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

A Beauty Abruptly Age, A Fleeting Moment Of Bliss Part 1

Wu LaoDa countenance change immediately, he is about to speak but Taoist BuPing cast a meaningful look at him, he smiled and said: "Gentleman Duan is a nobleman, you refuse to take advantage of other people's precarious position, a capable person with great style, admirable, admirable! Brother Wu, we will assault Misty Peak, the number one priority is to know the real situation at Vulture Palace. Cave-master An, Brother Wu, etc, the nine of you investigated personally, after that old witch left, how many experts are still at the Palace? How are they deployed? I assume Brother Wu is thorough in your investigation, please tell us and let everyone know, how about it?"

Wu LaoDa said: "I am really ashamed, we look around at Vulture Palace, but nobody dare to pry further, we did our utmost to conceal ourselves, we fear bumping into someone else. But while i was at the Palace's rear garden, i accidentally bump into a little girl. This child is a servant or maid, she suddenly raise her head, i did not have time to dodge and we met face-to-face. I am deeply afraid of leaking out the secret, i rush forward to capture her. Those ladies at the Palace, all of them are instructed by that old witch in martial arts, their skill is no small matter, although its just a child but i am afraid she is very capable. I rush towards her, i am fully aware that i will most probably die....."

His voice trembled, obviously the situation at that time was extremely dangerous, he cannot help but shiver when he recount it. Everyone see that his still safe and sound now, obviously he must have adverted the danger at Misty Peak, although he is forced to pick a fight at Misty Peak to get out of danger, but everyone felt he is rather reckless to attempt it.

Wu LaoDa continued: "When i rush forward, i use all my strength, i executed [Tiger Claw Skill] with my pair of hands, a thought flash through my mind at that time: 'If i can't catch that child with this move and she yell out to attract reinforcement, then i will simply jump off this peak which is several hundred zhang high, commit suicide cleanly to avoid being captured by the female commanders of that old witch and suffer endless misery.' Unexpectedly....unexpectedly my left-hand landed on her shoulder, right-hand gripping her arm, she did not resist at all, in an instant her body soften and she lost all her strength, she don't have the slightest bit of martial arts. I was overjoyed at the unexpected turn of event, i was so stunned that my legs became limp and painful, i am not afraid of being ridicule by everyone, i scared myself, that child turn soft and collapsed, i am useless, i also turn soft and collapsed."

As he finish speaking, the crowd laugh out loudly, the mood became relax. Although Wu LaoDa chastise himself for being a coward, but everyone knows that he is actually very brave and strong, he dare to capture someone at Misty Peak, how can it be a simple matter?

Wu LaoDa wave his hand, his subordinate carried a black cloth-sack, step forward and place it in front of him. Wu LaoDa untie the rope binding the sack, he pull open the sack and revealed a person.

Everyone cry out in surprise, that person's figure is very small, its a little girl.

Wu LaoDa said proudly: "This baby girl, i captured her from Misty Peak." Everyone cheered:

"Wu LaoDa is amazing! You are a hero!"

"Immortals from 36 Caves and 72 Islands, Wu LaoDa is at the top of the list!"

The cheers are intermixed with squeaking and wailing, the little girl is rubbing her face and crying.

Wu LaoDa said: "After capturing this female doll, we were afraid the news might leak out if we delay any longer, thus we left Misty Peak immediately. We questioned this girl repeatedly, but its a pity, she is mute. Initially we thought she pretended to be deaf and mute, we tried all sorts of method to test her, sometimes we shout loudly behind her back to check if she is scared, we try repeatedly, she is really deaf and mute."

The little girl is weeping, 'Ya Ya Ya', sure enough its the noise made by mute people. A person from the crowd ask: "Wu LaoDa, she can't speak, but can she write?" Wu LaoDa said: "She can't write as well. We beat her up, submerge her in water, burn her with fire, starve her, we tried all sorts of method, it seems she is not stubborn, she really don't know."

Duan Yu cannot help but said: "Using this kind of despicable method to torment a little girl, you are shameless!" Wu LaoDa said: "The sufferings and torment we suffered under Child Elder Of Heavenly Mountain, its 10 times worse, we are just paying it back, how can it be shameless?" Duan Yu said: "If you want revenge you should seek out Child Elder Of Heavenly Mountain, torturing her little servant girl, how is it useful?"

Wu LaoDa said: "Of course its useful." He raise his voice and said: "Brothers, today we work as one, we will rebel against Misty Peak, from now on we share all riches and suffer all misfortune together, everyone will swear an oath with blood to confirm this matter. Is there anyone who is unwilling?" He ask twice, no one speak out. He ask for the 3rd time, a tall and sturdy man turn around, he did not say anything and ran to the west.

