Jianghu Demolition Squad

Like a Fish Transforming into a Dragon (Part Five)

Yu’er looked towards the approaching figure, a young man with a tall and upright posture, his smile bright and clear. She asked, “Jimo, where is Sixue?”

The brothers had always been inseparable, having joined Jiuxiao Manor six months ago.

Their story was quite connected to Yu’er, or rather, they had joined Jiuxiao Manor because of her.

The two brothers, originally named Banjin Baliang, had been captured by the Fanyun Fuyu Thirteen Fortresses when they were young due to their delicate features. They were taken to the Qin family to be sold, but Qing Jiu and her group had intervened. After Yu’er rescued them, the two young men entered the Shaolin Temple and became warrior monks.

However, their worldly ties were not severed, and they always remembered the kindness they had yet to repay. Last year, while traveling, they happened to meet Yu’er as she was returning from Du Zhong’s place. Recognizing her immediately, they engaged her in conversation and confirmed her identity. Afterwards, they returned to their temple, renounced their monastic lives, and swore allegiance to Jiuxiao Manor.

The two had been wandering without a name or identity when they were young. Banjin and Baliang was just a nickname they used to call each other. Since they had left the monastic life, it was inappropriate to continue using their Buddhist names. After joining the Mingjian Manor, Jun Lin, who admired their sense of gratitude, personally named them ‘Suyue’ and ‘Jimo,’ giving them the Jun surname. The two gladly accepted.

Jimo said, “Shishu has read the letter and says it’s good news. Third Miss, you must accept the invitation when you see it. Suyue already went to pack the luggage.”

Qi Tianzhu was also from the Shaolin Temple. In terms of seniority, he was their shishu. Although they had left the monastic life, the two still called Qi Tianzhu ‘shishu’  whenever they saw him.

There were two letters; Yu’er read them carefully, gripping them tightly: “When did these letters arrive?”

“They’ve just been delivered to the manor, but given they were sent from Yanyu Pavilion, they must have been sent some days ago despite being urgent.”

Before he could finish, Yu’er was already walking out, Jimo quickly following: “Third Miss, wait for me!” He watched her retreating figure, intrigued. Since his arrival at Jiuxiao Manor, he had never seen Yu’er so anxious.

This year, the Jiangnan region was exceptionally rainy, coinciding with the rainy season, and the relentless, fine drizzle had never stopped. Hangzhou was shrouded in mist, adding an ethereal charm to the landscape.

Another group of guests stopped at the steps to fold their umbrellas. A woman in scarlet attire brushed the water droplets from her sleeves. “Innkeeper, do you have rooms available?”

The innkeeper saw there were five in the party, three men and two women. The middle-aged man among them had a commanding presence, blocking the doorway like a mountain. The two young men had identical, clean, and handsome faces. The woman holding an umbrella for them appeared cool and ethereal, as misty as the rain in Hangzhou, captivatingly beautiful in a way he had never seen before.

The innkeeper stared for a moment before the woman in scarlet chided, “Innkeeper, what are you staring at?”

Snapping back to reality, the innkeeper quickly smiled, “My apologies, dear guests, I was distracted. We have rooms! How many would you like?”

“First, prepare a table of food and wine, and then arrange four upper rooms.”

The group entered the inn. Due to the incessant rain, the inn was mostly filled with guests seeking shelter, with only one table in the center remaining empty.

No sooner had they sat down than they overheard a group of martial artists at the next table engaging in a lively discussion.

“In recent years, many stars in the jianghu have fallen. It seems that the old and the new are not connecting well.”

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t it all because of the last World Martial Arts Competition? Nearly half of the wulin heroes were killed by those remnants from Miaojiang who used human lives to test their Gu poison. In the past, the Martial Arts Competition was a grand event where wulin heroes from all over the world competed for supremacy. It was a glorious time, and from it, Four Sages, Five Sects, and Twelve Martial Champions were chosen, representing the pinnacle of jianghu. But look at it now: three of the Four Sages have retired, their fates unknown. Jie Qianchou was injured in the last Martial Arts Competition and has been in seclusion ever since. None of the Four Sages can come out of the mountains.”

“Three out of the Five Sects are gone. The health of Jian Wangchen, the sect leader of Wuwei Palace, is deteriorating day by day, and he has also clashed with Jile City, his days numbered. Among the Twelve Martial Champions, Xuan Shen is dead, and a few years ago, Ren Qingkuang was also eliminated by the two major manors joining forces. Lei Gong of the Beggars’ Sect has retired, and Yan Beili has also retired. How many of these Four Sages, Five Sects, and Twelve Martial Champions still remain?”

“The remnants of Miaojiang are like centipedes that refuse to die even when cut into pieces. They haven’t been completely eradicated and will surely make a comeback. Thinking back to when the walking corpses rampaged on Huxiao Mountain, when the evil disciples attack again, who in jianghu will be able to confront them?”

