Delicate Hands Drive the Dragon - Sima Ling

[gregfrank]

Please continue whiteskwirl, I really enjoyed it

[Laoren]

Ya, I am very sad. One of my favourite translator is MIA

[badri]

hello hope you come back and continue. it is reality that much larger numbers follow xanxia . how ever, there are some of us who enjoy Wuxia.

[whiteskwirl]

Chapter 4: The Five Poor Family Elders

Pei Chun felt the internal force of the three was strong, he couldn’t resist it. He was using all his strength to resist so that he couldn’t even utter a sound. The other two Elders saw he could still withstand it, and they called out in succession, “Li Sihen and Zhou Wuyuan are here!” An iron staff and a steel chain whip shot down toward the short sword.

Li Sihen’s iron staff hit the blade point and Pei Chun felt his will seethe, the short sword yet sank a half-foot further. Zhou Wuyuan’s steel chain whip shot out, but there was no place left on the sword to hit, so he drew it back again. He sighed, “Even though Friend Pei is young, his strength is superhuman, we’re wasting our time!”

Pei Chun was turning red, his blood seething, it was hard to endure, he was ready to spit up a gout of blood, but he knew if he did he was a goner, so he steeled himself and held out bitterly.

Zhou Wuyuan snapped his chain whip in a circle, thought: “If I bring down this whip he will die on the spot! Although it would be ridding the world of an evil, yet the Poor Family Gang wouldn’t be able to lift its head again among the jianghu, us Five Elders wouldn’t be able to show our faces again.”

These two thoughts were warring in his mind, he couldn’t make up his mind. A draft of wind rustled from over the top of the wall to the left, a purple-clad figure flitted down, it was that Purple Swallow Yang Lan. She’d already drawn her iron pipa and was about to bring it down on Pei Chun’s head.

Elder Zhou Wuyuan shouted, “Miss, Yang, no!” He dashed forward, but he was already blocked by the four elders on his right so his chain whip didn’t have room to lash out.

Pei Chun felt the surge of wind coming down on his head, he thought: “This is the end!” He couldn’t help but shut his eyes.

Suddenly he felt the weight on his sword slack and at the same time heard a clanging sound. He opened his eyes and saw Zhao Yibei’s face pale and Zhao stepped back two paces and jammed his iron staff in the ground.

Zhao Yibei had seen Pei Chun was in mortal danger. Although he had planned to kill Pei Chun himself to one: rid the world of a scourge so that there wouldn’t be a second “Southern Traitor” in the future, and two: they had traced Shang Gongzhi to Liyang and that Flying Heaven Yaksha Bo Le had been directed by him and found the Poor Family Gang’s location and poisoned many people, so killing Pei Chun now would go some small way toward avenging them! But Yang Lan suddenly made a surprise attack, which roused their sense of justice.

The other four elders felt likewise, so Qian, Sun, and Li all struck back against the enemy. Zhao Yibei quickly blocked the attack on Pei Chun with his iron staff, but because Yang Li was strong, and because he had had no time to circulate and regroup his qi, his block took the brunt of it.

Zhou Wuyuan went around, brandishing his whip to block Yang Lan, saying, “No, don’t…” Pei Chun didn’t understand. But he took advantage of the opportunity and gathered his qi.

He heard Yang Lan yell angrily, “This traitor also hurt Second Brother Guo, not even death is good enough for him, why are you all trying to stop me?”

Zhou Wuyuan said, “Five of us attacking him has already made us a laughingstock, Miss why must you also dip into this muddy water?”

Pei Chun heard this response and was trying to think of how to get out of this impasse when he suddenly heard a horse whinny from the mouth of the lane. He thought with a start: “Could that be Rouge?”

Zhao Yibei regulated his breathing several cycles until his strength had recovered, then said, “Miss Yang, wait and watch us take his life…” His iron staff surged up. Pei Chun gathered his qi quickly and raised his short sword, raised it several inches.

Qian, Sun, and Li hurriedly pressed him back down, but Pei Chun suddenly realized a move his teacher had taught him. He immediately changed his move to a feint, and his sword suddenly sunk down, then he changed his feint to a strike and pushed it up again.