Wu LaoDa shouted: "Sword-Fish Island Island-master Ou, where are you going?" The man did not reply, he kept running, his movement is extremely fast, in a blink of an eye he already pass a mountain depression. Everyone shouted: "He is a coward, running away prior to battle, intercept him quick." Immediately around 10 people give chase, all of them possess high-level lightness martial arts, but they are quite far from Island-master Ou, nobody knows if they can catch up.

Suddenly there is a miserable 'Ah' cry, it came from the rear of the mountain. Everyone had a shock, their countenance change, the 10 people who are chasing also stop moving, they heard the wind blowing, a spherical object swiftly flew up from the rear of the mountain, as it reach mid-air it fall straight towards the crowd.

Wu LaoDa leap forward and caught the spherical object, under the light the object is bloodied and mutilated, unexpectedly its a severed head, he look at the facial feature of the head, both the eyes wide open, its Island-master Ou, Wu LaoDa voice trembled: "Island-master Ou..." he cannot imagine how Island-master Ou died within such a short period of time, a terrible thought came to him: "Don't tell me Child Elder Of Heavenly Mountain has arrive?"

Taoist BuPing burst into loud laughter, he said brightly: "Sword God, Sword God, your reputation is indeed well-deserved, Brother Zhuo, your guard is really tight!"

A bright voice transmit from the rear of the mountain: "Running away prior to a battle, he should be put to death to avoid leaking out the secret. All the Cave-masters and Island-masters, please don't take offense."

Everyone rouse from their panic-stricken state, they said: "Luckily Sword God got rid of the traitor and prevent him from spoiling the matter."

Murong Fu and Deng BaiChuan pondered: "This person is known as 'Sword God', but isn't he a bit too arrogant and conceited. No matter how brilliant your sword art, how can you proclaim yourself as 'God'? I never heard of such person before, i wonder how brilliant is his sword art?"

Wu LaoDa is ashamed of being overly suspicious, he said loudly: "Brother, please take out your weapons, chop your sabre and thrust your sword at this little girl. Although this girl is young and mute, but she is still from Misty Peak, when your weapon is drenched in her blood you cannot reconcile with Misty Peak anymore, even if you have a change of heart you still cannot withdraw." As he finish speaking, he immediately raise his serrated-sabre.

A bunch of people shout in unison: "Correct, this should be the case! Everyone will swear an oath with blood, from now on you can only advance and not retreat, fight that old witch till death."

Duan Yu shouted: "You cannot do that, you must not do that. Brother Murong, please stop their savage act." Murong Fu shakes his head and said: "Brother Duan, their life and death is base on this single action, we are outsiders, we cannot meddle rashly." Duan Yu is boiling with righteous indignation, he shouted: "A man sees injustice, how can he shut his eyes and ignore it, Miss Wang, even if you rebuke me i still have to save her, but....but Duan Yu don't even have the strength to strangle a chicken, i am afraid its difficult for me to save her life. Hello, hello, Brother Deng, Brother GongYe, why aren't you helping? Brother Bao, Brother Feng, i will rush in to save her, you provide support, how about it?" Deng BaiChuan and the rest always take their cue from Murong Fu, since Murong Fu is unwilling to act they can only shake their head at Duan Yu, but their expression is apologetic.

Wu LaoDa heard Duan Yu making a big fuss, he thought: 'This person possess extremely high martial arts, its not easy to handle if he really wants to create trouble, the situation can change abruptly, its best to quickly end this matter', at once he raise his serrated-sabre and shouted: "Wu LaoDa will act first!" he swing his sabre and chop towards the little girl.

Duan Yu shouted: "Not good!" he extend his finger, he execute a move [ZhongChong Sword] and thrust it at the serrated-sabre. But he cannot control his [Six Meridians Divine Sword] at will, sometimes his internal energy is abundant, his power boundless and inexhaustible, but sometimes he can't even gather a tiny bit of internal energy, its entirely dependent on whether he is willing to focus completely on the task. Although he acted heroically to save the little girl, but ultimately its not the same passionate care he shower on Wang YuYan, as he thrust out the sword, his internal energy only reach his palm, it can't be fired out.

As the sabre was about to land on the little girl's body, suddenly a black shadow leap out from behind a rock, he wave his left palm, a powerful force knock Wu LaoDa away, the person's right hand grabbed the cloth-sack, he carried the sack along with the little girl on his back and rush quickly towards the North-west mountain peak.

Everyone shout in unison and chase after him. But the person's running speed is strangely quick, in an instant he already reach the jungle at the hillside. The various Cave-masters and Island-masters fired their hidden projectiles, but it hit the tree bark or got deflected by the branch and leaves.

Duan Yu is elated, his vision is sharp, he recognize the person, he met him at Su XingHe's chess meet, the person broke the incomparably complicated chess formation, sure enough, Murong Fu shouted out: "That person is a Shaolin monk, Xu Zhu." Duan Yu also shout: "Senior martial brother Xu Zhu, the one surnamed Duan will bow 10 times to you! Your Shaolin Temple is a giant among men, your reputation is indeed well deserved!"