by Jin Yong
Bai GuiShou walked to the middle of the gathering, yelled, "My sect has recently acquired a new saber, called the Dragon Saber. Some have said, ‘Martial world’s most venerable, Prized saber dragon slaying, Controlling all under Heaven, None dares to not follow!’” He paused slightly here, his eyes swept through the entire field, letting the words sink in. Then he added, "Our Leader Yin originally planned for heroes everywhere to meet on Heavenly Eagle Mountain, so they can see our Dragon Saber. However, that would take too long to plan. We want some of our close friends to see the saber first, and spread the good word for us.” He waved his hands, and eight disciples walked into a nearby cave.
Everyone looked at these eight disciples, thinking they went in to grab the saber. Instead, they came out carrying a huge iron pot. They used poles to lift the pot, as to avoid the giant fire burnt within. The eight disciples put the pot in the middle of the gathering. Everyone sitting immediately felt the warmth of the fire. After those eight people left, four more came, carrying a large iron anvil, while two others carried two heavy hammers.
Bai GuiShou said, "Branch Leader Chang, please show us the Dragon Saber!”
Chang JinPeng said, "As you wish!” He turned around and yelled, "Get me the saber!”
The two strongmen walked into the cave. When they reappeared, one carried a yellow package, while the other guarded him. That sub-leader handed the package to Chang JinPeng, and retreated to his side. Chang JinPeng opened the package to reveal a single saber. Under the gaze of the audience, he unsheathed the saber, said, "This is the famous Dragon Saber. Watch closely!” He held the saber above his head, as if showing great respect.
Everyone here had long known about the Dragon Saber, but saw that this black saber looked quite plain. They all wondered whether this saber was real or not. Only to see Chang JinPeng give the saber to the strongman on the left, and said, "Test the hammer!”
That strongman grabbed the saber and put it on the anvil, the sharp edge facing up. The other strongman raised the iron hammer, brought it down upon the saber. Only to hear a soft scratching sound, the hammer split in half, one side stuck to the anvil, the other fell to the ground. Everyone gasped, stood up, and thought, "It’s not incredibly rare to see precious swords cut through gold or jade. But to cut through an iron hammer like tofu, without making much of a sound, is simply unheard of.
Two people from the Huge Whale Clan and the Divine Fist Sect went up to examine the broken hammer, saw that the cut was clean and shiny, meaning that it was recently made.
That strongman grabbed another large hammer, and once again brought it down up the saber, with the same result.
Zhang CuiShan thought, "I can’t believe there exist a saber as sharp as this one.”
Chang JinPeng grabbed the saber and with a seemingly light stroke cut the anvil in half. He then went to the nearby forest, and in a single swoop, used the saber to cut through eighteen trees. But oddly enough, none of the trees even moved. Just as the crowd was wondering, Chang JinPeng pushed one of the trees slightly, and the top part came down. The saber did indeed sliced through all the trees. But since it was so sharp, and Chang JinPeng’s slice was horizontal, the trunks did not fall down upon cut. Heavy wind came at this moment, the rest of the trees fell.
Chang JinPeng let out a hearty laugh, waved his hand, and threw the Dragon Saber into the iron pot.
Suddenly, loud cracking noises came from afar, as if someone else is also cutting down trees. Bai GuiShou and Chang JinPeng looked at each other, then stared into the distance, only to see the ships’ masts all falling down one after another. Not knowing what’s going on, each sect sent some people to the dock to see what’s going on.
Only to hear loud noises continue, as if the boats were all sailing within a thunderstorm. One after the other, the boats sank. Everyone gathered froze, not knowing what to say. At first, they thought it was some trick by the Heavenly Eagle Sect. But once they saw the Heavenly Eagle Sect ships sinking, they felt something else is going on.
The sects sent a second group of people to check on things. Again, no one came back.
Bai GuiShou said to one of the sub-leader, "Go check it out.” That sub-leader did as told. Bai GuiShou then turned to the audience, said with a smile, "Looks like there’s something odd going on at the beach. Don’t worry. Even if the boats are ruined, we can always make more. Come, let’s drink!” Although everyone’s uneasy about the situation, none wants to show weakness in front of others. So they all picked up their cups for a drink. Suddenly a loud scream came from afar.
