THE SMILING PROUD WANDERER by Jin Yong

Music Score Part 2

Linghu Chong laughed. "Uncle-Master Liu, we all consider ourselves part of the Chivalrous Side and irreconcilable with the Evil Side. What does the word 'chivalrous' really mean? Is it considered chivalrous to bully someone who has severe injuries? Is it considered chivalrous to kill an innocent little girl? If we were capable to lower ourselves to commit such deeds, what makes us different from the Evil Side?"

"Even our Demon Cult doesn't do things like that," Qu Yang said with a sigh, "Little brother Linghu, why don't you leave now? If the Songshan Sword School likes to do such things, then just let them do as they wish."

"I am not leaving!" Linghu Chong refused, a broad grin emerging on his lips. "'Great Songyang Palm' Hero Fei enjoys a great reputation in the Martial World. He is one of the best Masters in the Songshan Sword School. I am sure he was just trying to scare the little girl with harsh words. How could he actually commit such shameless deeds? Uncle-Master Fei is not that kind of guy." He folded his arms in front of his chest and leaned onto the trunk of a pine tree.

A strong wish to kill washed over Fei Bin, and he grinned hideously.

"You think you can just tie me up with your words, so I have to let these three devils walk free? Keep on dreaming! Well, since you have submitted yourself to the Demon Cult, what difference does it make for me to kill four instead of three?" He took a step forward.

Seeing the hideous look on his face, Linghu Chong was astounded, yet he kept the same face as he pondered hard for an idea to get out of trouble.

"Uncle-Master Fei, you are thinking about killing me to rid the witness, aren't you?" he asked.

"Hey, you're smart. That's right!" Fei Bin had no intention to deny. He took another step forward forcefully.

Suddenly, a young nun walked out from behind the rocks.

"Uncle-Master Fei, the sea of bitterness has no bounds; repent and the shore is at hand. You only have the intent to commit a crime, yet the crime has not been committed. It's still not too late to rein in at the brink of the precipice."

That was Yilin. Although Linghu Chong had instructed her to hide behind the rocks and not to let anyone see her, seeing the danger Linghu Chong was in, she immediately walked out without much thinking, hoping to convince Fei Bin to stop with her sincere advice.

Fei Bin was caught in great surprise. "You are from the Heng-Shan Sword School, right? Why are you hiding here in such a sneaky way?" he demanded.

"I...I...." Yilin blushed and could only murmur.

Qu Feiyan lay on the ground still. She could not move any of her limbs because of her sealed pressure points, but she could still talk.

"Sister Yilin," she shouted, "I knew you'd be together with big brother Linghu. So you did heal his wounds. Too bad...too bad we are all going to die soon."

"No, we won't." Yilin shook her head. "Uncle-Master Fei is a renowned hero in the Martial World. How could he hurt a severely wounded man or a little girl like you?"

"Is he really a renowned hero, a true man?" Qu Feiyan only sneered.

"The Songshan Sword School houses the Alliance Chief of the Five Mountains Sword Alliance, the leader of the Chivalrous Side of the Martial World. They would, of course, follow the chivalrous rules first no matter what they do," Yilin emphasized.

She had really said those words sincerely and honestly, but in Fei Bin's ears, it all sounded like sarcastic ridicules. "In for a penny, in for a pound," he thought aloud. "If I let anyone of them leave here alive, my reputation would be ruined forever. Even though I am killing demons of the Demon Cult, killing wounded people and prisoners is not the kind of act of a true man, and will surely be looked down upon by others." At that thought, he pointed his sword at Yilin.