Qian, Sun, and Li’s weapons were struck and sent flying under the force of his internal power and in doing so just happened to block Zhao Yibei’s staff strike. During the clamor Pei Chun slipped past them and swept up onto the wall and ran down it.

Pei Chun glanced and saw at the mouth of the lane sure enough was the horse Rouge. He made a run for it. Behind him they were berating him, but Fifth Elder stopped Yang Lan and the others from pursuing him, so he was able to make it to Rouge.

Pei Chun leapt onto the horse and spurred it on. Although Rouge knew its master and would not let anyone else ride, but under Pei Chun’s forceful spurring the horse couldn’t resist and had no choice but to neigh and gallop forward.

This horse was much faster than Pei Chun had anticipated, two houses quickly scrolled past. There were many people in the street and he couldn’t steer around them, he could only hold onto the horse’s neck for dear life.

But Rouge was strong and nimble, when it came to a spot where it couldn’t dodge the people it just leapt over them, causing a ruckus in the street, but Pei Chun didn’t hear it, because by the time the people raised a cry he was already long gone.

In the blink of an eye they were out of Liyang. Rouge knew the man on its back was not its master, so it took off with all speed. There were a lot of horse thieves about, and no one could stay astride Rouge when it really went flat out, so it always ran full speed when a thief mounted up. The horse thieves never expected Rouge to be so fast and would get dizzy and bleary-eyed and fall off. Now it was playing the same trick, and pulling on the reins was no use for Pei Chun.

The horse kept up the pace until dawn of the next day before slowing. Rouge wasn’t tired at all, it was just acknowledging Pei Chun’s skill. Actually Pei Chun had only ridden a horse a few times, but his wugong was strong and his courage was great, so holding onto the horse’s neck, he wouldn’t fall.

Suddenly he saw a town up ahead, it was bustling. After entering the town and asking around, he learned Rouge had ran some six hundred li over the course of the night and had arrived at “Three Harmonies Town” between Hangzhou and Fuyang.

He was surprised yet delighted because Three Harmonies Town was where Li Xingqiao lived. Descending the mountain, his first priority was to go see Li Xingqiao, but because Shang Gongzhi had spread word he wanted to rout Poor Family Gang he had first gone to Liyang.

He dismounted and led the horse to go ask around, and was directed to a large house. He was just about to knock on the door when a girl suddenly appeared from around the corner. She was fifteen or sixteen, quite pretty with big round eyes. She nodded and smiled. “Big Brother, your horse is really nice.”

Pei Chun nodded, thinking this girl was really brazen to strike up a conversation with a stranger.

The pretty girl scrunched her nose up playfully, “What are you doing cursing people?”

Pei Chun was taken aback. “How did you know?”

“Humph, I heard you!”

Pei Chun didn’t know if she was for real, but he had already admitted it, so he had to apologize.

She twisted her body, said, “Where in the world can you get off that easy? We should go ask your parents!”

Pei Chun was upright and honest, seeing the girl was simple and innocent, he stammered but didn’t know what to say.

Her angry look turned to delight, she tittered, “I can see you’re a good boy, so how about letting me right that red horse a bit, then we’ll be even. What do you think?”

Pei Chun was surprised. “It’s not that I’m unwilling, but this horse, Rouge…”

The girl cut in, “He’s unruly, right? But have you seen my riding skill? Heh, heh, I grew up on the pastures outside the Pass, I’ve ridden thousands of horses and never saw one I couldn’t control. Don’t worry about it…” She had already drawn close and was taking the reins.

Pei Chun still hesitated, accidentally touched her hand. It was warm and soft, his heart fluttered and he quickly let go of the reins.

The girl leapt up, smiling. Pei Chun was worried about losing the horse and he was also concerned about the girl falling and hurting herself. He grabbed the horses head, said, “Horse, just let this girl ride you a little, don’t lose your temper…”

The girl saw him speaking in all seriousness with the horse and she couldn’t help but chuckle. Pei Chun wasn’t annoyed. He waited for her to stop laughing, then said, “Miss, you must be careful, this horse is ungodly fast. If it’s running madly it can go more than a thousand li in one day…”

She was a bit startled at first, then she smiled, “Really?” Pei Chun hadn’t yet responsed when she said, “I know you wouldn’t lie. Wonderful!”

