Chapter 83 – Heavenly Dragon (12)
“Little Sect Sister, do not pretend to be dumb, just give it to me, and I will spare you from death,” the youth spread his fan and said with a smile.
Azi looked at the folded fan and seemed to take two steps back in wariness, flashing to hide behind Lin Yu Tong. She said innocently, “You speak of that. Eldest Sect Brother, why did you not say it earlier, then I would have known?”
Lin Yu Tong thought, this was likely the eldest disciple of Ding Chun Qiu, Zhai Xing Zi. Supposedly, such a person was the youngest among the personal disciples of Ding Chun Qiu. However, his martial skills and toxin skills were the best. She naturally did not dare to be careless.
“Since you know, then give it over.” A hint of urgency flashed through Zhai Xing Zi’s eyes.
Azi dared to promise that this person used the excuse of Master but in reality, wanted it for himself. If she did not give it to him, the blame would fall to her. So she laughed and said, “Eldest Sect Brother, I cannot give it to you right now. I gave it to my sister.”
Lin Yu Tong felt a bit helpless. She was not very confident against these Xing Xiu Sect people. Things like toxins were not easy to guard against.
She stood up, and looked at the people coming and going in the little shop. It was best not to have a conflict occur here. What Lin Yu Tong disliked here the most was having a fight in someone else’s shop, destroying the shop and killing them. How innocent were these people?
“Let’s go out to talk.” Lin Yu Tong glanced at Zhai Xing Zi and headed out.
That Zhai Xing Zi looked at Lin Yu Tong and immediately led people to follow. Azi saw that people were leaving, and then touched the underside of the table. Nothing was there. She flipped the table over. She did not find what she had hidden. What the hell?
The busboy saw everyone was gone and dared to come out to clean up. Seeing this miss searching for things, he went forward to ask.
Azi was irritated, and having someone disturb her, she wound back her arm. The busboy shook in fear. Azi’s hand stopped. She thought, likely, Sister took it. If Sister learned that she hit a normal person who had no martial skill, she would not have a good time.
She hatefully put her hand down and snarled, “Go away, you want to get beat?”
Seeing the busboy flee away, Azi stomped her foot and gave chase. Her stupid sister must not give that treasure to Eldest Sect Brother.
Lin Yu Tong ran to the wilderness where there was no people before waiting for the people of Xing Xiu Sect.
Zhai Xing Zi stopped far from Lin Yu Tong. While he had never met this woman before, she had great internal energy, and very good qinggong. He had to be cautious of such a person.
Lin Yu Tong naturally would not have mercy for these people. The rule for Xing Xiu Sect accepting their disciples was that they would not take those who had not committed evil deeds. So, everyone who followed Xing Xiu Sect would not be wronged if they were killed.
“This Miss, I do not care about your relationship with Azi. But this is a matter of Xing Xiu Sect. Miss, do not interfere. You have an item of the sect, you should return it to its owner. Otherwise, Miss, while you are skilled in martial arts, we have more people. Miss should have also heard of the skills of Xing Xiu Sect,” Zhai Xing Zi looked at Lin Yu Tong and said warily.
“Then you just try.” Lin Yu Tong used a palm strike right after she finished talking. She did not know the name of this palm strike. Murong Bo had used this palm strike. She learned it when he attacked her with it. She used the Minor Formless Skill to activate her internal energies. This palm strike felt endless, and no place to escape. Her palm strike could not compare to Murong Bo, but it was enough against Zhai Xing Zi. Having made a hit, Lin Yu Tong immediately retreated. As expected, she just managed to escape the toxic smoke.
She covered her nose and attacked again before Zhai Xing Zi could recover. He spat out blood and fainted.
The other people retreated in fear. Azi finally appeared. “Based on the rules of the sect, I have had people kill Zhai Xing Zi. Then I am the eldest sect sister of the sect. You see your eldest sect sister, and do not greet her?”
“Greetings, Eldest Sect Sister, Eldest Sect Sister is unparalleled.” The flattery immediately started.
