"At this hour, you came into the city to fetch a doctor, and you still claim you aren't fiends from Netherworld City!"
"I really am not from Netherworld City. I'm a local. My home is in Five Camps Town, ten li outside the city. My wife is hemorrhaging in childbirth. Please just let me leave."
"You say she's hemorrhaging, so she is? What proof do you have?"
"This is Doctor Wang from Thousand Gold Hall in Thousand Dragon City. You can verify it yourselves."
"Hmph, a fiend from Netherworld City just fled after my master wounded him. He needs a doctor too.
"And you say your wife is hemorrhaging. Isn't that a little too convenient?"
"If nothing else, can't you watch us leave the city? I'm begging you. I'll get down on my knees. My wife really is waiting for me to bring a doctor back. If I don't get back soon, two lives will be lost!"
"Your wife is hemorrhaging, and you walked here? Twenty li there and back-can you make it in time?"
"My carriage is right outside the city. You were the ones who wouldn't let me bring it in!"
"Our Songshan Sect strictly investigates suspicious people to protect the citizens of Thousand Dragon City. That is an iron rule!"
"How can you be so overbearing? If you want to eliminate fiends, go to Netherworld City! What kind of heroes throw their weight around here? I'm done reasoning with you. I'm leaving the city right now!"
On the road, a man dressed as a scholar was arguing with disciples of Mount Song. Beside him stood a doctor carrying a medicine chest.
The scholar's wife was hemorrhaging during a difficult birth, yet the Mount Song disciples were stopping him on the pretext of screening for fiends.
Zhang Qingyuan and Zhang Junbao exchanged a glance. It seemed these were the people they had heard arguing.
The two hurried forward. If the scholar was telling the truth, two lives were at stake. Nothing could happen to that innocent mother and child-that was what Zhang Junbao thought.
For some reason, Zhang Qingyuan seemed angered by the Mount Song Sword Sect's conduct too.
He could not concern himself with how many people in the martial world died, but women and children must not come to harm.
Because in his previous life, more than sixty years earlier, countless revolutionary forebears had done exactly that!
Besides, he felt something about the Mount Song Sword Sect's conduct seemed familiar.
A memory buried deep within his mind stirred.
"Hello, I'm here to take care of some paperwork."
"You don't have all the documents. Come back next time."
"But I have all my identification."
"If I say you don't, you don't. We're just following regulations."
Ahem.
"Halt! Who are you two? What sect do you belong to? Do you have proof?" Hearing their footsteps, a Mount Song Sword Sect disciple called out to them.
Several other disciples swiftly drew their swords and stepped forward to block them.
"Zhang Qingyuan."
"Zhang Junbao!"
They gave their names one after the other.
The Mount Song disciples started, then hastily sheathed their swords and cupped their fists in greeting. "So it's the two Daoists from Taiqing Palace. I am Jiang Yi, a disciple of the Mount Song Sword Sect. When did you arrive in Thousand Dragon City?"
They were fellow natives of Central Province, and their Mount Song Sword Sect was right next to Shaolin. They knew better than anyone what had happened last year.
So upon hearing who the two were, the Songshan Sect disciples instantly became docile.
"Why are you stopping him from leaving the city?" Zhang Junbao stepped forward to stand beside the scholar, fixing Jiang Yi with an unfriendly stare.
Sensing something wrong with the atmosphere, Jiang Yi hurriedly put on an ingratiating smile. "Here's the situation. The martial world has been unsettled lately. Fiends from Netherworld City have been burning, killing, and pillaging everywhere. To maintain peace in the region, our Mount Song Sword Sect has joined the other four mountain sword sects in hunting down fiends around Bingzhou.
"This afternoon, my master, Fu Jinlong, was killed by a fiend from Netherworld City. Upon learning of it, our sect leader fought the fiend, severely wounded him, and drove him back.
"We anticipated that the fiend would seek medical treatment, so we have been searching the city.
