The master of Wudang told us to investigate Longjing village a while back.
Everyone in Longjing is involved in tea culture.
There are some rumours here about a haunted well or somesuch.
Sorry for the eavesdropping. Is something weird happening here?
Well! We’re talking about the Hupao Spring.
It’s just a large well, what’s wrong with it?
Ji, as the saying goes “Longjing Tea and Hupao Spring”, the Hupao Spring enjoys a sound reputation in Suzhou and Hangzhou. It’s the preferred option for water to make tea.
Someone even said “If not for Hupao Spring it can’t be called Longjing tea.” It’s of great importance to some locals.
Really? It’s just tea, I can’t tell the difference.
Well…
Why does your face turn pale?
No, you’re mistaken.
Someone heard weeping and howling coming out of the well recently. And it gets worse at midnight…
Ah! I… feel the chills up my spine…
Tch, already frightened? He’s not finished yet.
Back then there was this poor scholar… after the seventh township exams he threw himself into the well to commit suicide. And we can’t find his remains at all.
Later Daring Cai volunteered to find the body by himself. However, after a moment in the water he swam back in a panic and claimed that an icy hand grabbed his feet firmly.
I did witness it myself. He got a dark face and never stopped shuddering. And there’s indeed a mark on the ankle.
Despite the high temperature he still grabbed several coats and lit up the fire to get warm.
Since then, his swarthy face never changed and so he got the nickname “Blackface Cai”. So… if not for ghosts, what else can it be?
Gh… ghosts…
This is something that needs to be investigated.
Tch, ghosts and gods, I’m not buying that bullshit. If ghosts do exist, so what?
You’re full of it! If… that thing appears, I don’t believe you can still remain calm.
Why would I be afraid? It wants me dead? So be it. Ghost versus ghost, I’m definitely the winner.
*laughs*
Why are you laughing!
You’re either… bold or dumb? But after this I’m not so scared anymore… No, I’m not scared. It’s just…
You’re scared, no need to make excuses.
It’s good we have a psychic here.
Xiangyun, you… you can see them?
Hehe…
Shush, I seem to hear the voice.
… Nope, the voice seems to disappear.
I heard something too.
Don’t… you scare me! It’s deathly quiet here!
Tch, you’re the typical smatterer. Despite such bad hearing, you’re really pompous.
I’m touched, I never thought you would remember the teachings of Master…
As I expected, Ji is not a man of depth.
I’m not gonna talk crap with you guys…
The sound was weak, but perhaps a powerful person can make it with inner force.
Like “Lion roaring” of Beastmaster’s Manor or “Telespeech” of Vajrayana?
Though different, the principles are nearly the same. But the voice sounded weak, the person seems to suffer from several internal injuries.
Perhaps someone is hiding under the water? But that way he’d get drowned. The voice seems to come from the water.
The conditions would be different if there’s a secret place under the spring.
Indeed. I heard muffled echoes which can occur in hollow caves. If my assumption is right there’s a hidden cave under the water.
Let’s go and find out!
Ah! It’s broad daylight, why… why are you taking off your clothes?
Tch, should I get into the water with my clothes on?
…Ji, it’s alright to go with clothes, only a little slower. Ziling is a girl so taking off clothes is inappropriate.
…You two really are a bunch of sticklers. I’ll go in first!
Wait. Ji, I’ll go first. After twenty seconds, follow me into the water.
Really? I’m not a kid anymore. I’ll go first.
…Alright. Then let’s go together.
Hey, you wait for us on the bank. If anything goes wrong, go get help!
I’ll tag along. When in emergency situations, I’m probably more sharp-witted than you guys.
…Haha, my bad. We so save a lot of trouble with Ziling around.
True that. With someone crafty like her around, we won’t fall into traps easily.
Choose the correct words, it’s called “clever”!
Whatever, the meaning is similar.
It’s far from similar!
If there is someone down there, it must be related to our investigation. If danger emerges, promise me…
Since when did you become so chatty? Let’s just go.
Anyway, proceed with caution.
There’s indeed a hidden cave under the spring.
Is it? I can see everything clearly. You seem to have lousy hearing and eyesight.
Humph, at least I’m smarter than you.
So what? You still cannot see clearly here.
…You’re a lost cause.
There’s an unknown figure under the well.
