Chapter 244

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[TL_Note: This title is a direct reference to the famous farewell poem from the Warring States period, attributed to Jing Ke, who attempted to assassinate the King of Qin: “The wind rustles, the Yi River runs cold; the brave man sets forth, never to return.”]

These words were spoken with great resolve, carrying a sense of the chilling wind over from the Yi River, as though embarking on a fateful journey.

Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but feel moved upon hearing this. Puffing out his small chest, he declared: “Alright, Second Brother! Now, I truly understand what it means to stand by a friend through life and death. I suppose, if Young Master Li Jinfeng were in our position, he too would step forward without hesitation!”

“Him?” Zhang Xiaohu chuckled. “He’s just a frail scholar, skilled in nothing but calligraphy and poetry. If he ever tried to take the lead in such matters, he’d be the first to be taken down in an instant. It’s better for him to stay out of it.”

After saying this, he added: “Besides, if it weren’t for your remarkable skills, I wouldn’t let you go to West Cui Mountain. Even if you return empty-handed, at least I trust you won’t be in mortal danger.”

Zhang Xiaohua grinned. “Second Brother, just a moment ago, you were speaking with such righteousness. Why are you suddenly being so petty? A true man doesn’t need to worry about whether his actions are grand or not—what matters is that his words must sound impressive! Otherwise, no matter how much effort you put in, you’ll always be nothing more than a laborer. You wouldn’t even qualify to be a Deacon!”

“What kind of nonsense logic is that? It sounds utterly impractical.”

Zhang Xiaohua responded: “It’s all clearly written in the books Young Master Li gave us! Second Brother, you should take some time to read them properly. Being ignorant is truly frightening!”

Zhang Xiaohu said: “Enough with the wordplay. Scholars have always been the downfall of nations, haven’t they? You’re just wasting time.”

Zhang Xiaohua slapped the horse beneath him and called out: “Save those words for Young Master Li. I was just borrowing a bit of his wisdom.”

The chestnut horse neighed in pain, its four hooves kicking up dust as it galloped away.

Zhang Xiaohu shook his head with a smile, watching his younger brother’s departing figure before spurring his own horse to follow.

West Cui Mountain was a fair distance from Lu Town, lying to the northwest along the road between Guo Village and Baligou. On the way, Zhang Xiaohua passed by the very place where bandits had ambushed Zhang Xiaolong’s wedding procession. His heart filled with emotion—two years ago, he had been powerless, unable to fight back. Now, he was someone capable of storming into the tiger’s den to rescue others. Moreover, his journey to West Cui Mountain could also be seen as settling an old score from that fateful day. The cycle of cause and effect, the twists of fate—it was truly astonishing.

In the fleeting moment he passed that place, countless thoughts surged through Zhang Xiaohua’s mind. He gained a deeper understanding of the entanglements of destiny and the ever-changing nature of fate. This insight tempered his state of mind, granting him a significant improvement in his cultivation comprehension. The gap between Zhang Xiaohua’s state of mind and his inner strength had widened once again.

As they traveled, the two spoke in hushed voices, organizing their plan, assigning roles, and meticulously refining every detail. By the time dusk approached, their strategy was fully settled, and in the distance, West Cui Mountain finally came into view.

Zhang Xiaohu, ever cautious, dismounted to ask for directions before proceeding.

The saying “distant mountains tire even the swiftest horse” proved true—as night fell, they finally arrived at the foot of the mountain.

These were desolate, barren mountains—not a single towering peak as one might imagine. From the foot of the range, a relatively wide mountain path led inward, likely the route often used by the bandits. If it were daytime, Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu would never dare to approach so openly. However, with night already upon them, visibility was poor. Only the pale, winding mountain road could still be vaguely made out. The two dismounted, and Zhang Xiaohu tore strips of cloth from his clothing, carefully wrapping them around the hooves of both horses. Only then did they remount and quietly proceed up the path.

Sure enough, the sound of the horses’ hooves was nearly silent. Under the cover of night, the two riders advanced stealthily through the mountain wilderness.

The night wind whistled through the trees, and the chirping of insects echoed through the darkness. Yet, there were no signs of human activity. After riding for about half the time it took to finish a meal, they reached the first peak. Though not particularly high, it provided a vast, open view. In the distance, scattered points of light flickered on a mountain ahead.

Zhang Xiaohua was overjoyed. “Second Brother, look! There are lights on that mountain. That must be the main peak of West Cui Mountain!”

Zhang Xiaohu nodded. “It should be. But the closer we get to the bandits, the more cautious we must be. There might be hidden sentries along the way. If they spot us, tonight’s rescue mission could be ruined.”

Zhang Xiaohua agreed. “I’ll follow your lead, Second Brother.”

Zhang Xiaohu scanned their surroundings and pointed to a grove of trees ahead. “Let’s head there first. We’ll leave the horses to rest—once we rescue the Li family members, we’ll need them to escape.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua suddenly realized something and exclaimed: “Ah! Second Brother, we were in such a rush that we forgot something—there are only two horses. How are we supposed to carry five people?”

Zhang Xiaohu slapped his forehead. “You’re right! I completely forgot. This… what should we do?”

After a moment of thought, they decided: “Let’s worry about it after we rescue them. We don’t even know how many people we’ll be able to save.”

The two tied the chestnut-red horses in the grove before cautiously approaching the mountain path. Zhang Xiaohua whispered: “Second Brother, as you said, there are likely hidden sentries or traps along this path. Shouldn’t we go around instead?”

