Past Events

The moon shone bright while the stars were sparse, and the river breeze carried a slight chill.

Rippling waves glittered like shattered silver beneath the moonlight. Two or three distant fishing lights only made the night seem more vast and desolate.

It was the second watch of the night when the boat finally reached Taiping Store.

It was a small town by the river, long since hushed into silence. Only the sound of the river striking the shore continued without pause.

Zhang Sanfeng stood at the bow, his white beard stirring gently in the wind. His sharp gaze swept over the sleeping town as he instructed the boatman, "Anchor far from the town. Do not disturb anyone."

The old Daoist had extensive experience in the martial world and knew that, traveling with children, one had to be cautious at every turn.

What was more, Zhang Wuji was Xie Xun's adopted son, and Xie Xun was connected to the Dragon-Slaying Saber. If word got out, there was no telling how much trouble it would cause.

Zhang Sanfeng was not afraid of those evil Outer Dao practitioners, but he had no desire to create needless complications.

The boatman answered and poled the vessel into a concealed bend in the river. Reeds grew thickly all around, perfectly hiding the boat.

Before dawn, the boatman went into town to buy food from people he knew. He returned, cooked the meal, and set it on a small table in the cabin.

Chicken, meat, fish, and vegetables filled four large bowls, accompanied by some rice.

Knowing that there was hope for him to survive, Zhang Wuji's spirits lifted a little. He did not refuse to eat, but he ate very little, chewing each bite slowly. Fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead, making it clear that every swallow was difficult.

Seeing this, Chang Yuchun deliberately said loudly, "Little brother, eat more. You need strength to recover from your illness!"

He himself had a hearty appetite, eating four large bowls of rice along with some vegetables without touching any meat or fish.

Many Ming Cult disciples followed strict precepts. Though he was not a monk, he still observed some of them.

Zu Hao, meanwhile, ate three large bowls of rice.

Although this world lacked seasonings, the ingredients were fresh and free of artificial additives, giving the meal its own distinct flavor.

As he ate, he kept an eye on Zhou Zhiruo.

The little girl sat quietly in a corner, taking small bites of rice. Yet her eyes kept drifting toward Zu Hao. Whenever he looked over, she seemed to remember something and hurriedly lowered her head.

After the meal, Zhou Zhiruo took the initiative to clear the dishes. Her movements were swift and practiced, clearly showing that she was used to household chores.

Zhang Sanfeng nodded with a smile, his eyes full of approval. Then he turned to Zu Hao, seeming to want to speak but hesitating.

Zu Hao knew that he wanted confirmation about the whereabouts of the Nine Yang Manual, so he took the initiative to invite Zhang Sanfeng ashore for a talk.

The two walked up the riverbank through the morning dew. In the distance, the mountains were dark as ink, wrapped in drifting mist.

"True Person Zhang."

Zu Hao got straight to the point. "Regarding the Nine Yang Manual, this junior does indeed know something."

A gleam flashed through Zhang Sanfeng's eyes. "I would like to hear the details."

Zu Hao gathered his thoughts and slowly said, "Back then, Yin Kexi and Xiao Xiangzi stole the four volumes of the Lankavatara Sutra containing the Nine Yang Manual from Shaolin Temple. To avoid pursuit, they hid the scriptures inside the belly of an ape and fled to the Western Regions."

He paused. Seeing Zhang Sanfeng fully focused, he continued, "The two harbored ulterior motives toward one another. Each feared that the other would master the martial arts within the manual first and kill him, so they restrained each other and never dared retrieve the scriptures from the ape's belly."

"In the end, they arrived at God-Shocking Peak in the Kunlun Mountains. Yin and Xiao ambushed one another and fought until both were gravely wounded and died."

"This supreme method for cultivating internal energy remained inside the ape's belly from then on, unknown to anyone for nearly a hundred years."

Zhang Sanfeng sighed deeply upon hearing this. "So that was how it was!"

His voice was filled with the weight and wistfulness of passing years.

He recalled the events of his youth at Shaolin Temple with his master, Great Master Jueyuan, and a nostalgic look surfaced in his eyes.

Back then, Zhang Sanfeng had still been called Zhang Junbao and had been responsible for attending to Great Master Jueyuan, who guarded the Scripture Repository.

