Chapter - 16 Gaining Blood (2/2)

“He heard second brother’s words, but didn’t even dare to look at second brother. I’d say he is afraid, indeed. I am not saying that he is afraid of second brother. He is afraid that if he gets distracted, the seven enemies would attack all at once, and he would end up being chopped into eight pieces,” Flower Fairy speculated.

“This short priest is already so small, if he gets chopped into eight pieces, isn’t he going to be even smaller?” Leaf Fairy chortled.

Although Linghu Chong bore a grudge against Yu Canghai, seeing that Yu was surrounded by tough enemies, he didn’t want to take advantage of Yu’s situation.

“Six Fairy Brothers, this Priest is the Head Master of Qingcheng,” he said.

“Head Master of Qingcheng? Big deal! Is he a friend of yours?” Root Fairy asked.

“I dare not make friends with his high social position. He is not my friend,” Linghu Chong answered.

“Great! If he is not your friend, then we’ve gotten a good show going here!” Trunk Fairy grinned.

“Bring me some wine! Hurry up! I want to enjoy my wine while watching how the short priest will be chopped into nine pieces,” Flower Fairy shouted, smacking the table in front of him loudly.

“Why nine pieces?” Leaf Fairy asked.

“Look at that mendicant monk over there. He is wielding two Tiger-Head Machetes, that’s why he’ll produce one more piece,” Flower Fairy explained.

“That’s not likely. Some of these people use a Wolf-Fanged Hammer and some others use a Golden Cane. How are they going to chop?” Leaf Fairy argued.

“Let’s be quiet,” Linghu Chong urged. “We are not helping either side. Let’s not distract Master Yu, the Head Master of the Qingcheng Sword School.”

The Peach Valley’s Six Fairies stopped talking, and all stared at Yu Canghai with fixed eyes and big grins on their faces.

One by one, Linghu Chong surveyed at the seven people who surrounded Yu Canghai. The first one was a mendicant monk, his long hair well reaching his shoulder. A shining copper hoop on his head bound the long hair together, and a pair of crescent shaped Tiger-Head Machetes sat on the side of his table. Sitting at the next bench was a woman in her fifties. Her hair had patches of grey, and her face was covered by some kind of a grim complexion. She had a two-feet long short knife lying by her side. Next to her were a monk and a Taoist priest. A red frock, as red as blood, draped over the monk’s shoulder, and an alms-bowl and a cymbal lay silently by his side. Both the alms-bowl and the cymbal were made of fine steel. The steel cymbal had very sharp edges – obviously it was a formidable weapon. The Taoist priest had a tall build. An octagonal Wolf-Fanged Hammer, which appeared to be very heavy, sat on his bench next to him. On the bench to the right of the Taoist priest sat a middle-aged beggar with his legs stretched out, and two green snakes coiled around his head and his shoulders. Both of the snakes had triangular shaped heads; their long tongues shot in and out viciously. The last two were a man and a woman. The man had a blind left eye while the woman had a blind right eye. Each had a cane leaning against his or her bench. The bodies of the two canes were extra thick and shined with a glistening golden color. If they were truly made of gold, the weight would have been extraordinary. Both the man and the woman were in their forties, and looked just like any down-hearted wanderers in the Martial World, yet they carried with them such expensive canes, making an unspeakably eerie scene.

The mendicant monk fixed his eyes at Yu Canghai with ferocious stares, and slowly he reached out with both hands and grabbed onto the handles of the two machetes. The beggar took off the snake around his neck and then coiled it on his right arm, aiming the head of the snake at Yu Canghai. The other monk picked up his steel cymbal, the Taoist priest lifted his Wolf-Fanged Hammer, and the middle-aged woman also placed the short knife in her grip. Obviously, they were ready to launch a synchronized attack.

“Winning by numbers, isn’t that the old trick of you heretical, evil demons? Bring it on! Yu Canghai is not afraid of you.” Yu Canghai let out a hollow laugh.

“Yu Canghai, we don’t want to kill you,” the one-eyed man suddenly spoke.

“That’s right. As long as you behave yourself and hand over the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript,’ we’ll let you leave with no troubles,” the one-eyed woman exclaimed.

Yue Buqun, Linghu Chong, Lin Pingzhi, and Yue Lingshan were all taken by big surprise when they heard the woman mentioning the “Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript,” neither had expected that the reason these seven people had surrounded Yu Canghai was actually for the sake of the “Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript.” They exchanged a few stares among themselves; all had the same thought in their minds: “Could this ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript’ really be in Yu Canghai’s hands?”

“Why wasting time with this dwarf? Let’s whack him first and then search his body,” the middle-aged woman said in a chilling tone.

“Maybe he hid it in a secret spot. If we can’t find it on him after we whack him, wouldn’t that be too bad?” the one-eyed woman said.

