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

Laughing In Unison, It Was All For Naught In The End Part 5

They travelled west for several days, the Clear Heaven Division and Vermillion Heaven Division dispatch their riders and summon back the Scarlet Heaven Division, Sun Heaven Division, Mysterious Heaven Division, Serene Heaven Division and Phoenix Heaven Division, only Perfect Heaven Division have yet to receive news as they are too far west in their search for Child Elder. There is not a single man at Vulture Palace, Xu Zhu is travelling with several hundred females, he felt really embarrass. Fortunately the females are extremely respectful towards him, none of them dare to speak with him unless he have something to inquire, this made things much easier for him.

One day, while travelling, a green-clothed female suddenly rode back swiftly, she is a sentry rider from Sun Heaven Division who is scouting ahead, she wave her green flag, indicating that there is some unforeseen event in front. She rode to the chief of her division and report the matter quickly.

The chief of Sun Heaven Division is around 20 years of age, she is called Fu MinYi, once she finish listening to the report she immediately dismount and ran towards Xu Zhu and said: "Reporting to Owner: My sentry rider scouted ahead, the slaves from 36 Caves and 72 Islands, they seize the opportunity when old Honourable Master is in trouble, unexpectedly they have the guts to revolt, currently they are attacking the Palace. Great Heaven Division is guarding the path up Misty Peak, those bunch of demons can't get their way, however the sisters sent by Great Heaven Division to ask for assistance are injured by those demons."

Xu Zhu already knew the intentions of the Island-masters and Cave-masters to revolt, he assume that since they can't capture Child Elder, Taoist BuPing died by his hands, Wu LaoDa sustained serious injuries, thus they lack a powerful figure to take the lead and they will eventually retreat and scatter, unexpectedly the matter is 4 months long and they still gather together to attack Misty Peak. He grew up in Shaolin Temple since childhood, he never left the Temple, thus he is unfamiliar with worldly affairs, he really don't know how to handle this kind of major event, he muttered to himself: "This....this....."

He heard the sound of horse hooves, two horse riders are rushing over, leading in front is another sentry rider from Sun Heaven Division, the second horse carried a yellow-clothed female, her entire body covered with blood, her left arm is chop off by someone. Fu MinYi's expression is sorrowful and indignant, she said: "Owner, this is the chief of Great Heaven Division, sister Cheng, i am afraid she won't live." The female who is surnamed Cheng had fainted, the group of female quickly staunch her bleeding to save her, her breathing is weak and faint, she is about to die.

Xu Zhu look at her injury, Mr Intelligent Su XingHe taught him how to treat such injury before, at once he urge the camel and rush forward, he flick his middle finger in succession, he sealed off the acupoints near the broken arm, the bleeding stop immediately. When he flick his finger the 6th time, he executed a move taught by Child Elder, 'Star Pill Jumping Dice', a stream of [Pure Energy of Northern Darkness] entered her 'ZhongFu' acupoint. The female cry out loudly and woke up, she shouted: "All sisters, quick, quick, quickly provide support to Misty Peak, we....we can't resist anymore!"

Xu Zhu execute this technique and flick his finger at empty air, he is not trying to show off his divine skills, but merely because the female is a young lady in her prime, although he is not a monk anymore but he still adhere strictly to Buddhist regulations and keep a distance away from women, he don't dare to stretch out his hands to touch her body, unexpectedly under his numerous flicking the end result is simply miraculous. Currently his body possess the internal energy of Child Elder, Wu YaZi and Li QiuShui, the three great masters from Carefree Sect, his internal energy is truly no small matter.

All the females complied with the orders of Child Elder, they treat Xu Zhu as their new Master, however Xu Zhu is too young, his words and actions rather foolish and stupid, in their heart they really don't know how to respect him, moreover 80-90% of the females at Vulture Palace suffered great humiliations from men, they are either abandon by men or had their families wiped out, under the influence of the perverse Child Elder, they always regard men as vipers or ferocious beasts. At this moment, they witness Xu Zhu execute his moves and recognize it as martial arts of Vulture Palace, moreover his internal energy is extremely pure, unexpectedly it is far superior compared with their old Honourable Master. The group of females are extremely shock, they cheer in unison, all of them prostrate on the ground as if by prior agreement. Xu Zhu said in alarm: "What is this? Quickly get up, get up."

