by Jin Yong
He gave Qiu Chuji a kick, causing Qiu Chuji to let out an almost imperceptible moan. Duan Tiande pulled out his saber and shouted: "Do you have any idea how much suffering you have caused me you Taoist bastard? Well now your foe is going to send you on your way to the Western Paradise!"
Even though he was greatly injured, monk Jiaomu summoned all his strength and shouted: "Don't... don't harm him!" Duan Tiande asked: "Why not?" Monk Jiaomu, still recovering from the shout, got out between breaths: "He's a good man... just a little im... impatient, so there was some misunderstand...." Duan Tiande replied: "A good man? Who cares? Let me kill him!" The monk Jiaomu angrily rebuked: "Are you going to listen to me or not? Put... put down your saber!" Duan Tiande laughed heartily at that remark and shouted back: "Put down my saber? Then what? Become enlightened on the spot?" He lifted up his saber and began to swing it down at Qiu Chuji. [Note: Duan Tiande's becoming enlightened remark is a reference to a Buddhist saying that one could put down his weapon and become enlightened on the spot.]
Furious, the monk Jiaomu summoned up all his strength again and tossed the piece of burnt wood in his hand at Duan Tiande as hard as he could. Duan Tiande tried to dodge out of the way, but his martial arts were just not good enough and it caught him on the side of his mouth and knocked out three of his teeth. In pain and humiliated, Duan Tiande, ignoring the fact that he owed his life to the monk Jiaomu, lifted his saber and tried to chop off the monk’s head. However, a small monk who was right beside him grabbed onto his right arm and held on for his life while another one grabbed his collar. In fury, Duan Tiande swung his saber back and brought it down upon those two monks. Even though Qiu Chuji, Jiaomu, and Freaks were all martial arts masters, every single one of them was gravely injured or kept from the battle and could not do a thing to stop him.
Li Ping screamed: "Bastard! Stop! Stop!" She had been dragged all over the place by Duan Tiande and had been patiently waiting for an opportunity to present itself to her to avenge her husband. Seeing the ground covered in blood and this man about to commit more murders, she could not hold back any longer. She charged up to him and began to fight him for all she's worth. The others had thought she was just an underling of Duan Tiande because of her uniform. Everyone was quite surprised when she suddenly attacked Duan Tiande.
Being blind, Ke Zhen’E's hearing was especially sensitive and knew that she was female as soon as he heard her. He turned to Jiaomu: "Monk Jiaomu, we are all going to die because of you. You really did have a girl hidden in your temple!"
After a moment of surprise, the monk Jiaomu understood what had happened. He thought that because of one slight oversight on his part, he had not only got himself hurt, he had taken his friends down with him as well. In anger and humiliation, he punched the ground with both hands to help him stand up and charged at Duan Tiande with all his might. Seeing him coming with such ferociousness, Duan Tiande immediately dodged out of the way in fear. Not being able to control his own body because of the injury, the monk Jiaomu ran straight into one of the temple’s columns head first and died on the spot.
Frightened out of his wits, Duan Tiande grabbed Li Ping and ran off as fast as he could. Li Ping's shouts for help got further and further away.
End of Chapter 2.
Chapter 3 - The Winds of the Steppes
Translated by Minglei Huang
Jochi was furious; lifting his horsewhip he struck again. Guo Jing rolled around on the ground and when he rolled close to Jochi, he suddenly jumped up and grabbed his right leg very tightly. Jochi exerted his strength to shake him off, but the boy’s grip was surprisingly strong and he couldn’t get him off.
The monks were crying because of the venerable monk Jiaomu's death but some of them were still able to take care of the wounded by bandaging up their wounds and carrying them into the guest rooms. Suddenly there came an incessant banging from the vat underneath the huge bell. Not knowing what kind of monster was present, the monks looked at each other with blank faces. Not knowing what to do started to chant the ‘Sutra of the High King’ [Gao Wang Jing]. But the banging continued through all the chants of ‘Help the Sufferers’ and ‘Amida Buddha’. Finally, a dozen or so of the more courageous monks pulled the huge bell back up again with a huge thick rope. As soon as they lifted the vat, a huge ball of meat came rolling out from underneath it. Scared beyond words, the monks scattered. That ball of meat suddenly stood up, it turned out to be Han Baoju. Being covered for the last half of the fight, he had no idea what had happened. Looking around, he noticed monk Jiaomu had died and all his sworn brothers were greatly injured and almost panicked. He walked over to Qiu Chuji and was about to strike down at his head with his ‘Golden Dragon Whip’.