An individual at another table couldn’t help but interject, “Brother, that’s not quite right. I believe the wulin is brimming with talent these days. The last Martial Arts Competition was disrupted, but if it hadn’t been, we might have seen new talents rise to fill the ranks of the Four Sages, Five Sects, and Twelve Martial Champions.”

The person continued, “Take Ye Sheng for example, the leader of the Wenwu Sect. He has a demeanor reminiscent of the old Sect Leader Ye, and his skills are just as impressive. Ning Gu, the leader of the Moonless Sect, is a talented individual who shows potential to surpass her predecessors. Then there’s Wei Ran, the Azure Dragon of Wuwei Palace. I heard a master healer cured his legs, and now he can fight again. Isn’t he an extraordinary man?”

“And the once-prominent Seven Star Lords, weren’t they all exceptionally skilled? Legends say that just the Si Ming Star Lord alone had the strength of one of the five Sects,” the speaker added.

“Legends are just that—rumors. How can they be believed? I’ve also heard that the Seven Star Lords were wiped out in an ambush. If they truly had the strength of the Five Sects, how could they have been so easily defeated? We haven’t heard anything about them for years now, which means it was all just gossip, a bunch of nobodies desperate for fame, fabricating stories about themselves. People just kept exaggerating until the rumors spiraled out of control. As for the likes of Ye Sheng, Ning Gu, and Wei Ran, how can they compare to Ye Ba, Ren Qingkuang, and Jian Wangchen?”

The woman at the central table paused, setting her wine cup back on the table.

The previous speaker, undeterred, continued: “That guy just loves to stir the pot! So negative! It’s no fun talking to him.”

Someone else, finding the conversation intriguing, laughed and said, “Brother, don’t pay attention to him. Tell me more.”

The speaker took a sip of wine, grunted, and said, “I’ll mention one person he can’t argue against—Third Miss Jun, the young mistress of both Mingjian Manor and Jiuxiao Manor, and a disciple of Jie Qianchou. Her martial arts skills are unquestionable; she secured the top spot among the young disciples at the last martial arts competition. Rumor has it she was one of the Seven Star Lords, the one who helped so many escape that disaster. She’s virtuous and highly respected. Half of jianghu is indebted to her kindness.”

In the end, the person who had been negative laughed and said, “Heir to the two great manors, and I’ve heard Third Miss Jun is more beautiful than a celestial. Tsk tsk, I wonder which lucky man will have the good fortune to marry her in the future.”

Someone laughed at the man’s foolishness, saying, “Do you think Third Miss Jun is some ordinary woman, only concerned with romantic affairs?”

The man retorted, “No matter what you say, she’s still a woman. How could she not think about men?”

“Turns out he’s just a fool,” someone concluded, not wanting to argue further.

At the central table, two young men stood abruptly, slamming their hands on the table. One of them retorted, “You vulgar, despicable fool! How dare you speak of the Third Miss with such disrespect!”

The other added, “You’re not even worthy of cleaning her shoes!”

The fool glanced at the two young men, sneered sarcastically, and said, “Well, aren’t you two handsome young men! I’m not worthy, but maybe you are!”

The woman in scarlet, annoyed, said, “Why waste your breath on such filth? Just shut him up!”

The fool slammed his wine cup down on the table and stood up abruptly, shouting loudly, “Who’s this woman, huh? What, you want to use your knife?”

Most people around tried to calm the situation, urging everyone to speak kindly and not to resort to violence.

“You have no shame, discussing a young woman’s personal affairs! You should be ashamed!” The woman in scarlet was unafraid. “Fine, let’s fight! I’m not scared of you! I’ll teach you how to speak properly today!”

The foolish man frowned in anger: “You dare insult me to my face?! If I don’t teach you a lesson, how am I supposed to maintain my reputation in the Jianghu?” Slamming his hand on the table again, he and his three companions rose to their feet, their expressions menacing.

At that moment, another figure entered the inn. Clad in a martial artist’s attire, they carried a bow-sword on their back. Their bamboo hat was pulled low, concealing their features.

All eyes in the inn were focused on the confrontation between the woman in scarlet and the foolish man, so no one noticed the newcomer.

This newcomer glanced at the central table, then looked towards another. The four men had already pushed back their chairs and were moving towards the woman in scarlet with swords drawn.

In jianghu, it’s common for disagreements to escalate quickly into fights, and the other patrons of the inn were used to such sights.

The newcomer removed their hat, gave it a spin, and threw it towards the four men. The newcomer throw was precise, producing a whistling sound as it flew. It struck one man in the chest, spun off to hit another in the chest, changed trajectory to hit a third in the chin, and then fell to the ground.

A gasp swept through the inn. At first glance, the hat appeared ordinary, yet its throw was both fierce and swift, catching everyone off guard. The first two men it struck collapsed to the ground, bleeding profusely, while the third clutched his dislocated jaw in agony. The simple act of throwing a hat had revealed immense power; clearly, the newcomer’s internal energy was formidable.

The leader, thinking that the woman had support, became furiously angry, drew his sword, and charged towards the central table. The woman in blue, who was seated with her back to him and closest, was his natural target.