Someone said to the female surnamed Cheng: "Honourable Master became an immortal, this youngster is the benefactor of Honourable Master, he is also her successor, he is the new Master of Vulture Palace." the female is called Cheng QingShuang, she struggled to dismount her horse, she kowtow to Xu Zhu and said: "I thank Honourable Master for saving me, please....please.....Honourable Master please save our sisters at Misty Peak, everyone endured for 10 days, we are heavily outnumbered, we are really in extremely.....extremely critical condition." when she finish speaking she lay prostrate on the ground, she can't even raise her head.

Xu Zhu quickly said: "Sister Shi, quickly support her up. Grandma Yu, you...what do you think we should do?"

Grandma Yu travelled with this new owner for over 10 days, she is well aware that he is honest and naive, he is unfamiliar with worldly affair, she said: "Informing Owner, if we go to Misty Peak now it will require 2 days of travel, Owner can order slave servant to command my division, we will immediately rush ahead to provide assistance. Owner will lead the rest of our sisters and arrive soon after. When Owner arrives those demons will naturally disintegrate and vanish, there is no need to worry."

Xu Zhu nod his head, but he still feel the matter is a bit inappropriate, he don't know how to comment for the moment.

Grandma Yu turn her head and said to Fu MinYi: "Sister Fu, Owner will display his skill and those bunch of demons will be frighten off, but the cassock he is wearing is not spectacular enough. You are the divine seamstress of our Palace, quickly make a new cassock for Owner!" Fu MinYi said: "Precisely! Sister is also thinking about the same thing."

Xu Zhu was startled, he is worried about urgent matters, how come they are making cassock now? Its really the opinion of married women. However these females are indeed married women, their views are precisely those of married women.

The group of females are all gazing at Xu Zhu, waiting for his orders. Xu Zhu lowered his head, the monk robe he is wearing is tattered and filthy, he didn't wash it for 4 months, its extremely smelly and hard to bear. He was instructed by his master since childhood, he have to study the Five Aggregates of emptiness, he cannot hanker after clothes and food, thus he did not care about such matters at all, but now Grandma Yu mention the matter, he also notice his female subordinates are wearing gorgeous clothes, he cannot help but feel ashamed, moreover he is not a monk anymore but he is still wearing monk robe, its really not acceptable. In reality, the females already treat him as their owner, why would they make fun of his clothes? The group of females look at his expression and his eyes, whether he is happy or angry, his intentions, however Xu Zhu is feeling ashamed and inferior, his expression bashful.

Grandma Yu wait for some time, she inquire again: "Owner, slave servant will move on ahead first, what do you think?"

Xu Zhu said: "Let us go together, saving people is important. My clothe is simply too filthy, later i.....i will go wash, to avoid letting you all smell its stench...." he urge his camel and rush on ahead first. The group of females felt the same anger and hatred towards their enemies, they urge their mounts and followed him. Camel can run longer, while sprinting its speed exceeds a horse, the party rush for 10 li and finally stop to rest, they light a fire to prepared meals.

Grandma Yu pointed at a mountain peak in the north-west corner, she said to Xu Zhu: "Owner, that is Misty Peak. The mountain peak is shrouded in mist throughout the year, when you look at it from far it is faint and indistinct, thus it is known as Misty Peak." Xu Zhu said: "Its seems we are still very far, the sooner we arrive the better, we should travel throughout the night as well." The group of females said: "Yes! Many thanks to Owner for your concern for the slave servants of Great Heaven Division." after finishing their meals, they mount the camels and travelled again, when they reach the base of Misty Peak its already the dawn of 2nd day.

Fu MinYi clasp a multi-coloured object and walk towards Xu Zhu, she bow and said: "Slave servant skill is crude and lowly, i invite Owner to reward me by wearing it." Xu Zhu said curiously: "What is that?" he receive the object and shake it open, its a men's robe, its patched together using many strip of brocade, red, yellow, green, purple, black, all kinds of brocade stripe, its luxurious and elegant. As it turns out, Fu MinYi cut off some cloth off the cloaks of the group of females, she made a robe for Xu Zhu.

Xu Zhu is shock yet happy, he said: "Lady Fu you are indeed worthy of being called Divine Seamstress', while riding on camel unexpectedly you can make such beautiful clothe." At once he remove his monk robe and wore the new robe, it fit him perfectly, the cuff and collar is made of gray mink fur, the mink fur is also cut off from the female clothes. Although Xu Zhu is ugly, but when he wore the luxurious robe at once his vigor is displayed prominently, everyone cheered. Xu Zhu expression is timid and bashful, he don't know what to do.