Chapter 2, The Kunlun Divine Skill

Lin Jian ran aimlessly for a while, feeling perplexed about why Jiang Butong had disappeared without a trace. He casually walked over to a large tree and sat down, leaning against it, his mind in a state of chaos. Suddenly, a sound came from a distance; Lin Jian, who practiced the "Beidou Divine Skill," had keen senses, and although the sound was faint, it did not escape his ears. Lin Jian thought, "Could that be Brother Jiang?" Filled with joy, he quickly ran over. The closer he got to the sound, the lighter his footsteps became, as he intended to startle Jiang Butong. As he approached, he held his breath, ready to leap out and scare him, but suddenly looked up and was startled to see a giant red python. His heart jolted, and he was taken aback. Lin Jian, upon seeing this creature, turned pale with fright. He quickly crouched down, relieved that the red python had not noticed him. Lin Jian let out a silent sigh of relief, thankful that he had not acted impulsively. However, amidst his relief, he couldn't help but feel disappointed; this snake was not Jiang Butong, so where could Jiang Butong be? Lin Jian's heart calmed slightly, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he stealthily peeked at the red python, only to see it coiled up under a narrow rock, resting its head, and the sounds he had heard were actually its snores!

Lin Jian was momentarily silent, while Jiang Butong let out a soft sigh and said, "This principle can only be understood when you grow up and gain insight. If you are solely focused on quick success and continue to practice deeply, you will only sink deeper and deeper, ultimately finding it difficult to turn back." Lin Jian felt a chill in his heart and solemnly replied, "Yes, I will remember this, brother." Jiang Butong patted Lin Jian on the shoulder and smiled, "Someone with a kind heart like yours would never practice those evil techniques, which is why I feel at ease teaching them to you." However, he could never have imagined that Lin Jian would ultimately practice the evil sect's martial arts. Lin Jian nodded and smiled, "Of course, you can rest assured and teach me." Jiang Butong said, "Before I teach you this skill, I must first tell you about its origins, so that you won't be ignorant after practicing it." He paused, smiling, and continued, "Someone with a kind heart like yours would never practice those evil techniques, which is why I feel at ease teaching them to you." But he could never have imagined that Lin Jian would ultimately practice the evil sect's martial arts. Lin Jian nodded and smiled, "Of course, you can rest assured and teach me." Jiang Butong said, "Before I teach you this skill, I must first tell you about its origins, so that you won't be ignorant after practicing it." He paused, as if reminiscing, and slowly said, "This skill is called the Golden Shuttle Snake Hand, and it is a technique from the Golden Snake Island in the South Sea. This skill is extremely strange and venomous, often resulting in severe injuries to others..." Upon hearing this, Lin Jian couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart, and was about to say, "If that's the case, then I won't learn it." However, Jiang Butong continued, "Three years ago, I encountered a group of robbers on the road in Guizhou. When faced with such matters, the Jiang family will naturally take action. Although I saved that person, he was already beyond saving. Before he died, he entrusted me with this secret manual, which is the Golden Shuttle Snake Hand manual. He said that Golden Snake Island was facing a catastrophic disaster, and his master's four disciples each took a copy of the martial arts manual to escape. Unfortunately, he met his end here. His dying wish was for me to pass on this manual to others, so that the martial arts of Golden Snake Island could be preserved and not become extinct.

