Ice Python Divine Sign

Wang Chong thought, The man's already dead. What am I still fighting this great monk for?

He used the lightness technique Soaring Clouds, Treading the Wind to shake off the great monk and was about to slip away under cover of night when a voice called out, "Su Luoyan of the Ten-Thousand-Year Fox Manor greets this fellow Daoist of Wudang. This is a misunderstanding. Please hear me out."

An exceedingly beautiful woman, her face like pale snow, emerged from the night. She glanced at Sun Yanqi with some disgust and some relief, then said, "I have something of a reputation in the martial world. You may trust me, fellow Daoist of Wudang."

Wang Chong thought, This girl certainly is confident.

Does she think that just because she's beautiful, every man has to believe whatever she says?

Despite those thoughts, Wang Chong first put away his folding fan and asked with a smile, "I don't even know what happened. How could there be a misunderstanding? Please clear up my confusion, Miss Su!"

Su Luoyan was also deeply puzzled. I know all Seven Perfected Ones of Wudang, and he certainly isn't one of them. Could another formidable young expert have emerged on Mount Wudang these past few years? She pointed at the pretty young girl who had killed the man and said, "This young lady is Lotus Fairy Nan Xinlan. I imagine you know of her relationship with Sun Yanqi."

Wang Chong nodded. "I heard the brothers of the Chrysanthemum-Slaying Alliance mention it."

He now wished he could mention the Chrysanthemum-Slaying Alliance in every sentence, to make his identity clear and avoid being misunderstood or dragged into some sort of messy business.

Su Luoyan said, "Our young Lotus Fairy Nan Xinlan is a devoted soul. She comes from a distinguished family with strict rules, who only wanted to find her a husband from a respectable household. But once, while traveling the martial world and performing chivalrous deeds, she met this scoundrel Sun Yanqi. With flowery words and honeyed phrases, he won her heart."

"Sun Yanqi was of humble birth, with a miserable family background and no proper martial lineage. He also deliberately concealed his martial arts, pretending to be utterly ordinary, so the Nan family refused to agree to the marriage."

"In a moment of misguided thinking, Sister Nan falsely claimed that White Chrysanthemum had abducted her, hoping to ruin her own reputation so that her family would have no choice but to marry her off to this scoundrel."

"Who could have expected that this scoundrel would disdain Sister Nan for her tarnished reputation, turn faithless, and refuse to marry her?"

"Had that been all, he would have been no more than an ordinary faithless man. But afterward, he suddenly grew resentful, feeling that he had suffered a tremendous loss by never having touched Sister Nan's body. He sneaked into the Nan household and abducted her, intending to violate her."

Wang Chong had never expected so many twists and turns in this story. Astonished beyond measure, he suddenly asked, "Then what happened with Tie Mingzhu?"

Filled with hatred and regret, Nan Xinlan said, "Sister Tie heard that I'd been dishonored. Without even coming to ask me what had happened, she went looking for White Chrysanthemum to avenge me. Fortunately, she never encountered that lecher..."

Wang Chong's composure wavered. What do you mean, she never encountered the lecher!?

Hmm, forget it. This is a bit hard to take! Let's say she never did!

Su Luoyan said, "Fortunately, Master Xuangang and I happened upon this scoundrel and rescued Sister Nan."

"When this lecher saw that he'd been exposed, he tried to escape, but Master Xuangang stopped him. In desperation, he used the sinister martial art Ice Soul Finger. Only then did Master Xuangang and I see through his identity. He was the lecher White Chrysanthemum."

That sudden turn nearly threw out Wang Chong's back. He almost blurted out, "If he's White Chrysanthemum, then who am I?"

