Though Ding Chunqiu had heard of Qin Zheng's name, seeing how young he was, he paid him no heed. With a casual flick of his palm—an attack that looked utterly graceful on the surface yet held a faint dark vapor swirling in the palm—he struck toward Qin Zheng's forehead.
A'Zi cried out in alarm, "Watch out, that's the Marrow Extraction Palm!"
Ding Chunqiu frowned, lashing out with his left hand toward A'Zi as well. "Wretched girl, biting the hand that feeds you!"
Qin Zheng swept his sleeve, gathering the toxic mist into the cloth before executing Star Transposition, hurling it straight back toward Ding Chunqiu.
Ding Chunqiu was astonished. Scattering the poisonous mist with a palm strike, his expression turned grave. "What bizarre martial arts! To actually turn my poisoned palm strike back against me!"
With that, he brought out his signature techniques, unleashing the Energy-Dissolving Art and the Three Yin Centipede Claw in alternating waves. Seeing that none of it made a dent in Qin Zheng, on pure instinct he resorted to the martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect.
This was the first time Qin Zheng had seen the Xiaoyao Sect's martial arts. Watching Ding Chunqiu's graceful footwork and nimble movements, Qin Zheng felt a thrill of eager curiosity and traded thirty to fifty moves with him. Soon, however, he realized that Ding Chunqiu had truly mastered none of them, and his interest gradually waned.
Just then, a commotion sounded on the mountain above. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Qin Zheng saw Duan Yanqing descending on his crutches. His eyes rolled with an idea, and he called out loudly, "Ding Chunqiu, you want to go rescue your father Duan Zhengchun, don't you? I'll let you through right now!"
With that, Qin Zheng thrust both palms forward. True qi surged like crashing waves, shoving Ding Chunqiu straight toward Duan Yanqing.
Duan Yanqing's eyes narrowed coldly. Raising a crutch, he fired off a One Yang Finger straight at Ding Chunqiu.
"Ah!"
Ding Chunqiu watched the iron crutch hurtle toward him, sensing the fierce finger force rushing at his body. Instantly breaking into a cold sweat, he twisted and spun in midair, barely evading the One Yang Finger, only to land flat on his face in the deep snow like a dog lunging for dung.
Duan Yanqing pressed forward, propping himself up on one iron crutch while unleashing repeated One Yang Finger strikes with the other.
After rolling several times across the ground, Ding Chunqiu finally scrambled to his feet and flung a handful of poisonous powder at Duan Yanqing.
Planting both crutches firmly, Duan Yanqing launched straight up into the air like an onion pulled from dry earth, widening the distance between them. "Using poison? You unworthy scoundrel have thrown away every shred of face for the Duan clan of Dali!" he sneered.
Ding Chunqiu had already been furious at the sudden assault, but hearing these words, his head filled with sheer bewilderment. "Have you mistaken me for someone else?"
Duan Yanqing sneered. "Are you Ding Chunqiu?"
Ding Chunqiu nodded. "Indeed. That is this old man."
Duan Yanqing fired another One Yang Finger through the air at him. "Then there is no mistake! Today, on behalf of our ancestors, I shall properly discipline you, you fatherless wretch!"
Ding Chunqiu was speechless.
If you want to fight, then fight! Why start hurling insults?!
Fuming with uncontrollable rage, Ding Chunqiu slid forward in a flash, hurling out all manner of sinister concealed weapons as if they cost nothing.
Just then, Jiumozhi also arrived at the foot of the mountain, holding Duan Zhengchun captive. At the sight of Ding Chunqiu, his eyes lit up, and he immediately bellowed, "Ding Chunqiu, your father is in my hands! If you know what's good for you, hand over the Rebirth Art at once!"
Ding Chunqiu stole a glance in his direction and saw him clutching a man in his forties. Infuriated, he yelled, "You demonic monk, how dare you humiliate me! Every last one of you has come looking for trouble with me, haven't you? Today I'll fight you all to the death!"
In a blind fury, he flung an entire packet of poison into the sky. Amidst the swirling powder, his palms danced madly. For a dozen zhang around, his silhouette seemed to appear everywhere at once as he launched a ferocious onslaught against both Duan Yanqing and Jiumozhi.