Lin Yu Tong absorbed the internal energies of Zhai Xing Zi and looked helplessly at Azi. She saw Azi run towards her. So she had secretly set out a toxin when they were flattering her. This time, all the people of Xing Xiu Sect, not just Zhai Xing Zi, were dead.
“Sister, quickly leave,” Azi pulled Lin Yu Tong to leave.
Lin Yu Tong was a bit shocked. What kind of toxin was this, it was a biological weapon.
My heavens, no wonder they all said that Xing Xiu Sect was an unorthodox sect. This was a terrorist organization.
After four hours, the pair of them rested in a forest.
“Sister, where is my stuff?” Azi stopped and asked.
“Stuff? What stuff?” Lin Yu Tong asked in puzzlement.
“The little bag I put under the table,” Azi stomped her foot and asked.
“Oh! You speak of that.” Lin Yu Tong laughed and said, “Did you not say you gave it to me? You do not admit it?”
Azi glared at Lin Yu Tong and said, “Sister, you do not know how to use it. To Sister, it is useless.”
“But if I give it to you now, do you feel you can protect it? How about you have it, and then attract people again?” Lin Yu Tong asked.
“Then…… Then…… Sister, you keep it for now. As long as it is here,” Azi whispered.
“The martial skills of the Xing Xiu Sect are very unorthodox. You should not practice it more. I will give you more suitable secret martial art manuals when we encounter them,” Lin Yu Tong looked at Azi and said.
Azi responded, not paying attention. She looked Lin Yu Tong up and down, wanting to know where she had hid it.
On the way, she flipped through the bag that Lin Yu Tong carried countless times, and could not find the Divine Wood King Cauldron Lin Yu Tong had hidden.
“How come she can hide things better than me?” Azi looked at Lin Yu Tong’s back and muttered.
On this day, when they passed by a pavilion, there were tanks of water for passerby to quench their thirst. Lin Yu Tong naturally did not drink from it, but Azi wanted to rest. So she scooped up and drank the water. Lin Yu Tong sat on a stone bench, thinking about how to get to Deaf Mute Valley.
At this time, a monk hurriedly came in, his robes dusty and patched. His appearance was not very respectable. He asked Lin Yu Tong and Azi, “Two Benefactors, this monk greets you, can you get some water for this little monk?”
“Everyone are passerby here, young master, do as you please,” Lin Yu Tong glanced at the monk and did not care.
But the monk finished drinking, and started to chant.
Azi could not stand the sound and said, “I say, Young Monk, what are you muttering about? You do not let people rest.”
“Amitabha, this little monk is reciting the Water Drinking Mantra. The Buddha says that in a bowl of water, there are eighty four thousand little worms. A monk should not kill, and have to recite the Water Drinking Mantra,” the young monk explained honestly.
Lin Yu Tong stilled. She had no understanding of the scriptures but the fact that Gautama Buddha was able to say such a thing was amazing. The number was not correct, likely just like how people spoke of “thousands and thousands.” But Lin Yu Tong felt it was very interesting that the Buddha had spoken of the microscopic world.
She looked at the young monk and asked, “Young Master, you have martial skill. Are you a monk of Shaolin?”
“Amitabha, yes, my name is Xu Zhu,” the monk reported.
“So you are a master of the Shaolin Temple. Master, you are in such a hurry, do you have some business?” Lin Yu Tong thought, she finally managed to find him.
Xu Zhu said, “I have the orders of the abbot to deliver an invitation to the Young Master Murong. This temple is inviting the heroes of the wulin to the temple for a gather during the Yang Festival.”
There was still half a year left.
Lin Yu Tong said, “Then Master, you should search around here. The Intelligent Gentleman invited the talents of the wulin to the Deaf Mute Valley Drum Mountain of Henan on the eighth of the second month. With Gusu Murong’s fame, he should go.”
Xu Zhu was overjoyed. “Miss, thank you for telling me.”
Lin Yu Tong stood up and said to Azi, “It is time for us to go.”
After bidding good-bye, Azi whispered a question, “The Deaf Mute Valley, is it not where the master of Old Freak Ding is?”