Pei Chun was honest, but he wasn’t dumb. He could tell her words held another meaning, he didn’t let go. “Miss, what do you mean ‘wonderful?’”

She smiled. “I can go see someone. I’ll be back soon, there’s no need to worry!”

Pei Chun said, “So should I just wait for you here?”

She said, “Didn’t you come here looking for Armed Escort Wang? Just wait at the entrance here!”

Pei Chun let go of the horse. “All right. Be really careful!

He said with such sincerity the girl nodded gratefully. “You’re really a good person!”

When the horse had made it a few zhang, Pei Chun raised his qi and called out, “If you don’t see me, knock on the door and ask me to come out!”

Rouge was gone in a wink. Pei Chun turned and knocked for a long time, but no one came to the door.

Just as he was starting to think something was odd, he suddenly heard a faint sound of hooves. He turned and saw the girl was already back.

He met her happily, but the girl didn’t get down. “My surname is Xue, given name Feiguang. Big Brother, what’s your name?”

Pei Chun said, “Miss Xue, did you already see your friend?”

Xue Feiguang said, “Not yet. I got to thinking and felt you are a good person, so I came back!”

Pei Chun blanched. “Miss, if you didn’t feel that way, what then?”

Xue Feiguang laughed, “Then it would have been like tracking a bird in the air or a fish in the water, you would never find me again!”

Pei Chun drew in a deep breath. “That would be terrible! I stil have to hurry back to Liyang, one to give this horse back to someone, also to give medicine to save some people…”

Xue Feiguang said, “Whose horse is this? I’m eighty-percent sure it belongs to a pretty girl!”

Pei Chun said, “Oh, you also know Purple Swallow Yang Lan…”

Xue Feiguang asked for details about Yang Lan’s appearance, age, wugong, etc. Her smile gradually disappeared. “For her to let you borrow her cherished horse, you two must be on really good terms…”

Pei Chun shook his head. “I almost died at her hand!”

“Oh”, she said. She smiled. “Why? You don’t seem like a frivolous rascal. When you touched my hand just then you quickly drew it back, so I can tell your upbring was stern!”

Pei Chun told her about how he had been tricked by Shang Gongzhi and Xue Feiguang was quite interested. “I’d like the opportunity to but heads with Shang Gongzhi. Last time he got a taste of me, next time I’ll let him have it for you!”

Pei Chun had heard Shang Gongzhi talk about his interactions with Li Xingqiao and was delighted. “So it was you that day! He told me, he said that tumble really hurt. Next time you see him you must steer clear of him, his wugong is superb!”

Xue Feiguang smiled. “You don’t need to worry on my behalf, before I was afraid of his wugong, but now I’m not! Li Xingqiao taught me a few tricks, although I might not beat him, I can certainly escape from him!”

Pei Chun thought that since she had been taught some skills by Li Xingqiao, calling her directly by her name was inappropriate. He heard Xue Feiguang say, “What do you want to see Armed Escort Wang about?”

Pei Chun didn’t want to say, but seeing her charming expression, her youthful vigor, so different from yun Qiuxin, he couldn’t help but say, “I’ve only come to call on Martial-Uncle Li!”

Xue Feiguang cried, “It’s a good thing you spoke honestly, otherwise you’d never see him for as long as you lived!”

Pei Chun was delighted. “Then please, Miss, lead me to him!”

Xue Feiguang pointed behind her at the saddle. “Hop on and I’ll take you!”

Pei Chun was happy that she was willing to take him so that he needn’t worry about not finding the place. He saddled up.

Bt as soon as he was seated he regretted it. The saddle was meant for one person only, so it was a close tight fit for two. Xue Feiguang’s soft body pressed against his chest, her beautiful hair and jade neck gave off a faintly discernible fragrance which filled his nostrils.

Just at that moment his senses wavered and Rouge took off so that he had to reach out and grab her slender waist.

At that moment, not only was Pei Chun in a daze, out of his senses, Xue Feiguang’s cheeks were also flushed, her breathing quick. She was an innocent and naive girl, never had any thoughts about stuff between men and women, so she had told Pei Chun to hop on behind her. But having Pei Chun’s strong arms around her body, she suddenly felt a peculiar, indescribable feeling.

to be continued...

