DEMI GODS AND SEMI DEVILS BOOK 4 OF 5 (SONG OF THE CAVE IMMORTAL) by Jin Yong

Carefree For Now With No One Supervising Part 3

While enroute, Xu Zhu already listen to XuanNan narrate the impressive standings of Deaf Mute Old Man in the martial arts fraternity, its definitely not empty words when Su XingHe said no one dares to order him around. Xu Zhu said: "I don't dare to order you around, but i am merely advising you to cherish your life, its purely out of good intentions."

Su XingHe said: "I don't dare to question your intentions. If you ask me to die, i will die immediately. If you ask me to live, i don't dare to not live. This life and death order is the most powerful authority. If you are not my Sect Leader, how can you randomly order me to die or live?"

Xu Zhu can't dispute it, he said: "Even if so, then assume that i said the wrong words just now, i withdraw it."

Su XingHe said: "You withdraw the order that forbid me to commit suicide, then you are asking me to commit suicide. Affirmative, i will immediately commit suicide." His method of committing suicide is really unusual, he leap up again, flip upside down, head smashing towards the stone floor.

Xu Zhu again quickly hug him firmly, he said: "You cannot do that, you cannot do that! I am not asking you to commit suicide!" Su XingHe said: "En, you forbid me to commit suicide again. I will respectfully comply with Sect Leader's order!" Xu Zhu put him down, he scratch his bald head, he really don't know what to say.

Su XingHe is nicknamed Mr Intelligent, this nickname is not for fun, his naturally eloquent, although he never spoke a single word for the past 30 years, but now that he start speaking again his still eloquent. Xu Zhu is still young, his simple and unsophisticated, he never dispute or argue with his martial brothers at Shaolin Temple, how can he be a match against Su XingHe? Xu Zhu pondered: "Withdrawing the order that forbid him to commit suicide is not equivalent to asking him to commit suicide. Not asking him to commit suicide is not equivalent to forbidding him to commit suicide." But Su XingHe has the gift of the gab, he forestall him with every phrase and sentence, Xu Zhu have no way to defend himself, he stare blankly for quite some time, he sigh and said: "Senior, i can never win this debate against you. But you want me to join your sect, i really cannot comply."

Su XingHe said: "Before we came in here, what did XuanNan instruct you? The words of Master XuanNan, you will comply or not?" Xu Zhu was startled, he said: "Martial grandfather ask me.....ask me.....ask me to listen to you."

Su XingHe is very pleased, he said: "Yes, Master XuanNan ask you to listen to me. I am telling you: 'You should comply with our Master's order, become our Sect Leader.' But since you are the Sect Leader already then you don't have to listen to senior monks from Shaolin anymore. Thus, if you comply with Master XuanNan's order, then you are our Sect Leader, if you don't comply with Master XuanNan's order, you are still out Sect Leader. Only by becoming our Sect Leader can you ignore Master XuanNan's order, or else how can you disobey your martial grandfather's instruction?" When Xu Zhu listen to this line of reasoning he thought it made sense, his rendered speechless for a while.

Su XingHe said: "Martial brother, Master XuanNan and the rest of the Shaolin monks, all of them are poisoned by Ding ChunQiu, their life will be in danger if we don't save them quickly, currently only you alone is capable of saving them. Whether or not to save them is entirely dependent on you."

Xu Zhu said: "My martial grandfather is certainly poisoned by Ding ChunQiu, as for the rest they are injured, but.....but my ability is lowly, how can i save them?"

Su XingHe smiled and said: "Martial brother, our sect forte is not just restricted to martial arts, medicine, divination, music, chess, calligraphy, painting, our skills are all encompassing. You have a martial nephew called Xue MuHua, he only has superficial medical knowledge, but everyone calls him Divine Physician Xue, his nicknamed 'Enemy of King of Hell', isn't it laughable? XuanNan is injured by Ding ChunQiu's [Great Energy Dissolving Skill], the square-face monk is injured by that iron-head man's [Frost Silkworm Palm], the thin and tall monk is kicked by Ding ChunQiu on the left side of his torso around 3 inch below, he injured his meridians........"

Su XingHe kept talking non-stop, he narrated all the ailments and the origin of the injuries of everyone. Xu Zhu is very impress, he said: "Senior, i saw you concentrating on the chess match, you didn't even look carefully at them or even diagnose them, how come you know so much details?"

Su XingHe said: "The injuries inflicted by martial arts are so obvious that you can easily tell it from just one glance. Only those who are naturally weak and poor in health, or those that suffer cold and heat diseases, they are much harder to diagnose. Martial brother, you have our Master's 70 years of divine internal energy, its greatly beneficial for treating injuries and illnesses. Great Master XuanNan's meridians contain poison, its a bit difficult to restore his internal energy, but its effortless to treat his injuries and save his life." At once he taught Xu Zhu how to channel his energy to massage the acupoints, and the method to expel the frost poison. He also gave detailed guidance on the techniques involved in treating XuanNan, and the techniques involved in treating Feng BoE, since both their poison are different the techniques involved are also different.

