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

The Divine Dragon Swings Its Tail Part 2

Li Sheng continued, "Now I suggest you stay overnight at the main house, along with all of these honorable servants of yours. I will deal with that conceited man alone."

"Young disciple is not skilled in martial art, but I am not afraid of that villain," Miss Cheng said. "How could I let Senior to deal with him alone?"

"Please don't say such thing Miss," Li Sheng said. "Our Clan Leader Hong and your honorable founder Senior Wang were good friends; that means we belong to the same family. Why do you want to consider it otherwise?"

Actually Miss Cheng wanted to try her own martial art, but listened to Li Sheng she did not dare to defy. So she bowed and said, "Then I will leave everything under Senior Li and Elder Brother Yu's capable hands." Having said that she gracefully led her maidservants go downstairs.

Li Sheng walked toward the young lady's bed, opened the embroidered quilt, and without taking out his shoes laid his dirty body on the sweet smelling bedding. "Go downstairs," he told Yu Zhao, "Be on guard with everybody else. Do not make any move without my command." Yu Zhao complied. Li Sheng then hid his entire body under the blanket after extinguished the candle beside the bed.

"That Miss Cheng might not want to sleep under that blanket anymore," Huang Rong secretly laughed in her heart. "The members of the Beggar Clan are just like their leader, they like to deliberately creating trouble in a funny way. This matter is actually much more amusing than I originally thought."

Because there were other people standing guard, Huang Rong and Guo Jing quietly hid themselves under the eaves. About an hour later she heard the night watch sounding the signal 'knock, knock, bang, bang, bang ...' at the front of the building. It was the third hour. Then she heard a pebble fell in the flower garden.

A moment later eight people came leaping over the fence and headed straight to the second floor. They lighted a lantern briefly, enough to see the bed, then quickly extinguished the fire. In that very short time Guo Jing and Huang Rong could see their appearance. Turned out they were the female disciples of Ouyang Ke who dressed like men; all wore white clothing. Four of them opened the bed curtain and covered Li Sheng's head with a silk hood; firmly held and lifted him up. Two of them opened a big sack and in went the blanket with Li Sheng inside it. They quickly tightened the sack mouth and lifted the sack up. They worked swiftly and quietly in the dark, without making any noise. Seemed like they were very skilled in what they were doing.

They leaped back downstairs. Guo Jing was about to make a move when Huang Rong whispered in his ears, "Let the Beggar Clan people go first." Guo Jing complied. He stretched his neck and saw four female disciples lifted the sack with Li Sheng in it, while the other four were guarding behind them. Further back about ten yards behind were the Beggar Clan people, each wielding a wooden staff.

Guo Jing and Huang Rong waited a moment to put some distance between them before they quietly leaped out of the garden and followed from afar. A little while later they arrived at the edge of the town. The eight women took the sack to a big house, while the four Beggar Clan members spread out to surround the building.

Huang Rong pulled Guo Jing's arm and they walked toward the back of the building; jumped over the back wall and saw that the building was actually an ancestral temple. The main hall was full of memorial tablets. On the main beam were hung big banners with the deceased people's merits and honorable titles written on them. The hall was lit by four, five big red candles; and in the center sat a man wielding a folding fan.

Guo Jing and Huang Rong had guessed earlier it must be Ouyang Ke's doing, and they were right. They hid themselves under a window, did not dare to move at all, while wondering in their hearts, "Would that Li Sheng fellow be able to fight him?"

They saw the eight women entering the hall and said, "Young Master, Miss Cheng is here." Ouyang Ke sneered coldly. He looked outside and said, "Friends, you have been so kind to visit, why not come in and introduce yourselves?"

Hiding on top of the wall's roof, the Beggar Clan people knew they have been found out, but without Li Sheng's command they did not dare to make any noise.

Ouyang Ke turned his head and looked at the sack. "I did not expect a beautiful lady as you would be so easily invited to come here." He walked slowly forward, waving his folding fan slowly. When he folded the fan, it resembled an iron pen.

Huang Rong and Guo Jing saw his hand movement and his expression; they were shocked. Looked like Ouyang Ke had already found out an enemy was hiding inside that sack and was going to strike.