Sun and Li were both taken aback, and with an angry shout, they lunged forward together. Lin Jian, witnessing this scene, couldn't help but feel his legs weaken, thinking to himself: "This Jiang is indeed a formidable character." Jiang Butong chuckled, unfastening his belt. With Zhao Gang dead, the remaining Sun Qiantong and Li Ji were not particularly strong. However, Jiang Butong's legs were injured, making it difficult for him to move, and having consumed a lot of internal energy, he could barely hold his ground against Sun and Li. Sun Qiantong shouted fiercely, swinging his club down at Jiang Butong with great force. Jiang Butong, relying solely on a belt and his bare hands, found it difficult to defend himself, and Lin Jian thought: "This time, Jiang is surely finished." To his surprise, Jiang Butong supported himself with one hand on the ground, let out a deep shout, and expelled his internal energy, leaping away. Sun Qiantong's strike missed and hit the ground solidly, causing the earth to crack, which left Lin Jian astonished. In mid-air, Jiang Butong struck at Li Ji with one palm, but Li Ji sidestepped and flicked his long whip towards Jiang Butong's back, aiming for the "Ling Tai Acupoint," a vital point on the human body that could cause internal injury or even death. Jiang Butong wrapped his belt around Li Ji's whip, using the force of his descent to spin and throw Li Ji into the air. Li Ji was propelled backward by an inexplicable force, colliding with the advancing Sun Qiantong. The two stumbled to their feet, while Jiang Butong had already landed steadily, a cold smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Zhao Gang said in a low voice, "After killing you, we will immediately destroy the body and leave no trace, so no one will know." Jiang Butong let out a cold laugh and replied, "Do you really think no one will know?" Lin Jian's heart skipped a beat, thinking, "Could it be that this Jiang has discovered me?" He couldn't help but feel frightened, and he dared not move, not even to take a breath. Zhao Gang turned to look at Sun Qiantong and Li Ji, and with a sinister smile at Jiang Butong, he said, "They both want to kill you too, and they won't say a word! Otherwise, they won't be able to save themselves." Jiang Butong chuckled coldly, and his eyes seemed to inadvertently glance at the corner of the tree. Zhao Gang was startled and turned to look, only to hear a rustling sound. Zhao Gang shouted, "Who is there? Show yourself quickly!" A poisoned dart struck the tree, but there was no response. He shot the poisoned dart before speaking, indicating his intent to kill the intruder, his methods were extremely ruthless. Lin Jian watched clearly from the side and secretly laughed, thinking, "That's just a squirrel; this big guy with the axe has fallen for it!" Before he could finish his thought, he heard Zhao Gang let out an "ah" as a steel knife pierced through his chest, not reaching the handle, indicating he was likely dead. It turned out that Jiang Butong had already noticed the squirrel in the tree and had deliberately used words to trick Zhao Gang. When the squirrel was about to move, he pretended to glance at it from the corner of his eye. Zhao Gang would not have fallen for such a trick under normal circumstances, but having first heard Jiang Butong's words about a high-level expert lying in wait, and then hearing the noise from the tree, he couldn't help but believe it. Zhao Gang believed it, and naturally, Sun and Li followed suit. When they turned to look, Jiang Butong was already prepared, channeling his internal energy through the steel knife, directly piercing into Zhao Gang's chest.

Jiang Butong lowered his head in contemplation, seemingly pondering whether to proceed with a certain matter. After a long while, he suddenly raised his head and gazed intently at Lin Jian. Under such scrutiny, Lin Jian couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart, thinking to himself, "Could this Jiang be planning to silence me?" Jiang Butong asked, "Young brother, what is your name?" Lin Jian secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, "If he were going to silence me, he wouldn't bother asking my name." He replied, "My surname is Lin, and my given name is Jian." Jiang Butong nodded slightly, thinking, "Could this Jiang be planning to silence me?" Jiang Butong then asked again, "Young brother, what is your name?" Lin Jian, feeling relieved, thought, "If he were going to silence me, he wouldn't bother asking my name." He replied, "My surname is Lin, and my given name is Jian." Jiang Butong nodded and said, "I am Jiang Butong, from the Kunlun Sect." Lin Jian asked, "Uncle, what is the Kunlun Sect?" Jiang Butong laughed and said, "The Kunlun Sect is a major faction in the martial world, standing alongside Emei and Shaolin in the western regions and the Central Plains. From now on, don't call me uncle; it sounds rather unpleasant. Hehe! In fact, I am not that old." Lin Jian, being easygoing by nature, said, "If I don't call you uncle, what should I call you?" Jiang Butong hesitated for a moment and replied, "You can call me Brother Jiang; that way, I will seem younger." Lin Jian laughed and said, "Alright, Brother Jiang, I, Lin Jian, pay my respects to you here." Saying this, he knelt down and bowed. Jiang Butong was overjoyed and hurried to help Lin Jian up, saying, "Good, good, good! Lin brother, please don't stand on ceremony."

