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

Unable To Withdraw, The Post Of Authority Is Linked To Greed And Wrath Part 1

Xu Zhu woke up the next morning, he found himself sleeping on a warm and soft bed, he open his eyes and look outside the bed's veil, he is resting in an enormous room, the room is spacious and empty, similar to the meditation room in Shaolin Temple, the furnishing in the room is ancient and elegant, copper cauldron and potteries, it is somewhat similar to the copper bell and iron stove of Shaolin Temple. Currently he is still in a daze, he is perplexed by the sight before him.

A young maiden prop a porcelain bowl and arrive by his bedside, it is Orchid Sword, she said: "Owner, you woke up? Please rinse your mouth."

Xu Zhu is still drunk from the previous night, a bitter taste lingered in his mouth, his throat parched and dry, upon seeing the glistening yellow tea in the bowl he picked it up and drank it, the liquid is sweet yet bitter, it does not taste like tea, with a 'Gudu Gudu' sound he drank all of it cleanly. Throughout his entire life, when has he ever tasted ginseng soup? He did not know what kind of bitter tea it is, he laugh and said: "Many thanks to elder sister! I....i like to get out of bed now, elder sister please go out now!"

Orchid Sword has yet to reply as another young maiden entered the room, it is Chrysanthemum Sword, she smile and said: "The two of us sisters will serve Owner and help you dress." She picked up a set of light green undergarment and underpants from the chair by the bedside and stuff it under Xu Zhu's quilt.

Xu Zhu is greatly embarrass, his entire face blush deep red, he said: "No, no, i....i don't need elder sister to serve me. I am not injured or ill, i am merely drunk, sigh, i even broke the prohibition against wine. The scripture says: 'There are 36 losses in drinking wine'. It is best if i don't drink any wine in the future. Where is third younger brother? Where is gentleman Duan? Where is he?"

Orchid Sword purse her lips, she smile and said: "Gentleman Duan already went down the mountain. Before leaving he ordered servant to report to Owner, he invite Owner to meet together at Central Plains once everything is settled at Vulture Palace."

Xu Zhu yell out: "Aiyo!" he said: "I still have some things to ask him, how come he left?" He is anxious and leap up from the bed, he wanted to chase after Duan Yu and inquire about the name and dwelling place of his "Dream Maiden", unexpectedly he found himself dressed in clean white underpants, he cried out in surprise and pull up his quilt to cover his body, he said: "How come my clothe is changed?" The underpants he wore out of Shaolin Temple is made of coarse fabric, he wore it for over half a year and it is unbearably filthy and tattered, the one he is wearing now is light and soft, he don't know if it is damask or satin, but nevertheless it is still a precious underpants.

Chrysanthemum Sword smile and said: "Owner was intoxicated last night, we four sisters help Owner to bathe and change clothes, Owner is not aware of it?"

Xu Zhu had a huge shock, he raise his head and look at Orchid Sword and Chrysanthemum Sword, they are pretty like a jade, their smiling face surpass a booming flower, he cannot help it as his heart thumped around madly, he stretch out his arm, the undergarment slide off his arm and exposed his faint red skin, evidently the filth and dirt he accumulated had all been wash off cleanly, but he still harbored a thin ray of hope, he force a smile and said: "I am indeed muddled from my intoxication, fortunately i am still able to take a bathe by myself." Orchid Sword smile and said: "Owner could not move at all last night, we four sisters help Owner to bathe." Xu Zhu cried out loudly in surprise, he almost fainted, he drop to the ground and cried out repeated: "Terrible, terrible!"

Orchid Sword and Chrysanthemum Sword was frighten by him as well, they ask in unison: "Owner, what's wrong?" Xu Zhu force a bitter laugh and said: "I am a man, in the presence of you four sisters....completely naked, isn't it.....isn't it extremely terrible? Moreover my entire body is covered with dirt, it is filthy and smelly, how can i involve you sisters in doing such sordid affairs?" Orchid Sword said: "We four sisters are Owner's slave, it is only rightful even if our bodies are torn and bones crushed, slave servant made a mistake, Owner please punish us." as she finish speaking, she and Chrysanthemum Sword prostrate themselves simultaneously.

Xu Zhu saw their expression of great fear, he recalled Grandma Yu, Sister Shi, etc, he treated them with due respect but they were so frightened that their bodies trembled, he presume Orchid Sword and Chrysanthemum Sword are accustomed to Child Elder's manner of speech, so long as her words are somewhat warm, her expression soft and tender, a kill will follow closely right away, he quickly said: "Two sisters....en, both of you get up quickly, go out, i will dress myself, no need for you to serve me." Orchid and Chrysanthemum Sword got up, their eyes brimming with tears, they move backwards while going out. Xu Zhu was baffled, he ask: "I....did i offend both of you? Why are you unhappy, your eyes brimming with tears? I am afraid i might have said something wrong, this...."

Chrysanthemum Sword said: "Owner want us to go out, we are not allowed to help Owner wear clothes and wash, surely you loathe and dislike us...." while speaking tears roll down her eyes. Xu Zhu wave his hands repeatedly and said: "No, no. Sigh, i am a man, all of you are women, it is....it is not too convenient...there is really no other intentions...Buddha is watching, monks cannot tell lies, i won't lie to you."

Orchid and Chrysanthemum Sword watch him gesticulate while talking, he is really anxious, he is extremely sincere and honest, their grief turn into happiness, they said in unison: "Owner please don't take offense. No man has ever reside in Vulture Palace before, we have never seen a man before. Owner you are the sky, we slave servants are the ground, how can there be a difference in male and female?" Both of them move closer, they help Xu Zhu wear his clothes and shoes. Soon after, Plum Sword and Bamboo Sword also entered the room, one of them help him comb his hair, the other wash his face. Xu Zhu is so frighten that he don't dare to speak, his expression deathly pale, his heart thumped madly, he allowed the four sisters to serve him, he don't dare to mention anything about forbidding them to serve him anymore.

