Gu Xiang appeared at the door brazenly, looking fearless and without care. Then she saw the tragic state Cao Weining was in, and a fire blazed in her heart. She scoffed, "I still thought that you so-called orthodox sects attack a person as a pack because you cannot best them in a fight alone, but in fact, it is actually that you have this tradition of doing so! Zhang Chengling, come out and tell them, where did I kidnap you to?"
It was only then did the crowd notice a mousey teenager following behind her, as if he was embarrassed at the prospect of speaking a few words where there were many people; this, on top of the savage expressions on the faces of Feng Xiaofeng and the rest prior, made him shiver involuntarily. Zhang Chengling shuffled to Gu Xiang's side like a young bride, and mumbled softly, "Gu Xiang-jiejie did not kidnap me, I was the one who left with them."
Green Willow Grandpa fumed, "Nonsense, you Zhang kid. Have you followed in the footsteps of others and fallen prey to beauty at this young age, and been hoodwinked by these demonic enchantresses?"
Upon seeing Gu Xiang, Feng Xiaofeng's eyes turned red. Brandishing his machete, he swung it at her. "Wretched lass, leave your eyes behind!"
Turning sideways, Gu Xiang retreated three steps in succession and dodged the continuous blows that followed close behind one another. Gliding up to the rafters, she spoke from the advantageous height, "Shortie Feng, consider it that giant fool's eight lifetimes' worth of shit luck that he has to follow you around. This maiden is kind of heart and merciful of hand, and only blinded his pair of lookers, nothing more. If you'd bumped into any other person, they could even want his life. Not to mention that you purposely went looking for trouble and caused him to get hurt because of you, hmph…"
Her last "hmph" was a little weak, as the young girl flipped gracefully on the rafters. Dodging those who swarmed her in a hubbub and secretly anxious, she edged closer to where Cao Weining was.
Huang Daoren glided up to the rafters too, grabbed hold of Gu Xiang, and attacked her without warning. Not willing to be disadvantaged thusly, Gu Xiang ducked away and jumped onto another broad joist, stretching an arm out to hook it around the horizontal beam, and whirled beautifully in mid-air. She made a flinging motion with her hand, shouting, "Watch out!"
Alarmed as he did not know what kind of wicked hidden weapon this little demon girl of unknown origin had in hand, Huang Daoren growled and took a huge step back. But there was nothing at all; when he took a second look, Gu Xiang had already left him behind and was giggling without even looking back at him. "Ugly freak, I'll scare the life out of you!"
Mo Huaikong had long set Cao Weining, who was in heart-pounding anxiety off to one side, down as he watched on impassively. Though his stupid shizhi had gotten into trouble, he thought that this young maiden, who had clearly escaped but returned to save him, was evidently also someone who honored her ties, but was just slightly harder to deal with.
He cast an eye at Cao Weining and his silly demeanor, like he was vibrating with the urge to go lend Gu Xiang a hand. Mouth twisting, he thought that if she was hard to deal with, so be it; anyway, if someone was willing to marry a ferocious wife in the future, it was like a beating willingly dished out and suffered--consensual on both ends.
Right at this moment, Peach-Red and Willow-Green pounced at her from right and left, trapping Gu Xiang between them. Taking clear action, she lifted a leg and a dagger sprung out, aiming straight at Green Willow Grandpa's skull. However, Green Willow Grandpa still had some capabilities: he did not duck or hide, but swiped his cane horizontally. Gu Xiang felt a gust of strong wind rush at her, knew that she could not beat it, and swiftly retracted her leg. But she was not fast enough, and the dagger on the tip of her shoe was shattered.
Gu Xiang whipped back around immediately, thinking of reusing the same trick, but Peach Red Grandma had already crept up behind her.
Panicked, Gu Xiang exclaimed, "I'm about to die, and you're still enjoying the show!"