Lin Jian felt a chill in his heart and bowed his head, saying, "Yes, I will not forget your teachings, elder brother." Unintentionally, they subtly changed their forms of address; Jiang Butong, who originally called Lin Jian "Lin Di," now referred to him as "Xian Di," while Lin Jian had also upgraded Jiang to "elder brother." The bond between them deepened imperceptibly. Jiang Butong said, "I will explain to you the method of practicing the Golden Shuttle Snake Hand. Afterward, you should ponder it carefully." He then detailed the method to Lin Jian, who understood Jiang Butong's earnest intentions and memorized it diligently. Upon returning home, Lin Jian picked up the manual and stared blankly at it for a while before finally opening it. He saw four golden characters inscribed on the front: Golden Shuttle Snake Hand. In the lower left corner, there was a line of small text: Written by Han Fei Hou, Lord of Golden Snake Island, in the seventh year of Xian De. Lin Jian thought to himself, "The seventh year of Xian De? Isn't that the year the Later Zhou was destroyed? This means that Han Fei Hou is indeed a person from the Later Zhou." He quickly dismissed the thought and turned to another page, where he saw a drawing of a man with his arms twisted like a snake, accompanied by several red and green lines that also twisted and turned. Lin Jian thought again, "The seventh year of Xian De? Isn't that the year the Later Zhou was destroyed? This means that Han Fei Hou is indeed a person from the Later Zhou." He quickly dismissed the thought and turned to another page, where he saw a drawing of a man, but in a different posture and with different hand movements.

Lin Jian gasped, thinking to himself: "Goodness! Today, encountering this giant python, I do not know whether it is a blessing or a curse." He was still concerned about Jiang Butong and intended to sneak away quietly. However, the giant python had exceptionally keen hearing; as soon as Lin Jian moved slightly, the python immediately woke up. It raised its head to look at the large tree where Lin Jian was hiding, its crimson tongue flickering in the wind. Lin Jian felt a sense of foreboding, but he found himself in a dilemma with no way to advance or retreat. He was genuinely afraid of the giant python and did not wish to confront it, so he remained still, holding his breath, hoping that the python would turn around and go back to sleep. But the giant python not only did not go back to sleep, it instead coiled its body and began to slither toward Lin Jian's hiding place. He was unaware that snakes can detect the body temperature of nearby animals through their sense of smell. Although he held his breath and remained motionless, he could not escape the python's "perceptive gaze." As the giant python approached, Lin Jian's heart raced to his throat. Although he was panicking, he had not wasted the past two years; he had secretly cultivated his internal energy in preparation for action. He saw the giant python inching closer, and Lin Jian swallowed hard, thinking: "As the saying goes, the first to strike has the advantage, while the second to strike suffers misfortune. Since this python has locked onto me, it is inevitable that we will engage in a confrontation. I will strike first to gain the upper hand; if I cannot defeat it, escaping will be easier then." With his mind made up, he slowly raised his right hand, secretly channeling the energy of the "Northern Dipper Divine Skill," waiting for the python to come close so he could deliver a powerful blow. His plan was sound, but he miscalculated one step: this python was a beast, and how could it be compared to a human?

Lin Qiu saw Lin Jian looking dejected and couldn't help but ask, "Jian'er, what’s wrong?" Lin Jian shook his head, remaining silent as he quietly walked past Lin Qiu. Lin Qiu sighed and suddenly said, "Is it because the person who taught you martial arts has left?" Lin Jian was taken aback; he had not mentioned to Lin Qiu that he was learning martial arts from Jiang Butong, and he had been practicing secretly while Lin Qiu was away. Lin Jian replied, "Grandfather, how did you know?" Lin Qiu chuckled and said, "In my day, I followed the chief escort on countless journeys, traveling all over the land. How could your little secret escape my notice?" Lin Jian lowered his head. Lin Qiu sighed again and said, "Is it because the person who taught you martial arts has left?" Lin Jian was surprised; he had not told Lin Qiu about learning martial arts from Jiang Butong, and he had been practicing secretly while Lin Qiu was away. Lin Jian replied, "Grandfather, how did you know?" Lin Qiu chuckled and said, "In my day, I followed the chief escort on countless journeys, traveling all over the land. How could your little secret escape my notice?" Lin Jian lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry, Grandfather, Jian'er should not have kept this from you." Lin Qiu gently said, "Grandfather knows these rules of the martial world; if that person does not want you to speak, there must be a reason for it." Lin Jian wanted to say, "Big Brother did not ask me not to speak," but after a moment's thought, he decided against it. Lin Qiu asked, "Did he take you as his disciple?" Lin Jian shook his head and said, "No." After a pause, he continued, "I'm sorry, Grandfather, Jian'er should not have kept this from you." Lin Qiu gently said, "Grandfather knows these rules of the martial world; if that person does not want you to speak, there must be a reason for it." Lin Jian wanted to say, "Big Brother did not ask me not to speak," but after a moment's thought, he decided against it. Lin Qiu asked, "Did he take you as his disciple?" Lin Jian shook his head and said, "No." After a pause, he continued, "He does not wish for me to be his sect's disciple because he wants me to learn more martial arts." Lin Qiu nodded and said, "Indeed, if you become a disciple of a certain sect, learning from other sects would violate a major taboo in the martial world." He then asked, "Which sect does he belong to?" Lin Jian replied, "He is from the Kunlun Sect." Lin Qiu was slightly taken aback and said, "Kunlun Sect? The Kunlun Sect is far in the Western Regions and rarely interacts with the martial world of the Central Plains. How could someone from the Kunlun Sect come here to teach you martial arts?" Lin Jian knew that Lin Qiu would not feel at ease unless he clarified the matter, so he explained the circumstances to Lin Qiu.