[whiteskwirl]

Chapter 4: Part 2

Soon they had already gone twenty or so li and Pei Chun’s emotions were returning to normal, he tried to move as far back on the saddle as he could and he relaxed his grip on her considerably, squeezing his legs instead to stay mounted. He had practiced neigong since he was a child and knew Buddhist Chan (zen) practices for calming his mind. So he was able to calm down and abandon his wild fancies.

Xue Feiguang felt his arms loosen and she thought doubtfully: “Could it be he doesn’t like me?” Thinking this she felt a mix of embarrassment and anger. She pulled the reins to stop the horse.

Pei Chun looked and saw a few li away a village. He thought Li Xingqiao living in such a hidden place, it would not have been easy to find him.

Xue Feguang said, “Why do you want to see Li Xingqiao?”

Pei Chun said, “My shifu said Uncle Li was in trouble, so he sent me to take a look.”

Xue Feiguang said, “Who’s your shifu?”

Pei Chun had not yet answered when Xue Feiguang suddenly blurted, “Is it Zhao Yunpo?”

Pei Chun said, “Precisely!” He suddenly felt a pain in his chest. Xue Feiguang had quietly elbowed him in the sternum and he fell to the ground with a thump.

Xue Feiguang said coldly, “I should have guessed you were Zhao Yunpo’s student!”

Pei Chun got up, rubbing his chest and looking at her bewildered. Xue Feiguang said, “My elbow hit you in your ‘Purple Palace’ acupoint. If someone else had been hit there, a foreful blow would end their life, a light one leave you knocked out for a couple weeks. Only Zhao Yunpo’s ‘Big Dipper Point Blocking’ skill could block it, so I know you really are his student!”

Her tone was icy, like she was talking to an enemy. Pei Chun thought this must have some connection with Shifu, so he shouldn’t blame her. But he still thought it odd. He thought to himself: “She was just laughing and talking with me, but then suddenly turned hostile and violent. Shifu was right, people among the jianghu are sinister and crafty.”

Xue Feiguang said coldly, “I’m not taking you…” She jerked the reins and in a flash was far receding in the distance.

Pei Chun called after, “But my horse…” But she was already gone. He could only stamp his feet and sigh.

After a while he pulled himself together and ran toward the village to go ask where he could find Li Xingqiao.

When he got outside the village he sat down on a rock underneath a shade tree and thought about what he should do next.

He still had the antidote medicine he had to deliver to the Poor Family Gang, and it was an urgent matter he needed to take care of quickly. He also had to return Rouge to Yang Lan, otherwise wouldn’t he be considered a horse thief? And without the horse, how could he make it back to Liyang in time?

If he could take care of that stuff, he still had to see Martial-Uncle Li, and if he couldn’t find Xue Feiguang he couldn’t find Uncle Li’s whereabouts. Mulling it over he realized even if he found her, it was useless if she wouldn’t help him. The more he thought about it the more vexed he became. He just kept sighing to himself.

A sneer suddenly emanated from behind the tree, then Xue Feiguang’s voice said, “How can you get anything done by just sighing…”

Pei Chun’s heart jumped and he turned to look. From behind the tree emerged a person, it was Xue Feiguang. She leaned against the trunk, ridicule covering her face. She looked up at the sky.

If it were someone else it would be hard to speak to her at that moment, but Pei Chun was a generous person, chivalrous by nature, rescuing others was more important to him than his own humiliation. He stood and bowed with his hands in front. “Miss Xue, are you still angry?”

Xue Feguang glanced at him, saw he was real and sincere, not an ounce of glibness. He really was worried she was still angry with him. She felt sympathy swell her heart. She tittered, “What a strange question! I hit you and stole your horse, left you on the road, how can I still be angry with you?”

Pei Chun relaxed and let out a deep breath. “I was worried I would never see you again…”

Xue Feiguang said, “What if you never saw me again?”

Her words held a deeper meaning, but Pei Chun didn’t catch her implication. “That would be awful, how could I explain things to this horse’s owner!”

She humphed, “I’ve already killed Rouge!”

Pei Chun cried in alarm, “Really? Why?”

