Jianghu Demolition Squad

Like a Fish Transforming into a Dragon (Part Three)

The day after Qi Tianzhu had made his prediction, someone from Hangzhou arrived bearing gifts and a letter for Yu’er.

Taking the gift, Yu’er found it was a painting scroll. She opened the letter, which had been penned by Hua Lian. It inquired about her well-being, asked if she had suffered any grievances, and when she might have time to visit Hangzhou. It wasn’t until the end of the letter that Hua Lian mentioned the gift—the painting was his own work, given to celebrate their friendship.

Yu’er unrolled the scroll and asked, “Did Hua Lian say anything else?”

The messenger replied, “The young master mentioned he is weary in spirit and cannot muster the heart for travel. He’s unable to come in person and hopes you will understand.”

Knowing Hua Lian was still recovering, Yu’er chose not to press further.

The painting depicted a courtyard at Yanyu Pavilion: Qi Tianzhu was practicing martial arts, Hua Lian and Yang Chun were comparing their lightness skills on the roof, she and Tang Linzhi were sparring, and Yan Li, Qing Jiu, and Liu Xiu were happily chatting around the table. Every figure and scene in the painting was vivid and lifelike.

Yu’er gently touched the faces in the painting, tracing them tenderly before pulling the scroll close to her chest. The messenger quietly excused himself and left.

A few days later, Yang Chun didn’t enter through the main gate but instead flew over the eaves and walls, entering the Jiuxiao Manor. He was mistaken for a thief and captured, leading to quite a commotion.

Yu’er chided, “If you had entered through the main gate, you would have been received as an honored guest. Why must you always choose the unconventional route?”

Still chuckling as always, Yang Chun admitted, “It’s an old habit of mine.”

With a slight smile, Yu’er poured tea for Yang Chun, sizing him up and noting that he seemed tanner, likely from his travels.

Yang Chun presented her with two letters, saying, “I was in Sichuan recently, so I missed your grand celebration. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”

Yu’er asked, “What were you doing in Sichuan?”

Grinning, Yang Chun replied, “Miss Yu’er, consider these letters as congratulatory gifts from the Yanyu Pavilion, Elder Jie Qianchou, and myself. If you’re happy after reading them, please don’t hold my late arrival against me, alright?”

Accepting the letters, Yu’er inquired, “Isn’t the master in seclusion? How could you disturb him?”

Yang Chun sat with his arms crossed, leaning against the table in an improper manner, “How could a master miss such an important occasion for his little disciple? Sending a congratulatory gift wasn’t too much trouble, just asking him to write a letter.”

As Yu’er read the letter, she immediately recognized the bold handwriting of Linzhi. It read, “I’m fine. Wait for me to defeat that rotten old man Tang Biao, and I’ll come back to reunite with you all.” It was just the sort of thing Linzhi would say. Yu’er read it several times over.

Yu’er remarked, “Linzhi is fine. She just went back to the Tang Sect, but why haven’t we heard from her?”

Yang Chun explained, “A couple of months ago, the Young Mistress Liu Xiu found a clue, but she was afraid that it might be false and lead to disappointment, so asked me to go to the Tang Sect and investigate. Jie Qianchou has some ties with Tang Biao, so Liu Xiu asked Jie Qianchou to write a letter for me to take, hoping Tang Biao would show some leniency and allow me to see Miss Tang.”

Yu’er asked, “Did you see her?”

Pointing at the letter, Yang Chun replied, “Miss Tang is already aware of Miss Qing Jiu’s situation. Tang Biao won’t let her leave the Tang Sect, and it seems Linzhi has also made some agreement with him. She doesn’t intend to sneak away either. She wrote this letter to me right in front of her master.”

Yu’er looked down at the letter for a moment, then quietly said, “As long as she’s alright.”

Yu’er slowly opened another letter. The handwriting was delicate and elegant, characteristic of Mo Wen. Somewhat surprised, Yu’er asked, “You met Mo Wen?” According to the letter, Mo Wen was also heading west.

Yang Chun explained, “This letter was sent to Yanyu Pavilion by Miss Mo Wen, and they passed it on to me to bring to you.”

Yang Chun flashed a bright smile and joked, “The prestigious Two Sleeves of Spring Breeze has now become a messenger.”

Yu’er folded the letters carefully, slid them into an envelope, and neatly stacked them. After finishing, she paused for a long moment before asking softly, “Yang Chun, is there any news about her?”

Yang Chun’s expression shifted subtly as he straightened up and fell silent for a long while before shaking his head.

Yu’er had suspected as much, but seeing his shake of the head still pained her heart.

Time seemed to pass in a blur, and in the blink of an eye, it was already late autumn. Since Yang Chun’s last visit with news about Tang Linzhi, Yanyu Pavilion had sent someone again, this time with clues about Yan Li’s whereabouts.

When Yang Chun had last visited, Yu’er had asked him to relay any information about Qing Jiu, Yan Li, and the others as soon as it was available, regardless of certainty.

Thus, this time, although Yanyu Pavilion was not entirely sure, they still sent news about Yan Li.

