Return of Condor Heroes (200 page)

Reverend Yideng’s words were like thunder rumbling in Yang Guo’s mind. He thought to himself, “Must fight our own nature, and must restrain our foolish thoughts. It’s certainly much more difficult than defeating powerful enemies. The words of this esteemed monk are really the truth.” He saw that Ci’en’s palms pause slightly in midair but, with a shout, they eventually struck down again. Yideng’s body shook, and he threw up another pool of blood, staining his white beard and monk’s robe.

Having seen Yideng’s defense techniques and endurance, Yang Guo knew that his martial skills were in no way inferior to those of the monk in black. But this was a one-sided attack, and even a body of iron and stone could eventually be destroyed. Now, he already admired Yideng to no end, knowing full well that he wanted to sacrifice himself to change that evil person. Anyway, he couldn’t bear to see Reverend Yideng perish like this. He thought about how he himself, if using only palm strength, wouldn’t be able to block the ‘Iron Palms’ of that monk in black. He turned around to grab his black iron sword and wielded it, shielding Yideng’s body. He waited for Ci’en to strike with his ‘Iron Palms’ again and then thrusts forward his sword.

The wind stirred up by the black iron sword clashed with the palm wind. Their bodies trembled.

Ci’en let out a surprised sound. Never would he expect that there would be a young hunter with such marvelous martial skills living on a wild mountain. Reverend Yideng also looked at Yang Guo in great surprise.

Ci’en sharply shouted, “Who are you? What are you doing?”

Yang Guo said, “The great reverend has given you great advice, how come you don’t realize that? Not listening to the precious words is bad enough, but you have to be hateful and harm him. How would you not be worse than an animal acting like this?”

Ci’en furiously shouted, “Are you from the Beggar Clan too? Do you want to accompany that evil elder of the clan?”

Yang Guo laughed and said, “Those two people were the scum of the Beggar Clan. Your getting rid of those evil people was actually a good deed. Why must you beat yourself over it?”

Ci’en was startled, mumbling to himself, “Getting rid of those evil people was actually a good deed… Getting rid of those evil people was actually a good deed…”

Yang Guo had been behind the wall listening to their master-disciple verbal exchange, and so he understood Ci’en’s concerns, knowing that remorse caused him to hate and stirred up his evil thoughts. He continued, “Those people were traitorous disciples of the Beggar Clan, like a wolf hiding in our homeland of China. Your killing two such people was really a great thing. If they hadn’t been killed, I don’t know how many of our fellow Buddhists might have had to die. Lord Buddha is merciful but, meeting with such demons, how could benevolence still be used to expel evil spirits?”

Yang Guo’s knowledge of Buddhist doctrines was very shallow but to Ci’en’s ears what he said actually made sense. He slowly put down his hands but then he changed his mind, vividly recalling that in the past he himself had allied with the Jin, helping them invade the great Song country. And so it was like Yang Guo was actually derogating him. He suddenly raised his palm to hack down at Yang Guo and said, “Little animal, what nonsense are you jabbering?”

This palm was fast and furious. Yang Guo was busy trying to persuade him with words and didn’t expect Ci’en to suddenly launch an attack. By the time the wind from his palm arrived, it was too dangerous to counterstrike with his own force. And so he went along with that palm strength, his body leaping backward. There came two crashing sounds as he crashed into a wooden wall, and his body was thrown out of the house. Reverend Yideng was startled and thought to himself, “Would this young man have to die like this? It looked like his martial skills were good! Alas, how would I be able to save his life?” His mind was greatly troubled.

The fire in the room was suddenly blown out by a gust of wind rushing through that hole in the wall. Yang Guo came in with the wind, his sword pointing at Ci’en. He shouted, “Good, today you and I will fight.” Ci’en shot out his left palm, aiming to strike Yang Guo’s sword tip with his palm strength. But Yang Guo’s swordplay was really a testimony of Dugu Qiubai’s ingenuity. Even though their ages were far apart, he shouldn’t have been able to match this old master. With his sword practice under the mountain streams, the snake gallbladders that boosted his energy, and the Divine Eagle’s help, Yang Guo’s sword skills were very similar to those of the unparalleled Demonic Sword Master of the past era. As Ci’en’s palm arrived, Yang Guo’s sword tip was only nudged a few inches aside, and it was still pointing at Ci’en’s left arm. Horrified, Ci’en dodged to the right to escape the sword and quickly sent out another palm strike. With the two people’s marvelous skills, the palms and the sword were battling violently.

