Acquiring a new disciple, the shifu couldn’t just drop him and leave, Shen Qiao personally explained to him Xuandu Purple Pavilion rules, then briefly described Shiwu and Yuwen Song’s circumstances, Duan Ying memorized everything, and listened intently.
Shen Qiao said to him: “While I’m away, you cannot let your homework lapse, I will have Kong-zhanglao pass on to you our sect’s niegong cultivation and Canglang Sword Style, every morning when the disciples rise at dawn to train, you’ll join them as well, when I return I will check your homework, if there’s progress, then I’ll teach you the next stages of wugong. You should remember, to a martial arts practitioner, calibre is important, but diligence can make up for it, although your calibre isn’t considered top-notch, it’s above average, if you are diligent in your studies and work hard, you may achieve much in the future.”
Duan Ying expressed his agreement, hesitating, asked: “Shizun, I heard shixiongdi say, disciples can go home during holidays and festivals?”
Shen Qiao: “That’s right, if your family live in the nearby townships, you can go back monthly, no need to wait for special occasions, if they’re farther, you can go back once a year.”
Duan Ying, mumbling: “And if there’s nowhere to go back to?”
Shen Qiao, surprised: “As far as I know, your parents are both alive?”
Duan Ying, a bitter smile: “To tell you the truth shizun, my birth mother was my father’s concubine, my brothers and sisters are all in the official lineage, only I am the bastard son…”
Shen Qiao said kindly: “I see, you don’t want to go back, not returning is fine too, apart from you, my two other disciples, they are younger than you, but became my disciples earlier, when you see them, you should address them as shixiong, they are both orphans whose parents are both deceased, in the future you should treat each other well, there’s lots of shixiongdi on the mountain, if you don’t go anywhere during holidays and festivals, the mountain will still be lively, don’t be afraid.”
He had the impression his shifu wasn’t too experienced in these matters, after all his two disciples were barely out of childhood, now speaking to Duan Ying, he’d unconsciously used the tone for placating children.
Duan Ying was amused, and moved, felt his heart warmed.
Duan Ying was from the south, the Luling Duan family wasn’t a noble family, but was still a prominent local martial arts family, he had no need to reject what was on hand to seek something far, traversing a thousand li to Xuandushan to seek out a master, but just as he had said to Shen Qiao, every family has a volume that is difficult to read, Duan Ying wasn’t willing to stay at home and be mistreated, he couldn’t even access the wugong that could only be passed on to children in the lineage, so he said goodbye to his family, and went to seek out a master in the wider world.
He started at Linchuanxuegong, after all the Ru sect was prominent in the south, many people regarded Linchuanxuegong as a sanctuary for the study of martial arts, moreover the sect leader was the southern dynasty empress’ shixiong, Linchuanxuegong had a powerful influence in the south, its followers as ubiquitous as cloudcover, but the larger the reputation, the higher the gate, Duan Ying had no powerful backer no history, his calibre also wasn’t high enough to inspire awe, he was quickly eliminated in the preliminary tests, he didn’t give up, toiled until he had an opportunity to have a audience with the sect leader, he spoke to Ruyan Kehui, and although Ruyan Kehui was amiable, ultimately did not accept him as a disciple, Duan Ying understood, they were dismissive of his body’s limitations.
Before he met Shen Qiao, Duan Ying had thought that all the grandmasters in the world were like Ruyan Kehui in that they highly valued natural calibre, so coming to Xuandushan, he didn’t hold out unrealistic hope, he felt that as long as he could become a Xuandushan disciple, study martial arts earnestly, he’d be satisfied, he didn’t expect this type of extraordinary surprise at the end.
Knowing the experience of loss, Duan Ying cherished all the more this hard-won opportunity, and understood clearly how rare it was to have a shifu like Shen Qiao, in order not to disappoint his shifu, he practically immersed all of his time in training, everyone including his parents would not have expected it, that this previously very mistreated bastard son, would after an unknown amount of years stun the world, and become a grandmaster of a generation.