“Yes!” Lin Yu Tong did not care about anything else. She would first take Azi to the Drum Mountain. On the road, Lin Yu Tong bought several sets of men clothes for her and Azi to wear.
In the early part of the second month, the Drum Mountain did not have any scenery to speak of. The two of them were among many wulin people and were not eye-catching.
Entering the valley, they saw a thin old man and a youth having a game. Who was he if not Duan Yu?
Lin Yu Tong had learned Go in the Red Chamber, and played with Lin Dai Yu, Lin Ru Hai and Wen Tian Fang. When bored, she had studied the game records. While her skill was ordinary, she could understand. She knew the power of the game, and did not dare to look deeply.
Suddenly, the old person picked up a stone and threw it towards the pine forest. Soon, a monk in yellow robes came out, it was Jiu Mo Zhi.
He said, “Passing this treasure place, I heard of such an event. This old monk could not help but come to meet the heroes of the world.” Then he laughed and said, ” Young Master Murong, it is time for you to appear.”
They looked at the other side. A group walked out of the pine forest. There was a couple walking at the front. The man was very handsome, it should be Murong Fu. The woman was Wang Yu Yan.
It was the first time Lin Yu Tong saw Murong Fu. This was truly a handsome man, and people would be convinced by his presence.
She looked back at Duan Yu and saw him looking dazedly at Wang Yu Yan she thought, this person is obsessive to start with, and the match has disturbed his mind. At this time, he cannot keep playing this match.
As expected, Duan Yu dispiritedly stood up. He saw Murong Fu and Jiu Mo Zhi stand on different sides. Just after placing a few stones, Jiu Mo Zhi had a conflicted expression, and Murong Fu was about to kill himself. Duan Yu had to use the Six Meridian Divine Sword to stop him.
Lin Yu Tong grew more wary of the Zhen Long Chess Match, slowly retreated.
But at this time, two figures jumped in, Duan Yan Qing and Yue Lao San.
“I have come to learn…… Duan Yan Qing said and then paused. He pointed among the crowd with his metal staff. “This young master, will you have a match with this old man?”
The metal staff pointed at Lin Yu Tong.
Yun Zhong He had been crippled. Right now, Ye Er Niang was missing. Duan Yan Qing knew that Ye Er Niang had searched for Lin Yu Tong. Now, he only found Lin Yu Tong, and not Ye Er Niang . He knew that Ye Er Niang most likely was not alive.
Lin Yu Tong came out.
Duan Yu immediately said, “Mi-master Lin…… You are also here. Is Big Brother well?”
“Everything is fine,” Lin Yu Tong responded to Duan Yu and walked over under Jiu Mo Zhi’s mocking gaze.
Targeted by Duan Yan Qing, she could not hide if she wanted to. Lin Yu Tong walked over and said, “I do not have good skill. Elder, please forgive me.” Then she closed her eyes and made a move.
Laughter came around her. This was making a nonsense move.
Duan Yan Qing followed with a move and said, “You look down on this old man.” Did she want to say that even with her eyes closed, she could win?
Lin Yu Tong could not speak of her hardship. She just did not open her eyes. Suddenly, a hard gust of wind came at her. Lin Yu Tong could only open her eyes and dodge. After she did, she looked at the board, and felt like an army was rushing at her. Her energies surged. The scenes from the Red Chamber surged at her. It was Lin Ru Hai, Lin Dai Yu, then Lin Yu Yang on a horse on the street, then her wedding night with Wen Tian Fang, then the crying of the two children. Soon, she found her face covered in tears.
Lin Yu Tong thought this was not good. This had lured out the deepest thoughts in her mind. She immediately took a stone and set it down.
Duan Yan Qing suddenly felt sad. He had been the crown prince of a country, and now, he was in a ghastly state with his crippled body. The stone in his hand was about to land.
Suddenly, a voice came, “Do not.”
Xu Zhu knew that Murong Fu had placed a stone on that position before, and it almost forced Murong Fu to kill himself. He could not watch others go onto the same path. So he took the piece and casually placed it on the board. Almost at the same time, Lin Yu Tong put a piece in her own territory.
