Wuxia 12

Zhao Min had plenty of capable fighters under her command. The moment they saw Yang Xiao and Wei Yixiao, they sent some of their people to hold the two off, and the fighting was evenly matched.

Zhang Wuji was also held back by the Xuanming Elders.

Ku Toutuo charged at Song Qinghua and Zhou Zhiruo, assuming that two youngsters would be no match for him.

After all, not every young person was like their leader, with astonishing martial arts at such a tender age.

The result shocked him!

There really was another young person who could match Zhang Wuji!

He had exchanged only ten blows with Song Qinghua before Song Qinghua sent him flying.

To be sure, Ku Toutuo's underestimation of his opponent had played a part. But more importantly, the young man before him had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, far surpassing him.

Zhao Min and the others were stunned too.

Zhao Min had thought that Zhang Wuji was the only young hero in the world. Who could have guessed that another one would appear?

Wudang really was blessed with outstanding people. Were even its third-generation disciples this exceptional?

Yang Xiao and Wei Yixiao were shocked too.

Then came relief. It was a good thing Song Qinghua hadn't taken part in the battle to attack Bright Peak.

Otherwise, they would have been done for before Zhang Wuji even arrived.

Just then, shouts and the sounds of fighting rang out beyond the windows.

Song Qinghua stopped fighting and pulled Zhou Zhiruo outside.

Zhou Zhiruo immediately realized what was happening. "Is that my master and the others?"

Song Qinghua nodded. "When I went to rescue you, my eldest brother went into the tower to notify the people from the Five Sects, so we could all act together."

Zhang Wuji, Yang Xiao, and Wei Yixiao were at a loss, not knowing what was happening. But Yang Xiao was quick-witted. From Song Qinghua and Zhou Zhiruo's exchange, he gathered that someone was rescuing the people from the Five Sects. He called to Zhang Wuji and Wei Yixiao to follow Song Qinghua and Zhou Zhiruo and fight their way out together.

Outside, they saw the people from the Five Sects rushing out of the tower, now facing off against the Yuan soldiers at Wan'an Temple.

Song Qinghua brought Zhou Zhiruo to Abbess Miejue. When he didn't see Liu Zhong, he asked, "Abbess, have you seen my eldest brother?"

Abbess Miejue killed a foreign monk with her sword and took a moment to answer Song Qinghua. "Young Master Song went to find someone."

Song Qinghua was puzzled. "Find someone? Who?"

"Young Master Song said he was going to find someone who could help us leave Dadu safely."

Song Qinghua: "??"

It wasn't long before Liu Zhong appeared and answered his question.

Liu Zhong entered the battlefield with someone in his grasp and shouted, "Everyone, stop!"

Zhao Min, who was being protected behind the others, recognized the person in Liu Zhong's grasp and immediately shouted too, "Everyone, stop!"

Once the two sides had stopped, Zhao Min's people could see that Liu Zhong was holding none other than her elder brother, Wang Baobao, heir to the Ruyang Prince Mansion.

They sucked in a breath and dared not advance, afraid that Liu Zhong might accidentally hurt Wang Baobao.

Liu Zhong smiled. "I'll have to trouble the young prince to escort us out of the city. Princess Zhao Min, you don't mind, do you?"

Zhao Min drew a breath and gave a cold order. "Everyone, stand aside. Let them go."

The Yuan soldiers retreated one after another, clearing a path.

Liu Zhong had Song Qinghua lead the people from the Five Sects, while he stayed behind to cover them.

Once everyone from the Five Sects had safely left the city, Liu Zhong released Wang Baobao, whose acupoints he had sealed. With a few leaps, he vanished from Zhao Min and the others' sight.

Zhao Min hurried forward and released Wang Baobao's acupoints. She examined him from head to toe and, seeing that he wasn't hurt, let out a sigh of relief.

She looked toward the direction the others had gone, her eyes flickering.

Once they had reached a safe place, everyone thanked Liu Zhong and Song Qingshu, then took their leave. They were worried about what might have happened at their sect headquarters and needed to hurry back.

The three of them—Zhang Wuji, Yang Xiao, and Wei Yixiao—had hoped that rescuing the Five Sects would help mend their relationship and bring about peace between them.

But Liu Zhong and his brother had led the operation, and the three of them had contributed very little. Naturally, the Five Sects weren't going to treat them warmly.

It was good enough that they hadn't started a fight.

Abbess Miejue was even eager to draw her sword and kill Yang Xiao on the spot. But worried about what was happening back at her sect, she gave up on confronting him and immediately led her disciples back to Mount Emei.

After everyone from the Five Sects had left, Liu Zhong walked over to Zhang Wuji and said with a beaming smile, "Junior Brother Wuji, it's been a long time."

Zhang Wuji hurriedly saluted Liu Zhong and Song Qinghua. "It's been a long time, Senior Brothers."

Zhang Wuji had met the two of them only once or twice, and both times had been when he was ill.

Afterward, the brothers had left Wudang, and Zhang Wuji had no impression of them at all.

Even so, he was very grateful to them.

For one thing, the two of them had found the Black Jade Ointment that cured Yu Daiyan's disability, easing Zhang Wuji's guilt toward Yu Daiyan over Yin Susu.

The Tianshan Snow Lotus they had sent by escort service to Wudang Mountain, addressed specifically to him, was more than enough to fill Zhang Wuji with gratitude.

The Tianshan Snow Lotus had worked very well. Hu Qingniu had used it as an ingredient in his medicine and suppressed the cold poison in Zhang Wuji's body.

Even if Zhang Wuji hadn't happened upon the Nine Yang Manual and mastered the Nine Yang Divine Art to purge the cold poison completely, his life expectancy would still have increased. He wouldn't have died young and would have lived at least into his thirties or forties.

In that sense, Liu Zhong and Song Qinghua had saved Zhang Wuji's life.

Zhang Wuji was deeply grateful to them.

Liu Zhong said with a beaming smile, "My brother and I are heading back to Wudang Mountain. Would you like to come with us, Junior Brother Wuji?"

Zhang Wuji hesitated, then declined. "Please go ahead, Senior Brothers. I still have some things to take care of. Once I've dealt with them, I'll return to Wudang Mountain and pay you both a visit."

"Since that's the case, we'll part ways here and won't keep you from your business."

Liu Zhong put particular emphasis on the word "business."

Don't think I didn't notice you and Zhao Min exchanging glances.

You say you have business to attend to, but really you're going to see Zhao Min, aren't you?

Zhang Wuji didn't catch the teasing in Liu Zhong's words. He cupped his hands in farewell to Liu Zhong and Song Qinghua, then returned to Dadu with Yang Xiao and Wei Yixiao.

He wasn't going to Dadu just to see Zhao Min. Xiao Zhao had been left there too.

When the three of them entered Dadu, the first person they met wasn't Zhao Min, who had arranged to meet Zhang Wuji. Instead, Ku Toutuo came to them of his own accord, and they learned that he was actually Fan Yao, one of the Ming Cult's Two Protectors of the Law.

Song Qinghua watched Zhang Wuji's back disappear into the distance, pursed his lips, and snorted. "Any way you look at him, this kid has nothing going for him except his martial arts. Why do Grandmaster and all the other elders like him so much?"

"Because they pity the weak, I suppose. When he first appeared, he was a poor little thing on the verge of death. Even though he's made something of himself now, it's hard for the elders to change their first impression of him."

Song Qinghua snorted in displeasure again, apparently accepting Liu Zhong's explanation.

"Come on, let's go back to Wudang Mountain. We've been away for so many years. It's time to go home!"