Book 41 - Chapter 4 – Preview of a Lesson in Love (1/2)
The two boys tied the small skiff to an elm tree by the riverbank, and then they went ashore toward the s
In Longquan, not only the big streets were as wide as the ones in Chang’an, the lanes and alleys were imitated to perfection Because of the water, the decoration on the stone bridges and row upon row of tiled houses wasoutside the courtyard of the bungalow that shi+ Feixuan uess how Zhou Laotan is going to treat us, the two benefactors who saved his life? Will he be grateful, or suspicious? It’s called rivers and e, hu smiled and said, “In order to recapture the Xiedi Sheli, you want hi too ht to knock on the door asking for an audience, or juive hi carefully for half a day, Kou Zhong said, “There is not a sound inside the house, it looks like Zhou Laotan already went out incognito to go on an inspection tour [the terovern all over the place to sense the Sheli’s location”
Xu Ziling grabbed the door ring and knocked it lightly three ti with his eyes After ascertaining that there was no one else in the alley, the two soared over the wall and landed in the courtyard inside
The two-section building was connected by an atriuant
Raising his voice, Xu Ziling said, “Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling are calling to pay our respects to Zhou Xiong”
Beyond the two boys’ expectation, a gri, “Turns outbenefactors Cohed aloud and said, “Zhou Laoxiong is indeed brilliant; unexpectedly the two of us are completely unable to detect someone is inside the house”
He was about to lift his foot to enter the house, when he noticed Xu Ziling’s odd expression He was about to inquire, Xu Ziling already reached out toward his shoulders, and quickly wrote the character ‘fake’ on his back
Inwardly Kou Zhong was shocked, but he iuise as Yue Shan, Xu Ziling had nized his voice, yet the other party did not know this fact, thereupon he pretended to be Zhou Laotan to deceive the bodes ill, no positive signs for Zhou Laotan; perhaps he had been captured
This bungaloas arranged by shi+ Feixuan via a local Han merchant for Zhou Laotan to stay, and shi+ Feixuan was accusto alone, she definitely would not stay here for a ti already e indeed if the two boys did not fall into the trap
‘Creak!’
The double-door was pushed open from the inside, and the fake Zhou Laotan appeared on the door Xu Ziling was immediately scared out of his skin
In terms of outward appearance, the fake and the real Zhou Laotan were seventy-, eighty-percent alike Both had wide face and hook jaw, thick lips, bulging neck, their build short and stout Although wearing Buddhist monk’s cassock, fro saw the person first before hearing the voice, because it has been a long time since he met Zhou Laotan, perhaps he would be deceived as well This moment however, since he already had a doubt in his heart, after a closer look, he immediately realized that the fake Zhou Laotan’s nose was shorter, the expression showing in his eyes was different
Under Xu Ziling’s sharp eyes, he was sure that this person was not wearing any disguise, neither did he wear any ht look similar, no two are identical Yet since the reseree, most likely the fake Zhou Laotan before their eyes was the real Zhou Laotan’s twin brother
What was happening here?
Could it be that shi+ Feixuan was also duped?
The fake Zhou Laotan laughed and said, “Two gentle Laotan feels that your presence brings light toCome in and drink a cup of hot tea first and then we’ll talk”
Kou Zhong laughed aloud; calmly and unafraid he took the lead to enter the s was simple Other than a set of table and chairs, there were only a few pieces of small furniture The four walls were coht with several s
After the two sat down, Zhou Laotan sat down on the other side of the table He said, “Two gentleht ti for shi+ Guniang You did not knock the door using the agreed technique, I thought it was the ene in to look for me”
“Do you have an appoint asked
The fake Zhou Laotan’s eyes spouted flame of hatred; full of enated place, asking her to come here toheld captive”
Kou Zhong pretended to be greatly delighted; he asked, “Where is Saozi [sister-in-law] being i his voice, the fake Zhou Laotan said, “Just outside the city, about ten li to the west, inside aZun Jiao’s secret nest”
Xu Ziling said, “Why do we need to wait for shi+ Xiaojie to coo immediately to rescue her”
The fake Zhou Laotan shook his head and said, “The th is difficult to estimate What I am most afraid of is that they would rather kill Huanzhen than letting her be rescued by us; therefore, weto sneak in This way our chance of rescuing her would be a lot greater”
Knitting his brows, Kou Zhong said, “How did Zhou Xiong know that she is inside the mansion?”
The fake Zhou Laotan was able to reply quickly and fluently, “Huanzhen has a set of gongfa, even if we are separated by a long distance, I could detect her presence, unless Da Ming Zun Jiao people knocked her unconscious; but they evidently want to draw support fro Sheli, hence I was able to seek her straight to Longquan”
Were it not for they already knew that he was a fake, they would have been deceived into believing that it was the truth But now they knew that he was fa in the world
Xu Ziling cheered inwardly; fake news against fake inforhan is outside the city, tracking down Shen Mohuan, husband and wife’s trail; he will be back in three days”
The fake Zhou Laotan asked, “Is the Five-Colored Stone still in your hands?”