“If we can’t find it, we can’t find it. It’s not going to be any worse.” The middle-aged woman curled her lips. She spoke in such an indistinct manner, turned out that more than half of her teeth were already gone.

“Yu Canghai, if you listen to my advice, you’d better give it up. This sword art manuscript is not yours to start with, anyway. You’ve already had it for so many days. I am sure you’ve read it so many times that you probably have memorized everything. Why still hold on to it so tight? What good does it do for you?” the one-eyed woman persuaded.

But Yu Canghai did not say a word, only gathering his inner energy around his lower stomach, absorbed in the pre-battle preparation.

Right at that moment, sounds of laughter floated in from outside as a man with all smiles walked in the door. The man was dressed in a long pongee robe. The top of his head was already half bald, but the beard under his chin did not have a sprinkle of grey. His clothes looking costly and luxurious, his face glowing with health, the man looked like a merchant prince. Holding an emerald snuff bottle in his left hand and a one-foot long folding fan in his right hand, the chubby man had an affable expression on his face.

After spotting the many people upon entering the restaurant, he was taken by surprise, and his smiles shrank back a little, but only seconds later, he was all smiles, once again.

“How fortunate! How fortunate! I had not expected that all the heroes of the present time have gathered here today. I must consider myself very fortunate, indeed!” he cupped his hands in greeting, his face beaming. “Now, which good breeze has brought the Master Yu of the Qingcheng Sword School here to the Henan Province?” he said to Yu Canghai. “I’ve long heard that the ‘Pine-Wind Sword Art’ of the Qingcheng Sword School is a unique and superb Kung Fu style of the Martial World. It looks like we are finally going to have the chance to broaden our horizons today.”

But Yu Canghai still focused on loading his inner energy and paid no attention to him.

Turning toward the one-eyed man and the one-eyed woman, the man cupped his hands with a big grin. “I have not seen the ‘Tung Cypress Whiz Duo’ wandering about the Martial World for a good while. Looks like you’ve made a good fortune in the last few years.”

“You flatter us. It’s nothing compare to what Mr. You makes,” the one-eyed man answered with a slight smile.

The man uttered three laughs at those words. “I’ve only gotten a facade. Whatever I earn with one hand, I spend with the other. Just from my nickname, people can tell that I only look good on the surface, but very hollow inside.”

“What is your nickname?” Branch Fairy couldn’t help but ask.

The man cast a glance toward Branch Fairy and soon found six strange looking fellows all staring at him curiously, but he had no clue as to who these six were and where they had come from.

“I have a very ugly nickname called ‘Slippery and Hard to Grip’,” he chortled as he spoke. “People say that I love to make friends, and for the sake of friendship, I never stint money and have no problem spending them. Hence, although I make good money, they don’t stay in my hands long, because I don’t have a good grip of them.”

“Doesn’t this friend You Xun, here, have another nickname?” the one-eyed man cut in.

“Really? How come I’ve never heard of it?” You Xun grinned.

“Loach Soaked in Oil, Slippery and Hard to Grip!” a cold voice suddenly spoke. The voice sounded indistinct, then, of course, it was the voice of the woman, who had lost over half of her teeth.

“Holy cow!” Flower Fairy yelled out. “A loach, itself, is extremely slippery, already. Now when it’s soaked in oil, who can ever get a good grip onto that?”

“That’s only because friends in the Martial World were flattering me, praising about my Qing-Gong skills, saying that I am as quick as a loach. But it is really embarrassing. This little Kung Fu of mine is really not worth mentioning. Madam Zhang, you are looking extremely good these days!” You Xun beamed at the woman and then bowed down deeply.

“What a glib tongue you have there. Stay away from me,” the old woman Madam Zhang turned the whites of eye up and yelled.

The man named You Xun must have had a very good temper. Hearing those harsh words, he didn’t show a slight sign of annoyance, and turned to the beggar, instead.

“Double-Dragon Divine Beggar, brother Yan! The two green dragons of yours are looking even more vigorous and nimble now.”

The beggar’s name was Yan Sanxing, and his nickname was actually “Double-Snake Ruthless Beggar,” but You Xun changed it into “Double-Dragon Divine Beggar” on the fly. Even though the Yan Sanxing was a very vicious and ruthless man, he couldn’t help but smile at those words.

You Xun also knew the longhaired mendicant monk Chou Songnian, monk Xi Bao, and Taoist Priest Yu Ling, and also said some praising words to each of them. While laughing and joking, he had eased up the tense atmosphere at swords’ points in the short amount of time.

“Hey, Loach Soaked in Oil! Why didn’t you say anything about us, praising the six brothers of us for our excellent Kung Fu and outstanding skills?” Leaf Fairy suddenly yelled out.

“That’s that’s of course something I’d praise about ,” You Xun replied with a smile. But before he even had a chance to finish his sentence, all of a sudden, his two wrists and two ankles were already in the grips of Root Fairy, Trunk Fairy, Branch Fairy, and Leaf Fairy the four fairies, who immediately lifted him off the ground without pulling hard.

