before his words were finished, he heard that person sigh and call softly: “Zhonghai.”
Hearing this voice, Qin Zhonghai’s whole body shook violently. The vegetable basket in his hands overturned, and cabbage leaves scattered all over the ground.
The visitor’s eyes contained tears, his expression sorrowful as he looked down at him—who else could it be but Lu Yun?
Qin Zhonghai held a cabbage stalk in his hand, not knowing where to put it. He felt his throat dry and forced out a dry laugh, slowly squeezing out three words: “Brother Lu.”
The two men’s eyes met. Lu Yun slowly crouched down, looking up at him with extremely agitated expression. Qin Zhonghai bit his lower lip, wanting to say something joking, but just couldn’t speak. In that instant, Qin Zhonghai’s heart choked up, and he remembered the “Record of Xunyang Tower”:
“In youth I studied classics and histories, / When grown I also had strategic plans, / Just like a fierce tiger lying in wasteland, / Hiding claws and fangs, enduring in patience.”
“Who knew tattoos would mark both cheeks, / How unbearable to be exiled to Jiangzhou, / If someday I can repay this grievance, / Blood will dye the head of Xunyang River.”
During their meeting in the capital years ago, the two had met in a filthy small tavern and had shared such heroic words. Now one had ascended to heaven while the other had fallen to earth—when they met again, it was such a desolate scene…
For a long, long time, the two just gazed at each other. Being stared at by Lu Yun like this, Qin Zhonghai also felt uncomfortable. He tremblingly reached out to touch the top of Lu Yun’s head and cursed: “Damn it, I’m not a ghost—stop staring at me like that.”
Hearing his teasing, Lu Yun immediately broke into laughter through his tears. He wiped his eyes and forced a smile: “Sorry… I didn’t expect to see you here and got a bit excited.” Qin Zhonghai nodded and smiled slightly: “Yes, I didn’t expect it either.”
In the first month welcoming spring, the weather was bitterly cold, and snowflakes drifted down from the sky. Lu Yun saw Qin Zhonghai still clutching the cabbage stalk and hurriedly bent down to help him pick up the scattered vegetable leaves. Lu Yun held a handful of cabbage and asked quietly: “Zhonghai… how did you end up here?”
Qin Zhonghai smiled: “That day I left Beijing and fled by boat all the way. Hehe, I didn’t expect to come to Huaiqing and meet a crazy woman who ended up dragging me here.”
Lu Yun knew he liked to joke and wouldn’t take it seriously, so he just silently picked up the cabbage and put it in the basket.
Qin Zhonghai thought of Liu Angtian and the others and asked: “Is everyone well?”
Hearing this question, Lu Yun’s mind filled with scenes of their joyous gatherings in the capital years ago. His heart ached as he rubbed his reddened eyes and gave a dry laugh: “Everyone’s fine… it’s just that before the New Year, Zhuo Lingzhao and Jiang Chong had a deadly confrontation. When two tigers fight, one must be injured—Zhuo Lingzhao died, and Jiang Chong also ended up severely wounded. Thanks to the Sword God’s blessing, Jiang Chong couldn’t cause trouble, so this past month has finally been peaceful and everyone had a good New Year.”
Hearing that the Sword God was dead, Qin Zhonghai couldn’t help but be stunned. After a long while, he asked in a daze: “Zhuo Lingzhao… is dead?”
Lu Yun sighed: “At that time, Imperial Physician Yang intervened and finally made the Sword God rebel against Jiang’s faction. Originally I thought he would turn from darkness to light and ally with righteous people, but unexpectedly this scheme brought him fatal disaster—it was truly unexpected.”
Liu Jing died tragically, Zhuo Lingzhao perished—Qin Zhonghai couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Actually, he had no friendship with Zhuo Lingzhao; they had more ill feeling than good between them. But suddenly hearing of the Sword God’s death, compared to his own disabled state, he felt the sorrow of the rabbit dying and the fox grieving, and for a moment just lowered his head in silence.
For a long, long time, Lu Yun gathered courage and finally asked: “Zhonghai, you… what are your plans for the future?”
Qin Zhonghai shook his head slightly: “I don’t know what to plan for the future either… it’s just that these past days my injuries have healed almost completely, so it should be time to leave.”
Lu Yun raised his head and tightly grasped Qin Zhonghai’s hands, saying gently: “Zhonghai, come back to Changzhou with me!” Qin Zhonghai was startled: “Changzhou?” He immediately realized that Lu Yun would soon be going south to serve again as a court official in that region.
Lu Yun looked at him with sincere eyes, saying nothing, just tightly gripping Qin Zhonghai’s palms. Being held so firmly by him, Qin Zhonghai suddenly felt Lu Yun’s grip was incredibly strong, squeezing his palms until they ached unbearably. Though he wanted to pull his hands free, he lacked the strength, and as the pain came, cold sweat was already streaming down his face.
Lu Yun still didn’t notice, just waiting for Qin Zhonghai’s reply. Suddenly a woman’s voice said sternly: “Let go of him!” Lu Yun was startled and looked back to see Yan Er’niang glaring at him angrily, asking grimly: “Are you his friend?”
