DEMI GODS AND SEMI DEVILS BOOK 3 OF 5 (Breaching The Formation) by Jin Yong

Gray Journey Through The Snow Part 4

The Great Senior Martial Brother waited for him to finish, nodded his head, and said to Chuchenzi, "What did you tell him?"

Chuchenzi said, "I...I..."

The Great Senior Martial Brother said, "What did you say? Tell me."

Chuchenzi said, "I said...I said...that this Divine Wood King Cauldron is one of the three treasures of our sect, and that it's...it's...for practicing that great skill. I also said that Master stated that as soon as martial artists of the Central Plains hear of our Great Energy-Dissolving Skill, they would be so scared that their souls would fly away and scatter. If they saw this Divine Wood King Cauldron, they would definitely smash it to pieces. I said that this was a rare treasure and extremely important, thus...thus I asked him to return it."

The Great Senior Martial Brother said, "Very good. What did he say?"

Chuchenzi said, "He...he said nothing and just brought me down."

The Great Senior Martial Brother said, "You're very good. You told him that this Divine Wood King Cauldron is used for practicing our 'Great Energy-Dissolving Skill.' I'm afraid he doesn't know what the 'Great Energy-Dissolving Skill' is. When knowledgeable martial artists hear this name, they would be so scared that their souls would fly away and scatter. Wonderful, wonderful. Is he a martial artist from the Central Plains?"

Chuchenzi said, "I...don't know...know."

The Great Senior Martial Brother said, "Do you know or not know?" His voice was gentle, but such an unyielding and irascible person like Chuchenzi was so scared that it seemed as if his soul had left his body.

Teeth chattering with "gege" sounds, he said, "I...gege...I...gege...don't...don't...know...gege ...know...gege...know." These "gege" sounds were from his upper teeth and lower teeth striking against each other, and it was difficult for him to prevent it.

The Great Senior Martial Brother said, "So was he so scared that his soul flew away and scattered? Or was he not scared at all?"

Chuchenzi said, "It seemed like he...he...gege...was fine...and didn't seem...to be afraid."

The Great Senior Martial Brother said, "Can you guess why he wasn't afraid?"

Chuchenzi said, "I can't figure it out. Please...inform me, Great...Senior Martial Brother."

The Great Senior Martial Brother said, "Martial artists of the Central Plains are most afraid of our Great Energy-Dissolving Skill. The Divine Wood King Cauldron is necessary in order to practice this Great Energy-Dissolving Skill. Since this king cauldron has fallen into his hands, then we can't practice our Great Energy-Dissolving Skill, so therefore he's not afraid."

Chuchenzi said, "Yes, Great Senior Martial Brother is brilliant at understanding the enemy. Junior Martial Brother...Junior Martial Brother can't compare."

When Xiao Feng had encountered the Xingxiu Sect disciples earlier that day, he had felt that this Chuchenzi was the most straightforward and honest, so he had a fairly good opinion of him. When he saw him tremendously frightened of this Great Senior Martial Brother, he was quite inclined to rescue him. But who would've thought that the more he listened, the more he became unreasonable. This dwarf's words were contemptible as he desperately fawned and flattered. Xiao Feng thought, "This person isn't a good man. His life or death isn't important to me."

The Great Senior Martial Brother turned toward A'Zi and asked, "Who is Little Sister's brother-in-law?"

A'Zi said, "Oh, him? I'm afraid if I say it, you'll get scared."

The Great Senior Martial Brother said, "But there's no harm in saying it. If he's really a famous hero, then I, Zhaixingzi, will just keep him in mind."

When Xiao Feng heard him announcing his own name, he thought, "Zhaixingzi! How boastful! Judging from his motion of floating over a moment ago, his qinggong is extremely good, but he can't surpass Ba Tianshi of the Dali Kingdom or Yun Zhonghe of the Four Great Evils."

A'Zi said, "Oh, him? Great Senior Martial Brother, who are the best martial artists of the Central Plains?"

The Great Senior Martial Brother Zhaixingzi said, "Everyone says, 'Northern Qiao Feng, Southern Murong.' Don't tell me that both of them are your brother-in-laws?"

Xiao Feng's anger surged. He thought, "You're babbling nonsense, fellow. See if I don't make you know what's good and bad."

A'Zi laughed and said, "Great Senior Martial Brother, your words are really amusing. I only have one older sister, so how could I have two brother-in-laws?"

Zhaixingzi smiled and said, "I didn't know you only have one older sister. Mm, even if you only have one older sister, it's not strange if you have two brother-in-laws."

A'Zi said, "My brother-in-law has a huge temper. Next time I see him, I'll tell him these words, and you'll be in for some suffering. I'm telling you, my brother-in-law is the Chief of the Beggar Sect, 'Northern Qiao Feng' whose might shakes the Central Plains."

As soon as she said this, people of the Xingxiu Sect who had seen Xiao Feng were all alarmed and couldn't help but say "oh" in unison. The lion-nosed Second Senior Martial Brother said, "No wonder, no wonder. I accept my defeat at his hands."

Zhaixingzi knitted his brows slightly and said, "It'll be difficult now that the Divine Wood King Cauldron has fallen into the Beggar Clan's hands."

Although Chuchenzi was afraid, his talkative temperament didn't change. He said, "Great Senior Martial Brother, this Qiao Feng has long ceased to be the Chief of the Beggar Clan. You've just arrived from the west, so it may be assumed that you haven't heard of this recent major event in the Central Plains and Wulin. That Qiao Feng, that Qiao Feng, has already been expelled from the clan by everyone in the Beggar Clan!" Since this matter didn't concern himself, he spoke much more smoothly.

Zhaixingzi exhaled, and his taut face immediately relaxed. He asked, "So Qiao Feng was expelled from the Beggar Clan? Is this true?"

The fat third disciple said, "Everyone in Jianghu says so, and they also say that he's not a Han but a Khitan. All the heroes of the Central Plains want to kill him to be satisfied. It's said that this person killed his father, mother, martial master, and friends. He's despicable and lowly, and doesn't shrink from any crime."

Behind the mountain rock, Xiao Feng heard him recount his unfortunate experiences these past few months, and his heart couldn't help but ache. Although his martial arts were unparalleled in the world and his courage and insight were outstanding, his reputation in Jianghu was so unpleasant. It was an extremely tasteless feeling to be despised by all the heroes in the land.

Zhaixingzi asked A'Zi, "How could your older sister marry this kind of person? Don't tell me that all the people in the land have died off? Or was she first raped and then married, forced into becoming his wife?"

A'Zi laughed softly and said, "I don't know how she married him, but my older sister was struck by him with one palm."

Everyone said "oh." These people were hard-hearted and malicious in conduct, but upon hearing that Qiao Feng had not only killed his father, mother, martial master, and friends but also his wife with vicious methods rare in the land, they couldn't help but feel ashamed for being inferior, and conceded defeat.