SWORDS FIGHTS ON MOUNT HUA (Book 3 of Legend Of The Condor Heroes)

Upcoming Disaster Part 3

I stayed there for more than ten days. One day in the middle of the night I suddenly heard the Old Urchin's voice pretending to be a ghost; and then the voice turned into dog's howling and cat's meowing. He was turning the palace upside down with the noise. And then I heard some people call out, 'Hong Qigong, Hong laoyezi [old master Hong], Hong Qigong, Hong laoyezi!' I took a peek. Turned out they were Peng Lianhu, Sha Tongtian, Liang Ziweng and the other crafty fellows."

"Ah!" Huang Rong exclaimed in surprise, "Why did they look for you?"

"I thought it was very strange too," Hong Qigong said, "As soon as I saw them I went back into hiding. Who would have thought that the Old Urchin had already spotted me. He was ecstatic; he dashed forward and hugged me, saying, 'Thank the heaven and thank the earth for letting me find you at last.' Immediately he ordered Liang Ziweng and the others to follow behind us ..."

"How could Liang Ziweng and the others listen to the Old Urchin's order?" Huang Rong wondered.

Hong Qigong laughed and said, "At that time I was also racking my brain but could not figure out the reason. All I can say was that they were very afraid of the Old Urchin. Whatever he said, they did not dare to disobey. He ordered Liang Ziweng and the others to follow behind us, while he carried me to the Ox Village to find you two people. Along the way he told me that he had looked for me everywhere but could not find me, he was very worried. And then quite by accident he bumped into Liang Ziweng and the others by the city wall. In his frustration he beat each and every one of them really bad, and then ordered them to comb all streets and alleys the whole day and the whole night to look for me. He said they had been searching around the imperial palace for a while, but the palace was huge while I was hiding in a remote place. All throughout, they did not see me."

Huang Rong said with a smile, "I did not expect the Old Urchin to be that smart, able to make those devil heads to follow his orders obediently. I wonder why they did not run away."

Hong Qigong smiled and said, "The Old Urchin employed a mischievous trick. He rubbed some dirt from his body and made more than a dozen pills. He forced them to take three pills for each person, said that this poison would react in seven by seven, forty nine days. The poison was so lethal and nobody in the world other than himself would be able to neutralize it. If they were obedient, he would give them the antidote on the forty-eighth day. Although these wicked thieves half believed and half doubted, they certainly could not take a risk with their own lives; in the end they did not have any choice but to believe and they were compelled to listen to the Old Urchin's yelling and screaming, without daring to defy."

Initially Guo Jing was grieving, but hearing Hong Qigong's story he could not help but smile. Hong Qigong continued, "When we arrived at the Ox Village we could not find you two. The Old Urchin again forced them to go out and search for you. Last night they all came back with their heads hung low. The Old Urchin scolded and cursed them. He was getting angrier and angrier until suddenly he said, 'If by tomorrow you still cannot find those two babies Guo Jing and Huang Rong, I will make urine pulp pills and give them to you!' Of course they began to get suspicious and repeatedly provoked him to talk. The Old Urchin was screaming and kicking, finally they found out that the pills they took earlier were not poison at all. I know the situation would turn dangerous; these traitors would certainly create not a small trouble. I told the Old Urchin to kill them all. Who would have thought that Peng Lianhu also saw the danger, immediately he hatched a deception; he told that fat Tibetan monk to compete against the Old Urchin in sitting still in meditation. I could not stop them, and was forced to run out of the Ox Village. I came across Ke Daxia outside the village. He protected me and we ran to this place. Peng Lianhu and the others chased us. Although the Old Urchin was muddle-headed, he knew better than leaving me alone, so he busily overtook us here. These traitors constantly provoked him, until finally the Old Urchin could not take it anymore and agreed to bet against the monk."

Listening to this story Huang Rong was both angry and amused at the same time, she said, "If we did not meet them by accident, Shifu, your life would be delivered under the Old Urchin's hand."

Hong Qigong said, "My life is almost gone anyway, it doesn't really matter whose hand will deliver it away."

Huang Rong suddenly remembered something. "Shifu," she said, "That day when we came back from Ming Xia Dao [bright red clouds island] ..."

"It's not Ming Xia Dao, it's 'ya gui dao' [crushing ghost island]," Hong Qigong interrupted.

"Fine," Huang Rong smiled slightly, "It's Ya Gui Dao then. Now, that Ouyang Ke is not the least bit a fake ghost, he is a real ghost. That day when we rescued Ouyang Feng uncle and nephew, on the wooden raft the Old Poison said that there was one man in this whole wide world who can heal your injury. Only this person's martial art is matchless; so we can't use force against him, and you are not willing to harm others to benefit yourself by asking him to help you. At that time you were not willing to mention this person's name. Later on Jing Gege and I went to Xiangxi. Naturally now we know that other than Emperor Duan then, or Reverend Yideng now, there is no one else."