Lu Yun saw her indignant expression and extremely stern gaze, and hurriedly said: “What’s wrong?” Yan Er’niang pushed Lu Yun away and said coldly: “You’re hurting him.” Lu Yun came to his senses and hurriedly looked, only to see his friend’s hands showing slight bruising. Lu Yun was both shocked and pained, suddenly remembering that Qin Zhonghai had lost all his martial arts and couldn’t withstand even his casual grip. His eyes filled with tears as he bit his lips, not knowing what to say. If he apologized, it would make things even more obvious, so for a moment he felt very guilty.
Seeing his expression, Yan Er’niang couldn’t blame him further. She stood in front of Qin Zhonghai, blocking the two apart, and said to Lu Yun: “You don’t need to worry about him. He’s very well here with us caring for him—you should leave quickly.”
Hearing her urge him to leave, Lu Yun became very anxious and just shook his head desperately. Though he and Qin Zhonghai hadn’t known each other long, they got along well and were as close as brothers. Having finally met again, how could he leave like this? Yan Er’niang saw he wanted to ask Qin Zhonghai directly, so she blocked his way with both hands, shielding Qin Zhonghai behind her and preventing the two from meeting.
Lu Yun became very anxious and called out: “Zhonghai, do you really want to stay here?” Hearing this, Qin Zhonghai thought of their days in the capital, past events appearing before his eyes. His heart stirred and he wanted to stand up.
Suddenly there was a long sigh, and a figure blocked their way—Tao Qing had come. He advised: “Young brother, your friend is no longer a court person. From now on he’s completely separate from the government. If you force him to go back and his identity is discovered, wouldn’t you be killing him? Let him go!”
Tao Qing’s words were reasonable and emotional, immediately making Lu Yun and Qin Zhonghai come to their senses. Lu Yun’s mind buzzed as he thought: “That’s right—General Qin is no longer a court person. If I insist on taking him back, I’ll only harm him!”
Thinking of the past, Lu Yun’s heart felt cut by knives, and he remained silent. Qin Zhonghai also sat stunned on the ground, staring blankly at the sky.
Tao Qing gently pushed Lu Yun’s shoulder and said quietly: “Official sir, look over there.” Lu Yun looked back and saw a young woman standing in the courtyard, gazing at him. Her face showed worry but her eyes carried comfort—who else could it be but Gu Qianxi?
Lu Yun silently lowered his head. He wanted to bid farewell to Qin Zhonghai but was blocked by Yan Er’niang, so he sighed softly and said quietly: “Zhonghai, I’m leaving. Take care of yourself.”
Hearing this, Qin Zhonghai knew Lu Yun was about to leave immediately. He wanted to crane his neck to look, but Yan Er’niang was blocking in front and he couldn’t see Lu Yun’s figure. He wanted to speak but his throat was hoarse and he could only make “ah, ah” sounds. He waved his hands repeatedly, as if saying goodbye or wanting to pull Lu Yun back—even he didn’t know what he actually wanted to do…
Late at night, when people were quiet and stars sparse with bright moon, Qin Zhonghai lay on his bed board with bloodshot eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Several people slept beside him—Tao Qing on the left, Ouyang Yong on the right, and Ha Bu’er beyond that. Everyone had been sleeping on shared bunks for about a month now. Usually he slept soundly every night until dawn—why was he suddenly suffering from insomnia tonight?
Qin Zhonghai slowly closed his eyes, and a face appeared in his mind—Lu Yun’s tears of sympathy.
He felt troubled and uncomfortable, knowing he could no longer sleep. So he quietly got up, carefully supported himself against the wall, and stepped over Tao Qing’s body.
Qin Zhonghai, with his left foot bare, felt for his crutch. His tall body leaned against the wall as he shuffled toward the door. He didn’t want to wake everyone because this moment of midnight solitude was when he could be at peace alone. Only at this moment could he cry, laugh, roll on the ground, and no one would shed half a tear for him.
Walking out of the kitchen to the shop, in the deep night with no one around, the tables were full of stools and the floor below was cleaned spotless. Qin Zhonghai stood alone in the hall, slowly turned around to look at a cabinet, and suddenly his body trembled slightly.
He walked to the cabinet and took out something—a blade, an ordinary steel blade.
Qin Zhonghai’s eyes showed brilliance as he hugged the blade with its sheath tightly to his chest, his lips moving continuously as if it were some precious treasure.
Coming to the courtyard, Qin Zhonghai leaned against the wall and looked up at the bright moon. From starting to practice with blades at age eight until now, it had been over twenty years—the blade was like a piece of flesh on his body, a bone, nothing could be more familiar. Feeling emotional, he suddenly raised the blade high toward the sky with both hands, making strange sounds in his throat.
From childhood to adulthood, he didn’t know how many blades he had used. Whenever a blade’s edge became chipped or damaged, his master would find him another blade, and he would continue chopping, killing, and practicing until the blade’s edge rolled and chipped again, then get another new blade.
Blades could be reforged when broken, but could the hand that wielded the blade be reconnected when severed?
