Having encountered no Kunlun Mountain people along the way, the journey was peaceful. After traveling for more than ten days, Wu Dingyuan arrived at a town and learned upon inquiry that he had reached Shaanxi Province. He had already spent all his dozen or so taels of silver along the way and now stood penniless on the busy street, feeling quite embarrassed.

With no money for food or drink, he wandered aimlessly through the streets. Passing by a government office, Wu Dingyuan, out of habit from being a constable, couldn’t help but look at the notices posted there. Who would have thought that one look would frighten him out of his wits!

The notice had been posted recently and clearly depicted a person – wasn’t it himself? The official document read: “Wanted criminal Wu Dingyuan, reward of five thousand taels of silver. This person formerly served as Liangzhou constable, conspired with bandits to murder eighty-three people of the entire Yanling Escort Agency household, robbed one hundred thousand taels of silver, raped and killed women, extremely vicious. Has now abandoned his post and fled,” and so forth.

Wu Dingyuan’s mouth went dry, his head spun, and he wanted to cry out his innocence. He suddenly remembered that when he was a constable, whenever criminals were arrested, they all cried innocence to him, but he had never believed half their words. Now that he himself was wanted, he finally understood those people’s suffering.

Wu Dingyuan couldn’t help but shake his head and smile bitterly, muttering to himself, “Retribution! Could this really be retribution?” Suddenly someone beside him chimed in, “Aiya! Of course it’s retribution! Brother, look at this constable – handsome appearance, but he wouldn’t do his job properly as a constable and had to go commit crimes to be satisfied being hunted. This is probably because his life is cheap – if he’s not properly dealt with, he doesn’t feel comfortable. A constable being hunted – if this isn’t retribution, what is?”

That person chattered and cursed for a while, still not satisfied and about to continue, but Wu Dingyuan had already walked away. His mind was in chaos as he thought, “This Prefect Lu Qingzheng is so vicious. Forcing me to lose my position is one thing, but to pin the blood case of Yanling Escort Agency’s entire family on me – my life is probably ruined.” It seemed that apart from Lord Wang Ning mentioned in the letter, no one in the world could save him. His heart was filled with bitter anger.

He was tired, hungry, and in a bad mood when suddenly someone pushed him aside, shouting, “Boy! Get out of the way! Don’t obstruct my master’s path!” Wu Dingyuan looked and saw several tall, strong servants clearing the way in front, with a fat-bellied, wealthy merchant swaggering behind them.

Wu Dingyuan’s anger flared. He thought of how in Xiliang, all these wealthy people used to fawn over him, yet here in this small place he was being mistreated? His whole body trembled with anger.

Wu Dingyuan made up his mind – since he was already framed with false accusations, he might as well commit a big crime to vent his anger. This wealthy merchant was also unlucky, having eyes but not recognizing Mount Tai. He could have taken any path but chose to offend Wu Dingyuan. At this moment Wu Dingyuan was at the peak of his anger – he could be as ruthless as possible. That very night he snuck into the wealthy merchant’s house and stole more than a thousand taels of silver to vent his anger.

Wu Dingyuan, with his constable background, was naturally skilled at thievery. He deliberately left confusing clues, leaving his footprints all the way to the county office. The next day when leaving the inn, he saw a large crowd surrounding the government office with the wealthy merchant angrily leading dozens of servants in loud protests. Wu Dingyuan found it amusing and quietly slipped away. On the road, fearing recognition, he blackened his face with charcoal and enjoyed good food and drink, with fine fish and meat – all paid for by that unlucky wealthy merchant’s money. It wouldn’t be long before he could enter the capital and meet Lord Wang.

By this time the season had turned to autumn and the weather was getting cold. This day a cold drizzle began to fall. Wu Dingyuan saw the gloomy sky and anticipated heavy rain soon, so he found a nearby small inn to stay.

By evening, the wind indeed grew stronger and it poured heavily. Not only was travel impossible, but staying outside would be unbearable. Wu Dingyuan shook his head – fortunately the inn was quite warm, so he didn’t have to brave the wind and rain outside. He ordered two small dishes and a pot of old wine, drinking alone. Though in dire straits, he remained content.

While drinking, he suddenly heard someone shouting loudly, “Damn it! What’s this about!” Wu Dingyuan turned to see several country folk pointing at a man and cursing. The man had graying temples, was about forty years old, and though not young, had dragon eyebrows and phoenix eyes with truly extraordinary appearance. Wu Dingyuan was slightly surprised to see such a person in this rural place.

Looking more carefully, he saw the man was dressed in rags, filthy all over, holding a chicken bone in one hand while gnawing on it, and grasping two dice in the other hand, shouting, “Come! Place your bets and you’ll win a wife for New Year – eight generations of ancestors will benefit!” Wu Dingyuan frowned. The man had handsome features and seemed to be from a noble family, yet his behavior was so degrading.

The man spoke nonsense while several gamblers stopped gambling and left the table. The man anxiously said, “Don’t leave! You haven’t paid yet!”

One gambler said fiercely, “Damn it! I’ve never seen such a thing in my life – eighteen consecutive big rolls. You’re clearly cheating and still dare ask for money!” He threw a punch at the man’s face.

The man cried, “Mama!” and stood up to flee backward, seeming extremely cowardly.

Everyone in the inn was simultaneously stunned – the man was about ten feet tall, extremely tall, and when he stood up his head nearly touched the door frame. Wu Dingyuan had been praised for his height since childhood, but compared to this person, he was still half a head shorter.

Wu Dingyuan looked carefully at the man and saw he was not only enormously tall but also broad-chested and wide-shouldered. In terms of build, he could be called extremely imposing with the aura of an overlord.

Seeing the man’s extraordinary stature, the gambler didn’t dare strike again and could only curse, “What the hell is this thing!” before leaving.

The tall man, seeing all the gamblers had left, didn’t pursue them but just giggled foolishly. Seeing only Wu Dingyuan remained in the inn, he unceremoniously sat in front of him and said, “Brother, do you gamble? Let’s play a few hands!”

Wu Dingyuan smiled slightly, “I never gamble. You’d better find someone else!”

The man looked Wu Dingyuan up and down as if seeing some monster. He shook his head, “I don’t believe you never gamble. How about this – I bet you definitely won’t dare gamble with me! Ten taels of silver.”

Wu Dingyuan had important matters and couldn’t be bothered with his nonsense. He immediately shook his head, “I never gamble and really can’t bet with you. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

The man giggled, “Brother! Didn’t I just say I bet you definitely won’t dare gamble with me? As it turns out, you absolutely refuse to gamble – so who lost? Quickly hand over ten taels of silver!”