The giant python had reached the edge of the tree, raised its head, and flicked its tongue towards Lin Jian. Suddenly, Lin Jian let out a loud shout, leaped up, and struck down with a palm towards the top of the giant python's head. If a human were to encounter such a move, most would be unable to evade it. However, this was a snake, not a human. The giant python, startled, instinctively opened its mouth to bite at Lin Jian. Lin Jian had not anticipated this reaction, and was slightly taken aback. Although he lacked experience, his ability to adapt was innate. He swiftly slapped the snake's head with his hand and used the force to leap away. When he landed, he was already drenched in cold sweat. Yet, this was a snake, not a human. The giant python, having regained its composure, lunged at Lin Jian again with its mouth open. Lin Jian shouted, "You beast, dare you be so rude!" He struck a powerful punch towards the snake's head. Unexpectedly, midway through the punch, the snake suddenly swerved its head and coiled its body around Lin Jian's arm. Lin Jian was taken aback, feeling his arm go numb in an instant. Alarmed, he swiftly brought his left hand down in a palm strike towards the snake's head. The giant python recoiled slightly, evading the strike. Although Lin Jian could not hit the snake's head, he landed a solid blow on the giant python's body. The python, feeling the immense force, relaxed its grip, allowing Lin Jian to quickly withdraw his arm. However, midway through his punch, the snake suddenly swerved its head and coiled its body around Lin Jian's arm. Lin Jian was taken aback, feeling his arm go numb in an instant. Alarmed, he swiftly brought his left hand down in a palm strike towards the snake's head. The giant python recoiled slightly, evading the strike. Although Lin Jian could not hit the snake's head, he landed a solid blow on the giant python's body. The python, feeling the immense force, relaxed its grip, allowing Lin Jian to quickly withdraw his arm. He then turned and kicked several times, taking advantage of the giant python's momentary evasion, and hurriedly rolled away to a distance of about one zhang, not daring to confront it head-on again.

Jiang Butong said slowly: "You have committed evil deeds in Junzhou. I would not have specifically sought to kill you, but you have crossed into the territory of Jinzhou to commit crimes. If someone with the surname Jiang encounters you, I cannot turn a blind eye!" Lin Jian secretly nodded, thinking: "Well said! When one sees injustice on the road, one must draw their sword to help. These three are not good people; they are committing crimes here. If someone with the surname Lin encounters them, I cannot ignore it either." Zhao Gang and the others couldn't help but blush upon hearing this. It turned out that they had seen a wealthy merchant in Junzhou, but that merchant was very cunning and had managed to hide and escape to Jinzhou, which forced them to take the risk of crossing the border. They thought: "Well said! When one sees injustice on the road, one must draw their sword to help. These three are not good people; they are committing crimes here. If someone with the surname Lin encounters them, I cannot ignore it either." Zhao Gang and the others couldn't help but blush upon hearing this. It turned out that they had seen a wealthy merchant in Junzhou, but that merchant was very cunning and had managed to hide and escape to Jinzhou, which forced them to take the risk of crossing the border. This was a shameful matter, and they certainly would not speak of it. Zhao Gang signaled to the other three with his eyes, indicating to kill and silence Jiang Butong. Jiang Butong seemed to already know, and said slowly: "If you kill me, my senior brother will surely avenge me." Upon hearing this, the three changed color, seemingly terrified of Jiang Butong's senior brother, and hesitated. Lin Jian thought: "It seems that this Jiang's senior brother is someone of great significance." He did not know that 'senior brother' is a term used among disciples, so he referred to him as 'someone of significance.' Jiang Butong seemed to already know, and said slowly: "If you kill me, my senior brother will surely avenge me." Upon hearing this, the three changed color, seemingly terrified of Jiang Butong's senior brother, and hesitated. Lin Jian thought: "It seems that this Jiang's senior brother is someone of great significance." He did not know that 'senior brother' is a term used among disciples, so he referred to him as 'someone of significance.'