"Third Brother, NO!" Quan Jinfa shouted.
"Why not?" Han Baoju demanded in anger.
"You... just can't," was all Quan Jinfa could get out because of the pain in his abdomen.
Even though both of his legs were wounded, Ke Zhen’E's mind was still working fine. He took out the antidote for his poison and instructed the monks to give the right amounts to both Qiu Chuji and Han Xiaoying, all the while explaining what had happened to Han Baoju. Enraged, Han Baoju was about to go chasing after Duan Tiande when Ke Zhen’E shouted: "We'll find that bastard sooner or later. First help those of your brothers who suffered internal injuries."
Both Zhu Cong and Nan Xiren had suffered severe internal injuries and that kick to Quan Jinfa's stomach was quite a blow too. Zhang Ahsheng's collar bone was broken and his chest was hit as well, knocking him out temporarily. Once he woke up, it turned out he wasn't in any mortal danger. He immediately began helping others in the temple.
The monks of the Fahua Monastery [Temple of Oriental Zen] sent a couple of errand runners to report the events to Abbot Kumu at the Yunlou Monastery [Cloudy Pavilion Temple] and also began to make funeral arrangements for the monk Jiaomu.
After several days, the poison in Qiu Chuji and Han Xiaoying's body was eradicated. Being the medical expert that he was, Qiu Chuji immediately began combining herbs and treating Zhu Cong and others as well as massaging and snapping bones back into place. Luckily, everyone's kung fu base was strong enough so that the internal as well as the external injuries were not serious. After several more days, everyone was able to sit up again. One day, all eight of them gathered in one of the monk's rooms and reflected on how they were manipulated into fighting each other, resulting in the death of the monk Jiaomu and injuries to all parties. All of them were silent, not knowing what to say.
After a while, Han Xiaoying finally broke the silence: "Everyone knows about Priest Qiu's intelligence and wit, and the seven of us didn't exactly begin wandering the world yesterday. Yet we were all manipulated into this by some little nobody. If this ever gets out, everyone in the martial world will laugh at us. Reverend, do you have any idea as to how to clean up this mess?"
Qiu Chuji had been blaming himself for the last couple of days, thinking that if only he had sat down and calmly talked with the monk Jiaomu then all of this could have been avoided. So, in deference, he turned to Ke Zhen’E: "Big Brother Ke, what do you say?"
Ke Zhen’E's temper was bad to begin with; after his eyes were blinded it got even worse. The fact that Qiu Chuji himself brought down all seven of them combined was, in fact, what he considered to be one of the biggest embarrassments of his life. Coupled with the fact that the pain in his legs from the sword wound was still throbbing, he was barely able to hold back his indignation. He sneered and replied: "Priest Qiu uses his sword skills to take down anyone in his way and never needs to respect anyone. Why consult us over this matter?"
Qiu Chuji was taken aback for a moment, but immediately realized that he was still angry about the matter. He stood up, cupped his fist, and bowed to the Seven Freaks. "I was wrong in my actions; I was too rude and headstrong. This entire matter is entirely my fault and I ask you all for your forgiveness."
Zhu Cong and the rest of the Freaks returned the gesture. Ke Zhen’E preten
ded not to notice and coldly replied: "I say the seven of us have lost all of our rights to meddle in the affairs of the martial world. We should settle down here, fishing, chopping wood, or whatever. As long as Priest Qiu does not come around again, we would at least be able to spend the rest of our lives in peace."
Qiu Chuji blushed a little from that verbal slash. After a brief pause, he suddenly stood up and said: "Since I was at fault this time, I will never dare step into this area again. As for retribution for monk Jiaomu's death, it will all fall on my shoulders and I will kill that bastard with my own hands and avenge him. Having said all that I need to say, it's now time for me to leave." Qiu Chuji bowed towards everyone again and began to walk out.
"Stop!" Ke Zhen’E shouted.