Wu Dingyuan shook his head, “If not gambling means losing, then fine, I’ll risk my life to accompany a gentleman and gamble with you.” He reached out his hand, “Now I’m willing to gamble – you owe me ten taels of silver.”

The man laughed, “If you don’t gamble with me, you lose; but if you want to gamble with me, I haven’t lost.”

Wu Dingyuan was quite impatient, “What’s this about you losing and me losing? How can there be such shameless behavior in the world?”

The man said, “If you don’t gamble with me, you should lose, but if you want to gamble, you’re just agreeing to gamble once – we’re just opening the house now. How is that you winning?”

Wu Dingyuan was speechless with laughter, “So if I don’t gamble with you, I have to give you ten taels of silver, and if I’m willing to gamble with you, we’re just opening the house now, right?”

The man laughed, “You seem quite clever – let’s do it! Do you want to bet big or small?”

Wu Dingyuan chuckled, “I neither want to give you silver nor gamble with you. What do you plan to do about it?”

The man was stunned and laughed, “Someone as openly stubborn and shameless as you – this is the first time I’ve seen such a person.”

Wu Dingyuan, hearing the man’s rudeness, couldn’t help feeling angry and snorted without responding.

Seeing Wu Dingyuan’s anger, the man scratched his head and said, “Brother, you have an unlucky face – your luck must be particularly bad recently. Am I speaking the truth?”

Wu Dingyuan heard deep meaning in his words and was immediately alert, not knowing if this person was from the jianghu. Unwilling to reveal his troubles, he said indifferently, “Luck is always unpredictable. I’ve never believed in such things.” He continued drinking on his own.

The man laughed, “I say luck is most important. No matter how heroic Xiang Yu was, without luck he still had to kill himself at Wujiang. If a person loses luck’s protection, he probably can’t live for even a moment. Don’t you think so?”

Wu Dingyuan smiled slightly, “You’ve said so much – how is your own luck?”

The man suddenly became dazed for a while and shook his head, “I… I don’t know. It seems my luck has never been very good…”

Wu Dingyuan saw his behavior suddenly turn strange and frowned, “Who exactly are you? What should I call you?”

The man was stunned again. His handsome face slowly wrinkled up as he held his head and cried, “I don’t know… I’m just an unlucky person… unlucky person… woo woo…”

Wu Dingyuan shook his head, not expecting this person to be a madman. After crying for a while, the man suddenly started giggling foolishly again. Wu Dingyuan ignored him and drank alone, seeing the rain outside had grown even heavier, with a gray haze stretching into the distance.

Suddenly a young woman’s voice came from outside the door, calling, “A’Sha! You’ve wandered off again, making us search everywhere for you.”

A man and two women entered from outside. The man was about forty, plump in build; the two women were lovely in appearance, in the bloom of youth. All three wore long swords at their waists, clearly martial artists, but the rain was so heavy that despite carrying umbrellas, they were still soaked through.

The tall man jumped up and said tremblingly, “I… I didn’t wander off… Juan’er, don’t hit me…” This person seemed extremely afraid of the young woman, shrinking his large frame and crouching in the corner.

The young woman, ignoring her wet clothes, pulled the tall man over and scolded, “A’Sha, how old are you? Do you still need us to watch you all day?”

Though the young woman was more than twenty years younger than this big man, her tone was exactly like an elder sister disciplining a younger brother. Wu Dingyuan couldn’t help but smile slightly: “This person is at least forty years old, looks dignified, yet is called A’Sha by a little girl – it’s really chaotic.”

Suddenly he heard the other young woman say, “Junior Sister, now that we’ve found him, don’t rush to scold him. Come dry yourself off first!”

Wu Dingyuan heard this voice, gentle and soft. Turning to look, he saw this young woman had an oval face with beautiful features – a real beauty.

As he was looking, the young woman also turned her head, her gaze briefly sweeping over Wu Dingyuan. She took out dry cloth from her traveling bag for everyone to wipe their faces and bodies, then called everyone to warm themselves by the fireplace. Once their clothes were dry, they sat down to eat and drink. The small inn only had two wooden tables, and with several people crowded together, it felt quite cramped. Wu Dingyuan didn’t want much contact with martial artists, so he said nothing and just drank with his head down. He saw the men and women order food and wine, chatting and laughing.

The young woman who had earlier scolded A’Sha said, “Uncle Master, since we’re going to southern Shaanxi this time, why don’t we stop by Chang’an? What do you think?”

The uncle master was somewhat plump and looked quite amiable. He shook his head, “These days there are rumors in the jianghu that Kunlun Mountain and Shaolin Temple are fighting. I think the roads are quite dangerous – we’d better return early.”

The young woman clapped her hands and laughed, “Great! The monks of Shaolin Temple have extremely high martial arts. If they fight with Kunlun Mountain, there’ll definitely be excitement to watch!”

The plump man frowned, “Juan’er, you’re not young anymore. Just now I saw you lecture A’Sha quite properly, but how come when you speak now, you’re like a child again? Learn from your senior sister to be more quiet!”

Juan’er pouted and said coquettishly, “I don’t want to be like Senior Sister! So old and staid – she’ll definitely never get married.”

Wu Dingyuan, hearing this, looked at the senior sister again. Seeing her beautiful appearance, he couldn’t help but look a few more times. Who knew that this look would be caught by Juan’er. She pointed at Wu Dingyuan and whispered with a laugh, “Senior Sister, I spoke wrongly! Look how people are staring at you eagerly – how could you not get married?”

The senior sister’s face reddened as she looked toward Wu Dingyuan, saw his gaze still fixed on her, and quickly turned her head away.

Though Wu Dingyuan was over thirty, he had been too busy with official duties to marry and rarely approached women. Seeing the young woman’s shy expression, his heart suddenly stirred, and he quickly controlled his thoughts. Seeing the wind and rain had somewhat subsided, he thought, “There are quite a few martial artists here – it’s not suitable to stay long.”

Just as he was about to get up, he suddenly heard the senior sister say, “Uncle Master, you mentioned on the road that Master Lingyin of Shaolin Temple was captured by Kunlun Mountain – what exactly happened?”

Wu Dingyuan’s heart shook upon hearing this. He quickly sat down, thinking, “I wonder what happened to Master Lingyin and Manor Master Li? I hope they’re safe and sound.”

The plump man said, “I don’t know the details either. It’s said that Shaolin Temple interfered in a major case in Xiliang. Apparently a constable murdered the entire Yanling Escort Agency family. When Shaolin Temple’s masters arrived, that constable somehow used despicable methods to deceive Master Lingyin, claiming Kunlun Mountain was responsible. The two factions just started fighting like that!”

Juan’er said, “Why are there so many bad people in the world? That constable who broke the law is especially deserving of death.”

