By now it was already late November. Wu Tong and Ling Xian'er pressed on day and night toward Shu. One day, the two arrived at a village encircled by towering mountains. Snowflakes whirled chaotically through the air, and the biting cold wind cut to the bone. They paused by the roadside to rest.
Ling Xian'er was naturally graceful and exquisitely beautiful, her beauty rivaling that of a celestial maiden. At this moment, her delicate features relaxed, and Wu Tong caught sight of her charming face—brows like tender spring willows, eyes like rippling autumn waters. He could not help but stare, utterly transfixed.
Sensing his gaze, Ling Xian'er blushed and said shyly,"Brother Tong, why are you looking at me like that?"
Warm sweetness welled up in Wu Tong's heart, and an irrepressible tenderness arose within him. He took Xian'er's slender jade-like hand and said,"Little Sister Xian'er, this journey has been hard on you. Following me through the jianghu… I fear I am burying the worth of such a fine young woman."
At his words, Ling Xian'er suddenly felt a pang of sorrow for reasons she could not explain. Tears welled in her eyes as she said,"Brother Tong is a great hero in Xian'er's heart. To accompany my husband through the jianghu—Xian'er will have no regrets in this lifetime."
Ling Xian'er was at the tender age of sixteen, her heart newly awakened to love. When affection runs deep, love takes root early. There is a kind of love in this world that seeks nothing, assigns no blame, knows no right or wrong—it is simply love.
Wu Tong was deeply moved upon hearing her words. He drew Xian'er into his embrace, and the two lingered together, cheeks brushing, sharing a long moment of warmth and intimacy. Above them, white clouds drifted lazily past the mid-slope of the mountain. The mountain wind swept over sheer cliffs, where ancient pines and stunted trees swayed freely in the gale. The pair leaned against one another like a matched couple in jade.
Just then, shouts suddenly rang out ahead—it sounded as though jianghu fighters were locked in mortal combat.
Wu Tong said, "Let us go forward and see."
They urged their horses on and soon reached a desolate ruined temple. There, they saw one man fighting alone against seven. The besieged man appeared to be around sixty years old. Wu Tong then looked more closely at the attackers and was startled, his face showing surprise and suspicion.
Among them were three familiar figures—the three chief disciples of the Tianhou Palace: Ouyang Jing, Yu Xian, and Wei Hong—along with Chen Jinfeng, the Western Sacred Mother of the Western Sacred Cult. With them were four close attendant maidens: Peach Blossom, Plum Blossom, Peony, and Orchid. Another among the seven, also about sixty years of age, bore a face as cold as frost.
Seven surrounded one. The lone man wore gray robes and had clearly been fighting fiercely for quite some time.
At this moment, both sides paused briefly. Ouyang Jing called out loudly,"We seven have no old grievance or past feud with you, Elder. Do not persist in stubborn folly. If you are willing to hand over the martial arts manual, we shall present you with gold and silver in abundance and treat you as a living god, honored as our most esteemed guest."
Peach Blossom, attendant to the Western Sacred Mother, added,"Our Sacred Mother of the Western Sacred Cult has long admired Elder Situ's extraordinary martial skill. The position of Western Sacred Lord has long stood vacant. If Elder is willing to part with the martial manual, our Western Sacred Cult shall bestow that title upon you—and we four shall also be given to serve you. What say you, Elder?"
The man was none other than Situ Kong, known throughout the jianghu as 'Madman of the West.' Situ Kong burst into loud laughter and said,"Form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. This old man is already nearing the grave—I have no wish to reenter the garden of flowers. Such blessings are not mine to enjoy!"
Wu Tong and Ling Xian'er were greatly shocked upon hearing Peach Blossom's words. They thought to themselves: Wasn't Chen Jinfeng dead? Could it be that she feigned death that day?
Attendant Li Blossom said coldly,"If that is the case, then do not blame us for showing no mercy. For the sake of the Nine Heavens Manual, we have no choice but to offend you."
