Chapter Seventy-Four: The Three Suns Sect

After Xiao Gao had walked far enough, someone voiced their indignation: “That man surnamed Gao is truly too much! He’s nothing more than an attendant to His Highness…” The leader immediately interrupted, “Mind your words, leave yourself some room—walls have ears!” As the final word left his lips, Ma Beifang suddenly felt his breath catch. Sensing danger, he flipped up without hesitation, leaping from the rooftop. He had barely launched himself when, with a thunderous crash, a burly giant broke through the tiles, bricks flying as he lunged to grab him.

In the midst of chaos, Ma Beifang twisted his body, head down, feet up, and aimed both palms at the man’s head. The giant, despite his massive build, moved with startling agility. With a move called “The Dipper Kicks the Big Dipper,” he raised his right leg high, blocking Ma Beifang’s strike with the sole of his foot, then flipped backward. As his body turned, his left leg shot upward in a move borrowed from street acrobatics but executed with enough force to shatter stone. The kick was aimed straight for Ma Beifang’s vital chest and abdomen. Gritting his teeth, Ma Beifang channeled his inner strength into his palms and struck the man’s left leg. The force of the kick sent Ma Beifang, who was airborne and thus could not counter the impact, hurtling several yards away. Fortunately, his mastery of lightness skill allowed him to land steadily and regain his stance.

The giant turned to face him—a man with deep-set eyes and a prominent nose. It was Iron Scale! Since their parting on Tianshan years ago, Ma Beifang hadn’t seen him, but Iron Scale’s foreign features made him unmistakable.

Iron Scale sneered, “Well, well! A disciple of Tianshan Sect, aren’t you? Among your peers, there are barely five or six who could take a few of my moves. Let me tear off that mask and see which old friend’s student you are!”

Ma Beifang knew that years ago, Iron Scale’s martial skills were already on par with his masters. Now, he must have improved even further. Not daring to be careless, Ma Beifang drew his sword, forming a seal with his left hand while pointing the blade at Iron Scale with his right.

Iron Scale spun his left arm in a circle, his right palm darting out from beneath his elbow—a move from his famed “Thirty-Six Thunderbolts.” When he performed these techniques, they were worlds apart from Xiao Gao’s attempts—the force was like glaciers collapsing or tidal waves crashing. The pressure alone made Ma Beifang feel as if he might cough blood.

Luckily, Ma Beifang’s own internal arts had reached the seventh stage in recent years, allowing him to withstand the onslaught as he launched a counterattack—the “Jade Dragon Emerges from the Valley” from the Falling Snow Swordplay, a move as graceful as a startled swan, darting through the crushing waves of inner force. However, the Thirty-Six Thunderbolts were famed for their ceaseless, flowing momentum. The force surged like a tsunami, and after barely twenty moves, Ma Beifang was already faltering, pressed to his limits.

In desperation, Ma Beifang seized a fleeting opening as Iron Scale shifted techniques. With a loud shout, he leaped high and swung his sword down with all his might. Though taught by Yang Wuji, a renowned member of Tianshan Sect, Ma Beifang’s master was known for his mastery of palm and saber techniques more than swordplay. Thus, Ma Beifang, besides being well-versed in Tianshan swordplay, was also skilled in saber and palm forms—unlike Li Chongyuan and Li Chongjun, who knew nothing of saber-craft. This particular strike was not sword technique, but rather from Yang Wuji’s self-created saber style, the “Heavenly Thunder Saber.” Few had ever witnessed these moves, so Iron Scale failed to recognize the technique and was forced back several steps.

Seizing the chance, Ma Beifang intended to withdraw, but a shrill voice called from behind, “Think I won’t recognize you just because you wear a mask? You were so impressive on the stage just now!” It was Xiao Gao.

Xiao Gao charged, both palms poised. Ma Beifang vaulted upward, his toe touching Xiao Gao’s back, sending him stumbling forward uncontrollably—straight into Iron Scale’s path. Iron Scale, gathering strength for a double-palm strike, was forced to pull back at the last instant to avoid hurting this important person, barking, “Get out of my way!”

Iron Scale gathered his strength again, casting the Iron Pipa Palm through the air toward Ma Beifang’s back. By now, Ma Beifang had already leapt over a dozen feet away, but he felt a sudden tightness in his back and a salty taste in his mouth, unable to restrain a mouthful of blood. Steeling his mind, he twisted in the air, slashing his sword several times to force Iron Scale back, but he could not prevent himself from plummeting to the street below. He landed with unsteady feet, barely able to stand, but knew that to collapse now would be the end. Gritting his teeth, he pressed forward, blending into the growing midday crowd. Iron Scale and his companions, unwilling to cause a scene, could only watch as Ma Beifang vanished among the throng.

Yellow Coral waited anxiously at the inn, about to go out and investigate when the door was suddenly flung open and Ma Beifang stumbled in, coughing blood before collapsing unconscious.

Startled, Yellow Coral hurried to carry him to the bed and fed him a Bi Lotus Pill. After half an hour, Ma Beifang awakened. Fortunately, Iron Scale had intended to keep him alive and hadn’t struck with full force; combined with Ma Beifang’s quick movement, he had only caught the tail end of the Iron Pipa Palm and would recover within ten days’ rest.