“What wonderful Kung Fu! What brilliant skills! Such superb techniques are so rare through out the ages!” You Xun praised hurriedly.

“Why are our Kung Fu skills so rare through out the ages?” Root Fairy and Branch Fairy asked at the same time.

“My nick name is ‘Slippery and Hard to Grip.’ Frankly speaking, no one could have gotten a tight grip on me. But as soon as the four of you reached out with your hands, you caught me with such ease, and I became neither slippery, nor hard to grip. The Kung Fu skills you have demonstrated with are so exceptional that through out the ages, no one had every seen or hear about Kung Fu skills this great. When I wander about the world after today, I simply have to publicize the six great Kung Fu masters’ names wherever I go, so that everyone in the Martial World would know that there are such extraordinary heroes in this world.” You Xun explained.

The six Fairies were overjoyed. Wasting not another second, they immediately set him down to the ground.

“Slippery and Hard to Grip! You certainly deserve the reputation. See, didn’t you just get out of the grip once again?” Madam Zhang said coldly.

“That’s only because the six great Kung Fu masters had exceptional Kung Fu skills. I admire them so very much!” You Xun answered. “But I am so ignorant. I don’t even know what the names of the six senior masters are. May I ask what your respectful names are?”

“We are six brothers called ‘The Peach Valley’s Six Fairies’,” Root Fairy explained. “I am Root Fairy. He is Trunk Fairy.” Soon, he had introduced the names of all six of them.

“That’s wonderful! Wonderful! The name ‘Fairy’ is so appropriate to go with the Kung Fu skills of the six of you. Only people with such magical and exceptional Kung Fu skills, which have risen above this world and attained sainthood, are qualified to use the name ‘Fairy’.” You Xun applauded.

The Peach Valley’s Six Fairies felt great rejoicing. “You are very smart and have very good insight. You are awesome!” they exclaimed in unison.

“Are you going to hand out the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript’ or not?” Glaring at Yu Canghai, Madam Zhang yelled. But Yu Canghai ignored her yet again.

“Oh, I see. So your dispute is over the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript.’ But from what I heard, the sword art manuscript isn’t in Master Yu’s possession,” You Xun said.

“Are you saying that you know who has it?” Madam Zhang asked.

“This person is very, very famous. If I speak his name out, I am afraid it will scare the wits out of you,” You Xun exclaimed.

“Speak up!” the mendicant monk Chou Songnian yelled at him. “If you don’t know the answer, then begone, and stop being a hindrance!”

“This great master must have had a bit too much of roasted pork or roasted lamp, and the extra internal heat is fuming the hot temper. My Kung Fu skills are very ordinary, but I certainly have very quick access to information. Whenever there are secret messages floating around the Martial World, it wouldn’t be easy for them to get pass my eyes and ears without my noticing,” You Xun replied, still beaming.

The Tung Cypress Whiz Duo, Madam Zhang, and the rest of the group all knew that You Xun was speaking the truth. This You Xun loved poking his nose into other people’s affairs, and would spare no effort at making his way into every nook and corners for information. There weren’t really much that he wouldn’t know about in the Martial World. So they asked in unison, “Don’t keep us guessing! Who on earth has the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript’?”

“Well, you all know my nick name – ‘Slippery and Hard to Grip.’ Whatever I earn with one hand, I spend with the other. To be frank with you, I have been completely broke for quite some days. But you, on the other hand, are all loaded moneybags. Now, it wasn’t easy for me to obtain this important information, and it looks like this is going to be a great opportunity for me. The old saying said it well: a sharp blade should be presented to a true man, and beautiful rouge should be given to a pretty woman. So important information, of course, should be sold to moneybags. I am not keeping you guessing. I am just waiting for the right offer.”

“Fine. Let’s kill Yu Canghai first, and worry about forcing the secret out of this loach later. Attack!” Madam Zhang shouted. As soon as the word “attack” was spoken, sounds of weapons rapidly colliding with each other echoed. The seven attackers had all left their benches and each exchanged a few moves with Yu Canghai. The attack stopped just as abruptly as how it had started. Within seconds, the seven attackers had retreated back to their original positions, still encircling Yu Canghai in the middle. Blood gushed out from the cuts on monk Xi Bao and monk Chou Songnian’s thighs. Yu Canghai had handed the sword to his left hand; the part of his robe near the right shoulder had been torn into pieces – the result of a heavy strike from one of the attackers.

“Again!” Madam Zhang shouted out, and the seven of them lunged forward all at once. Some more rapid clanking sounds exploded before the seven retreated back, once again, leaving Yu Canghai in the middle.

This time Madam Zhang took a hit on her face. A long cut dragged from the middle of her left eyebrow all the way down to her lower jaw. Yu Canghai also took a chop on his left arm. No longer able to wield the sword with his left hand, he handed the sword back to his right hand.