Situ Kong said in a deep voice,"Were it not that you are women, this old man would already have struck without restraint. If you do not withdraw now, do not blame me for what follows!"
Ouyang Jing snorted and shouted,"Everyone, strike together! He has already been poisoned with Powder of Dissolving Skill. The poison has taken effect—his strength is reduced to only twenty percent. Attack!"
The Powder of Dissolving Skill was a strange and formidable poison—colorless, tasteless, and nonlethal. Once it entered the body, it carried no scent or hue, yet when its effects manifested, one's internal power was reduced by eighty percent. The effects lasted for three full days.
Yu Xian and Wei Hong responded at once, leaping forward and executing the Yin-Yang Combined Palms. Palm winds roared as they struck directly. Ouyang Jing, along with Peach Blossom, Li Blossom, Peony, and Orchid, followed close behind, their figures darting swiftly toward Situ Kong.
Though Situ Kong retained only two-tenths of his strength, he casually lifted a hand. His fists and palms flashed like lightning, swift beyond measure. As Yu Xian and Wei Hong engaged him, they thrust both palms forward at once, attacks chaining together like flowing arrows—but before even a single exchange was complete, two heavy thuds rang out. Both men were struck, letting out muffled cries as they flew backward, tumbling by the roadside in utter disarray.
Ouyang Jing and the four attendants surged forward amid whistling wind and flickering shadows, launching fierce attacks from all directions with sharp cries. Situ Kong suddenly retreated three zhang, his body spinning like lightning several times. Their attacks passed harmlessly by him.
Seeing that he remained fierce and formidable, Situ Kong no longer held back. He shifted laterally, leapt backward, then roared in fury. Gathering his remaining power, he unleashed a single move and bellowed,
"Thunder Shakes the World!"
Situ Kong shot forward like an arrow loosed from the bow, tearing through the air with a shrill howl. Explosive palm strikes resounded across the field. Ouyang Jing and the four women were instantly thrown into panic, trying desperately to evade—but it was already too late. They were struck repeatedly, forced to roll across the ground again and again, each one disheveled, faces smeared with dust, hairpins scattered.
Situ Kong laughed loudly at their miserable state and said,"Even with only two-tenths of my strength left, dealing with you women is more than enough!"
At that moment, a procession slowly approached from the distance. At the front were two black-robed cult members blowing suona horns. In the center was a magnificently decorated carriage—its body crimson with gold trim, purple silk curtains hanging at the windows. Beside the carriage stood four attendant maidens—Plum Blossom, Chrysanthemum, and the like—dressed in green and white skirts, holding incense burners, clearly part of the cult's sacred retinue.
The suona sounded again, piercing and powerful, accompanied by gongs and drums. A fragrant aroma drifted through the air as the procession advanced.
Before long, a middle-aged woman stepped out of the carriage. It was none other than Chen Jinfeng, the Western Sacred Mother. She wore luxurious purple silk robes with a gold-edged cloak, a silver crown upon her head. Her posture was dignified, her gaze cold and aloof as she stopped to observe.
Two attendants, Plum Blossom and Chrysanthemum, called out loudly,"The Western Sacred Mother has arrived!"
The Western Sacred Mother, Chen Jinfeng, was attended by four exquisitely beautiful maidens. She had newly named them Plum Blossom, Chrysanthemum, Lotus Blossom, and Apricot Blossom.
At this moment, Chen Jinfeng remained where she stood. Peach Blossom, Li Blossom, Peony, and Orchid immediately knelt to the ground, chanting loudly in praise:
"The world is empty—who dares say it is not suffering?The Sacred Mother descends, appearing in the West.What Heaven covers, what Earth bears,The Western Sacred Cult shall endure for a thousand autumns, ten thousand ages.
The Western Sacred Cult rises like wind and water,The Western Sacred Cult roams unchallenged beneath Heaven.
The Western Sacred Mother saves the five lakes with the Dao,The Western Sacred Mother hears all cries and relieves all suffering…"