Great Master Jueyuan knew absolutely nothing of martial arts, but he read every scripture he came across. By chance, he memorized the Nine Yang Manual that had been tucked inside the Lankavatara Sutra. After practicing it, he developed internal energy so profound that none could match it.

After the scriptures were lost, Master Jueyuan was severely punished. He was shackled and forced to leap into the water, and he was not even permitted to speak.

By coincidence, Guo Xiang, the daughter of Guo Jing and Huang Rong, came to Shaolin at that time.

Mistaking the Shaolin monks for bullying an elderly monk, Heroine Guo Xiang drew her sword and cut through the shackles.

Guo Xiang argued with the arriving Shaolin monks. Entrusted with Yin Kexi's dying message, she told Great Master Jueyuan, "The scripture is in the oil," but no one knew what it meant.

The two sides came to blows after a disagreement. Because Zhang Junbao liked Guo Xiang, he stepped forward to help and used the Arhat Fist that Guo Xiang had taught him.

As a result, he violated the sect rule against secretly learning martial arts from another school without instruction from one's own master. The Shaolin monks captured him and were about to cripple his martial arts.

To save them, Master Jueyuan unleashed his divine might. He defeated the Shaolin monks and rescued Zhang Junbao and Guo Xiang, but in the end, his age and exhaustion overcame him. Not long after descending the mountain, his life burned out.

Thinking of it now, it had not been "the scripture is in the oil," but "the scripture is in the ape."

A mystery that had lasted nearly a hundred years was finally solved. Fate truly loved to toy with people.

But immediately afterward, Zhang Sanfeng frowned. "Nearly a hundred years have passed. That ape most likely died of old age in the mountains long ago. Where are we supposed to look for the scripture now?"

The Kunlun Mountains stretched for thousands of miles, their peaks majestic and precipitous. Finding the manual in such vast mountains would be like searching for a needle in the sea.

Zu Hao said confidently, "I have my ways."

He remembered that in the original story, Zhang Wuji had fallen off a cliff near Zhu Wu Linked Rings Manor and discovered that ape in a valley.

As long as they reached Zhu Wu Linked Rings Manor and searched the nearby cliffs, they would be able to find the place.

After all, steep cliffs with a valley inside were a rather distinctive terrain. With a general location in mind, they would certainly find it if they spent enough time searching.

Seeing Zu Hao so certain, Zhang Sanfeng still had doubts, but he was eager to save his grand-disciple and did not press the matter further. Instead, he said, "In that case, Wuji will be in your care, young friend Zu."

The righteous and demonic paths were fundamentally different. Zhang Sanfeng was a grandmaster and did not wish to become too deeply involved with the Ming Cult. Moreover, Hu Qingniu had an eccentric temperament. If he went along, it might only make matters worse, so he planned to escort them a little farther before returning to Wudang.

"Rest assured, True Person Zhang. This junior will certainly do everything in his power to keep little brother Wuji safe."

Zu Hao nodded in agreement, then changed the subject and began asking Zhang Sanfeng about martial arts.

Zhang Sanfeng did not hold anything back and patiently explained things to Zu Hao.

What surprised Zhang Sanfeng was that Zu Hao grasped martial arts with astonishing speed. He understood at the slightest hint and could draw inferences from one example to another.

Sometimes, the questions Zu Hao raised came from such tricky angles that even he, a grandmaster of martial arts, had to think carefully. They were greatly enlightening.

"Young Hero Zu truly is a remarkable talent!"

Zhang Sanfeng could not help but praise him. "For the next several decades, I fear the martial world will be led by Young Hero Zu alone."

"You flatter me, True Person Zhang."

Zu Hao appeared exceedingly modest.

He knew that this was a benefit brought about by the T-virus transformation.

The T-virus had not only comprehensively enhanced his physical abilities, but had also developed his brain far beyond that of ordinary people, greatly strengthening his learning ability and comprehension. Naturally, he could understand things at a glance.

The old man and the young man discussed martial arts by the riverbank. Before they knew it, night had fallen again.

Zhou Zhiruo had long since fallen asleep against the cabin wall, and Zhang Wuji was sleeping soundly as well. Only the flowing river accompanied the pair's quiet conversation.