Chang JinPeng and Bai GuiShou both realize that this was the scream of the sub-leader they sent out. Then, heavy footsteps could be heard, followed by the appearance of a heavily wounded man, indeed the sub-leader they sent out.
He held his hand over his eyes, as blood poured out the numerous heavy scratchs on his body. He yelled, "Golden-Haired Lion King! Golden-Haired Lion King!” Bai GuiShou asked, "Did you say it’s a lion?” He calmed down a bit hearing it was just an animal. That sub-leader said, "No! No! He was a person. He clawed to death all the people. He sank all the boats!” At this moment, his body fell to the ground, dead.
Bai GuiShou said, "Let me go see what happened.” Chang JinPeng said, "I’ll go with you.” Bai GuiShou said, "You should stay and protect Miss Yin.” He knew that the dead sub-leader’s kung fu is quite formidable. Anyone capable of decapitating him like that must be very powerful. Chang JinPeng nodded and said, "Yes!”
Suddenly they heard a voice, "Golden-Haired Lion King is already here!” Everyone gasped, only to see a man appear from behind the trees. He was tall and massive, with yellow hair over his head, his eyes shined, in his hand is a three-meter long mace. The way he stood and looked gave off the aura of a war god from Heaven.
Zhang CuiShan thought, "Golden-Haired Lion King? He must’ve gotten the nickname from his yellow hair. But who is he? Master never mentioned someone like him.”
Bai GuiShou went up to him and asked, "May I have your name?” That person said, "My surname is ‘Xie’, given name is ‘Xun’. I also have a nickname called ‘Golden-Haired Lion King’.” Zhang CuiShan and Yin SuSu looked at each other, thought, "This person looks very coarse, but his name is quite elegant. His nickname is much more fitting.” Hearing him very mannerly, Bai GuiShou said, "So it is Mr. Xie. I do not believe that we have met. So why did you come to this island and start killing people?”
Xie Xun smiled, showing bright white teeth. He looked around and said, "Why did everyone else come here?”
Bai GuiShou thought, "There’s no reason to hide the truth from him. Although his kung fu is formidable, he still can’t possibly defeat Chang JinPeng and myself combined, with the help of Fifth Hero Zhang and Miss Yin.” He said, "The Heavenly Eagle Sect recently acquired a precious saber. We simply asked our friends to come take a look.”
Xie Xun examined the saber currently lying inside the huge iron pot. Its ability to keep its natural color under so much heat certainly demonstrated the saber’s value. He began to walk towards the pot.
Chang JinPeng saw his intentions, blocked the way, yelled, "Stop!” Xie Xun chuckled, said, "What do you want?” Chang JinPeng said, "This saber belongs to the Heavenly Eagle Sect. You can certainly examine it, but you cannot take it.” Xie Xun said, "Did you make the sword? Or bought it?” Chang JinPeng could not respond. Xie Xun continued, "You also took it from someone else. So if I take it from you, it’s hardly unfair. So why can’t I do it?” As he spoke he went to grab the saber.
Chang JinPeng took out the watermelons from his waist, yelled, "Mr. Xie, if you don’t stop right now, I shall be obligated to use force.” Even as he spoke his warning, his watermelon had shot out. Xie Xun did not even turn around. He simply waved his mace behind him, blocked the watermelon and redirected it back towards Chang JinPeng. Chang JinPeng gasped, quickly threw out his other watermelon to block the one headed towards him. Unfortunately, Xie Xun’s power is just too strong. Upon impact, the second watermelon
s changed its directions too, and both now came back towards him. In an instant, they hit Chang JinPeng directly on the chest, killing him instantly.
This sudden change of events shocked Chang JinPeng’s five sub-leaders. They immediately attacked Xie Xun. Xie Xun’s left hand grabbed the Dragon Saber, and then tipped over the iron pot with his mace. The fallen pot immediately hit three sub-leaders. Then it began to roll on the ground, hitting the other two. Four sub-leaders died immediately, while the fifth caught fire, and rolled on the ground in extreme pain.
Everyone’s gasped at what has happened. Zhang CuiShan had seen many powerful fighters in the martial world, but never someone of Xie Xun’s caliber. He knew that he has no chance against Xie Xun. Even his big brother and second brother would not likely defeat him either. Other than his master, Zhang CuiShan could not think of a second person that is this man’s match.