Actually we know this figure already from the prologue. Another Feng Du bigshot.
!! There’s someone ahead.
Let’s go!
Don’t bother... *cough* I can’t see anyway.
You’re blind?
The… cold venom… spreads into the eyes… *cough*… My sight is long gone.
Cold venom spreads into the eyes… (Perhaps it’s…)
Please take some medicine.
Humph! Without knowing my identity you are rushing to give me medicine… *cough*… what profits are you aiming for?
I just see someone in need of help. If you’re upright, then saving you is my responsibility. If not, it won’t be too late to atone after your recovery.
…Hmm. Wuxia Zi of Xiaoyao valley… is quite a good teacher.
Please adjust your respiration to speed up the effects of the medicine.
We get an exact diagnosis from Xiangyun.
You’re kind… but… I’m aware of my condition. Even “cardiotonic bolus” made by Dr Miracle is still in vain.
Who the hell did this? Only a few have mastered such palm techniques of cold.
The three are “Snow Through Cloud Palm” of Master Langhua, “Xuanying Finer” of Master Zhuang and “Lotus Zhang of Ice and Fire” of Yaksha. But your injuries are different…
Ziling suddenly gets hysterical.
!! Ahhhhhh…!!
Ziling, what’s up?
Enemies?!
Tch, you ony see it now? There’s nothing to be afraid of.
It must be the scholar who threw himself into the well days ago.
No wonder the villagers can’t find the remains. It’s been days, why doesn’t the corpse decompose?
Hahaha… that’s because I’m transferring the cold venom to the remains. However… *cough*… it’s still a fool’s errand.
…If my presumption is right, it should be the “Icy Bat Palm”.
Icy Bat Palm?
It’s the unique skill of the “Blue Winged Bat King”, one of the Four Guardian Kings of Ming Cult. The palm technique will lead to the freezing of blood and organ failure. Finally the victim will die of hypothermia.
But the force of the cold is so violent that only sucking human blood can prevent the performer from being killed by the cold.
You’re insightful.
Someone has mastered this martial art? Who is it? Why have we never heard of it?
Gu, the mysterious man who wiped out the entire Stringsword Manor also possesses astonishing talents, perhaps he…
You’re right. The dead won’t reveal the secrets.
Oh, everyone who crossed his path is by Yama’s side by now.
Yama is the name of the King of the Underworld. The Grandmaster of Feng Du took up this name.
Don’t you… ever call the Grand Master by his name again!
Yama… you’re from Feng Du! Members of Feng Du always try never to mention the name of their Grand Master. And they force others to obey this rule.
Tch, imaging himself as the King of the Underworld.
*cough*… Correct… I’m a follower of Feng Du.
“With the Tea of Oblivion, the souls cross the Naihe Bridge”. You must be the scout of Feng Du, Meng Po.
…Oh?
Allegedly, most high ranking members of Feng Du call themselves by the names of deities of hell. Besides Ya… the Grand Master, there are Horse-face Raksha, the Dragon King Ao Guang, the Black and White Reaper and Meng Po.
Meng Po is the goddess of forgetfulness.
Only Meng Po is female. And the one who can survive “Icy Bat Palm” must be Meng Po.
Young as you are, you know quite a lot…
I have a question. Recently Jianghu is in chaos and many factions are attacked by Feng Du, is this true?
Humph! These nameless little factions are not our targets. The grand purpose is to… exterminate Cult of Tianlong… Cult of Tianlong!
Being reminded of Tianlong enrages Meng Po.
Is… is she mad?
She still has so much strength?
No, some unknown reason has caused it. She’s like the last radiance of the setting sun. Within a few moments like this, she’ll be dead.
Gu, we must save her. She’s… she’s really a poor woman.
Indeed, and we have something to ask her.
Ouyang Xiao! Ouyang Xiao, I’m gonna kill you!
She can also use the icy palm?
Perhaps it’s because of the cold venom. Be careful, or you’ll get into trouble.
Kill them!
She lost control of her breath and her movements are irregular… I’m not sure I can avoid it!
Did you see the corpse on the ground? Use it to block her strikes!
Use it to block her palm?! Are you serious?
It’s crazy, but it is the only way… sorry to offend, senior, please allow me to borrow your body.
Our hands can’t be too far away from the body! Let’s gather near the body!
