Chapter Eighteen: An Old Friend Pays a Visit

Xu Qianfan wiped her tears with her robe sleeve and signaled Du Xunqi to continue. Du Xunqi nodded and began, “When Han Qinghua reached the age of ten, the former abbot of the Kongtong Sect, Elder Ciji, was traveling the world and happened upon a group of men who were beating Han Qinghua until he was barely alive. Elder Ciji intervened with kind words, but those brutes tried to intimidate him because of his age. Even Elder Ciji, with his Buddha-like compassion, could not endure such behavior. With a sweep of his horsetail whisk, he scattered the villains, rescued Han Qinghua, and brought him to Kongtong Mountain.

Han Qinghua was reclusive by nature but exceedingly bright, with a sharp mind and a fierce determination. Under Elder Ciji’s careful tutelage, he soon surpassed his peers and, within ten years, became the leading young disciple of the Kongtong Sect. By the age of thirty, he earned the title ‘Ghost Sword.’ The origin of this name is debated: some say it’s due to his unpredictable, ghostly swordsmanship; others claim it reflects his cruel, inscrutable heart. When his sword skills first matured, he descended the mountain at his master’s command to gain experience and, in a vengeful act, traveled thousands of miles to behead the human traffickers and snake charmers who had abused him. He placed their bloodied heads on the altar table of the Earth God temple and wrote in blood, ‘In childhood, the Earth God sheltered me from storm and hardship; thus, I repay the favor with the heads of my enemies.’

Among those present, some heroes shouted, “What a man! To repay kindness and revenge alike, that is the true spirit of a great man!” Yuanhui and others, however, shook their heads in silence. This man’s heart was filled with hatred; if it could not be resolved, he would live in pain and ultimately be consumed by his own malice.

“In the martial world today, the ten great masters are ranked by their specialties: poison, blades, spears, and swords. Though called the top ten, their martial prowess isn’t necessarily unrivaled—some hidden masters in Shaolin’s Dharma Hall are equally formidable, but they rarely concern themselves with worldly matters and are thus not included. These ten, however, are always involved in the affairs of the martial world, and so the rankings were made.

The ‘One Poison’ refers to the Poison Goddess, mistress of the Golden Silkworm Sect in Miao territory. Her mastery of poison and venom is bizarre and sinister, but she rarely ventures into the Central Plains, so her threat is contained. ‘Two Blades’ refers to the Saint of the Golden-Back Blade from Henan and the Blade King from the Western Regions: the former, Wang Chuanhua, is honored and respected by all, while the latter, Duanmu Qiu, is bloodthirsty and cruel. ‘Three Spears’ are the Golden Spear Zhou Rui, a commander of the Imperial Guards; Silver Spear Wu Gang, a general of the Anxi Protectorate; and Twin Spears Tuoba Hui, a wandering hero of the northwestern frontiers who hunts down enemy chiefs during invasions. The ‘Four Swords’ are the four famous swordsmen. Except for Wang Chuanhua and Duanmu Qiu, most of the others are rising stars of the younger generation. Twenty years ago, only the Four Great Swords were renowned, and the others were unknown.

It is said: among the Four Great Swords, Zi Wuzhu’s sword is the fastest, Chen Jin’s the heaviest, Zhao Sishen’s the fiercest, and Han Qinghua’s the most sinister. Yet, Chen Jin is a general of the Northern Protectorate, Zhao Sishen is a high-ranking palace guard, and Zi Wuzhu lives reclusively in the Tianshan Mountains. Thus, in swordsmanship, Han Qinghua stands unmatched in the Central Plains, becoming the most famous swordsman of his time. Elder Ciji, the former Kongtong master, was both pleased and worried: he rejoiced that Han Qinghua had elevated Kongtong’s sword technique to its peak, perhaps surpassing even the late Sword Demon Wan Renshan, and could lead Kongtong to greater glory. Yet, he feared that after his own death, Han Qinghua’s uncertain heart might lead the sect into ruin. He had wanted to pass on the leadership early and retire to secluded cultivation, but these concerns delayed his decision.

Later, Elder Ciji wrote to Elder Xuanji of Shaolin, hoping Han Qinghua could study Buddhism to cleanse his malice through Zen. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, Elder Xuanji never replied, or perhaps never received the letter. At that time, Ye Changqing, the Southern leader of Tianshan Sect, sent invitations to all major sects, calling heroes to Tianshan to drive out Yin Liji of the Northern branch. While many saw this as an internal conflict, it was actually a joint crusade of the Central Plains’ righteous factions against evil. The campaign targeted not only Yin Liji but also the sinister Nether Fiend of the Qian-Guizhou region and various criminal gangs, such as the Peng clan of Shanxi, the Yellow River Gang, and the Golden Silkworm Sect of Miao. Thanks to this crusade, the evil factions suffered devastating losses and never recovered, granting the righteous martial world years of peace.

