Entering the Spiritual Void: Chapter 120 – Escorting on the Journey

Gao Yunxiang laughed and said, "This is excellent. We have effectively doubled our strength, and it adds so much confidence to our efforts to rid the martial arts world of evil."

Yang Yifei replied, "I also wish to conceal my true appearance."

Gao Yunxiang asked, "The 'Wine and Meat Monk' has been subdued; what else are you afraid of?"

Yang Yifei shook her head and said, "It is not that I fear him. Concealing my true face will be very advantageous for our future operations."

Gao Yunxiang asked, "What are the advantages? Please, tell me."

Yang Yifei explained, "The Hundred Sects have established branches and informants all over the country. I know all their secret codes and hand signals. I have also met most of the brothers at the various branches. If I disguise myself, I will recognize them, but they will not recognize us. Isn't that an advantage?"

Meng Biyu nodded and smiled slightly. "As they say, 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle.' Tell me how you would like to be disguised, sister, and I will prepare your makeup immediately."

Yang Yifei glanced at Gao Yunxiang and said, "You wrapped me in cloth earlier, and it didn't hinder my movements at all; it was quite unconventional."

Meng Biyu immediately unslung the bundle from her back, took out her favorite white silk, and laughed, "I shall disguise you as the 'White Snake Spirit'!"

Yang Yifei nodded and chuckled, "Sister, you are both clever and beautiful; it would be better to disguise me as Xu Xian, and you can be the White Snake Spirit."

Meng Biyu reached out and playfully pinched her proud face, pouting her cherry lips. "Sister, aren't you afraid of biting your tongue? You are the embodiment of the White Snake Spirit yourself, yet you describe me as such!"

Gao Yunxiang and the others returned to where the Wine and Meat Monk lay. They heard Luo Mingyuan groaning loudly, "Oh! I'm bursting! I can't let it out!" He was covered in cold sweat.

The old beggar saw Gao Yunxiang approaching, stood up immediately, pointed at him, and scolded, "You little brat! You leave me here to guard a prisoner while you go off to flirt with the young ladies! I haven't had a drink all night; I'm practically dying of thirst!"

Gao Yunxiang’s handsome face flushed like an apple. He hurriedly reached into his robes, brought out two large gold ingots, and offered them with both hands. "Uncle, I apologize. Please take this silver and go get a drink with your friend."

The old beggar snatched the silver and stuffed it into his chest, then grabbed the poor scholar’s arm and said, "Poor friend, let’s go! Nothing is better than drinking."

After they had traveled several dozen yards, the poor scholar called out, "Wait, I forgot to tell that boy something."

The old beggar stopped and asked, "What is it?"

The poor scholar replied, "Evil men should be punished, but only up to a point. If you want to kill him, kill him; if not, you should remove the flying knife stuck in Luo Mingyuan’s gut. I fear these young ones are acting out of curiosity and might do something inhumane."

The old beggar said, "You don't know medicine; what's the use of telling them?"

The poor scholar replied, "I know a secret recipe. You don't need to cut him open; it can make him pass a swallowed needle."

The old beggar said, "With Luo Mingyuan’s deep internal energy, once his pressure points are released, he can force it out with his own qigong."

The poor scholar ran back quickly, returned moments later, and headed into town for a drink.

The Flower Maiden asked Xie Yuhua, "Are we going with our godfather, or..."

Xie Yuhua answered first, "We are going with the two elders."

Luo Mingyuan, unable to see, could not distinguish who was around him. Hearing voices that sounded either like children or young women, he thought to himself: If I have fallen into the hands of these brats, I am in for a world of suffering.

Meng Biyu asked Gao Yunxiang, "We are taking this monk to the Heavenly Blade Pavilion. How shall we transport him?"

Gao Yunxiang pondered for a moment and said, "Find two large hemp sacks, put him inside, and strap him to a horse. Our people will split into front and rear guards. If we encounter strong enemies, we will kill him first before fighting to the death."

***

Gao Yunxiang and Jie Zhenzi arrived at the inn where they had stayed. Seeing the front gate wide open, they walked in to find that all the guests had left. The proprietor and his staff were discussing how to report the incident.

When the proprietor saw Gao Yunxiang enter, he exclaimed in surprise, "Sir, you weren't burned to death last night?"

Gao Yunxiang laughed, "The moment the fire started, I happened to be out relieving myself, so I escaped. I went to track down the arsonists and discovered they were scoundrels from the martial arts world, retaliating because we blocked their path to profit."

The proprietor asked, "Are your friends safe?"

Yi Zhe smiled and said, "Thanks to your kindness, yes."

The proprietor pressed his palms together and said, "Amitabha, thank heavens."

Gao Yunxiang said, "The reason I returned is to apologize. Since the trouble started with us, I cannot let you suffer such unmerited misfortune. I will compensate you with two hundred taels of silver; please use it to buy materials and hire labor to rebuild." Saying this, he took out a banknote for two hundred taels and handed it to him.

The proprietor stared at Gao Yunxiang, wide-eyed, not even reaching for the money. He thought to himself: Ever since I opened this inn, I’ve seen countless incidents, and the losses have been uncountable, but I have never encountered anything like this. This is a true hero.

Gao Yunxiang laughed, "Proprietor, do you fear the banknote is counterfeit or obtained through illicit means?"

The proprietor waved his hands quickly. "No, no! I would never think such things. It is just that you are so considerate to us merchants. There are many so-called heroes in the world, but today I have finally seen a true one."

Gao Yunxiang placed the banknote in the proprietor's hand. "Do not report this to the officials; it will only bring more trouble. Rest assured, no more thieves will come to cause trouble at your establishment."

The proprietor nodded repeatedly, "Thank you, thank you!"

