Chapter 8: The Black Mountain Bandits

Hmm! Old Man Tong asked me to guard this exit with you! Sun Lin's face turned crimson, her heart racing like a deer, as she lowered her head to gaze at the velvet flowers on her shoes, her beautiful eyes sparkling with light, leaving one to wonder what thoughts were occupying her mind

At that time, there were rumors among the various schools that possessing this jade talisman could lead one to immediate sanctification. Therefore, the Yin-Yang school thrived and remained undefeated until the early Han dynasty, when it was finally marginalized by the other schools. This led to continuous turmoil, a decline in talent, and the emergence of many traitors

At that time, although the Great Sage's jade talisman that Yan Tian carried had not been found, there was news of a successor from the Yin-Yang school within Confucianism. However, in order to investigate Yan Tian's whereabouts, Confucianism did not resort to total annihilation; instead, they sent people to monitor secretly.

The Yin-Yang school, after Dong Zhongshu proposed the dismissal of the hundred schools of thought and the exclusive promotion of Confucianism, disappeared from the annals of history. However, its theories were integrated into the thoughts of various schools and had a profoundly significant impact on many subsequent theories.

The village was filled with the sounds of killing, in utter chaos. Chu He and Sun Lin stood on the path, their long spears thrust into the ground, their eyes fixed intently on the battlefield ahead

"Little Master Uncle, the bandits from Black Mountain are here to steal the grain..." Sun Lin looked at the open door and hurriedly spoke. Just as she was about to hand the straight knife with a ring pommel in her hand to Chu He, she suddenly realized that Chu He was not wearing a shirt. The exposed white, tender, and muscular body made her blush involuntarily, and she hurriedly turned around.

Chu He was momentarily taken aback, and then realized that he was not wearing a shirt. He chuckled to himself, thinking that ancient people were indeed quite conservative. As he turned around, he softly asked, "Do you need any help?"

It is said that in the first year of Emperor Qin's ascension, auspicious signs appeared in the Qinling Mountains. Emperor Qin dispatched a descendant of the Yin-Yang school to investigate. Two years later, he obtained a primordial divine jade, which Emperor Qin fashioned into the imperial seal for the nation, serving as a symbol of state heritage. The remaining divine jade was used to create a large sacred jade talisman, which was nurtured within the true dragon's celestial vein for ten years before being bestowed upon the leader of the Yin-Yang school

Listening to Sun Lin's words of experience, Chu He let out a slight sigh of relief. At this moment, his mind was blank, and he was unsure whether he had remembered what Sun Lin had said. He only felt an overwhelming sense of oppression within, as if it were about to erupt.

As a descendant of the Yin-Yang School, Chu He was informed of this secret after inheriting the martial arts of the Yin-Yang School. Since the first year of the Yuan Guang era in the Han Dynasty, there was a significant turmoil among the various schools of thought, which had a wide-ranging impact. Ultimately, Confucianism gained the upper hand, leading to the notion of the supremacy of Confucian teachings.

Although this fish from the Chu River has never been seen before, it has withstood the test of secret methods. He is fully confident that this is indeed the key that the descendants of the Yin-Yang school have been searching for over a thousand years, but he still needs to find that beggar elder to investigate further

On the contrary, Sun Lin, who was beside him, seemed to be accustomed to the situation. She turned her head to glance at the slightly nervous Chu He, smiled gently, and said softly: "Do not be afraid! Control your breathing, adjust your rhythm! When the thief rides over, you only need to hold the spear steady, with the tip slightly raised, and the shaft pressed against the ground. Once the spear pierces the horse, you can attack with your straight knife. Remember, show no mercy when killing the enemy; mercy will lead to your own death!"

Having finished speaking, Sun Lin hurriedly walked towards the dirt path beside a small stream.

Zhao Yun and Tong Yuan rode two fine horses, charging from behind the bandits. Although both were skilled with the spear and possessed the talent of fierce warriors, the narrow paths in the village severely limited their ability to wield their weapons effectively. They had no choice but to switch to long knives and short staffs to confront the enemy. The bandits had only sent a dozen men, yet they managed to block the two of them on the road and in the illustrations.