He presume Duan Yu must be at a remote distance already, he cannot chase after him, he recalled the 'Life-death talisman' have yet to be remove from the bodies of the various Island-Masters and Cave-Masters, he cannot leave abruptly, after finishing his breakfast he arrive at the hall and meet up with the crowd of heroes, he remove the 'Life-death talisman' from two person who suffered the most severe pain.

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Removal of 'Life-death talisman' requires the use of inner power and [Six Solar Palms Of Heavenly Mountain], Xu Zhu's internal energy is abundant and vigorous, he remove the 'Life-death talisman' from 10 people in succession, yet he was neither tired nor exhausted, however the 'Life-death talisman' planted by Child Elder on each person is unique in it is location and use of inner power, Xu Zhu's method of removal is fine and meticulous, however he is still troubled by the difficulty. His knowledge on the various meridian channels and acupoint is extremely shallow, he don't dare to act rashly, any mistakes would inevitably endanger his patients. Till noon, unexpectedly he only manage to treat four people. After having his lunch he had very little rest.

Plum Sword saw him wrinkled his brows, he is contemplating the method to removing 'Life-death talisman', he is quite troubled, she said: "Owner, inside the grotto in the rear hall of Vulture Palace, there are images engraved on the stone wall, left behind several hundred years ago by the former Owner, servant heard granny mention it before, these images are related to the 'Life-death talisman', Owner why don't you go take a look?" Xu Zhu said happily: "Very good!"

At once Plum, Orchid, Bamboo and Chrysanthemum Sword, four pretty women guide Xu Zhu and arrive at the garden, they activated some mechanism and move away a rockery, revealing an entrance to a tunnel, Plum Sword lifted a torch and led the way, five of them move in a single file and entered. During the journey, Plum Sword constantly manipulated various hidden mechanisms, this is to prevent setting off the concealed weapons and booby-traps. The tunnel is winding and complicated, it spiral downwards, suddenly it open up wide, revealing a gigantic grotto, clearly the tunnel is constructed in accordance with the natural cave. Xu Zhu pondered: "They said the grotto contain images left behind several hundred years ago by the former Owner, the architecture of these tunnel and grotto is magnificent, it require at least 10 years of work, consuming massive resources and manpower, it is simply beyond the capabilities of these grannies and sisters of Vulture Palace, most likely the grotto is left behind by the former Owner as well."

Bamboo Sword said: "When those flunkies attacked the Palace, the sisters from Great Heaven Division got captured, we four sisters are unable to resist the enemy and escaped here to hide, we hope to wait till dusk before attempting to rescue people." Orchid Sword said: "Actually it is just our modest intentions to repay granny. If Owner did not arrive, we will inevitably die by the hands of those flunkies."

After travelling for 2 li, Plum Sword stretch out her hand and push away a rock on the left side, she stood to the side and said: "Owner please enter, this is the stone room, slave servants don't dare to enter." Xu Zhu said: "Why you don't dare to enter? It is dangerous inside?" Plum Sword said: "There is no danger. This room is an important place, slave servants don't dare to enter without authority." Xu Zhu said: "Let's us go in together, what is so important? The outside tunnel is so narrow, it is uncomfortable to stand here." The four sisters look at each other, they are pleasantly surprised.

Plum Sword said: "Before granny became an immortal, she told us, if we four sisters serve her faithfully and not commit any sins, and if we practice our skills diligently, then when we reach the age of forty, she will permit us to come to this stone cave yearly to study the martial arts on the rock wall. Even if Owner bestow great kindness upon us, without abolishing the promise made by granny, then we still have to wait another 23 years." Xu Zhu said: "Wait for another 23 years, won't you be stifled by the boredom? At that time all of you will be old, learn martial arts for what? Let us go in together!" The four sisters are exhilarated, at once they lie prostrate and kowtow. Xu Zhu said: "Please get up, please get up! This place is narrow, if i kneel down to return the greeting we will cram into a lump."

Five of them entered the stone room, the four rock walls are polished till gloss, countless circles are carved onto the walls, various figures and pictures are carved within the circles, some look like beast and animals, while some are badly damaged writings, some are seals and lines, beside the circles are annotations "Rank 1", "Rank 2", "Grade 1", "Grade 2", etc, if the number of circles does not exceed a thousand, it is at least eight to nine hundred, how can one finish looking through all of it within a short period of time?

Bamboo Sword said: "Let us look at the Rank 1 diagrams, Owner do you agree?" Xu Zhu nod his head in agreement. The five of them raise their torch and scrutinize the "Rank 1" circles, Xu Zhu gave a glance and immediately recognize the drawings within the circles as the first stance of [Plum Breaking Hands Of Heavenly Mountain], he said: "This is [Plum Breaking Hands Of Heavenly Mountains]" he look at the Rank 2 drawings, sure enough it is the second stance of [Plum Breaking Hands Of Heavenly Mountain], he look at the diagrams in succession, after finishing [Plum Breaking Hands Of Heavenly Mountain] the next drawing is [Six Solar Palms Of Heavenly Mountain], the various secrets and wondrous techniques imparted by Child Elder at the imperial palace of Western Xia, all of them are noted inside the circle without exception.

As for the martial arts depicted on the stone wall after [Six Solar Palms Of Heavenly Mountain], Xu Zhu have yet to learn them. He followed the diagrams and channel his internal energy, he merely learnt a few moves and his body became as light as a feather and rise up, however there seems to be some minor mistake as he was unable to lift off the ground.