Wary of Ding Chunqiu's poisons, the two of them were actually driven onto the defensive for a time.
Grabbing A'Zi by the shoulder, Qin Zheng leapt clear of the toxic mist and brought her to Duan Zhengchun's side. Unsealing Duan Zhengchun's acupoints in passing, he remarked in admiration, "That Ding Chunqiu really has some skill after all. I underestimated him a little just now."
Duan Zhengchun looked toward Ding Chunqiu with conflicted eyes. "That's Ding Chunqiu? Why is his hair completely white?"
Qin Zheng sighed. "Brought on by cultivating poison arts. Pity him, fatherless and motherless, going gray at such a young age, only to be branded the Old Freak of Xingxiu."
Duan Zhengchun said with a face full of guilt, "Alas, it is I who have wronged this child..."
Fu Minyi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Brother Chun, wake up! Ding Chunqiu can't possibly be your son. He's my Granny's martial nephew, already in his sixties or seventies!"
Qin Zheng retorted, "Perhaps he was Prince Duan's son in a past life. Who can say for sure?"
Duan Zhengchun finally realized Qin Zheng was teasing him. With a bitter smile, he cupped his hands. "Hero Qin traveled ten thousand li to rescue me. Such great kindness, Duan shall engrave upon his heart!"
Qin Zheng asked, "Where is Xuzhu? By right, if Duan Yanqing is here, Xuzhu should be around as well."
Duan Zhengchun replied, "Xuzhu was captured and brought to Piaomiao Peak by Duan Yanqing's disciple. I came here specifically to rescue him."
Qin Zheng glanced at Fu Minyi, who was clutching Duan Zhengchun's arm with tender affection, and couldn't help displaying extreme skepticism. "You came to rescue Xuzhu? Who do you think you're fooling?!"
Duan Zhengchun coughed awkwardly, his face turning red. "No time to lose, I'll go look for him right away!"
Qin Zheng shook his head. "You'd better just run for your life. If her Granny finds out you're trying to spirit her away, she'll have more than enough Life and Death Talismans waiting for you."
Fu Minyi's face drained of color. Releasing Duan Zhengchun's arm, she said anxiously, "Brother Chun, he's right. You must leave quickly! If Granny discovers this, you'll never leave alive!"
Duan Zhengchun said with deep affection, "I, Duan Zhengchun, take responsibility for my actions. How could I abandon you and flee alone? Besides, we truly love each other. Your Granny will surely understand."
At that moment, Qin Zheng began counting on his fingers. "Gan Baobao, Li Qingluo, Qin Hongmian, Kang Min..."
A'Zi asked, completely mystified, "What are you counting?"
Interrupted, Qin Zheng gave an understanding "Oh." "Nothing. Just counting the women Prince Duan has abandoned. Give me another half an hour, and I'll definitely finish the list..."
Duan Zhengchun stiffened. Sensing the chill radiating beside him, cold sweat instantly drenched his back.
An instant later, Fu Minyi's willow-leaf brows knitted in fury. Channeling her internal energy, she threw a strike brimming with venom straight at Duan Zhengchun's chest. "Lewd scoundrel, die!"
Duan Zhengchun dodged to the side. Seeing Fu Minyi out for his blood, he fled while pleading, "Minyi, listen to me! Let me explain, let me explain!"
Watching Duan Zhengchun's pathetic scramble as he was chased down, A'Zi slapped her thigh, overjoyed. "Fun, this is so much fun! Freezing out here for so many days was finally worth it!"
Qin Zheng stared at her small face for a moment, measuring her height, which didn't even reach his chest. A sudden thought struck him. "A'Zi, I see great potential in you—you have the makings of Tianshan Tonglao. Interested in playing Tianshan Tonglao for a few days for fun?"
A'Zi eyed him warily. "No way. What's so great about being Tianshan Tonglao?"
Qin Zheng coaxed, "If you become Tianshan Tonglao, you can have thousands of people kowtow to you—and make Ding Chunqiu call you Martial Aunt!"
A'Zi's eyes lit up. "Count me in!"
Chapter 46