She said, “I wasn’t happy so I killed him, there’s no why!”

Pei Chun pulled a long face, mumbled, “What do I do? What do I do?”

Xue Feiguang saw he wasn’t angry and wasn’t going to scold her, she unconsciously had a change of heart, thought: “In this situation anyone would lose patience and scold me, but her isn’t, he really treats me well!”

But she wasn’t about to let go a chance to tease him, she said, “You’re only thinking that you have nothing to say to the owner, is that really worth saying? What are you worried about?”

Pei Chun’s face was covered with worry. He shook his head and sat dejected on the stone, staring blankly.

Xue Feiguang’s heart softened, she clapped her hands and laughed, “You’re really something, if I had really killed that horse why would I come here and tell you?”

Pei Chun brightened. “Really? The horse?”

Xue Feiguang smiled, “It’s behind the village. Hey, why haven’t you asked me why I’m here?”

Pei Chun’s haze swept away, he laughed and slapped his head. “Oh, right…”

Xue Feiguang said, “I can’t stand people cursing me behind my back, so I was eavesdropping to see if you were cursing me!”

Pei Chun laughed, “Luckily I was so anxious I forgot to curse you!”

Xue Feiguang said, “Now I know you’re not the type to curse people behind their back, so I decided to show myself!” She lowered her head and smiled, “Does it still hurt?” Her tone was apologetic and concerned.

Pei Chun said, “It did hurt a little, but now that you’ve come out it doesn’t hurt anymore!” His tone was frank, one could easily tell he was speaking the truth.

Xue Feiguang’s heart trembled, she couldn’t help but walk up to him, pull him up and lightly push the acupoint on his chest. “Oh, I shouldn’t have hit you so hard.”

Pei Chun felt more comfortable and a smile hung on his face. Xue Feiguang pouted, “Don’t make fun of me! You dare laugh at me?”

Pei Chun didn’t at all think she was be unreasonable, he just wiped the grin off his face, said, “Okay, okay, I won’t laugh.”

Xue Feiguang instead laughed, “Don’t blame me, if you want to laugh you can laugh…” She thought: “He’s really the best person in the world, even if Aunt scolds me, I have to help him.” So she led him behind the village to get the horse and the two saddled up and rode toward the southwest.

Not long after they had rode twenty or so li and reached a village and stopped and dismounted outside a farmhouse. Xue Feiguang called out, “Uncle Li, Uncle Li…”

Pei Chun thought: “She’s calling Martial-Uncle Li by his name right in front of me, but she’s calling him something different…”

Xue Feiguang sideeyed him, said, “You’d better quit thinking wild thoughts about my affairs!”

Pei Chun then knew she was intelligent, but he had seen Southern Traitor Shang Gongzhi’s guessing ability as well so he wasn’t surprised, he just smiled.

The door opened slowly and a tall man with hair and beard like silver came out, holding a walking stick that came to his eyebrows, his back slightly hunched, his cheeks sunken, he was quite gaunt.

Xue Feiguang said, “Uncle Li, how have you been recently?”

The old man eyed the two and the horse, his frosty brows wrinkled, then a smile broke out on his face. He said slowly, “All right. Didn’t you say last time your aunt forbade you from coming back here?”

Xue Feiguang said, “I don’t care, I can take her scolding when I get back!”

They went inside and Pei Chun looked around. Although everything was simple and plain, yet it was well-lit and clean.

Xue Feiguang was talking nonstop as she entered the house, “Uncle Li, guess who I’ve brought? you saw that red horse just now and are worried Shang Gongzhi has found you, right? But it doesn’t matter one bit, I’ve brought Uncle Zhao’s student here…”

Pei Chun kowtowed, “I am Pei Chun, come to pay my respects to Martial-Uncle Li!”

Li Xingqiao laughed, “Get up, nephew, let me see what kind of student Big Brother has brought up.”

After studying Pei Chun in detail, he said, “Good…good…” He had no more words of praise.

Li Xingqiao’s judgment was superb, his experience vast, just one look was enough to tell Pei Chun was honest and upright, that he had come from a farming family, and that although he was likable, he had been through many sudden and unexpected ordeals, and was inexperienced roaming the jianghu, so in his heart he was actually disappointed.