Yu’er looked at the note: “Jile City…”

Remembering past events, she knew there were enough reasons for Yanyu Pavilion to believe Yan Li might be imprisoned there.

However, Yanyu Pavilion lacked concrete evidence to prove Yan Li was indeed in Jile City and couldn’t demand her release officially.

While a forceful search was possible, relying on the combined strength of the two manors, the Yanyu Pavilion, and even the assistance of Wuwei Palace, entering Jile City to find someone wouldn’t be impossible. However, given Wu Yu’s temperament, it would inevitably lead to heavy losses for both sides.

And if Yan Li wasn’t there, it would appear as if the four major sects had joined forces to bully and unjustly accuse someone.

Yu’er sighed. Back when they entered and left Jile City, they didn’t have to worry about their reputation or consequences. Now, with a different status, she couldn’t act as recklessly as before.

But then she remembered that their ability to leave Jile City was partly because Qing Jiu’s formidable power, which had caught Wu Yu off guard, as well as Wu Yu’s slight mercy.

Now she was merely Yu’er. While she didn’t have to worry about reputation, her own strength was insignificant, leaving her powerless – just like in Qing Jiu’s situation…

The matter of Yan Li was left to Liu Xiu to investigate in detail and to deal with Wu Yu.

Meanwhile, Yu’er approached Jun Lin with her desire to learn martial arts. Although she had some foundation, she was far from accomplished. Further training required guidance from a master to avoid going astray. Now that Qing Jiu and the others were gone, Qi Tianzhu wasn’t skilled with the sword, and Jie Qianchou was in seclusion. If she wanted to improve and become independent, Jun Lin was the only one she could turn to.

The Jun family’s swordsmanship was unique, and Jun Lin’s reputation among the Twelve Martial Champion was well deserved.

Jun Lin saw that she was not only intelligent but also diligent in learning, which reassured him greatly. He had been worried that Yu’er would be disheartened after sudden changes and wanted to let her take her time, so he had not brought up the subject of martial arts training, but it turned out Yu’er was the first to mention it.

However, just a few days into their training, Yun Wangran arrived in a rush and, without a word, took Yu’er away. Jun Lin’s plan to use the opportunity of teaching martial arts to get closer to his daughter’s heart was thus shattered.

When Yun Wangran took Yu’er away, it wasn’t with the intention of teaching her himself but rather to have her apprentice under a renowned master. “If your grandfather or your maternal grandfather were still alive, they might have been suitable to teach you. Your father thinks he can teach you, but that would simply waste your talents,” Yun Wangran dismissed Jun Lin, a Martial Champion, as having ‘mere skills.’

“But I already have a master. If it were my father, perhaps, but how could I take another as my master?” Yu’er protested.

Yun Wangran produced a letter and handed it to Yu’er, saying, “Open this and see.”

Yu’er opened the letter and saw that it was written by Jie Qianchou himself. The letter said, “After the battle at Mingjian Manor, I am exhausted in both body and mind. I have gone into seclusion to heal my injuries and cannot teach you, for which I am deeply sorry. My disciple, you are talented and intelligent. If you receive guidance from a renowned master, you will surely achieve great things in the future. While I dislike the ways of the Sword Saint Du Zhong, his swordsmanship is exceptional and his skills are outstanding. In this world, aside from Yiye and Kuyuan, only he possesses the ability to be worthy of being your master. Your talent cannot be buried. If you wish to study under another master, I give you my permission.”

It turned out that before coming to fetch Yu’er, Yun Wangran had already communicated this plan to Elder Jie Qianchou. Despite their disagreements, Yu’er was rightfully Jie Qianchou’s disciple, and it was only proper to inform him if she were to seek another master.

Relieved by Elder Jie Qianchou’s approval, Yu’er put away the letter and asked, “Master mentioned Sword Saint Du Zhong in the letter; what’s that about?”

Yun Wangran stroked his beard and said, “Your maternal grandfather had some connections with Du Zhong. After much thought, he believed Du Zhong would be the best choice to not waste your talents.”

Yun Wangran then took Yu’er to a small town in Jiangnan called Shouyuan. After inquiring around the town, they rode horses to the countryside for three days until they reached a lush locust tree forest, where sunlight filtered through the leaves.

Deep within the forest, they saw a wooden hut surrounded by a fence, a thatched shelter filled with firewood, birds chirping clearly atop it, a well dug at one corner, and dense trees behind casting dim, scattered light.

This place was a serene and tranquil haven, far removed from worldly concerns, indeed a suitable spot for a hermit. However, for a swordsman as renowned as Du Zhong, it seemed a bit too solitary.

Seeing this, Yun Wangran lamented, “Ah, back in the day when his swordsmanship was at its peak, he was invincible. If we talk purely about swordsmanship, even Yiye had to give way to him by three points. He was rightfully named the Sword Saint by jianghu, a well-deserved name that no one dared to contest. He was so spirited and proud…”

Yu’er was puzzled. Daoist Yiye and Venerable Kuyuan were individuals who cultivated the Dao and understood Buddhism. With pure hearts and few desires, they did not seek fame or fortune, allowing them to retire at the height of their fame. Jie Qianchou, on the other hand, had lost his will due to the painful loss of a friend and had secluded himself in Xiaoqing Mountain, yet he wasn’t completely detached from the jianghu. Given Du Zhong’s widespread fame, why would he choose to quietly retire at the peak of his popularity?