There was a light laugh, before Peach Red Grandma felt a gust of wind sweep at her and slam into her back. It was too late for her to dodge; she could only spring forward with all her might and stick herself onto the rafters like a giant lizard. Gu Xiang took the chance to hop off the rafters, and the crowd only noticed then that the thing that had nearly scared the daylights out of Peach Red Grandma was actually a walnut shell...and it was only half of one.
Immediately after, the "crack" of a walnut being unshelled came from the doorway. A man with unassuming features was holding a small packet of walnuts in his hand. Two fingertips pinched inwards, and the walnut shell burst open. He then threw the kernel into his mouth, and feasted on it delightfully. Beside him followed an even more sorry-looking person. These two people looked like they were born of the same mother, since they shared the same yellowish-green coloring and puffy eyes.
The one holding the walnuts was still politely offering them to the one beside him, saying, "You're not eating them?"
Like he was dodging a catastrophe, the one beside him arched backwards, and replied with an expression of revulsion, "Get this thing further away from me."
The one holding the walnuts laughed. "Oh, the great...is afraid of eating walnuts? Silly, this is good stuff. Eating these make you smarter, they enrich your brain."
The one beside him took two steps forward and reached out to grab hold of Zhang Chengling's shoulders, saying, "No matter how you enrich a pig's brain, it'll stay the same."
Yu Qiufeng's brow wrinkled as he questioned commandingly, "Who are you?"
The person holding Zhang Chengling close shoved the youth forward and murmured by his ear softly, "I find him an eyesore. Go beat him up on my behalf."
Mouth agape, Zhang Chengling looked at him dumbly. "Shi...I…"
"You, what? They bullied your Gu Xiang-jiejie, and you're just standing aside? Are you a man, or are you not?"
Zhang Chengling extended a finger to point at Yu Qiufeng, then pointed at himself at a loss. "This...that…"
That strange man despised his hand-wringing, and kicked him on his rear. Stumbling two steps forward, Zhang Chengling nearly fell into Yu Qiufeng's arms.
Ecstatic, Yu Qiufeng scrambled to put on a gentle voice, and told Zhang Chengling, "Child of the Zhang family, come to me."
Still, Zhang Chengling gazed around with his wide eyes and lost expression, looking exactly like a little rabbit that could not find its way home. The one holding the walnuts chuckled softly and said, "You're too cruel."
The one beside him replied impassively, "After a baby hawk grows up, the old hawk will boot it out of the nest. I'm doing this for his own good."
Zhang Chengling, who had been regarded as a baby eagle, retreated a timid step back, treating Yu Qiufeng exactly like an old pervert who specifically preyed on young children. On the other hand, Feng Xiaofeng was not as polite as the Huashan Sect Leader. He followed this train of thought: this little Zhang fellow looked to be a part of their crew, and seizing him was good too, since they wouldn't have to fear not being able to hold back these few people that way. Who cared who he was, as long as he didn't kill him while seizing him?
So he swooped forward, and stretched out a hand to seize Zhang Chengling.
Uselessly, Zhang Chengling turned and fled, still shouting, "Heavens, shifu, he wants to seize me!"
A snicker escaped the one holding the walnuts, who used the tip of his shoe to poke the one beside him. "I say, your baby hawk's feathers are puffed up in fright."
"Hopeless," the man muttered, and delivered a palm strike through the air. Zhang Chengling felt a great wave of energy surging at him, as if someone had shoved him hard and halted his steps. Immediately after, his arms were propped up like a puppet on strings, which met with the incoming Feng Xiaofeng head-on. Frightened, Zhang Chengling closed his eyes, his hands clenching instinctively, and his fist landed right on the bridge of Feng Xiaofeng's nose.
He hit that shortie into letting loose an earth-shaking howl; Zhang Chengling opened his eyes and looked at his own fist dizzily, unable to believe it. Someone's voice tunnelled across the distance. It was his shifu's voice ringing by his ear once more, reprimanding him, "Idiot, why are you in a daze? Kick his danzhong acupuncture point!"
