DEMI GODS AND SEMI DEVILS Book 1 of 5 (Adventures of The Youth) by Jin Yong

Boundless Regrets of Profligate Love Part 3

Seeing the cold expression on her face, and hearing how resolute and unhesitating her words were, Duan Zhengchun didn't dare to behave with impropriety. He asked, "Baobao, what type of husband did you marry yourself to?" Madame Zhong said, "My husband is ugly in appearance, has a strange temperament, inferior martial arts compared to you, inferior talent compared to you, and certainly does not have your riches and glorious life. But he loves me whole-heartedly, and I treat him the same way. If I, Gan Baobao, do anything to betray him, let heaven punish me and the earth extinguish me, and let ten thousand calamities prevent me from being reincarnated. I'll tell you something right now. The place where I live with him is called the 'Ten Thousand Calamities Gorge'. The name comes from this deadly oath I have sworn."

Duan Zhengchun couldn't help but feel respect in his heart, and no longer dared to bring up their old love from bygone days. But even though he no longer spoke of it, he saw that Gan Baobao's white, tender face was as beautiful as it was in the past, as was her slightly lifted, cherry-red lips. How could he forget about their former passion? Hearing how devoted she was to her husband from her speech, he couldn't help but feel sourness in his heart. He let out a long sigh. "Baobao, I am an unlucky man. I don't have the fortune to be treated so well by you. Initially...initially, I knew you before he did. Alas! It is my own fault."

Madame Zhong heard the desolate sound of his voice and the profound, sincere emotions in it. These words were not said to deceive her. Once again, her eyes reddened.

The three people silently faced each other, all of their thoughts wandering to the past. In all three of their hearts was a mixture of joy and sorrow.

After a long while, Duan Zhengchun gently asked, "You've kidnapped my son. Why? Baobao, where is your Ten Thousand Calamities Gorge?"

From outside the window, a grating voice said, "Do not tell him." Duan Zhengchun was startled, and thought to himself, "Chu Wanli and the others are standing guard outside. How did this person manage to sneak his way in?" Madame Zhong's face dropped. "Your injuries aren't healed yet. What are you doing here?"

Following her words, a female voice rang out. "Mr. Zhong, please enter." Upon hearing this voice, Duan Zhengchun was even more surprised. He couldn't help but blush fiercely, his face turning red all the way to his ears.

The curtained door to the warm pavilion was parted, and Dao Baifeng walked in. A furious expression was on her face, and behind her followed an exceptionally ugly man with a long, horse-like face.

As it turned out, Qin Hongmian's mission of assassination in Gusu was a failure, and she was parted from her beloved daughter. Consequently, as had been agreed upon, she came south to Dali to visit with her martial sister. The Wang family of Gusu sent Granny Rui and Granny Ping to pursue and attack Mu Wanqing. But because Qin Hongmian fell behind by a bit, her journey was peaceful and undisturbed. After arriving at the Ten Thousand Calamities Gorge, in order to ascertain the situation, she came out with Madame Zhong.

On the road, she came upon the 'Three Evils', Ye Erniang, the Divine Crocodile of the Southern Seas, and Yun Zhonghe. These 'Three Evils' had been invited by Zhong Wanchou to help assist him in his efforts against Duan Zhengchun, and immediately began discussing the situation with Madame Zhong. Naturally, the matter of the Divine Crocodile having accepted Duan Yu as his master was glossed over. Upon hearing that Mu Wanqing was currently residing within Dali's South-Subduing Palace, Qin Hongmian immediately accompanied them to the palace.

Zhong Wanchou loved his wife even more than his own life, and was an extremely jealous person to begin with. Ever since she had left, he had been very restless and could not find any peace of mind. He no longer cared that his injury was as-yet not fully healed, and secret left at midnight to follow her. Outside the South-Subduing Palace, he ran into Dao Baifeng, who was about to leave. Both were filled with a belly full of anger. Each began to insult the other, and soon, the two came to blows. After fighting for some time, Dao Baifeng was slowly finding it hard to sustain herself. Then suddenly a person dressed in black flitted past, her face covered with sobs. It was Mu Wanqing. Both of them called out to her, but she ignored them both and fled.

Zhong Wanchou shouted, "I'm going to go find my wife. I don't have the time to spare, fighting you!" Dao Baifeng asked, "Where are you going to find your wife?" Zhong Wanchou replied, "The home of Duan Zhengchun, that thieving dog. If my wife meets up with him, everything will become disastrous!"

Dao Baifeng asked him, "Why will everything become disastrous?" Zhong Wanchou replied, "Duan Zhengchun is full of sweet and honeyed words. He's a pretty boy who knows how to deceive women. I definitely must kill him!"