Xue Feiguang knew why and said, “Uncle Li, do you know why I agreed to take him here?”

Li Xingqiao said, “Yes, you know full well he is my big brother’s student, so why did you agree to help him?”

Xue Feiguang laughed, “Because he is simple-mindedly loyal, considerate, and honest!”

Li Xingqiao suddenly understood, he thought: “This young girl is smart beyond her years, she’s clearly hinting that I should not look down on this nephew’s simple honesty. If he was really able to rely on his simple honesty to make her willing to endure the rebuke she will receive to the point that she would lead him here, then I mustn’t take him lightly.”

He also naturally knew this girl who had just reached puberty was secretly in love with Pei Chun. He smiled. “Sounds reasonable!” He turned to Pei Chun. “Nephew Pei, is my big brother doing well?”

Pei Chun told him what happened on the mountain, then told how Zhao Yunpo had dealt with Shang Gongzhi.

Li Xingqiao couldn’t help be surprised, he muttered to himself, “That’s strange, Big Brother always sincerely observed the commandments, he wouldn’t kill anyone. Should have ruined his wugong as well so as to avoid a disaster!”

Pei Chun had already heard what Shang Gongzhi had said, so he already guessed Li’s wugong had been lost.

Xue Feiguang interrupted, “Since you bring it up, Uncle Zhao must believe Shang Gongzhi never would have guessed Uncle Li’s secret so he let him leave. Otherwise how could Uncle Zhao have a way to help Uncle Li?”

Pei Chun shook his head. “No, Shifu had a letter for me to present to Martial-Uncle Li. And he ordered me to obey Martial-Uncle’s orders.” He took out an oiled paper envelope, opened it and drew out the letter.

After Li Xingqiao had read it, he cried out, “So that’s how it is!” He smiled at Xue Feiguang. “You always consider yourself super smart, but Big Brother had his own reason for letting Shang Gongzhi leave the mountain, see if you can guess what it is!”

Xue Feiguang said, “Uncle Zhao’s purpose is very deep, of course I can’t guess it in such a short time. Don’t say anything yet, let me think about it, but I can’t say when I will figure it out…”

to be continued...

[badri]

THANK YOU !!

[whiteskwirl]

Chapter 4: Part 3

Li Xingqiao was taken aback. “If that’s so, I’ve suffered this hardship in vain. Back then Big Brother felled him with one palm but that guy wouldn’t submit, so Big Brother fought him and within three rounds hit five of his acupoints. Only then did Bo Le admire Big Brother’s wugong.”

Pei Chun said, “Ah, I get it. Yesterday when I was dealing with the Poor Family Gang chief and the Five Elders, I stepped up to fight him, but before either of us could get the upper hand he turned and fled…”

Li Xingqiao said, “That’s right, he recognized your technique had been passed down from Big Brother, he was naturally scared out of his wits! Eighteen years ago Big Brother still had a fiery temper, he often tried to rid exterminate evil-doers. That time, just as he was about to end Bo Le’s life, I stepped in and stopped him…”

Pei Chun was confused. “Martial-Uncle, why did you tell him to stop?”

Xue Feiguang laughed, “Those two heroes of the Central Plains are top-rate martial artists, both highly respected grandmasters. Uncle Li’s neigong is profound, he’s never met his match, so he wanted to test his wugong. In this way he could also earn his opponents submission and respect so that he would never again step foot in the Central Plains.”

Li Xingqiao said, “You’re right, back then I considered his poison skills unequaled, but I had already perfected my diamond-body resistance, no poisons could enter my body, so I said to Bo Le: ‘If you can poison me to death, Big Brother will help you look for Liang Kang so you can have your test of skills, but if you can’t poison me to death, you can never set foot in the Central Plains again!’”

Xue Feiguang sighed, “You let that guy off too easily!”

Li Xingqiao said, “He was nearly shocked to death! Because not only was my neigong strong, but my waigong was also at its peak state, so he first used acupuncture, then he used claws, finally he used his teeth but nothing could penetrate my skin. He laid down and slept for a while, thought for a while, then took out a dozen or so vials and mixed together a poison and had me drink it…”

Xue Feiguang exclaimed, “This guy could found his own sect!”

