THE SMILING PROUD WANDERER by Jin Yong

Seat Fighting Part 3

"Big brother Linghu said, 'For a true man, once his word is out, even a wagon with four horses cannot drag it back. I gave my word; I am still accountable.'

"Tian Boguang complemented him, 'I've seen many tough guys before. But this is the first time I see a true hero, brother Linghu. Fine! Let's call it a tie and stop right here, alright?'

"Big brother Linghu just looked at him with a smile and said nothing. Blood kept flowing from his different wounds and dripped onto the wood floor. Tian Boguang dropped his knife and was just about to stand up when he suddenly remembered that he would have lost if he had stood up. His body had moved upward a little when he quickly sat back and did not leave the chair.

"'Brother Tian, you are quick!' big brother Linghu grinned."

Everyone could not help but let out an "Ah" of pity for Linghu Chong.

Yilin continued. "Tian Boguang picked up his knife again. 'I am going to use my fast strokes now,' he said. 'If I wait any longer, the little nun will have run to wonderland, and I won't be able to keep up with her anymore.'

"I trembled when I heard his words. I also worried that big brother Linghu might get killed by him, but I had no clue as to what to do next. Then a thought popped into my head: Big brother Linghu fought so hard against him just to rescue me. The only way to save big brother Linghu's life was to commit suicide right in front of them. So I unsheathed the broken sword by my waist, ready to jump into the wine house. Right at that moment, big brother Linghu's body gave a sudden shake, and he collapsed to the floor together with his chair. He pushed on the ground with his hands and struggled to get up with the chair at his back, but he was so badly wounded that he just couldn't get up.

"Tian Boguang was quite content, and with a big smile on his face, he said, 'Number two for sitting down. What rank for crawling?' With these words, he stood up.

"Big brother Linghu burst into loud laughter. 'You lost!' he said.

"Tian Boguang laughed hard. 'You were just defeated in such an embarrassing manner, and you are calling me a loser?'

"'What did we agree on?' big brother Linghu asked while lying on the floor.

"'We agreed that we fight while sitting down,' Tian Boguang answered, 'and whoever stands up first – his butt leaving the chair, is...is...is...!' He stuttered the word 'is' three times but could not finish his sentence. He could only point at big brother Linghu with his finger in disbelief. He had just realized that this was a trick and he had just been fooled. He had already stood up, but big brother Linghu had not stood up and his rear end was still touching the chair. Although his body was in a very embarrassing position, but according to the agreement, he had already won."

People in the hall started applauding and cheering. Only Yu Canghai gave a disgruntled snort and scoffed, "A rascal playing unscrupulous tricks with the rapist Tian Boguang; what an embarrassment to all decent schools!"

"What kind of crap is that?" Dingyi said angrily. "A true man fights with his brain, not his muscles. I did not see any one in your Qingcheng Sword School act so bravely." Hearing from Yilin about how Linghu Chong had saved the Heng-Shan Sword School's reputation with no regard to his own safety, she felt very thankful deep in her heart, and had already disregarded all negative thoughts about Linghu Chong.

Yu Canghai snorted. "What a wonderful crawling young hero!"

"Your Qingcheng Sword School...!" Dingyi started yelling when Liu Zhengfeng cut her short, afraid to see conflict between them again.