Illuminating-Night Rhinoceros

There were some things Wen Ruzhi had left unsaid.

His reason for coming to Hong Kong and Kowloon was exactly as Chen Ying had guessed: to find something.

A candle, an ancient relic once used by the Ancestor Dragon.

The Ancestor Dragon had swept across the six directions, unified Zhongzhou, and brought the ancient age to a definitive end. He had possessed several mighty treasures, one of which was this candle made from rhinoceros horn.

The horn used to make the candle had been retrieved from the Netherworld by occultists serving the Ancestor Dragon. Treated with secret methods, it would never grow shorter as it burned.

But this alone was not enough to describe the candle's wonders. Its true marvel lay in how, once lit, it could open a gateway to the Netherworld.

Moreover, any evil entity touched by its light would lose the ability to move and become a lifeless thing.

If ignited by the candle's flame, it would be reduced to nothingness.

Later ancient texts called this object the "Illuminating-Night Burning Rhinoceros."

When the Red Emperor's Son slew the White Snake and rose to power, the object was stored in the imperial arsenal. During the great turmoil of the Two Jin Dynasties, Wen Jiao took it to subdue evil beings, only to carelessly drop it into the water.

From then on, it passed into the wider world. Even when it occasionally revealed its power and earned a brief mention in the histories, it soon vanished again into history's shrouded mysteries.

It was not until some years ago that the White Lotus Sect received reliable word from its followers that the object had appeared in Hong Kong-Kowloon City.

The White Lotus Sect was preparing something momentous. If they could obtain this object as a reference, their chances of success would greatly increase.

After deliberating, the sect's senior leaders specially dispatched Wen Ruzhi, a master of unrivaled martial skill, to Hong Kong and Kowloon.

Apart from occasionally teaching Chen Ying boxing, Wen Ruzhi had actually devoted most of his energy to searching for this rumored secret treasure.

Yet divine treasures concealed their own brilliance, leaving him no way to find it. Wen Ruzhi could only follow its property of "connecting to the Netherworld," searching everywhere for places where evil ghosts gathered in the hope of finding traces of it.

Now the deadline the sect had set for his return drew ever closer, yet the Illuminating-Night Burning Rhinoceros remained nowhere to be found.

Wen Ruzhi had already begun to consider giving up.

He had never expected Chen Ying to guess his purpose in coming here without any other information.

In truth, after all Chen Ying's maneuvering, Wen Ruzhi's opinion of him had changed somewhat.

He had originally seen him as the descendant of an old acquaintance. Whatever kindnesses or grudges there had been in those days had largely faded with time, so he would give the boy whatever help he could.

Now, looking at him again, Wen Ruzhi felt that Chen Ying was not only promising martial material; more unusually, the boy also had some clever schemes.

No, a more precise way to put it was an eye for the bigger picture.

Chen Ying could always approach things from strange angles and infer the whole from minor details.

It was strange, and excellent.

"I don't know."

Chen Ying shook his head.

"I don't even know how many heroes there are in Hong Kong-Kowloon City, let alone the dragons and serpents lurking in hiding."

Wen Ruzhi smiled at that.

"You have the vision, but you'll still need to build up your knowledge and finesse little by little."

Wen Ruzhi rose.

"Since you've put it that way, I'll make a trip to Lingnan and help you see whether this Xu Renying is loyal or treacherous."

"Sir..."

Chen Ying felt uneasy for a moment. According to what Wen Ruzhi had just said, Wuzhong City was a remnant left behind after the Spirit Disaster all those years ago and actually led to another world. Even experts who went there had only a slim chance of surviving.

Wen Ruzhi seemed to see through his thoughts.

"Ordinary experts have only a slim chance of surviving. I'm no ordinary expert."

He rose to his feet.

"Since you're here, let me see how your Through-Arm Fist has progressed."

His teacher stood tall, and Chen Ying rose as well. With only the consultation desk in the pharmacy between them, Wen Ruzhi formed a phoenix-eye fist and thrust it straight toward him.

His body followed his fist.

Chen Ying met him head-on.