“Granduncle, why did Elder Du Zhong choose to retire?” Yu’er asked.

Yun Wangran remained silent for a while before sighing, “For fame, for gain.”

“In his prime, his swordsmanship had reached the pinnacle, yet he desired to advance even further. His increasing ambition made him susceptible to manipulation by those with ill intentions, leading him to commit foolish acts such as killing people and stealing treasures. In this world, all actions have consequences. While he harbored killing intent and took lives, he never anticipated that his enemies would target his family. Finding him absent, they killed his wife and daughter instead. He had caused others to lose their families, and ultimately, he suffered the same fate, forever separated from his loved ones in life and death.”

“Good and evil will always be repaid, such is the way of karma. He came to a sudden realization, his hair turned white overnight, but by then it was too late. From that point on, he swore off weapons and vowed never to step into jianghu again.”

Yun Wangran earnestly advised, “Yu’er, you must take this as a warning. In the future, you must never lose your true self for the sake of fame and fortune.”

Yu’er nodded, understanding why her master had mentioned ‘disliking his conduct: “Yu’er will remember.”

Yun Wangran continued, “The human heart can be good or bad, but swordsmanship is neutral. Despite his past mistakes, his sword skills are indeed extraordinary. If you want to make progress in your martial arts in just a few short years, he is the most suitable master for you.”

The two then tied their horses to a tree and entered the courtyard. Amidst the quiet forest and chirping birds, the door of the main house was tightly shut, with a thin wisp of smoke drifting out.

Yun Wangran sniffed the air and knew that the person inside the house was burning incense. He said softly, “By having you become his disciple, your granduncle also harbors a bit of a selfish motive. Knowing that he lives with lifelong regret and is unable to free himself from it, I only hope that once you have mastered his skills, you can use his swordsmanship to uphold justice and right wrongs. If this can make up for even a tiny fraction of his sins, that would be good.”

Yun Wangran stepped forward and knocked on the door, calling out, “Brother Du Zhong, a visitor from afar has come to see you, won’t you come out?”

There was no response from inside for quite some time, and Yun Wangran turned back to Yu’er with a rueful smile, “You want to become his disciple, but he may not be willing to accept you.”

Yun Wangran knocked on the door again and said, “Your younger brother Wangran has a request to make. Brother Du Zhong, do you really not wish to show yourself?”

After a moment, the door creaked open from the inside.

A man walked out of the house. He had a tall and slender frame, wearing a gray robe. His hair was white and his mouth was slightly downturned. His gaze fell upon Yun Wangran, “If it’s just to reminisce with an old friend, so be it. But if it’s about taking a disciple, I no longer involve myself in the affairs of jianghu. I’m afraid I’ll have to reject your request.” He had overheard Yun Wangran’s earlier conversation with Yu’er.

Perhaps due to rarely speaking for many years, his voice was slightly unclear.

Yun Wangran wasn’t in a hurry. He led Yu’er over and said, “Brother Du Zhong, this is my elder brother’s granddaughter, the daughter of Yue’er and Jun Lin. You once attended their wedding. Do you still remember?”

Yu’er bowed and introduced herself, “Junior Jun Ruoyu, greets Elder Du Zhong.”

Du Zhong looked at Yu’er and nodded, remarking, “You do bear some resemblance to Yun Si.”

Yun Wangran said, “This child possesses a talent that comes once in a hundred years. Even that eccentric old man, Jie Qianchou, was willing to accept her as his disciple. Unfortunately, their fate was not deep. He was injured last year and has been in seclusion ever since, unable to continue teaching her martial arts. The old Yun family has been fortunate to have such an excellent seedling. I don’t want to let her talent go to waste. If my elder brother or the old man of the Jun family were still alive, I wouldn’t dare to disturb your peace, Brother Du Zhong, but…”

Du Zhong raised his hand to stop him, “Wangran, you know my stance. I no longer wield a sword or practice martial arts, and I will not take any disciples. There’s no need to discuss this further.”

Yun Wangran smiled and didn’t seem to mind. He said, “Since that’s the case, I can only give up.”

“However, you were friends with my elder brother. She should still address you as Granduncle. Since we’re already here, she can’t just leave like this. At the very least, she should take care of you for a few days to fulfill her duties as a junior.”

Du Zhong looked at him silently for a long moment, then pointed to an adjacent room and said simply, “As you wish,” before turning back to enter the house.

Yun retrieved some luggage from the horse and handed it to Yu’er, patting her shoulder and winking, “You’ll stay here for the next few days, take good care of your Granduncle. I must be off now.”

Yun Wangran mounted his horse, took the reins, and with a kick, headed back the way they came.

Yu’er looked down at the bundle in her hands and walked toward the side room. She had to become this man’s disciple. She still had things to do and couldn’t accomplish them without martial arts by her side.