Ma Beifang briefly recounted what had happened. Yellow Coral frowned. “Iron Scale is a veteran of the Kunlun Sect—what’s he doing here instead of on Mount Kunlun? And what’s this about being a sect leader? Strange.” Ma Beifang replied, “That Xiao Gao is even stranger—I thought he was just a local thug, but he turns out to be an attendant to some prince.” The two pondered the situation but could make little sense of it. One thing was clear: they could not remain here. If Iron Scale had set up a base, then there were surely spies everywhere, and their location would soon be discovered. As they began to pack, a peal of laughter sounded outside. Ma Beifang opened the window to see Sha Tonghai approaching, followed by Zhong Xian, He Jiahui, and others.

Sha Tonghai, unable to find Ma Beifang, had sent his men to inquire and quickly learned they were staying at this inn. He rode over at once. Ma Beifang composed himself and went out to greet them, while Yellow Coral remained inside, hand gripping her sword in case of trouble.

Sha Tonghai laughed, “Brother Ma, you were hard to find!”

Ma Beifang clasped his hands apologetically. “Master Sha, I meant no offense. I had no intention of joining the tournament, but I saw He Jiahui in mortal danger and had no choice but to intervene. If I have caused offense, I beg your pardon.”

Sha Tonghai waved his hand. “No offense at all! The purpose of my tournament was to gather heroes from all corners—whoever has the skill deserves the glory. You, Brother Ma, have been the finest I’ve seen these days; no one has surpassed you yet! Hahaha! The position of Chief Martial Instructor is yours, waiting for you!”

Ma Beifang smiled wryly. He knew his own abilities: while a competent martial artist, to say no one could surpass him was an exaggeration. There were many in the world his equal or superior—Iron Scale alone was someone he could not defeat. Other masters might be too far away to hear of the tournament or were hermits who cared nothing for such titles. He had simply been lucky.

He hurriedly said, “Master Sha, please don’t say that. For instance, that odd, effeminate young man had quite some skill…”

Sha Tonghai shook his head. “That fellow? A sissy, really. I can’t stand the sight of him. If he ever boarded my ship, I’d toss him in the sea for the fish.”

Inside, Yellow Coral exhaled in relief. She had been worried that Sha Tonghai and Iron Scale were in league, but now it seemed they had no connection. If Iron Scale wanted trouble, he would have come himself—who could stop him? There was no need for schemes.

Ma Beifang said, “Master Sha, please understand. We are here searching for an old friend. If he’s not in this town, we must continue our search elsewhere. It’s not convenient for us to stay.”

Sha Tonghai asked, “An old friend? So you don’t know where he is?”

Ma Beifang replied, “Indeed. The world is vast—we have no idea where to look. All we can do is travel from province to province, hoping for heaven’s favor and some news.”

Sha Tonghai laughed. “That’s easily solved! I can’t speak for everywhere, but in Laizhou, Fuzhou, Leizhou, Qiongzhou, and Lingnan, I have friends everywhere. If I send word, they’ll help you search with all their might. You can stay here and await the news in comfort—much better than exhausting yourselves on a wild chase. Besides, this Chief Martial Instructor position is basically a teacher’s job. You’d only be training some new recruits on the island for a year at most. After that, if you want to leave, I won’t stand in your way. What do you say?”

Ma Beifang hesitated, but inside the room, Yellow Coral’s mind was made up. With Sha Tonghai’s network, their search would be much easier, and with Iron Scale lurking nearby, the island would be a safe refuge for Ma Beifang to recover from his injuries. Even if Iron Scale wanted revenge, he was unlikely to pursue them to the island. She stepped out to the main room, curtsied to Sha Tonghai, and said with a smile, “Thank you for your generous offer, Master Sha. If we declined, the martial world would mock us for not recognizing an opportunity. If you have any commands, we would follow you through fire and water without hesitation!”

Sha Tonghai was delighted. “I’ve heard Brother Ma is accompanied by a beautiful lady, and now that I see you… ah…” He glanced at Zhong Xian, who whispered a few words in his ear. Turning back, he continued, “Truly a beauty to shame the flowers, to eclipse the moon…” The latter words came awkwardly—clearly, he had no idea what they meant and was merely parroting a phrase. Yellow Coral, however, was secretly pleased.

With a wave, Sha Tonghai called for an attendant, who brought forth a brocade box. He pulled out a pearl necklace—each pearl the size of a date, and, astonishingly, all perfectly matched. Such a necklace must be priceless. With a casual gesture, Sha Tonghai pressed it into Yellow Coral’s hands. “Little sister, this is yours now!”

Ma Beifang sighed and bowed. “Thank you for your kindness, Master Sha. We will set out at once.”

Sha Tonghai laughed heartily. “Splendid! That’s the spirit! Move onto the ship today, and at dawn we’ll sail for the island!” Iron Scale and his men, lurking near the inn, watched as Sha Tonghai’s entourage escorted Ma Beifang and Yellow Coral away. Though Iron Scale was formidable, Sha Tonghai was a local power with deep official connections, and Iron Scale dared not attack openly. He could only watch as they boarded the ship. Xiao Gao spat, “They can’t stay on that ship forever—they’ll have to come ashore eventually. We’ll post men at the harbor and wait.”

But at dawn, their informants reported that the ship had sailed. Iron Scale stamped his foot in frustration and cursed Xiao Gao behind his back.