Pei Chun said, “Why?”

“He slept for a while to recuperate his mind, which enabled him to think up a way to deal with a first-rate master. That level of intelligence doesn’t come from someone who just follows the old ways and precedents.”

Li Xingqiao said, “That’s really insightful! I didn’t think about that at the time, otherwise I wouldn’t have taken him so lightly. After I took the poison I could barely stand up, I used all my strength to resist it, and slowly from every pore the poison seeped out. You all probably don’t know, but when your martial arts reaches the highest stage you can breathe through your pores, you don’t need to use your nose or mouth! So even though Bo Le is constantly using poisons, the average person will inhale it while talking, but Big Brother and I used our pores to breathe, all the while talking and laughing like normal. He never would have thought of that, he just thought we had a resistance to poison!

“My Heavenly Design Finger is a unique skill. Six years ago I ran into Southern Traitor Shang Gongzhi, and even though I used all my strength I couldn’t kill him. All because I had ingested that poison eighteen years ago. My skill had reduced by fifty percent or more by that time. Now I’m weaker and so it’s reducing even faster, now I’m only a little bit stronger than the average person!”

Xue Feiguang said, “Uncle Li, if you want to restore your skill there’s only one way: you have to eliminate all the poison in your body, but you haven’t been able to think of a way to do it. First of all, you’ve already decided not to humble yourself by seeking help, and secondly your skill gradually dissipating, yet you have never given up wanting to restore it, even now that it’s almost completely gone, but even if you were willing to let someone help you, there’s been no one to send out. That King of Remedies Liang Kang might be able to help, but if it wasn’t for Uncle Zhao sending Brother Pei down the mountain there would be no way to find him!”

Li Xingqiao was left speechless by her words. Pei Chun slapped his thigh, “All right, I’ll go find King of Remedies Liang!”

Li Xingqiao said, “Even if you found King of Remedies Liang, it would be no use. Firstly, he won’t be willing to help, secondly he might not be able to help!”

Pei Chun suddenly leapt up. “I know, I know…” He reached into his bag and took out the “Warding-Off Poison Pearl”. He said, “This is the Warding-Off Poison Pearl, it’s super effective. I used it to withstand Bo Le’s poison attacks. Martial-Uncle, put this in your mouth and it will automatically remove the poisons from your body!”

Li Xingqiao asked if this pearl had come from Shang Gongzhi, then put it in his mouth without hesitation. Southern Traitor Shang Gongzhi had a nasty reputation, single-mindedly causing trouble, but he also had his good points, he always carried around a bunch of precious objects. If it was good enough for him it must be a rare treasure.

Pei Chun and Xue Feiguang fixed their eyes on Li Xingqiao, waiting for his reaction. Finally, he opened his eyes spit out the pearl, he looked exhausted. “I tried my best to circulate my qi but it used up a lot of energy. This pearl it seems can’t ward off the poisons in my body!”

Pei Chun looked dejected. “Then I’ll just have to go find King of Remedies Liang!”

Xue Feiguang said, “Even if he can’t cure Uncle Li, we must try!”

Li Xingqiao returned the pearl to Pei Chun. “You just mentioned the Poor Family Gang, tell me what happened with them, them and I go way back. Last year I entrusted Chief Chun Yujing to spread the rumor of my death…”

Pei Chun was about to open his mouth when there was a sudden neighing sound from outside. Pei Chun and Xue Feiguang were startled. Then came the sound of a woman cursing, “Impudent son of a ***** dares to be so disrespectful…” Her words were clearly directed at the horse Rouge.

Xue Feiguang ran outside and yelled, “Aunt, Aunt, don’t…”

Pei Chun was about to go outside when Li Xingqiao said heavily, “Don’t move!” His tone was stern and Pei Chun sat back down.

The woman was again heard scolding, Xue Feiguang was begging for mercy. Pei Chun thought, Xue Feiguang must be treated harshly by her aunt, he felt a lot of compassion and pity for her and wanted to help, but couldn’t.

Just then Li Xingqiao blurted out, “Third Sister, long time no see!”

Pei Chun was shocked, he thought, “So Miss Xue’s aunt is Martial-Uncle’s third sister! Since they’re brother and sister, why have they not seen each other in such a long time?”