Yideng watched the fight in wonder. This youth was only twenty years old or so but surprisingly, could fight a draw with master Qiu’s ‘Iron Palms’. His own knowledge was vast, yet he couldn’t recognize where Yang Guo’s martial skills came from. Also, his heavy sword was marvelously strange. Then he turned his head back and saw Xiao Longnu with a baby in her arms, standing by the door. She appeared a beautiful woman, with an elegant look. Surprisingly she didn’t seem to be frightened by the two people’s wicked fight at all. He thought to himself, “This young lady isn’t a common character either.” But then he noticed a dark cloud between her eyebrows and couldn’t help letting out an ‘ayo’ cry. Xiao Longnu faintly smiled and thought, “You’ve figured it out.”

By now the fight between the two people, a sword and two palms became even fiercer. Yang Guo had the advantage of using a weapon but Ci’en had one more arm, and so they were about even. There came a loud crashing sound as a wooden plank was shaken loose. More cracking sounds were heard as a post also snapped. This wooden house was small and not very sturdy. Really, it was no place for the two great masters to fight a battle. Wherever the sword edge and the palm wind went, the wooden boards on the four walls would all fly in chaos. Finally they heard another loud cracking sound as another post snapped, causing the whole house to collapse. With Guo Xiang in her arms, Xiao Longnu dove out through the window. Yideng guarded their back, using his gown sleeves to brush away the flying debris.

In the howling wind and blowing snow, the two people’s wicked fight continued on. In over ten years, Ci’en had never got into a fight like this. He gave out a loud cry, his Iron Palms flitting and flying everywhere. Over a hundred moves passed, but his opponent’s sword strength was even more powerful. With his declining years, he’d gradually lose the fight. Yang Guo thrust his sword straight out. Seeing Ci’en dodging the blow, he quickly swept his sword around, and the fierce wind sent the snow swirling. Blinded by the snow, Ci’en quickly lifted his hand to wipe it off. Suddenly the black iron sword made contact with his right shoulder, and he felt as if his body was crushed by a thousand-catty weight. Not being able to keep his balance, he tumbled down with Yang Guo’s sword tip on his chest. Although the sword was blunt, its force was strangely fierce. With its tip pressing against his breast bone, he could only breathe out but couldn’t breathe in enough air.

At this time the word ‘die’ flashed in the mind of Ci’en. Since the time he’d learned his marvelous martial skills, he’d roamed Jianghu, only knowing how to kill and injure others. Extremely rarely had he run into any setbacks. He’d been defeated by Zhou Botong, and he’d run away to the Western region. Later on he’d depended on clever tricks to get away from the Old Urchin. This time death was nearing as it never had before. He thought that death itself wasn’t a big thing but he felt that if his life was cut short like this, he wouldn’t be able to make amends for all sorts of evil things he’d done in the past. Reverend Yideng’s thousands and thousands of words couldn’t get through to him but Yang Guo’s one sword made him realize that, “Killing brings misery. I only knew how to kill people. Being killed like this is actually miserable.”

Having seen Yang Guo defeating Ci’en, Reverend Yideng thought to himself, “Such a young hero is really very rare.” Then he stepped forward and touched the sword blade with his finger. Heat shot through Yang Guo’s left arm, and his black iron sword was immediately brushed aside.

Ci’en stood up and then threw himself down on the ground. He cried out, “Master, I deserve to die a terrible death. I deserve to die a terrible death!” With a faint smile, Yideng patted him on the back and said, “Change is not easy. Why haven’t you thanked this young hero for the lesson?”

Yang Guo had earlier suspected that this old monk was Reverend Yideng. Having seen this monk brushing aside his sword blade with one finger, he thought that this ‘One Yang Finger’ and Island Master Huang’s ‘Divine Flicking Finger’ were equally exquisite, and there was no third person in the world who could match their finger strength. He immediately kowtowed and said, “Disciple Yang Guo pays respect to Reverend.” He saw Ci’en kneeling down before him so he quickly said, “Senior, please don’t do that. I’m younger than you. Just now I’ve offended you enough.” Then he pointed at Xiao Longnu and said, “This is my wife, named Long. Quickly come kowtow to the Reverend.” With Guo Xiang in her arms, Xiao Longnu stepped forward to greet him.

Ci’en said, “Master, just now I’d gone mad. Is your injury very severe?” Yideng chuckled and asked, “Do you feel better now?” Ci’en felt sorry to no end, not knowing what to say.