Hong Qigong sighed, "If he used Yiyang Zhi [Solitary Yang Finger] to attack my 'qi jing ba mai' [lit. marvelous/mysterious passage 8 pulses, Kwok & Huang Yushi from Wuxiapedia translated it as: Eight Extraordinary Channels], without a doubt he would heal my injury. But this kind of skill will injure his own internal strength for as long as five years or as few as three years, it's hard to say. Let's just say that he does not care about the second Sword Meet of Mount Hua, but he is already over sixty years of age; just how much longer is he going to live? How can the Old Beggar open his mouth and ask for his help?"

"Shifu," Guo Jing said happily, "This is great! We don't need anybody's help, I can go through your 'qi jing ba mai'."

Hong Qigong was surprised, "What?" he asked.

Huang Rong said, "Jing Gege recited that babbling and mumbling part from the Manual and Reverend Yideng has translated it for us. He told us to tell you, Senior, to use this technique to open your own 'qi jing ba mai'." Straightaway she recited Yideng's translation from memory.

After listening to this Hong Qigong pondered for a long time, and then he jumped in joy and exclaimed, "Wonderful! Wonderful! I believe I will need only about one and a half year to recover."

Huang Rong said, "In the Misty Rain Tavern martial art contest our opponent will surely invite Ouyang Feng to help their side. The Old Urchin's martial art might not be inferior to his, but he is a wild person. I am afraid he won't show up during the competition time. We must go to the Peach Blossom Island to get my father's help to ensure victory."

"What you said is not wrong," Hong Qigong said, "I will go to Jiaxing first, the two of you go to the Peach Blossom Island."

Guo Jing was reluctant to leave his shifu, he insisted on escorting Hong Qigong to Jiaxing. Hong Qigong said, "I will ride your little red horse. If there is any problem along the way, the Old Beggar will just run away. Who can chase after me?" Immediately he mounted the horse. With a couple of 'glug, glug' he drank his wine, and then pressed the horse's belly with his legs. The little red horse let out a long neigh toward Guo Jing and Huang Rong, as if it did not want to leave them, and then galloped like the wind to the north.

Guo Jing watched until he could not see Hong Qigong's shadow anymore, he also recalled how Ke Zhen'e wanted to kill Huang Rong, his heart was heavy. Huang Rong did not try to comfort him. She went alone to find a boat for hire then they set sail toward the Peach Blossom Island.

When they arrived on the Island, they immediately sent the boat away. Huang Rong said, "Jing Gege, I am going to ask a favor from you. Will you promise to grant it?"

"What is it?" Guo Jing asked, "I don't want to do something I won't be able to do."

Huang Rong laughed and said, "I am not going to ask you to cut off your six masters' heads."

Guo Jing was upset. "Rong'er," he said, "Can't you not mention this matter anymore?"

"Why can't I mention it?" Huang Rong countered, "You may have already forgotten about it; but I can't. Even though I am good to you, I don't want you to cut down my head."

Guo Jing sighed and said, "I really don't understand why Da Shifu was so angry. He knew you are the love of my life. I'd rather die a thousand times, ten thousand times, than hurting you the least bit."

Huang Rong could hear the sincerity in his voice, her heart was moved. She pulled his hand and leaned against his body. Pointing to a row of willow trees by the creek she said with a tender voice, "Jing Gege, do you think this Peach Blossom Island is beautiful?"

"It truly looks like a fairyland," Guo Jing replied.

Huang Rong sighed, "I want to live here forever, I don't want to be killed by you," she said.

Guo Jing gently stroked her hair and said, "Good Rong'er, how can I kill you?"

Huang Rong said, "What if your six masters, your Mama, your good friend, they all ask you to kill me? Will you do it or not?"

Guo Jing confidently said, "Even though everybody in the world wants to make things difficult for you, I will always protect you."

Huang Rong held his hand tightly and asked, "Will you be willing to leave all these people for me?"

Guo Jing hesitated and did not answer. Huang Rong looked up and gazed at his eyes, with anxious expression on her face, waiting for his answer.

Guo Jing finally said, "Rong'er, I said that I would accompany you on the Peach Blossom Island for the rest of my life. I have made that decision before I opened my mouth."

"Good!" Huang Rong said, "Then from this day on, you are not going to leave this island."

Guo Jing was taken aback, "From this day on?"

"Um, yes," Huang Rong said, "From this day on! I am going to ask Father to go to Misty Rain Tavern and fight for us. Father and I will go to kill Wanyan Honglie to avenge your father. Father and I will go to Mongolia to fetch your Mama. I will even ask Father not to blame your six masters. I am going to take care of every single one of your concerns for you."