Qin Zhonghai looked up at the sky, and in that shining moon wheel, a figure seemed to appear, turning back to smile at him.
That person had broad shoulders, wore armor, with two thick eyebrows slanting upward, holding a blade in one hand with a proud smile. That smile was so hearty and carefree, fearless, confident, and heroic, as if nothing in the world could be taken seriously by him.
Who else could this person be but himself?
Qin Zhonghai bit his teeth, gripped the blade handle tightly with his right hand, and with a “swoosh” drew the steel blade!
Qi sinking to his dantian, his right hand exerted force, the steel blade traced a fan shape—this was the opening stance of “Fire Greedy Single Blade.” “Aggressive as fire, devouring blood into greed—why need a second blade to kill?”
The earnest teachings of the Nine Provinces Sword King echoed in his ears. Qin Zhonghai gave a light shout and was about to strike with force.
With a “clang,” the steel blade fell to the ground. In the darkness, only his trembling right hand remained, holding nothing in his palm.
Qin Zhonghai made harsh sounds like a bird with broken wings. Inexplicably, tears fell. He tried to run forward as if to escape from all this, suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground.
He panted heavily, using force to prop up his body. His shoulders hurt terribly, but he only wanted more pain—it would be best to die from the pain and be free. He made a harsh, strange laugh like a night owl. He raised his crutch with great effort and fled straight out of the courtyard to the main street.
Walking, running, escaping, passing through lane after lane, a lonely figure shuttled through unknown places. In his madness, he heard the sound of flowing water. Walking toward the sound, suddenly his vision blurred and he saw a turbulent, surging body of water.
Rumbling, rumbling, waves splashing and billows rising—the mighty waves of the thousand-li Yellow River were surging and flowing before him!
Qin Zhonghai stared blankly at the great water. The river surface was magnificent, water vapor misty. The other side of the great river was Liu Bang’s Guanzhong, Li Yuanhao’s Hetao, Ma Mengqi’s Liangzhou… The end of the great river was the homeland of all the world’s heroes!
Qin Zhonghai laughed heartily. He raised the crutch in his hand and walked step by step toward the raging billows. He wanted the boundless angry sea to swallow him up, to sweep his broken body into the endless hell…
That night, Yan Er’niang was sleeping soundly when Tao Qing shook her awake. Before Yan Er’niang could ask questions, Tao Qing covered her mouth and gestured for her to look at the courtyard. Yan Er’niang sensed something was wrong and hurriedly peered out, only to see Qin Zhonghai trembling as he walked out of the courtyard, not knowing where he was going.
At this time, Ha Bu’er and the others had all awakened. The four followed him all the way, and when they saw Qin Zhonghai walk into the great river as if to commit suicide, they were all stunned. Ha Bu’er saw Qin Zhonghai’s strange behavior and immediately cursed: “This guy doesn’t sleep in the middle of the night—turns out he came to jump in the river and kill himself. So useless—it really wastes big sister’s effort to save his life.”
Seeing Qin Zhonghai step into the great water one step after another, about to be submerged in the blink of an eye, Ha Bu’er spat and cursed twice, then was about to get up to save him, but Tao Qing pulled him back and said quietly: “Let’s not rush—let him go into the water first.” Ha Bu’er said “Hey”: “What are you saying? The current is so strong—aren’t you afraid he’ll drown?”
Tao Qing’s eyes showed compassion as he shook his head: “His heart is very bitter—let him be quiet. I’ll go down to save him in a moment.”
Hearing this, Yan Er’niang immediately choked up and began sobbing quietly. Everyone found this strange to hear.
Yan Er’niang stared blankly at the great river and said softly: “General Qin, do you really want to leave? Tell me, I… how can I help you?” Her pearl tears fell as if she couldn’t bear to watch anymore. Suddenly she covered her face, turned around, and fled.
While they were talking, Qin Zhonghai had already stepped into the water. The current was turbulent and had already submerged him over his head, and his crutch was swept away without a trace. Soon his body floated horizontally and was about to be swept away by the great water. Ha Bu’er exclaimed: “Golden Turtle, if you don’t go down now, this guy will drown soon!”
Tao Qing saw he could delay no longer, immediately rushed out and leaped into the water with a strong stride, swimming toward Qin Zhonghai. His form was like a turtle in the water, sinking and floating with considerable strength. Soon he had caught Qin Zhonghai’s tall body and slowly dragged him back to shore. It seemed his name “Golden Turtle” was indeed fitting—his water skills were excellent.
The three guarded beside Qin Zhonghai, seeing his belly swollen high as if full of water, his complexion deathly pale. Tao Qing pressed on his chest and Qin Zhonghai “urgh” and vomited up several mouthfuls of water. Seeing him come around, Tao Qing helped him sit up on the ground.
Ha Bu’er saw Qin Zhonghai’s vacant gaze and couldn’t help but reproach him: “Brother, you’re not the only disabled person in the world. Look at our Brother Ouyang—isn’t he also mute? But he didn’t commit suicide!” Though Ha Bu’er’s words were harsh, they were also meant as advice. Hearing this, Tao Qing didn’t stop him but secretly watched Qin Zhonghai’s expression.
