Jianghu Qimen Lu

Chapter 14 Ancient Sword Shadow

"What kind of gang is the Sun Gate? I've never heard of it!" Bai Shandian was completely baffled. Xiang Quan didn't speak, but an elderly Taoist priest with a graceful bearing, who was seated below, stood up. His hair and beard were all white, but his face was ruddy and his body robust. He waved his whisk twice, bowed to Bai Shandian, and said, "You unscrupulous Heavenly Venerable, I am Bai Meiquan. Wandering the martial world, I have heard a little about this: the Sun Gate is a martial arts gang that has recently risen to prominence. Its stronghold is on Wan She Island in the East China Sea. It doesn't have many members, only about a thousand, mostly Dongying Langren and deserters from Korea. They were originally escaped death row inmates from the two island nations. Having escaped to the deserted Wan She Island, they found common ground and often engaged in risk-free piracy, such as murder and robbery. However, the gang leader is said to be extremely skilled in martial arts, a Dongying Langren who possesses a kind of unorthodox skill..." He could see through the scorching sun! When fighting, his gaze was like lightning; often, without even lifting a finger, his enemies' eyes would be injured by his fierce light, as if being stabbed and burned, blood gushing out instantly, turning their eyes black! Thus, he was known as the "Sun God of Skill." Since his debut, he had rarely encountered an opponent. This group of pirates was even more formidable than the Japanese pirates of the late Ming Dynasty, but each of them possessed superb martial arts skills and extremely sophisticated and stealthy methods, rarely failing. Gradually, they gained notoriety along the Zhejiang coast, becoming deeply hated and resented by the common people, and feared by those in the martial arts world. They were an evil gang that everyone wanted to kill! Bai Shandian and Xiang Quan exchanged a glance, a chill creeping into their hearts: their sons were in the hands of these demons; wouldn't their chances of survival be slim?

Bai Shandian pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked Xiang Quan, "Are you really going to hand over the 'Complete Book of Jianghu' tomorrow?" Xiang Quan frowned slightly and asked in return, "Do you have any good ideas?" Bai Shandian said with some concern, "I'll go with you tomorrow!" Xiang Quan felt a warmth in her heart, looked at her husband with deep affection in her beautiful eyes, and said in a trembling voice, "Okay!" The group then discussed and came up with a specific plan to rescue Xiao Baijin.

Lingyin Temple, located northwest of West Lake in Hangzhou, nestled at the foot of Lingyin Mountain between Feilai Peak and Beigao Peak, is one of China's earliest Buddhist temples and one of the ten most famous ancient temples in the country. The group of "Fragrant Fist" (香拳) mingled with the bustling tourists and entered Feilai Peak, while "White Lightning" (白闪电) and six other famous martial arts masters, disguised, followed closely behind. Arriving at the entrance of Lingyin Temple, they were struck by its grandeur! With its upturned eaves and arched roofs, it shone brilliantly in the misty mountains, its incense burning brightly. Hidden among flowers and trees, the ancient temple lay hidden deep in the mountains; winding paths led to secluded spots, and the sounds of Buddhist chants echoed from the meditation rooms.

After entering the solemn and majestic gate, we arrived at the Hall of Heavenly Kings. Looking up, we saw the plaque inscribed with "Yunlin Temple" by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, its calligraphy flowing like dragons and snakes, truly magnificent.

The Hall of Heavenly Kings is approximately 24 meters long and 15 meters wide. In the center, facing the mountain gate, is a niche enshrining a Maitreya Buddha statue, seated cross-legged on a prayer mat, with a benevolent smile. The niche facing away from the mountain gate houses a statue of Weituo, a Buddhist guardian deity, standing 2.5 meters tall, wearing a golden helmet and armor, with a radiant expression. On either side of the hall are painted clay statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, each 8 meters tall, all clad in heavy armor. Two of them are imposing, while the other two have fierce expressions; they are commonly known as the Four Vajras. Representing favorable weather and abundant harvests, they are important guardian deities in Buddhism, known as the Four Heavenly Kings who protect the world.

Several monks sat cross-legged before the altar, chanting scriptures and gently striking a wooden fish, producing a clear, resonant sound. Xiang Quan glanced around the hall, finding nothing amiss, and joined the other tourists in burning incense and bowing in worship. Amidst the swirling smoke of incense, as he was praying, he suddenly felt an elderly man in his seventies, sitting close to his right, tug at his clothes and whisper, "Did you bring it?" Xiang Quan's heart skipped a beat. He quickly turned to look and saw a man with white hair and beard, dressed like a wealthy landowner with a slight hunchback. His eyes were vacant, and his gait slow; he didn't seem like a martial arts master at all. Could he be a member of the infamous Sun Gate?

"Yes!" Xiang Quan tentatively answered in a low voice.