Huang Rong immediately took three steel needles in her hand, aiming them toward the fan; ready to strike if Li Sheng was in danger. But suddenly there were swishing sounds; a couple of sleeve-arrows were flying toward Ouyang Ke's chest. They were released by a beggar who appeared on the windowsill. They also have seen the danger threatening Li Sheng, and launched a preemptive strike.

Ouyang Ke stretched his left hand sideways, his index and middle fingers pinched an arrow, his ring and little fingers pinched the other, with a couple of 'crack' sound the two arrows became four pieces.

The Beggars saw this and were amazed. "Martial Uncle Li, come out!" Yu Zhao called out. He was not even finished shouting when the sack was ripped open; out came two blades followed by Li Zheng rolling on the floor. He used the sack as a shield and quickly stood up.

Li Sheng knew Ouyang Ke was fierce and he was not sure he could defeat him; that was the reason he wanted to attack him by surprise by hiding inside the sack; who would have thought that Ouyang Ke fouled his plan.

"A beautiful lady turned into a beggar. It was a good sack trick!" Ouyang Ke laughed.

Li Sheng ignored his remark. "This city has lost four girls in three days. All were your Excellency's doing, I presume?" he countered.

"This Bao Ying County is certainly not a poor area, how did the law enforcement officer turned into a beggar?" Ouyang Ke smirked.

Li Sheng maintained his calmness. "I am not begging for food here," he answered. "But I heard yesterday that four adolescent girls suddenly vanished without a trace. My curiosity was piqued, so I took a look."

Ouyang Ke reluctantly said, "Actually those girls are not exceptional; and since you want them –considering we are the people of the martial arts world, I'd like to give them to you. Beggars usually eat dead crabs; so I am sure you will treat these four girls as your treasures." He waved his right hand, and several female disciples of his went inside to get those four girls. The girls' clothes were unkempt, their faces thin and pale, their eyes red from crying.

Li Sheng was outraged to see this. He loudly shouted, "What is your honorable name? Whose disciple are you?"

Ouyang Ke still maintained his carefree attitude. "My surname is Ouyang. What is it that you want, my friend?" he nonchalantly answered.

"I want to play with you!" Li Sheng roared.

"I want nothing better!" Ouyang Ke replied. "Please start!"

"Good!" Li Sheng shouted and moved his right hand. But just before he strike a white shadow flashed with a gust of wind. He was very shocked and leaped up immediately, but his neck was scratched nonetheless. Luckily he was swift, if not; his neck would have a hole in it.

Li Sheng was an eight-bag disciple of his clan; a highly respected position. His martial art was strong; and the beggars in Liang Zhe area came to him for advice. In short, he was one of the Beggar Clan's elite fighters; who would have thought that he was almost injured in just one stance. His face flushed with anger and embarrassment. Without turning his body he launched his hand backward.

"He knows the '18-dragon subduing palms'," whispered Huang Rong to Guo Jing. Guo Jing nodded.

Ouyang Ke could see this move was fierce and did not dare to meet it frontally, he jumped sideways. By this time Li Sheng had turned his body around and stepped forward. He lifted both hands in front of his chest and with a loud cry pushed them forward.

This time it was Guo Jing who whispered into Huang Rong's ear, "Is that move from the 'xiao yao you quan fa' [wandering strides fists technique]?" Huang Rong nodded; but she noticed that Li Sheng's movement was heavy, not elegant like the 'wandering strides' should be executed.

Ouyang Ke saw Li Sheng's step was steady and his hands were profound in launching wonderful moves; he did not dare to act casual and underestimated his opponent any longer. He slipped his folding fan into his waist and quick as a flash launched a counterattack toward Li Sheng's shoulder.

Li Sheng parried with the 'fan lai shen shou' [begging for rice], still from the 'wandering strides' fists technique. Ouyang Ke parried with his left hand, which forced Li Sheng to lift his right arm; then swiftly Ouyang Ke moved toward Li Sheng's back and stretched both hands with all fingers forming two claws attacking Li Sheng's vital 'bei xin' [sleeveless garment] acupoints.

Huang Rong and Guo Jing were startled, "This move is difficult to fend off."

