18 Beneath Mount Shaoshi

Page 1 of 3

Half a month later, Tianyu formally bade farewell to Boss Ma.

Boss Ma had long known that she would not stay for very long. He was not surprised, nor did he try too hard to persuade her to remain. He merely expressed his sincere hope that she would return whenever she wished.

Ma Kongqun, however, was extremely reluctant to see her go. During the last few days in which she instructed him, he kept dropping hints and making oblique inquiries, trying to find out where she intended to go next.

Yet his performance, which he imagined to be flawless, was completely transparent to Tianyu.

She had no interest in playing along with a thirteen-year-old boy's evasions and came straight out with it. "You can stop guessing. Wherever I'm going, I won't be taking you with me."

"It took me considerable effort to correct those bad habits of yours. What you should do now is settle your mind and practice diligently, consolidating your swordsmanship—not wander far from home. Do you understand?"

Ma Kongqun: "..."

He could only say awkwardly, "I... I understand. I'll practice my sword seriously and won't disappoint you, Elder Sister."

"Whether I am disappointed is secondary," Tianyu said calmly. "What matters is you."

He looked up at her, somewhat nervously.

Meeting his gaze, she continued, "You've suffered quite a bit these past days. If you endure all that hardship and still refuse to train seriously, wouldn't it have been for nothing?"

"In the study of martial arts, the greatest taboo is giving up halfway. Since you possess talent, you ought to make good use of it."

At her final words, Ma Kongqun quietly lowered his head.

This time, he did not make another solemn declaration of resolve. He merely tensed his body in silence.

"I understand," he said.

...

In mid-June, Tianyu and Guo Songyang departed from Changbai Mountain and traveled southwest toward Songyang.

Songyang was a small city. It had not originally borne that name; it was renamed only after the Songyang Academy on Mount Taishi rose to great fame.

Mount Taishi was the eastern peak of Mount Song. Yet compared with that eastern peak, Mount Song's western peak was far more renowned.

That was the famous Mount Shaoshi.

The world's foremost sect, Shaolin, was situated upon Mount Shaoshi.

Though the Guo family could not compare with Shaolin, it was still a distinguished local clan.

As soon as the two entered the territory of Yuzhou, someone recognized Guo Songyang.

From then on, all the way to the foot of Mount Taishi, people repeatedly took the initiative to pay for their food and lodging, attempting to curry favor with Guo Songyang in this manner.

Guo Songyang refused them all, though he still felt awkward about it.

In private, he explained to Tianyu, "If I could, I wouldn't wish to appear so heartless either. But the martial world is treacherous. If I accept their favors today, and they later commit crimes in my name, I will no longer be able to declare with a clear conscience that I had nothing to do with it."

"Brother Guo, you truly are a gentleman," Tianyu said with a sigh.

"I hardly deserve that praise." He paused. "When one travels the martial world, all one can ask is to remain unashamed before one's own heart."

Two days later, they finally arrived at the Guo family residence.

Like the Songyang Academy, the Guo family's ancestral home was on Mount Taishi, though it stood on a different peak.

They had received word early that Guo Songyang was returning and had sent someone to wait at the foot of the mountain. Upon seeing Tianyu traveling with Guo Songyang, the attendant treated her with great courtesy.

After they reached the mountain and he learned from Guo Songyang how the two had met, his manner became even more respectful.

Fearing that she might feel ill at ease, Guo Songyang specifically had a secluded courtyard prepared for her.

As for himself, he immediately went to visit the heir of Xu Luzi, asking him to reopen the forge and reforge his iron sword.

When the heir saw the sword broken into two pieces, he was astonished. "The break is smooth, without the slightest sign of splintering. It should not have broken under ordinary force. Could it have been struck by some peerless divine weapon?"

Guo Songyang was taken aback. "Must it necessarily have been a peerless divine weapon?"

"Of course!" Xu Luzi's heir replied firmly. "The iron sword of your Guo family was forged from meteoric iron. Its sharpness and durability rank among the finest in the entire martial world."

"Only the finest of divine weapons could have severed it in such a fashion."

At those words, an image arose unbidden in Guo Songyang's mind: a crystalline blade.

Page 1 of 3

Page 2 of 3

He steadied himself and looked toward Xu Luzi's heir, who was still studying the broken surface of the iron sword. "I know a man of your discernment would not be mistaken, but this concerns a friend of mine who is exceedingly important to me."

"If possible, I hope you will keep this matter confidential and never share your judgment with anyone else."

"I do not wish to bring her unnecessary trouble because of me."

Xu Luzi's heir was intensely curious about that divine weapon, but after hearing Guo Songyang's request, he abandoned the idea of making further inquiries.

After all, he was still a retainer of the Guo family.

"Very well. I won't mention it to anyone else," he agreed. "As for the sword, return after forty-nine days to collect it."

Guo Songyang nodded to show that he understood, then left the forge and went to see Tianyu.

He had not originally intended to tell her Xu Luzi's heir's conclusion. He had planned to let the matter rot silently in his heart. But after learning such astonishing news, and then seeing the sword at her waist, he found it difficult to remain as unconcerned as before.

Tianyu, for her part, was exceptionally perceptive.

He had looked at the sword for only a little longer than usual when she noticed at once and asked what was wrong.

Guo Songyang: "..."

After thinking it over, he finally told her everything.

Tianyu was momentarily astonished, but quickly recovered. "His eyesight is quite good."

"This sword of mine is indeed a rare and extraordinary blade."

Guo Songyang smiled bitterly. "But if that news gets out, it won't be a good thing for you."

"Will it get out?" she countered. "Haven't you already asked him not to spread it?"