"Please follow me!" The old master stood up shakily and staggered away. Xiang Quan winked at Bai Shandian and the others behind him, who followed closely behind, filing out of the Heavenly King Hall. The group spread out, leisurely making their way to a small bamboo grove. Suddenly, the old master vanished into the grove, followed by a loud boom and a plume of smoke rising into the sky. Xiang Quan and the others were startled and quickly retreated. When they looked again, the old master had disappeared! Although the grove was small, it was built according to the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) layout, with layers upon layers of bamboo shadows, crisscrossing and making the path difficult to discern! Just as they hesitated, a voice rang out in the air, striking their eardrums: "If you truly wish to exchange, please place your item on the ground so I can verify its authenticity!" Xiang Quan knew this person had used a superior internal skill that could transmit sound over long distances, and he couldn't help but feel a chill of fear: "Such a disguised and powerful enemy was right beside me just now. If he had suddenly attacked, how could I have saved myself?!"

Bai Shandian, dressed as a private tutor in a long robe and gown, was quite refined and dashing. Seeing this, he quickly winked at Xiang Quan, meaning: the extraordinary book, *The Complete Book of Jianghu*, could not be handed over until her son was seen! But Xiang Quan, desperate to see her son, suddenly pulled a book from her bosom, glanced helplessly at Bai Shandian, and then suddenly shouted loudly towards the bamboo forest, "I must see my son, Xiao Baijin, or it's all over!" After a moment of silence in the bamboo forest, the familiar cry of her youngest son could be heard: "Mother, Mother, I want Mother! Mother, come save me!" Xiang Quan's vision blurred, and a wave of despair washed over her. She rushed towards the bamboo forest, shouting, "Release my child! I'll give you the extraordinary book!" She then hurled the genuine *Complete Book of Jianghu* to the ground!

With a creak, an ancient vine suddenly shot out from the bamboo forest, coiling around the strange book before swiftly returning to its original position! A moment later, a hearty laugh echoed from the bamboo forest: "Master Xiang truly keeps her word! Alright, I'll return your son to you!" Immediately, a dark figure appeared in a flash—it was the old, hunched-over wealthy man, carrying his beloved little Bai Jin, whom he had longed for day and night, tucked under his arm! Upon seeing his mother, Bai Jin cried and wailed with joy. The old man set him down, lifted him into the air, and prepared to vanish…

Unexpectedly, with a whooshing sound, several figures shot out from different directions, surrounding him in mid-air. Their fists and feet were merciless and ruthless. A flurry of attacks, each a deadly strike! It was White Lightning and the Six Famous Fists, who had been lurking nearby, attacking simultaneously! With the determination to kill in one fell swoop, they all wanted to end their opponent instantly! But the old man, contrary to his frail and feeble state, was surprisingly agile and nimble. His arms moved swiftly, dodging attacks and seizing his enemies, throwing them one by one to the ground! Even with their superior skills, Bai Shandian and Bai Meiquan, who narrowly escaped being caught, were still terrified. After landing gracefully, they both thought, "What kind of kung fu is this guy? It's so uncanny! His moves seem so ordinary, yet I couldn't dodge them at all, almost falling for his trick!" With a clang, Bai Shandian drew his sword, pointed with his fingers in a gesture reminiscent of a celestial pointing the way, and thrust his longsword straight forward, truly carrying the faint sound of wind and thunder! His first move was the opening stance of the Shaolin Great Compassion Sword, the crowning achievement of the Northern Songshan Shaolin School. It consisted of twenty-eight moves, each swift and intricately linked, each move faster and more dangerous than the last, like dark clouds pressing down, a storm brewing. Named Great Compassion, it truly possessed a deadly, sorrowful aura, with every strike capable of inflicting death!

The old man somersaulted to Bai Meiquan's side, throwing a punch right in front of him. Bai Meiquan dodged in a panic, but it was a feint. The old man reached out and grabbed Bai Meiquan's belt, lifting him up and swinging his arms like broadswords, directly colliding with Bai Shandian's sword light! Startled, Bai Meiquan rolled backward, halting his Great Compassion Sword Technique performance! When the old man put Bai Meiquan down, the old Taoist was already dizzy, seeing stars, swaying a few times, and finally collapsing to the ground!

Bai Shandian snapped his fingers and whistled. Instantly, a series of whooshing sounds filled the air as hundreds of soldiers dressed as civilians emerged from the eaves of nearby palaces, the shadows of ancient trees, and the bushes. Each soldier was armed and swarmed around the old man, engaging him in a fierce battle! It turned out that Bai Shandian had known this battle was extraordinary. He had secretly selected three hundred martial arts masters from among the Eight Banners and Green Standard Army soldiers, instructing them to disguise themselves and blend into the crowd of tourists, following him closely. They were not to emerge unless absolutely necessary. Only when he himself was in danger would he send out the pre-arranged signal to summon them…