Chapter 2, Under the Kunlun Divine Skill

Lin Jian's heart was filled with shock; he could only tremble and shake his head. Although his mouth was open, he could not utter a word. He had never seen Lin Qiu so angry in his life.

Lin Jian saw him strike with a palm and realized that there were claws hidden within it, so he aimed for his own "lock bone point". Lin Jian crouched down to evade, sweeping his leg in a cross-legged motion towards Chang Yixian's lower body. Chang Yixian coldly remarked, "You still have some skill." His body suddenly rose, executing the "Mandarin Duck Cross-Legged Kick" towards Lin Jian. Seeing the viciousness of his moves, all of which were lethal techniques, Lin Jian felt a surge of anger. He countered with the "Five Ding Open Mountain". Chang Yixian thought to himself, "So he is just an inexperienced brat." He quickly changed his technique, and Lin Jian's palm struck empty, exposing his abdomen, which led to several swift kicks from Chang Yixian. In a moment of panic, Lin Jian recalled the insights he had gained while fighting the giant python. He hurriedly contracted his abdomen; having made some progress in the Northern Dipper Divine Skill, and with diligent practice of the Golden Shuttle Snake Hand, his body was extremely flexible. Although he managed to retract his abdomen in the blink of an eye and avoided a critical hit, he was still a step too late and was kicked away, crashing against the cave wall. Lin Jian thought to himself, "That was perilously close; I almost met my end." Although he had been kicked, he had ultimately avoided a fatal blow and only sustained some external injuries, so he quickly got back up.

Lin Jianxin thought: "This Chang Yixian is quite formidable! With just a few words, I have already poured a bowl of enchantment into this Guo. " He further reflected: "Guo Rufen is also a fool; I fear that his father's reputation cannot compare to that of his filial son. " As his thoughts continued, Chang Yixian said: "For the sake of achieving great things, what does it matter to sacrifice a few commoners? If we can get our hands on that thing, heh heh! At that time, won't the martial world be ours?" Chang Yixian repeated: "For the sake of achieving great things, what does it matter to sacrifice a few commoners? If we can get our hands on that thing, heh heh! At that time, won't the martial world be ours? Hahaha!" Guo Rufen, unable to resist the temptation, ultimately laughed heartily with Chang Yixian. Lin Jian's heart burned with anger as he thought: "Aren't you also commoners! Hmph! Causing trouble on my 'turf', I will definitely intervene in this matter!" He resolved to take action. After Chang and Guo laughed for a while, Guo Rufen asked: "Brother Chang, shall we go find a few villagers to ask?" After all, he was from a prestigious family; he did not say they were going to 'capture' but rather 'find'. Lin Jian's heart seethed with anger again, thinking: "Aren't you also commoners! Hmph! Causing trouble on my 'turf', I will definitely intervene in this matter!" He resolved to take action. After Chang and Guo laughed for a while, Guo Rufen asked: "Brother Chang, shall we go find a few villagers to ask?" After all, he was from a prestigious family; he did not say they were going to 'capture' but rather 'find'. Chang Yixian pondered: "This is not urgent; we must first understand the environment here." Guo Rufen smiled in agreement: "What Brother Chang says is true." Then Chang Yixian remarked: "This cave seems to have been inhabited before; the terrain here is excellent. Let us settle here for now. Come, let us explore the surroundings while looking for some wild game to satisfy our hunger." Guo Rufen simply replied: "Yes, yes, yes." After Lin Jian heard them move away, he jumped out and cursed: "These two scoundrels, I must teach you a good lesson!" He turned back to look at the cave, his mind already made up.

Chang Yixian emerged from the cave and entered the forest. Lin Jian glanced around cautiously, and after confirming there was no movement, he swaggered into the cave. Upon seeing Ru Feng staring at him with wide eyes, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Hey, why don't you speak?" Suddenly, a chilling voice came from behind him, saying, "He has been struck at his acupoint by me, so he cannot speak." Lin Jian was taken aback and quickly turned around, only to find that it was indeed Chang Yixian. He immediately realized he had fallen into a trap, as he was still inexperienced and had been ensnared by such a scheme. Chang Yixian coldly remarked, "Good little brat, I must admire your courage. However, your wit is lacking and still a bit too immature!" Lin Jian thought to himself, "This is bad!" His martial arts instincts kicked in, and he involuntarily assumed a defensive stance. Chang Yixian let out a strange laugh and said, "Oh! So you know a thing or two. Good, today I want to see how much you weigh!" As soon as he finished speaking, he reached out to grab Lin Jian. Lin Jian angrily retorted, "What a shameless person!" Little did he know that Chang Yixian would never let him go after revealing the secret, disregarding any so-called rules of the martial world.