In the darkness, everyone was silent as ravens, but they heard Qin Zhonghai give a faint smile and shake his head: “Who said I was going to commit suicide?”
Ha Bu’er heard his stubborn words and said irritably: “Then what were you doing jumping in the river? Catching fish underwater?” Qin Zhonghai smiled slightly and pointed at the great river: “I want to cross to the other shore.” Everyone said “Oh!” in unison: “The other shore?”
Qin Zhonghai nodded slightly. Moonlight reflected on the Yellow River’s turbid current rushing eastward, appearing turbulent and surging. Qin Zhonghai gazed at the great river and said quietly: “Someday I, Qin Zhonghai, will lead a hundred thousand brave soldiers from the other end of the great river.” He took a deep breath, turned back to look at everyone with a smile: “Do you believe it?”
Qin Zhonghai was severely injured and disabled, unable even to walk properly—how could he still lead troops in battle? Ha Bu’er glanced at Tao Qing and shook his head. Tao Qing and Ouyang Yong also sighed secretly. Everyone was afraid speaking would hurt his feelings, so they all remained silent.
Just then, suddenly a woman shouted loudly: “I believe!”
Everyone hurriedly turned around to see a pretty woman standing on the shore—their big sister Yan Er’niang had come.
Ha Bu’er was delighted and was about to speak when he suddenly saw flames blazing behind Yan Er’niang, as if there were a great fire. Fire tongues danced and light flowed, making Yan Er’niang appear even more beautiful.
Ha Bu’er exclaimed: “How did a fire start? I hope it doesn’t burn our shop!” He was about to get up to look, but when he ran to Yan Er’niang’s side, she grabbed him and said calmly: “No need to go back—I burned the shop.”
Everyone was shocked to hear this, not knowing why. But Yan Er’niang didn’t explain further. She slowly crouched beside Qin Zhonghai and said solemnly: “General Qin, I believe you’re no ordinary person. Someday you’ll definitely lead us all back to the Central Plains.”
Qin Zhonghai smiled slightly and nodded: “Thank you.”
Yan Er’niang gazed at him, and suddenly leaned over and gave Qin Zhonghai a deep kiss on the lips.
Ha Bu’er and Ouyang Yong, seeing this situation, couldn’t help but gape, not knowing whether big sister had gone mad or what, feeling shocked and uncertain. But Tao Qing wasn’t surprised—he just smiled and pulled the two brothers aside.
For a long, long time, Yan Er’niang released Qin Zhonghai and said softly: “Let’s go. No matter where, we’ll all follow you.” As she spoke, her gaze was gentle, full of tender affection. Qin Zhonghai touched his own lips, opened his mouth wide, and suddenly burst into wild laughter.
Yan Er’niang was a woman who valued loyalty and righteousness. This time, for Qin Zhonghai’s sake, she personally burned the shop and returned to the martial world—she had her own emotional journey that couldn’t be told to outsiders. But this reckless action inevitably left the brothers homeless. Even in the bitter cold, they could only sleep in the open.
The five sat around a fire. The weather was cold and no one could sleep. Yan Er’niang saw Qin Zhonghai looking at the campfire as if full of worries, so she didn’t say much and just sat quietly beside him. Ha Bu’er sighed: “Big sister, weren’t we supposed to wash our hands and retire? We finally bought a place, and now everything’s gone—how are we going to live in the future?”
Tao Qing raised his finger to his lips, signaling Ha Bu’er not to talk too much. Ha Bu’er cursed: “Dead golden turtle, if you’re not troubled, I’m still worried for you. Tell me, what are we going to do in the future?”
Yan Er’niang burning the shop for Qin Zhonghai’s sake was indeed too reckless. Hearing her brother’s reproach now, she didn’t know how to answer. Qin Zhonghai knew her eloquence was poor and that if the brothers blamed her, she would definitely be unable to handle it. He smiled slightly: “Everyone, let’s go to Lanzhou.”
Tao Qing said “Oh”: “Lanzhou? Does General Qin have friends there?” Qin Zhonghai nodded: “To tell the truth, I’m going to find my master.” Everyone said “Oh” upon hearing this. Qin Zhonghai’s past martial arts were outstanding—he was a great general the court relied upon. His master must be a contemporary expert. They all asked: “Who exactly is your respected master? How come you’ve never mentioned him?”
Qin Zhonghai smiled: “You should recognize him—my master’s surname is Fang. He’s one of today’s four great masters, known as the ‘Nine Provinces Sword King.'” Ha Bu’er thought of the tattoo on Qin Zhonghai’s back and immediately exclaimed: “So Master Fang is hiding in Lanzhou! He was one of our stronghold’s Five Tiger Generals! You… you’re surnamed Qin and are Master Fang’s disciple—what’s your relationship to Dragon Head Big Brother?”
Qin Zhonghai looked at the night sky, remembering Liu Jing’s tragic expression before death. His face darkened as he shook his head: “This matter is inconvenient to discuss. When we meet my master, we can talk about it slowly.”