The gentleman paused to catch his breath, coughed lightly, and said: "What this child has just said is indeed quite incorrect. This mountain bandit has forcibly employed means, without discerning right from wrong, to bring this old man here. How can he be called a hero?" Lin Jian remarked: "This gentleman is indeed nitpicking; it sounds half-understood and half-not." The gentleman replied: "Looking at this child, he should not be very young; could it be that he has never attended school, which is why he cannot comprehend what I am saying?" Jiang Butong said: "That is precisely the case, which is why I have specially invited you to teach him literacy." The gentleman sighed and said: "This is not difficult; you can bring this child to the Qingfeng Study that I run, and I will teach him diligently. There is no need for such a fuss." Jiang Butong replied: "This child has a natural talent; how can it be wasted on such trivial matters? I only need you to clarify the meaning of this book for him, and then I will let you return home." After saying this, he took out a small booklet from his bosom and tossed it to the teacher. The gentleman hurriedly caught it, opened the booklet to take a look, and said: "This must have been written during the Qian De period of the early Song Dynasty." Jiang Butong said: "I want you to teach him the characters, not to identify the year of authorship." The gentleman quickly nodded and said: "Alright, alright! Looking at this handwriting, it is exceptionally graceful, vigorous and powerful; the author must be an extraordinary person!" Jiang Butong, filled with rage, shouted: "If you keep rambling on, just wait and see what means I will use against you!" The teacher was startled and said: "Yes, yes, I will look at it right away, I will look at it right away. Please, Mountain Bandit, do not be angry!"

Lin Qiu thought to himself: "So this is what it is, this child is truly blessed." He smiled slightly and said: "Jian'er, you are kind by nature, and I, your grandfather, am very pleased. Practice your martial arts diligently; I only regret that my own skills are lacking, and I cannot guide you further." Lin Jian replied: "Grandfather, don't worry, Jian'er will go back to sleep now." After Lin Jian left, Lin Qiu was heavy-hearted. He knew that Lin Jian's parents were both people of the martial world, and he truly did not wish for Lin Jian to get involved in it. He feared that Lin Jian might be recognized by enemies in the martial world, bringing about a calamity; moreover, he was reluctant to part with Lin Jian. He sighed and did not sleep a wink that night.

Lin Jian stood dazed at the edge of the cave, suddenly collapsing to the ground in tears. He hopelessly walked into the cave and sat down, burying his head in his arms, sitting quietly. He gently lifted his head, his face streaked with tears, and suddenly caught sight of some writing on the ground. The words were written in charcoal ash, which read: "To my brother Lin Jian, I thank you for sharing these two years of spring and autumn with me. You saved my life and cared for my well-being. The time spent with you has been one of the rare joys of my life. Alas, I have been away from home for too long, and with heavy responsibilities on my shoulders, I cannot accompany you for long. I pondered left and right, and still think it is better not to speak, lest I be overwhelmed with tears and heartache. Forgive me for not informing you! I hope you will one day become a man of great stature, worthy of my heartfelt efforts! You need not search for me; no matter how vast the world is, we shall meet again one day. I hope that after I am gone, you will devote yourself to martial arts and achieve great success. Though the ink is sparse, the feelings are profound. My foolish brother is not good with expressions." Lin Jian sat there like a wooden chicken, dejected, and sighed softly, thinking: "Elder brother has left just like that." Reflecting on the time spent with Jiang Butong, he felt both nostalgic and sorrowful. He gently wiped away the charcoal ash from the ground, stood up, and returned home.