Qiu Chuji turned around and said, "Does Big Brother Ke have something else to say?"
"You have injured all of us," Ke Zhen’E replied, "and you expect all of this to just disappear because you said a couple of words?"
"Then what does Big Brother Ke want? As long as it is within my abilities I will try my best to do it."
"We just can't let this slide right now," Ke Zhen’E answered, "so it would be nice if Reverend gives us something more."
Although the Seven Freaks were all very righteous and moral individuals; they were also very proud and acted very strangely, making them well deserving the title of "Seven Freaks". Each is a master of kung fu and they always worked together, so they had never come out on the short end of a struggle when going up against others in the martial world. Several years ago they got into a fight with the Huaiyang Clan; the seven of them killed over one hundred or so of the Huaiyang Clan members on the shores of the Yangtze. Back then Han Xiaoying was still a child, but she still managed to kill two foes. The name ‘Seven Freaks of the South’ became famous throughout the martial world. Defeat by the hands of Qiu Chuji did not go down very well with any of them. Add that to the fact that the monk Jiaomu, a good friend of the Freaks, died, one could argue, because of Qiu Chuji's rashness. But there was still the fact that a woman WAS hidden inside the temple and Eagle Shooting Hero 65 she WAS the widow of Guo Xiaotian, as Qiu Chuji had claimed. This made the Freaks partly to blame; however, at this moment, the Freaks had forgotten about that.
"I was hit by your projectile," Qiu Chuji replied. "And if it wasn't for Big Brother Ke's antidote, I would have been dead a long time ago. So for this fight, I wholeheartedly admit defeat."
"If that's the case," Ke Zhen’E replied, "then leave that sword that you carry on your back and you can go." He knew that if the two sides fought again at this time only the Han siblings would be able to put up a fight and that victory for his side was impossible. But all of the Freaks would rather die than to let the matter pass like this.
This angered Qiu Chuji greatly: "I have already given you people a lot of face and that should be enough. I also admitted defeat, what else do you want? The sword is for my protection," he continued, "just like that staff Big Brother Ke carries around."
"Are you poking fun at my blindness?" Ke Zhen’E shouted back.
"I dare not!"
"We are all injured right now, so it's hard to actually fight at this moment." Ke Zhen’E shouted angrily. "So I invite priest Qiu to come and duel with the seven of us a year from today at the Pavilion of the Drunken Immortal."
Qiu Chuji frowned at that remark. He thought, “Because the Seven Freaks weren't bad people, there was really no point in keeping this grudge going between us. The day after the Venerable Jiaomu died, Han Baoju could have killed me easily once he got out from underneath the bell. Besides, this whole matter was caused more or less by my own rashness. A real man knows what's right and wrong. If he's wrong then he should admit it. To sort all this out with the Freaks won't be easy either.” After thinking silently for a bit, an idea suddenly came to him, "If you really want to determine who is better between us, then we could do that," he said. "But only according to the rules I lay down. Otherwise, I have already lost to Hero Zhu at the Pavilion of the Drunken Immortal, and I lost again fighting here in the temple. I have already lost twice and would inevitably lose the third time as well, there’s no point in going any further."
Han Baoju, Han Xiaoying, and Zhang Ahsheng immediately stood up, the other four could not stand but all sat up as much as they could. They answered in unison: "When the Seven Freaks of the South duel with someone, we always let our opponent choose the time, place, and method."
Seeing how competitive they were, Qiu Chuji smiled: "So I decide how we should fight no matter what?"
Figuring that no matter what dirty trick Qiu Chuji would come up with, it wouldn't necessarily mean defeat for them, Zhu Cong and Quan Jinfa answered simultaneously: "That's right!"
"A man's word..." Qiu Chuji replied.
"... wild horses can't bring back!" Han Xiaoying finished, but Ke Zhen’E remained silent.
[The saying "A man's word can't be brought back by wild horses" is a famous saying in China about keeping one's word. When a person says it, it means that he will not go back on his word.] "If you people feel that my way is unfair in any way," Qiu Chuji continued, "then I will admit defeat right here and now." Obviously planning to gain ground by giving up a little, he knew that the Freaks would never let him admit defeat that easily because of their competitiveness.
