Chapter 23: A Midnight Rescue of Zhu Shitian

A month later, Li Jiu and Zi Lan, chatting and laughing, arrived in Hengzhou. That night, they stayed at an inn just outside Hengyang city. At dinner, the two of them were eating in the main hall. Hengzhou’s most famous dishes were sweet-and-sour silver-scaled fish, steamed pork knuckle, cold-sliced duck, and aromatic braised goose leg. Li Jiu, well-versed in the ways of the world, ordered these signature dishes without hesitation. Zi Lan ate with delight, her face beaming with joy.

Suddenly, from a distant table, a guest spoke as he ate, “It’s a pity about the Zhu residence—none of them managed to escape. The grand Zhu estate was reduced to ashes by the fire.” Someone asked, “Was it an accident?” The man at the head of the table replied, “Who knows? Some say a gang of villains broke in that night, burning and killing, but later that person changed his story, claiming he was mistaken. There’s something odd about this.”

Li Jiu called over a waiter and asked, “May I ask, is the Zhu residence they mentioned the home of Zhu Shitian?” The waiter hesitated. “Sir, it’s not that I’m being difficult. The manager warned us not to gossip. Please forgive me.” Yet he lingered nearby, and Li Jiu chuckled, “Passing on news takes effort. It’s only fair to buy you a jar of wine to wet your throat.” He discreetly handed the waiter a piece of silver from his pocket. The waiter’s face lit up with a broad smile. He poured wine for the two and said, “There’s only one Zhu residence in Hengzhou—of course, it’s Master Zhu Shitian’s. He’s truly the wealthiest man here. People talk about prominent families, but others just have their lords and ladies in silk and satin. In the Zhu household, even the stable boys wear black silk robes! Can you compare? Impossible! Master Zhu is not only rich, but also a peculiar figure of Hengzhou.”

Li Jiu asked curiously, “What’s so strange about Zhu Shitian?” The waiter grinned, “You wouldn’t know, sir. It’s lucky you met me. The greatest oddity in Hengzhou is that Zhu Shitian, despite his riches, has no heir!” Li Jiu said, “The Zhu family really has been burned to ashes; their wealth won’t be passed on. But who first said this? It’s quite a prophecy.” The waiter replied, “It’s not like that. Who would dare slander the Zhu family? The point is, Master Zhu Shitian, though so prosperous, never married or took concubines, and has no children. Isn’t that strange?” Li Jiu nodded, “It is indeed unusual.” The waiter sighed, “What a waste, all that gold and silver turned to ashes. If only he’d gifted some to me instead.” Li Jiu pressed, “Such a strange fire—surely the Zhu estate had many night patrols. How did the blaze happen?” The waiter said, “At dusk, there was sudden fighting and shouting at the Zhu residence. People thought bandits were raiding, so they rushed to report to the Prefect. The city guards were mobilized to quell the trouble, but by the time they arrived, the fire was already raging. No bandits were found, and the matter was quietly dropped. The man who raised the alarm later claimed he was drunk and mistaken. Sigh, Master Zhu, whose mere stomp could make Hengyang tremble, was reduced to ashes in the fire. Strange, isn’t it?”

Seeing he could learn nothing more, Li Jiu waved the waiter away, but the man was talkative and lingered, mumbling for a while before finally leaving.

Zi Lan, savoring the feast, ate with relish. Seeing Li Jiu frown in thought, she said, “Senior brother, we don’t know Zhu Shitian. Why worry over this matter?” Li Jiu replied, “Junior sister, our journey isn’t just to gain experience, but also to investigate worldly affairs for Tianshan Sect. This matter is odd; if it’s connected to the martial world, we mustn’t ignore it.”

After dinner, the sky had darkened. Though feelings had grown between them, they had not yet made a formal match, so they maintained propriety, each taking a separate upper room in the inn.

