Chapter 61: Daoquan and Daoqing, Too Confused to Tell Apart (By popular demand, an extra chapter today!)

Wang Jin's arrival at Mount Liang was undoubtedly a great piece of fortune for the stronghold. After all, as the former Chief Instructor of the imperial spear and staff troops, his ability to train soldiers was by no means ordinary. Even though he was currently nursing injuries, his tactical guidance alone would be immensely valuable. Moreover, his hatred for Gao Qiu had reached its absolute peak; with him on board, the stronghold gained yet another formidable expert for future high-tier battles.

"Chieftain—oh, no, brother..."

On the return journey, Wang Jin lay on a stretcher, seemingly wishing to say something.

"It's fine for others to call me that, but if you address me this way, Senior Brother, are you trying to get me beaten by our master later?"

Ren Yuan said half-jokingly.

"Etiquette must not be discarded. You are the master of the stronghold, and strictly speaking, I cannot truly be considered your close fellow apprentice. The proper rules must still be observed."

"Then Senior Brother should simply call me Chieftain. I think that sounds much better, haha."

"Very well, Chieftain. I have a disciple, and I was wondering if..."

Hesitating for a moment, Wang Jin wanted to put in a good word for his pupil, Shi Jin.

"Is Senior Brother speaking of Shi Jin from the Shi Family Village? The one nicknamed Nine-Dragon?"

Ren Yuan interrupted with a smile.

"Everyone has their own destiny. Since Shi Jin is your disciple, Senior Brother, he is naturally my nephew in martial arts. If he is willing to join the mountain, I would certainly welcome him. However, it seems he is currently living quite comfortably at the Shi Family Village, so let us not have him come up just yet."

"Junior Brother, you seem remarkably well-informed about the affairs of the Shi Family Village?"

Only then did Wang Jin recall that this junior brother of his seemed exceptionally knowledgeable about his situation and that of his disciple!

"After I learned that Senior Brother was at the Shi Family Village, I dispatched scouts to open a tavern nearby," Ren Yuan said with a smile.

"When you were staying in the village, Senior Brother, you actually visited that tavern run by my scouts. By the way, it was those very scouts who rescued your mother. It was also thanks to them sending carrier pigeons that I learned you were single-handedly tangling with Gao Qiu's subordinates, which prompted me to lead a force and rush there through the night."

"Your scouts are truly formidable, Junior Brother."

Wang Jin came to a sudden realization. So that was how it was—no wonder.

"Then let my disciple develop on his own for now. If fate allows, it won't be too late for him to ascend the mountain later."

"Indeed. For now, let us find a skilled physician to examine you, Senior Brother. Otherwise, I fear your injuries won't allow you to hold on until we reach Mount Liang."

"Very well, I must trouble you then, Junior Brother."

Yet this conversation with Wang Jin brought another matter to Ren Yuan's mind: currently, the stronghold lacked a truly exceptional physician! They had not failed to invite a few doctors to the mountain, but their skills were quite limited. It seemed he would need to make a trip to Jiankang Prefecture when time permitted. Divine Physician An Daoquan must not be allowed to slip away.

Thus Wang Jin quietly ascended Mount Liang, while on Gao Qiu's end, the only news he received was the complete annihilation of his elite Black-Clad Guard.

Gao Qiu was greatly shocked and had no choice but to dispatch another squad of his Black-Clad Guard, traveling through the night to investigate. The conclusion reached by this squad was that Wang Jin and the hundred Black-Clad Guards had most likely perished together. As for the bodies, they had been largely mangled by wild beasts; since they could not be retrieved, the matter should be settled right there on the spot. Therefore, the leader of this Black-Clad Guard unit prepared to report to Gao Qiu that Wang Jin was dead.

"Boss, we didn't find the body. Won't it be too hasty to report this to the Marshal back home?"

One of the members of the Black-Clad Guard asked his leader.

"Hasty? Instructor Wang's clothes and ornaments are all right there. Even if the remains are incomplete, it's more than enough proof. Let's wrap this up and head back."

The leader of this unit was an old acquaintance of the soaring-tiger Zheng Taicheng. His name was Qin Shan, nicknamed the Tiger Descending the Mountain. Having also started out as an imperial foot soldier, Qin Shan could easily piece together from the scene that this battle was far from simple. After all, although the corpses had been heavily ravaged by wild beasts, wounds of varying depths and sizes were still visible in certain places, clearly inflicted by different types of weapons. Thus he could roughly guess that Wang Jin might not actually be dead.

However, he chose to keep silent. Unlike Zheng Taicheng, who willingly served as Gao Qiu's dog and even cast aside his dignity, Qin Shan was merely working a high-paying job. As for certain matters, ignorance is indeed bliss.

"That's not right, Chief. Look, the wounds on these bodies are different. If we tell the Marshal..."

*Splat!*

The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh rang out. The guard looked in astonishment at his leader, then down at the saber plunged into his chest, before slowly collapsing.

