By the time Zhang Wuji's injuries had temporarily stabilized, more than two months had passed.
Only then did the people of Wudang realize that Liu Zhong and Song Qinghua were missing.
In Liu Zhong's room, Song Yuanqiao found a letter Liu Zhong had left behind. It only said that he had taken his younger brother down the mountain to travel, and that they knew their limits and wouldn't venture into dangerous places, so everyone shouldn't worry.
How could anyone not worry? But judging by the date on the letter, the two had already been gone for nearly two months. Even if they went looking for them now, they wouldn't be able to find them.
But even if it was late, they still had to look for them.
After discussing it, they decided to send Yin Liting and Mo Shenggu, who had the least internal energy, down the mountain to search. It would also give Yin Liting a chance to take his mind off things.
Not long ago, the Emei Sect had sent a letter, ending Yin Liting and Ji Xiaofu's engagement.
In the letter, Abbess Miejue had promised to give the Wudang Sect an explanation.
The people of Wudang knew Abbess Miejue's temperament. That Miss Ji was likely in danger.
However, at the time, all their attention was focused on saving Zhang Wuji. Though they had thought Ji Xiaofu might come to harm, they wouldn't go out of their way to help her.
They weren't saints.
Song Yuanqiao was furious. "Those two brats only know how to cause trouble."
Zhang Sanfeng sighed. "Don't blame them. We're the ones who neglected them. They're still children. Lately, all we've cared about is Wuji. If we ignore them, of course they'll feel hurt."
"Wuji was gravely injured and hovering between life and death. Couldn't they understand that?" Song Yuanqiao said.
"They're children!" Zhang Sanfeng replied.
Zhang Sanfeng frowned. "Yuanqiao, as their father, you need to do more than be strict with them. You also need to show them more care. With your attitude now, seeing you will only make them feel worse and resent you more."
Zhang Songxi and the others had initially agreed with Song Yuanqiao, thinking Liu Zhong and Song Qinghua were being thoughtless. But after hearing Zhang Sanfeng's words, they began to look at things from the two boys' perspective and sympathize with them.
"Sixth Brother, Seventh Brother, once you find Qingshu and Qinghua, talk things through with them. And apologize to them on our behalf," Zhang Songxi told Yin Liting and Mo Shenggu.
The two nodded, gathered their belongings, and headed down the mountain.
Back on Wudang Mountain, those who remained continued using their internal energy to suppress the cold poison in Zhang Wuji's body, while Zhang Sanfeng taught him the Wudang Nine Yang Skill.
He remembered promising Song Qinghua and Liu Zhong that he would teach them the Wudang Nine Yang Skill after his birthday celebration. He had broken that promise.
No wonder the two children had left.
Zhang Sanfeng sighed.
When the boys returned to the mountain, he would teach them the Wudang Nine Yang Skill himself.
Unfortunately, by the time they returned, they no longer needed him to teach them the Wudang Nine Yang Skill.
After taking Song Qinghua down the mountain, Liu Zhong changed their clothes, and the two dressed up as little beggars.
Song Qinghua was reluctant. Having loved to keep clean since childhood, he didn't want to make himself filthy.
Liu Zhong firmly made Song Qinghua change. "This is safer. We're still too young, and our martial arts are weak. If someone takes an interest in us, we'll be in danger. Dressing as little beggars can help us avoid a lot of trouble."
Song Qinghua pouted. "We've studied martial arts for so many years. Shouldn't we count as masters by now?"
"Father and our uncles are the real masters, but even they aren't the best. There are plenty of people in the martial world stronger than them. The Ming Cult alone has many experts."
The orthodox sects of the martial world regarded the Ming Cult as a demonic cult, and Song Qinghua had been influenced by that, too.
When Liu Zhong mentioned the Ming Cult, he obediently put on the beggars' tattered clothes.
There were far too many members of the Ming Cult in the martial world these days.
After changing, the two hid their banknotes and gold and silver in their belts, then set off on their first journey through the martial world.
It was chaotic below the mountain.
The Yuan Dynasty ruled with extreme brutality, and the people lived in misery, barely able to survive.
Rebel armies were springing up everywhere, making the land even more chaotic.
On top of enduring the government's exorbitant taxes, the common people also had to face raids and plunder by the remnants of defeated armies.
Whenever they encountered such things, the two would step in and deal with the stragglers.
Perhaps because of the feelings they had carried over from their previous lives, Song Qinghua felt no discomfort at all the first time he killed someone. His strikes were ruthless and decisive.
Liu Zhong was the same. In his previous life, he had lived through the apocalypse and killed plenty of zombies—and plenty of people, too.
There had been no shortage of scum who abandoned their humanity and did whatever they pleased after the apocalypse began.
The two acted swiftly and decisively, never leaving the people with any future trouble.
Through one battle after another, their martial arts techniques grew increasingly polished, and their strength improved accordingly.
The two arrived in a small town by the Han River. Liu Zhong took out a few copper coins and was just about to buy two buns to settle their hunger when he suddenly saw Song Qinghua walking toward someone.
Liu Zhong quickly handed the money to the bun seller, took the buns, and hurried after Song Qinghua.
He saw Song Qinghua talking to a little girl.
The girl was seven or eight years old, small and frail, wearing patched but very clean clothes.
Looking closely, she had delicate features and picture-perfect brows and eyes. She spoke politely and didn't look like the daughter of an ordinary family at all.
Her eyes were red, and large tears still clung to the corners. As she spoke with Song Qinghua, she kept choking back sobs.
Song Qinghua suddenly ran off into an empty alley, then came back a little while later.
He hurried over to the girl, slipped a silver ingot into her arms, and whispered, "Quick, hide this and give it to your father."
The girl shook her head. "I can't take your money."
"Don't you want to save your mother?" Song Qinghua asked.
The girl stopped moving, bit her lip, and accepted the silver.
"Thank you, big brother. I'll pay you back." With that, she ran into a nearby pharmacy.
A little while later, the girl came out of the pharmacy, accompanied by an anxious-looking man and a physician.
The girl tugged at the man's clothes and pointed toward Song Qinghua.
The man hurried over and bowed to Song Qinghua. "Thank you for your generosity, young brother. Zhou Wang is deeply grateful. Please tell me your name. Once I've saved up enough, I'll repay you."
"No need, no need," Song Qinghua said quickly, waving his hands.
The little girl came over and said in a clear voice, "My name is Zhou Zhiruo. What's your name, big brother?"
"My name is Song Qinghua," he immediately replied.
Liu Zhong: "..."
What a hopeless little brother!
So this little girl was Zhou Zhiruo?
This time, his own younger brother had met her first—and appeared just when she needed help most.
Did this count as a hero saving a beauty?
Would Zhou Zhiruo's feelings change because of it?
Before you continue