“Master Yu, we are both members of the Taoist Order. Why don’t you listen to my advice and surrender?” Priest Yu Ling raised his Wolf-Fanged Hammer and urged.

Yu Canghai let out an angry snort and cursed indistinctly.

Madam Zhang didn’t even bother to wipe the blood off her face. Raising her short knife and aiming it at Yu Canghai, she shouted, “Once .”

Before she was able to spit out the word “again,” a voice suddenly shouted out loudly, “Hold it!” A man rushed into the circle of attackers in quick strides and stopped right next to Yu Canghai.

“Seven against one, isn’t that a bit unfair? Besides, didn’t Mr. You clearly say that the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript’ was not in Yu Canghai’s possession?” he said. It was Lin Pingzhi.

Ever since he caught Yu Canghai in his eyes, Lin Pingzhi never let Yu out of his sight for a single second. After watching Yu getting injured in both arms, he knew that another round of attack from Madam Zhang and the rest attackers would have chopped Yu Canghai into shreds. His hatred toward Yu Canghai was even deeper than the ocean. He had long vowed to kill this monster, one day, with his own hands, and would never have allowed Yu Canghai to die from other people’s hands. That was why he immediately stepped forward and stopped the next round of attack.

“Who the hell are you? Do you want to die with him?” Madam Zhang snapped.

“No, I don’t want to die with him. I just thought this is a bit unjust, and wanted to speak out in fairness to him. Why don’t we stop fighting?” Lin Pingzhi answered.

“Let’s just whack him, too,” Chou Songnian suggested.

“Who are you, you bold and reckless brat? Do you always take on other people’s trouble?” Priest Yu Ling snubbed.

“I am Lin Pingzhi of the Huashan Sword School .,” Lin Pingzhi answered.

“You are from the Huashan Sword School? Where is Young Mister Linghu?” the Tung Cypress Whiz Duo, the Double-Snake Ruthless Beggar, Madam Zhang, and the rest of the group all shouted in unison.

“I am Linghu Chong,” Linghu Chong cupped his hands in greeting. “I am only a boorish youngster; I certainly do not deserve the title of a ‘Young Mister.’ Are you acquainted with a friend of mine?”

Along the journey, many prominent masters with exceptional talents or eccentric behaviors had all showed great respects and made up to him, and all of them had claimed that it had been for the sake of a friend of his. All the while, Linghu Chong still had no clue as to when he had made such an infinitely resourceful friend. When he heard the seven asking about him, he had figured that it must have had something to do with this mystic friend, again. And sure enough, the group of seven all turned toward him and saluted respectfully.

“As soon as the seven of us received the message, we hurried over here, traveling days and nights, so we could have the honor to meet you. It’s wonderful that we get to pay you a formal visit right here,” Priest Yu Ling said.

Yu Canghai had been injured very badly. Finding out that the one who had stood up for him and helped him out of the predicament was actually Lin Pingzhi he was taken aback greatly. But it didn’t take him long to figure out Lin Pingzhi’s true intension. Seeing that the seven attackers were all in the middle of a conversation with Linghu Chong, he quickly made up his mind. He wasn’t injured in his legs; so all of a sudden, he leapt backward and dashed into the back room of the small restaurant. Before anyone had any time to react, he had fled from the backdoor, speedily. Yan Sanxing and Chou Songnian both cried in surprise, but it was already too late to chase after him.

You Xun walked in front of Linghu Chong, beaming brightly. “When I came from the east,” he said, “I heard many fellow martial friends mentioning about Young Mister Linghu’s great name. In my heart, I’ve been looking up to you for a long, long time. Then, when I heard that the dozens of chiefs and leaders from various sects, clans, caves, and islands would be meeting Young Mister Linghu on top of the Five-Tyrant Ridge, I immediately hurried over to join in the fun. I certainly didn’t expect that I’d be so lucky to have met Young Mister ahead of everyone else. Don’t worry! You can set your heart at a rest now. This time people are bringing at least a hundred different types of catholicon to the Five-Tyrant Ridge. The little injury of yours will be cured in no time. In no time! Ha-ha! Wonderful! Wonderful!” He took Linghu Chong’s hands into his own and swayed gently as he spoke, looking utterly intimate.

“What dozens of chiefs and leaders from various sects, clans, caves, and islands? What one hundred types of catholicon are you talking about? I am at a complete loss,” astounded, Linghu Chong asked hurriedly.

“Don’t let unnecessary worry trouble you, Young Mister Linghu. Even if my guts were as large as the Heavens, I would still dare not to talk recklessly about the reason behind. Young Mister, you can just rest assured, ha-ha. I certainly dare not to talk nonsense. Even if you don’t take offense, when the words get out and get into other people’s ears, how many heads do I have? Even if I were ten times more slippery, sooner or later, somebody would have pulled my head off all the same.”