That’s the epilogue, as of now, the new disciple Duan Ying hearing Shen Qiao’s words revealed a sheepish smile: “Thank you shizun, go on your journey without worry, this disciple will certainly train hard, will definitely not let you down, take care on your journey!”
Shen Qiao clapped him on his shoulders, reiterated his encouragement, then let him take his leave.
On account of acquiring this new disciple, he had to delay another day, but things always follow one another, not long after Duan Ying left, another person entered bringing two messages.
One message came from Qingchengshan Chunyangguan, Yi Bichen hadn’t received news yet of Shen Qiao becoming zhangjiao, the letter was intended for the zhangjiao, in it aside from formalities, went on to discuss the fight set between Yan Wushi and Hulugu, it went on to invite the Xuandushan zhangjiao to attend the fight together.
For the central plains wulin, this fight, was not merely for the title of number one under the heavens, it also meant the showdown between the Tujue and central plains, if Yan Wushi lost, it was not only his face that was lost. News of the Banbu Peak fight had spread far, when the time came there were sure to be many important figures in the audience, Yi Bichen was interested, the others would be no exception, it’ll probably turn out to be a gathering of all the prominent masters of the central plains wulin, on Yinghui Peak, to observe the fight on Banbu Peak.
Chunyangguan as a Daoist sect of the central plains, would not exclude themselves, after all the incident of shijiandahui ruined by Hulugu’s appearance midway, Yi Bichen wouldn’t admit it, but he had definitely not been happy about it.
Yi Bichen had seen with his own eyes the threat of Hulugu, he estimated his odds of beating Shen Qiao in a fight at fifty-fifty, and Shen Qiao had lost to Hulugu, he himself was certainly no match for Hulugu, and to his knowledge, even Ruyan Kehui, Guang Lingsan, or Yuan Xiuxiu, these people were also unlikely to match Hulugu.
A Yan Wushi losing wasn’t terrifying, the terrifying thing was that the central plains wulin would thereafter have no one who could force Hulugu to submit.
After Qi Fengge, there was no Qi Fengge.
The day of Shen Qiao and Kunye’s fight on Banbu Peak, Yu Shengyan had been excited, Yan Wushi had no interest whatsoever, the reason being that once you attained his level of mastery of martial arts, it wan’t hard to deduce from existing information who would win. Of course, Yan Wushi wasn’t a god, the subsequent events leading to Shen Qiao’s severe injury and fall, he hadn’t been able to anticipate.
But this fight was entirely different. One side was the master who twenty years ago lost by one move to number one under the heavens Qi Fengge, the other side was the demonic zongzhu who killed Xueting-chanshi, ranked by Liuligong as number two under the heavens, who also similarly had crossed paths with Qi Fengge an indeterminate number of years ago.
Between them there was no common point at all, but similarly on account of Qi Fengge these three words, there emerged a tiny, remarkable connection.
In this fight, who would win who would lose?
Likely even themselves included, no one knew the answer.
There were many who had thought along the same lines as Yi Bichen, so this fight, was certain to capture the attention of the world.
The one sent to deliver the message from Yi Bichen was Su Qiao, he was shocked to see Shen Qiao appear on Xuandushan, after recovering, he congratulated Shen Qiao, and then apologized: “My shifu doesn’t yet know that Shen-daozhang has reclaimed the zhangjiao position, otherwise he’d surely would have sent a gift along.”
Shen Qiao smiled: “Thank you, but this matter doesn’t deserve any congratulations, please tell your master when your return, that I will see him on Yinghui Peak, on the fifteenth day of the third month.”
Banbu Peak’s precipitous drop, its summit was even more rugged, narrow, two people having to face off against each other would already be very trying, there would be no space for onlookers, to watch, they could only stand on the adjacent Yinghui Peak.
Saying this, Shen Qiao remembered Qin-furen, casually asked: “The fight at Yinghui Peak, will Qin-furen be in attendance observing?”
