Song of Everlasting Regret - Chapter 5

After discussing it among themselves, the five ultimately decided to visit Zhongwu Hall and offer their congratulations. They could not very well descend the mountain without meeting a single hero or villain. They also wanted to see Yu Xiu and ask about recent matters in the sect.

At noon the next day, the five took the invitation and followed Hong Ya to Zhongwu Hall.

Zhongwu Hall was located on East Street by the corner tower of Xuzhou City. Its buildings were imposing and its entrance courtyard broad. Though it did not rely on lofty mountains or beautiful rivers to lend it majesty, its location amid the bustling city gave it a grandeur all its own.

Zhongwu Hall specialized in saber techniques. Its Seven Sages Saber Art was not only austere, forceful, and majestic, but also strange and unpredictable, filled with bewildering methods of attacking an opponent.

The final match of the Martial Assembly had been between Lou Jing and a member of the Mu family.

When Yu Jingqiu and the others reached East Street, the wedding procession had not yet returned. The street was already lively, and the area in front of the residence was even more crowded.

A disciple of the Mu family welcomed them inside. They had barely walked a few steps when Hall Master Mu Yunsheng personally came to receive them.

Mu Yunsheng had a round face, a short and stout build, and a prominent belly. His earlobes were thick and fleshy, and people often said he had the face of a Buddha.

Although he appeared kind and amiable, no one dared underestimate his martial attainments.

His face was glowing with joy. The moment he approached, he called out, “Brother Hong Ya, why have you only just arrived?”

After exchanging greetings with Hong Ya, he noticed the five juniors beside him.

He had attended the Martial Assembly, so he naturally recognized Lou Jing, Yun Yao, and Di Hou. He treated the young disciples with great warmth.

“I only recently heard that Sect Master Lou had sent his disciples down the mountain. I thought that, no matter what, you would have to come experience the customs and scenery of Xuzhou. What a coincidence—I was thinking of you, and here you are.

“Come, come. My young guests must be seated among my honored guests. Your martial uncle only arrived a short while ago.”

Although Mu Yunsheng was so busy that his feet barely touched the ground, he still personally led them over.

Yun Yao lagged behind and muttered quietly, “We are merely juniors descending the mountain to train. Has it somehow become major news throughout the martial world? It is understandable that Uncle Hong Ya knew, but how does Hall Master Mu know as well?”

Di Hou replied, “Perhaps he heard it from Martial Uncle Yu.”

The garden was filled with guests, and a stage had been erected for entertainment.

Several figures were fighting on the stage. Their moves shifted abruptly and unpredictably, drawing everyone’s attention.

Only after Yu Jingqiu and the others examined them carefully did they notice something unusual.

The figures on the stage were not people at all, but puppets about the size of adolescents.

They were controlled with such agility that, had it not been for their expressionless wooden faces, it would have been difficult to tell they were not human.

Countless threads hung above the puppets, manipulated by performers concealed behind the curtain.

This was one of the Hundred Arts of the Guanzhong region—the string puppet performance.

The young disciples had never seen anything like it and found it astonishing. They stopped to watch.

However, the puppet performance soon ended, and the puppets were carried offstage. Another performer came up to replace them.

The newcomer wore a brightly painted mask.

After walking onto the stage, he bowed to the audience. When he raised his head, his gaze happened to meet Yu Jingqiu’s.

His movement paused slightly.

He openly studied her for a moment and only began performing after people below the stage urged him onward.

He assumed an opening stance and rubbed his palms together. A flame the size of a bean appeared between them.

As his hands moved, the flame grew larger and larger until it became a blazing cluster.

The performer then began making broad, sweeping movements, guiding the fire around his body. The flame stretched out like a long rainbow.

He pushed both palms outward.

The fire split into two streams, one shaped like a dragon and the other like a phoenix. They soared toward the guests.

As they passed beside Yu Jingqiu and the others, the young disciples could still feel the heat rolling off the flames.

The performer proclaimed, “The dragon and phoenix bring auspicious fortune. May Young Master Mu and Miss Cao enjoy a harmonious marriage!”

Yun Yao exclaimed in surprise, “He produced fire from nothing. How profound must his inner force be?”

Someone seated nearby laughed.

“It is merely an unorthodox trick—a bit of fireworks and stage magic.”

“Then what of Shen Zhongyin? Once his Blazing Core Palm reached completion, he could also summon fire from empty air with pure qi. Would you call that a fireworks trick as well?”

“Hey, you old fool! This is a joyous occasion. Why bring up that demon?”

Yu Jingqiu and the others left the stage and went to the table where Yu Xiu was seated.