It was a match to kill oneself.
Su Xing He looked at Xu Zhu and then Lin Yu Tong. He said, “Nonsense! Nonsense!”
Then he looked at the match. It had been solved.
“It is the will of heaven!” Su Xing He looked at the pair and said, “Please come with me.”
Lin Yu Tong’s heart jumped. The chance had come.
Everyone followed behind and wanted to see what was involved. Su Xing He led them in front of three wood houses. There were no windows or doors. Su Xing He said, “Please come in!”
Carefree Sect, they acted in a carefree manner.
When Lin Yu Tong had such a thought, she used a palm strike against the wall of the wood house. With a crack, a hole appeared in the wall.
Everyone was shocked. This person was really not polite.
Su Xing He and Ding Chun Qiu saw this. This person clearly used the internal energies of Carefree Sect.
“Little one, who is your master?” Ding Chun Qiu attacked Lin Yu Tong’s back.
“Quick, go!” Su Xing He saw that the Carefree Sect would have such an heir and used his internal energy to push Lin Yu Tong. She felt her body was out of control and she was falling into an unknown space.
Duan Yan Qing saw Xu Zhu still so dazed. He would have died if not for Xu Zhu just now, so he secretly pushed Xu Zhu in as well.
“That’s this sect’s door, how can others go in?” Ding Chun Qiu immediately attacked Xu Zhu but with Duan Yan Qing’s secret help, Ding Chun Qiu did not succeed.
Bao Bu Tong said, “The young master now just entered, and you did not stop him, but you stop this young monk. What is the reason?”
“What do you know! That person’s martial arts come from this sect,” Ding Chun Qiu and Su Xing He fought as he said.
Duan Yu’s mind paused. Then, half of his martial skill came from Carefree Sect as well.
Lin Yu Tong did not care about the outside. When the feeling of weightlessness disappeared, she appeared in a dilapidated mountain cave.
Just after she finished looking around, Xu Zhu stumbled in.
“Why is it two people?” Such a voice came from inside.
Xu Zhu was stunned and said, “Amitabha, this young monk was pushed in.”
Such an honest person.
Lin Yu Tong said, “May I ask if you are Elder Wu Ya Zi?”
“Interesting, so interesting! One is a young monk, the other knows this old man’s name. Let this old man look at you, how are you like?” The voice came again.
Lin Yu Tong determined the direction and saw there was a wooden board in the way. She hit with her palm. The wooden board had rotted after so many years, and with her strike, it turned to dust.
There was a white figure floating in the air.
“Ghost……” Xu Zhu said in shock. Then he sat down, and started to chant what seemed to be the Rebirth Mantra.
Lin Yu Tong almost laughed. This was not a ghost. She had said already this was Wu Ya Zi and called him Elder. Now, he was still talking about a ghost.
Wu Ya Zi sighed and said, “The young monk is ugly, but while you are handsome, you are a woman.” Then he looked at Lin Yu Tong. “Are you her disciple?”
Her? Which her?
Lin Yu Tong was still for a moment and then said, “This junior does not know who you mean. However, I obtained the secret manual on accident, and did not have a master.”
“Secret manual? When did you get the secret manual?” Wu Ya Zi looked at Lin Yu Tong and asked.
She had planned to lie, but Wu Ya Zi’s eyes seemed to see through all. Lin Yu Tong could not help but say, “No Measure Mountain, the statue of the celestial.”
“Then how are you not her disciple?” Wu Ya Zi asked.
“No one has lived there a long time, there are only shelves left in the Blessed Reading Ground,” Lin Yu Tong looked at Wu Ya Zi and said tentatively.
“She left?” Wu Ya Zi laughed. “I was saying that you are a woman, and not a handsome youth, why she would teach your martial arts? So it is because you have karma with me and her.”
Lin Yu Tong curtsied. “I only learned the Gentle Wave Step, the Divine Skill of Northern Darkness and the Minor Formless Skill. I do not know if it is right.”
“Come here, give me your hand,” Wu Ya Zi said.
Lin Yu Tong stretched her hand out as instructed, and felt a warm flow move through her meridians.