Wu Dingyuan’s heart was heavy, not expecting his reputation to be so tarnished. Kunlun Mountain’s actions were so vicious, actually framing him for the murders. His anger grew even stronger.

He heard the senior sister say, “Uncle Master, maybe that constable is innocent.”

Everyone made sounds of surprise upon hearing this. Wu Dingyuan was especially grateful and couldn’t help looking at the young woman. He saw her brushing her hair, her beautiful face bearing a charming smile as she said, “Master Lingyin of Shaolin Temple is a senior in the jianghu. With his senior status, he would never take action against someone without solid evidence. In my opinion, Kunlun Mountain must be involved – they’re definitely not without connection.”

Juan’er said, “Maybe that constable is too skilled at framing others, doing an excellent job of it – that’s also possible.”

Wu Dingyuan, hearing this, was so angry his head spun and he choked on his wine, immediately coughing non-stop.

He heard the senior sister say, “What Junior Sister says is also possible, but Kunlun Mountain is still holding Master Lingyin. If it’s all a misunderstanding, why make things so difficult for him? And cause trouble in the jianghu?” These words were quite reasonable and had everyone nodding in agreement.

As everyone was talking, several more people entered the shop, all wearing white robes and carrying long swords, soaked like drowned rats.

Wu Dingyuan slightly raised his head and his face immediately changed color. What incredible coincidence – weren’t these people precisely those fellows from Kunlun Mountain? How had they also come to this small town? Wu Dingyuan cursed his bad luck.

He saw two men shaking water droplets from their bodies – one tall and thin man was “Sword Shadow” Qian Lingyi, another with a short beard was “Sword Wave” Liu Lingchuan. They brought several disciples with them, standing at the shop entrance. Wu Dingyuan quickly lowered his head, his heart pounding.

The shop’s waiter, seeing more customers, quickly brought towels for everyone to dry themselves. Qian Lingyi and the others dried off and went to warm themselves by the fireplace. Wu Dingyuan stole glances and saw Qian Lingyi’s eyes flashing with sharp light, not knowing what he was observing. His heart worried about being recognized, so he quickly turned his head away.

As everyone’s clothes gradually dried, Liu Lingchuan saw the rain was too heavy and frowned, “I don’t think we can travel today – let’s rest first.”

Qian Lingyi yawned, “Very tired – let’s get some food and drink first.” Seeing this inn was extremely small with only two tables, he couldn’t help frowning and gave his disciples a meaningful look.

One disciple called to Wu Dingyuan, “Hey! You move over and sit at that table.” His words were quite rude.

Wu Dingyuan’s face darkened but he had to lower his head and move away. Qian Lingyi saw Wu Dingyuan seemed quite afraid, as if he recognized him, and felt curious, saying, “Brother, have we met before?”

Wu Dingyuan kept his head down without speaking. A Kunlun disciple shouted, “Boy! My uncle master is asking you a question!”

Wu Dingyuan said in a low voice, “I’ve never met any of you before.”

Qian Lingyi, having traveled all day and being quite tired, didn’t want to bother further and waved his hand.

The disciple pushed Wu Dingyuan and said, “Alright! None of your business.”

Wu Dingyuan remained silent. Though he wanted to run away, he feared this would expose him more, which would be worse. So he walked to the neighboring table and said to the men and women, “Excuse me, let me squeeze in.”

The plump man, seeing the Kunlun Mountain people’s rude behavior, was displeased and snorted heavily, “It’s crowded here. I’ll sit at that table.” He took his wine cup and sat at Wu Dingyuan’s original seat, drinking as if no one else existed.

The Kunlun disciple shouted, “Hey! Brother, didn’t you see? We’ve already taken this table! Get up quickly!”

The plump man looked around and said strangely, “Is someone talking to me?” He continued drinking.

The Kunlun disciple was furious, “Old thing! Are you pretending to be crazy to get beaten?”

The plump man raised his head with a blank expression, “I seem to hear a dog barking. Whose animal has run out and is barking wildly here?”

How could the disciple not be angry? His hand was already on his sword hilt.

“Sword Wave” Liu Lingchuan was quite mature and steady. Seeing this person carried a long sword, he knew he was also from the jianghu. Not wanting to make enemies unnecessarily, he said, “Friend, we’ve traveled all day and are very tired. Please let us have this spot – I thank you in advance.”

This Liu Lingchuan had a shrewd personality. Though his martial arts weren’t as good as Jin Lingshuang or Qian Lingyi, he was reliable in handling matters and was favored by the sect master. His humble manner had already given that person enough face.

Who would have thought the man said, “Hmm! The dog owner has come. Seems to speak human language – not simple, not simple.” He completely ignored Liu Lingchuan, leaving him frozen in place.

A Kunlun disciple shouted, “Old thing! My uncle master is ‘Sword Wave’ Liu, the great hero of Kunlun Mountain. Are you tired of living, daring to provoke our Kunlun Mountain!”

The plump man’s heart trembled, but his expression didn’t change. He just said “Hmm” and remarked, “Oh! So they’re dogs from the Western Frontier – no wonder they bark so well. Wonder if they know how to bite!”

The two young women at the plump man’s table couldn’t help but giggle.

Now even Qian Lingyi was angry, saying coldly, “This friend has quite a sharp tongue. I ask you one question – will you move or not!”

The middle-aged man laughed, “How can there be such a thing as humans yielding to dogs in the world? Dogs, don’t make noise – be good and wait. Grandpa will give you meat bones to eat later.” The man, seeing Kunlun Mountain’s arrogant behavior, was angry and refused to yield at all.

Wu Dingyuan, knowing Kunlun Mountain’s capabilities, broke out in a cold sweat for that man.

Qian Lingyi’s eyes blazed with sharp light as he looked the man over several times, his hand on his sword hilt as he said sternly, “Who are you? Give your name!”

The man just smiled without answering.

Qian Lingyi studied the man for a few moments, snorted, and sneered, “Good! So it’s Zhang Zhiyue of Jiuhua Mountain. Come! Come! Let’s talk outside!”

The plump man was indeed Zhang Zhiyue. He was a first-rate master of Jiuhua Mountain with considerable reputation in the jianghu. Now that he was recognized, he could no longer pretend to be crazy.

He laughed, “Good eyesight. Which one from Kunlun Mountain are you, brother?”

Qian Lingyi spat. A disciple beside him drew Qian Lingyi’s sword – the blade was transparent, seemingly invisible – then sheathed it again.

Zhang Zhiyue was well-informed and immediately understood, saying indifferently, “Hmm! So it’s ‘Sword Shadow’ Brother Qian. Very good, very good.”

He completely ignored Qian Lingyi and continued drinking with his head down.