Xu Zhu remembered all the techniques taught by Su XingHe, but he only knows how to apply but not the reasoning behind it.

Su XingHe saw Xu Zhu demonstration of the techniques, there are no mistakes, his face revealed a smile and praised: "Sect Leader's memory is excellent, you understand everything at once."

Xu Zhu saw his smile is rather furtive, its seem as if he harboured malicious intentions, he cannot help but ask: "Why are you smiling?" Su XingHe immediately became solemn, he bow respectfully and said: "Elder brother don't dare to laugh or smile, Sect Leader please forgive me if i am not respectful enough." Xu Zhu is anxious to treat everyone's injuries, thus he did not pursue this matter anymore, he said: "Let us go outside and take a look!" Su XingHe said: "Yes!" he followed behind Xu Zhu and they went outside the house.

They saw a bunch of injured people sitting cross-legged on the floor, Murong Fu is channelling his internal energy to help relief the suffering of Bao BuTong and Feng BoE. Wang YuYan is attending to GongYe Gan's injuries. Xue MuHua is sweating profusely, his constantly on the move, whoever is in critical condition he will immediately go over and try to save him, but once one patient quieten down another patient starts shouting again. Xue MuHua saw Su XingHe coming out of the house, he felt great comfort, he quickly rush towards him and said: "Master, please think of a method."

Xu Zhu walk towards XuanNan, his eyes are closed and his channelling his internal energy, Xu Zhu simply stood beside and dare not open his mouth to speak. XuanNan slowly open his eyes, he gave a sigh and said: "I am really incompetent, i suffered under the poisonous hands of Ding ChunQiu and tainted out Shaolin's reputation, i am really ashamed. Go back and report to to the abbot and tell him....and tell him that i and martial brother XuanTong cannot return back to Shaolin Temple anymore."

In the past, Xu Zhu met this martial grandfather before, his always stately, charismatic and reliable, but now his expression is sullen, an attitude of desolation, his speech hinted at his intentions to commit suicide, Xu Zhu quickly said: "Martial grandfather, please don't be too upset, as practitioners of martial arts, our heart must not have anger, no eagerness to compete, no desire in victory and defeat, no desire in gains and losses......." he kept reciting non-stop, unexpectedly these words are the exact same words used by XuanNan to admonish him and now he recited it back to XuanNan, but suddenly he realize that it doesn't seem right and he immediately shut up, but he had already said quite a few sentences.

XuanNan gave a slight smile and sigh: "Your words are correct, but your martial grandfather lost all his internal energy, i don't even have the strength to concentrate on Buddhism anymore."

Xu Zhu said: "Yes, yes, disciple is naive, i am talking rubbish." As he was about to try and treat XuanNan's injuries, he suddenly recalled the suspicious smile on Su XingHe, his was alarmed: "He ask me to use my palm and smack my martial grandfather's acupoint of the top of his head, how would i know his not trying to harm me? If i really smack down with my palm and unexpectedly kill my martial grandfather, then what should i do?"

XuanNan said: "Go report back to the abbot, our Shaolin Temple will meet great catastrophe in the future, he should take extra precautions against it, be careful when travelling back, you are pure and honest, i am not worried about your Buddhist prohibition and Buddhist devotion, but from now on you must put in more effort on 'intelligence and wisdom', you should study attentively the 4 scrolls of <Lankavatara Sutra>. Sigh, its a pity that i can no longer guide you."

Xu Zhu said: "Yes, yes." He saw how XuanNan is still concerned about him, he felt really grateful, he said: "Martial grandfather, since our Temple will have great catastrophe, we need you to take care of yourself and go back to assist the abbot, together we will drive away the enemy." XuanNan force a bitter smile and said: "I...i am hit by Ding ChunQiu [Great Energy Dissolving Skill], i am already a handicapped person, how can i assist the abbot and drive away the enemy?" Xu Zhu said: "Martial grandfather, Mr Intelligent taught me a set of healing method, disciple is overestimating his ability but i wish to try it on martial uncle HuiFang, i ask martial grandfather for permission."

XuanNan is flabbergasted, he knew the Deaf Mute Old Man is the Master of Divine Physician Xue, the healing method imparted by him must be sensible, but he don't understand why Su XingHe or even Xue MuHua don't come forth personally and provide the treatment, he said: "The method imparted by Mr Intelligent is obviously ingenious." He gave a glance at Su XingHe and said to Xu Zhu: "Go and try it."