by Jin Yong
Thereupon he said, "What about this Miss Zhou? Why did your Clan hold her captive here?”
"This ...,” Shi Huolong was startled.
Chen Youliang quickly interjected, "I hear people say that although Zhang Wuji of the Ming Cult possesses a strong martial art, he is a barbarian little devil head who does not have any regard of reason . ha ha .”
"Why?” Zhang Wuji’s face stayed calm and collected.
Chen Youliang said, "I have witnessed it today; hey hey, as sure as the shadow of a tree, as plain as your name.”
"Why did you call me barbarian without any regard of reason?” Zhang Wuji asked.
"This Miss Zhou is the Sect Leader of Emei Pai,” Chen Youliang replied, "She is the leading figure of an upright Sect; what relation does she have with your heretical Cult? This Song Qingshu Xiongdi is an up-and coming young leader of Wudang Pai, Miss Zhou and he are a perfect match [orig. lang2 cai2 nu3 mao4, lit. skilled young man, beautiful woman, and ‘zhu lian2 bi4 he2, lit. pearl matches with jade]; it is truly a harmony in social position and economic status, a pair of two-goodness. The two of them are passing by, and the Beggar Clan invited them to stay as our guests, to share a cup of wine with us. Why did the Ming Cult Jiaozhu unexpectedly come and intervene? That is funny, really funny!” Echoing what he just said, the crowd of beggars burst into loud laughter.
Zhang Wuji said, "If Miss Zhou is your guest, why did you seal her acupoints?”
"Miss Zhou was nicely sitting and drinking in here, talking and laughing. Who said her acupoints were sealed?” Chen Youliang said, "The relation between the Beggar Clan and Emei Pai is very deep; it goes for generations. The founder of Emei Pai, Shizu [martial ancestor] Guo Nuxia [heroine Guo] was our Clan’s previous leader, Huang Bangzhu’s beloved daughter. Our previous generation Yelu Bangzhu was Guo Nuxia’s brother-in-law. Unless you belong to the ignorant, wet-behind-the-ear generation, all Wulin people are aware about these historical facts. How can we, the Beggar Clan, offense the current Emai Pai’s Sect Leader? Zhang Jiaozhu’s accusation is unfounded, how can you prevent the heroes under the Heaven from sneering at you?”
Zhang Wuji laughed coldly and said, "So you are saying Miss Zhou sealed her own acupoints?”
"That’s not necessarily true,” Chen Youliang said, "We have everybody here as our witness, Zhang Jiaozhu rushed in, snatched her by force without any propriety, and then took Miss Zhou out. Miss Zhou struggled to free herself, and then Sire sealed her acupoints. Zhang Jiaozhu, although it is difficult for heroes to resist beautiful face, and even though you are lecherous and want to have possession over her, this is a public place with numerous people; everybody’s eyes are on you. Zhang Jiaozhu, aren’t you degrading your own position by committing this reckless act?”
Zhang Wuji’s eloquence was far inferior to Chen Youliang, as he was receiving such a false countercharge, he was furious and it was even more difficult for him to refute. Hid countenance turned ashen and he shouted, "So you said you have decided not to tell me where my Yifu is?”
Chen Youliang also raised his voice, "Zhang Jiaozhu, your Cult’s Guang Ming Shi Zhe [emissary of the brightness] Yang Xiao has caused the death of Emei Pai’s Ji Xiaofu Nuxia. Everybody in the Wulin world knows about it, no need to point my finger. Now you are relying on your superior martial art to come over here and commit this kind of despicable, filthy shady business; I am afraid it will be difficult for you to escape justice.”
Zhang Wuji turned his head toward Zhou Zhiruo and said, "Zhiruo, tell me, how did they capture and take you here?”
"I ... I ... I ...” Zhou Zhiruo said the word ‘I’ three times, then suddenly her body went limp and she passed out.
The crowd of beggars broke into a commotion; they called out, "Ming Cult’s devil head killed her!” "Zhang Wuji could not deny the charge and killed Emei Pai’s Sect Leader!” "Kill the pervert thief Zhang Wuji, rid the world of trouble!”
Zhang Wuji was livid, he stepped forward in big strides toward Shi Huolong, thinking, "To subdue the criminals must capture the leader first; as long as I can catch Shi Huolong, good or bad is in his hands. I can force them to reveal my Yifu’s whereabouts.”
Zhang Bang Longtou and Zhi Fa Zhanglao blocked together. Zhang Bang Longtou brandished his iron stick, while Zhi Fa Zhanglao had a steel hook in his right hand and iron crutch in his left hand. Two men with three different weapons simultaneously attacked Zhang Wuji.