Ha Bu’er was full of questions and wanted to ask more, but Yan Er’niang stopped him. She had also asked about Qin Zhonghai’s origins and knew he had other concerns and was unwilling to speak plainly. She smoothed things over: “Speaking of Master Fang’s character and conduct, we all admire him. After the stronghold collapsed, we searched everywhere but couldn’t find him. We really didn’t expect he was your master.”
Qin Zhonghai knew his master was one of the stronghold’s former Five Tiger Generals, so Tao Qing and the others naturally knew of his deeds. He asked: “Are you all familiar with my master?” Tao Qing sighed: “Master Fang was always like a dragon—visible head but not tail. Back then he didn’t live on the mountain and rarely associated with the brothers. He only appeared during battles, always wearing a ghost mask on the battlefield. His skills were formidable. People in the martial world didn’t know his identity and just called him Ghost General. Later… later he left the stronghold, and the old stronghold master forbade us from mentioning his name…”
Qin Zhonghai’s heart trembled, thinking of the severed tiger head in the great hall. He quickly asked: “Wasn’t my master one of the Five Tigers? How could he leave the stronghold?”
Tao Qing glanced at Yan Er’niang, and seeing her nod slightly, he said: “Back then the stronghold was very prosperous, fighting all the way to Bachuan. Master Fang advised our Dragon Head Big Brother to attack Beijing, but Big Brother refused. The two argued, and Master Fang angrily severed Stone Tiger’s head, saying he would no longer concern himself with stronghold affairs. After that, we were defeated like a landslide—those who left, left, those who scattered, scattered. Sigh…”
Hearing him speak of past events, tears immediately appeared in Yan Er’niang’s eyes, and she too felt deeply moved. Qin Zhonghai was completely confused and asked: “Raging Azure Mountain was so powerful back then—how exactly did it collapse? Do you know?”
Yan Er’niang smiled bitterly and shook her head: “Back then I was just a girl who knew nothing except leading troops in battle. That year I had just married, and in the first half of the year the stronghold won several victories. Everyone said it was due to my good fortune. Unexpectedly, after half a year, Dragon Head Big Brother disappeared that year. The court surrounded the stronghold and attacked fiercely. Without several leaders, we couldn’t hold out for long and were defeated like a landslide…” Qin Zhonghai pondered for a moment: “All this happened in the fourteenth year of Jingtai, right?”
Tao Qing saw Yan Er’niang’s face full of sorrow with tears streaming down, so he gave Qin Zhonghai a meaningful look, telling him not to ask more questions.
Qin Zhonghai recalled what Liu Jing had said—the court’s ability to eliminate Raging Azure Mountain seemed to involve many secrets. At that time, when he was guarding the Wenyuan Pavilion, he had also encountered bandits stealing memorials. It seemed that something unspeakable had happened during the fourteenth year of Jingtai, which led someone to go to great lengths to destroy old documents.
After Yan Er’niang cried for a while, seeing the brothers looking at her, she quickly stopped sobbing and asked Qin Zhonghai: “Let’s not talk about these past events. Tell me, how long did you practice martial arts with Master Fang?” Qin Zhonghai said: “I practiced from childhood until I came down the mountain at eighteen.” Yan Er’niang exclaimed and counted on her fingers: “According to this timeline, when Raging Azure Mountain collapsed, you would have been thirteen or fourteen! Since you’re Master Fang’s disciple, your martial arts must have been considerable—how come we never saw you on the mountain?”
Qin Zhonghai was also puzzled. Actually, if he hadn’t personally seen the court records, he might not have known his master was connected to Raging Azure Mountain. Later, through Liu Jing’s arrangements, he learned about his background. But then the court disaster struck—not only did Liu Jing die tragically, but he himself was arrested and imprisoned. Thinking of that meeting at Mount Hua when Fang Zijing avoided seeing him, he really didn’t know what his master was thinking. Qin Zhonghai shook his head: “I don’t know about these matters either—I’ll have to ask my master.”
Everyone thought of past events and felt troubled, falling silent for a moment. Yan Er’niang held a steel blade and poked at the fire, thinking: “Master Fang has great supernatural powers—perhaps he can heal his disciple’s injuries. Maybe… maybe he knows my husband’s whereabouts…”
Thinking of this, her body suddenly trembled slightly. If she could learn of her husband’s whereabouts and fulfill her long-cherished wish, she should naturally be joyful and excited. But she felt no joy in her heart. Glancing at Qin Zhonghai, she sighed quietly.
After this, everyone traveled day and night straight toward Lanzhou. This journey was full of hope—Qin Zhonghai’s injuries, Yan Er’niang’s concerns, and even all the brothers’ future prospects depended entirely on Fang Zijing’s guidance. It was truly of utmost importance.
Traveling to the northwest region, Qin Zhonghai recognized the roads and led everyone away from cities and towns. In just one morning, they had reached a remote place. All around was desolate, with only a few peaks of varying heights that were quite eye-catching in the wilderness. Qin Zhonghai pointed to one peak and smiled: “My master lives there.”