Lin Qingde said, "Very well, I will teach you as soon as possible, so you can be liberated early and focus on teaching." He then recited the remaining passages for Lin Jian, which explained the methods of breathing and energy circulation. Lin Qingde's explanations were simple and easy to understand, and during the process, he shared many related anecdotes with Lin Jian. They continued until dawn, and although the night was short, Lin Jian acquired knowledge that would take a year to learn otherwise. Lin Qingde remarked, "It is already dawn; I should return home. You cannot force yourself to memorize these translations; you should understand their principles. This way, you will not forget them, nor will they become disordered." Lin Jian bowed and said, "Thank you for your wise words, I will remember them carefully." Lin Qingde nodded and said, "Hmm..." After a moment of thought, he added, "If I have free time tonight, I will come to teach you again." Lin Jian felt moved and bowed again. Lin Qingde helped him up and said, "I shall take my leave now." Suddenly, Jiang Butong exclaimed, "Leaving? You are going just like that!" Lin Qingde replied, "Indeed, I have taught him; what more is there to stay for?" Jiang Butong widened his eyes and said, "You are not joking with me, are you? You taught him all this in just one night?" Lin Qingde proudly declared, "Who do you think I am? My reputation as a teacher in the village is well-known. If you don't believe me, you can test this child." Jiang Butong snorted, "Fine, you go back; I don't believe you can leave." Lin Qingde bowed and said, "Very well, Old Shan, I shall take my leave now." With that, he stepped away.

Lin Jian felt a myriad of emotions, not expecting that behind this small martial arts manual lay so many bitter past events. Truly, the success of one general comes at the cost of countless bones; to inherit something like this, one cannot fathom how much blood and sweat of generations must be expended. The blood and tears involved can only be understood by those who have experienced it. Lin Jian asked, "So, have you practiced it?" Jiang Butong replied, "At first, I was unwilling to practice, but later I feared that if this manual were to be damaged or lost, how could I face the deceased and the sect? Therefore, although I was reluctant, I still practiced it." Lin Jian said, "Since the martial arts are so powerful, why didn't you use them when you fought against the Five Tigers of Junzhou?" Jiang Butong replied solemnly, "As a member of the Kunlun Sect, how could I use the martial arts of another sect?" Lin Jian asked again, "So, have you practiced it?" Jiang Butong said, "At first, I was unwilling to practice, but later I feared that if this manual were to be damaged or lost, how could I face the deceased and the sect? Therefore, although I was reluctant, I still practiced it." Lin Jian said, "Since the martial arts are so powerful, why didn't you use them when you fought against the Five Tigers of Junzhou?" Jiang Butong replied solemnly, "As a member of the Kunlun Sect, how could I use the martial arts of another sect? I learned it to honor the wishes of the deceased, not to covet their martial arts. If that were the case, wouldn't I be suspected of stealing knowledge?" Seeing Jiang Butong's stern demeanor, Lin Jian dared not retort. Jiang Butong continued, "Although you have learned the martial arts of the Kunlun Sect, you are not a disciple of the Kunlun Sect; you have learned this martial arts." Lin Jian thought to himself, "So, the divisions among sects in the martial world are indeed so strict; no wonder Brother Jiang does not allow me to become a disciple of the Kunlun Sect."

On the morning after the night, Lin Jian got up early and began practicing martial arts in front of the house. Since Lin Qiu already knew, he practiced boldly without needing to be secretive. After watching for a while, Lin Qiu couldn't help but feel suspicious and asked, "Jian'er, what martial art are you practicing? The routine seems so strange." Lin Jian replied, "Grandfather, this martial art is called Golden Shuttle Snake Hand, a technique from Golden Snake Island..." Before he could finish, Lin Qiu's expression changed dramatically, and he exclaimed, "Golden, Golden Snake Island! How could you know their martial arts?" Seeing his grandfather's face turn pale, Lin Jian couldn't help but ask, "Grandfather, what's wrong with you?" Lin Qiu's chest heaved as if he were pondering, and he said, "The disciples of Golden Snake Island are peculiar and rarely interact with the Central Plains. They are known as one of the three immortal islands overseas, along with Flying Fish Island in the East Sea and Hainan Island in the South Sea." Lin Jian responded, "So what? Is it impossible to learn their martial arts?" Lin Qiu's face grew even darker, as if recalling some painful memory. Having been with him for over ten years, Lin Jian had never seen him like this and had never known about his past. He then heard Lin Qiu's voice, strained and intense, saying, "Do you know what happened thirty years ago on the official road in Guizhou?"