“If you truly dare not talk nonsense, why have you brought this thing up again and again?” Madam Zhang snubbed with a gloomy face. “Whatever is happening on the Five-Tyrant Ridge, Young Mister Linghu will see with his own eyes in just a short while. There is no need for you to be long-tongued here. Now, let me ask you one more time. Who on earth has that ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript’ at this very moment?”

You Xun pretended that he didn’t hear the words from Madam Zhang. Turning toward the Yue Buqun couple, he grinned.

“Ever since I walked in the door and saw the two of you, I’ve been muttering to myself: This mister and this madam both looked so dignified and elegant, showing a very distinguished demeanor. Which two eminent masters could the two of you have been? Since you are together with Young Mister Linghu, I guess you must be the Head Master of the Huashan Sword School, the world-renowned ‘Gentleman Sword,’ Mr. Yue and Madam Yue.”

“You flatter me,” Yue Buqun replied with a slight smile.

“The common saying says: Have eyes but fail to see mount Taishan; entertain angel unawares. Today, I am really having eyes but fail to see mount Huashan,” You Xun continued. “Recently, Mr. Yue blinded fifteen formidable foes with a simple swing of his sword. That feat shook the entire Martial World. I simply couldn’t help but prostrate myself before you in admiration. What brilliant sword skills! Brilliant, indeed!”

He said these words so sincerely as though he had witnessed everything with his own eyes. Yue Buqun gave a suppressed snort as a gloomy look quickly flashed across his face.

“And Madam Yue, Heroine Ning ,” You Xun went on, but was suddenly cut shot by Madam Zhang.

“Are you ever gonna stop rambling? Speak up, who has the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript’?” Madam Zhang barked. She had heard the names of Yue Buqun and Madam Yue, yet didn’t show a slight sign of concern.

“Give me one hundred taels of silver, and I’ll tell you.” You Xun stretched his hand out, his face split into a wide grin.

“You must have never seen money in your past life. It always has to do with money. Money this and money that!” Madam Zhang croaked.

The one-eyed man took a silver ingot out from his chest pocket and tossed it at You Xun. “This has got to cover it. Now, speak up!” he demanded.

Catching the silver ingot into his grip, You Xun weight it in his hand. “Many thanks! Come, let’s go to the outside and I’ll tell you.”

“Why go to the outside? You can tell us right here, so we can all hear about it,” the one-eyed man replied.

“Yeah! That’s right! Why do you have to be so sneaky?” all the audiences agreed in unison.

“No way! No way!” You Xun shook his head back and forth. “I asked for one hundred taels of silver. That’s one hundred taels of silver per person, not that this piece of important news is only worth one hundred taels. How can I have sold it for so cheap? That’s just outrageous!”

The one-eyed man gave a wave with his right hand, and at that signal, Chou Songnian, Madam Zhang, Yan Sanxing, Monk Xi Bo, and the rest of the group immediately stepped forward, circling You Xun in the middle the same way they had surrounded Yu Canghai a few minutes ago.

“His nickname is Slippery and Hard to Grip. We shall not fight him with bare hands. Let’s use our weapons,” Madam Zhang exclaimed grimly.

Priest Yu Ling picked up his octagonal shaped Wolf-Fanged Hammer and waved it. “Swoosh!” The hammer made a circle in the air.

“Let’s see if his head is any slippery against my hammer.”

The sharp and pointy wolf-fangs on the hammer glinted with reflection. Taking a good glimpse of the hammer, and then taking a good look at the shining and puffy head of You Xun, everybody came to the same conclusion – You Xun’s head did not seem to have a very promising prospect.

“Young Mister Linghu, only a few moments ago, a young friend from your respectful school helped Master Yu out of the tight spot with just a few words. Now when I am in deep trouble, why haven’t you said anything to help, as though you didn’t see anything or hear anything?” You Xun asked.

“If you don’t speak out the whereabouts of the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript,’ I am afraid I’ll have to wade in and won’t be so easy on you,” Linghu Chong replied. At that word, a dull and depressing sensation rose from his stomach, and he couldn’t help but cast a side glance at Yue Lingshan, thinking, “Even you are wronging me for appropriating Little Lin’s sword art manuscript.”

“Excellent! Excellent! Young Mister Linghu, please go ahead!” Madam Zhang and the rest of the group cheered all together.

You Xun heaved a deep sigh. “Fine, I’ll speak it out. Go on, return to your seats. Why are you still surrounding me?”

“We’d better be extra cautious when dealing with the Slippery and Hard to Grip,” Madam Zhang spat out.

“Alas, why did I bring trouble to myself? Why didn’t I just wait on the Five-Tyrant Ridge to join the fun, and would rather come here to court death?” You Xun heaved another sigh.

“Are you gonna speak it out or not?” Madam Zhang snapped.

