Jianghu Qimen Lu

Chapter 36 All Rivers Converge into the Sea

"Jie-jie—" A strange laugh grew louder as it approached from afar, descending from the mountaintop. A round object plummeted down from the summit! It didn't seem to have landed safely; it was more like a falling object! The four Japanese ronin, seeing its incredibly rapid descent, feared being crushed to death and hastily jumped away. Unexpectedly, when the bucket-like object was about ten feet from the ground, its descent suddenly slowed considerably, and it landed as lightly as a feather!

Everyone looked closely and saw a bald old monk standing on the dimly lit, desolate hill, the autumn wind whistling and the crescent moon hanging like a hook. He had a large, fat head and ears, a protruding belly, and wore a tattered monk's robe that barely covered his body. A long, round gourd hung from his shoulder. His trousers were half-rolled up, and he only wore one worn-out monk's shoe. His other foot was bare and reeked of a foul stench! The goatee-bearded ronin waved his hand, and several other ronin approached the fat old monk, surrounding him. The goatee-bearded ronin, his speech slurred and incoherent, angrily pointed his knife at the old monk and shouted, "Your conscience is utterly wicked, utterly wicked! Why did you hit me with your stinky shoe!" The old monk, with a smiling Maitreya Buddha-like demeanor, mocked, "What kind of monsters are you? I've lived on this lonely mountain for at least sixty years, and I've never seen you before!" A thin ronin coughed twice, stroked his sparse mustache, and smiled slightly, saying: "Elder, are you a monk from Gushan Temple?" The old monk's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper. Jie Jie laughed, "I don't like being controlled. I don't belong to any sect or faction. I am who I am, a wandering monk in the dust of the world!" The skinny ronin chuckled twice and approached him with feigned friendliness, saying, "So we're the same kind of people! You're a wandering monk, and we're Japanese samurai from the Yamato people. We should get along well!" He spoke fluent Chinese, proving he was a China expert. These four were the true Four Fiends of the Underworld! He was called Musashi Ichiro, and because of his treacherous and cunning nature, he held the top position, the leader of the Four Fiends, known as the Smile Hiding a Dagger. The middle-aged ronin with a goatee was called Yagyu Densei, a member of the renowned Yagyu family of the Yagyu Sword Sect. He was skilled in both sword and saber, but was also lecherous, known in the martial arts world as the Passionate Soul-Destroying Sword, and was the second brother of the Four Fiends of the Underworld. That burly fellow, as imposing as a black tower, wasn't old, just past thirty, in the prime of his life, brimming with youthful vigor. He was inherently cruel and bloodthirsty, fond of fighting and brawling. Once, after getting drunk, he got into a fight and, in one night, slaughtered an entire village, sparing neither women nor children… From then on, he was placed on Japan's most wanted criminal list—the murderer Kameda Ryuu, who had killed 4 people! He was known in the underworld as the Living Yama! He was the third of the Four Fiends of the Underworld. The last one was the taciturn, naturally reserved, handsome young man, Fujibayashi Jonin. Although dressed as a samurai, he had sharp eyebrows, phoenix eyes, a fair complexion, and red lips. He was tall and imposing, with a dashing and debonair appearance. He came from a prestigious family; his family was renowned throughout Japanese history—the Fujibayashi family of Koga. The Koga and Iga families were famous overseas for their ninjutsu, with numerous schools, but the Koga and Iga families were the most well-known, with the most disciples and the greatest influence in Japan. In 1676, the hermit Fujibayashi Yasutake of Koga, through the ninjutsu of Japanese shrines, the sorcery of Onmyōdō (the Way of Yin and Yang), and the fighting techniques of Japanese martial arts, combined with the concepts of Sun Tzu's *The Art of War* (a classic Chinese military treatise), gradually developed a complete theoretical framework and set of skills for ninjutsu. He compiled this knowledge into a book called *Bansen Shukai*, which became an essential sacred text for ninjas learning ninjutsu. Fujibayashi Yasutake was the great-grandfather of Fujibayashi Jonin. As a family heirloom, Fujibayashi Jonin, obsessed with ninjutsu, trained diligently, never tiring of the task. Finally, at the age of eighteen, he passed through numerous selection processes, rising through the ranks from Genin to Chunin to Jonin, and finally to Tokunin, ultimately earning the title of Supreme Ninja King, the highest honor for a ninja! The ninjas who sacrificed themselves in the cave earlier were his subordinates. Once one obtains the title of Supreme Ninja King, all ninjas under heaven will be at his command! This is the greatest honor in the history of Japanese ninjutsu. Why would Fujibayashi Jonin, with such a respected and honorable status, come to the desolate Wanshe Island and associate with bandits and pirates? What is his purpose, and what conspiracy does he have? This has always been a mystery! Although the Three Fiends and the former sect leader, Black Sun, had all deeply suspected this matter, seeing that Fujibayashi Jonin had always been honest and well-behaved, and unable to find any flaws, and given the powerful influence of the Fujibayashi clan, they were too embarrassed to pursue the matter any further.