Su Qiao shook his head: “My mother says the past is past, she’s not willing to see an old acquaintance, when it’s time I will attend with my shifu, my mother likely will not.”
Shen Qiao: “I see, then please give my regards to your mother and brother.”
Su Qiao smiled: “I will.”
The two of them conversed a while more, Su Qiao knew that as zhangjiao he was certain to be busy, said his goodbyes first, but he had travelled a great distance, sending him back immediately after receiving the letter was not appropriate, Shen Qiao urged him to stay the night and return in the morning, he summoned the disciples responsible for welcoming guests, and asked them to host him well.
The second message was brought by a common-looking young woman, she introduced herself as a Hehuan Sect disciple, here under orders from her sect leader.
Shen Qiao had no goodwill towards Sang Jingxing to speak of, he had just seriously maimed the other on Xuandushan, now the other had sent someone to the mountain, the message couldn’t be good, but Shen Qiao didn’t want to make things difficult for this woman, regardless he was in no rush to depart today, so he decided he might as well have an audience with the Hehuan Sect delegate too.
Who knew the first thing out of her mouth was: “I am Hehuan Sect disciple Bingxian, this time I am here on orders, first to congratulate Shen-daozhang reclaiming leadership of Xuandushan, second, after ten days, our sect will be holding a ceremony to mark the succession of our new zongzhu, so our zongzhu sent me to extend this invitation to attend to Shen-daozhang.”
Shen Qiao was quite shocked: “Succession ceremony? Isn’t your zongzhu Sang Jingxing?”
Bingxian pressed her lips in a smile, declared: “Sang-zongzhu is dead, the zongzhu position will be passed on to Sang-zongzhu’s disciple, Bai-zongzhu said that she had several life-and-death encounters with Shen-daozhang, this ceremony, who else would she invite?”
This smile, on her ordinary face became very affecting.
For any sect, the death of the leader would not be a joyous occasion, but this young woman was clearly in high-spirits, even if Shen Qiao felt that Sang Jingxing’s death was not enough to absolve his sins, he still felt something was off about Bingxian’s manner.
Bingxian seemed to see through his confusion: “I do not dare sully Shen-daozhang’s ears, before Bingxian was a Hehuan Sect disciple, I was previously a daughter of a honest household held captive by Sang Jingxing in a temple, only after his death were we able to escape, Bai-zongzhu saw that I wanted to learn martial arts, and that my calibre wasn’t bad, and so let me formally join the sect. Sang Jingxing, after he was maimed by Shen-daozhang on Xuandushan, died shortly after his return from his wounds, our sect was leaderless, everyone was unsettled, out of consideration for the grand scheme of things did zongzhu accept this heavy responsibility, carrying the burden of leadership.”
Her tongue was brilliant as a flower, her description of the struggle for the position of Hehuan Sect zongzhu were as if it were something everyone avoided like a terror, Bai Rong taking over as zongzhu, in her mouth became a philanthropic act.
Shen Qiao remembered, that day Sang Jingxing was gravely wounded, but he was able to escape, with his abilities, he’d surely be able to find a way to continue living, unless…
Realizing something, he met Bingxian’s sparkling eyes: “So Sang Jingxing is dead, but there must be other zhanglao in the sect, regardless, Yuan Xiuxiu’s disciple Xiao Se, he has a shot at taking the zongzhu position too, Bai Rong becoming zongzhu, didn’t he have anything to say?”
Bingxian smiled: “The zongzhu position can only be occupied by whoever’s capable, those zhanglao aren’t as capable as zongzhu, so they can only listen to her commands, if not, then that’s disobeying zongzhu, and punished according to sect rules, as for Xiao-zhanglao, only a wise man understands his circumstances, if he’s willing to act according to zongzhu’s wishes, zongzhu will value him highly.”
The meaning being, Bai Rong had control of the entire Hehuan Sect, even Xiao Se could not raise any waves, and was forced to submit to her.
