Chapter - 423 Long Flute, Short Lute, And Tan Clothing (10) (1/2)

”Quickly chase him!” Zhi Fa Zhanglao barked his order. Several seven-pouch disciples responded and ran out of the gate to pursue.

”Mother of a thief! [this is a literal translation]” Zhang Bang Zhanglao cursed, ”Who do you think you are, telling the Old Man to kowtow to you and call you 'Bangzhu'?” Raising his palm, he was about to slap again.

Zhi Fa Zhanglao quickly reached out to grab his hand. ”Feng Xiongdi [brother Feng],” he said, ”Don't be reckless. If you kill him, we won't find out anything from him.” Turning toward the lady in yellow, he cupped his fists and respectfully said, ”If Miss did not expose this man's deceitful scheme, we would still be kept in the dark. By your illustrious name, Miss was able to see through this deception. My humble Clan, from the biggest to the smallest, all are indebted to you.”

The lady in yellow only gave a slight smile and said, ”Xiao Nuzi [lit. little/lowly girl – referring to herself] lives in the deep of the mountain, and has never had any contact with outsiders; so knowing my name would be quite useless. As for this little sister, could it be that nobody in your clan recognize her?”

The crowd of beggars looked at the little girl, but nobody recognized her. Something suddenly stirred in Chuan Gong Zhanglao's heart; he took a step forward and said, ”She … she … she looks a bit like Mrs. Shi … could it be … could it be …”

”That's right,” the lady in yellow said, ”Her surname is Shi, given name Hongshi [lit. red rock; different character from her surname 'Shi']; she is the only daughter of Shi Huolong, Shi Bangzhu. When Shi Bangzhu was dying, he sent Mrs. Shi and this girl, with the Dog Beating Stick in their hands, to look for me, asking me to avenge his grievance.”

Chuan Gong Zhanglao was shocked, ”Miss!” he said, ”Did you say Shi Bangzhu has already returned to Heaven? He … how did the Senior die?”

After Yelu Qi, none of the previous generations Clan Leaders had been successful in mastering the entire Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms; the most any Clan Leader had ever learned was fourteen stances. Shi Huolong had mastered twelve stances. About twenty years ago, even though his internal energy was not strong enough, he forced himself in training of this heritage palm technique of his Clan. As a result, the upper half of his body was paralyzed; he could not move his arms. Thereupon he took his wife and went wandering on remote mountains in search of efficacious treatment of his illness, and left the Beggar Clan affairs to Chuan Gong and Zhi Fa two elders, and Zhang Bang and Zhang Bo two 'longtou' [leaders; lit. dragon head]. However, there was no clear coordination between the two elders and two leaders; everybody was taking care of his own business only. As a result, once again the Dirty Clothes and the Clean Clothes Factions were on bad terms with each other, and such a big clan gradually declined in power.

Before the sudden appearance of this fake Clan Leader, the younger Beggar Clan disciples had never seen their Bangzhu, plus Chuan Gong Zhanglao and the others had not seen Shi Huolong for more than twenty years, and so looking at this fake Bangzhu's appearance, which held a very close resemblance with the real Bangzhu, who would have thought that this one was only an impersonator?

The lady in yellow sighed and said, ”Shi Bangzhu died under the hands of Hun Yuan Pi Li Shou Cheng Kun.”

”Ah!” Zhang Wuji exclaimed; thinking that he had personally seen Cheng Kun's body lying on the ground at the Brightness Peak, how could he kill Shi Huolong? Or perhaps it must be before he was killed at the Brightness Peak.

”Can I ask you a question, Miss?” he asked, ”How long has Shi Bangzhu passed away?”