Zhang Xiaohu pointed at the dense pine forest beside them. “Going through the trees is our only option. But I don’t know if the forest is safe or whether it leads all the way to the foot of West Cui Mountain.”

Zhang Xiaohua grinned. “Second Brother, you don’t have to worry about that. As long as there are trees, I can make it through.”

Zhang Xiaohu nodded. “Your Qinggong should be fine—you won’t alarm anyone. But I won’t be able to do the same. My Qinggong isn’t fully trained yet.”

Zhang Xiaohua reassured him: “No problem, Second Brother, I’ll help you.”

Zhang Xiaohu glanced at the distant lights and sighed. “That’s our best bet. But don’t grab me by the back of the neck—just hold onto my arm.”

Zhang Xiaohua was puzzled. “Second Brother, wouldn’t it be better if I carried you on my back?”

“Tsk,” Zhang Xiaohu scoffed. “That would be humiliating, I’ll lose all my face. No way! Just grab my arm.”

Zhang Xiaohu barely weighed over a hundred jin, a weight Zhang Xiaohua could easily disregard with his strength. He didn’t mind carrying his brother at all.

After surveying the terrain, Zhang Xiaohu carefully explained the planned route to Zhang Xiaohua before allowing him to grab him under the arms. With a light push, Zhang Xiaohua’s Qinggong propelled them both into the treetops.

The moon had yet to rise. Moving like a streak of shadow, Zhang Xiaohua followed the predetermined route, darting nimbly through the treetops, carrying his second brother with ease.

The mountain path was the only road leading to West Cui Mountain. How could it be without traps? And how could the surrounding forests lack both open and hidden sentries? Perhaps it was because West Cui Mountain’s infamy kept most people from daring to intrude, making the patrolling bandits lax. Or maybe Zhang Xiaohua’s Qinggong was simply too advanced, allowing him to evade the sentries with ease. Whatever the reason, he moved unnoticed. Instead, he saw several groups of bandits drinking, gambling, or sleeping—each of whom he skillfully avoided from a distance.

With his current level of True Qi cultivation, Zhang Xiaohua could handle the qi consumption of his floating technique. By the time he reached the mountaintop and landed from the trees, he had barely used any of his True Qi.

Zhang Xiaohua found this unremarkable, but Zhang Xiaohu was utterly astonished. During his time at the Lotus Escort Agency, he had traveled with Fourth Master Wen and witnessed his Qinggong. Though Zhang Xiaohua’s skill was still inferior to Fourth Master Wen’s, he had only trained for a short time. Moreover, Zhang Xiaohua’s arm strength was beyond compare—something even Fourth Master Wen couldn’t match. After all, Zhang Xiaohua had carried another living person, Zhang Xiaohu, while executing his Qinggong.

Now that they had descended from the treetops, the bandit stronghold was just ahead. The gate stood wide open, its interior brightly lit. Several armed bandits guarded the entrance, while more men stationed atop the gate held bows and weapons, patrolling from side to side—forming an almost militarized defense.

Zhang Xiaohua whispered: “Second Brother, the guards here are unexpectedly strict. This isn’t the disorderly rabble we imagined. I think we need to adjust our plan.”

On their way up the mountain, Zhang Xiaohu had assumed the bandits were nothing more than an undisciplined mob, likely with sloppy management. He had expected the gate to be closed but unguarded. Although he didn’t know Qinggong, couldn’t he let Zhang Xiaohua carry him in?

But plans never keep up with change. The infamous bandits had indeed earned their reputation, and their security was unexpectedly tight. If Zhang Xiaohu followed Zhang Xiaohua inside, he might only become a burden.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Xiaohu said: “Let’s do this, Xiaohua. You go in first and scout the situation. I’ll wait here. Try not to engage in combat—just observe. If possible, find a lone bandit, interrogate him about the Li family’s whereabouts, then come back. We’ll discuss our next steps after that.”

Zhang Xiaohua carefully memorized his instructions before executing his Qinggong. He moved cautiously along the shadows of the trees, gradually approaching the bandit stronghold.

Even though he had gotten close, there was still a considerable distance to cover. If he attempted to cross it using Qinggong alone, the bandits would surely spot him—let alone trying to leap onto the patrolled stockade wall.

Observing the orderly patrols of the bandits, Zhang Xiaohua quickly devised a plan. He crouched down, picked up a small stone from the ground, and infused it with his inner strength before hurling it in the opposite direction of the gate. A sharp “Bang!” echoed through the silent night, standing out distinctly.

Startled, the bandits guarding the entrance immediately turned toward the sound. The ones on the wall also shouted, “Who’s there?!” before rushing in that direction.

Seeing that his plan to lure the tiger from the mountain had worked, Zhang Xiaohua became bolder. In a flash, he dashed toward the stockade wall, swiftly scanned his surroundings, and leaped onto the top. His body barely paused for an instant before he slanted his weight and slid down the inner side of the wall. There was a patrolling bandit standing right there, gazing toward the distraction, but Zhang Xiaohua’s movement was as light as a swallow, completely undetectable. By the time the bandit sensed something amiss and turned back to check, Zhang Xiaohua had already melted into the shadows within the compound.

The bandit frowned, scanned the area suspiciously, then resumed patrolling back and forth atop the wall—completely unaware that, in the brief moment he had looked away, someone had already slipped past him and infiltrated the stronghold.