Kou Zhong replied, “We hid the Five-Colored Stone in a secret place outside the city; we could use this as a bargaining chip against Bai Ziting About rescuing Saozi back, what exactly the plan that Zhou Xiong has in your heart?”
The fake Zhou Laotan asked, “Do you happen to knohere shi+ Xiaojie is staying?”
Shaking his head, Xu Ziling replied with a wry s to speak a feords to h face, how could she be willing to tell us where she stays?”
A barely visible happy expression flashed through the fake Zhou Laotan’s pair of de to tell you that I am here?”
The two boys were nearly left speechless by his question Fortunately Xu Ziling was able to think fast in an eency; he replied, “shi+ Xiaojie is still not too unreasonable, she knew that we had plucked Saozi fro Jiaojiao’s hands, hence she allowed us todid not let hi ambushed and captured at Shanhai Pass? Who attacked you? How come shi+ Feixuan could only rescue you, one person?”
The fake Zhou Laotan’s face turned co his teeth, saying, “The ones dealing with us were the Five Kinds of De Zun Jiao First, they used poison ere unaware, and then catching us off guard, they suddenlyour path while we least expected it They put me in a farm near Shanhai Pass, and only took Huanzhen away, because they wanted her to work for them because she orried over my life and death”
And then he let out a cold snort and fiercely said, “But they still underestimated me; how could I, Zhou Laotan be someone who is easy to deal with? In less than a day I forced the poison out, unsealed the acupoint, and killed the bandit guardingestion: is it possible for Zhou Xiong not to tell shi+ Xiaojie about this ether we’ll go to the ive shi+ Xiaojie a nice surprise?”
The fake Zhou Laotan revealed a difficult expression first, and then, after rolling his pair of de as we can rescue Huanzhen, I’ll do anything”
After discussing theseized this opportunity to ask, “Other than the Five Kinds of Deht Sons, I hear that under Da Zun and Shan Mu, there is also one Yuanzi; I wonder if Zhou Xiong knoho it is?”
Frowning, the fake Zhou Laotan said, “Although we, husband and wife, have sought shelter under Shan Mu, we did not enter Da Ming Zun Jiao, therefore, we are unclear about theZun Jiao I only know that Yuanzi is training the ‘Yu Jin Wan Fa Gen Yuan Zhi Jing’ [iin wisdo Zun Jiao’s Three Great Secret Canons The Five Bright Sons are qi [or air], wind, poater, and fire The Five Kinds of De down fire, vicious wind, poisonous water, and dark qi [or air] As for the Da Zun and Yuanzi, they are the ures within the Cult The Cult people never talk about it with outsiders”
Rising up to his full height, Kou Zhong said, “We’ll see you at appointed tioodbye
The two boys sat on the s quickly took off his robe, he even handed the Moon in the Well to Xu Ziling; putting on his mask, he spoke in low voice, “I’ll follow the fake Zhou Laotan to see who he is in contact with This is called beating soo look for your fairy! See what she thinks about it”
Without waiting for Xu Ziling’s agreeently sculled, the s’s intention of beating soood opportunity to rescue Jin Huanzhen and Zhou Laotan
The fake Zhou Laotana thousand li to lure shi+ Feixuan to coquan, he definitely harboredZhai was the holy land that Wulin’s white way [righteous/orthodox] looked up to; to deal with shi+ Feixuan, the direct disciple that the Jingzhai sent out, was certainly easier said than done But in this Little Chang’an, which was far away from the Central Plains, it was another matter
shi+ Feixuan had just arrived today She was precisely the person that the fake Zhou Laotan aiting for, so that they could carryout their conspiracy But coincidentally the two boys dropped by, the fake et rid of them, before they could leisurely deal with shi+ Feixuan Therefore, the fake Zhou Laotan must now notify his conspirators to make adequate preparation
If from the fake Zhou Laotan’s side the whole nest came out toward the mansion outside the city to prepare an a a weak spot, to rescue Jin Huanzhen and Zhou Laotan
The crucial point was to be one step ahead to grasp the place they were being i must find the clues from the fake Zhou Laotan
In order to find the Demonic Emperor Relics, Jin Huanzhen, either both husband and wife, or one of thereat chance of success
The skiff accelerated continuously After rounding a bend on the river, a paGoda, towering over the dense forest on the left, appeared in sight This was Sheng Guang Si [holy light (Buddhist) te’an
Bai Ziting himself has never believed in Buddha And now, it was more likely that he converted to Funantuo’s Tianzhu evil cult However, since the real Chang’an had ’anto shi+ Feixuan, not only the incense burning in Sheng Guang Si was not flourishi+ng, the nu Dashi+ [greatover the te’an, a virtuous holy monk The monks inside the te’an