Through-Arm Fist drove straight through the center, meeting speed with speed. Chen Ying punched forward again and again, while Wen Ruzhi made no move to defend either. Their fists blurred into countless afterimages, colliding in midair.

"Boy, remember this: through-arm, through-arm-channel through the spine and transform the arms. You must draw on the strength within your Dazhui to transform both arms completely. The hidden force of Through-Arm Fist is called Diamond Ape Arms. Once mastered, your arms will be as adamantine as diamond, capable of breaking through anything."

As Wen Ruzhi explained the art's inner mysteries to Chen Ying, their exchanges grew faster and faster, until they finally collided.

Smack.

Chen Ying spun away, but used the force of the turn to steady himself.

"Promising material."

Wen Ruzhi smiled faintly.

"I'd intended to teach you a few more things, but time waits for no one."

The White Lotus Sect's rules were strict. Even if Wen Ruzhi wanted to tell Chen Ying, he had to exercise caution.

Besides, telling Chen Ying about this might not do him any good. The upheaval a secret treasure like the Illuminating-Night Burning Rhinoceros would stir up was certainly beyond anything Chen Ying could become involved in.

"I'll leave for Lingnan now and help you see just how capable this Xu Renying is."

There was another thought he had not explained to Chen Ying.

Xu Renying was a feng shui master renowned throughout Hong Kong and Kowloon. If, as Chen Ying said, he had been stirring up trouble behind the scenes all along, then perhaps the Illuminating-Night Burning Rhinoceros was in his hands, or he had information about it.

Wen Ruzhi no longer wanted to wait.

"Take care of yourself. I hope you can develop some genuine ability amid the storms of Hong Kong and Kowloon."

"Your disciple will not disappoint you, sir."

Wen Ruzhi nodded.

His martial arts had already reached the pinnacle. Only one crucial insight stood between him and that decisive step forward, and he was among the handful of great heroes in the world.

"Heed not the rain beating through the woods and leaves; why not sing and stroll at ease? Boy, I'll test your progress again when I return."

He rose and walked into the night.

"Your disciple wishes you swift success, sir."

Watching his retreating figure, Chen Ying bowed solemnly.

As for Granny Chen, he had already done everything he could. The rest would have to be left to fate.

Chen Ying glanced at the clinic's second floor, shook himself to rally his spirits, and headed outside.

This game of chess had already passed its middle stage. Now it was time for the endgame.

Yisheng, Young Master Wen, this time we'll fight at close quarters. Let's see just how capable you are.

Chen Ying followed Wen Ruzhi's footsteps into the night.

Somewhere in Hong Kong and Kowloon, an old residence.

There was no telling how long the mansion had stood amid the gloomy rain. Moss covered its surroundings, and an air of decay seeped from every corner.

A greasy yellow stained the chalk-white walls. Drops of vermilion blood rolled down the window frames, like a lover's tears of longing for a cherished visitor.

A square blackwood table, four grand armchairs.

Eight arms moved back and forth across the center of the table. Six were pale and withered, their movements already very stiff.

The arms' owners hid in the shadows of the old residence. Only occasionally could the faint rustling sounds of their chewing be heard.

A young man drew a mahjong tile. Feeling its face with his fingers, he slowly discarded the East Wind.

Clack.

A pair of arms pushed forward the mahjong tiles before them.

He had won.

The young man gave a rasping laugh.

"To think that I, Young Master Wen, couldn't beat you old ghosts..."

Before he could finish, an aged white arm swept across his face and plucked out an eyeball.

That was the stake.

Young Master Wen touched his empty left eye socket and rose straight from his grand armchair.

"I'm done. I've lost an eye and two fingers. I'll win them back next time."

As he spoke, he sneezed and frowned.

Someone was plotting against him.

Young Master Wen looked around warily.

He could feel a cold presence lying across his neck.

Who could it be?

The old residence's front gate opened. Outside, a fine rain fell without cease. Young Master Wen walked into it, pondering.

An invisible umbrella seemed to open above his head, keeping the fine, gloomy rain at bay.