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

Discerning Good From Evil Part 4

Zhou Botong immediately complied; from Peng Lianghu's body he took out a ring with poisonous needle on it, and two bottles of antidotes.

"He had once used this needle to prick your Martial Nephew Ma Yu, now prick him several times with that same needle," Huang Rong said.
Peng Lianhu and the others could hear everything clearly, they were so frightened that they felt their souls were leaving their bodies; but their acupoints were sealed, they could not move. They felt severe pain since each of them was pricked several times by Zhou Botong.

"The antidote is in your hand, whatever you want them to do, I want to see if they will dare to defy," Huang Rong said.

Zhou Botong was delighted; he rubbed some dirt from his body and mixed them with the antidote, he made some pills from the mixture and gave the pills to Qiu Chuji. He said, "You take these four stinky thieves as prisoners; take them to Mount Zhongnan, imprison them at the Chongyang Palace for twenty years. If they behave well along the way, give each of them one of my wonder pill; otherwise let them enjoy the poison. This is called taking consequences for their own actions. Show no mercy!"
Qiu Chuji bowed and complied.

Huang Rong laughed, "Old Urchin, what you said was very reasonable. I haven't seen you for a year and look how far you have progressed!"

Zhou Botong was very pleased with himself, he unsealed Peng Lianhu and the others' acupoints and said, "You go to the Chongyang Palace, stay there meditating your lives for twenty years. If you are really willing to repent, you might still be able to live as good people in the future. But if you don't want to repent, hmmm ... just know that our Quanzhen people are experts in killing people without batting an eye; we can torture without creasing an eyebrow; we can make you four stinky thieves into meatballs and everybody can come and eat you. By that time I want to see what other trick you have in your sleeve?"

Peng Lianhu and the others did not dare to say anything; they only nodded and mumbled their consents. Qiu Chuji stifled his laughter; he bade Zhou Botong farewell, then with a sword in his hand herded four people walking down the mountain.

Huang Rong laughed, "Old Urchin, when did you learn to teach others? The front part of your speech made a lot of sense, but the latter part was a lot of nonsense."

Zhou Botong looked up to the sky and laughed; but suddenly he saw toward his left there was a flashing while light. Apparently it was a weapon reflecting the sunlight. "Well, what is that?" he called out.

Jing and Rong lifted their heads to see, but the flashing light was gone. Zhou Botong was afraid Huang Rong would raise Qiu Qianren's matter to him, he quickly said, "Let me take a look." And he flew to the nearby peak.

Jing and Rong two people had a lot to talk; they looked for a cave and poured out their hearts' content to each other. They talked and talked until the sun disappeared behind the western peak; still there were more to talk about. Guo Jing took some dried food from his backpack and gave some to Huang Rong.

Huang Rong ate and smiled, "That old scoundrel Ouyang Feng compelled me to explain to him the Nine Yin Manual; his source was the one you wrote randomly, so I also gave him a random explanation. He accepted it as real, and he trained hard on it for several months. I told him that this type of martial art has to be practiced upside down; he really turned head over heels training diligently. He managed to reverse the whole body passage through which vital energy circulates. It was really not easy; his 'yin wei' [negative dimension], 'yang wei' [positive dimension], yin and yang; four main arteries are flowing in reverse. I don't know how he will look like if his entire system flows in reverse." Having said that she giggled.

Guo Jing was also smiling, "No wonder I saw him upside down in the middle of the road," he said, "It was really not easy to do."

"You are coming to Mount Hua; are you going to join the contest to win the title Number One Martial Artist of the World?" Huang Rong asked.

"Rong'er, why are you teasing me?" Guo Jing said, "I am here to ask Zhou Dage on how I can forget the martial arts I have already learned." And then he told Huang Rong everything he had pondered in his heart these past several days.

Huang Rong leaned her head slightly and thought for a moment. "Ay! It's good if we can forget it," she said, "The more we train, the stronger our martial art become; but actually our heart is not getting happier. I wish we were just like little children who don't know anything; nothing burdened our minds, no worry, no anxiety." She forgot that as one grew older, the more hardship and anxiety one would have to face; it had nothing to do with whether one's martial art skill was high or not.

Huang Rong continued, "I heard Ouyang Feng saying that tomorrow is the sword meet day; I am sure my father will come to this mountain. You said you are not going to join the contest; how about we think of something to help my father win the title?"

"Rong'er," Guo Jing said, "It's not that I don't want to help you, but I think in term of conduct, Benevolent Master Hong is superior to your father."

Originally Huang Rong was leaning against Guo Jing's body, but as she heard him saying her father was not good, she pushed him away in anger. Guo Jing was startled, he was confused. But suddenly Huang Rong laughed, "Hmm, actually Benevolent Master Hong's treatment to us was not bad. Let's just not help any of them, what do you think?"

"Both your father and Benevolent Master Hong are honorable warriors; they won't like it if we secretly help them," Guo Jing said.

"Fine! Now you are saying that I am sly and crafty, that I am a wicked traitor coward?" Huang Rong said pulling up her face.

"I am sorry," Guo Jing said, "I am a fool, always say wrong things and provoke you to anger." His face looked really terrified.

Huang Rong stifled her laughter, "I don't know how many more times I am going to be mad at you."

Guo Jing was perplexed; he scratched his head and looked at her with blank expression.

"If you don't dump me anymore, we will have many days to be together. I really don't care how many more times you are going to say stupid things," Huang Rong said.

Guo Jing was ecstatic, he grabbed her hands tight and earnestly said, "How can I dump you? How can I?"

"It was because the princess didn't want you that naturally you have no choice but looking for me, a poor little girl," Huang Rong said.

What Huang Rong said had brought back a flood of sad memories into Guo Jing's mind; he remembered his mother's tragic death in the desert, he looked so dispirited and was silent. It was a new moon, silver light like water shone on them. Huang Rong saw his dejected countenance and realized she had offended him deeply; she quickly tried to change the subject. "Jing Gege, let us not talk about past matters. Being together with you like this makes my heart so happy. How about I let you kiss my cheek?"

Guo Jing's entire face turned red; indeed he did not dare to kiss her. Huang Rong flashed a captivating smile; she was fully aware that she had embarrassed both Guo Jing and herself, so she changed the subject again, "On the sword meet tomorrow, who do you say will win?" she asked.

"That is really difficult to say," Guo Jing replied, "I wonder if Reverend Yideng is coming?"

"The reverend has entered emptiness; he would not want to fight over empty reputation," Huang Rong reasoned.

Guo Jing nodded his agreement, "I think so too. Your father, Benevolent Master Hong, Big Brother Zhou, Qiu Qianren and Ouyang Feng, five people; each one is the grandmaster of their respective school, each one has their own unique skill. I am just wondering if Benevolent Master Hong has recovered from his injury. Can his skill level back to where it was?" Remembering his master Guo Jing was saddened.