Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan Volume 5 Chapter 8 part1

Book 5 Chapter 8 - Familiarity at First Sight

Xu Ziling ran at full speed toward the jungle indicated by the marking Kou Zhong left behind.

After leaving Shen Luoyan, he immediately threw her to the back of his mind.

In fact, up to this time, when he was flying over the snowy ground, he had encountered not a few beautiful women, yet none ever occupied any place in his heart.

He was content just by practicing the energy cultivation of the ‘Secret to Long Life'; his mind was focused solely on the martial art training. It was not because he was after fame or fortune, but a personal pursuit; he wanted to surpass his own previous achievement.

Lying in bed every night, he immediately entered the state of mind where he trained his qi, the state of ‘forgetting object, forgetting self' that fascinated the heaven and the earth.

Although during his waking hours he occasionally remembered Shan Wanjing, Yun Yuzhen, Shen Luoyan, and other beauties, but there were only vexation and loathing feelings in his heart, not the longing feeling between men and women.

Only martial art cultivation brought him the greatest satisfaction; in everything else he was satisfied with himself, and nothing he wanted to seek.

However, Kou Zhong's ambition was clearly much bigger than his, so that he started to feel that their differences continue to widen with each passing day. Other than that, speaking about deep affection for each other, naturally they were still the best brothers and the best of friends.

Right this moment, from a distant place ahead and to his left came the sound of hoof beats. It was the sound of horses' hooves kicking against the snow.

Xu Ziling was startled, but also felt strange.

The hoof beats came so suddenly, the only explanation would be that these people were already there, but were only showing themselves up this moment. Judging from the sound of it, there should be no less than thirty riders, yet previously he did not even hear any horse whinnying, so obviously these horses must be well-trained war-horses.

He rapidly eliminated the possibility that these people were from Wagang Army. Because Xu Shiji simply did not have time to make such arrangement.

Could it be that these people were related to Dugu Ba?

The hoof beats stopped abruptly, as abrupt as they appeared.

Xu Ziling found these mysterious riders unfathomable. Stretching his true qi to its limit, he darted toward the forest.

Kou Zhong's voice suddenly rang out, "Hurry up! Someone's coming!”

Knowing that Kou Zhong and Susu were still safe and sound, Xu Ziling immediately felt relieved, and bolted toward the voice.

Kou Zhong, with Susu on his back, jumped down from a big tree, and then side-by-side they ran deeper into the forest. Kou Zhong called out, "Let's see between they and us, who will have longer breath.”

Xu Ziling relaxed his tensed body.

It should be noted that in this dense forest, which extended for hundreds of li, even using strong horses one could not travel easily. When it comes to leg muscles, the number of Jianghu people who could catch up with them in a short distance was not lacking, but other than people of Du Fuwei caliber, who would be able to compete with them in generating continuous internal breathing obtained from the ‘Secret to Long Life', without feeling exhaustion at all?

Therefore, finished speaking that last sentence, they did not talk anymore. From external breathing they switched to internal, concentrating their mind and spirit on fleeing, fast like a meteor they weaved to the left and slipped to the right, leaped high and crouched low, in that dense forest, only trying to get as far away as they could.

On the other hand, Susu, who was crouching on Kou Zhong's back, was overcome with safe and warm feeling. These two boys were merely strangers coming together by chance, yet to her they had suddenly become brothers closer than flesh and blood siblings.

They always put her first in everything. No matter how bad the situation, they would never hesitate; even more, they would never cower. Currently they were sharing trials and tribulations together; hence the feeling in her heart was understandable.

They ran all through the night until daybreak, when they were finally out of the jungle. By this time the snowstorm has stopped, the heaven and the earth were blanketed in white, sparkling snow.

In the still, pure white open plains, the three of them were suddenly overwhelmed with ‘what next?' feeling.

Although the two boys' inner breathing was still vigorous, their flesh and blood four legs were dead tired; hence they took this opportunity to rest on a small hill full of towering spruce.

Kou Zhong laughed aloud and said, "Finally! We escaped!”

"Who are those people last night?” Susu asked.

Xu Ziling replied, "I don't care what kind of saints those people are, I am sure they are not people of the good way; most probably they are Dugu Ba's men.”

Kou Zhong and Susu were stunned. After listening to Xu Ziling narrating what happened the previous night, Kou Zhong frowned and said, "If that guy were not lecherous, perhaps we would have suffered a calamity. I did not expect Dugu Clan has such a formidable figure; I thought all of them were good-for-nothing characters like Dugu Ce.”

Xu Ziling commented, "If they don't have a trick or two, how could Dugu Clan obtain the same fame in Jianghu as the other three Clans? All right! Tell me, are we going to Luoyang? Or going back to our old home Yangzhou?”

With head down, Susu resolutely said, "Go back to Yangzhou!”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged a glance. They said in low voice to Susu, "We want to go to the Eastern Capital, the purpose is to try our luck in finding the Jade Annulus of the He Clan. Hey! Not necessarily to look for Li Dage.”

Susu shook her head and adamantly said, "If you want to go, the two of you can go on your own!”

Supporting Susu, Xu Ziling said, "Of course we should listen to Su Jie.” Turning to Kou Zhong, he reproached him, "What could be more important than causing harm to Yuwen Huagu? The night is long, the dreams are many; if we miss this golden opportunity, are you going to assume the responsibility?”

Kou Zhong gave up. "I was wrong!” he said, "Hey! Which way to Yangzhou?”

Xu Ziling was stunned. "Didn't you already calculate the direction before leaving? How could you be this muddleheaded? Didn't you say you are proficient in mountains and rivers geography?”

"Stop arguing!” Susu said, "From here go to the northeast, sooner or later we will reach Tongji Canal. From there as long as we can find a boat going south, passing Junyi, Chenliu, Yongqiu, Xiangyi, Songcheng, Yongcheng, Xiaqiu, we will reach Yutai. From there going east, we can enter Kangou, and then go south to Jiangdu. That simple.”

Red-faced, Kou Zhong said, "Turns out the most formidable one is Su Jie.”

‘Chi!' Susu giggled and said, "It's not that Jiejie is formidable, but that was the route we took that year when Jiejie followed Miss to the south.”

Xu Ziling asked in amazement, "How come Su Jie suddenly become bursting with joy?”

Susu's jade cheeks turned as red as the sunset clouds, "Don't talk nonsense,” she said, "I am not bursting with joy.”

The two boys were baffled.

Kou Zhong rubbed his tummy as he stood up and said, "Let's find a town first to find a cure for serious illness of hungry stomach, and then we'll make a plan.”

Xu Ziling helped Susu up and cheerfully said, "This time let Xiaodi [little brother] be Susu's mount.”

Kou Zhong protested, "You always know how to fight over my enjoyment.”

Susu's pretty face went beet-red as she said, "Turns out both my Didi are bad-eggs.”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling laughed aloud as they pushed and shoved each other, very proud of themselves, and were brimming with sincere affection toward each other.

It was only this moment that the three of them felt the joy of free and easy life.

Susu was about to speak, the two boys suddenly froze up, and turned their gaze to the west.

They saw three men on the snowy ground, like an arrow coming toward them. The distance between them was less than two li.

Susu jumped in fright, "Hurry up! Let's go!”

Kou Zhong took a deep breath and said, "It's too late!”

Chapter end