“I will! I will! Why not!” You Xun answered. “Hey! Chief Dongfang! When did your Excellence decide to show your gracious presence, here?” He said the last two sentences very loud and clear, and as he spoke, he fixed his eyes toward the west end of the street outside the restaurant with such a bewildered star.

Astounded, everyone peered down the street following his gaze, and soon spotted a man strolling closer and closer along the long street, a vegetable basket hanging on his left arm. This man was a marketplace monger; how could he have been the Chief Dongfang with resounding fame – Dong Fang Invincible? By the time everybody remembered to turn back at You Xun, he had vanished from sight. By then, everyone finally realized that all had just been terribly fooled. Madam Zhang, Chou Songnian, and Priest Yu Ling all started pouring out streams of abuses, knowing well that with his outstanding Qing-Gong skills and crafty mind, there would be no way to catch him back once he had run off.

“I see! Turned out it is You Xun who has the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript.’ I didn’t expect that at all!” Linghu Chong said loudly.

“Really? Is it really in You Xun’s hands?” everyone asked in shock.

“Of course it’s in his hands. What else? Otherwise, why would he never speak out the whereabouts of the sword art manuscript, and try so hard to run away?” Linghu Chong elaborated. He spoke these words in a very loud voice, and after spitting out the last few words, he had almost used up all his strength.

“Young Mister Linghu, why have you shifted the blame on me?” You Xun’s voice suddenly rose from outside the door, loud and clear. And only seconds later, he had already walked back in.

Madam Zhang and the rest of the group were filled with joy. Wasting no time, they quickly surrounded You Xun in a circle, once again.

“You just fell for Young Mister Linghu’s stratagem!” Priest Yu Ling said, a big grin blossoming on his face.

“Alas, do I have any choice? If this piece of news had gotten out into the Martial World, saying that You Xun were the one who had the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript,’ do you think I’d have another day of peace in the rest of my life? I wonder how many people would be after me and give me trouble. Even if I had three heads and six arms,[5] I’d still be no match for that kind of trouble. Young Mister Linghu, you are good! Just a few words of yours are powerful enough to capture the Slippery and Hard to Grip.” You Xun pulled a long face.

Letting out a wry smile, Linghu Chong thought aloud, “It’s not that I am good. It’s only that I had been wronged just like that, before.”

He couldn’t help but cast a glance at Yue Lingshan, and Yue Lingshan just happened to be casting a glance at him, as well. When their eyes clapped, both blushed, and turned their heads away quickly.

“Brother You, when you left a moment ago, were you hiding the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript’ somewhere else so we won’t be able to find it?” Madam Zhang mocked.

“That’s too bitter!” You Xun protested. “Madam Zhang, if you speak like this, you are going to cost me my old life. Please think about it, all of you. If I have had the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript,’ I undoubtedly should be using a sword, and my sword skills should have been outstanding. Then, why firstly, I don’t even have a sword with me; secondly, I don’t fight with a sword; and thirdly, my Kung Fu skills are extremely ordinary?”

When everyone pondered over his words, all had to agree that he did sound reasonable.

“Well, maybe you never had time to study the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript’ after you obtained it. Maybe you tried to learn it but failed miserably. You don’t have a sword with you. Maybe somebody stole it,” Root Fairy speculated.

“Isn’t that folding fan in your hand a short sword? When you pointed it that way just a moment ago, didn’t you use a move from the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript’?” Trunk Fairy exclaimed.

“That’s right! Look at him. His fan is pointing at an angle right this moment. That’s the fifty-ninth move of the Evil-Resisting Sword Art, “Pointing At Crafty and Evil.’ Whoever he points his sword to, whom he will kill.” Branch Fairy also joined in.

At the time, the folding fan in You Xun’s hand happened to be pointing toward Chou Songnian. The impetuous monk let out a thunderous roar and swung his two machetes at You Xun at once.

“Hey! Hey! He is only joking! Don’t take him seriously!” You Xun shouted hastily, dodging to the side.

Four clanking sounds echoed as Chou Songnian chopped twice with each of his machetes and You Xun blocked all of them with his folding fan. Apparently, his folding fan was made of steel. Although You Xun looked like a lord in clover, chubby with light skin tones, his movement was surprisingly agile. And only a gentle prod with his folding fan had sent the Tiger-Head Machetes swaying several feet away. One could well perceive that his Kung Fu skills had to be superior to the longhaired mendicant monk. It was only because he was in the middle of a tight encirclement that he dared not to launch his counter attack.

“This move is the thirty-second move, ‘Hard-shelled Turtle Breaking Wind.’ Hmm, this move blocked a chop. It is the twenty-fifth move, called ‘Soft-shelled Turtle Turning Over’,” Flower Fairy shouted along.

“Mr. You, if the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript’ is really not in your possession, then who has it?” Linghu Chong asked.