Lin Qiudao: "Speaking of which, how could you, Jian'er, have the martial arts of Golden Snake Island?" At this point, Lin Jian found it difficult to conceal the truth and had no choice but to reveal the facts. Lin Qiu listened with a gloomy face until the end, finally coldly saying: "Retribution! It truly is retribution, but this retribution has come too late, thirty years! Too late, too late!" Lin Jian wanted to comfort him but did not know how to express it. Lin Qiu suddenly said: "Jian'er, I will not allow you to practice the martial arts of our enemies, do you understand?" Lin Jian's heart trembled, and he lowered his head, saying: "Yes, grandfather." Only then did Lin Qiu soften his expression and gently say: "Alright, you may go play. Grandfather needs to rest for a while." Lin Jian replied: "Yes, grandfather, please take care of yourself." Lin Qiu waved his hand and said: "Indeed." Lin Jian quietly exited, walking alone in the forest, feeling very melancholic. Unconsciously, he found himself at the cave where Jiang Butong had previously lived, and he thought to himself: "Elder brother once said that this set of Golden Shuttle Snake Hand martial arts was the dying wish of the disciples of Golden Snake Island. Although their actions were despicable, that was thirty years ago. Thirty years ago, he was just an infant; how could they be blamed for that? Consider how difficult it is to create such a martial arts style; it would be a great pity to destroy it. If I follow grandfather's words, it would be disrespectful to the deceased disciples of Golden Snake Island. Well, even if I have to hide it from grandfather, I will continue to practice."

Lin Qiu choked with emotion and said: "In that battle, our entire army was annihilated. I was knocked unconscious by their blows, and when I awoke, all I saw were corpses strewn across the ground. The chief escort stood beside the escort cart even after his death, but the silver in the cart had already been stolen! I was too weak to bury them, and I couldn't bear to let their bodies rot in the wilderness, so I cremated them and carried their ashes with me. I returned to the escort agency overnight, only to find that this matter had already spread far and wide. Lady Li, unable to repay her debts, even led her family of eight to self-immolate!" Although Lin Jian had anticipated the outcome of this matter, he did not expect it to be so tragic. He was momentarily speechless, tears streaming down his face. Lin Qiu collapsed to the ground, crying uncontrollably. Lin Jian squatted beside him, gently patting Lin Qiu's back, but he still had a question in his heart and could not help but ask: "Grandfather, what does this robbery have to do with Golden Snake Island?" Lin Qiu twitched, his hands trembling uncontrollably. Lin Jian was extremely frightened and stammered: "Grandfather, please don't be like this. Jian'er won't ask anymore; you mustn't let it upset your health." Lin Qiu gritted his teeth and said: "No! I must tell you about this! It is because that day I heard the chief escort say a sentence: he said the people were from Golden Snake Island. I have no enmity with you; why do they come after us? The chief escort has traveled the rivers and lakes, experienced much, and cannot be mistaken. Moreover, Golden Snake Island's martial arts are unique and entirely different from those of the Central Plains, so it is not difficult to recognize them." Lin Jian suddenly understood, thinking: "So that's how it is. Golden Snake Island was exterminated, and I initially felt pity for them, but now it seems they deserve their fate."

