THE SMILING PROUD WANDERER by Jin Yong

School Merger Part 2

As they kept going up the mountain, the road was becoming more and more dangerous. The Songshan School disciples leading them pointed to a few places and said, "This is the Green Ridge Peak and Green Ridge Plain. This is the Big Iron Bridge Gorge and that's the Little Iron Bridge Gorge." On the right of the Iron Bridge Gorge was a strange stone and on its left was the Ten Thousand Deep Gully, which bottom you couldn't see. A Songshan disciple picked up a piece of big rock and threw it down the gully. The sound of the big rock hitting the side of the gully was like a thunder in the beginning, but as it dropped down the gully, the sound gradually got lighter and lighter until it disappeared.

Yihe said, "May I ask martial brother something? Today, how many people are coming to Songshan?"

That man said, "There are at least two thousand people."

Yihe said, "If you throw down a big rock for every person who comes up the mountain, then after some time, this mountain valley would be filled by your Songshan School." That person just snorted and didn't answer her back.

After they rounded a corner, they saw a thick fog in front of them and there were more than ten people blocking the mountain road. They were all armed. One person gloomily said, "When is Linghu Chong coming up? If you see him then tell us."

Linghu Chong saw the person talking had a face full of beard and his face looked hideous, but both of his eyes were blind. When he looked at the other men with him, each of them was actually also blind. He couldn't help feeling a shiver of fear in his heart. He said loudly, "Linghu Chong is here, what do you want?" When he said 'Linghu Chong is here', the blind men immediately hurled their abuses at him and waved their weapons about wishing to rush at him. They all scolded, "Linghu Chong you little bastard, you've harmed us greatly, today we'll fight you to the death."

Linghu Chong immediately understood what was going on. He thought, "That night when Huashan School was attacked, I used my newly acquired Dugu Nine Swords' sword art to blind those enemies. I didn't know the origin of those people before, but thinking about it now, they must've been sent by Songshan School. I didn't expect to settle this business today."

He saw that the ground was very dangerous. If they staked their lives in this fight then one of them could grab him and then jump down the Ten Thousand Deep Valley.

He also saw that the Songshan disciple leading the way for them was holding in his laughter and was taking pleasure in his misfortune. He pondered, "I killed a lot of people from Songshan School at the Dragon Spring Sword-forging Valley. So we shouldn't be complacent at Mount Songshan today." He then said, "These blind friends, are they the disciples of Songshan School? Sir, could you please tell them to make way?"

That Songshan School's disciple laughingly said, "They're not from my humble school. I don't have any authority over them. Headmaster Linghu can just beat them up."

Suddenly, they heard someone shouted, "Let old man beat you up first then we'll talk." It was Monk No Commandment arriving. Behind him was Cannot Have No Commandment, Tian Boguang. No Commandment strode purposefully, grabbed two Songshan disciples, and threw them over to those blind men while calling out, "Linghu Chong's coming."

Those blind men immediately hacked and slashed their weapons around. But those two Songshan disciples' martial art weren't low and they pulled their swords out as they were flying through the air. They immediately blocked the weapons of those blind men and at the same time called out, "We're all from Songshan School, quickly get out of the way." Those blind men quickly withdrew their weapons and they were greatly confused. No Commandment rushed up and again grabbed those two Songshan disciples and shouted, "If you don't tell these blind men to make way then I'll throw both of you bastards down the valley." As he said this, he threw the two disciples up into the air. Monk No Commandment's strength of arms was unrivalled and he managed to throw those two Songshan disciples seven to eight feet up in the air. Both of those people cried out wretchedly and they both thought that if they really fell down the Ten Thousand Deep Valley, then their bodies would instantly become minced meat.

Monk No Commandment waited for the two of them to fall back down before he extended his arms and grabbed the back of their necks. "Want to do that again?"

One of the men hastily answered, "No... I don't want to!"

The other Songshan disciple was clever. He loudly shouted, "Linghu Chong, where are you escaping? Blind friends, quickly chase, quickly chase after him!" When the blind men heard this, they all believed him and they immediately started chasing.

Tian Boguang angrily said, "Hey, little kid, are you fit to say Headmaster Linghu's name?" He then gave that man a couple of whacks on the ears and loudly shouted, "Hero Linghu is here! Headmaster Linghu is here! Whichever one of you blind men have guts then come here and receive some sword art lesson from him." Those blind men's anger was roused by the Songshan disciples beforehand and they also remembered of the enmity they had towards Linghu Chong for blinding them, that was why they were patiently waiting on the mountain road. But hearing the wretched shoutings of the two Songshan disciples, they felt fear in their hearts so they were now running up and down the mountain road like headless chickens. After a while, they stood still at a loss of what to do.

Linghu Chong, No Commandment, Tian Boguang, and all the Heng-Shan School's disciples walked past those blind men as they continued their journey up the mountain. Suddenly, they came to a place where they could see two mountain peaks with their tops broken off and naturally made some kind of a gateway. The wind blew through where those broken tops were and the fog caressed their faces as it blew past. No Commandment shouted, "What's this place called? How can it change like that?"

That Songshan disciple bitterly answered, "This is called Facing the Heaven Gate."

Everyone then turned towards the northwest and went up another part of the mountain road. They looked up towards the spacious plain on top of the peak and were able to see countless number of people gathering up there. The Songshan disciples leading the way quickened their steps as they went up the mountain to report. This was followed by the sound of drum welcoming Linghu Chong and his followers to the top of the peak.