At midnight, faint whistling sounded from outside the window, followed by a rustling from the neighboring room. Someone muttered, “Come all this way, and haven’t had a proper sleep—now it’s time to go…” Another whispered sharply, “Don’t speak ill of the sect’s protector behind his back—do you want to die?” With his superior internal strength, Li Jiu’s hearing was exceptional. He thought to himself, “They mention a sect protector—could it be the Crane Immortal Sect from the North?” The two dressed, quietly opened the window, saw no one about, and leaped out, heading southwest.

Once they left, Li Jiu immediately followed. For over half an hour, he pursued them through the night until they reached a bamboo grove. In a clearing, a bonfire burned; many people gathered, discussing quietly. Another man was bound tightly to a thick bamboo.

After a short wait, a melodious flute sounded from afar. With the music, a young man in a white robe, holding a jade-green flute, descended lightly from atop the bamboo, his steps so airy and graceful he seemed like an immortal walking on air. Li Jiu thought, “Such lightness in his movements. But how skilled is he in martial arts?”

The young man had sharp brows and bright eyes, exceedingly handsome, but his expression was proud and aloof.

At his arrival, everyone knelt and cried in unison, “Crane Immortal Sect, sun and moon shine together, heaven and earth endure as one. Protector Shenguazi, wise and mighty, we submit to you.”

Protector Shenguazi raised his head and gave a cold snort. “You’ve done well. I’ll report your diligence to the Sect Master.” The crowd responded, “Thank you, Protector Shenguazi.”

Li Jiu thought, “So it is the Crane Immortal Sect gathering here. But I don’t know this so-called Shenguazi; he’s never appeared in the martial world before. For him to be a protector, his cultivation must be considerable.”

Shenguazi pointed to the man tied to the bamboo. “Is this Zhu Shitian?” Li Jiu was shocked. He’d heard from the waiter that Zhu Shitian perished in the fire, but he doubted it—how could Zhu Shitian die so easily? Surely he faked his death to escape, but something must have gone awry. Now, Zhu Shitian was right before him, once pampered, now in tattered clothes, bruised and battered, spiritless and unrecognizable except for Shenguazi’s mention.

A man in a yellow homespun shirt hurried forward. “Protector Shenguazi, this is Zhu Shitian. He disguised himself as a beggar and hid in the earth god’s temple. If he weren’t so plump and fair, we might not have noticed. Once we saw through his disguise, he fought back fiercely, injuring several of our best men before we used Soft Bone Powder to weaken him and finally capture him.”

Li Jiu wondered, “Soft Bone Powder is a poison favored by the descendants of the Guang Army from Tibet. How did these people obtain it? Could they be connected to the Guang Army?”

The Guang Army was the elite force of Tibetan Tsanpo Songtsen Gampo, renowned for its fighting prowess. It was said their martial arts were taught by monks from India, entirely different from the Central Plains’ schools. After Songtsen Gampo’s death, the army disbanded, and the monks settled in the border regions of Tibet and Tang, spreading Buddhism and martial arts around Qinghai Lake. Over time, the Qinghai Sect emerged, but it remained secluded near Qinghai, rarely venturing into the Central Plains. Though considered a heretical sect for its unusual techniques, it coexisted peacefully with mainstream martial arts.

Shenguazi snorted, “Now that we’re all part of the Crane Immortal Sect, the Sect Master has named it Western Bliss Ultimate Freedom Pill. Haven’t you heard? Yet you still call it Soft Bone Powder.” The man blanched, prostrating himself and knocking his head repeatedly. Shenguazi waved his sleeve, and the bonfire suddenly shrank, then exploded, growing several times larger and turning from red-yellow to blue-green, casting an eerie light on everyone’s faces. The heat was fierce, forcing the crowd to retreat. They cried out, “Protector Shenguazi’s power is unrivaled!”

Li Jiu smiled inwardly, “Shenguazi is being theatrical—he must have thrown some Fireburst Pill or similar