Zhang Wuji let out a light whistling noise and launched Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi. ‘Clink! Clank!’ Zhi Fa
Zhanglao’s right hand steel hook parried Zhang Bang Longtou’s iron stick, his left hand’s crutch threatened to smash his lower body.
On the side, Chuan Gong Zhanglao’s sword was also thrust in; he called out, "This fellow’s martial art is very weird, everybody must be careful.” ‘Swish, swish, swish!’ three times, his sword curved like a rainbow, aiming Zhang Wuji’s chest and lower abdomen.
"Good swordmanship!” Zhang Wuji praised his swift and fierce move. Evading sideways, his left forefinger pointed toward Chuan Gong Zhanglao’s thigh.
Chuan Gong Zhanglao turned his sword over and the tip of the sword aimed toward Zhang Wuji’s fingertip. This change happened so fast that the tips of the sword and the finger were only less than a hair-width apart. This sword move was a rarely seen masterpiece in the Wulin world. Zhang Wuji silently praised, "The Beggar Clan’s name is revered in the Jianghu, for a hundred of years did not decline. There are truly crouching tigers and hidden dragons within the Clan, such as this outstandingly capable man.”
That day in the Mi Le Temple he saw the battle between the Xuan Ming Elders and the Beggar Clan’s masters, but he was hidden on the tree and did not dare to expose himself to look closely. This time he experienced it first hand and found out that Chuan Gong and Zhi Fa two elders were truly top ranking martial art experts of the present age. Zhang Bang Longtou was the weakest among them, but still, he was only a notch inferior to the other two.
In a flash, the Beggar Clan’s three elders and Zhang Wuji had exchanged more than twenty stances. Suddenly Chen Youliang loudly called out, "Arrange the Killing Dog Formation!”
The crowd of beggars shouted and yelled; their blades flickered with a snowy white ray of light. There were 21 Beggar Clan martial art masters, each with a curved saber in their hands; they quickly spread out, surrounding Zhang Wuji in the middle. These twenty-one beggars were singing the ‘lian hua luo’ [falling lotus (flower)]. Some of them were moaning and groaning as if they were in pain, while some others beat their own chests with their fists, and some called out in loud voices, "Laoye, Taitai [master, mistress (or madam)], have compassion! Share us your cold rice!”
At first Zhang Wuji was stunned, but then he understood; these weird shouts and actions were to disturb the enemy’s mind. He saw these beggars moved in a random pattern; they were advancing and retreating in haste, but upon a closer inspection, he found that actually they were following some strict pattern.
"Stop!” Chuan Gong Zhanglao shouted; he took two steps backward and lifted his sword horizontally across his chest. Zhi Fa Zhanglao and Zhang Bang Longtou also leaped backward, but the ‘killing dog formation’ was still jumping around here and there, their movements did not cease in the least bit.
"Zhang Jiaozhu,” Chuan Gong Zhanglao called out, "We are relying on large number to gain victory; it is improper. But within the Beggar Clan there is not a single person who is worthy to be Sire’s match. Other than using this cowardly act, we can never fight you following the way of chivalry.”
Zhang Wuji smiled slightly and said, "Well said, well said.”
Chuan Gong Zhanglao continued, "All of us are wielding some weapons, while Zhang Jiaozhu is bare-handed; the Beggar Clan should not take too much advantage over you. Whatever weapon Zhang Jiaozhu desires to use, we will respectfully offer that weapon to you.”
Zhang Wuji said in his heart, "This Chuan Gong Zhanglao not only possesses a high level of martial art, he is als
o chivalrous; he is totally different from that sly Chen Youliang.” He said, "Since I am playing around with you, why should I whirl a saber or sweep a staff? If I want to use weapon, can’t I fetch it myself?” As he was speaking, his shadow flashed to leave the ‘killing dog formation’. His hands moved and pressed both Chen Youliang’s and Song Qingshu’s shoulders. In a twinkling of an eye, he had already snatched their swords. His shadow flashed again and he returned to his original position.
The way he moved out and re-entered the formation was so fast that none of the moving twenty-one blades even touched the hem of his clothes. The crowd of beggars was frozen in amazement as they heard his loud and clear voice say, "Your precious Clan’s ‘killing dog formation’ has earned a very good reputation. Only, killing a dog is easy, but if you want to subdue a dragon or overcome a tiger, this formation is not of much use.” While saying that, he raised the swords and transmitted his strength into the swords’ blade. ‘Crack, crack!’ both the swords snapped into pieces.
