Chapter 110: Striking Out on One's Own

However, this secret was not kept for long. According to the sect’s rules, practicing forbidden arts was punishable by the abolition of one’s martial arts and expulsion from the sect. Yet, Tie Lin was of such a volatile temperament and possessed such immense martial prowess that he was considered the undisputed master of the Kunlun Sect. Consequently, no one dared to sanction him. At the time, the Kunlun Sect leader, Daoist Chongxu, was advanced in age and unwilling to involve himself in the affairs of the Jianghu; he voluntarily offered to step down and retire from public life.

By seniority and merit, Senior Uncle Xuanyuan should have succeeded him, but he was equally averse to such entanglements and firmly declined. Had he refused, the position would have fallen to Senior Uncle Tie Lin. By then, the news of Tie Lin’s practice of forbidden arts had surfaced, and it was common knowledge that he harbored deep resentment toward the Tianshan Sect. It was feared that if he became the leader, he would surely drag the Kunlun Sect into conflict with them.

Thus, Daoist Xuanyuan vehemently opposed Tie Lin’s succession, and the other elders were equally unwilling to entrust the sect to him for fear of the chaos he might cause. Unexpectedly, Tie Lin was enraged by this perceived humiliation. During the leadership nomination assembly, he struck out, brutally killing both the elder leader Chongxu and Daoist Xuanyuan, and wounding the other uncles. He then took his own direct disciples and coerced those of us who were timid into leaving the mountain with him to found the Sanyang Sect, with himself as the leader. It has been nearly two years since then."

Li Zhongyuan remarked, "I had no idea the Sanyang Sect had been established for two years. Why has there been no word of them in the Jianghu, and why did the Kunlun Sect remain silent after such a major event?"

Zhang Shaojie replied, "Ordinarily, a new sect must accomplish a few significant deeds to be recognized by the Jianghu. However, as soon as the Sanyang Sect was formed, a prince in Chang'an took it under his wing to handle secret affairs, which is why it never made a name for itself. I suspect Tie Lin had been in contact with this prince for some time; it is even possible that his move to seize the Kunlun leadership was orchestrated by the prince, and the founding of the Sanyang Sect was merely an unplanned contingency. As for the identity of that prince, I held a low rank within the sect and never heard it mentioned."

Lin Qingli laughed, "It seems your so-called 'Three Styles of Thunder' isn't all that impressive. What does it matter if Tie Lin restored them? He was still beaten until he coughed up blood."

Zhang Shaojie, seeing his sect’s unique skill belittled, replied indignantly, "Though Tie Lin recovered the secret art, he lacked the time to cultivate it. With his current internal strength, had he been able to seclude himself for a year or so, mastering the technique would not have been difficult. Unfortunately, he was too busy handling errands for the prince and could only practice in his spare time. Last month, he was too eager and suffered a backlash of qi, from which he has yet to recover. He dare not exert his true internal power; otherwise, who would have emerged victorious today is hard to say." He bowed deeply and added, "I shall retire from the Jianghu from this day forward. I cannot repay the debt of saving my life, but I will keep it in my heart." With that, he drifted away.

Lin Qingli stuck out her tongue and said, "We fought until the world went dark, and yet he seems to have come out the winner."

Because many of the sect members were wounded, Li Zhongyuan brought out a quantity of snow lotus and snow ginseng pills for them to take. The Poison Guanyin smiled and asked, "I wonder what the names of these miraculous medicines are?"

Li Zhongyuan replied sheepishly, "These items were obtained by chance; they have no names."

The Poison Guanyin said, "These are true treasures of nature. Would it not be a waste of heaven’s bounty to leave them unnamed? Perhaps I could name them for you?"

Li Zhongyuan smiled, "I would be honored."

The Poison Guanyin mused, "These medicines are highly effective for longevity and replenishing vitality. Let us call the pill based on snow lotus the 'Snow Lotus Life-Prolonging Pill,' and the one based on snow ginseng the 'Nine-Cycle Soul-Calming Pellet.' How does that sound, Hero Li?"

Li Zhongyuan laughed, "The Sect Leader is truly well-versed in both pharmacology and literature; otherwise, how could you have thought of such fitting and elegant names?"

Lin Qingli, seeing him praise the Poison Guanyin, grew jealous and muttered, "Humph, what's so great about them? The Life-Prolonging Pill is fine, but the 'Nine-Cycle Soul-Calming Pellet' sounds like something used at a funeral. It’s quite ominous."

As most of the Golden Silkworm Sect members were injured and needed rest, the Poison Guanyin led them toward the southern Miao border after speaking with the group. Since this was already their territory and Tie Lin was heavily wounded, no escort was needed. Lan Wutong continued to travel with Li Zhongyuan and Lin Qingli. They watched from a high vantage point as the Poison Guanyin led her followers into the dense forest until they vanished from sight, then descended the mountain.

Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, they found their horses missing, likely stolen by the Sanyang Sect members while they were fleeing for their lives. The three had no choice but to continue on foot and look for a town to purchase new mounts.

By the time they reached the vicinity of Black Tiger Peak, it was already dark. Lan Wutong looked around from a high point and said happily, "There is a house not far ahead; let us go and ask for lodging." She led the way directly toward it. Upon arrival, they realized the shack was not a private residence but a wild inn. Such inns were common in Sichuan, Shu, and Qian, usually situated in remote mountains. The floor was covered in thick hay, and a wooden barrel in the corner was filled with rice, flour, salt, and cured meat. The water vat was full of spring water, firewood was stacked behind the house, and a few copper coins lay in a bamboo tube by the door.

Usually, no innkeeper watched these spots. They would simply stop by every ten days or so to collect money and replenish supplies. Travelers would cook their own meals and sleep on the hay. When leaving, one would drop a few coins in the tube if they had them; if not, it was no matter. The mountain folk were honest, and it was rare for anyone to eat without paying.

Lan Wutong was highly skilled in cooking Miao-style meals. She worked nimbly, chopping wood and washing rice. Soon, a large pot of white rice was steaming. When it was half-cooked, she placed slices of cured meat on top. The rendered pork fat seeped into the grains, making them glisten like pearls. The white meat turned translucent like fish jelly, and the red meat became as vibrant as azaleas. Once fully steamed, she sprinkled a little salt over it, making it exceptionally sweet and fragrant. Li Zhongyuan and Lin Qingli praised it endlessly.

Lin Qingli smiled, "Sister Lan, you have turned such simple ingredients into a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate. After our business is finished, why not open a restaurant in the town below? With your skills, you would surely make a fortune."

Lan Wutong laughed, "That sounds nice. Shall we call it the 'Wutong Rice Shop'?"

Li Zhongyuan shook his head. "No, no. Such exquisite craft deserves a better name; that is far too mundane. Why not call it the 'Phoenix Pavilion'? Without a Wutong tree, how could one summon a phoenix? With you, the Wutong tree, the phoenixes will naturally come for your fame."

Lan Wutong chuckled, "You Han people are so circuitous; even naming a shop is so complex. Then what should this bowl of rice be called?"

Lin Qingli chimed in, "Brother Zhongyuan named the restaurant, so I must name the rice."

Li Zhongyuan laughed, "As you wish."

Lin Qingli thought for a moment and said, "The rice is as white as snow, and the cured meat is a mix of red and white. With the bright moon hanging in the sky, reflecting off the rice, it looks ethereal and beautiful. Let us call it 'Lucky Snow and Emerald Smiling at the Moon Goddess'."

Lan Wutong clapped in approval.