By that time the rest of the Beggar Clan people had entered the hall. They saw Li Sheng was in grave danger and were rushing to help.

Li Sheng could hear the wind behind his back and felt the claws almost touching his clothes. Again he launched his hand backward using the 'shen long bai wei' [divine dragon swings its tail] from the '18 Dragon-subduing Palms'. The stance came from the trigram, 'to thread on' which is part of the Yi Jing. The master who created the 18 subduing dragon palms actually named the stance "threading on the tiger's tail". It was a more powerful description as compared to "attacking the tiger from behind" because if one steps on the tiger's tail, it will no doubt turn around and attack furiously. However, the later generation felt that this description in the Yi Jing was too soft and not pleasing to the tongue. Thus, they changed it to "the divine dragon swings its tail".

Ouyang Ke did not dare to meet this attack head on, so he flexed his body and jumped back.

"A very close call!" Li Sheng said in his heart. He turned his body around to face his opponent again. His martial art was inferior to Ouyang Ke's exquisite moves. They have fought thirty, forty moves and already his life was dangerously threatened five, six times. Fortunately he could always use the [divine dragon swings its tail] to get out of trouble.

"Looks like Hong Qigong only passed on this single move to him," Huang Rong whispered to Guo Jing. Guo Jing nodded. He recalled the time when Hong Qigong passed the 'Proud Dragon Show Remorse' and he fought Liang Ziweng over and over using this single move. Then later on Hong Qigong taught him a total of fifteen moves; while this important figure in the Beggar Clan only knew one move. His heart swelled with gratitude toward Hong Qigong.

In the meantime Ouyang Ke had increased the intensity of his attacks, and step-by-step he forced Li Sheng toward a corner. Earlier Ouyang Ke sent his fierce attacks without any particular target, but now his moves were intended to prevent Li Sheng from turning around and launching his backward palm. Li Sheng understood his intention very well, so he worked hard to step back into the middle of the room.

Suddenly Ouyang Ke let out a long laugh; he whirled the fist straight up from below hitting Li Sheng's chin. Li Sheng stammered in pain, he cried in alarm. He tried to stretch his hand to counterattack, but he was a split second too late. Ouyang Ke's fist had struck its target. Li Sheng was hit five, six times on the head and chest. He felt dizzy, his body weakened, he wobbled and fell to the ground.

The Beggar Clan people rushed to help, but Ouyang Ke turned around, grabbed two of the front most attackers and threw them to the wall. They fainted immediately. The rest of the beggars did not dare to continue.

"What do you think I am to think that a bunch of stinky beggars would deceive me so easily?" Ouyang Ke sneered. He clapped his hands and two female disciples came out dragging a young woman along. Her hands were tied behind her back, her face weary, tears flowed down her cheeks; she was none other than Miss Cheng.

Everybody, including Huang Rong and Guo Jing, was shocked and baffled.

Ouyang Ke waved his hand and his disciples took Miss Cheng back inside. With a smug expression he said, "When the old beggar went into the sack, I worked downstairs inviting Miss Cheng and went back here immediately to wait for the rest of you."

The beggars looked at each other in blank dismay, they thought this time they lost big time.

Ouyang Ke casually waved his fan and mocked, "The Beggar Clan's name is well-known throughout the world. Today I have seen it with my own eyes, a fame that will make people laugh until their teeth fall out of their mouths! Your special skills of stealing chicken, stroking dogs, begging for food, catching snakes, I have seen them all. Now, do you still dare to mingle in your Young Master's business? I am willing to spare this old beggar's life, but I must take his two lights as a souvenir." After saying that, he stretched out two fingers toward Li Sheng's eyes.

"Hold it!" suddenly a voice called out. A man leaped into the hall and immediately sent an attack toward Ouyang Ke.

Ouyang Ke sensed the swiftness and fierceness of the attack; he moved sideways to evade, but still could not get out of the wind. His body shook and he was forced to draw back two steps. He could not help but secretly startled. "Ever since I left the western region I had fought many skilled masters; who is this man who has an unexpectedly high martial art skill?" He turned his eyes toward the newcomer and once again he was startled; since he had fought Guo Jing before at the Zhao Palace. His martial art was only average; how did his palm carry a profound strength just now?