OK…
Maybe when this is the first place you visit when the world opens it can be difficult considering the failure conditions... but now we can just take her down in the first turn.
All Meng Po’s attack inflict Frostbite, which is a status effect similar to Stasis.
Basically the corpse will tank her hits as long as the three are gathered around it.
This beatdown was necessary to bring her back to her senses.
*panting*
Feeling better now?
*cough* Your inner force… is strong.
I’ve used my inner force to protect you from the cold venom temporarily. Meanwhile, please relax and calm yourself. We’ll figure out a way to save you.
There’s nothing you can do… only the purest yang internal style can neutralize the venom of Icy Bat Palm. If the Hierarch of Ming Cult, Zhang Wuji, is brought back to life and performs the “Nine Yang Divine Art”, then maybe there would be a possibility.
Nine Yang Divine Art? It’s long gone, only Shaolin, Wudang and E’mei each have a fragment.
So we invite disciples of three sects and let them perform the Nine Yang Arts, then the cold venom can be cured?
Isn’t the use of venom your specialty? Why ask him?
The venom caused by inner force can usually only be cured by a countering inner force. Ordinary medicine will scarcely have an effect.
With the help of three factions… Good advice, let’s give it a shot.
We have Shui of E’mei in the party already, and Fang Yunhua of Wudang can join too if we want.
…
Can you survive a little longer?
With… blood… I can suppress the cold venom inside.
...Got it! I have an idea…
Wei Ziling has a silly plan to ensure Meng Po is provided with blood… by dressing up Gu into a Taoist master.
… (Hahaha)…
It takes some effort to convince the villagers but eventually they are convinced and cooperate.
Remember, only proper blood would be fine. Unnecessary slaughter will only make things worse.
The next step is to find a Shaolin disciple.
I’m not an actor by nature.
Tch! We’ve learnt the true martial arts of Taoism, not some sort of deceptive exercises.
Hehe, not really. Do you remember the story Master mentioned?
Of course. Master said he lived in seclusion in Qin Mountains to practice without food and water.
A white snake curled itself by his foot and transferred into a beautiful lady expressing her thanks to Master. What an absurd story!
Back then you never doubted it and even caught several snakes, which frightened Xiangyun.
Indeed, how could you be so naieve!
I was seven back then, of course I would fall for his lies.
Actually Master didn’t make up that story. Illusions will reveal themselves if one has profound inner force. What we then witness are perhaps the wishes deep in our heart.
Thus, someone in seclusion always claims to witness the gods and Buddha. Because of that, someone could lose their sanity during practice.
That never occurred to me.
It means we have a long way to go.
Idiot, the reason Gu told you this is to not narrow your vision even when surrounded by the usual. Those exercises may have a use. At least, people’s hearts will get some comfort.
Hmm… Er… Ah, you’re done?
*sigh* Fools grow without watering.
In this case, Meng Po should be safe and sound for now. But we can’t delay anymore, we’d better hurry up and find disciples of Shaolin, Wudang and E’mei.
We’ve already gained the support of Wudang and E’mei, but we know nothing about the monks of Shaolin. I don’t think those pedantic pilgarlics would save someone from Feng Du.
Ji, don’t be rude.
It would be best for you to keep quiet in front of those monks.
Tch, I’m not an idiot.
… (Blunt as it is, it makes some sense. Shaolin is not easy to deal with.)
Gu, I’ve heard that Shaolin is divided into a northern and southern Shaolin, right?
That’s right. Northern Shaolin is located in Mount Song while Southern Shaolin is in Fujian. However, their martial arts share the same traditions.
However, the reputation of Northern Shaolin precedes that of Southern Shaolin. And the latter has less rules, like females being permitted to enter the temple.
I see. Asking for help from Southern Shaolin would be a better chance.
Indeed. You already know what I mean.
Alright then, let’s hurry!
If Huang hadn’t opened the letter in the first place, something might’ve happened to Master Gao. Master Gao is of high ability and integrity, it would be a pity he got killed by… some despicable disciple.
…
Everyone, I am Gu Yuexuan of Xiaoyao valley. Please listen to me.
These guys have their own purposes, we can’t convince them. OK, just let me have some practice.
You are right, let’s stop fighting.
You can do without money, but you cannot do without moral courage. I agree.
