Chapter One Hundred and Nine

A sudden sound came from the side. Everyone looked over to see that it was Zhang Shaojie. Having just regained consciousness after being struck by Lan Wutong’s pressure point technique, he was immediately spotted by the members of the Golden Silkworm Sect. Filled with hatred for him, several members raised their blades, intent on ending his life.

Lan Wutong hurriedly intervened, crying, "Sister Sect Leader, although this man is one of Tie Lin’s lackeys, he is cut from a different cloth." She recounted how Zhang Shaojie had intended to let them escape along the way.

The Poison Guanyin nodded. "Our Golden Silkworm Sect distinguishes clearly between gratitude and grudges. He had the heart to let you go; while you need not feel indebted to him, his kind intent remains. Since he is new here and did not participate in the slaughter of our brothers, let him go."

Lan Wutong nodded, stepped over to release his pressure points, and laughed, "A single moment of kindness has saved your life today. You’ve certainly come out ahead this time!"

The Poison Guanyin walked over to Li Zhongyuan and Lin Qingli and offered a deep, formal bow. "You must be the hero Li Zhongyuan and his companion, sister Lin Qingli. If not for your timely intervention, even with Wutong’s skills, we would surely have been no match for Tie Lin. You have helped me avert the destruction of my sect; please accept my gratitude." With that, she bowed gracefully and deeply.

Seeing their leader bow, the sect members behind her quickly dropped their weapons and knelt to kowtow.

The two were flustered and quickly said, "Please, get up quickly. We are friends of Lan Wutong; we cannot accept such a grand gesture."

Lin Qingli took the Poison Guanyin’s arm and, hearing the whistling sound in her wheezing breath, realized that Tie Lin’s heavy blows had severely damaged her lungs. "The snow lotus and thousand-year snow ginseng of the Tianshan Sect have miraculous effects on internal injuries," she suggested. "Sister, you might want to try them."

The Poison Guanyin smiled bitterly. "Where would one find snow lotus and thousand-year snow ginseng here? I shall just have to wait until I return to the Miao territory to seek treatment and recover slowly."

Li Zhongyuan said, "I happen to have quite a few snow lotus and snow ginseng pellets with me. Although the preparation method is crude, the ingredients are rare treasures. They are very potent; you should try them."

He reached into his leather pouch and pressed a large handful of the pellets into the Poison Guanyin’s hand. He had crafted over a thousand of these in the Lotus Ginseng Cave years ago. After Lin Qingli had taken many of them, he still had more than half left, which he usually kept in his pouch.

The Poison Guanyin was an expert in poisons and pharmacology and understood the nature of medicinal ingredients. A single sniff of the pellets told her they were precious rarities, though she remained puzzled by their rough appearance. She thanked him sincerely.

Her pain was becoming unbearable, so she did not hesitate to swallow a few. No sooner had they reached her stomach than a warm current surged toward her chest. Her injuries felt instantly eased, and she could breathe without the sharp, tearing pain. She could not help but look at Li Zhongyuan with eyes full of deep gratitude.

Just then, as Zhang Shaojie was about to leave, Li Zhongyuan called out, "Wait."

Zhang Shaojie stood his ground, unafraid. He turned back and sneered, "What, do you regret it? A man lives and dies as he chooses. Zhang will not furrow his brow even in death." He stood with his hands behind his back.

Though this man had been led astray by the wrong master, he was a true hero. Li Zhongyuan could not help but feel a growing respect for him.

Li Zhongyuan smiled. "Brother Zhang, what are you saying? I only wish to ask you a few questions."

Zhang Shaojie raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Ask away. I shall tell you everything I know."

Li Zhongyuan asked, "Some time ago, people besieged these Miao tribesmen at the Jingshui Manor outside the capital. Was that your doing?"

Zhang Shaojie replied, "I have heard of this matter, but it was not the work of the Sanyang Sect. We were in the vicinity of Guizhou at the time. We only arrived in Shuzhou recently after receiving a message by carrier pigeon."

Li Zhongyuan continued, "Have you heard who was responsible?"

Zhang Shaojie said, "I only heard it was the work of the Eastern Islanders. The one who spoke of it mentioned that while the Eastern Islanders were vicious, their martial arts were not exceptional. They said that if they were to face a true hero, they would be outmatched. Therefore, that Prince dispatched another master to assist them. I heard that this expert is a high-ranking official who rarely takes action himself. If the Prince had not been truly desperate for manpower, he would have been loath to employ him."

Li Zhongyuan asked, "I also wish to know: Tie Lin was a veteran of the Kunlun Sect with a very high status. Why did he go on to found the Sanyang Sect? What is the reason behind this?"

Zhang Shaojie’s expression shifted several times. He remained silent for a long moment before finally seeming to resolve himself. "I should not speak of this, but I brought you here, and the Sect Leader was injured. She will surely not forgive me, and I would be walking to my death if I returned. In truth, I have long wanted to leave the Sanyang Sect and retire from the martial world to live a quiet life. Today is a good opportunity; everyone will assume I am dead, which allows me to hide my name and live in peace. I might as well tell you everything I know."

Zhang Shaojie looked at Li Zhongyuan and said, "Earlier, you were wearing Miao clothing, and neither my senior brother nor I recognized you. Otherwise, we would not have committed such a grave error. In truth, my master’s founding of the Sanyang Sect has a great deal to do with you!"

"Me?" Li Zhongyuan was greatly surprised. "What does this have to do with me? I haven't seen him in years."

Zhang Shaojie smiled bitterly. "You may not have seen my master in years, but he has never forgotten you. Ever since you injured him severely back then, he has felt deep shame. He swore to kill you with his own palms to avenge that humiliation. Our senior master, Taoist Xuanwu, tried his best to dissuade him, arguing that accidents during duels are common and not worth dwelling on. He warned that if he insisted on revenge, the leaders of the Tianshan Sect would never sit idly by while their disciple was killed, which would surely trigger a bloody war between the two sects. He urged him to consider the greater good, but he wouldn't listen. Instead, he fell out with Taoist Xuanwu. Tie Lin even swore to storm the Tianshan Mountains, strike down all the sect leaders, and then deal with you at his leisure. Everyone thought he was delusional and paid him no mind, but no one realized he had other plans. Two years ago, he found an opportunity to defy the Kunlun Sect’s prohibitions and secretly entered the resting place of the past sect leaders' coffins. He stole the secret martial arts notes of the ancestors and, following the diagrams, restored the long-lost 'Three Thunderous Styles' of the Kunlun Sect. Because this martial art is so sinister and ruthless, it was deemed an evil technique by the martial arts community decades ago. The then-sect leader, Taoist Qingxu, understood the righteousness of the situation and publicly declared the Three Thunderous Styles a forbidden art, forbidding anyone from practicing it. Under the witness of the leaders of the Shaolin Sect and other major sects, he burned the secret manuals in public. Since then, this devastating martial art had ceased to exist. No one expected that Master Tie Lin, in his cunning, would find clues within the ancient training notes and piece it back together."