The Kongtong Sect did not go to Tianshan but, at Ye Changqing’s request, went to Qian-Guizhou to eliminate the Nether Fiend. Though infamous, the Nether Fiend’s martial prowess was extraordinary, and his ability to manipulate minds lured many simple folk into becoming disciples. His methods were unorthodox but quick to master, making his disciples difficult to defeat. The ensuing battle was arduous; Kongtong lost several skilled members, and even Master Xu was wounded.”

Xu Qianfan sighed, “My master was compassionate, intending only to kill the Nether Fiend and spare the misguided followers, hoping to educate and return them to their homes. But those people fought like madmen, brandishing weapons and disregarding life, using vile hidden weapons. Several disciples died because they hesitated to kill indiscriminately. Such a pity.”

Du Xunqi continued, “In the end, evil was vanquished. None of the misguided followers escaped; all perished. The Nether Fiend’s manipulation was truly poisonous. He had several beautiful concubines, all personally trained and favored, and among them was the White Snake Yan Fengjiao. Born with silver hair and stunning beauty, she excelled at charming men and was the Nether Fiend’s favorite, mastering his deepest skills and rarely met her match in Qian-Guizhou. Because of her silver hair, she was known as the White Snake. After a day of fierce battle, two of Elder Ciji’s eight disciples were killed, four wounded, but the remaining concubines were slain, and the Nether Fiend and Yan Fengjiao were trapped at Broken Sword Mountain. Yan Fengjiao showed no fear; under siege, she bowed gracefully to the Nether Fiend, urging him to escape while she stayed behind to cover his retreat. Though the situation was dire, the Kongtong disciples felt compassion for her devotion. The Nether Fiend was moved to tears, reaching to help her up. Suddenly, Yan Fengjiao drew a hidden dagger and stabbed him in the abdomen, then fled up the stone wall while everyone was stunned.

Someone in the hall asked, “Those of the evil sects act beyond reason. If trapped, White Snake should have escaped alongside the Nether Fiend, who was her strongest ally. Why would she wound him and cut off her own support?”

Du Xunqi replied, “When I first witnessed this, I was baffled. But as I grew older and saw more intrigue in the martial world, I eventually understood, though the realization left me cold with sweat. The White Snake’s ruthlessness, decisiveness, and cunning were truly extraordinary. When trapped at Broken Sword Mountain, both were thinking of escape, not mutual destruction. Yet, breaking through such a siege was nearly impossible. Though the White Snake had mastered much, she was still young and less skilled than the Nether Fiend. If they tried to escape together, the Nether Fiend would have a better chance. The Kongtong heroes were committed to eradicating evil, but not all were willing to die. Only Elder Ciji and a few disciples could challenge the Nether Fiend; the rest would fall instantly. Human nature seeks advantage, so the group would likely focus on the weaker White Snake, isolating her and eventually killing her. Thus, staying with the Nether Fiend posed greater risk for her.

But if the Nether Fiend was wounded, things changed. No matter his skill, an injury would limit his strength, making him easier to capture. The priority for Kongtong was to kill the Nether Fiend; compared to him, the White Snake was insignificant. To swiftly kill the Nether Fiend, the sect would focus all their efforts on him, ignoring the White Snake. Forced to fight, the Nether Fiend would inadvertently cover her escape. Yet, wounding him without disabling him and escaping herself was a difficult task. So, the White Snake bowed to him, asking to cover the retreat. Moved, he relaxed his guard, allowing her to strike. As she foresaw, the Nether Fiend, shocked and wounded by his beloved, went mad, rampaging like a beast. The Kongtong disciples scattered; those caught were torn apart. Only Ghost Sword Han Qinghua and Master Xu gave chase to the White Snake; the others were too busy saving themselves. In moments, the dense mountain forest hid her trail.”

At last, he sighed, “It took me decades to understand, but the White Snake calculated every move in an instant. Truly, nothing is more venomous than a woman’s heart.” In the corner, the Lotus Sect’s female disciples snorted with anger. Du Xunqi hurriedly apologized, “I didn’t mean you.” Their anger only grew.

ps: During the day I work, in the mornings and evenings I shuttle children and care for my parents. Only in the quiet of night can I find a little time to write. Over the year I’ve spent on ‘Legends of the Flourishing Tang,’ I rarely slept before one in the morning. Although I dare not claim every word is a gem, each line is written in blood and tears. What may take readers minutes to finish often costs me hours of contemplation. It’s truly not easy. I hope all readers will generously reward and recommend this work, lest my efforts go to waste. My thanks.

This novel is slow-burning; the plot unfolds gradually with each chapter. The deeper you go, the more captivating it becomes, with intrigue and drama, and early foreshadowing will slowly be revealed. It offers not only martial tales of heroes and heroines but also unveils the hidden machinations of the palace. The narrative is based on historical facts; characters such as Li Chongyuan, Li Chongjun, Li Duoza, Tian Yangming, and Xue Chongjian are real historical figures, and their fates match the records. Thus, ‘Legends of the Flourishing Tang’ is both a martial and historical story. Palace secrets of the Tang will be revealed within. I believe you will not be disappointed. When this novel concludes, another, ‘Tang’s Fall,’ will follow as thanks for your support.