IRON BLOODED HEART (Book 1 of Legend Of The Condor Heroes)

Decoy Deployment On The Cliff Part 3

"Who are you?" she demanded in a terrible voice.

"Zhiping," Zhu Cong called, "listen!"

Guo Jing, who had panicked because he could not free himself, was going to reply instinctively "I am Guo Jing!" when he heard Zhu Cong's warning.

"I am..." he stammered, "I am Yin Zhiping... Disciple... disciple of the Quanzhen... Spring." Although he had repeated those words thirty or forty times, in his panic he was not able to say it without stammering.

"He is only a simple apprentice," Mei Chaofeng said to herself, "yet his neigong already is capable. Not only did he succeed in saving someone from under my nose, he was even able to release himself from my first hold! I think it is better that I retreat this time." She dropped his hand. Guo Jing recovered and hastily returned to his masters. Five finger marks were deeply indented into the flesh of his left arm! He knew full well that she had not used all of her power; otherwise his wrist would have been broken.

Mei Chaofeng no longer dared to challenge the false Sun Bu'Er, played by Han Xiaoying. She suddenly asked, "Taoist Master Ma, what is the meaning of 'Lead and mercury preserve well'?"

"Lead is heavy," Ma Yu responded automatically, "it resembles the kidneys; mercury is liquid, it is a metaphor for internal warming. 'Lead and mercury preserve well' means that it is good to stabilize the kidneys and to extinguish the internal fire, in order to obtain results from meditation."

"And what is the meaning of 'Baby of the girl Cha'?" Mei Chaofeng pursued.

Ma Yu suddenly became aware that she was asking him to explain secret formulae of neigong! "Heretical witch," he shouted, "Do not try to extract the secrets of my sect from me! Leave quickly!"

Mei Chaofeng laughed, "Thank you for your answer, Taoist Master!"

She suddenly jumped forward, armed with her silvery whip, and glided to the bottom of the cliff at unbelievable speed. Those remaining looked on, relieved to have escaped a conflict. Far away on the steppe, a shadow sped away like a phantom.

Ma Yu unsealed Hua Zheng's accupoints which returned her ability to move. The girl lay on a boulder resting.

"In ten years," Zhu Cong said, "that woman made so much progress, that if the Taoist Master had not lent us a strong hand today, our accounts would have been settled!"

Ma Yu responded modestly, but he was frowning, as if an inner worry tormented him.

"If there is some task to finish," Zhu Cong said, "even though we are not capable of great things, we can at least do your bidding. Do not hesitate to ask it of us."

"Because of my inattention," Ma Yu said, "I was tricked by that crafty woman!"

"Were you injured by a secret weapon?" the Six asked.

"No," replied Ma Yu, "it is nothing like that. When she asked me a question, I replied without thinking, and I fear that it might result in further evil." His friends were perplexed and seemed not to understand. The Taoist explained, "The external technique of 'Iron Corpse' has already reached a level that we cannot even imagine. Even if my brothers Qiu and Wang really had been present here, we might not have been able to overcome her. That the Master of Peach Blossom Island succeeded in producing a disciple of such strength...proves his own power. Only the neigong of Mei Chaofeng is not at all advanced. I do not know where she succeeded in finding the secret formulae to practice Taoist neigong, but without pointers from a master, she was not able to understand them. When she asked me to explain a formula, it was because the lack of understanding had arrested her progress. I realized something was wrong and did not reply to her second question; but my first explanation will allow her to make great progress with her neigong."