Wang Chong had just leafed through the Fundamental Scripture of Cultivating the Divine Transformations of the Thirty-Two Signs. This scripture was divided into the Four Great Iconic Signs: the divine buddha sign, true treasure sign, demon sign, and bird and beast sign. Each great iconic sign was further divided into eight signs, so he knew that what Sun Yanqi had used was not Ice Soul Finger, but the ice python divine sign from the Fundamental Scripture of Cultivating the Divine Transformations of the Thirty-Two Signs. The ice python divine sign was one of the eight demon signs. According to this world's Buddhist scriptures, the ice python was a great demon that lived in the Eight Cold Hells, its body covered in great red lotuses, a demon of extreme cold. Once someone cultivated this sign, they could unleash sinister internal power as cruel as a frozen hell. Those struck would have cold Qi invade their bodies and die on the spot.

On second thought, Wang Chong told himself, Sun Yanqi's martial arts might not all have come from those two booklets, and White Chrysanthemum might not necessarily have used Ice Soul Finger.

Besides, if White Chrysanthemum is dead, even if it's a fake who died, I'm safe! He hastily cupped his hands. "You two have rid the martial world of a great scourge. Truly admirable."

"On behalf of the sixty-two brothers of the Chrysanthemum-Slaying Alliance, I invite you all to Pengshan County for a gathering, so that we can settle the matter of White Chrysanthemum properly."

Su Luoyan shook her head. "This villain killed my younger brother. I came only for revenge. Now that this lecher is dead, I must travel to Chang'an on other business, so I can only politely decline your kindness, fellow Daoist. I have one more favor to ask: Brother Wang, please do not say that I killed this villain."

Wang Chong immediately understood. "Of course. Miss Su is pure as ice and spotless as jade. It would indeed be inappropriate to link you with this lecher. I'll say Master Xuangang killed him alone."

The great monk Xuangang said, "Leave me out of this matter too. I'm returning to the mountain to cultivate." With that, he strode off and swiftly disappeared into the distance, avoiding them all as though they were snakes and scorpions. His behavior was most peculiar.

Su Luoyan also cupped her hands, then drifted away into the night with Nan Xinlan.

Wang Chong stood utterly stunned. Qin Han really does have that kind of luck!

Neither Su Luoyan nor the great monk covets fame, and it wouldn't be appropriate for Nan Xinlan to be linked to White Chrysanthemum again. I've already taken the money, so I can hardly go back on my word.

He waited until dawn, loaded Sun Yanqi onto the horse, and headed back from memory. Along the way, he asked for directions several more times. Seeing him carrying a dead man on his horse, no one dared lie to him. Though it took some trouble, he finally made it back to Pengshan County.

Outside Pengshan County, he had someone go to the inn in town and tell Qin Han to come out. Half an hour later, Qin Han hurried over. At the sight of the corpse on the horse, he froze briefly, then rushed forward and pressed a hand against it. Delight immediately appeared on his face. "This man's meridians are extremely cold. He must have practiced a cold, yin-aligned art. Could he be White Chrysanthemum? Brother Wang Chong, how did you get him?"

Wang Chong had long since prepared his lie. "I don't know whether this man is White Chrysanthemum either. I came upon him as he was about to violate a woman, and he did indeed use cold, yin-aligned martial arts. But he was already badly wounded when we fought, so he was no match for me. Remembering my promise to you, Brother Qin, I brought him back. You'll still have to confirm his identity."

Overjoyed, Qin Han discussed the details with Wang Chong, then hurried into Pengshan County leading the horse.

Wang Chong had originally intended to slip away, but now his curiosity was piqued. After a little while, he too entered Pengshan County. No sooner had he returned to the inn than several people greeted him, each beaming with delight. "Brother Qin Han has killed White Chrysanthemum. We've already checked. There's no doubt about his identity-it's the very scoundrel."

Curious, Wang Chong asked, "How did you confirm that he was White Chrysanthemum?"

...Fang Jingru: Qin Han spent the entire day drinking with people. When did he have time to kill White Chrysanthemum?...

...Zhou Yuchen: I absolutely refuse to believe Qin Han could have killed White Chrysanthemum....

...Qin Han: I must give Brother Wang Chong another generous gift....