Zuo Lengchan was wearing a yellow gown. He led around twenty of his disciples as he came towards Linghu Chong to welcome him. He folded his hands to salute Linghu Chong. Even though Linghu Chong was now the headmaster of Heng-Shan, he had always called him as 'Martial Uncle Zuo'. After all, he was still a generation behind him. Linghu Chong immediately bowed back to return the propriety and he said, "Junior Linghu Chong pays his respect to Songshan's headmaster."

Zuo Lengchan replied, "I haven't seen you for a long time. Brother Linghu seems to be more cheerful. Brother is so handsome and young but you're already leading Heng-Shan School. This has never happened in Wulin before. Congratulations!"

He said all these coldly with a cold face. When he said 'Congratulations', his face was looking lively but there was not a hint of a congratulation in the way he said it. Linghu Chong understood that he was being sarcastic in saying all these. When he said 'this has never happened in Wulin before', he was actually being sarcastic that a man could become a leader of a bunch of nuns. The words 'handsome and young' also did not have good intentions in them. Linghu Chong replied, "Junior received Dingxian Shi Tai's last wish and became the headmaster of Heng-Shan so that I can avenge the deaths of the two Shi Tai. After I've avenged them, I'll immediately step down and let a worthy person take over." When he said these few words, he was staring at Zuo Lengchan's eyes to see if Zuo Lengchan became ashamed or maybe angry. But nothing changed on Zuo Lengchan's face.

Zuo Lengchan said, "The five mountains sword schools have the same root but different branches. Today when the five schools merge, Dingxian and Dingyi Shi Tai's blood feud wouldn't be Heng-Shan School's matter only. But it would also become my Five Mountains School's matter. It's very good that Brother Linghu is enthusiastic in this." He stopped for a time. Then he continued, "Brother Tianmen from Taishan, Mr. Mo Da from Hengshan, Mr. Yue from Huashan, and many other friends from Wulin who are attending the ceremony have arrived. Please go ahead to meet them."

Linghu Chong replied, "Yes. Have Shaolin's Great Master Fangzheng and Wudang's Priest Chongxu arrived yet?"

Zuo Lengchan tastelessly answered, "The two of them live very close but with their high position, they wouldn't come here." As he finished saying this, he gave Linghu Chong a stare and his eyes were full of hatred.

Linghu Chong was startled, but he immediately understood. He thought, "When I took up Heng-Shan's leadership, these two seniors of Wulin came personally to congratulate me. But Zuo Lengchan believed that they wouldn't come today. That's why he hates Great Master Fangzheng and Priest Chongxu, and he even hates me for that."

At this moment, they suddenly saw two disciples in yellow gown rushing up the mountain road. It seemed that they had an urgent matter to report. Everyone gathering on top of the peak was looking at these two people. Not long after, the two disciples arrived in front of Zuo Lengchan. They reported, "Congratulations Master, Shaolin's Abbot Fangzheng and Wudang School's Headmaster Chongxu are both leading their disciples to come up the mountain."

"They've come?" Zuo Lengchan indifferently asked. "That's very good. I must go down to welcome them." His tone of speech indicated that he didn't care about it that much. But Linghu Chong saw that his gown's sleeve was trembling slightly. After all, a person's happiness is very hard to hide. When news of Shaolin's Great Master Fangzheng and Wudang's Priest Chongxu arrival was heard, it created a sensation amongst the crowd on top of the mountain. A lot of people followed Zuo Lengchan in going down the mountain to welcome them. Linghu Chong and his Heng-Shan disciples moved to one side of the road letting those people went down.

They saw Taishan School's Priest Tianmen, Hengshan School's Mr. Mo Da, Beggar Clan's clan leader, Qingcheng School Pine Wind Monastery's Priest Yu Canghai, and all the other seniors had all arrived on the mountain. Linghu Chong saluted many people one by one when he suddenly saw a group of people coming around a corner. They were his Master, Master-Wife, and the martial brothers and sisters of the Huashan School. His heart was pained in seeing them. He quickly went up to them and kowtowed to his Master. "Linghu Chong pays his respect to two honourables."

Yue Buqun leaned to one side and coldly said, "Why does Headmaster Linghu give me such a big propriety? Isn't this a strange joke?"

Linghu Chong stood up after giving his respect and stepped back. Madam Yue's eyes were red as she said, "I heard that you've now become the Headmaster of Heng-Shan School. From now on, you can't make trouble anymore, and you must also settle down."

Yue Buqun coldly laughed. "Him? Not creating trouble? That'll be the day when the sun rises from the west. The first day he became headmaster, Heng-Shan School accepted thousands of people from the unorthodox path, isn't that enough trouble already? I also heard he joined hands with that Devil Sect's Ren Woxing to kill Dongfang Bubai and let Ren Woxing regained the throne of the Devil Sect. Heng-Shan School's headmaster unexpectedly took part in such a big matter for the Devil Sect, can't this be called creating trouble?"

"Yes, yes," Linghu Chong replied. He didn't want to talk about this matter so he changed to another subject, "At the meeting on Songshan today, Martial Uncle Zuo's intention is to merge the five mountains sword schools into one to make the Five Mountains School. What do the two honourables think of this?"