Outside the woman’s sharp voice, “I’d rather die than come see you!” Then she continued scolding. “Little girl, you dare to go against my orders, hmph! Do you think I wouldn’t dare kill you?” There was a banging sound, mixed with the sound of Xue Feiguang weeping, begging for mercy.

Li Xingqiao sighed, yelled, “Third Sister, Big Brother has already become a monk, can you still harbor such hate? Why do you include me in all this?”

Pei Chun then realized the one Xue Feiguang’s aunt hated was his teacher, and because his teacher and Martial-Uncle Li were like brothers, so Martial-Uncle was implicated as well. Outside the woman didn’t answer, but she could be heard beating Xue Feiguang, who was sobbing. Pei Chun didn’t know why he his blood surging, but he thought, if it weren’t for Miss Xue leading me here she wouldn’t have had to suffer such punishment, it’s my duty to stand up and go out there and take her place.

He stood up and Li Xingqiao was just about to stop him when he saw the cold resoluteness in Pei Chun’s face and he was moved. He thought this kid is not afraid of anything, his upright honesty is not like that of ordinary people, and so he gave up the notion of stopping him.

Pei Chun strode outside and saw Xue Feiguang standing with her arms hanging at her sides, her face streaked with tears. A beautiful, slim middle-aged woman was smacking her, a whip raised in her right hand.

Though this woman was very pretty, her eyes flashed venom. Pei Chun didn’t like her very much, but still her respectfully he came forward and said, “Your junior Pei Chun respectfully greets you, elder!”

The woman stayed her hand and looked at him coldly, sizing him up form head to toe. Pei Chun felt himself trapped by her gaze. He heard her say, “Did you call me elder?” As she spoke the whip in her right hand zipped out like a spirited snake, straightening out like a staff to a length of three feet.

Pei Chun saw her ability to make her whip stiffen out like a staff, the strength of her internal power was shocking, she was really a wulin master. He felt his respect for her increase. He said quickly, “Of course you’re not old, it was just a respectful form of address…” Other people might not have said it that way, but out of Pei Chun’s mouth if sounded extremely sincere.

The woman was really just looking for an excuse to attack, but now she couldn’t help but be delighted. “I can see you’re an honest person, you must be speaking the truth. What do you want with me?”

Pei Chun said, “An elder flogging a junior is perfectly justified, but Miss Xue is no longer a child, won’t it embarrass her to be punished in front of others?”

When Xue Feiguang saw Pei Chun come out she had hung her head out of shame. Now hearing him speak thusly she raised it again, her eyes filled with gratitude.

The woman nodded. “You make a good point, I’ll take her home continue punishing her!”

Li Xingqiao, still inside, and Xue Feiguang were both amazed, they couldn’t believe Pei Chun could persuade her with just a few words. Pei Chun said, “Miss Xue came here because of me, therefore I should be the one receiving her punishment!”

Li Xingqiao kicked himself, thinking this kid ought to quit while he’s ahead, but to want to take her punishment in her place could only lead to a lot more trouble!

Xue Feiguang was greatly touched and for the moment she forgot about her suffering. But she knew her aunt’s temper, so when Pei Chun glanced at her she hinted for him to get away, but Pei Chun pretended not to notice.

The woman said, “Whose disciple are you?”

Li Xingqiao answered loudly, “He’s Big Brother’s disciple!”

The woman’s face dropped, she cried sharply, “Who asked you? I hate to hear the sound of your voice!” She looked back at Pei Chun, said coldly, “Why did she agree to take you here?”

Pei Chun thought, then answered, “Miss Xue saw this horse, Rouge, ans she was taken with it, so I let her ride it for a bit, afterward she took me here!”

The woman firmly believed it was because of Li Xingqiao that Xue Feiguang had taken him here, so she was extremely resentful, but hearing Pei Chun explain it she was taken aback. She thought, “Feiguang is a greedy one, she would definitely beg to ride this fine horse, he must must have exchanged the ride in return for leading him here…” Her anger dissipated considerably, she said coldly, “This time I’ll let it go, but if you run into me again I won’t let you off so easily…” She turned and walked away, Xue Feiguang following closely, and in no time they were a far ways off.

to be continued...