127 Sworn Brothers of Three

Peach Blossom said, "Enough, I have no desire to waste more breath on you. If you do not intend to back out, then follow me obediently; if you wish to renege, then leave now! I care nothing for those ten taels of silver."

Qu Buping replied, "We, however, care deeply about our reputation. We will not leave until the task you have set for us is completed, so rest assured on that account." Thus, the three of them followed Peach Blossom to a village surrounded by farmland and peach trees.

For several days, Peach Blossom did not specify what task she required of them, and they spent their time living in carefree leisure. When the mood struck them, they would help the villagers with farm work, or else they would boast and banter beneath the peach trees, or practice the martial arts techniques they each considered quite impressive.

In any case, Peach Blossom saw to it that their meals were delivered every day. Not having to worry about their next meal, all three felt quite content.

Amidst the beautiful peach forest, Qu Buping, Chu Xiaoyu, and Xiao Yun'er burned incense and swore an oath to become blood brothers. Based on their ages, Qu Buping became the eldest, Xiaoyu the second, and Xiao Yun'er the youngest. Though they had sworn this brotherhood, they continued to tease and jest with one another. Such days left all three feeling happy and satisfied.

One day, Xiaoyu asked Qu Buping, "Young Master Qu, do you truly intend for us to spend our entire lives here?"

Qu Buping laughed, "Of course not. I intend to leave in a few days."

Xiao Yun'er asked, "Go where?"

Qu Buping said, "To find a renowned master and learn peerless skills, of course. Do you expect me to spend my days playing the sycophant to a woman? I believe only by mastering true, supreme arts will we have a chance to rise above the common lot. Otherwise, even if we do encounter beautiful women, it is we who will end up miserable. Would you call that a tragedy or a shame?"

Xiaoyu asked, "Then when shall we depart?"

Qu Buping chuckled, "Tomorrow." Yet, when tomorrow arrived, the three could not bring themselves to make the move, and so they delayed for several more days.

Qu Buping sighed, "A bed of comfort is the grave of heroes. Spending our lives in this place of scenic beauty wouldn't be so bad. Besides, we can occasionally catch a glimpse of Peach Blossom’s lovely face—it is an endless joy."

Xiaoyu scolded, "What kind of hero are you? This is no bed of comfort, for she looks down upon us entirely. We must seek out a master and study hard if we are to dominate the martial arts world in the future and become the heroes that all the beauties of the world admire. Only a life lived that way can be called perfect."

Qu Buping laughed, "You make it sound so easy and pleasant. Do you think dominating the martial arts world is as simple and carefree as peeking at a maiden bathing? That is a path of blood and life-and-death struggle. If things go wrong, you won't even know it when you lose the chance to look at beauties ever again."

Xiao Yun'er interjected, "Actually, it is not that difficult. I believe with our cleverness, learning supreme arts is possible, and with our wisdom, we have a chance to shake the world of martial arts."

Qu Buping laughed, "Kid, don't think that just because your wife is the famous Miss Long the Ninth, you have the advantage of proximity. If you are willing to study, you could become a master at any time. But we are not so lucky; we have wandered from place to place and never shared your fortune. We lack both fated encounters and a renowned master, so we have never had the chance to learn profound martial arts."

Xiao Yun'er said, "Brother Qu, didn't you go to Mount Zhongnan to study at the Quanzhen Sect not long ago? Do not tell me you came away from Mount Zhongnan empty-handed."

Qu Buping felt aggrieved and said, "To be honest, I did go to Mount Zhongnan to learn, but I truly did not learn even the slightest bit of the Quanzhen Sect’s profound arts."

Xiaoyu said, "That is natural. You were only at the Quanzhen Sect for a few short months; how could you possibly have learned their deep secrets?"

Qu Buping countered, "Very well then, Young Master Chu, tell me, how long would I need to stay on Mount Zhongnan?"

Xiaoyu laughed, "Given your intelligence and ability, to be polite, I would say at least thirty years..."

Qu Buping cursed, "To hell with that! Thirty years from now, I’ll be an old man of fifty; what talk of conquering the martial arts world would be left? Besides, even the top master of the Quanzhen Sect today might not rank among the top ten in the world. Unless I could learn the profound arts of Wang Chongyang or Qiu Chuji, I would have no hope of dominating the world."

Xiao Yun asked curiously, "Then why did you go to Mount Zhongnan, Brother Qu?"

Qu Buping feigned mystery, "Since we are brothers, I will tell you the truth: I went to Mount Zhongnan to try my luck and see if I could find the secret martial manuals left behind by predecessors like Wang Chongyang."

Xiao Yun could not help but ask, "And did you find them?"

Xiaoyu interjected, "Do you even need to ask? Just look at his pathetic state; if he had found them, he would be insufferably arrogant by now."

Xiao Yun added, "I suppose so. If the Quanzhen Sect truly had secret manuals, they wouldn't be waiting for you to find them; someone would have snatched them up hundreds of years ago."

Qu Buping had to defend himself stubbornly, "Who says I didn't find them? It was simply that I came to disdain the Quanzhen style and returned on my own. With my talent, even without a secret manual, I can become a great hero of the martial arts world."

Xiaoyu laughed, "Is that so? You still look like a common street thug to me, quite pitiful."

Qu Buping said angrily, "Do not underestimate me! Regardless, I have confidence. Sooner or later, I will become a respected hero. I have a perfect plan in my heart. I intend to spend three years studying, three years building my own sphere of influence, and three years conquering the world. My dream is to become a martial arts mogul in less than ten years."

Xiao Yun'er said, "Boss, are you talking in your sleep?"

Qu Buping said, "How can a sparrow understand the ambition of a swan? Heaven has given me talents that must have their use. I believe I will succeed. If you do not want to regret it, you had best start currying favor with me now."

Chu Xiaoyu laughed, "Brother Qu, you should save such sweet talk for when you have gambled everything away and have only your wife left. When you are about to stake her on one final throw, you can tell her, 'My dear, do not be sad. Believe in me; happiness will come. As long as you serve as my stake, let us gamble on this final hand.'"