“It is fine. Your quality is not the best, but still rare.” Wu Ya Zi said, “I will teach you the mind method, just remember.”
Lin Yu Tong sat down on the ground. As she practiced according to the mind method, the meridians which she had felt were blocked before started to grow alive. It seemed that her understanding had not been correct.
“Pity that you are a woman, and my internal energies cannot be passed to you.” He reached out and two scrolls landed in Lin Yu Tong’s arms. “This master gifts these to you. If you practice well, you will have achievements.”
Lin Yu Tong hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, calling him “master.” “Today’s events are a surprise.”
Wu Ya Zi looked at Xu Zhu who was still chanting and said to Lin Yu Tong, “Disciple, you go and take his Shaolin internal energies.”
Lin Yu Tong acknowledged. Xu Zhu opened his eyes and looked in fear at Lin Yu Tong. “Benefactor, we have no grievance between us, you cannot harm this little monk.”
“I am not harming you, this is for your own good.” Lin Yu Tong smiled. “Do not be afraid.”
She reached out with a hand. Right now, when absorbing internal energies, Lin Yu Tong felt it was much smoother, and did not have to meditate to refine it.
When Lin Yu Tong pulled her hand back, she turned to look at Wu Ya Zi, “Master, do you have to do this?”
Wu Ya Zi was very handsome and elegant. Since she called him master, she did not bear to see him……
“Do as you please, this is carefree. You are able to come in, you should be able to see through life and death. You cannot be like this,” Wu Ya Zi shook his head and said.
Then he reached out with both hands. Xu Zhu was sucked over by a wave of internal energy. Their heads and hands met each other. Wu Ya Zi’s face slowly grew old.
It was like seeing the second half of someone’s life. Lin Yu Tong’s tears came down. She slowly knelt. Wu Ya Zi did not have much time left.
Xu Zhu opened his eyes. He felt light all over. He thought he had slept for decades. Otherwise, how could the other person look so old? Then he looked at Lin Yu Tong, and felt it was not the case. This benefactor had not changed.
“Master has given you the internal energy of his lifetime, do you not call him Master?” Lin Yu Tong looked at Xu Zhu and said. While forcibly having someone accept a master was not good, at this point, he just had to keep going.
“No, no, I am a monk of Shaolin, I cannot leave for another sect, another master,” Xu Zhu said.
Lin Yu Tong did not have the patience to argue with him and pressed him to kowtow, counting as finishing the master recognizing ceremony.
Xu Zhu had strong internal energy and it would be easy for him to resist. But he was kind, and did not bear to fight a woman.
“Never mind!” Wu Ya Zi sighed. “I had two disciples in this life, one who rebelled, and one who is in danger right now. Now, I have the two of you. The position of sect leader will be between you two.”
Xu Zhu waved his hand. “This one is a monk and cannot be a sect leader.”
“The heaven wills it.” Wu Ya Zi gave his thumb ring to Lin Yu Tong. “Starting now, you are the leader of this sect, you have to manage the sect for this master.”
“Yes!” Lin Yu Tong solemnly took it over, and watched Wu Ya Zi stop breathing.
He was dead, but he could not just be left here. She said, “Junior, go notify the Eldest Sect Brother Intelligent Gentleman how to take care of Master’s funeral.”
Xu Zhu was not used to being called this and said, “Amitabha, this little monk will go.”
After he left, Lin Yu Tong prepared Wu Ya Zi’s corpse and clothing. She looked into the corners of the room. There were two boxes and nothing else. She put the boxes into her pocket space, and did not have the time to inspect them.
Translator Ramblings: More character connections going on here. Wu Ya Zi and his lover Li Qiu Shui have a daughter Li Qing Luo, also known as Madam Wang, the mother of Wang Yu Yan. In other words, Lin Yu Tong is inheriting from her (step)-grandfather.
- Grafting Life Chapter 82 – Heavenly Dragon (11)
- Grafting Life Chapter 84 – Heavenly Dragon (13)
- Grafting Life Chapter 85 – Heavenly Dragon (14)
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