"What's there to be close to a poor monk like me?" The old monk approached Musashi Ichiro, somewhat flattered. The man smiled broadly and extended both hands to shake the old monk's. Just as their hands were clasped, the old monk suddenly felt the man's grip tighten, as if he were about to break his fingers. He quickly pulled his hands away! In that split second, the old monk saw Musashi Ichiro grinning maliciously, then suddenly open his mouth wide and spit out a thick glob of phlegm, aimed straight for his right eye! So close, and so sudden and unexpected from this Japanese pirate, without any warning! The old monk, at this critical moment, seemed to deflate his head, suddenly retracting it into his shoulder! With a whoosh, the phlegm whistled past his robes, and with a snap, severed a pine tree as thick as a wrist behind him! Truly profound internal strength, reaching a state of perfection!

The old monk's head was restored, and he secretly channeled his inner energy into his hands, flipping them over in a dramatic turn of events, instantly throwing Musashi Ichiro to the ground! His arms were bent like willow branches, the pain so intense that Musashi Ichiro's fingernails almost touched his wrists! Musashi Ichiro screamed like a pig being slaughtered, immediately kneeling before the old monk, begging for mercy: "Master, I was wrong! Please forgive me this time!"

"I can spare you, but you must tell me the truth! Now, I have some questions for you," the old monk said, becoming quite serious. Musashi Ichiro hurriedly replied, "Please speak! I will tell you the truth, without reservation!" Seeing his obsequiousness, the other three thugs scoffed. They never expected their usually arrogant and domineering leader to be so pathetic today! Wu Buhao, however, remained aloof, observing from the sidelines without offering any assistance. The old monk smiled and asked, "Did you steal the Southern Fist School's extraordinary book, 'The Complete Book of Jianghu'?" Hearing this, Red Moon, hidden among the treetops, was startled: "How does he know about 'The Complete Book of Jianghu'? Who is he?" She quickly listened intently. Musashi Ichiro shook his head, his expression serious. "What strange book? What 'Complete Book of Jianghu'? I know nothing about it! How could I have stolen it?" The old monk's eyes shone brightly in the moonlight, staring intently into his eyes. Seeing that he was not alarmed, he sighed and asked, "Then who are you? What brings you here tonight?" Musashi Ichiro said, "We, the Four Fiends of the Underworld, are members of the Sun Gate, a sect from Japan. According to our ninja informant, our sect leader, Black Sun, has been killed, so we have come together to seek revenge. Tonight, we intend to avenge our sect leader..." "We were collecting the body to bury it when we unexpectedly encountered a beautiful Chinese woman trying to cover up the crime. Not knowing her background, a fight broke out, and that's how we ended up here, meeting you." Upon hearing that they were from the Sun Gate, the old monk flew into a rage, shouting, "The Sun Gate again! If it weren't for you, my disciple Huoshaoyun, why would he have died at the execution ground in Xicaikou, Hangzhou? Why would he have committed treason? It's all thanks to you Japanese pirates from the Sun Gate!" Hearing him call them Japanese pirates, the other three thugs swarmed around him again! Red Moon suddenly realized, thinking, "So it's Huoshaoyun's master! Could he also have come specifically for the *Complete Guide to the Martial World*?"

"Baka yarou!" Kameda Ryuu drew his katana with a clang, roared, and swung it straight at the old monk's head! But the old monk didn't move an inch; instead, his hands shifted position, from a grab to a hook. One hand swiftly gripped Musashi Ichiro's shoulder blade, using his massive frame as a shield. In the instant Kameda Ryuu withdrew his sword and swung back, the other hand stealthily struck out from under the monk's oversized robe—a muffled groan escaped Kameda Ryuu's lips. He hadn't dodged the attack and was sent flying several feet away! He spat out blood and struggled to his feet. Feeling a dull ache in his ribs, likely broken, he dared not charge forward again.