“Yeah! Speak up! Who has it?” Madam Zhang, Priest Yu Ling and the rest people all asked anxiously.

“The only reason I am keeping this to myself is to be able to make a few thousand taels of silver,” You Xun squeezed out a grin. “But since you are so stingy and have made up your mind to save money, fine, I’ll tell you. But don’t say that I didn’t warn you. Once you hear about it, you’ll only be able to itch in your heart and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. If it were somebody else who had laid his hands on the ‘Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript,’ at least you’d still have some hope. But it is so unfortunate that it had to be this one who has it in his possession, there’s there’s well, well ”

Everybody held his breath and listened on anxiously for You Xun to tell the name of the person, who had the sword art manuscript in his possession. Suddenly, sounds of hoof beats mixed up with sounds of horse-drawn wagons broke out on the street and came closer and closer. You Xun seized the opportunity and stopped telling. Turning his head sideways, he listened, and then asked, “Err, who’s that?”

“Speak it out! Who has the sword art manuscript?” Priest Yu Ling pressed on.

“There’s no need to be impatient. Of course I’ll tell you,” You Xun replied.

The sounds of hoof beats and wagons stopped abruptly outside the small restaurant. “Is Young Mister Linghu here? Our faction has prepared horses and wagons to greet your gracious presence,” an aged voice announced.

Linghu Chong was anxious to find out the whereabouts of the “Evil-Resisting Sword Manuscript,” thus, prove his innocence and remove the suspicions from Master, Master-Wife, fellow apprentices and little apprentice sister. Therefore, he didn’t reply to the call from the outside and urged You Xun again, “There are other people coming. Hurry up, tell us!”

“I beg your pardon, Young Mister. Just because other people are coming, it wouldn’t be a good idea to tell now,” You Xun replied.

Sound of more hoof beats rose from the distance, and soon another seven or eight riders arrived and stopped right in front of the restaurant.

“Chief Huang, are you here to greet Young Mister Linghu?” a gallant voice asked.

“Yes, I am. What have brought Chieftain Sima here today?” the old man replied.

The man with the gallant voice snorted, and soon heavy footsteps echoed as a giant man entered the restaurant in big strides.

“Which of you is Young Mister Linghu? I am Sima Big. I’ve come to greet Young Master and bring him to Five-Tyrant Ridge to meet the many heroes,” he announced loudly.

Having no alternatives, Linghu Chong cupped his hands in greeting. “I am Linghu Chong. I certainly do not deserve such gracious amenity from Chieftain Sima.”

“Because I’ve always been big and tall since I was only a kid, my parents named me Sima Big. Young Mister Linghu, you can call me Sima Big, or just Biggy. Don’t call me Chieftain. I don’t deserve it in front of you,” Chieftain Sima exclaimed.

“You flatter me,” Linghu Chong replied. Pointing at Yue Buqun and Madam Yue, he introduced, “These are my Master and my Master-Wife.”

“Hello there!” Sima Big cupped his hands and greeted. Turning back toward Linghu Chong, he said, “Young Mister, I apologize for not having greeted you earlier. Will you please pardon me?”

Yue Buqun had held the Head Master post of the Huashan Sword School for over twenty years and had always been well respected by people in the Martial World. But people like this Sima Big, Madam Zhang, Chou Songnian, Priest Yu Ling, or the rest of the bunch, who showed great respect to Linghu Chong, all had very little concern about the Head Master of the Huashan Sword School. Even if they did show him a little bit of respect, occasionally, it was all for the sake of Linghu Chong, and they didn’t even try to hide that. To Yue Buqun, this was even worse than cursing him to his face, and he was exasperated. But Yue Buqun was a very civilized man, and didn’t show any of his irritation on his face.

By then, the chief named Huang had also entered the room. He was well over eighty years of age. The bush of completely grey beard under his chin almost reached his chest, but he looked hale and hearty. Bowing slightly toward Linghu Chong, he said, “Young Mister Linghu, the many brothers in our faction make our living right around this region. We’ve failed terribly to put up a good reception for you. Even death cannot atone our offense.”

“Could this have been him?” Yue Buqun felt a big shock in his heart. He had known for a long time that there was a faction named “Heavenly River Faction” around the lower reaches of the Yellow River, and the chief, Huang Boliu, was a very senior master in the Martial World. But the faction lacked strict rules and regulations, and among the many members, the good and bad were intermingled. It was simply unavoidable to have members violate laws and commit crimes. Therefore, the reputation of the “Heavenly River Faction” was not that great. However, the many hands provided great strength, and the faction did not lack first class fighters. It was a very large faction in the region of four provinces. Could this old man in front of him have been the “Silver-Bearded Dragon,” Huang Boliu, who commanded over ten thousand faction members? If this were him, indeed, then why had he shown such great respect toward Linghu Chong, a young lad who was only at the beginning of his career?