"Everybody, move!” Zhang Bang Longtou shouted, his iron stick pointed toward Zhang Wuji’s chest. Zhi Fa Zhanglao also brandished his hook and crutch into two circular snow flowers, sweeping toward Zhang Wuji.
Zhang Wuji dashed to the left, but his body was slanted to the right, according to the Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi technique. A series of white rays flashed by, followed by a series of ‘pop, pop, pop’ noise, as all the curved sabers in the hands of the beggars of the ‘killing dog formation’ were snatched by Zhang Wuji and thrown to the beam of the main hall. The twenty-one curved sabers were stuck neatly in one row, each saber entered the beam about one foot deep.
Suddenly Chen Youliang’s voice was heard, "Zhang Wuji, aren’t you going to stop?”
Zhang Wuji turned his head only to see Chen Youliang had a sword in his hand, with the tip pressed toward Zhou Zhiruo’s back. With a cold laugh Zhang Wuji said, "For a hundred years the people of Jianghu say, ‘the Ming Cult, the Beggar Clan, and the Shaolin Pai,’ among the Jiao-Pai [cults and sects], the Ming Cult ranks first; among the Bang-Hui [clans and associations/societies] the Beggar Clan holds the highest honor. With your action, aren’t you afraid of bringing disgrace on the prestige of Hong Qigong Laoxia [old hero]?”
"Chen Zhanglao,” Chuan Gong Zhanglao angrily said, "Release Miss Zhou. We are fighting a life and death battle with Zhang Jiaozhu. The Beggar Clan is pouring out the entire Clan’s power to face Ming Cult Jiaozhu one man. If we do this despicable act, will any of us still have face to live an honorable life?”
Chen Youliang laughed. "Real men fight with wits and not with strength. Zhang Wuji, haven’t you surrendered yet?”
"All right!” Zhang Wuji loudly laughed, "Today Zhang Wuji experienced the Beggar Clan’s impressive power.”
Abruptly he took two steps backward and flipped backward into the air; and when he fell back down, his legs landed on Shi Huolong’s shoulders. His right palm laid flat on top of Shi Huolong’s head, while his left palm grabbed the main artery on the back of Shi Huolong’s neck. It was a stance from the martial art of Sheng Huo Ling, which was executed rather easily so that it surprised even Zhang Wuji himself.
His original intention was to take Shi Huolong by surprise with one of his weird moves. He had prepared three stances of the most difficult to be dealt with, combined with his lightning fast
movement, to capture Shi Huolong. His only concern was that Chen Youliang would be truly cruel and merciless; perhaps he would really stab Zhou Zhiruo as soon as Zhang Wuji made his move. Who would have thought that he did not even need a single stance form the three fiercest stances he had already prepared, since Shi Huolong did not even attempt to resist and let himself be captured.
Zhang Wuji rode on Shi Huolong’s shoulder just like a child riding on an adult. It was not the most elegant scene to behold, but since he had already gained control over the vital acupoints on the enemy’s head, he was not willing to jump down and thus give the enemy a chance to take back control.
As they saw their Clan Leader was captured, the crowd of beggars cried out in alarm. Zhang Wuji’s right palm laid flat on the ‘bai hui xue’ [hundred-meeting acupoint]; which was the intersection of the ‘tai yang jing’ [sun passage] and the ‘du mai’ [supervise artery]. It was the most important point on the human body. Zhang Wuji only need to tap it lightly, Shi Huolong’s passages and arteries would be shaken and he would die violently; no medicine would be able to revive him.
Nobody within the Beggar Clan dared to move. From the clamoring noise of shouting and yelling, the main hall suddenly turned very quiet. All eyes were looking at Zhang Wuji and Shi Huolong; nobody knew what to do.
Right this moment, suddenly they heard the soft but clear sound of ‘qin’ [zither] and ‘xiao’ [flute, but not the modern traverse orchestral flute]. It sounded like there were several zithers and several flutes were being played together. The cheerful sound of music floated in the air, sometimes loud, sometimes soft, sometimes distinct, sometimes vague, but everybody was able to hear it clearly. Sometimes the music came from the east, another time it came from the west; nobody knew for certain from which part of the roof the sound of music came from.
Zhang Wuji was greatly surprised; he could not figure out the meaning of this zither-flute music.