Guo Jing saw the expression on her face was a little bit unusual; he said, "Rong'er, what I said to you, you can definitely count on it. Don't you worry; you don't have to do all these things."

Huang Rong sighed, "The matters in this world are difficult to say," she said, "When you agreed to marry that Mongolian Princess, did you ever think that someday you'll regret your own decision? Previously I only knew that whatever I wanted, I got it. But now I know ... Ay! Whatever you wish you have, just pray that the Heaven will not make things difficult for you." Speaking to this point she could not restrain her eyes from turning red. She hung her head low.

Guo Jing was silent; his heart was filled with tumultuous thoughts. He realized how much Huang Rong loved him, and it made him wanting to stay on the Island to be with her forever. But he felt it was inappropriate for him to ignore all his concerns; only why it was inappropriate, he did not know.

Huang Rong softly said, "It's not that I don't believe you or want to force you to live here; it's just that I am really scared." Speaking of this she suddenly threw herself into his arms and sobbed on his shoulder.

Guo Jing was caught by surprise; he was at a loss of what to do. He quickly said, "Rong'er, what are you afraid of?" Huang Rong did not reply, but she started to weep.

Ever since Guo Jing knew her, they had been through many difficult and dangerous, sometimes miserable situations, but he had always seen her smiling and laughing. This time she was back in her home and very soon will see her father; why was she scared all of a sudden? He asked, "Are you afraid your father has met some accident?"

Huang Rong shook her head. Guo Jing asked again, "Are you afraid once I leave this island I won't be coming back?" Again Huang Rong shook her head. Guo Jing successively asked four, five questions but she shook her head again and again.

After a while Huang Rong lifted her head up and said, "Jing Gege, I don't know what I am afraid of. I remember your Da Shifu's expression when he told you to kill me, I just can't shake it off my mind. I always feel there will come a day you are going to listen to him and kill me. That was the reason I asked you not to leave this place. Will you promise me?"

Guo Jing smiled and said, "I was wondering what important matter worries you so much; turns out it is only over this. That day in Beijing didn't my Six Shifus cursed you as little female demon [xiao yao nu, yao – goblin/witch/devil/monster] or something like that? Afterwards I ran away with you, but we don't have any problem until today. My Six Shifus seem strict and mean, but their hearts are kind and loving. Once you get to know each other I am sure they will certainly like you. Er Shifu's [Second Shifu] skill in picking other people's pocket is amazing; you can learn from him. I am sure you'll have a lot of fun. Qi Shifu [Seventh Shifu] is tender and friendly ..."

Huang Rong cut him off, "So you are determined to leave this place?" she asked.

Guo Jing replied, "The two of us will leave together; we'll both go to Mongolia to fetch my Mother, we'll kill Wanyan Honglie together, and then together we will come back to this place. Won't that be great?"

With a startled look on her face Huang Rong said, "If that's the case, I am afraid we won't be coming back together forever, we won't be together for rest of our lives."

"Why?" Guo Jing wondered.

Huang Rong shook her head and said, "I don't know. But when I saw your Da Shifu's expression that was what I felt. It seemed like killing me is not enough; his hatred went deep into his bones and marrow."

As Guo Jing listened to her, he could see that her heart was broken. Although her face still showed that childlike naïveté, her eyebrows and the corner of her eyes clearly showed her feelings towards the upcoming disaster. He recalled that she was always right; if this time he did not listen to what she said and some day a disaster befell her, how would that be good? Thinking about this his heart ached; he was overwhelmed with emotion and blurted out, "All right! I am not going to leave this place, ever!"

Hearing him Huang Rong fixed her gaze to his face for half a day without saying anything; two streams of tears slowly flowed down her cheeks. Guo Jing said in low voice, "Rong'er, what else do you want?"

"What else do I want?" Huang Rong said, "I want nothing else!" She raised her beautiful eyebrows up. "Even if I want something else, the Heaven won't let me." Her long sleeve gently rose up, she danced underneath the flower trees. As she turned her head around, the golden band on her hair glittered under the sun. Her clothes fluttered in the breeze. She danced faster and faster; every now and then she held out her hand to shake down the trees and petals of flowers fell down like rain: red flower, white flower, yellow flower, purple flower, they fluttered in the air just like butterflies dancing around her, creating a very beautiful scenery.

She danced for a moment, suddenly leaped up a tree, and then leaped over to another tree, dancing from tree to tree performing the 'yan shuang fei' [the fly of a pair of swallows] and 'luo ying shen jian zhang' [falling (leaves) divine sword palm technique] stances. She looked so happy.

Guo Jing thought, "Mama often told me stories about a fairy mountain on the eastern sea, where many fairies lived. I wonder if there is a fairy mountain more beautiful than the Peach Blossom Island, and if there is a fairy more beautiful than Rong'er?"