Chapter 66: The Bewildered Seven Freaks of Jiangnan

Although Wang Han was now the strongest power on the steppe, revered by all factions as Khan Wang, to Guo Jing and Temujin, this Khan Wang’s abilities were truly hard to describe.

Guo Jing and Temujin both knew Wang Han well: after his father Huerzhaohu Si Buyuluhei Khan died, he killed his two brothers, Timur Tashi and Buhe Timur, to seize the khanship.

His uncle Gur Khan raised an army against him, forcing him to flee and seek refuge with Temujin’s father Yesugei, where they swore brotherhood as anda. Yesugei attacked Gur Khan, drove him away, and restored Wang Han’s khanship.

This was Wang Han’s first time losing his khanship.

Soon after, his other brother Erke Khar, aided by the Naiman tribe, overthrew him and seized the khanship. Yesugei once again helped Wang Han, drove out Erke Khar, and returned the khanship to him.

This was Wang Han’s second time losing his khanship.

After Temujin was elected Khan of the Mongol tribe, Gur Khan attacked Wang Han again, drove him out, and seized his throne. Genghis Khan marched out, expelled Gur Khan, and restored the khanship to Wang Han—finally securing it for him.

This was Wang Han’s third time losing his khanship.

He had lost his khanship three times, and each time only regained it through the aid of outsiders—his capabilities were plain to see.

So although Wang Han’s strength was greatest, he was clearly not their main enemy; in Guo Jing’s eyes, Wang Han would soon betray Temujin, making him a good ally indeed.

As for Temujin, in his eyes, Wang Han was his sworn father; moreover, they had helped each other ascend to khanship, their bond ran deep, and they were now in a honeymoon period.

For Temujin, the most urgent matter now was restoring the tribe’s vitality and gradually strengthening its power.

Guo Jing’s tribe, besides taking in ten Battalion Commander of Tatar refugees, had also taken in seven people: the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan.

The seven had traveled north from the south, chasing Duan Tiande all the way to the desert, after which all trace of them vanished. For over six years, they had scoured the desert and steppe, inquiring after Duan Tiande and Li Ping; all seven had learned fluent Mongolian, yet Duan and Li remained utterly unheard of.

The Seven Freaks were stubborn and fiercely competitive; having made this wager with Qiu Chuji, they would not abandon it even if the task were ten times harder or a thousand times more perilous.

Each of the seven shared the same resolve: if they never found Li Ping, they would search for eighteen years straight, then return to Zui Xian Pavilion in Jiaxing to admit defeat to Qiu Chuji.

When the Seven Freaks arrived at the tribe where Guo Jing and Nie Huaishang resided, the two immediately learned of their arrival due to the strict discipline of the camp.

Upon hearing of their arrival, Guo Jing was deeply moved—he had admired the righteous spirit of the Seven Freaks ever since reading The Legend of the Condor Heroes in the Special Forces world.

To fulfill their promise to Qiu Chuji, they had traveled ten thousand miles across the desert to find his mother and son.

As his first martial arts instructors, the Seven Freaks may have taught him only foundational skills, but they taught him far more: what it meant to be a xia, what it meant to be yi.

Though their overall martial skill was modest, they always gave their utmost—truly righteous heroes.

They resembled the parents of every person: laboring their entire lives for others, rushing about for others, never enjoying a single day of peace, and ultimately meeting bitter ends.

When he first read The Legend of the Condor Heroes, he had cried twice: once for his mother Li Ping’s death, once for the Seven Freaks’ murder by Ouyang Feng and Yang Kang.

When Guo Jing saw the seven, his eyes filled with tears.

Seeing the child’s eyes brimming with tears, Ke Zhen’e, the eldest of the seven, asked cautiously: “Boy, your surname is Guo? You’re Han, not Mongol?”

Before arriving, they had heard from herdsmen that this child was the tribe’s leader, and they dared not treat him lightly.

“My name is Guo Jing. My mother is Li Ping. My father is Guo Xiaotian. My enemy is Duan Tiande.”

Guo Jing spilled it all out in one breath.

As Guo Jing’s words reached the Seven Freaks, they froze in stunned silence—three thunderclaps in a clear sky could not have been more shocking; in an instant, the earth seemed to quake, the wind and clouds turned chaotic.

After a long pause, Han Xiaoying burst into joyful shouts; Zhang Asheng pounded his chest with his fist; Quan Jinfā gripped Nan Xiren’s neck tightly.

Han Baoju somersaulted repeatedly on his horse; Ke Zhen’e roared with laughter, clutching his belly; Zhu Cong spun like a top.

Long after, the Seven Freaks gradually calmed, each face glowing with joy. Zhang Asheng knelt on the ground, bowing repeatedly toward heaven, murmuring: “The Bodhisattva is real! Thank heaven for its protection!”

Watching the seven so overcome with emotion, Guo Jing knew the immense hardship they had endured searching for his mother and him.

Guo Jing immediately knelt before the seven and kowtowed: “Disciple Guo Jing pays homage to my seven masters.”

The seven were astonished by Guo Jing’s gesture—they had heard from herdsmen of his deeds before arriving.

Guo Jing’s martial skill was high, even allowing him to summon lightning; yet they unconsciously assumed this was merely some trick of the martial world.

Moreover, Guo Jing was the tribe’s leader, his status far above that of mere outlaws and common warriors.

But they did not know that in Guo Jing’s eyes, the Seven Freaks fully deserved this kowtow.

In the original novel, they had taught him in the desert for eighteen years without complaint—just this alone made them worthy of Guo Jing’s kowtow.

After paying homage, Guo Jing warmly led the seven into his tent; Guo Xiaotian, Li Ping, and others inside also welcomed them warmly upon hearing of the Seven Freaks’ arrival.

They had long known of the Seven Freaks from Guo Jing’s tales, and were deeply moved that these seven had traveled ten thousand miles to find them.

Upon seeing Guo Xiaotian, the seven were utterly bewildered—Qiu Chuji had told them Guo Xiaotian was dead; how could he now be alive?

The achievements Guo Jing and Nie Huaishang had made still struck the seven as strange: how could a child become the khan of a tribe? It was extraordinary indeed.

“Great Khan, I’m puzzled. The herdsmen say your martial skill far surpasses ours, and your status towers above that of mere outlaws and common warriors—why bow to us as masters?”

Ke Zhen’e finally voiced his doubt; without an answer, he dared not rashly accept this disciple.

Guo Jing and Nie Huaishang then spent a long time explaining everything to the seven, until they finally understood.

After hearing it, the Seven Freaks were utterly stunned—they were all from a novel called The Legend of the Condor Heroes.

And Guo Jing and Nie Huaishang had stepped outside the book, learned everything, and returned.