"You aren't the only clever person in this world. In your next life, remember that ignorance is bliss."

Qin Shan said nothing more, merely instructing his subordinates to gather all the corpses together and prepare to burn them with a bonfire. Watching his men bustle about, Qin Shan slowly spoke again:

"Wang Jin is already dead. We shall simply go back and report our mission accomplished. Once we return, we'll collect our reward money and go about our respective businesses. What should be said and what shouldn't be said—everyone knows in their hearts. Understood?"

Qin Shan raised an eyebrow, gazing around at his men.

"Chief, what are you talking about? Come over and help out! There are so many bodies here, and we still need to spend a long time gathering firewood."

"Exactly, Chief! Didn't we just happen to pass by and let it go? What Wang, what Jin? Does that have anything to do with us?"

"Hurry up with your work! I still have to go back and hold little Xiaohong!"

See? Only those who know how to play the fool can live long lives.

Wang Jin's injuries were brought under control along the way. When he and his mother were reunited, the mother and son wept bitterly in each other's arms. Having survived such a harrowing ordeal, Wang Jin's mother harbored no further illusions about the official circles of the Great Song and readily agreed to move to Mount Liang.

"That's wonderful, Instructor Brother! You have no idea—my mother and the mothers of the Ruan brothers constantly chatter about wanting to find a few more friends to talk with. Once Instructor Brother comes up the mountain, Mother will certainly never be lonely."

Mo Sheng was exceptionally delighted. Naturally aware of Wang Jin's formidable reputation, he knew that with Wang Jin's arrival, he would have yet another sparring partner!

"Mo Sheng, at least wait until my senior brother's injuries heal. I doubt he'll be capable of physical exertion for several months."

Ren Yuan shook his head at the excited Mo Sheng; this fellow sometimes had a one-track mind. Aside from the severe wound on his thigh, Wang Jin had several other life-threatening injuries on his body. Those assassins had all struck with ruthless malice; in anyone else's case, they would have perished long ago. He required prolonged and careful recuperation!

"Brother, if that's the case, I can make a trip to Jiankang Prefecture after we return to the mountain and invite An Daoquan over," Sun An said after pondering for a moment, turning to Wang Jin.

"Oh? Does Brother know the Divine Physician?"

Ren Yuan was somewhat surprised; Sun An was about to give him a huge pleasant surprise!

"I don't know him personally, but I have a close friend who travels the four seas and has reportedly met the divine physician An Daoquan on several occasions. I can find my friend first and then we can go together; perhaps that might prove useful."

Sun An said thoughtfully to Ren Yuan.

"Could it be Qiao Lie, nicknamed the Magic-Incarnate Demon?"

Ren Yuan recalled that Sun An's friend seemed to be none other than him.

"Brother actually knows him!"

Sun An was astonished. "Just as Brother Shi Qian said, you hold all the heroes of the world in your heart, Brother!"

"Not at all, not at all."

Ren Yuan waved his hand. He wasn't that miraculous; he had merely read *Outlaws of the Marsh* and a series of vernacular prompt-books and storytelling scripts.

"An Daoquan, Qiao Daoqing—heh, this is getting interesting. Both names contain the character for 'Dao'; could they perhaps be related?"

"As for that, I truly do not know."

Sun An had never considered the question before, but hearing his stronghold leader put it this way, it sounded remarkably plausible! Daoquan, Daoqing—they sounded almost indistinguishable! The chieftain truly possessed eyes like torches!

"Don't flatter me, I was just guessing blindly. By the way, I'm quite curious: since Qiao Lie is a Daoist priest, is there truly such a thing as Daoist sorcery in this world?"

Although Ren Yuan's own transmigration was the ultimate theological phenomenon, he was genuinely curious about what those who practiced Daoist arts actually studied.

"Not really. Qiao Lie once told me that the so-called Daoist sorcery he learned is, to put it bluntly, conjuring tricks, sleight of hand, and certain hallucinogenic techniques that must be used in conjunction with drugs. As for his other skills, they are merely martial arts of the jianghu such as swordsmanship and lightness techniques, amplified in impact when combined with those tricks. Once passed along by word of mouth, they acquired a miraculous aura." (I know some readers are ready to argue that *Outlaws of the Marsh* truly features Daoist magic, but this book combines elements from the novel, traditional storytelling scripts, and historical records, so I have opted for this setting instead.)

"Ah, I see!"

Ren Yuan understood. How should he put it? Following Sun An's explanation, it was much easier to grasp. Figures like Qiao Daoqing, Gongsun Sheng, and Fan Rui played roles akin to that of the "Colored-Cloth Trickster" from the martial arts film *Reign of Assassins*. If they were thrown into a mass charge, their effectiveness would be average unless they used drugs to cast large-scale illusions. But in one-on-one duels, their array of tricks would make them virtually impossible to guard against!

"Sun An, when we return, I will also write a personal letter. We must definitely invite Brother Qiao Lie up the mountain!"