Reflexively, Zhang Chengling did as per his instructions. He sensed that the gust of energy had not dispersed, but had rather surged into his four limbs. It pushed him to put a leg forward and, incredibly, sent Feng Xiaofeng flying with a kick.
Yu Qiufeng asked loudly, "Who are you?"
That strange man did not speak, but slammed another palm towards Zhang Chengling's back. With a loud yelp, Zhang Chengling pounced at Yu Qiufeng. Gaze hardening, Yu Qiufeng pulled a long sword out of nowhere, and met him head-on. It looked as if Zhang Chengling was about to be impaled on his sword, and the youth was greatly frightened, his legs carrying him forward of their own accord as he yipped, "Shifu, save me!"
The voice by his ear spoke once more. "Since the tip of his sword is trembling slightly, he must have another move following on the heels of this one. Retreat with the Nine Palaces Steps, and strike the side of his arm."
Finding great reason in these words, Zhang Chengling involuntarily took a sideways step forward and whirled away from the tip of Yu Qiufeng's sword. Instantly, Yu Qiufeng's sword trembled, and plagued him once more like a shadow. Without faltering, Zhang Chengling brought his right leg another step forward. The posture was awkward, extremely odd and clumsy, but somehow, he dodged Yu Qiufeng's blow. Then, respectfully following his shifu's instructions to "strike the side of his arm", he shut his eyes, gritted his teeth, and headbutted his target.
The one who was snacking on walnuts was none other than Wen Kexing, who was thrilled upon witnessing this sight: what Zhou Zishu had taught Zhang Chengling was none other than one of the top qinggong techniques, the Drifting Clouds Nine Palaces Steps. It sought movement as light as drifting clouds and flying willow catkin, and when it was applied, a person would truly look like a gliding immortal. It was elegantly genteel and very nice to look at, and Wen Kexing knew, for the first time, that someone could perform this Drifting Clouds Nine Palaces Steps like a black bear performing a dance.
Beside him, however, Zhou Zishu's brow relaxed. He discovered that although this child's movements were clumsy, he had not misstepped once, and knew that Zhang Chengling took his studies seriously--had learnt the mantra and practiced the same steps innumerable times, over and over, that despite being this panicked, his feet did not mess up the steps in the face of danger.
Yu Qiufeng had suffered great injuries to his core when he had slammed palms with Wen Kexing that day; now, upon absorbing the impact of Zhang Chengling's skull, the weapon he had just armed himself with instantly slipped out of his grasp. Furious, he shouted, "Don't let them escape!"
At this, the crowd immediately surrounded Zhang Chengling. This was not something that Zhang Chengling could handle, so Wen Kexing stuffed the half-eaten packet of walnuts at Zhou Zishu as he said, "Hold this for me, granddaddy is going to discipline this bunch of grandsons!" and charged into the fray, laughing uproariously.
Zhou Zishu had always found walnuts very repulsive: they tasted disgusting, and also looked like human brains. Revolted, he pinched the packet with two fingers and held it far away from himself at arm's length, while he continued to instruct Zhang Chengling by sending his voice across the distance as he remained a spectator.
Gu Xiang took the chance to sneak to Cao Weining's side, punting a person who tried to stop her, and glared venomously at Mo Huaikong. She thought, I don't care who you are--if you dare to block my path, I'll give you the same treatment as well!
Yet, even before she could draw near, she saw Mo Huaikong suddenly exclaim "Aiyo" and bend at the waist. His expression was agonised as he pointed at a baffled Gu Xiang and panted raggedly, "This...this little demon girl is...is too strong, I am no match for her any longer!"
Then he sat down on the floor with a plop, eyes shut tight, and stopped moving.
Gu Xiang and Cao Weining glanced at each other, neither of them knowing how to react.