Shen Qiao was very surprised, couldn’t help but admire Bai Rong’s power.
Before he had seen the other’s capacity for ruthlessness and also taken pity on her, he had thought she would be better off leaving Hehuan Sect, little did he know that was not her intention, that she’d rather endure insult as part of her larger plan, taking advantage of Sang Jingxing and Yuan Xiuxiu’s inner conflict, secretly gain a foothold bit by bit, ultimately becoming the victor.
Bingxian: “Zongzhu has more that she would like me to pass on to Shen-daozhang.”
Shen Qiao: “Go ahead.”
Bingxian cleared her throat, when she spoke again her voice was identical to that of Bai Rong’s: “Shen-lang, I know you don’t like Hehuan Sect’s dual cultivation practices, before I couldn’t change it, now as zongzhu, I will eliminate this bit by bit, even the pretty girls that Sang Jingxing kidnapped to degrade while he was alive, I’ve released them all, those that want to stay I’ve let them stay, are you happy? But dual cultivation is a shortcut to martial arts practitioners, many would not relinquish the fatty meat already in their mouths, I have no way of eliminating the practice in a single night, after all there’s quite a few people in the sect waiting to watch me crash and burn, everything will come along slowly, but you can’t look down on me, using this as an excuse, and not talk to me anymore!”
The sweet voice, as if Bai Rong was standing right before him, extremely vivid, if he closed his eyes, he’d probably believe that Bai Rong was actually here.
Since wandering the secular world, Shen Qiao had opened his eyes to human relationships and affairs, the intention hidden behind these words, he was not a piece of wood, how could he not understand it?
But Shen Qiao also knew, he yielded to many people and many things, but towards Bai Rong, he could not yield an inch.
Otherwise to mislead others was to mislead yourself, no need to create more debts.
“You can pass this along, say Xuandushan congratulates Bai-zongzhu on her succession, but this poor one is about to embark on a long trip tomorrow, your esteemed sect’s succession ceremony, this poor one has no way of personally attending, apologies to Bai-zongzhu.”
Bingxian stared at him for a while, abruptly sighed: “The goddess has intention, but my lord has a heart of stone?”
She had been kidnapped by Sang Jingxing, was not some young girl naïve to the ways of the world, she was extremely skilled as an orator, and so was sent by Bai Rong with this message, she had thought that in the face of the affections of her sect’s zongzhu, a powerful martial artist and beauty, and her willingness to change for him the foundations of her sect, no man in the world would remain unmoved, what they might say in refusal didn’t indicate the moorings their heart, who knew this Daoist had truly a heart of stone, was not even moved in the slightest.
Under her breath, Bingxian couldn’t help but sigh for Bai Rong.
These affections were destined to be as fruitless as water running past.
Shen Qiao said: “If I waver, give ambiguous words, it will only mislead her.”
Bingxian wanted to call him a hypocrite, but seeing the other in their otherworldly Daoist robes, his calm expression, like a celestial who walked out of a painting, no words could leave her mouth, in her heart she kind of understood why zongzhu would like this person.
Swans startling, a brief glance, a whole life delayed, henceforth, no tenderness left in the world.
She thought, maybe in the world, there will always be someone, some thing, worth waiting and trying for.
The next morning, Shen Qiao bid farewell to everyone on Xuandushan, and travelled towards Banbu Peak with Yu Shengyan.
Bian Yanmei had to head to Chang’an to deal with Huanyue Sect matters, could not join them, this fight no matter the outcome, Huanyue Sect still had to go on.
Weapons had no eyes, in this kind of life-death duel, it was more likely that one of their lives would end there.
If Yan Wushi died, would Huanyue Sect be able to survive, this was an unknown.
Whether it was Bian Yanmei or Yu Shengyan, neither if them wanted to consider the existence of this possibility, but as the eldest disciple, Bian Yanmei had to make some preparations in advance for the worst possible outcom