Chapter - 26 Brilliance of a Blade Refined a Hundred Times (7)

As they continued on their journey, a person on a fast galloping horse suddenly passed them from behind. Du DaJin sees that it's a youngster of about twenty-one or twenty-two. He looks scholarly and charismatic, and as he passed said, "Thanks for letting me pass." When he left, Du DaJin asks, "Brother Zhu, who do you think this is?" Sub-leader Zhu says, "He came from Wu Dang Mountain, so he's probably a Wu Dang disciple. But he doesn't have any weapons, and looks to scrawny too be a kung fu expert."

When he finished, that youngster suddenly came back, and asks, "May I ask a question?" Du DaJin says, "What do you need to know?" That youngster looks at the flag and says, "Are you the Dragon Gate Escort Agency?" Sub-leader Zhu says, "Yes!" That youngster says, "May I ask who everyone is? And how is your Head Leader Du?" Sub-leader Zhu says, "My surname is Zhu. What's your name? Are you a friend of our head leader?"

That youngster gets off the horse and steps forward a bit, says, "My name is Zhang CuiShan. I've heard of the famous Dragon Gate Escort Agency." When he said this, Du DaJin felt a huge shock, thinking how could the famous Fifth Hero Zhang be a young scholar? He says, "I am Du DaJin. So you are the person everyone calls 'Silver Hook and Iron Brush' Fifth Hero Zhang?" That youngster says with a smile, "I don't think I'm worthy of the 'hero' title. But since you're here at Wu Dang Mountain, how about going up for a visit. Today is my master's ninetieth birthday. If you don't have anything important to do, we would appreciate your company."

Du DaJin sees that he's quite sincere, and wonders, "How come the Wu Dang heroes differ so much in terms of personality?" He gets down his horse and says, "If your brothers were as nice as you, we would already be at Wu Dang now." Zhang CuiShan says, "What? You say that you've met my brothers? Which ones?" Du DaJin thinks, "You really know how to put up an act." And says, "I saw all your other brothers today." Zhang CuiShan stutters for a moment, then asks, "You've also seen my third brother Yu?" Du DaJin says, "You mean Yu DaiYan? I don't know who's Yu DaiYan. I just saw the six of them together. So he must be there." Zhang CuiShan says, "Six people? Which six people?" Du DaJin says, "Your brothers won't give their names, so how would I know? Since you are the fifth hero, then they must be the rest of the seven heroes." Zhang CuiShan seems lost in thought, and asks, "Did you really see them?" Du DaJin says, "Of course. Everyone in my agency saw them." Zhang CuiShan says, "That doesn't make sense. Brother Song and the others are all preparing for master's birthday. Only I came down the mountain to find my third brother. So how could you have met them?"

Du DaJin says, "You mean, that person with a birthmark on his face isn't Hero Song?" Zhang CuiShan says, "None of my brothers have any birthmarks on his face."

Cold sweat rushes over Du DaJin. He says, "They said that they're the six heroes of Wu Dang. Two of them are even Taoists. So we…" Zhang CuiShan says, "Although our master is a Taoist, none of his students are. Did they really say that they're the Six Heroes of Wu Dang?" Du DaJin thinks back, and realizes that those people never did openly say who they are. After a pause, he says, "Looks like these people are up to no good. We have to chase them down!" As he says this he quickly gets back on his horse, and start riding back towards Wu Dang Mountain. Zhang CuiShan rides alongside, and says, "It doesn't matter too much if they're simply masquerading as us. Why not just let them go?" Du DaJin says, "But what about that person? Someone asked me to escort this person to your Venerable Zhang SanFeng. These six people took him…" Zhang CuiShan says, "Who is this person you're talking about?"

Du DaJin told Zhang CuiShan what had happened as they galloped back. Zhang CuiShan then asks, "What's the wounded person's name? What about his look?" Du DaJin says, "I don't know his name, but he's around thirty." He then proceeds describe that person's face. Zhang CuiShan says shockingly, "This… this is my Third Brother Yu."

He then asks, "How did my third brother get injured? Who asked you to escort him here? Who's the enemy?" Du DaJin cannot answer these, and does not respond. Zhang CuiShan asks again, "What do those people who took away my third brother look like?" Sub-leader Shi then describes their looks. Zhang CuiShan says, "Thank you. I shall go on ahead."

After searching for hours, Zhang CuiShan sees a broken carriage on the side of the road. Turning around, he sees a person lying on the ground. With his heart beating fast, Zhang CuiShan races up next to the person, only to see that it's indeed Yu DaiYan. Happy and distressed at the same time, Zhang CuiShan quickly picks him up and touches his face. Feeling warmth, he let out a sigh of relief, and then yells, "Third brother, you… what happened… I'm your fifth brother… fifth brother!" He examines Yu DaiYan, only to see all his joints crushed, and blood pouring out. Obviously, whoever hurt him did so a short while ago.

While his first thoughts were rage and revenge, Zhang CuiShan then promptly remembers that Yu DaiYan's life is still in danger. He did not bring any medicine down the mountain, so he quickly put Yu DaiYan on his back and quickly runs up the mountain, using all his lightness kung fu ability.

Since today is their master's ninetieth birthday, the Wu Dang's main Purple Paradise Hall has been filled with an aura of happiness. The six disciples all gave their toast to Zhang SanFeng. The only problem was that they're missing Yu DaiYan. So at noon, Zhang CuiShan said to his master, "Let me go down the mountain to check up on him." Who would've thought that Zhang CuiShan would also disappear? It should've taken him at most a couple of hours to reach the old river before turning back. But it's now nightfall, yet still no sight of him.

The dinner in the hall has long been prepared, the candles almost half burnt. Everyone feels uncomfortable. Sixth disciple Yin LiTing and seventh disciple Muo ShengGu pace in and out of the hall. Zhang SanFeng is quite aware of these two missing disciples' temper. Yu DaiYan is calm and composed, and can always be counted on to accomplish a task. Zhang CuiShan is smart and quick-witted, and is decisive. So if they haven't come back yet, something important must have happened.

First disciple Song YuanQiao looks at the candles, and then says with a smile, "Master, third and fifth brother must have found some terrible things happening down the mountain. They know that the best gift to you is to do good deeds. That's why they're late." Zhang SanFeng says with a smile, "I remember you saved a widow from suicide back when I was eighty. But you know, if you kids have to wait ten years in between your good deeds, people might get a bit impatient." His five disciples laughed. Zhang SanFeng has always had a casual relationship with his students, so they joke all the time.

Zhang SongXi then says, "But you're going to at least live till two hundred years old. So even if we just do one good deed per ten years, it's still going to be a lot." Muo ShengGu adds with a laugh, "I'm just afraid that we won't be able to keep up for that long…"

Before he could finish, Song YuanQiao and Yu LianZhou looked out the hall and yelled together, "Is that the third brother?" Zhang CuiShan says, "It's me!" Only to see him carrying a person on the back, running into the hall with sweat all over his face, yelling, "Master, third brother…someone attacked him…" As everyone looks in shock, Zhang CuiShan stumbled a bit, and falls unconscious.