The four people sat down on a collapsed post. Yang Guo recounted how he met Wu Santong, Zhu Ziliu and Diancang Yuyin. He also talked about how he got poisoned in the Passionless Valley, and how the Indian monk and Zhu Ziliu went there to seek the antidote for him and then got trapped.

Yideng said, “That’s why my disciple has gone to the Passionless Valley. But do you know how this monk Ci’en is related to the mistress of the valley?”

He’d heard Elder Peng calling Ci’en “Iron Palms Chief Qiu” so he said, “Reverend Ci’en was born with the last name Qiu. Could it be possible that he was the Iron Palms Chief Qiu?”

Ci’en slowly nodded.

Yang Guo continued, “In that case, the mistress of the Passionless Valley must be your younger sister.”

Ci’en responded, “Indeed. Was she well?”

Yang Guo didn’t quite know how to answer the question. Qiu Qianchi’s husband had destroyed all the tendons in her four limbs, leaving her a cripple. He really couldn’t bring himself to say the word ‘well.’

Ci’en saw Yang Guo hesitate so he said, “That sister of mine always did as she pleased. I wouldn’t be too surprised if she ran into trouble.”

Yang Guo then said, “Her limbs were disabled but her body was actually very healthy.”

With a sigh Ci’en said, “Many years have passed. We’ve all grown old. Alas, she and her two brothers...” Having said this, he was lost in thought, recalling old memories.

Yideng knew that Ci’en had yet to let go and that his close brush with death only interrupted the stream of evil thoughts. But really the roots of evil were still there. If stirred up by strong emotions, Ci’en would unavoidably go crazy again. He didn’t know how much longer he could live and help Ci’en. He could only let it all depend on fate.

Seeing Yideng look at Ci’en with pity in his eyes, Yang Guo suddenly thought to himself, “Reverend Yideng’s martial skills were definitely not inferior to his disciple’s. Yet, he wouldn’t return the attacks. There must be a reason. I’m afraid my jumping out to fight like that would make the matter worse.”

So he quickly said, “Reverend, I, young disciple, acted on the spur of the moment. Please let me know if just now I was rash, and made a mistake.”

Yideng replied, “The human mind is hard to fathom. If he’d killed me, he couldn’t have awakened like this. He would have sunk to the bottomless pit. You saved my life and brought him back to his senses. How could it be a mistake? I feel it was all for the better.”

Then he turned to Xiao Longnu and asked, “How did you get poisoned, young lady?”

Having heard that, Yang Guo felt a ray of hope shining down on him. He quickly said, “We were circulating energy to heal her injury, and it was at that time that the poisons got into her body. Could you help her?” He then knelt down on the ground on both knees.

Yideng helped him up and asked, “How did she circulate her inner energy? Why is her energy flowing in the opposite direction?”

Yang Guo replied, “She used the reverse energy flow technique, along with the Chilled Jade Bed and my help.”

Yideng heard his explanation and couldn’t help clucking his tongue in approval. He said, “That Ouyang brother was really a strange person. This reverse energy flow technique is quite unconceivable.”

He reached out to check Xiao Longnu’s pulse. Then his face turned sorrowful. For a long while he didn’t say a word.

Yang Guo looked at him nervously, hoping he would say “curable.” Xiao Longnu’s eyes were always on Yang Guo. She herself hadn’t expected to live this long. Seeing a melancholy expression on his face, she slowly said, “Fate determines life and death. How could we have it all as we wish? Guo’er, grief can hurt you. Don’t worry too much.”

This was the first time Xiao Longnu spoke since Yideng’s arrival. Her words were spoken gently and calmly, showing that she understood life and death. Yideng couldn’t help becoming puzzled. He didn’t know that since childhood Xiao Longnu had been taught to have a clear mind and little emotion. This lady was young and fatally poisoned. He’d thought that she’d be extremely saddened. Who would have thought that her speech was that of someone who had deep religious knowledge? He thought to himself, “This young husband and wife are really the world’s perfect couple. The husband has such kungfu. The wife understands life and death. This is really rare. In my entire life, I’ve only seen one couple -- Guo Jing and Huang Rong-- that can compare to them. My own disciples don’t even come close. Alas, her poisons are so severe. After my injury, I can’t use my “One Yang Finger” to help her.”

With a slight hesitation, he said, “You two are young but your achievements are really not common. May this old monk speak frankly...”