Another voice said: "Brother Guo, you can rest assured. I have been trying every possible way to investigate hetushu.com. The final hiding place of the Sword Palace is right here in Jiangling. We have searched everywhere else in Jiangling, and this is the only place left; it cannot be wrong." Lin Jian thought to himself: "Who is Jian Gongcheng? Are they perhaps looking for treasure?" The one surnamed Guo replied: "Brother Chang, I certainly believe you, but this place is not small; where should we start looking?" The one surnamed Chang said: "I have my own methods. The residents of Linjia Village should know something. We can just grab a few and interrogate them." The one surnamed Guo exclaimed, "Ah! Are they perhaps looking for treasure?" The one surnamed Chang said: "Brother Guo, I certainly believe you, but this place is not small; where should we start looking?" The one surnamed Chang replied: "I have my own methods. The residents of Linjia Village should know something. We can just grab a few and interrogate them." The one surnamed Guo exclaimed, "Ah! How can this be done?" The one surnamed Chang sneered and said: "Guo Yandan is timid and afraid of trouble; I suppose his son is the same." The one surnamed Guo, hearing this, angrily said: "Chang Yixian! You can insult me, but you must not insult my father!" Chang Yixian laughed and said: "Yes, yes, who in the martial world does not know that Guo Rufen, the Third Young Master, is a well-known filial son? It is Chang who is talking nonsense; Brother Guo, do not take it to heart." Guo Rufen grunted in response, seeming no longer angry.

Lin Jian gradually awoke, thinking that even if he were not poisoned, he would surely be killed by Chang Yixian. To his surprise, upon opening his eyes, he found that he had neither been poisoned nor killed. He hurriedly got up and looked around, only to see that the giant python had turned into a pool of pus and blood. Lin Jian felt a surge of fear in his heart: "What a powerful poison this Chang Yixian has!" He then turned to look at the cave, which was dark and silent, with no sign of movement. He could not tell whether Chang Yixian had come out or not. Logically, if they had emerged, he would certainly not have escaped. The fact that he was still alive indicated that they had not yet come out. However, he had been unconscious for a long time, and a faint red glow was beginning to appear in the sky. He could not help but feel curious about what treasures might be hidden inside the cave. Was this cave truly the tomb of Jian Gongcheng? Unable to suppress his curiosity, Lin Jian turned around, broke off a branch, fashioned it into a torch, held it in his left hand, and gripped a small knife in his right hand as he quietly entered the cave.

He made up his mind and began to practice, his hands moving in a crisscross pattern as if he were dancing. His wrists and elbows bent in strange ways, each move seamlessly following the last, employing unexpected techniques. His hands darted out like a swimming dragon, suddenly changing direction like a long snake, truly unfathomable. Lin Jianfu was struck by inspiration: "Yesterday, I fought with that red giant python and was entangled to the point of immobility. Why not use the Golden Shuttle Snake Hand to deal with it today and see how effective it is?" He knew that this set of martial arts was named after a snake, and since the movements of his hands were as swift as a swimming dragon and as sudden as a long snake, it was indeed unpredictable. Lin Jianfu was filled with inspiration and could no longer contain his excitement, happily running to the cave where the red python resided. Upon reaching the rock, he hid behind a tree, but the snake had already spotted him. The giant python, which had been lazily resting under the rocks, stirred as if annoyed at the arrival of a "distinguished guest," even stretching out as if to shake off sleep. Lin Jianfu found this amusing and stepped out, smiling as he greeted, "Brother Snake, how have you been? Last night, I fought you without any ability to retaliate, but I am not satisfied, so I have come today to learn from you." He spoke with a semblance of formality, but to the snake, it was no different from playing music to a cow.

Chang Yixian recalled that he should let him finish speaking, and suddenly let out a cold laugh. Lin Jian felt a chill in his heart, uncertain if he had said something wrong. Chang Yixian said: "You mentioned that the Sword Palace Cheng emerged during a time of great chaos in the world, which is indeed correct; it was during the late Five Dynasties, when the Zhou Dynasty was on the brink of collapse. However, to call him a great hero is somewhat exaggerated. The Sword Palace Cheng was a person of wild temperament, acting solely according to his own preferences. Although he did some good deeds, he also committed quite a few wrongs. Heh heh, it is likely that at that time he had a moment of kindness and intervened to save these ignorant villagers. Thus, the old tales have turned him into a great hero." Although Lin Jian knew that his previous statements were somewhat skewed, he was convinced by Chang Yixian's tone, and his heart felt slightly more at ease. He then said: "This is merely a legend; why must you believe it?" Chang Yixian let out a cold laugh and replied: "A legend? Heh! It is likely more than just a simple legend. Well then, you stay here for now, and when we find the tomb of Sword Palace Cheng, we will come back to release you. Hahaha!" With that, he laughed and walked towards the cave alongside Guo Rufen.

