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

The Master Of Peach Blossom Island Part 2

Guo Jing came near, and Zhu Cong showed him a ring on his left middle finger. "This is the Senior Qiu's belonging, I borrowed it from him a moment ago. You go ahead and put it on you," he said while taking the ring off his own finger.

Qiu Qianren was startled, then fuming mad. He did not understand how the ring on his finger could move to Zhu's finger. In the meantime Guo Jing had already taken the ring. Zhu Cong explained, "This ring has a diamond piece on it, the hardest material on earth. Put the diamond tip on the wine cup and rotate the cup with your right hand."

Guo Jing did so. Now Lu Guanying and the others started to understand. They were unable to restrain a smile and softly murmured among themselves. Guo Jing turned the cup in his right hand and sure enough, the cup was smoothly broken into two parts. If one looked carefully, actually the diamond had left a deep mark on the porcelain pieces; so it wasn't profound internal energy at all.

Huang Rong was amused, she was smiling through her tears; but then the memory of her father came flooding back and she cried again.

"Don't cry, Miss," Zhu Cong comforted her, "This Senior Qiu loves to deceive people, and his words cannot be necessarily true." Huang Rong was puzzled; she looked at him with a questioning look.

"Your father, the Venerable Huang's martial art is so profound, how could he be easily killed by other people?" Zhu Cong said with a smile. "Also, the Quan Zhen Seven Masters are respectable people, plus, they have no enmity with your father. How could they kill him without any reason?"

"Perhaps it was over Qiu Chuji and the other ox-nose's [derogatory term for Taoist priests] martial uncle Zhou Botong's business," Huang Rong expressed her guess.

"What business is that?" Zhu Cong asked.

"You don't know," Huang Rong said, crying again. Even with her intelligence, she was not really sure what was really happening. First of all, it has something to do with her mother; that Huang Yaoshi did not want to talk too much about. Second, the business between her father and Zhou Botong was more complicated than her young mind could grasp. She did not want to believe the Quan Zhen Seven Masters would attack her father, but the fact was: she was not sure.

"Whatever it was, I'd say this old man's word is a little bit smelly," Zhu Cong said.

"You mean he was only ... only ...," Huang Rong stuttered.

"Yes, he was just farting!" Zhu Cong laughed. "He has so many tricks stored in his pocket; guess what he would do with them." Then he groped into his pocket and produced some things which he placed on the table. Among those things were two bricks, some dry grass, a piece of cloth to light up fire, a knife with the same purpose, and a flint.

Huang Rong took a brick and as soon as she tightened her grips she could feel the brick was soft. She crushed it harder and without too much effort the brick crumbled into powder. After listening to Zhu Cong's words her sadness was greatly reduced. Her face broke into a smile, showing up her two dimples. "This brick was made from bread flour. He was using it to demonstrate his profound internal energy earlier."

Qiu Qianren's face turned from pale to red and back to pale. He was greatly ashamed. He thought with the news of Huang Yaoshi's death everybody's attention could be diverted that he would find an opportunity to escape. Who would have thought that his scheme was revealed by Zhu Cong. He flicked his sleeve and turned around to walk out. But Mei Chaofeng reached backward and snatched his body, then threw it on the ground.

"You said my Master passed away, did you tell the truth?" she asked menacingly. Qiu Qianren was too much in pain to say anything, he was only whimpering.

Huang Rong saw the grass was half burnt; she immediately realized what happened. "Second Master, try to light the grass, put it inside your sleeve then inhale and exhale."

The Six Freaks of Jiangnan initially had some problem with Huang Rong, but Qiu Qianren's trickery had united them in facing the common enemy. Zhu Cong happily complied. Actually he liked Huang Rong's cunning mind and her eccentricity; and now Huang Rong called him 'Second Master' he liked her even more. He did what was asked and while doing that, he even closed his eyes and swayed his head solemnly.

Huang Rong clapped her hands in delight. "Brother Jing," she said laughing happily, "Didn't we see this old man practicing his internal strength a while ago exactly like this?" She walked to Qiu Qianren's side and said, "Stand up!" She pulled him up, but suddenly struck his 'shen dao' [holy way?] acupoint under his fifth rib on his back with her left hand, using the 'lan hua fu xue shou' [orchid acupoint sealing technique]; while shouting loudly, "Tell me, did my father die? If you say he did, I will take your life away!" With a flip of her hand she placed a shiny butterfly shaped steel on his chest.