Qian Lingyi waved his hand, and a disciple quickly removed his sword and presented it to Qian Lingyi. Relying on his superior swordsmanship, Qian Lingyi rarely used his “Sword Shadow” precious sword. Now he just took the disciple’s ordinary weapon and shouted, “Stand up and talk!”

Zhang Zhiyue acted as if he hadn’t heard, saying to himself, “Hmm! Good wine! Such good flavor in a small place – not bad! Not bad!”

Two Kunlun disciples, seeing Zhang Zhiyue was really too arrogant, couldn’t bear it and angrily shouted, “Seeking death!” Both thrust their swords forward. The two young women Zhang Zhiyue had brought cried out together, “Uncle Master, be careful!”

Zhang Zhiyue’s wrist moved slightly, and suddenly sword light flashed in the inn. The two Kunlun disciples groaned loudly, their wrists already bleeding – they had been wounded by Zhang Zhiyue’s quick sword in a split second.

Wu Dingyuan thought, “This Zhang fellow’s swordsmanship is so fast. Jiuhua Mountain’s fame throughout the Central Plains is indeed well-deserved.”

Qian Lingyi and Liu Lingchuan were also startled. They had heard that Zhang Zhiyue’s swordsmanship was famous for being fast and ruthless, but hadn’t expected it to be this fast.

Qian Lingyi, ignoring his disciples’ groans and not checking their injuries for fear of losing face, drew his sword with a “clang.” Though Qian Lingyi was using a disciple’s ordinary sword rather than his precious weapon, his swordsmanship was exquisite, and with sword in hand he immediately showed master-level bearing. He said coldly, “Zhang Zhiyue, I ask you one more time – will you stand up or not!” His sword point was already aimed at Zhang Zhiyue, who continued smiling and drinking.

Qian Lingyi’s anger surged. Having been famous for years, when had he ever been so despised? Immediately he thrust his sword toward Zhang Zhiyue with a “swish.”

Zhang Zhiyue, seeing Qian Lingyi’s moves were exquisite, secretly praised, “Kunlun Mountain’s great reputation indeed has some real skill.”

Not daring to be careless anymore, he leaped up to avoid Qian Lingyi’s sword, then drew his own sword and counterattacked, thrusting out nine swords like lightning and thunder, each faster than the last. This was his Jiuhua Mountain’s orthodox skill called “Flying Stream Swordsmanship,” known for speed and ruthlessness.

Qian Lingyi, seeing Zhang Zhiyue’s sword moves were continuous with no flaws in attack or defense, found them difficult to parry for a moment and could only move his sword like flying to guard his vital points. The two men’s long swords clashed with ringing sounds. In an instant they exchanged more than ten moves, but Zhang Zhiyue’s swordsmanship was really too fast – each move and sword stroke was urgent and dense like a violent storm. Qian Lingyi found it hard to resist and kept retreating.

The two young women, seeing their uncle master had the upper hand, cheered together. The mad man continued giggling foolishly, completely unaware of what was happening.

Zhang Zhiyue was only dissatisfied with Kunlun Mountain’s arrogance and didn’t want to form deep enmity with them. Though he had the upper hand, he held back with every move, unwilling to make Qian Lingyi look too bad. With one move “White Rainbow Pierces the Sun,” he slashed past Qian Lingyi’s side, then sheathed his sword with quite elegant technique.

He said indifferently, “You Kunlun Mountain people should understand – in Xiliang you can do whatever you want without anyone controlling you, but this is Shaanxi Province. If you want to act wildly, you should consider the place!”

Qian Lingyi retreated several steps and took his “Invisible Precious Sword,” sneering, “Zhang, just now you could have won but didn’t, not daring to strike fatally – don’t regret it for life!” Just now he had been caught off guard by Zhang Zhiyue’s quick sword. If his opponent had used killing moves then, he might have had a chance to win, but Zhang Zhiyue had foolishly given him this great opportunity for revenge. One must know that Qian Lingyi’s martial arts were profound – how could the ordinary weapon he had just used compare with his “Invisible Precious Sword”?

With a “swish,” Qian Lingyi’s long sword left its sheath. One move “Flying Swallow Without Trace” thrust toward Zhang Zhiyue’s throat. Zhang Zhiyue saw his swordsmanship hadn’t changed, but with “Sword Shadow” unsheathed, what had originally been an ordinary move became invisible due to the transparent blade – even the sword tip’s direction was hidden. This way, its power was more than doubled – truly without shadow or trace, impossible to parry.

Zhang Zhiyue’s heart trembled, knowing he couldn’t defend against “Sword Shadow.” He immediately changed from defense to attack, using speed against speed, thrusting his sword toward the opponent’s throat. Qian Lingyi retreated a step, his long sword trembling. A dazzling white light flashed, and the sword blade trembled and disappeared without form. Zhang Zhiyue, not knowing how to resist, could only slash diagonally. Qian Lingyi had already calculated his footwork, knowing he would attack his waist, so he leaped up and thrust his sword downward. Indeed, Zhang Zhiyue couldn’t see his sword moves and couldn’t dodge in time. When he realized it, his arm was already wounded.

Now Zhang Zhiyue knew his opponent’s swordsmanship was superior to his own. He used nimble movement techniques to dart and dodge around the inn.

Qian Lingyi, seeing him leaping and dodging everywhere, couldn’t do anything to him for the moment and cursed, “Only knowing how to run – what kind of hero is that!”

Zhang Zhiyue retorted, “If you have guts, change to another sword. Relying on superior weapons – what kind of expert is that?”

Qian Lingyi spat, “If you lose, you lose – what’s the point of all this talk?”

The two chased around the shop for a while. Several times Qian Lingyi thrust his long sword, but Zhang Zhiyue dodged them all. It turned out that Jiuhua Mountain’s martial arts had always had two great specialties – one in swordsmanship, the other in lightness skills. The two complemented each other and were indispensable. Disciples entering the school first learned lightness skills, then swordsmanship. In comparison, Kunlun Mountain’s swordsmanship excelled in internal energy. Whether “Sword Cold” or “Sword Gu,” each had corresponding internal energy mental methods. Their footwork was far inferior. With different martial arts specialties between the two schools, for Qian Lingyi to catch Zhang Zhiyue was extremely difficult.

Qian Lingyi suddenly had an idea and shouted, “Fifth Junior Brother, go kill those two women he brought!” He deliberately meant to distract Zhang Zhiyue. If he attacked those two female disciples, Zhang would have no choice but to save them, giving him an opportunity to exploit.

Zhang Zhiyue was dodging sword moves when he heard this. His footwork immediately slowed as he angrily said, “Why are you so cruel and ruthless! We have no deep hatred between us!”