Dao Baifeng thought to herself, "Zhengchun is in his forties now, and has a large beard. How can he be considered a 'pretty boy'? But he really does have a playboy's heart. This horse-faced man's words can't be ignored." Inquiring as to who his wife was, she realized that the person was Gan Baobao. She knew long ago that the 'Lovely Poisonist' Gan Baobao was one of her husband's former flames. Her jealousy became all the greater, and she immediately accompanied Zhong Wanchou and returned to the palace.

Even though the palace was tightly guarded, upon seeing the princess, the guardsmen would naturally give way. And so the two easily made their way to the warm pavilion without a single person issuing a warning call. The words which Duan Zhengchun had said to Gan Baobao and Qin Hongmian, his teasing and his flirting, had been heard by both of them from outside the window. Listening, Dao Baifeng was so infuriated that her chest felt as though it would explode. Zhong Wanchou, on the other hand, listening to how properly his wife behaved, was filled with ecstatic joy.

Zhong Wanchou rushed to his wife's side, filled with affection and happiness. He winded around her multiple times, then said, "Baobao, thank you...thank you for being so good to me. If he dares to bully you, I'll fight to the death with him." A long time passed before he realized that his wife's acupoints had been sealed. Turning his head, he barked towards Duan Zhengchun, "Hurry up and unseal my wife's acupoints!"

Duan Zhengchun replied, "My son has been abducted by you. Once you release my son, I naturally will release your lady wife."

Zhong Wanchou stretched out his hands and struck the acupoints on his wife's waist. But no matter how he pinched or struck, he was unable to unseal them. Although his internal energy was very strong, the technique behind the Duan family's "Solitary Solar Finger" was unparalleled under heaven, and outsiders could not hope to counter it. He exerted so much effort that all his muscles bulged.

Madame Zhong was pinched and struck by him repeatedly, causing her to feel both ticklish and pained, but the sealed acupoint on her leg wasn't even slightly opened. Madame Zhong furiously said, "You idiot, stop making a fool out of yourself." Zhong Wanchou angrily stopped his efforts. His fury bottled up with nowhere to go, he exploded, "Duan Zhengchun, come and f.ucking fight with me for three hundred stances!" Grinding his fists and stretching out his palms, he was about to go forward and start fighting.

Madame Zhong said coldly, "Prince Duan, your son has been kidnapped by the Divine Crocodile and the others. Even if my husband wanted them to release him, these evil people might not necessarily do so. Let me and my martial sister go back, and wait for a chance to rescue him. This could conceivably work. At the very least, I can keep them from mistreating your son."

Duan Zhengchun shook his head. "I can't trust in that. Mr. Zhong, go back home. Come back to me with my son, and I will release your wife to you."

Zhong Wanchou was infuriated, and loudly roared, "Your South-Subduing Palace is a shameless place! If my wife is left here, she will be subject to ten thousand dangers." Duan Zhengchun's face reddened. He shouted out, "If such rude words continue to spew forth from your mouth, do not blame me from being discourteous as well!"

After entering the room, Dao Baifeng didn't say a single word. Now, she suddenly spoke. "What is the purpose behind you keeping these two women here? Is it really for Yu'er? Or is it for your own sake."

Duan Zhengchun let out a sigh. "Even you do not trust me." He pointed backwards and struck Qin Hongmian's waist, unsealing her acupoint. Taking another step, he struck towards Madame Zhong's waist as well.

But Zhong Wanchou stepped between his wife and Duan Zhengchun. Shaking his two hands hurriedly, he yelled loudly, "You are a sly and sneaky chap. You are an expert at taking advantage of women! You aren't allowed to touch my wife's body at all." Duan Zhengchun laughed bitterly, "Although my acupoint-sealing skill is shallow and superficial, outsiders cannot break it easily. If too much time passes, I'm afraid that Madame Zhong's legs will become permanently crippled." Zhong Wanchou angrily retorted, "My beautiful, flower-like wife, as precious as a piece of jade, is currently in perfectly good health. If she becomes a cripple, I'll tear your bastard dog's son into a thousand pieces!" Duan Zhengchun laughed. "You want me to unseal her acupoint, but you won't let me touch her body. What exactly do you want me to do?"

Zhong Wanchou was speechless for a moment. Suddenly, he let out an indignant shout. "Who told you to seal my wife's acupoints? Wait. Crap! When you sealed her acupoints, you already touched her body! I'm going to go poke your wife's body as well!"

Madame Zhang glared at him. She angrily said, "You're talking rubbish again. Aren't you afraid of others laughing at you?" Zhong Wanchou said, "What's there to laugh at? I refuse to let others take such a big advantage over me!"