In loud and clear voice Chen Youliang said, "Which Master has bestowed the Beggar Clan the honor of your arrival? If you are the devils from the Ming Cult, you might as well show yourselves; why would you play tricks on us?”
Suddenly the zither played three notes successively, ‘zheng, zheng, zheng’, and four young women wearing white appeared on the east and west eaves, floating gently into the courtyard below; each woman had a zither in her hands. The zithers were half as long and half as wide as the ordinary seven-string zither of those days, yet they also have seven strings just like ordinary zithers. As the four women landed on the ground, they stood on the four corners of the courtyard.
Following them, from outside the door entered four young women in black, each with a black long flute in her hands. The flutes were twice as long as the commonly seen flutes of those days. These four women also took their positions on the four corners. Four women in white and four women in black, stood across from each other. Eight women forming a square, the four zithers played a happy tune, joined by the four flutes; together they made a beautiful instrumental ensemble. The music was very gentle and elegant. Zhang Wuji did not understand music, but it was as if the melody were dancing in the air, bringing a pleasant feeling to his ears. Although he was in a dangerous situation, he was willing to stop for a moment and listen to the music.
Amidst the sound of music, a woman entered the courtyard, wearing a soft yellow light robe; her left hand was taking along a twelve, thirteen years old girl. The woman appeared to be around twenty-seven, twenty-eight of age; her movements were graceful and her face was very beautiful, albeit looked a little pale, as if devoid of any blood.
On the contrary, the little girl was ugly; her nose curved upward, her mouth was wide, revealing two big front teeth, and she was carrying a mean and no-nonsense attitude. One of her hand was holding that beautiful lady’s hand, while the other hand was holding a dark green bamboo stick. Ever since the crowd of beggars saw these two women walked in, their eyes had never stopped staring at that dark green bamboo stick.
Seeing these many women suddenly appear, Zhang Wuji was aware that he was still riding on Shi Huolong’s shoulder and it looked like they were playing some kind of children’s game; but Chen Youliang’s sword had not left Zhou Zhiruo’s back, certainly he could not easily release the Beggar Clan’s Bangzhu. However, he also noticed that the eyes of everybody there were fixed on the bamboo stick on that little girl’s hand, as if that bamboo stick was the most important object in the world. They did not even look at the women in white, the women in black, the beautiful lady in light yellow, or even looked at the ugly girl. Zhang Wuji was astonished. He silently examined the bamboo stick with his eyes, and saw the
bamboo was very dark green, smooth and shiny; who knows how many hands this stick had passed on rubbed and stroked it. Other than that, he did not see anything unusual about it.
The beautiful lady in yellow scanned the hall; her eyes were as cold as lightning, gazing at everybody present. Finally, her eyes rested on Zhang Wuji’s face. With an icy cold voice she said, "Zhang Jiaozhu, you are not a child anymore. Instead of acting properly, you are making a scene in here.” She sounded like she was chiding Zhang Wuji, but her tone was friendly; it was as if an older sister was reprimanding her younger brother.
Zhang Wuji blushed. "The Beggar Clan’s Chen Zhanglao used a dirty trick,” he said in way of defense, "He holds my ... my companion hostage. In return, I captured their Bangzhu.”
That beautiful lady showed a faint smile and said in gentle voice, "Don’t you think riding on others’ Bangzhu is a bit too much? I came from Chang’an [ancient name of Xi’an, the capital of China during the Tang Dynasty], and have heard along the way that the Ming Cult Jiaozhu is a young devil-head. Today I see it with my own eyes. Ay, ay!” While saying that, she shook her pretty head, with a disapproving look on her face.
Suddenly Shi Huolong shouted, "Zhang Wuji, you pervert little thief, get down quickly!” He reached up to pull Zhang Wuji’s legs, but since the main artery on the back of his neck, through which the vital energy flowed, was seized, he did not have the least bit of strength left.
Because he was cursed as ‘pervert little thief’ in front of these women, Zhang Wuji was furious and ashamed; he transmitted a whiff of internal energy through his left hand to the back of Shi Huolong’s neck. Shi Huolong felt tingling sensation on his entire body, along with unbearable pain. "Aiyo! Aiyo! Aiyo!” he screamed.
The crowd of beggars were angry at seeing Zhang Wuji’s rudeness, but also ashamed and upset at their Bangzhu’s display of weakness. They felt that as Shi Huolong moaned and groaned under the enemy’s hand, he was degrading his position as a hero and a warrior. Even an ordinary Beggar Clan disciple would not bow his head and show such weakness in front of the enemy, much less the leader of the number one clan in Jianghu.