Qian Lingyi’s sword light circled as he sneered, “If you’re not convinced, just fight! What’s the point of all this nonsense?” His killing intent was aroused, determined to kill all the Jiuhua Mountain people. As long as no one survived to tell the tale, even if Jiuhua Mountain’s sect master came calling later, he could deny everything to the death.

Liu Lingchuan, hearing his senior brother’s order, raised his sword and walked toward the two young women. Wu Dingyuan saw that the two delicate, beautiful young women were no match for “Sword Wave” and grew extremely anxious, thinking, “These people are utterly cruel and will kill without hesitation. Should I step in to save them?” Thinking of the deaths of the entire Yanling Escort Agency family, he wanted to fight, but firstly, his martial arts were limited and he might not be able to help; secondly, if he exposed his identity, the grievances of the Yanling family would sink to the bottom of injustice with no hope of revenge. But if he didn’t save them, seeing how serious Qian Lingyi sounded, these two delicate girls would probably be killed immediately.

As Wu Dingyuan hesitated, Liu Lingchuan had already drawn his sword. The two young women screamed and quickly dodged. Zhang Zhiyue, both shocked and anxious, hurriedly rushed forward to block the sword for the two female disciples. But when Zhang Zhiyue drew his sword to fight, his movement technique faltered. Qian Lingyi laughed, “Zhang, are you seeking death?” With a “swish,” his sword edge had already slashed past Zhang Zhiyue’s neck. Fortunately, Zhang Zhiyue’s footwork was extremely fast, and he retreated a step in that critical instant, otherwise he would have been decapitated and bleeding – extremely dangerous indeed.

Liu Lingchuan, seeing Zhang Zhiyue had retreated far away, sneered, “Little girls, prepare to die!” He used one move called “Sword Wave,” his long sword slashing urgently from left to right like towering giant waves. The two young women raised their swords to block, but how could they withstand it? With a loud “clang,” their long swords were knocked from their hands.

Liu Lingchuan laughed heartily, “Jiuhua Mountain disciples are so useless!”

Juan’er scolded in her sweet voice, “Using your size to bully the small – what’s there to be proud of!”

Wu Dingyuan grew extremely anxious, thinking, “This girl is so stubborn, she’s probably going to be in great trouble.”

Indeed, Liu Lingchuan sneered, “Go complain to your ancestors!” He thrust his sword forward. Wu Dingyuan saw that Zhang Zhiyue was already forced into extreme danger and couldn’t spare a hand to save the two young women. In his anxiety, he was about to step in to save them.

Just as he was about to jump into the arena, he saw Liu Lingchuan’s feet stumble inexplicably and he staggered back two steps. He exclaimed in surprise, not knowing who had interfered, feeling greatly puzzled. He turned to look around the shop, saw Zhang Zhiyue was still fighting intensely with his senior brother and definitely had no strength to save anyone. Looking around at everyone again and scanning carefully, he suddenly saw Wu Dingyuan sitting at the wooden table with his head down, motionless – it seemed this person was causing trouble.

Liu Lingchuan snorted and glared fiercely at Wu Dingyuan, “Mind your own business and don’t look for trouble!”

Wu Dingyuan, seeing his brutal and vicious expression, couldn’t help but be alarmed and quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze.

Liu Lingchuan, seeing him bow his head silently, was certain he was afraid and steadied himself with a sinister smile, “Two young ladies, blame your uncle master for not understanding and provoking us. Don’t blame us for being too harsh!” Laughing heartily, he thrust his sword again. Wu Dingyuan was about to step in to save them when a scream rang out – he was already too late. Wu Dingyuan couldn’t help but beat his chest repeatedly, greatly blaming himself.

Liu Lingchuan was about to speak with loud laughter when he heard his disciple call, “Master… Master…” He saw his pupil holding his arm and wailing loudly, somehow wounded by his own sword blade.

Liu Lingchuan’s face changed greatly, realizing he had been tricked again. Ashamed and angry, he shouted at Wu Dingyuan, “You’re the one playing tricks!” With a great shout, he thrust his sword toward Wu Dingyuan. Wu Dingyuan, not knowing what mystery he was up to, quickly leaped up to avoid the sword.

Liu Lingchuan angrily said, “Don’t think of escaping!” Just as he was about to pursue, his hand suddenly felt empty – inexplicably, his long sword had been taken away.

Liu Lingchuan stared in shock and turned to see someone playing with his long sword with a thoughtful expression – it was that foolish middle-aged madman.

Liu Lingchuan saw this person was crazy and dirty, and though foolish-looking, his martial arts were both evil and strong, so he shouldn’t be from Jiuhua Mountain. He said, “How should I address you, respected sir in green? Why did you intervene to save people?”

That man in green was the Jiuhua Mountain sect master. Liu Lingchuan’s question was meant to find out the other party’s background and lineage to avoid rashly offending other powerful enemies.

The madman didn’t answer, only holding Liu Lingchuan’s long sword and muttering to himself, “I seem to have seen this sword before… where was it? Why can’t I remember?” He held his head and thought painfully.

Liu Lingchuan thought, “I don’t know if this person is truly mad or pretending. Never mind, while he’s like this, I’ll kill him first.” He took a disciple’s sword and slashed toward the madman’s neck.

The two young women cried out, “A’Sha, be careful!” The madman was completely unaware. Wu Dingyuan was greatly anxious, unable to bear seeing him killed like this, and used the Flying Silver Shuttle technique to throw his chopsticks.

Liu Lingchuan dodged to the side and cursed, “Boy, you’re meddling!” But this delay allowed the madman to come to his senses. He gripped the sword hilt with both hands, raised the long sword and thrust it toward Liu Lingchuan. Though this move was chaotic, the wild slashing and hacking revealed incredibly profound skill.

Liu Lingchuan was alarmed, “What kind of swordsmanship is this! How is it so strange?”

Wu Dingyuan’s heart also trembled. He saw the madman gripping the hilt with both hands, using techniques that were definitely not swordsmanship but rather resembled spear techniques by three parts. Such strange martial arts were something he had never seen in his life.

The madman roared and suddenly drew his elbows back while gripping the hilt, then thrust straight forward. This move was even more like a thrust from spear techniques. Liu Lingchuan was startled, “What kind of move is this?” Firstly, he couldn’t dodge in time, and secondly, he couldn’t understand the martial arts, so he was wounded in the wrist by the madman.

Liu Lingchuan was both shocked and pained. Knowing he was no match, he quickly leaped backward and called to his senior brother Qian Lingyi, “Fourth Senior Brother! Let’s go quickly!”