Everybody was amused hearing her threat. She asked him the truth but she didn't want him to say Huang Yaoshi was dead.

Qiu Qianren was writhing in pain, also suffering from itch. "I am afraid he is not dead yet. I don't know ..." he said, trembling.

Huang Rong beamed from ear to ear. "Very good!" she said, "I will spare you." She struck his 'que pen' [open basin] acupoint to ease up his suffering.

Lu Chengfeng thought, "Little Martial Sister's question was one-sided and really missed the point." So he asked, "You said my Master has been killed by the Quan Zhen Seven Masters, did you see it with your own eyes, or did you just hear it from somebody else?"

"I heard it from somebody else," Qiu Qianren replied. "Who was it?" Lu Chengfeng pursued.

Qiu Qianren hesitated, but finally said, "It was Hong Qigong."

"When did he tell you that?" asked Huang Rong.

"About a month ago," Qiu Qianren answered.

"Where did you two meet?" Huang Rong asked again.

"At the summit of Mount Tai [taishan]," Qiu Qianren answered. "We were having a match and he lost to me. He unintentionally mentioned this."

Huang Rong was ecstatic. She hopped around like a little kid. Her left hand grabbed his chest, her right hand pulled away some of his beard. Giggling she said, "Hong Qigong lost to this old scoundrel? Martial Sister Mei, Martial Brother Lu, don't listen to him, he was just ... just ..." Being a girl she didn't have a heart to say vulgar language.

Zhu Cong continued for her, "He was just farting!" then he covered his mouth, laughing.

Huang Rong continued, "A month ago Hong Qigong was obviously with Brother Jing and I. Brother Jing, give him another blow!"

"Right!" Guo Jing said, moving toward Qiu Qianren.

Qiu Qianren was scared; he turned around to escape, but Mei Chaofeng was standing in the middle of the door. He turned around again, but this time Lu Guanying blocked his way. He quickly pushed until Guanying staggered and fell. Even though he gained his fame by deceiving people, Qiu Qianren still possessed some real martial art skill. If he didn't, he would not recklessly dare to challenge the Six Freaks and Guo Jing. Lu Guanying was certainly not his match.

Huang Rong jumped to block him. "You carried an iron cauldron over your head and walked on water, how did you do it?" she asked.

"That was my special skill," Qiu Qianren answered. "My title is 'Iron Palm Floating above the Water'; that was the 'Floating above the Water'."

"You are still boasting," Huang Rong said with a smile. "Aren't you going to tell me the truth?"

"I am old, my martial art is not as it used to be," Qiu Qianren answered. "But my lightness kungfu has been trained to perfection."

"Very well," Huang Rong said, "There is a large golden fish bowl outside at the courtyard. Why don't you demonstrate your 'Floating above the Water' that everybody can see your skill? Just go out the hall, turn left underneath the sweet-smelling 'gui hua' [osmanthus] tree."

"How can someone trains in a fish bowl ...?" Qiu Qianren had not finished speaking when something flashed brightly in front of his eyes, and without him realizing it his foot had been caught and he was hung upside down.

"Your death is imminent, yet you still open your big mouth!" Mei Chaofeng shouted. Her 'du long yin bian' [poisonous silver dragon whip] curled midair and hurled him toward the fish bowl following Huang Rong's direction.

Huang Rong quickly followed to the fish bowl, waving her butterfly shaped steel menacingly. "I won't let you out of the bowl unless you explain to me your 'Floating above the Water'!"

Qiu Qianren kicked the bowl bottom, trying to leap up, but Huang Rong's steel punctured him on the shoulder. He fell back into the bowl, soaking wet. With face cringed from pain he said, "That cauldron was inlaid with thin sheet of iron, the mouth was sealed, above it I put three inches deep of water. In that creek I had hidden some wooden poles about five, six inches from the surface; to make them invisible."

Huang Rong laughed, then she re-entered the hall, did not pay Qiu Qianren any more attention. He quickly leaped up the bowl and hastily ran out the hall without looking back.

Mei Chaofeng and Lu Chengfeng smiled in embarrassment. They have fought and cried over nothing. Their master was not killed. Everything was that old scoundrel Qiu Qianren's blabbering mouth. Now that this matter was made clear, they felt uneasy toward each other. Mei Chaofeng hesitated for a moment, then clearing her throat she said, "Lu Chengfeng, let my disciple go. For the sake of our Master I won't remember our past differences anymore. As for the fact that both of us husband and wife had to run to Mongolia ... oh well, that was our fate."