"And this man just happens to be fetching a doctor now. If he is a fiend from Netherworld City in disguise, wouldn't we be letting the fiend escape?"
His words were well-reasoned, but the scholar flew into an uncontrollable rage upon hearing them. His eyes reddened, veins bulging as he stepped forward, seized Jiang Yi's collar, and roared, "I don't care who died on your side! My wife's life is hanging by a thread. I'm taking Doctor Wang with me right now!"
"How dare you!"
Several other disciples stepped forward, berating him. They grabbed the scholar by his collar and shoved him aside.
The scholar fell to the ground and burst into sobs, his hoarse cries heart-rending.
"The stakes are too high. We have to take precautions." Ignoring the scholar's impotent fury, Jiang Yi continued, "If we let the fiend escape, even more innocent people will die unnatural deaths."
"But what if he's telling the truth?" Zhang Junbao asked.
Zhang Qingyuan stepped forward to help the scholar up, then beckoned to Doctor Wang.
Doctor Wang cautiously glanced at the Mount Song Sword Sect disciples, then steeled himself and came over.
"He's merely an ordinary person. How can he compare with matters of importance?" Jiang Yi spoke as though it were only natural, brimming with righteousness.
True enough, this society treated human lives like weeds.
Brother Yuan had said that this principle would not change even after thousands of years. Brother Yuan had also said that although it would not change, things could improve.
At least within my sight, it cannot happen, because I will not allow it.
Zhang Junbao took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. "I wish to let him return home. Hero Jiang, might you do this humble Daoist the courtesy?"
"Well..."
Jiang Yi was caught in a difficult position, but he did not dare fall out with Zhang Junbao.
As he hesitated, Zhang Qingyuan spoke to the scholar beside him. "Take the doctor home and save her."
The scholar could also tell that the two were helping him, and that their martial arts seemed superior.
He repeatedly bowed in thanks. "Thank you, Daoists. Thank you both. I will remember your life-saving kindness until my dying day!"
"Hurry along."
"Yes, yes. We'll go right now."
The scholar turned with Doctor Wang and was about to leave when he suddenly spoke again. "Daoists, at the city gate..."
There were inspections inside the city. Even if he passed this one, the gate would surely be more strictly guarded.
The scholar looked at them awkwardly, his eyes full of pleading, because he knew they were his only straw to grasp at.
Zhang Junbao wasted no more words on Jiang Yi. He walked over to the scholar and patted his shoulder. "We'll escort you out."
"Thank you. Thank you, Daoist."
Weeping with joy, the scholar led the doctor briskly toward the city gate.
Behind them, the Mount Song Sword Sect disciples watched their retreating figures. One asked quietly, "Senior Brother, are we just letting them leave?"
Jiang Yi gritted his teeth, glaring at Zhang Qingyuan and Zhang Junbao as he suppressed his fury. "Keep searching!"
The strong devoured the weak. It was as simple as that.
To the scholar, they were an existence he could not resist, while Zhang Qingyuan and Zhang Junbao were stronger still.
What reason was there to speak of in the martial world?
In The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, who could the massacred Lin Family reason with?
In The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, who could Xie Xun's family, murdered by Cheng Kun, reason with?
In The Legend of the Condor Heroes, Jiang Family Village had been slaughtered by Mei Chaofeng to practice her martial arts... where was the reason in that?
Righteous or evil, nobody listened to reason.
The two escorted the scholar to the city gate, where Mount Song Sword Sect disciples had now taken over the watch.
The soldiers did not care about Netherworld City or anything of the sort. Anyone with a travel permit could pass.
But after they let people through, the Mount Song Sword Sect stopped them and sent them back.
It was midsummer, so darkness fell late, and curfew began late too.
The travelers were anxious to get home or continue their journeys, but no amount of reasoning worked. Only those who paid silver could leave.
Upon reaching the gate and seeing this strange state of affairs, Zhang Qingyuan said to Zhang Junbao, "See? This is what I meant when I said the big sects eat meat while the small sects drink the broth."
