THE SMILING PROUD WANDERER by Jin Yong

In Love Part 5

"Nephew-Apprentice Yi, don't be rude!" Fang-Sheng shouted.

With a loud whoosh, Yi Guozi had flown back out from the bush and after gliding tens of feet in the air. Smack, he dropped to the ground like a log, facing upwards. His arms and legs twitched a few times and then he became still.

Fang-Sheng and the rest of the people were astounded. A hole had appeared on Yi's forehead, from which blood gushed out. He still held a tight grip of the long sword in his hand, but he had already stopped breathing.

Xin Guoliang, Huang Guobo, and Jue-Yue roared in unison. Each gripping his weapon tightly they made at the bush in fury. Fang-Sheng extended his arms to his sides, and as the loose sleeves of the monk's robe spread open, a powerful yet soft stream of energy force blocked the three men like an invisible wall.

"May I ask which friend from the Dark-Wood Cliff has come here?" turning toward the bush Fang-Sheng asked gravely, his voice loud and clear. But only silence followed, complete silence, which swept all over the hundreds of shrubs and bushes.

"Our school never had any imbroglio with the Dark-Wood Cliff. Why have you slain Nephew-Apprentice Yi with such murderous scheme?" he asked again, but still, no one responded from within the bushes.

"The Dark-Wood Cliff? The Dark-Wood Cliff is where the Demon's Cult is headquartered. Could...could this granny have been a senior member of the Demon's Cult?" Linghu Chong was thunderstruck.

"I've had the chance to make acquaintance with Chief Dongfang once many years ago. Friend, now that you have committed the murder, we must settle the discord once for all. Why don't you show yourself?" Fang-Sheng urged.

"Chief Dongfang? Is he talking about the chief of the Demon's Cult, Dongfang Invincible? That man was known as the number one fighter in the entire world. Then...then this granny really is a member of the Demon's Cult." Linghu Chong felt another shock shooting up his spine.

But the granny stayed behind the bushes and would not respond.

"Friend, if you insist on not showing yourself, please excuse the old monk's discourtesy then!" Fang-Sheng exclaimed as he retracted his arms slightly, and immediately, energy soared inside his two sleeves, inflating them like two large balloons. He pushed his arms forward and the powerful force shot out from his palms. A loud crack exploded in the air as the dozens of scrubs all broke from the middle and small branches and leaves swirled in the midair. Right at that moment, a shadow leapt out from the remains of the bushes.

Even though Linghu Chong really wanted to take a look at the granny's appearance, he still remembered the promised he had made and quickly turned his back to it. He could hear the roaring and bellowing from Xin Guoliang and Jue-Yue, together with the sounds of weapons clashing with each other, so dense and so speedy that it sounded as though the raindrops from a thunderstorm bouncing off the window. Apparently the granny had already engaged in the right with Fang-Sheng and his group.

It was about 10 o'clock in the morning, and the sun hung in a corner of the sky, casting rays of sunshine down from an angle. Although Linghu Chong found himself tormented by anxiety and curiosity, in order to keep his promise, he dared not turn his head around to glance at the fight, and only looked down at the ground where dark shadows cast by the five fighters fluttered wildly. Fang-Sheng and his three Nephew-Apprentices had surrounded the granny. Fang-Sheng was not holding any weapon in his hands; Jue-Yue was using a Buddhist's Spade; Huang Guobo used a knife; Xin Guoliang wielded a long sword. The granny had a pair of very short weapons in her hands. They looked like daggers, yet also assembled the shapes of Emei Stings. The weapons were short and thin, and almost looked as though they were transparent. Looking only based on the shadow from the sun Linghu Chong could not make out what kind of weapons they were. The granny and Fang-Sheng both fought quietly, whereas Xin Guoliang and the rest two all bellowed at the top of their lungs, which seemed to have made their attacks more menacing.