Mo Huaikong, who had closed his eyes, suddenly opened one and cast it at them, scolding them a low voice, "Hurry up and run, have you become stupid?"
Gu Xiang whipped out her dagger immediately and cut away the rope binding Cao Weining with a few efficient strokes. Jumping to his feet, Cao Weining replied in an equally soft voice, "Many thanks to shishu."
Gu Xiang followed suit hastily, "Old man, we will never forget your great mercy for as long as we live. When I make it out, I will definitely erect a memorial archway in your name!"
"Fuck you, you're the one that has an archway erected for yourself, your whole family has archways erected for them!" As he shut his eyes tight and faked incapacitation, Mo Huaikong cursed nonstop silently, discovering that although this young maiden Gu Xiang had a decent appearance, her words truly rubbed people the wrong way.
Seeing that Gu Xiang and Cao Weining had already fled, Zhou Zishu suddenly flitted over, grabbed Zhang Chengling by the back of his neck, and swung him like a bat. Whirled in mid-air, Zhang Chengling's leg hit Huang Daoren in the chest, forcing him back ten or so steps. Taking the opportunity to stuff the packet of walnuts into Zhang Chengling's arms, Zhou Zishu told Wen Kexing, "Are you enjoying this too much to leave? Hurry up and let's go!"
Wen Kexing chortled and flew out of the crowd, saying, "Just as the lush mountains will remain evergreen and the clear rivers flowing, our ties will remain as they are until we next meet. I will be taking my leave now, everyone!"
Then he left side-by-side with Zhou Zishu, who had hold of Zhang Chengling. The qinggong of both men were unrivaled; at full strength, it was impossible for anyone to catch up with them, and there was no trace of them in the blink of an eye.
The three of them fled and stopped only when they were far away. Setting Zhang Chengling down, Zhou Zishu tore off his human skin mask and straightened his robes. Lowering his head, he saw Zhang Chengling gazing back at him with a pair of shiny eyes like a tiny critter begging for praise, and the movement of his hand paused. The tradition he adhered to in the past was that his shidi must be punished for any mistake made, otherwise he would not remember the lesson; if his shidi did well, to prevent him from being full of himself, he could not be praised. However, as he looked at the child's expectant manner before him, his heart softened of its own accord. He thought about it, and said, "Your qinggong is passable."
Zhang Chengling was overjoyed, but Zhou Zishu's expression darkened immediately as he reprimanded, "What are you so proud of? Look at your lack of courage--you only know how to howl for help once you run into the smallest problem, how disgraceful."
Zhang Chengling went back to hanging his head in dejection, but a warm hand suddenly covered the back of his skull. Chuckling, Wen Kexing told him, "Don't listen to what he says, that bit of skin of his is as thin as paper. He gets shy more easily when he takes his mask off…"
Before he could finish his sentence, Zhou Zishu had turned around with a fake smile on his face, and asked in a low voice, "Lao Wen, what are you saying?"
Instantly changing his tune, Wen Kexing corrected himself, "I said that you're calm even in the face of disaster, and utterly unshakable when confronted with danger. Your skin isn't thin at all, you don't know the meaning of shame, and not even a stake can penetrate your skin."
Out of the blue, Zhou Zishu reached out to cradle his face. Wen Kexing froze, stunned, and Zhou Zishu did not speak either. He merely leaned in very close, his eyes staring intensely at Wen Kexing, unblinking.
Zhang Chengling peered at one, before looking at the other, but could not figure out what they were doing at all. An incense stick would have burnt down wholly before Zhou Zishu finally let go of Wen Kexing with the hint of a smile, and flicked his earlobe, laughing, "You're finally blushing, now."
Wen Kexing took a dazed step forward--his arm and leg along one side of his body swung at the same time.
Zhou Zishu laughed heartily.
Abruptly, his laughter halted. Zhang Chengling and Wen Kexing traced the direction of his gaze, and saw a man in white robes who was standing not too far away looking over at them expressionlessly.