After greeting their martial uncle, they sat at the same table. Both sides asked about recent events. Everyone said that they were well and that the sect was also well, and the conversation soon turned to the five disciples’ travels.

Near evening, the wedding procession returned.

The bride and groom went to the bridal chamber to drink the nuptial wine, while those escorting the bride were welcomed into the garden and entertained.

The Cao family’s senior relatives and uncles had arrived earlier. The person who had escorted the bride was her younger brother, Cao Ruxu.

In addition to the customary dowry, the Cao family had sent a generous gift to celebrate the union of the two families.

It was a miraculous medicine used to strengthen the foundation, nourish the body, and heal injuries—the Jade Buddha’s Hand.

When Cao Ruxu opened the brocade box, Mu Yunsheng could not conceal the delighted surprise on his face.

He hurriedly said, “Such a generous gift! I am ashamed to accept it. Brother Cao is far too courteous.”

Cao Ruxu replied, “Uncle Mu was injured while helping kill the demon Long Chou. This Jade Buddha’s Hand is precisely what he needs most.

“My father said that once our families were joined through marriage, we would all be one family. If the Jade Buddha’s Hand is not used by Uncle Mu, then who else should receive it? Uncle Mu, please do not refuse.”

“Well, then I must offer Brother Cao my deepest thanks.”

Mu Yunsheng accepted the Jade Buddha’s Hand and handed it to a disciple for safekeeping.

People at the neighboring table began whispering.

“Cao Bo is certainly generous. He was even willing to bring out the Jade Buddha’s Hand.”

“Now that Zhongwu Hall and Caoliu Manor are united, they will probably rise to an even greater height.”

Yu Jingqiu asked, “Martial Uncle Yu, what is the Jade Buddha’s Hand?”

Yu Xiu glanced at her.

Only after a long pause did he slowly answer, “It is a miraculous medicine that appears perhaps once in a hundred years. Some say it can greatly increase one’s cultivation. Others say it removes rotting flesh and regenerates tissue, while still others say it replenishes qi and strengthens the foundation.

“As for its true effects, only someone who has used it would know.”

Yun Yao said, “To possess such a treasure and still resist eating it—Manor Master Cao certainly has impressive restraint.”

Yu Xiu replied, “Apart from Peach Blossom Valley and… and… no one knows how to use the Jade Buddha’s Hand. Consuming it directly is no different from swallowing poison. It would burn a person’s stomach.”

Lou Jing thought privately, A treasure one can look at but not eat is nothing more than a useless ornament. How can it be called precious?

While she was thinking, the groom emerged and began making rounds to toast the guests.

Most of those at the banquet were people of the martial world, who loved nothing in life more than blades and wine. The drinking quickly became extremely lively.

Cao Ruxu accompanied the groom as he offered toasts.

Enemies truly could not avoid meeting one another. Eventually, their rounds brought them to Lou Jing’s table.

Lou Jing was not someone who held grudges over every minor issue. Although she disliked Cao Ruxu, she still drank a cup with them.

Cao Ruxu said to the groom, “Brother Mu, this is the champion of the Martial Assembly. Having her drink only one cup is showing her far too little respect!”

The groom happened to be the person who had lost to Lou Jing in the final match.

Although he admired her, he still felt somewhat unconvinced by his defeat. After Cao Ruxu’s words, he truly began urging her to drink more.

Lou Jing did not mind drinking.

What she disliked was Cao Ruxu provoking matters from the side. She found his behavior underhanded and did not approve of it.

Thus, when the cup was brought before her, she pretended not to see it.

Although it was only a conflict between youngsters, this was someone else’s wedding celebration. It would be improper for the atmosphere to become too tense.

Yu Xiu was about to mediate when Yun Yao, who loved drinking and was already somewhat intoxicated, slapped the table and stood.

“My junior sister cannot hold her liquor. Stop bullying her alone. If you have the ability, drink with me instead!

“Bring the wine! Since you are men, let us drink straight from the jars!”

Cao Ruxu was speechless.

Apart from the five disciples, everyone at the table was male.

Seeing such boldness from the young woman, they praised her loudly.

“Good, young lady! Very straightforward!”

“Young Master Mu, your wedding night is waiting. You cannot shrink from battle now!”

The servants actually brought over several jars of wine.

The groom finally recovered from his astonishment and did not know whether to laugh or cry.

He had been placed in a difficult situation.

If he won, it was only natural because he was a man. If he lost, everyone would mock him.

There was no benefit either way.

By the end, both he and Yun Yao were drunk, while Cao Ruxu had neatly escaped without drinking much at all.

Night had already fallen, and the bright moon illuminated the sky.

