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

Changchun Admits Defeat Part 4

Qiu Chu Ji was enraged, thinking: "Fantastic, you're going to take advantage of my precarious situation." Aloud, he retorted: "That's right, now what?"

Zhu Cong continued, "But we also have a small feud with Dragon King Sha. One inept disciple of ours once single-handedly defeated Dragon King Sha's top four disciples. We've also heard that Dragon King Sha and Chief Peng are the fastest of friends. Since we've offended Dragon King Sha, then we've also offended Chief Peng."

"Heh heh, how dare I?" said Peng Lian Hu.

Zhu Cong laughed. "Since Chief Peng and Priest Qiu both have feuds with the 7 Freaks of Jiang Nan, won't you then be on the same side against a common enemy? Haha, what are you still fighting for? Won't Chief Peng and I also be on the same side? Come, let's get to know each other." Zhu Cong stretched out his hand for a handshake.

Having listened to this warped nonsense, Peng Lian Hu thought: "Quan Zhen Sect saved the 7 Freaks' disciple, so they're obviously in it together. I won't fall for your trickery. Want to cheat the antidote from me? Not so easy." Seeing Zhu Cong's outstretched hand, Peng Lian Hu laughed and said: "Splendid!" He tucked his Brush back into his waist and slipped on his Poison Needle Ring.

Startled, Qiu Chu Ji said: "Brother Zhu, be careful."

Zhu Cong ignored this and stretched out his hand. With a slight crook of his little finger, he had hooked down the Poison Needle Ring from Peng Lian Hu's finger. Peng Lian Hu did not realize this and went ahead with the handshake, both parties exerting strength.

Suddenly, a small pain assaulted Peng Lian Hu's palm and he struggled to let go. Raising his hand, he saw three holes in his palm that were much bigger than that of his Poison Needles, with black blood oozing from it. Instead of pain, the wound felt both numb and itchy and the sensation was rather nice. He knew that the more potent the poison, the less painful the wound would be because the numbness would be overpowering. Both angry and frightened, he had no idea how he had fell into this trap.

Looking up, he saw Zhu Cong hiding behind Qiu Chu Ji, holding up an object in each hand. In between two fingers on his left hand was Peng Lian Hu's Poison Needle Ring. In between two fingers on his right, however, was a black object shaped like a chestnut with a sharp tail, and it was stained with blood.

Nicknamed the "Scholar with Nimble Hands", Zhu Cong's skill with his hands was near magical and impossible for any human to detect. To first pick Peng Lian Hu's ring then pierce his palm with the poison caltrops was child's play to him. Fuming, Peng Lian Hu attacked.

Qiu Chu Ji raised his sword and warded off the blow, shouting: "What are you going to do?"

Zhu Cong grinned. "Chief Peng, these poisonous caltrops are my Elder Brother's specialty projectiles. Once you're hit, it doesn't matter if your name is tiger [Peng Lian Hu – 'hu3' means tiger], lion, leopard, pig, dog or any other beast on this earth. You will still not live beyond 4 hours."

"Big Brother Peng, he's insulting you," said Hou Tong Hai.

"You talk too much," Sha Tong Tian reproached. "Do you think Big Brother Peng hasn't realized that?"

Zhu Cong chuckled and quipped: "Good thing Chief Peng has 1000 hands. Allow me to give you a piece of friendly advice – why not chop off this hand that has been poisoned? You'll still be left with 999. It's just that you'll have to alter your nickname a bit to become the 'Butcher with 999 Hands'."

By this time, the numbness had already spread to Peng Lian Hu's wrist. Panic-stricken, he couldn't be bothered with Zhu Cong's taunts. Beads of cold sweat dripped from his forehead.