Zhang Junbao remained expressionless and silent.
The soldiers checked the scholar's and the doctor's travel permits, then examined Zhang Qingyuan's and Zhang Junbao's Daoist registration plaques before letting them through as usual.
Once they stepped outside the gate, the Mount Song Sword Sect disciples stretched out their hands to stop them.
"Go back. We-"
Before they could finish, Zhang Junbao stepped forward and pulled the scholar along outside.
Zhang Qingyuan protected the doctor and swiftly followed. Dozens of Mount Song Sword Sect disciples angrily drew their swords.
Zhang Junbao was even angrier than Zhang Qingyuan, because he could not understand how people could be this overbearing.
Even more overbearing than the authorities!
He looked back at the citizens anxious to leave the city. Every one of them had their own work, their own reasons they had to leave.
Why did their grudge against Netherworld City have to involve ordinary people?
If they truly had that much temper, they should attack Netherworld City!
Why make things difficult for ordinary people?
Although Brother Yuan has already explained the reasons to me, and I understand the logic behind it.
I still cannot understand it, think it through, or see it clearly.
Zhang Junbao raised his head and said to Zhang Qingyuan, "Brother Yuan, escort them away first. Your little brother wants to talk some sense into the Mount Song Sword Sect."
"All right."
Zhang Qingyuan agreed.
Someone needed to escort the scholar and the doctor, and Zhang Junbao needed to vent his anger too.
It was not yet time for his Zhang the Sloppy phase, but they insisted on pulling up the seedling to make it grow.
Zhang Qingyuan accompanied the scholar to his carriage. Once aboard, he drove it away at a gallop.
Behind them, Zhang Junbao's blue Daoist robes fluttered gently in the evening breeze.
His topknot was somewhat disheveled. He had walked too quickly earlier, loosening his hairpin slightly.
He stood before the Mount Song Sword Sect disciples, blocking them from pursuing Zhang Qingyuan.
One disciple pointed his sword at Zhang Junbao. "You Daoist! You dared let people out without permission. You must be a fiend! You few, hurry and fetch the sect leader. We'll hold him here!"
Several disciples turned and entered the city, while the rest surrounded Zhang Junbao.
"Sword formation!"
The disciples took their respective positions, forming a sword formation that looked impressive without being comprehensible.
At the city gate, two soldiers suddenly laughed.
The two opposite them were puzzled and asked curiously, "What are you two laughing at?"
One soldier said, "We were the ones who just checked those two young Daoists' registration plaques. Do you know who they are?"
"Who?"
"The two who wiped out the Wang Family in Central Province a year ago."
"So it's those two. Then why didn't you tell the Mount Song Sword Sect?"
"Heh, I'm dying to see them get humiliated. Strutting around in front of us all day. Who do they think they are?"
"True enough."
The four soldiers leaned on their spears, smiling as they watched Zhang Junbao.
Zhang Junbao slowly drew his sword. At some point, his hairpin suddenly fell free, and his long hair spilled loose in a tangled mess, making him look slovenly.
In truth, if Zhang Junbao gave his name, these Mount Song Sword Sect disciples would, like Jiang Yi, show him courtesy and let him leave.
But for some reason, Zhang Junbao felt it was better not to give his name.
If I don't say it, they won't know who I am.
If I do, they probably won't dare attack.
"Kill him!"
Dozens of Mount Song Sword Sect disciples thrust their swords at once, their power greatly amplified by the sword formation.
Sword Qi converged into a huge sword that hung above Zhang Junbao's head.
"Hah!"
The disciples exerted their strength together, and the huge sword descended upon his head.
Only now did Zhang Junbao finish drawing his sword.
A new sword. A perfect chance to see how sharp you are.
"Thunderbolt!"
A flash of lightning streaked past, and the huge sword shattered.
Then Zhang Junbao became like a butterfly, dancing gracefully as he wielded his treasured sword.
Blood blossomed and sprayed, spreading color like paint...