Lin Jian let out a sigh and wiped the cold sweat from his brow. The giant python did not pursue him; it merely continued to stare at Lin Jian, seemingly preparing to strike again. Lin Jian thought to himself, "Goodness, I almost lost my life this time. This creature is truly formidable." He felt a growing desire to retreat. Lin Jian cautiously moved to the side, and the giant python did not obstruct him, though its head remained fixed on Lin Jian. When he had distanced himself by about ten yards, he finally relaxed a bit. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he unexpectedly caught sight of a hole about two feet wide beneath the rock where the giant python had originally been resting. Lin Jian was greatly astonished and mused, "This seems to be the python's lair, but why isn't it going inside? It appears to be guarding this hole instead. Hmm, once I find Brother Jiang, with his martial skills, he should be able to handle this snake." Without looking back, he ran back. Lin Jian hurriedly returned to the cave by the stream, which was still shrouded in darkness, and he still did not see Jiang Butong's figure. He felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment but reassured himself, "Perhaps Brother Jiang has encountered some mountain bandits or something else. He will return by tomorrow morning." However, by the next morning, he still had not returned.

Lin Jianxin said: "Rather than sitting idly by, it would be better to practice a bit and see how it goes." He acted on this thought immediately, getting out of bed and heading to a flat area behind the house to practice. He felt that his hands could not bend as freely as depicted in the book. Lin Jianxin pondered, "It seems I need to start with the flexibility of my hands, as this elder brother once mentioned." He was still young, at an age of development, and it was not too late to learn at this time. After practicing for several months, Lin Jian gradually began to understand. He felt that his hands could not bend as freely as depicted in the book. Lin Jianxin pondered, "It seems I need to start with the flexibility of my hands, as this elder brother once mentioned." He was still young, at an age of development, and it was not too late to learn at this time. After practicing for several months, Lin Jian gradually began to understand. Jiang Butong was also very pleased, but the worry on his face deepened. Lin Jian was joyful in his practice and did not notice this. That evening, Lin Jian brought some food to Jiang Butong's dwelling. As he approached, he sensed something was wrong; the cave entrance was dim and devoid of light, whereas he usually saw a fire when he came. Lin Jian's heart sank, and he hurried over, only to find the cave clean and empty. Lin Jian's heart trembled, and he called out loudly, "Elder brother! Jiang elder brother! Where are you?" After calling several times with no response, Lin Jian, who had some internal strength by now, realized that the surroundings were very quiet, and his voice should be heard within a mile. If Jiang Butong was hunting nearby, he would surely hear and return, but Lin Jian waited for a long time with no news. Lin Jian felt anxious. However, he forgot to carefully inspect the dwelling and began to search around.

The moon was bright and the stars were clear. Lin Jian arrived at the cave to meet Jiang Butong. As Lin Jian looked around, he was taken aback; the entrance of the cave still bore fresh scorch marks and was emitting white smoke. Remnants of leftover bones lay on the ground, yet Jiang Butong was nowhere to be seen. Lin Jian thought to himself, "Could it be that he went to fetch the person who is to teach me?" Pondering this uncertainty, he sat down to wait. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a sudden noise arose, followed by Jiang Butong's voice: "Goodness! I didn't expect you to be so stubborn; I can't even invite you!" Hearing the voice, Lin Jian rushed over and saw Jiang Butong dragging a scholarly-looking man with a goatee, who appeared to be in his thirties or forties, likely a teacher. Lin Jian finally understood that the "person" Jiang Butong mentioned was this disheveled teacher before him. No wonder he said that this person taught better than he did; the scholar's knowledge was indeed beyond what Jiang Butong, a mere warrior, could attain. Lin Jian chuckled, "This teacher certainly has a big attitude, requiring the great hero Jiang to 'invite' him like this." Jiang Butong laughed, "I originally intended to invite him, but who knew he would ramble on with a bunch of principles, saying things like 'A gentleman should not be troubled by the strong' and so on. I found him too verbose, so I sealed his acupoint and dragged him over." Lin Jian said, "He seems like he wants to say something; you should release his acupoint and see what he has to say." Jiang Butong replied, "Alright, but once he starts rambling, it will never end. I truly fear scholars; they are even more talkative than chickens." As he spoke, he released the acupoint of the teacher.