The doubts and suspicions that boggled Yue Buqun’s mind didn’t last very long, when the Double-Snake Ruthless Beggar Yan Sanxing spoke to the old man.

“Hi, Silver-Bearded Old Dragon, you are the local bully. Aren’t you going to welcome us, the bunch of visitors?”

The grey-bearded old man was indeed the “Silver-Bearded Dragon” Huang Boliu. “We’ll have to thank Young Mister Linghu,” he said, smiling. “If it weren’t for his sake, how could I ever have so many masters and heroes spare their gracious presence. Now that you are all here, you are all noble guests of the ‘Heavenly River Faction.’ Of course we welcome you. Our faction has prepared a big feast on top of the Five-Tyrant Ridge. May I ask Young Mister Linghu and the rest of the friends here to set out and head over there?”

The small restaurant had become so crowded by now. Linghu Chong knew that You Xun would never speak out the secret in such a completely packed and noisy place. Luckily, after this incident with You Xun, the suspicions Master, Master-Wife, and all the fellow apprentices had should have been greatly diminished. He was sure that the whole thing would, one day, come to obvious. Having that in mind, he was no longer in an urgent rush to clear himself of the blame.

“Master, should we go or not? Will you please direct us,” turning to Yue Buqun, he asked.

Yue Buqun thought to himself, “It’s apparent that among the bunch of people gathering on top of the Five-Tyrant Ridge, there isn’t going to be a single one from the orthodox schools. How can I mix myself up with them? It almost seems that these people are tempting Chong to join them using courtesy and respect. The incident with Liu Zhengfeng of the Hengshan Sword School had set a good example. If one becomes close with evil people, then he cannot escape the fate of being utterly discredited, himself. But under the current circumstance, how could I say no?”

“Mr. Yue, the Five-Tyrant Ridge is bustling with people and activities at the moment! Many chiefs of different caves and islands haven’t made an appearance in the Martial World for ten, twenty, or even thirty years. Everyone came for the sake of Young Mister Linghu, and it is you, Mr. Yue, who have shaped him into such a wonderful young hero of both civil and military ability. You have brought great glory to yourself for accomplishing such a great feat. Of course you’d want to go to the Five-Tyrant Ridge. If Mr. Yue doesn’t go, wouldn’t that disappoint a lot of people?”

Before Yue Buqun even had a chance to answer, half supporting and half carrying, Sima Big and Huang Boliu had ushered Linghu Chong out of the restaurant door and into one of the horse-drawn wagons. Chou Songnian, Yan Sanxing, the Tung Cypress Whiz Duo, the Peach Valley’s Six Fairies, and the rest of the bunch also rushed out of the door in a hubbub.

Yue Buqun and Madam Yue stared at each other and both squeezed a wry smile. “These people only wanted to make sure that Chong would go there. Whether we are going or not, they didn’t care at all,” they thought aloud.

“Dad! Why don’t we go and have a look? Let’s find out what kind of tricks these weird people are playing with big apprentice brother,” Yue Lingshan proposed, her curiosity growing by the minute. For a while, she remembered the human-flesh-eating Black Bear and White Bear, and her heart hammered frantically. Figuring that if they were able to set her free for big apprentice brother’s sake, then logically, they shouldn’t be coming back to chew on her fingers, she relaxed a little. But she still made up her mind that after they arrived at the Five-Tyrant Ridge, she would make sure to keep a close distance with her father.

Yue Buqun nodded his approval and then walked out of the door. After the miserable vomiting experience, he didn’t eat or drink anything, and now when he walked about, it almost felt as if he was slightly disoriented and could not stand in a solid stance. A quick check with his inner energy confirmed that the inner energy he was able to gather was not as pure as it used to be, and Yue Buqun couldn’t help feeling stunned.

“The poison from Blue Phoenix of the Five-Sylph Sect is truly powerful,” he muttered to himself.

The group with Huang Boliu and the group with Sima Big both came with many horses, so they were able to spare some horses for Yue Buqun, Madam Yue, Madam Zhang, Chou Songnian, the Peach Valley’s Six Fairies, and the rest of the bunch to ride. Some male apprentices of the Huashan Sword School didn’t have any horse left for ride, and had to walk together with members of the “Heavenly River Faction” and subordinates of the Chieftain Sima Big of the Long-Whale Island. Everything ready and set, they set out toward the Five-Tyrant Ridge.

[1] Han is the main nationality in China and account for 92% of the entire Chinese population. In the ancient time, minorities were always looked down upon somewhat because Han people considered themselves better civilized and educated.

[2] Yunnan is a province in the Southwest China that borders Vietnam and Burma.

[3] Miao is one of the minority nationalities in China.

[4] In ancient China, it was very inappropriate for females to expose their arms or legs to anyone, except their husbands.

[5] In Chinese myths, there was a god (with the appearance of a boy) named Ne Zha who could turn into a creature with three heads and six arms when he got into battles, and thus triple the fighting power.