"There’s no need to play all these word games to anger us, just tell us what it is," Ke Zhen’E replied, as expected.
Qiu Chuji sat down and began to explain: "The method I have in my mind might be a little bit dragged out, but what it really measures is abilities and skills and is susceptible to some temporary mishaps or conditions. Everyone knows any martial artist can fight with blades and fists. We all have names in the martial world and absolutely cannot stoop down to the level of lowly underlings.”
"What's left to fight with if we can't do it with blades or fists? Are we having a drinking contest again?" All of the Freaks wondered at that comment.
"This huge contest between us, you seven against me, will not only measure our kung fu skills, but also our will, determination, and wit. With this contest, we will see once and for all who the real hero is."
This entire conversation had all of the Seven Freaks shaking in anticipation and excitement. "Stop stalling, tell us!" Han Xiaoying demanded. "The harder it is the better!"
"If we are competing meditating, making medicine, fortunetelling, or ghost-banishing, then we are no match for priest Qiu at all." Zhu Cong said with a smile.
"And I don't really want to compete with Second Brother Zhu in stealing chickens or taking sheep." Qiu Chuji replied with a smile.
This caused a little bit of laughter from Han Xiaoying, who quickly went back to urging Qiu Chuji on: "Come on, say it!"
"At the very bottom of all of this and the misunderstanding that led to our fight, was saving the descendants of a couple of good men. This matter would be best ended in that way as well." Qiu Chuji went on to tell how he met with Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin all the way to how he pursued Duan Tiande to this temple. Throughout his entire explanation, the Freaks could not stop cursing the Jin as well as the Song government for its corruption.
After he finished the story, Qiu Chuji went on: "That woman that Duan Tiande dragged away was Guo Xiaotian's widow, Madam Li. Other than Big Brother Ke and the Han siblings, I'm sure the other four of you saw them."
"I remember her voice," Ke Zhen’E interrupted, "I will never forget that voice!"
"Great." Qiu Chuji continued, "As for Yang Tiexin's widow, Mrs. Bao, there is no clue as to where she might be. I have seen her before, but you people haven't. So what I propose we do is...."
"... the seven of us would go rescue Mrs. Li while you go save Mrs. Bao and that whoever succeeds wins. Right?" Han Xiaoying eagerly cut in.
Qiu Chuji smiled and replied: "Saving people, while definitely not easy, can't really be used to determine who's a hero and who's not. What I have in mind is much harder and more troublesome."
"
So what are you suggesting?" Ke Zhen’E demanded.
"Both of the women are pregnant," Qiu Chuji explained. "After we save them, we must make sure they settle down nicely and allow them to give birth. After that I will teach the Yang child while the seven of you teach the Guo child...."
The Seven Freaks were getting more and more amazed with every word that he said. They were practically mesmerized when Han Baoju cut in: "Then what?"
"After eighteen years, when the kids are both eighteen, all of us, as well as invited friends from all over the martial realm, shall gather at the Pavilion of the Drunken Immortal once again for a huge feast. Then, when we are all sufficiently full and merry, we'll let the two kids duel to see whether it is my disciple who is better or is the disciple of the Seven Heroes really the best." The Seven Freaks stared at each other, completely speechless.
Qiu Chuji continued: "If the Seven Heroes fight me once more and defeat me, then it could easily be because you outnumber me; not much glory there. But if I pass all my kung fu to one person and you guys pass all of your kung fu to one person, then whichever one wins must mean that their master or masters were better."
Filled with pride, Ke Zhen’E slammed his iron staff onto the floor: "Alright! That's what we'll do!"
"What if that bastard Duan Tiande has already killed Mrs. Li? What then?" Quan Jinfa asked.
"That's just the luck of the draw," Qiu Chuji replied. "The heavens wanted me to win, what more could be said?"
"Alright!" Han Baoju pitched in with his opinion. "Rescuing widows and orphans was the right thing to do to begin with. Even if we weren't competing against you we would do it."
Qiu Chuji gave him a thumbs-up and declared: "Third Brother Han is exactly right. If the Seven Heroes are willing to care for the Guo child to adulthood, then I would like to thank everyone for my late Brother Guo." He bowed to each of them again.