Qian Lingyi was currently gaining the upper hand and could take down that extremely rude Zhang Zhiyue in just a few more moves. He laughed heartily and replied, “No rush to leave! Wait until I kill this old thing first!” He looked at Zhang Zhiyue with a sinister expression, not realizing his junior brother was in a dangerous situation.

Zhang Zhiyue, being extremely clever, had clearly observed the shop’s situation and interjected, “Brother Qian! By the time you kill this old thing, your junior brother will have been killed into a dead thing!”

Qian Lingyi was furious. He flicked his wrist, channeling internal energy, making his “Invisible Sword Shadow” even more fierce. Zhang Zhiyue saw his opponent’s moves speeding up and found it even harder to parry, only able to retreat step by step.

The two young women, seeing their uncle master in danger, quickly called, “A’Sha, quickly save uncle master!”

A figure flashed as the madman pounced forward like a flying bird. Qian Lingyi heard the strong wind behind him and was startled. Looking back, he saw a long sword thrusting straight at his face. Liu Lingchuan cried out in alarm, “Senior Brother, be careful!”

Qian Lingyi heard the urgent sound of the sword wind and knew the true energy concentrated at the sword tip was truly extraordinary. He quickly dodged, thinking, “This person has profound internal energy – he’s a formidable enemy.” He turned and slashed, his sword shadow stabbing toward the madman’s shoulder. This move was called “Feinting East to Strike West,” one of the ultimate techniques of “Invisible Sword Shadow.” The sword tip appeared to point toward the shoulder but actually slashed toward the waist, expecting the madman to die miserably on the spot.

The madman was truly very foolish, completely unaware of the danger. He just roared and brought his sword down on Qian Lingyi’s head. This move had tremendous power but extremely clumsy technique, completely beyond Qian Lingyi’s expectations. Seeing the madman was using a mutually destructive sword technique, if Qian Lingyi didn’t dodge, though his “Invisible Sword Shadow” could wound the madman’s waist and kidneys, his own head would definitely be split in half. In his panic, he could only retreat a step. With a thunderous crash, the wooden table was split in two.

The inn’s workers, seeing this, were all frightened and shaking, hiding in the back kitchen. At this time, Zhang Zhiyue had already slowed his attacks. Seeing the madman’s move was clumsy but in one stroke forced the arrogant Qian Lingyi to retreat, he couldn’t help but cheer loudly.

Wu Dingyuan was also secretly watching the madman fight intensely with Qian Lingyi. He saw that just now the madman’s moves were wide open and aggressive, already changing to iron axe martial arts techniques. Wu Dingyuan understood in his heart, knowing this madman’s martial arts must be from battlefield techniques. If not for this long sword being too unsuitable, that move just now would definitely not have just made Qian Lingyi retreat in panic.

The madman roared like a tiger and pressed forward again, like a mad dog biting or village women fighting, the long sword sometimes chopping straight, sometimes slashing diagonally. Even someone who knew no martial arts probably couldn’t use such ugly techniques. Qian Lingyi was alarmed and didn’t know how to resist his opponent’s martial arts, so he quickly retreated.

After more than ten moves, the madman actually had the upper hand. Though his techniques weren’t beautiful to watch, their power was tremendous, forcing Qian Lingyi to run around the entire arena, not daring to face him directly.

At the height of battle, Qian Lingyi’s sleeve was torn by the madman. He quickly jumped backward and shouted, “You… this is ‘Square Sky Painted Halberd’ techniques! Who exactly are you?”

The man smiled foolishly, drooling, and turned to Juan’er, “Sister Juan’er, he’s asking who I am? Should I tell him?”

In the midst of intense battle, this madman actually turned to talk to someone – such contempt for his opponent was extreme. Qian Lingyi, in his mad fury, ignored his master’s dignity and immediately raised his sword to thrust toward the madman’s throat. Everyone cried out in unison, “You mustn’t!” Juan’er screamed even more shrilly, her pretty face turning pale.

Wu Dingyuan was furious – this Qian Lingyi was so despicable, seeing the other person was a madman yet still taking advantage of others’ vulnerability. He could truly be called a complete scoundrel.

Zhang Zhiyue was about to draw his sword to save him when suddenly the madman turned around, laughed heartily and said, “Brother, you’ve fallen into my trap!” He quickly extended two fingers and placed them at his own neck. Qian Lingyi couldn’t withdraw his sword in time, and in an instant, the tip of the Invisible Sword Shadow was caught by the madman’s fingers.

Zhang Zhiyue was stunned for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter, “Foolish boy! You really have it in you!”

Everyone was greatly shocked at this sight. Qian Lingyi’s heart was even more horrified. It turned out the madman had deliberately talked to someone, actually deliberately showing a weakness to lure Qian Lingyi into attacking. Though this sword shadow was normally invisible and traceless, since Qian Lingyi was focused on attacking the madman’s throat, the madman could calculate the path of the “Invisible Sword Shadow” and use an extremely dangerous technique to break Qian Lingyi’s famous skill. It could be said he combined martial arts with intelligence.

The madman giggled and tried to seize Qian Lingyi’s “Sword Shadow.” Qian Lingyi used both hands to pull back the sword, but it seemed clamped by iron pincers and couldn’t move an inch. Liu Lingchuan beside him grabbed a disciple’s sword and struck viciously at the madman’s back. Zhang Zhiyue sneered, “Do Kunlun disciples only know sneak attack moves?”

Just as he was about to step forward to intercept, the madman coughed and spat out a mouthful of phlegm. The spit flew with tremendous force and hit Liu Lingchuan right in the nose, covering his face with filth and making him extremely embarrassed as he withdrew his long sword. But when the madman spat to attack his enemy, his hand’s strength loosened slightly, and Qian Lingyi took the opportunity to reclaim his long sword. However, though Qian Lingyi retrieved his sword, he used too much force and the sword hilt struck back against his own chest, immediately causing heart-piercing pain.

Qian Lingyi covered his chest with his hand, slowly regulating his internal breath. Seeing his famous ultimate technique “Sword Shadow” broken by a madman in one move, he lost face and immediately said, “Your martial arts are so high. What divine being are you exactly? Could you please reveal your great name?”

The madman looked foolish, giggling and saying, “Alright! I’ll tell you now!” He chuckled coldly twice, his lips moving slightly as he was about to say his name. Wu Dingyuan thought, “This person’s martial arts are so superb he could establish his own school, but I don’t know what divine being he is.” He also listened intently, wanting to understand this person’s background clearly.

Seeing everyone in the inn with focused expressions, all waiting for him to announce his name, the madman threw back his head and laughed loudly, “Listen well! I never change my name when sitting or my surname when walking. In the morning I must eat three bowls of rice, at night I love gnawing chicken legs most. People call me ‘A’Sha’ – that’s me!” Then he pointed at Qian Lingyi and said, “You’re ‘Big Fool,’ even stupider than me, ‘Little Fool’!”

