EASTERN HERETIC, WESTERN POISON (Book 2 of Legend Of The Condor Heroes)

Repentance Of The Haughty Dragon Part 6

Huang Rong thought for a while, "Just run away," she said.

"Bah!" Hong Qicong said with a smile. "What kind of method is turning around and running away?"

Suddenly, Huang Rong exclaimed, "I got it! I just thought of a good plan."

Joyful, Hong Qicong said, "What kind of plan is this?"

"Just keep the two of us by your side," she said. "Should we meet the old poison, you will fight him and brother Jing will deal with his nephew. I will simply use the sewing needles to kill all the snakes. The problem is brother Jing doesn't know three of the strikes in the '18-Dragon Subduing Palms' and might not be able to deal with those grinning bastards."

Hong Qicong stared.

"You are the grinning bastard," he said. "You just want to cheat me into teaching your brother Jing the last three palms. Regarding Guo Jing's moral conduct, I would teach him all 18 palms without any hesitation. But when did this boy become my disciple? He is so dull that if I took him as a disciple, I would be giving people the right to laugh at me!"

Huang Rong laughed.

"I'm going to buy some groceries," she said, knowing that would make it harder for Hong Qicong to leave.

She went to the market and purchased many different kinds of vegetables and meats while making sure she bought ingredients with sufficiently unique tastes. With the groceries held in her left hand and her right practicing the "Blossoms Rain from the Sky" technique, she leisurely strolled back to the inn. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a bell loudly approaching. In the distance, she saw a lone, female rider dressed in white approaching the inn very quickly. Huang Rong saw it was Yang Tiexin's daughter, Mu Nianci, whom Guo Jing's relatives wanted him to marry. Huang Rong's heart turned sour, and as Mu Nianci got closer, she refused to make a sound.

"What's so good about this girl?" she thought. "Brother Jing's six masters and that ox-nosed priest of the Quanzhen sect all want him to marry her."

After more thinking, Huang Rong grew angry.

"Let me go fight her and relieve some of my frustration," she thought.

But when Huang Rong went to place the groceries in the inn, she found Mu Nianci already sitting at a table.

An anxious-looking innkeeper asked Mu Nianci what she wanted to eat and drink.

"Bring me a bowl of noodles and some beef," Mu Nianci said. The innkeeper quickly left to fill the order.

"How is simple beef any good to eat?" Huang Rong said.

Mu Nianci looked at Huang Rong. At first she couldn't recognize her, but then she remembered it was the girl who so suddenly left with Guo Jing. She exhaled.

"Little sister is here too?" she said. "Please sit with me."

"Did that smelly scholar, the fat dwarf, or the other ones come too?" Huang Rong said.

"No," Mu Nianci said. "I came alone. They are all off together."

Huang Rong at first feared running into Qiu Chuji, but she felt joy after learning Mu Nianci was there by herself. At first blinded by the possibility of the taoist's presence, Huang Rong now examined Mu Nianci closely and noticed her small boots, dress and her hair entwined with a white flower, signifying that she was in mourning. And though she had lost weight and wore a sad expression, Mu Nianci remained elegantly beautiful as opposed to pitiable. Huang Rong then noticed a dagger worn at Mu Nianci's waist.