The mighty Yangtze River flows endlessly eastward, right and wrong, success and failure, all turn to nothing in the blink of an eye;Birdsong and fragrant blossoms ride upon the wind, verdant grass and lush fields accompany the days of youth.
The morning sun shone as always, and the heroes from all sides were about to go their separate ways. Liu Xuan, the leader of the Heavenly Sovereign Sect, now serving as the Alliance Leader of the Anti-Rebel Righteous Army, had successfully united the two Anti-Rebel fronts in Jiangnan. Burdened with heavy responsibilities and a myriad of affairs, he naturally had to coordinate the various forces to provide timely support to the Tang army. The members of the Heavenly Sovereign Sect were lodging at a nearby Taoist temple, a place of great tranquility.
At this moment, Liu Xuan was discussing an alliance with the northern martial world with the Beggar Sect leader, the two renowned eccentrics of the martial world—Daoist White Brows and Master Zhenkong—and the Dragon-Tiger Hermit Zhang Zhen. Suddenly, Wu Tong and two young women arrived, prompting him to pause the discussion. The three approached Liu Xuan, saluted with clasped hands, and greeted the senior martial figures. Liu Yun, with a shy smile, said, "Father, I wish to travel north and roam the lands with Young Hero Wu and Sister Zhao. May I?"
Liu Xuan, startled, replied, "I have taken on the role of Alliance Leader, bearing great responsibility. Your martial arts are lacking. Wait until I teach you the 'Infinite Palm' from our sect's Nine Mystical True Classic. Only then can you travel the world."
"How long will that take?" she asked sweetly.
"At least a month," Liu Xuan replied. "You must train diligently, for on the ninth day of the ninth month, our sect will participate in the Central Plains Anti-Rebel Martial Assembly in Xuzhou, Henan." At this time, righteous armies were rising everywhere, their momentum vast. If alliances could be forged early, then at the decisive moment a single call to arms could inspire countless to join, greatly boosting the Tang army's morale.
Wu Tong comforted her, "Sister Yun, it's just over two months—we'll see each other again soon."
Liu Xuan then glanced at the beauty beside Wu Tong and asked, "Young Hero Wu, this young lady…?" Liu Yun, slightly embarrassed, replied, "Father, this is Young Master Zhao, whose real name is Zhao Rou. She was disguised as a man before."
Daoist White Brows had once remarked, "Miss Liu truly has a singular taste—not fancying the famed young heroes before her, but falling for a girl disguised as a man. Truly, fate is unpredictable!" The romance between the three began from the moment Liu Yun first saw "Young Master Zhao" in a tavern.
Upon seeing Zhao Rou's delicate beauty, Liu Xuan could not help but wonder if she was Wu Tong's sweetheart. After all, Wu Tong's heroic deeds yesterday had shown bravery beyond his years, and soon his name would echo throughout the martial world. With such a youth, brave and resourceful, many admirers would surely come seeking him. His own daughter, barely sixteen, had yet to find a match—could this be the ideal choice?
So Liu Xuan said, "Young Hero Wu, you are dashing and spirited, bound to be remembered in the annals of the martial world for your righteous deeds. Might I ask—do you have a marriage arrangement?"
Wu Tong replied, "To tell the truth, after traveling together day and night, the three of us grew close and fell in love. Zhao Rou, Liu Yun, and I have pledged ourselves to one another for life."
Though Liu Xuan had long thought of giving his daughter to Wu Tong, such an exceptional son-in-law being rare in the world, he was still momentarily stunned by this revelation. But quickly understanding, joy spread across his face. "This is splendid news! Then I shall call you 'son-in-law' from now on."
Wu Tong was taken aback for a moment, then overwhelmed with happiness. He immediately knelt down and said, "Father-in-law, please accept this bow from your son-in-law."
Liu Xuan helped him up, and the Beggar Sect leader Fei Jin laughed heartily, "Congratulations, Alliance Leader, on gaining a fine son-in-law!" Fei Jin had long known of their secret betrothal but hadn't expected the young people to act so swiftly.
Daoist White Brows said, "Since ancient times, heroes have always been matched with beauties!"
Master Zhenkong countered, "Since ancient times, beauties have always been matched with heroes!"
The two eccentrics continued their friendly bickering, until Zhang Zhen, the Dragon-Tiger Hermit, said, "Hero and beauty—each complements the other perfectly."
In high spirits, Liu Xuan said, "My son-in-law, our sect must remain here for several days to discuss important matters with the righteous armies. Why don't you three go explore the sights nearby and make the most of this trip?"
The three bowed and took their leave.
Outside the temple, their hearts were light. Liu Yun asked, "Brother Tong, where will you take us?"
Zhao Rou interjected, "Sister Yun, don't be hasty. Brother Tong still has two of the 'Propolis Pills.' Could you spare one for her?"
Wu Tong agreed, producing a small porcelain bottle from his chest and shaking out one pill. "Sister Yun, take this 'Propolis Pill.'"
Though puzzled, she didn't ask further and swallowed it at once.
Zhao Rou explained, "That day, Tian Bupa called the king of these pills an 'anti-drunk pill,' and Brother Tong took it. His internal strength instantly increased by thirty years, enabling him to act heroically."
Liu Yun was startled. "Then by taking this, will I also gain thirty years of inner power?"
Wu Tong laughed. "No, the 'King Pill' has already been taken by me. This one grants only ten years of inner strength. Come, let's go into the city!"
By midday, they found a tavern to eat and drink their fill before strolling through the streets. They came across a vendor selling candied hawthorns, and Wu Tong bought three sticks. As they wandered, the two women's silvery laughter caught the attention of passersby. Both were stunning, like heavenly maidens descended to earth, their every movement captivating hearts.
At that moment, two notorious lechers from Jiangnan—brothers Hao Shuang and Hao Wai, known as the "Two Delightful Young Masters," infamous flower pickers who had ruined countless women—spotted them. Unable to resist, the elder, Hao Wai, blocked the two women in the street and leered, "Where are you ladies headed?" Ignoring Wu Tong entirely, he tried to make conversation.
The women walked on without a glance, but Hao Wai persisted, "Which family are you from?" The younger, Hao Shuang, chuckled lewdly, "I am Hao Shuang—may I know your lovely names?"
Enraged, Wu Tong stepped in front of the women and shouted, "Gentlemen, to stop women in the street like this—is this not against the law?"
Hao Wai's face darkened. "Boy, get lost, or don't blame us for being ruthless!" He stepped forward to shove Wu Tong, but Wu Tong merely shifted his stance and released a subtle wave of force, sending Hao Wai stumbling back in shock.
Hao Shuang's eyes turned cold as he drew a folding fan from his waist, its steel ribs glinting dangerously. "You dare ruin our fun? Do you have a death wish?" He snapped the fan open, revealing a hidden mechanism within, and stepped closer with a sinister grin. "If you know what's good for you, kneel down, kowtow, and hand these beauties over to us—perhaps we'll let you live."