Everyone in the hall immediately burst into laughter, even the shop waiter was covering his mouth and snickering.

Qian Lingyi, seeing this person was like an idiot, felt extremely unlucky, never expecting his lifetime of martial arts would lose to a madman. Just having a meal on the road had cost him his lifelong reputation. But the opponent’s martial arts were superior to his own, so he couldn’t seek revenge now. He would have to gather Jin Lingshuang and Tu Lingxin later to come seek vengeance. He cupped his hands slightly and sighed, “Since you’re unwilling to reveal your true name, so be it. Until we meet again.”

A disciple said, “Uncle Master, what are we afraid of? He’s just a madman…” Before he finished speaking, his face had already received a stinging slap from Qian Lingyi.

Wu Dingyuan thought, “This disciple is truly incredibly stupid. He says A’Sha is just a madman – doesn’t that make his uncle master inferior to even a madman? This person’s eloquence is really terrible.”

Seeing that disciple get slapped, the others didn’t dare speak further and quickly followed him out.

Wu Dingyuan, seeing the Kunlun people had left, breathed a sigh of relief. Zhang Zhiyue, seeing him looking thoughtful, walked over and said, “Brother, your chopstick-throwing technique just now was really impressive!”

Wu Dingyuan said, “I dare not claim credit. I just couldn’t bear to see this friend in trouble and couldn’t help but meddle. I hope you’ll forgive the spectacle.”

Zhang Zhiyue laughed, “Brother, you’re being too modest. If you don’t mind, how about drinking together?” Without waiting for Wu Dingyuan’s answer, he had already pulled his hand and sat down, quite intimately. Just now when A’Sha was in danger, if Wu Dingyuan hadn’t intended to help, probably this A’Sha, no matter how high his martial arts, would have died mysteriously at the villain’s hands. Zhang Zhiyue, remembering this favor, naturally treated him differently.

Wu Dingyuan originally wanted to decline, but hesitating, he suddenly saw Yan Ting’s charming gaze looking toward him. His heart stirred as he thought, “So be it! It’s rare to come to the Central Plains – I might as well get to know more heroes!” He no longer rushed to leave.

Zhang Zhiyue immediately ordered a table of food and wine to drink with Wu Dingyuan, with the two young women and the madman also accompanying them.

Everyone introduced themselves by name. The senior sister was called Yan Ting, and the other young woman who scolded the madman was called Juan’er. Everyone asked Wu Dingyuan for his name. Wu Dingyuan thought, “I’m currently involved in a case and absolutely cannot expose my whereabouts.” So he randomly made up a false name, saying he was called Hu Yuan. “Hu” meant nonsense, and “Yuan” was a variation of “Yuan” (distant).

Zhang Zhiyue raised a cup of wine and laughed, “In such cold weather, where is Brother Hu heading?”

Wu Dingyuan said, “I usually do small business. For one transaction, I need to go to the capital.” This wasn’t entirely a lie, except this transaction was extraordinary – it was the sheepskin related to the lives of eighty-three people from Yanling Escort Agency.

Yan Ting smiled slightly, “Master Hu, from your accent you seem to be from Shaanxi-Gansu. Am I wrong?”

If this had been said by someone else, Wu Dingyuan would have been highly alert, but seeing Yan Ting’s lovely appearance, he naturally wouldn’t be suspicious and just smiled, “Miss is very clever. With just one guess you know my background.”

Yan Ting smiled charmingly, “Master Hu is too kind. I lived in Xiliang as a child and know the local accent and speech habits.”

Wu Dingyuan was delighted, “So Miss is my little fellow countrywoman! Come, come – meeting an old friend in a foreign land, I toast you.”

Yan Ting smiled lightly, her eyes flowing with indescribable charm. She used Xiliang dialect, “Master Hu, I’ll drink first as a toast.”

Wu Dingyuan raised his cup and looked at Yan Ting’s charming face, couldn’t help but sigh. This time leaving home in haste, hearing Xiliang dialect suddenly reminded him of hometown affairs, making his heart unbearably sour. He actually couldn’t swallow this cup of wine. Everyone thought he was homesick and kept urging him to drink.

Outside the small inn, wind and rain raged, but inside was full of warmth. Wu Dingyuan, having experienced many vicissitudes and bearing false accusations, had originally been filled with grief and anger. Now he finally felt some warmth and couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

During the feast, everyone chatted casually. Wu Dingyuan was extremely concerned about Lingyin and the others’ safety, so he asked, “Just now I heard you mention Shaolin Temple and say that Shaolin and Kunlun have a feud. I don’t know the details – what exactly happened?”

Juan’er laughed, “Master Hu, aren’t you a businessman? Why are you so concerned about Shaolin Temple? Don’t tell me you sold them their head-shaving knives?”

Wu Dingyuan, seeing her hit the mark with one comment, couldn’t help but blush.

Zhang Zhiyue was an old hand in the jianghu. One look at Wu Dingyuan’s face told him he was also a martial arts practitioner, probably with some troubles, which was why he was unwilling to reveal his true identity. He didn’t mind and laughed, “To be honest with you, brother, this matter between Shaolin and Kunlun has caused quite a stir. It has now alarmed the Shaolin Temple’s abbot. The Shaolin abbot, worried that Kunlun Mountain might kill Lingyin, is said to have personally sent an envoy requesting Kunlun Mountain to release him. But Kunlun Mountain’s sect master pays no attention at all. I don’t know how Shaolin will resolve this matter.”

Wu Dingyuan shook his head, “Doesn’t Shaolin Temple know about the Yanling Escort Agency matter?”

Zhang Zhiyue said, “Of course they know. That constable who murdered the entire Yanling Escort Agency family was extremely vicious in his methods. Now Shaolin Temple is also searching for him everywhere. Whether or not he did it, the tragic case must be explained clearly.”

Wu Dingyuan’s face turned iron-blue. Now there was another group hunting him – he truly didn’t know where to begin explaining.

During the feast, they also talked about the madman. Wu Dingyuan said, “Is this hero ill? I see his expression isn’t quite right.”

Zhang Zhiyue sighed, “Two years ago, my senior brother was handling business in South China when he encountered this person on the road. At that time, he was being beaten by a group of villagers who said he was cheating at gambling. My senior brother, seeing his extraordinary appearance and that he was middle-aged, couldn’t bear to see him being beaten, so he intervened to save him. This fellow has no relatives or friends, his martial arts fluctuate between high and low, and his mind isn’t clear. My senior brother thought it wouldn’t be proper to let him live on his own, so he brought him back to Jiuhua Mountain. Actually, apart from loving to gamble a few hands, this fellow has no other bad habits.”