Everyone looked and saw it was a mountain peak. This place was high and steep, completely bare without any visible flowers or trees. Yan Er’niang saw how remote this place was and thought to herself: “So Master Fang lives in such an uninhabited place—no wonder no one has been able to find his whereabouts all these years.”
This place was exactly where Qin Zhonghai had practiced in his youth. Fourteen years ago he had completed his training and come down the mountain—it had been over ten years since then. Qin Zhonghai saw the scenery unchanged and recalled his high spirits when leaving the mountain, comparing them to today’s disabled dejection. For a moment he felt somewhat sad. He sighed and thought: “Back then Master didn’t want me to join the army, but I insisted on my own way. Now seeing my miserable state, I wonder how he’ll scold me?” Back then Fang Zijing hadn’t wanted him to serve the court, probably because of his mysterious background. Qin Zhonghai shook his head and sighed—he truly had countless things he wanted to ask.
Following Qin Zhonghai’s directions, everyone climbed up the cliff. Iron Bull was strong, so he carried Qin Zhonghai. These people all had decent martial arts, and though the cliff was somewhat steep, it didn’t trouble them. Soon they had climbed to the peak.
Reaching the mountaintop, everyone saw a thatched hut built beside the summit. It looked old and dilapidated—this was probably where Fang Zijing lived. Ha Bu’er and the others saw the hut was unremarkable and couldn’t help but click their tongues in wonder, thinking that the Nine Provinces Sword King was famous throughout the world, yet his dwelling was so simple it was worse than even a poor farmer’s.
Qin Zhonghai had everyone stop and instructed: “My master doesn’t like seeing outsiders. You wait here for a while—I’ll go and come right back.” Yan Er’niang and the others knew something of Fang Zijing’s temperament, so they all waited outside.
Qin Zhonghai limped toward the thatched hut. Reaching the door, he saw the dwelling was old and dirty, even more dilapidated than when he had left the mountain. His heart filled with slight fear as he knocked on the door and said quietly: “Master, Zhonghai has come back to see you.” After knocking for a long time with no response, he pushed the door open himself.
Qin Zhonghai looked inside the hut and immediately lowered his head with a bitter smile, saying nothing. The thatched hut was empty, the walls covered with spider webs and dust—Fang Zijing had long since gone somewhere. The “Nine Provinces Sword King” had no fixed residence; once he went wandering, his footprints would be found across all five lakes and four seas. How was he supposed to find him?
That day when he first left the capital, relying on sheer stubbornness, he had persevered without falling. Whether disabled or dying badly, none of it mattered—that was a mindset of risking his life. Later, meeting Yan Er’niang and relying on her care, though Qin Zhonghai’s body improved with warmth and food, his heart became more painful and he detested his situation even more. Later, when Yan Er’niang showed deep loyalty and burned the shop for his sake, Qin Zhonghai had placed all his hopes on Fang Zijing. Who knew his master had gone wandering somewhere, and there was no telling when he might return here?
Qin Zhonghai raised his hand to his face, not knowing what to do for a moment. His legs went weak and he collapsed sitting on the floor.
After a long while, Yan Er’niang and the others didn’t see Qin Zhonghai come out, so they walked into the grass hut to check. They saw Qin Zhonghai sitting alone on the ground with a worried expression. After looking around and seeing no trace of Fang Zijing, Yan Er’niang asked quietly: “Where is your respected master? Isn’t he here?” She repeated the question twice before Qin Zhonghai grunted: “He… he’s not here.”
Seeing his worried expression, Yan Er’niang comforted him: “Don’t be anxious. We can wait here for a few days—perhaps Master Fang will return.”
Yan Er’niang had originally washed her hands and retired, but had returned to the martial world for his sake. Now they couldn’t find Fang Zijing’s whereabouts. Qin Zhonghai sighed, not knowing how to answer, and slowly got up to walk outside.
Yan Er’niang turned to watch Qin Zhonghai’s retreating figure. It was now afternoon and thick fog had risen on the mountaintop, making everything gray and hazy. Qin Zhonghai walked alone with his lame leg—the sight was extremely desolate. Seeing this, Yan Er’niang naturally felt sorry for him. She quietly instructed Tao Qing and the others: “You stay here—I’ll go keep him company first.”
Ha Bu’er saw her face full of tenderness and remembered big sister kissing Qin Zhonghai by the river. His heart felt uncomfortable and his expression immediately darkened. Tao Qing, afraid he would cause trouble, raised his fist and thumped Ha Bu’er on the forehead, nodding: “That’s good—we’ll stay here and wait. Perhaps Master Fang will arrive immediately.”
Yan Er’niang followed behind Qin Zhonghai, the two walking one after the other slowly on the mountaintop. Though Yan Er’niang was worried in her heart, she didn’t dare get too close. She thought: “Back then his martial arts were so formidable that even when I used over ten moves, he easily broke them all. Now he can barely walk. General Qin is only about thirty years old—how will he live through the years ahead?” Thinking of this, she wanted to go forward and support him, but feared hurting his self-respect, so she could only follow silently behind.