The woman quickly grabbed a sword from the table and struck back.

The ruffian hadn’t expected such strength from the woman; her blow nearly made him lose his grip on his sword, and he staggered backward, barely managing to steady himself. The woman’s sword was now positioned in front of his neck, six inches out of the sheath, its blade emitting a chilling gleam. Though it hadn’t touched him, he felt a sharp pain on his neck.

A person in the corner of the inn stood up, his voice trembling, “Qiu… Qiushui, could it be Third Miss Jun?”

Hearing the name Qiushui, the crowd went silent with fear, then observing the woman’s fair skin and her detached demeanor, they were certain of her identity as Yu’er. Everyone began to sweat, recalling their earlier words to see if they had spoken out of turn and offended this Third Miss.

This indeed was Yu’er from Jiangnan, who had come to Hangzhou upon receiving a letter. Qi Tianzhu naturally followed her, and Jun Jimo and Jun Suyue were always tailing her. Jun Sixue, who insisted on coming along despite the family’s concerns, was also there because the Jun family was apprehensive about letting Yu’er travel alone.

As for the Qiushui sword, it had always been kept at Mingjian Manor. Earlier this year, Yu’er had taken it from the manor. Carrying such an item made her a target for many, but regardless of the plots against her in the open or in secret, she kept the sword with her, waiting for those coveting it.

In the unpredictable world of jianghu, it was risky to carry such a coveted sword. Both Jun Lin and Yan Beili disagreed with her decision, but they couldn’t persuade her otherwise.

The foolish man collapsed to the ground, his legs giving way beneath him. He had not expected that his reckless words would be spoken in the presence of the very person he was discussing.

“Third Miss… Third Miss Jun…”

Yu’er’s expression remained impassive as she straightened her sword and sheathed it smoothly.

Suddenly, Qi Tianzhu’s voice rang out, loud and enthusiastic: “Sister Linzhi!”

Yu’er quickly turned to see the person who had used the hat as a weapon approaching their table. Stopping in front of them, he said, “Brother Qi, long time no see.”

Qi Tianzhu, unable to contain his excitement and disregarding the traditional reserve between men and women, rushed forward and embraced her, laughing heartily as he gave Tang Linzhi a couple of hearty pats on the back.

After releasing Tang Linzhi, Linzhi turned to Yu’er and smiled, “Yu’er, it’s been a long time.”

Yu’er looked at Tang Linzhi. There was a scar across the left side of her forehead, cutting through her eyebrow, giving her an even sharper aura when she wasn’t smiling. Yu’er studied her for a moment before softly saying, “It has been a long time.”

Before this reunion, there was a feeling of nervousness, a jumble of thoughts that made peace of mind hard to find. But now, seeing the person in front of her still matched the image in her memory, even the tone of her voice was almost as she had imagined, Yu’er felt an unexpected calmness.

Someone in the inn noticed the tip of the bow that Tang Linzhi was carrying; it looked familiar. Sneaking around to get a better look from behind Tang Linzhi, they recognized it as a bow-sword and gasped in shock, “Chini!”

The man on the floor heard this, and his whole body went limp as he trembled and stammered in fear, “The… the Shadow Marquis…”

“Unstained by blood… the Shadow Marquis!” His voice broke slightly with emotion.

It was said that Qiushui was carried by Third Miss Jun since that weapon had been at Mingjian Manor since the last World Martial Arts Competition, and only the Manor’s master and the young mistress were permitted to handle it. Now seeing Yu’er with it led everyone to conclude she was Third Miss Jun.

As for the Shadow Marquis holding Chini, there was no need for guesses—Chini in the hands of the Shadow Marquis had been a well-known tale in jianghu for years.

Now, Tang Linzhi carried her bow-sword openly on her back, no longer hidden by cloth as in the past.

The foolish man scooted backward on the floor. It was an unlucky year, and misfortune indeed comes from the mouth.

Yu’er cast a sidelong glance at the man. Tang Linzhi turned her head and gave him a smile. The man shuddered and hurriedly clasped his hands in apology, “Please forgive me, both of you! I… I was drunk just now, speaking nonsense without meaning it.”

Jun Sixue scoffed, “No real skills, but quite the talent for talking.”

Recognizing the situation, the man quickly bowed deeply to Jun Sixue, “I was blind and offended the lady, I hope for your forgiveness.”

Jun Sixue snorted coldly, “act tough behind people’s backs but turn cowardly to their faces. You’re the kind of scum who bullies the weak and fears the strong. Weren’t you acting all tough just now?”

The man bowed his head so low that his face was covered in cold sweat, “This… this was my fault, all my fault.”

“Hmph!”

Who doesn’t speak ill of others behind their backs? Who doesn’t criticize others to their face?

Yu’er and her companions didn’t originally intend to stoop to his level, but he lost himself in his words and became unbearable, prompting them to take action.

Now that old friends had reunited, they didn’t want their mood spoiled by further entanglement. They brushed him aside and the group went upstairs.