She spoke as though it were only natural, and her expression held nothing but trust in him.

Guo Songyang's heart jolted. Instinctively, he thought: She is willing to trust me. No matter what happens, I must prove myself worthy of that trust.

After they finished discussing the matter, he asked whether she had been comfortable staying there.

"If you need anything at all, you must let me know."

Tianyu glanced at the mountain scenery beyond the courtyard. "As a matter of fact, there is something I need."

"I was hoping to explore Mount Song. Would you be willing to serve as my guide?"

He was delighted. "It would be my pleasure."

Afterward, the two followed the mountain paths, passing through forests of stone and winding streams until they reached the Perilous Summit of Mount Taishi.

From the Perilous Summit, they could see the many peaks of Mount Shaoshi to the west.

"The highest and most precipitous peak is called Heaven-Connecting Peak," Guo Songyang explained. "It is also known as the Star-Picking Tower."

"The world-famous Shaolin Temple lies beneath Five-Nipple Peak, north of the Star-Picking Tower."

Martial artists possessed extraordinary eyesight. Distinguishing the various peaks amid the layered expanse of green was no difficult task.

Following his explanations, Tianyu identified the peaks one by one, wholly unaware of the passage of time.

Only when dusk settled over the land, clouds and mist surged through the valleys, and the moon rose among them did she realize that half a day had passed.

After climbing the mountain and admiring the scenery, she was in an excellent mood.

That night, after returning to the Guo residence, she even ate an extra half-bowl of rice.

Guo Songyang was happier still, announcing that he would take her to explore Mount Shaoshi the following day.

She was surprised. "Can one simply wander around Mount Shaoshi as well?"

"Of course." Guessing what she was thinking, he explained with a smile, "Mount Shaoshi has thirty-six peaks. Only Five-Nipple Peak belongs exclusively to Shaolin. The remaining peaks are not off-limits."

When Tianyu heard this, her interest was immediately piqued, and she arranged to meet him again the next day.

The following morning, the two descended Mount Taishi and headed straight west. Before long, they arrived at the foot of Bright-Yang Peak.

This time, however, they did not climb directly to its summit. Instead, they skirted around the base and took a quiet, secluded path.

"Following this path into the mountains will bring us alongside Five-Nipple Peak, from where we can see Shaolin," Guo Songyang said.

Page 2 of 3

Page 3 of 3

Tianyu: "..."

In truth, she had little interest in Shaolin. She merely wanted to climb the mountain and admire the scenery.

But Guo Songyang had gone to all the trouble of serving as her guide, and she did not wish to spoil the mood, so she said nothing.

After walking for nearly half a day, she spotted a small hillside in the distance. She was just about to ask whether that was where Shaolin could be seen when a cry of alarm suddenly came from the woods behind them.

The cry was extremely childlike. It was clearly the voice of a young boy.

The two exchanged a glance and, without consulting each other, decided to go and take a look.

They entered the forest and rushed toward the sound. Before long, they saw a boy in coarse clothing wielding a wooden club as he fought a wolf.

He looked terribly nervous, his face deathly pale, his lips tightly pressed together and utterly bloodless.

The wolf before him was nearly three times his size. Its jaws gaped wide as it lunged toward his shoulder.

At that critical moment, Tianyu drew her sword without a second thought and slashed at the vicious beast.

A flash of steel, a spray of blood—the wolf's throat was severed.

Yet when it crashed to the ground, it still pinned the boy beneath its body.

Tianyu and Guo Songyang hurried over and helped move the wolf aside.

Only then did they discover that the boy's leg was injured.

Fortunately, the wound was not serious. Guo Songyang had spent years traveling the martial world and possessed some experience in treating injuries. In only a few swift movements, he cleaned the wound and applied the finest golden wound medicine.

The plainly dressed boy was very polite. He earnestly thanked them, then asked their names and said that he would do his utmost to repay them in the future.

"There is no need to repay us," Tianyu said.

Guo Songyang likewise said that it had been no great matter, then reminded him, "This area is sparsely inhabited, and wild beasts often roam here. Do not come back again."

"I know." The boy nodded. "My parents say the same thing."

"Then why didn't you listen to them?" Tianyu asked despite herself.

He pouted, looking dejected. "My mother likes the dates from Mount Shaoshi, so I wanted to gather more."

As he spoke, he took several dates, warmed by the heat of his body, from inside his clothes and held them out to the two of them as thanks for saving him.

Guo Songyang had no intention of accepting them, but just as he was about to refuse, Tianyu reached out and took the dates first.

"Very well." She smiled. "Then I will accept your thanks."

As soon as she finished speaking, the boy visibly relaxed.

Seeing this, Tianyu asked where he lived.

"With your leg injured, it may be difficult for you to return on your own." She weighed the dates in her hand and suggested, "Why don't you tell us where you live and let us escort you home?"

The boy hesitated for a moment before answering.

Tianyu could not actually understand his reply; she had to rely on Guo Songyang.

After thinking briefly, Guo Songyang understood how to get there.

He then hoisted the boy onto his back and headed toward a fork in the path they had passed earlier.

About half an hour later, they followed the fork around a hillside, and a tall date tree came into view.

Three earthen houses stood beside it. A bamboo mat had been spread before the houses, apparently for drying something.

"This is the place!" the boy said from Guo Songyang's back. "Thank you, benefactors, for bringing me home."

As soon as he finished speaking, a woman in the same gray clothing stepped out of one of the earthen houses.

The woman froze for a moment when she saw them, then hurried forward in alarm. "Feng'er, what happened to you? And these two are...?"

Page 3 of 3