After the two had walked for a while, suddenly she saw Qin Zhonghai sitting by a cliff, motionless. Yan Er’niang feared he might suddenly do something foolish and jump off the cliff in a moment of despair, so she hurried over and sat down beside him.
Qin Zhonghai glanced at her and smiled: “What’s this—afraid I’ll jump off the cliff and kill myself?” Yan Er’niang’s eyes showed pity as she said gently: “I know you’re strong by nature and wouldn’t do such foolish things, right?”
Qin Zhonghai laughed loudly. Looking at the water vapor below his feet, he said indifferently: “Er’niang, if you were disabled for life but still carried blood feuds all over your body, what would you do? Live on foolishly?” The more indifferent Qin Zhonghai’s tone, the more frightening it was. Yan Er’niang knew Qin Zhonghai was near madness. Her mind raced, and suddenly her cherry lips parted slightly as she said tenderly: “Hold me.”
Qin Zhonghai had originally looked completely dejected, but hearing this, he couldn’t help but be stunned. He turned to look at Yan Er’niang in confusion: “What did you say?”
Yan Er’niang unbuttoned her chest fastenings and said seriously: “If you’re a man, then hold me.”
Qin Zhonghai had originally been dispirited and dejected, but now with this unexpected good fortune, he immediately exclaimed “Hey!” and scratched his head. Yan Er’niang raised her face and closed her eyes, waiting for him to reach out and embrace her.
Qin Zhonghai saw Yan Er’niang motionless, a glimpse of her creamy white, full bosom visible through her open collar—quite enticing indeed. Qin Zhonghai’s heart pounded. Though his shoulders were disabled, his lower body was fine and he hadn’t been castrated. He licked his lips, gave a lewd laugh, and reached out to embrace her fragrant shoulders.
Yan Er’niang gazed into the distance and slowly leaned into Qin Zhonghai’s embrace. Originally fierce and shrewish, she now showed complete tenderness. Qin Zhonghai remembered her kissing him by the river and thought to himself with glee that Yan Er’niang had a secret crush on him. Thinking of his success, he tightened his hold on her fragrant shoulders.
Mountain mist drifted over, fog filled the air, and the two were wrapped in fog with truly the feeling of not being able to see one’s hand in front of one’s face. In the haze, Qin Zhonghai’s lustful thoughts grew stronger: “This place is misty and no one can see what we’re doing. Hehe, watch me advance to the next level.”
Though his body was disabled, this referred to carrying water buckets and gripping blades and swords. As for fragrant, pleasant affairs, even if his hand and foot tendons were all severed, he could still manage. Qin Zhonghai swallowed his saliva, stealthily looked around, and was about to boldly make advances when he suddenly heard Yan Er’niang sigh: “General Qin, for these twenty years I’ve been constantly running around, making all corners of the world my home, persisting in not compromising with the court. Do you know why I… why I suddenly washed my hands and retired?”
Hearing her suddenly speak, Qin Zhonghai was immediately startled and quickly withdrew his hand, giving a dry laugh: “You were afraid the brothers would keep wandering the martial world, so you wanted to help them settle down and establish themselves—that’s why you decided to retire?”
Yan Er’niang shook her head and said softly: “It’s not like that… actually… actually it’s because I…” Her face turned completely red as she sighed quietly: “I wanted to be with you…”
Qin Zhonghai was shocked. In the past, the two had only met once—even if Yan Er’niang were a hundred times more infatuated, he couldn’t possibly have such influence. He felt completely bewildered and said in a trembling voice: “What are you saying?”
Yan Er’niang said wistfully: “Do you remember when we fought that great battle at the foot of Raging Azure Mountain? We fought so fiercely then, but later you saved my life. At that time you removed my clothes to set my bones and advised me to serve the court together with you. I saw you looked rough but were actually very kind-hearted and understanding. At that time I had a thought in my heart… wanting to go with you…”
Qin Zhonghai came to his senses, remembering that he had indeed touched her body. At that time Yan Er’niang had cried terribly and even fainted from anxiety. He hadn’t expected this woman to remember the incident all along. Yan Er’niang’s face flushed as she lowered her head and said quietly: “The situation then was different from now. I was leading my brothers wandering the martial world, and you were a court official with too great a background. Even if I had gone with you, it probably wouldn’t have ended well, and the brothers wouldn’t have agreed…” As she spoke, she grasped Qin Zhonghai’s hand and smiled: “Heaven took pity and let you leave the court and meet me again. We two are truly fated—don’t you think?”
Hearing her innermost thoughts, Qin Zhonghai couldn’t help but gape in amazement. He had never expected that Yan Er’niang, perfectly fine as she was, would actually like him—this crude man full of foul language! Qin Zhonghai gave a dry laugh: “Good girl, you… are you teasing me?”
Yan Er’niang smiled slightly and was about to reply when suddenly they heard footsteps behind them—someone was coming. Yan Er’niang’s face immediately reddened and she quickly sat up straight, afraid the brothers would see her embarrassing behavior. Though Qin Zhonghai was a complete rogue, having someone come when they might see him in such a situation made him feel somewhat bashful. He quickly straightened up and remained motionless.