Seeing that Yun Yao was thoroughly intoxicated, Yu Jingqiu went to bid farewell to Mu Yunsheng. They intended to return to the Salt Gang residence with Hong Ya.

Mu Yunsheng said to Hong Ya, “Brother Hong Ya, you are truly inconsiderate. These five juniors have descended the mountain for the first time, yet you have kept them all at your gang’s residence.

“You must at least spare them for a day or two and allow me to entertain them properly.”

It was difficult to refuse such warm hospitality, so the five had no choice but to stay overnight at the Mu residence.

Yu Xiu was still surrounded by a group of old friends and could not get away.

Di Hou supported Yun Yao, Yu Jingqiu walked in front, and Lang Ye and Lou Jing followed behind as a Mu family servant led them toward the guest rooms in the rear courtyard.

When they reached the corridor outside the rooms, a young servant held up a lamp.

Fearing they would not know the way, he explained, “The hall master’s courtyard is ahead. The kitchens and storerooms are to the right, and the garden where the guests are being entertained is to the left.

“If the honored guests need anyone, go out through the side gate and call. This servant will remain available at all times.”

A faint night breeze arose, rustling the leaves.

When the wind brushed past the lamp, the shadows of the people beneath the eaves swayed continuously.

Lang Ye suddenly moved.

With a flick of his finger, the short sword at his waist flew from its sheath. Its blade reversed and shot directly toward the space above the corridor roof.

A black shadow dropped down.

At that moment, a gust of wind extinguished the flame, leaving them able to see only by moonlight.

No one knew who had been hiding above the eaves or what that person intended.

As the figure descended, they heard only the sound of robes flapping in the wind.

They never clearly saw the person. A large black cloak spun through the air, and the figure drifted away like a flowing cloud.

Lang Ye caught his falling short sword and immediately gave chase.

At the same time, Yu Jingqiu tapped her toes against the ground and swept beyond the eaves.

“There are people on the roof.”

Lou Jing drew her sword and flew after them.

Di Hou wanted to assist, but he was still holding Yun Yao.

Yu Jingqiu said, “Junior Brother, stay and look after Yao’er.”

Yun Yao slurred drunkenly, “Again! This grandaunt will drink you to death, you—you coward… Ugh…”

Di Hou rubbed her back.

“I told you not to drink so much.”

The servant was, after all, employed by a martial faction. Faced with this sudden incident, he remained fairly composed.

He opened the rooms for Di Hou and Yun Yao, then immediately hurried toward the garden to report the matter to his master.

Two figures had been lying concealed on the rooftop.

The moment Yu Jingqiu landed on the roof, both retreated at astonishing speed without needing to push off against anything.

Yu Jingqiu flicked her sword sheath and lifted a blue roof tile.

With a burst of palm force, she shattered it into several pieces and sent them flying like concealed weapons toward the acupoints of the two figures.

The strikes had no effect.

The two continued fleeing toward the rear courtyard.

Yu Jingqiu frowned.

The broken tiles had clearly struck them, yet neither figure paused.

Either they wore protective armor, or their inner force far exceeded hers.

The direction in which they fled was the same direction Lang Ye had pursued the figure who had hidden above the corridor.

Lou Jing crossed the gravel path, passed through the Moon-Gazing Gate, and chased closely behind them.

Yu Jingqiu leaped between rooftops and covered walkways, surveying the buildings from above and keeping every movement beneath the moon within sight so she would not lose track of the fugitives.

Unexpectedly, when she looked into the distance, she saw thick smoke billowing above the buildings on the southern side of Zhongwu Hall.

A fire had broken out.

From afar, people looked like ants running back and forth with buckets of water.

Although Yu Jingqiu wished to assist, she could not divide herself between two tasks. Matters had to be handled in order of urgency. Since there were already people dealing with the fire, she continued watching the fleeing black-clad figures.

They were caught near a pavilion, where Lou Jing blocked their path.

The two wore black robes with hoods covering their faces, so Lou Jing could not yet see their features.

Both attacked her with long swords.

Lou Jing met them head-on.

As she released her strength, her sword vibrated and hummed. Even while facing two opponents, she showed no fear.

Her sword moved boldly and elegantly, like a silver dragon weaving through the air.

The two managed to block her strikes, but the fierce sword aura sliced several tears into their black robes.

Yu Jingqiu arrived at precisely the right moment.

Her long sword left its sheath, its light competing with the moon.

The blade reflected silver moonlight and fell like a shooting star, striking one figure in the Jianjing acupoint at the shoulder.

Against an ordinary person, that strike should have rendered the arm unusable.

Yet the figure remained unaffected and continued moving freely.

Yu Jingqiu was not surprised.