Gao Yunxiang left the inn and went to the horse market. In addition to the five horses bought the day before, he bought several more and returned to the meeting place with Jie Zhenzi.

Halfway there, Jie Zhenzi suddenly remembered they hadn't bought the hemp sacks for the prisoner. "Brother Gao, you go on ahead; I’ll go back and buy the sacks."

Gao Yunxiang said, "Be quick."

Jie Zhenzi returned to the street and bought two sacks. Seeing a blacksmith shop next door, he walked in and asked, "Proprietor, do you have any iron chains for sale?"

The blacksmith had just woken up and hadn't lit the forge. He shook his head and said, "We don't have a market for chains here; if you need them, they must be custom-made." After a pause, he asked, "What do you need them for? I bought some scrap metal yesterday and acquired an old chain. I don't know if it would suffice." He pointed to a pile of scrap metal behind the door.

Jie Zhenzi looked over. The chain was quite thick. He grabbed a large pile and asked, "Although it's a bit thick, it will do. How much do you want for it?"

The blacksmith said, "I bought it as scrap, and I don't want to overcharge you. Give me one tael and five mace."

Jie Zhenzi liked his friendly manner. He took out two one-tael silver ingots and said, "You haven't started your business for the day, so take this for good luck. I'll give you two taels; no need for change. I'll take the chain."

The blacksmith smiled and took the silver. "Where are you staying? This chain is very heavy; do you need a cart to deliver it?"

Jie Zhenzi smiled, "Don't judge me by my size; I still have some strength. No need for a cart." With that, he bent down, grabbed the chain, lifted it, coiled it around his neck, turned, and walked out. He leapt onto his horse and galloped away.

The blacksmith watched him ride off with nearly two hundred pounds of chain on his shoulders and thought: That young man must be a martial artist, or he wouldn't be so agile.

As Jie Zhenzi reached the street corner, he saw his junior sister galloping toward him. She arrived in an instant and asked, "Junior brother, did you come to find me?"

Jie Girl replied, "Yes, is that an iron chain you have coiled on your shoulders?"

Jie Zhenzi answered, "Yes."

***

Jie Qingzi said, "Since you’ve already bought the chain, there's no need to return to town." She turned her horse, and the two rode back to the forest.

Gao Yunxiang heard Luo Mingyuan complaining one moment about a bloated stomach and wanting to defecate, and the next about wanting water. He scolded, "You bald devil, when you were tormenting others, did you ever consider the pain they were suffering?"

Luo Mingyuan said, "I never thought about it before. I didn't know having a knife stuck in one's rear would be this uncomfortable. Otherwise, I would have kidnapped your father and stuck a knife in his rear just for fun."

Gao Yunxiang raged, "You are facing death, and yet you still try to take advantage of your master? Very well! Very well!"

The Wine and Meat Monk said, "My whole life has been spent finding pleasure in tormenting others with vicious means. Now that I am restrained, my limbs are as good as dead, my eyes cannot see, but my breath has not yet ceased, and my mouth can still speak. I have no choice but to use my mouth to amuse myself."

Jie Zhenzi asked, "Are you not afraid of death?"

Luo Mingyuan replied, "Death cannot be more uncomfortable than having a knife stuck in my gut." He groaned, "Oh, I'm bursting!"

Li Hao jumped over, kicked him hard, sealed his pressure points, and together they locked the chain onto his legs, stuffed him into the sack, tied it tight, and strapped it to the horse.

Gao Yunxiang waved his hand and said, "Let’s go."

Yang Yifei walked to a chestnut-colored horse and was about to mount when her arm was held. Looking back, she saw it was Meng Biyu. She smiled and asked, "Sister Yu, let’s talk once we’re on the road."

Meng Biyu laughed, "Why don't you ride that white horse?"

Yang Yifei shook her head. "Sister, to be honest, that white horse is indeed majestic, and riding it would attract a lot of attention, but I have never liked the color white."

Meng Biyu asked seriously, "Truly?"

Yang Yifei said, "I would never say one thing while thinking another in front of you."

Meng Biyu said, "You are truly an honest person whose words match your heart. I admire Brother's keen eye for being able to see through you the moment we met."

The group of young men and women rode their horses and left the forest in a grand procession.

The Jie girl looked up and saw the burned inn still emitting thin smoke. Occasionally, sparks would burst from the ruins. She sighed, "Alas! Vicious thieves! So cruel and ruthless, forcing honest people to suffer such unprovoked disaster and heavy loss."

Jie Zhenzi said, "The innkeeper burned an old building and will get a new one. Not only did he not suffer a loss, but he might even profit. Having met someone as kind as Brother Gao, he might even be happy his old inn burned down."

The Jie girl scolded, "What are you babbling about? I don't understand you! Explain yourself clearly."

Jie Zhenzi raised his voice, "Brother Gao just went to the inn and compensated him with two hundred taels of silver."

The others didn't feel much, but Li Hao had a strong reaction. He thought: Brother did the right thing, but since the whole affair started because of me, how can I bear for him to pay? But I have no money now, what should I do?

Right! I should explain to him that I will pay him back in the future. My family's house was burned, but the land cannot be burned. As long as I am not dead, the ownership is still mine; I can scrape together two hundred taels.

As Li Hao’s thoughts shifted, he urged his horse forward, but he could not make a sound, and he could not talk while riding. He had to wave his hand, signaling Gao Yunxiang to dismount.

Gao Yunxiang misinterpreted his gesture, thinking he wanted him to gallop. He whipped his horse and urged it forward. The horse galloped off.

Being unable to speak, Li Hao was particularly anxious. Seeing Gao Yunxiang ride off instead of stopping, he grew even more frustrated. He chased after him and wrote on his palm, "Second Brother, please stop! Dismount, I have something important to tell you."