The two were feeling awkward when suddenly the person behind them called out loudly: “May I ask if the friend ahead is the former Liaodong Ranger under the Northern Campaign Commander, General Qin Zhonghai?”
Hearing that person address him by his former title, Qin Zhonghai was immediately shocked. He gave Yan Er’niang a look, indicating she should help him up, then turned and shouted: “Who are you, friend? How do you know Qin’s background?”
A monk emerged from the thick fog—a man with white eyebrows and long beard, kindly appearance. Yan Er’niang and Qin Zhonghai looked at each other, both seeing puzzlement in each other’s eyes, as neither recognized this monk.
The monk put his palms together and smiled: “This humble monk is Zhi Guan of White Dragon Mountain, sent by the Nine Provinces Sword King to welcome the General.”
Qin Zhonghai’s heart trembled: “This master knows my teacher?” The monk nodded: “An old friend of many years—how could it be ordinary?”
Qin Zhonghai had never seen Zhi Guan before. Now hearing him claim to be Fang Zijing’s friend, he only frowned tightly without responding. Seeing his puzzled expression as if he didn’t believe, Zhi Guan explained: “General Qin, please don’t doubt this monk’s words. It’s just that Master Fang is at Zabulun Temple in Tibet and can’t get away temporarily, so he asked me to come welcome the General in his place.” Suddenly hearing that Fang Zijing was in Tibet, both Qin Zhonghai and Yan Er’niang couldn’t help but exclaim in unison: “Tibet?”
Tibet was anciently called Tubo, also called Xizang, fifteen hundred li from Sichuan’s Mahu Prefecture and over five thousand li from Lanzhou. Its terrain was high, located southwest of the Central Plains. Tibet bordered Duogan and was a Buddhist holy land with simple folk customs, many monks, no city walls, and still paid tribute to the court. Compared to the Western Regions and Mongolia, it was only more mysterious.
Zhi Guan put his palms together: “Master Fang is already waiting for the General in Tibet. Please set out early and come with me to meet him.”
Tao Qing and the others, hearing the sound of voices, came out to look. Learning that Fang Zijing was far away in a foreign land, they couldn’t help but be full of surprise, discussing among themselves.
Yan Er’niang composed herself: “Why would Master Fang go to Tibet for no reason?”
Zhi Guan said: “This is destiny. Tibetan monks often include great masters, among whom are those who can know three lifetimes. The people revere them as Living Buddhas and call them Grand State Teachers of Initiation. Five years ago in Sichuan, Master Fang happened to meet a Living Buddha called Great Mercy Dharma King. The two first competed in martial arts and came to admire each other, then later held candles through the night, mutually enlightening each other about life’s principles. Since then, the Dharma King has frequently sent invitations asking Master Fang to come to Zabulun Temple in Shigatse—first to hear Buddhist teachings, second to instruct the temple monks in martial arts.” Hearing this, Qin Zhonghai was dumbfounded, thinking: “Master actually started believing in Buddhism? He doesn’t want to become a monk, does he?”
Yan Er’niang pondered for a long while: “Does Master Fang know that General Qin was… was expelled from the court?”
Zhi Guan put his palms together: “Amitabha, Master Fang and General Qin have a master-disciple connection—how could he not know of this matter? Master Fang’s purpose in going to Tibet this time is to heal General Qin’s injuries.” Everyone was overjoyed to hear this and cheered. Qin Zhonghai was especially elated.
Seeing everyone’s joy, Zhi Guan also smiled and nodded: “Legend says Tibet contains ‘sacred mountains and holy waters.’ The sacred mountains refer to Namunani Peak connected to Gangrinboqi Peak. In the mountain’s belly is a palace hall where Shakyamuni preached and where the Hindu god Shiva practiced. One peak is a sacred mountain, one is the king of snow mountains. Between the two mountains is Lake Mapang Yumco, called the Holy Lake, which is the nectar Buddha bestowed upon the world. Legend says that merely bathing in the lake can cure all diseases.”
Yan Er’niang said joyfully: “The Holy Lake can cure all diseases? Could it also reconnect severed shoulder blades?”
Zhi Guan smiled: “Amitabha, if mortals have ailments, whether of body or mind, the Holy Lake’s spirit can provide enlightenment for all.”
Suddenly hearing there was some “sacred mountain and holy lake” in the world that seemed capable of saving lives, Qin Zhonghai was overjoyed. Though he only had one foot, he still jumped up and laughed loudly: “Damn! I’m saved! Haha! Haha! Fucking great!”
Yan Er’niang was also extremely happy. She grasped Qin Zhonghai’s hands and the two spun in circles, their manner extremely intimate.
Ha Bu’er and Ouyang Yong, watching this, felt secretly surprised. Tao Qing quickly coughed: “Since there’s this holy water to save lives, that’s wonderful. We shouldn’t delay—let’s set out immediately.”
Ha Bu’er secretly groaned. These days of traveling had been exhausting—not only had they gone from Huaiqing to Lanzhou, but now they actually had to go to the Tibetan plateau. For a moment he sighed and groaned, feeling very troubled.