Lu Chengfeng heaved a deep sigh. He said in his heart, "Her husband had died, her eyes blinded. She is alone and forsaken in this world. Both my legs are crippled, but I have a wife and a son. I have a family and I have a business. Actually my condition is hundred times better than hers. Both of us are decades older than we were, why would I keep having a resentment toward her?" Therefore, he answered, "You can take your disciple away. Mei Shijie [older martial sister], your little brother will leave for the Peach Blossom Island to visit our benevolent master tomorrow. Are you coming with me?"

"Do you dare?" Mei Chaofeng asked with a trembling voice.

"To visit the Peach Blossom Island without Master's permission is a big violation of our school, but after listening to that old man Qiu talking nonsense, my heart was troubled. I want to make sure he is all right. If I don't go, I will be haunted with uncertainty for the rest of my life."

Before Mei Chaofeng could answer Huang Rong had already said, "Let us all go together. I will ask his forgiveness on your behalf."

Mei Chaofeng was silent for a moment. Two lines of tears flowed down her cheeks. "I don't have a face to see him," she sadly said. "Benevolent Master had compassion on a wretched child like me. He took me as his disciple and raised me up. But because of wild ambition I have betrayed him ..." Suddenly she lifted her head and shout, "I only want to seek revenge for my husband. Afterward, I know what to do. The Seven Freaks of Jiangnan, let us sort out our business now. Martial Brother Lu, Little Martial Sister, you stand aside, don't even think of interfering. No matter who live or who die, I don't want you to help either side. Do you hear?"

Ke Zhen'E walked in big strides to the main hall. His iron staff knocked the brick floor, then clearly he said with his hoarse voice, "Mei Chaofeng, you can't see me, neither can I see you. That night when we fought on that barren hill, your husband died a violent death, but our fifth brother had also died in your hands. Did you know that?"

"Oh, so only six of you left?" Mei Chaofeng asked.

"We promised Taoist Priest Ma Yu to no longer seek enmity toward you, but it is you that actually looking for us. Good! Even though the world is wide, we always meet each other. Looks like the heaven won't allow the six of us to co-exist with you in this world. Come!" Ke Zhen'E coldly said.

Mei Chaofeng snorted. "You six people can come together," she said icily.

Zhu Cong and the other Freaks quickly arranged themselves near their elder brother, guarding against Mei Chaofeng's sudden attack. Everybody unsheathed their weapons.

Suddenly Guo Jing moved forward. "Let disciple fight her first," he said.

Lu Chengfeng was in an awkward situation. He heard Mei Chaofeng challenged and the six accepted. He did not know how to be the mediator. He hated himself for not having authority or influence over these people. But hearing Guo Jing an idea suddenly came to his mind. He quickly said, "Both sides please hold your hands for a moment. Please listen to Little Brother's word. Although Mei Shijie and the Jiangnan Six have deep enmity between you, but each side had suffer an unfortunate loss. In the Little Brother's opinion, no more blood needs to be shed. Let today's match only decides victory or defeat, please don't deepen the enmity anymore. The Six Freaks, although they always face enemy together, still it is six against one; which, in my opinion, is not fair. Why doesn't Mei Shijie teach several moves to this young Brother Guo?"

Mei Chaofeng snorted and coldly said, "How could I fight an unknown junior?"

"Your husband died in my hands. What does it have to do with my Masters?" Guo Jing called out.

Mei Chaofeng was furious. She jumped and shouted, "Precisely! I will kill you little scoundrel first!" By listening to voices she knew where her enemy position was. Her five fingers were stretched toward Guo Jing's skull.

Guo Jing leaped to avoid the attack. "Senior Mei!" he called out. "I was really young and ignorant. I accidentally killed your husband. One has to be responsible for one's own action. Today you wanted to kill me; I won't run away. But what if you still look for my Masters in the future?" He realized he was no match to Mei Chaofeng and was ready to die under her fingers; but was determined to protect his Masters in any way.

"You really aren't going to run away?" Mei Chaofeng asked.

"No!" Guo Jing asserted.

"Good!" shouted Mei Chaofeng. "I am willing to write off the Six Freaks' debt. Good boy, come follow me!"