Lin Qiu took a breath and continued: "The chief escort is known for his integrity and generosity, which is why the shipments he has protected have never been lost, earning him an excellent reputation. That year, during the cold autumn, a household in Xi'an entrusted him with a shipment of exactly fifty million taels of silver. The chief escort had never handled such a large shipment before, so he gathered all the skilled hands from the Tianwei Escort Agency, including myself. He knew that although he usually had connections, if the heroes of the green forest were to find out, they would inevitably be tempted. Therefore, he quietly divided the shipment into several routes and secretly sent the goods to their destination, which was highly confidential at the time, in order to prevent any robbers from knowing in advance and laying an ambush. Alas! To this day, I still do not know where that shipment was supposed to go!" Lin Jian could not help but ask, "This shipment must eventually reach its destination, how could grandfather not know?" Suddenly, a look of resentment appeared on Lin Qiu's face. Lin Jian was startled and heard him slowly say, "It is only because that shipment was intercepted by bandits on the way!" Lin Jian's heart sank, and he had an ominous feeling, vaguely guessing the outcome of this matter.

The giant python coiled its body, ready to strike. Lin Jian felt a sense of caution in his heart, knowing that this was no trivial matter and that he could lose his life at any moment. Lin Jian thought: "This snake strikes as fast as lightning and can change direction at will. If it were like last night, I would still be caught by it. It is better to remain still and let it attack first." He remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the giant python. Little did he know that this snake also preferred to remain still to hunt its prey, rarely initiating an attack. Seeing Lin Jian unmoving, the snake also refrained from attacking. Thus, a standoff between the snake and the man lasted for an entire tea's worth of time. In terms of patience, Lin Jian was indeed no match for the snake; he was beginning to lose his composure. He then moved his foot very slowly, and the giant python followed his movement with its gaze, its body still not moving. Lin Jian thought to himself: "I never expected this snake to be so patient; I truly admire it!" He knew that once he made a move, the giant python would surely strike with incredible speed. While contemplating his strategy, he continued to observe the movements of the giant python.

Lin Jianxin said, "Hmph, if you provoke me, the real show is yet to come!" Chang Yixian replied, "Guo, your leg injury is severe; I fear we must go to the town for medical treatment." Guo Rufeng exclaimed in shock, "Chang, Brother Chang, you can't be joking, can you? How could this..." Chang Yixian sighed and said, "This bamboo is sharp; it has likely injured the tendons and bones. Ordinary wound medicine will not suffice." Guo Rufeng's lips trembled as he stammered, "Then, let us hurry, we must not delay my life!" Chang Yixian said, "It can only be this way. You wait here. I will go fetch some wood to make a stretcher for you." Guo Rufeng hurriedly replied, "Alright, alright, you go quickly." Chang Yixian took something from his bosom and placed it in Guo Rufeng's hand, saying, "Take good care of this map; everything we need to find depends on it." As he spoke, he pressed a pressure point on Guo Rufeng. Lin Jian, unable to see clearly from outside, thought to himself, "If that Guo were to fall into my trap and lose his life, what would happen then? No, I must go see if it is true or not."

Lin Qiu looked up to the sky with his eyes closed, two lines of old tears streaming down his wrinkled cheeks. Lin Jian exclaimed, "Grandfather!" Lin Qiu gently replied, "Jian'er, please listen to me." Lin Jian nodded slightly and fell silent. Lin Qiu's chest heaved for a long time before gradually calming down. His lips moved slightly as he hoarsely said, "When I was young, my parents fell seriously ill. In order to find money for their treatment, I stole silver from a wealthy family. Two taels of silver were so precious at that time! But I felt guilty for my crime and accidentally got caught by that family, where their servants beat me nearly to death. Later, the head of the escort agency saved me, seeing my plight. He took me in to work at the agency and even paid for medicine to cure my parents. At that time, my gratitude to him was beyond words. I decided to follow him for the rest of my life. The head of the escort agency was upright and skilled in martial arts, earning him the nickname 'Iron-Boned Lion, Li Zhengxiong' among his friends in the martial world!" At this point, his tone was passionate and fervent. One can imagine how much respect this old man had for that hero, Li. Lin Jian never expected that beneath Lin Qiu's usually simple and kind exterior lay such deep emotions, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of respect for the head of the escort agency, Li.