Here they come! Get ready! Sun Lin knew that no amount of words would be as effective as a confrontation. She glanced at the still bewildered Chu He, then suddenly shouted loudly, stepping forward and raising her gun to shield Chu He.

When the various schools of thought were vigorously seeking to expand their influence, Confucianism, on the other hand, took advantage of imperial power to weaken the other schools, gradually encroaching upon them, and ultimately realized the dream of establishing Confucianism as the sole authority.

Kill

Can I kill someone? Am I capable of doing it? Do I have the strength? They are all on horseback; can I withstand the impact of the horses?

Yet the secrets within have remained unclear to most for thousands of years; only the practitioners of Yin-Yang philosophy and the disciples of other schools are qualified to understand the reasons behind them

Suddenly, a dozen or so bandits appeared at the entrance of the nearby village, converging together and heading this way, each horse dragging a wooden raft behind it, loaded with several bags of grain

How do you know I won't use a gun!" Chu He's eyes were bright and piercing as he firmly grasped the gun barrel, pulling the long gun out from the stone trough. With a knife in one hand and a gun in the other, he looked at Sun Lin without showing any signs of weakness

In the first year of the Houyuanguang era, the secret headquarters of the Yin-Yang School was discovered, leading to chaos among the Hundred Schools. The descendants of various philosophers divided many classic texts and treasures of the Yin-Yang School, while the leader of the Yin-Yang School, Yantian, vanished with the Great Sage Jade Talisman

The secrets known to Chu He end here. He only knows that the only surviving classic of the Yin-Yang school is the Five Virtues Fist. However, the key that unlocks the secret inheritance of the Yin-Yang school, the Yin-Yang fish talisman, has mysteriously vanished. No one knows when it disappeared from the hands of the descendants of the Yin-Yang school, only that it is generally believed to have occurred between the Han and Tang dynasties.

Just as Chu He had a glimmer of insight, a rapid knocking at the door pulled him back from his thoughts. His expression shifted, and he felt the ground beneath him subtly stirring. He hurriedly took a couple of steps forward and opened the door.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Interesting! Chu He looked at Sun Lin's back and smiled slightly. However, when he passed by the small courtyard, he was astonished to discover that several groups of bandits were setting fire to the two villages. The warriors in the village were both protecting the villagers as they fled to the mountains for refuge and sending people to firmly guard the granary.

Chu He originally thought that this long spear was merely for decoration, but unexpectedly, it could actually be wielded. He was about to reach for it when Sun Lin softly said: "Little Master Uncle, although a longer weapon is stronger, if the spear technique is mastered well, it can take an enemy's life; if not, it will only bring harm to oneself. You should stick to using a knife instead"

Chu He quickly put on his clothes, lightly patted Sun Lin, took the ring-headed straight knife from her hand, and said with a hint of expectation in his eyes: "Let’s go!"

Hmm! Sun Lin did not dare to look at Chu He, but walked quickly. When she reached outside the courtyard, she pulled out a long wooden spear from the stone trough in front of the side fence gate.

Chu He gazed at the village shrouded in thick smoke, his palms slightly sweating as he instinctively tightened his grip on the gun barrel. His breathing quickened, and for the first time experiencing such a scene, he couldn't help but feel a wave of fear.

Da! Da! Da!

Listening to Sun Lin's relatively polite words, Chu He felt a wave of displeasure in his heart. He had practiced shooting for several years; although he could not achieve the unity of man and gun, it did not mean he was incapable of wielding this weapon. The competitive spirit of a martial artist was currently spreading within him.

Sun Lin was inherently a person who refused to admit defeat. Just now, she was merely in a state of emotional turmoil, but upon hearing Chu He’s words, she suddenly came to her senses. Her entire demeanor transformed, and a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth as she nodded and said: "Alright! Little Master Uncle, let’s see who can kill more bandits later! Don’t let yourself be so scared that you wet your pants, or I’ll have to laugh at you as a woman!"