When the madman heard the word “gamble,” his originally foolish expression suddenly changed, becoming extremely excited. He took out two dice from his body and called, “Big!” Sure enough, he rolled a big number. Wu Dingyuan saw his technique was quite skilled – no wonder the villagers considered him a gambling cheat.

The young woman Juan’er angrily said, “A’Sha, all you know is gambling! People are talking about your affairs!”

The madman seemed extremely afraid of Juan’er and quickly put away the dice, shrinking to one side.

Juan’er, seeing he seemed frightened, said gently, “A’Sha, if you behave and don’t gamble, no one will scold you, understand?”

The madman nodded, and his heroic, worldly face showed an idiotic smile. Juan’er, seeing his foolish expression, couldn’t help but sigh softly, a trace of worry appearing on her innocent face.

Yan Ting covered her mouth and laughed, “Junior Sister, the way you manage him seems… seems…”

Juan’er’s face flushed as she said coquettishly, “Seems like what? Like his mother, right? Senior Sister, you’re so bad…” She reached out to tickle Yan Ting.

Yan Ting’s face reddened as she laughed, “You said it yourself – I didn’t say anything.” She reached out to block her.

Wu Dingyuan, seeing the two young women playing around, also smiled, “If this person weren’t mad, in terms of martial arts he would be a hero of his generation. Has your sect master been able to determine his lineage and background?”

Zhang Zhiyue shook his head, “His martial arts are too mixed – even my sect master senior brother can’t determine his lineage. Half the reason I came down the mountain this time was to inquire about his background, but I still found nothing.”

Wu Dingyuan saw the madman eating until he was covered in grease and wiping the oil from his hands all over Juan’er. Yan Ting laughed, “Junior Sister, your son is seeking his mother’s affection again!”

Juan’er spat with a blushing face but didn’t retort, just carefully took a handkerchief to wipe the madman clean. The madman squinted his eyes and smiled, looking thoroughly enjoying himself.

Wu Dingyuan thought, “This madman can actually enjoy such good fortune – much happier than me, a sensible person.” He sighed, “This mad brother can have the care of Jiuhua Mountain folks – it’s great fortune in misfortune.”

Zhang Zhiyue said, “The way he’s going, it’s ultimately not a solution. When his mind is clear, he speaks coherently, but most of the time he’s like this, not even recognizing who he is. However, he has a distinctive feature. Brother Hu, you’re well-traveled – perhaps you can see something.”

Wu Dingyuan exclaimed in surprise, “This person has distinctive features?”

Zhang Zhiyue nodded and said quietly, “Ting’er, Juan’er, you two step out for a moment.”

Juan’er frowned, “Going to look at that tattoo again?”

Wu Dingyuan saw Zhang Zhiyue nod and thought, “Tattoo? What tattoo?”

Zhang Zhiyue urged, “Go out quickly. This Master Hu has traveled the jianghu for years – maybe he’s seen this tattoo. Why don’t we try?”

Juan’er sighed, “Alright! Treating a dead horse as if it were alive.” The two women left the room and waited outside.

Wu Dingyuan heard them speak so seriously and was also curious, wanting to see the madman’s identifying mark. Zhang Zhiyue said, “A’Sha, take off your outer clothes and show people the tiger on your back.”

A’Sha giggled foolishly, “Going to look at my tiger again? One viewing costs one tael of silver.”

Zhang Zhiyue spat but actually took out one tael of silver and handed it to A’Sha.

Wu Dingyuan smiled slightly – it seemed this A’Sha, though foolish, also knew the value of silver.

A’Sha took the silver and said loudly, “The tiger is coming! Watch carefully!” He turned around and undid his clothes. On A’Sha’s back was indeed tattooed a fierce tiger, lifelike with bared fangs and claws, walking down a mountain step by step. Though A’Sha was middle-aged, his skin was still fair and smooth, making the tattoo even more striking against his snow-white skin.

Zhang Zhiyue pointed to a spot on his back, “Look here – there are also two lines of text.”

Wu Dingyuan looked closely and saw beside the fierce tiger were two lines of verse: “Like a fierce tiger lying on barren hills, hiding claws and fangs, enduring.” On the tiger’s forehead was the character “Xi” (West).

Wu Dingyuan exclaimed “Eh!” and felt this tattoo looked very familiar, saying, “I seem to have seen an identical tattoo, but I can’t remember where.”

Zhang Zhiyue was delighted, “If Brother Hu remembers later, please send me word – I’ll be eternally grateful.”

Wu Dingyuan lowered his head in thought, “I must have seen this tattoo, but where did I see it?”

As he was thinking, Juan’er outside couldn’t wait any longer and opened the door to come in. Hearing that Wu Dingyuan knew about the tattoo’s origin, she was overjoyed and grabbed him with questions. Wu Dingyuan, disturbed by her pestering, couldn’t think clearly anymore. His mind was in chaos, so he could only mumble vague responses.

Everyone drank heartily until late night before returning to their rooms to rest.

The next day at noon, Jiuhua Mountain had finished packing and was ready to leave. Yan Ting said, “Master Hu, you’re going to Beijing, which is exactly on our route. Why don’t we travel together?”

Though Wu Dingyuan had good feelings toward this group, he was carrying important items and didn’t want to travel with martial artists, so he said, “Miss’s kind intention is appreciated. However, I’m used to traveling alone. Please go ahead first!”

Yan Ting, seeing he wouldn’t agree, couldn’t say more and said, “Master Hu, take care on the road. We’re leaving now.”

Wu Dingyuan saw Yan Ting’s pretty face showing concern and thought, “After today’s parting, who knows when we’ll meet again?”

As he was thinking, Zhang Zhiyue had already walked over, putting his hand on his shoulder intimately, “Brother Hu, when your great business is finished, come stay at our Jiuhua Mountain for a few days – how about it?”

Wu Dingyuan was delighted. He didn’t even know if he could return to Xiliang in the future, but suddenly making several good friends and having a place to go, he quickly said, “Thank you, Hero Zhang. When little brother finishes his business, I’ll certainly come to impose.”

Yan Ting smiled brightly, “Master Hu, we’re leaving!”

Everyone waved goodbye. Wu Dingyuan watched the Jiuhua Mountain people leave, feeling melancholy. He mounted his horse and slowly headed northeast. The sun was already setting in the west, painting the sky with colorful, changing clouds – quite beautiful. The autumn wind was quite cold. Wu Dingyuan, seeing only himself left alone, couldn’t help but sigh.

Thinking of the journey to the capital that would surely be difficult, not knowing if he could see Lord Wang to clear his name and seek revenge, he felt even more troubled.