While observing them from above, she had already noticed something strange about their movements. When she landed and closed in on one of them, her doubts were resolved.

Yu Jingqiu swept her sword horizontally.

The strike carried enough force to split mountains and divide seas, moving as swiftly as lightning.

There was only a flash before she severed the figure’s head.

The remaining sword intent continued onward and cut through a cluster of green bamboo behind it at the waist.

The figure paused.

When it fell forward, its posture was unnaturally rigid.

Under ordinary circumstances, Lou Jing would certainly have been astonished to see her senior sister act with such ruthless decisiveness.

However, after exchanging several moves with the two figures, she had already formed a suspicion from the strange sensation of striking them.

Yu Jingqiu’s attack confirmed it.

Lou Jing deliberately exposed an opening.

When the remaining figure tried to exploit it, she feinted, then abruptly slashed above its head.

Her sword cut only through empty air, yet it was as though she had severed the figure’s head.

It immediately stopped moving and toppled stiffly forward.

Lou Jing used her sword to lift aside the black robes.

By the moonlight, they saw that these two “people” were not bodies of flesh and blood.

They were puppets constructed from wood, leather, and other unknown materials.

Yu Jingqiu said, “String puppets.”

Lou Jing replied, “They belong to the group of acrobats who performed onstage during the day. Their background is clearly not simple.”

Yu Jingqiu considered the matter.

They had only met these performers that day and had no grudge against them. Naturally, the performers would have no reason to deliberately ambush the five disciples.

Judging from the way they had continually tried to escape, they were likely conducting some secret operation and had merely happened to run into the disciples.

They had hidden above the corridor to avoid being discovered, but had ultimately still been exposed.

Yu Jingqiu remembered the fire in the south.

“The people controlling them may still be nearby. There may be more than these two in front and behind us.

“From the direction they were fleeing, they appeared to be escaping through the rear courtyard. Ah-Ye chased the person in front. He may be attacked from both sides.”

Although the intruders seemed to have another objective, if someone blocked their escape, there was no guarantee they would not use lethal force.

Yu Jingqiu and Lou Jing continued forward.

They soon heard the sounds of fighting.

When they arrived, the masked figure launched a row of concealed weapons, forcing Lang Ye backward. Then he vaulted over the outer wall and fled.

There was only one black-clad person present, and no sign of whoever had been controlling the puppets.

It seemed their group had separated and escaped in different directions.

At that moment, a group of six or seven people came rushing from the direction Yu Jingqiu and the others had come from.

Cao Ruxu was at their head. His eyes were wide with fury, and he shouted curses.

“You thieving bastard! You dared steal from your grandfather!”

Lang Ye quietly said to Yu Jingqiu, “The person who fought me wore the painted mask of the performer who produced the fire onstage during the day.

“He was carrying a brocade box. It looked like the generous gift Caoliu Manor presented earlier—the Jade Buddha’s Hand.”

Yu Jingqiu suddenly understood.

The black-clad intruders had taken advantage of the confusion caused by Zhongwu Hall’s wedding.

They had disguised themselves as entertainers to infiltrate the residence, waited for an opportunity, and stolen the Jade Buddha’s Hand.

That was why they were now fleeing in such haste.

Cao Ruxu had encountered them entirely by chance.

He had gone outside to relieve himself and unexpectedly saw the thieves sneaking away after succeeding in their theft.

When the fire broke out in the south, most nearby experts had gone there to help extinguish it.

Had Cao Ruxu not noticed the thieves and immediately called for people to pursue them—and had Yu Jingqiu and the others not delayed the intruders—the thieves would nearly have escaped.

Yu Jingqiu feared that Lou Jing would clash with Cao Ruxu again.

After a moment of thought, she said, “Since members of Caoliu Manor are involved, we should not interfere rashly. Let us first return and report the matter to Martial Uncle Yu, then—”

Cao Ruxu glanced coldly at the three of them and said to his own people, “What are you staring at? Are you waiting for someone else to catch the thieves for you?”

His group vaulted over the wall and pursued the thief.

The night wind carried fragments of their conversation back toward them.

“Young Master, why did those people from the Qianyuan Sect happen to be here? Could they have some secret connection to those thieves…?”

Lou Jing’s expression abruptly changed.

Cold light flashed in her eyes as her hand tightened around her sword.

With a tap of her toes, she chased after them as well.

Yu Jingqiu called, “Jing’er!”

She hurriedly turned to Lang Ye.

“Junior Brother, quickly report everything that happened here to Martial Uncle Yu. I will pursue Jing’er and prevent her from acting impulsively.”

Lang Ye nodded.

“Senior Sister, be careful in everything.”