Only to see Xie Xun examine the saber, lightly flicked it with his fingers. He nodded, said,
"Amazing, amazing saber!” He raised his head, looked at sheath besides Bai GuiShou, said, "Is this the Dragon Saber’s sheath? Give it to me.”
Bai GuiShou realized that in this situation, he’s pretty much likely to be dead no matter what. If he handed Xie Xun the sheath, his fame would go down the drain, and will likely die a terrible death when the sect leader finds out. But of course, to disobey this man would mean certain death right now. So he said, "If want to kill me, just go ahead. Do you think I am afraid of death?”
Xie Xun let out a smile, said, "Oh, a tough guy! Looks like there are some characters in the Heavenly Eagle Sect.” Suddenly he threw the Dragon Saber towards Bai GuiShou. With the Dragon Saber coming at him, Bai GuiShou wouldn’t dare block it with a weapon, nor try to catch it. He quickly evaded to the side. In a flash, ‘swoosh’, the saber entered the sheath on the table. It continued to fly forward with the momentum, until Xie Xun grabbed the saber with one of the spikes on his mace, causing it to fly backward, until it entered his hand again. Everyone was astonished by this strange way of sheathing a saber.
Xie Xun looked left and right, said, "Is there anyone else who object to me taking this saber?” He asked this question twice, without getting a single response.
Suddenly, a person from the Sea Sand Sect table rose, said, "Elder Xie is famous throughout the world. Of course, this saber should belong to Elder Xie. None of us would dare object.” Xie Xun said, "You are the chief helmsman of the Sea Sand Sect Yuan ChangBuo, right?” That person said, "Yes.” He was both happy and terrified that Xie Xun knew his name.
Xie Xun said, "Do you know who my teacher was? Which sect I belong to?” Yuan ChangBuo stuttered, "Well. Elder Xie.” Actually, he knows nothing about Xie Xun. Xie Xun said coldly, "If you don’t know anything about me, then why do you say that I am famous throughout the world? I absolutely abhor people like you. Get out here!” His last sentence roared like thunder in everyone’s ears. Yuan ChangBuo, scared of his power, obediently got up and stepped forward with his head down.
Xie Xun said, "The martial arts of the Sea Sand Sect is mediocre, but specializes in harming people using poisonous salt. Last year you killed Zhang DengYun’s family in the town of Yu Tao. Just this last month you killed Sea Gate Sect’s OYang Qin. Am I correct?” Yuan ChangBuo gasped, thought that considering how secretive these two cases were, how could Xie Xun have known about them? Xie Xun said, "Get your subordinate to bring out two large bowls of your salt. I want to see what it is.” Everyone in the Sea Sand Sect carries poisonous salts with him. Yuan ChangBuo wouldn’t dare disobey, so he could only ask his subordinates to bring out the salts, filling two large bowls.
Xie Xun picked up one bowl and smelled it, then said, "We’ll each eat a bowl.” He put the mace on
the ground, picked up Yuan ChangBuo, held down his chin, and stuffed an entire bowl of the salt down his throat.
The deaths of the Zhang DengYuan family and OYang Qin were two unsolvable cases of the martial world in recent years. Both Zhang and OYang’s reputations were quite good. No one knew that the Sea Sand Sect’s Yuan ChangBuo killed them. Zhang CuiShan was actually happy to see him being force-fed poisonous salt.
Xie Xun picked up the other bowl, said, "I’ve always been a fair person. If you eat bowl, so will I.”
He opened his mouth and poured the whole bowl into his mouth.
No one expected this turn of events. Zhang CuiShan saw that although he’s quite vicious, Xie Xun had quite a bit of righteousness in him. Besides, the people he’s been killing were all terrible people anyway. Overall, Xie Xun left a favorable impression in Zhang CuiShan’s mind. At this moment, Zhang CuiShan couldn’t help but yell, "Elder Xie, this person deserves to die. You don’t need to be fair with him.” Xie Xun turned to look at him, asked, "Who are you?” Zhang CuiShan said, "I am Wu Dang’s Zhang CuiShan.” Xie Xun said, "Oh, Fifth Hero Zhang of Wu Dang. Are you also here to take the Dragon Saber?” Zhang CuiShan shook his head, said, "I came to look for more information regarding my third brother’s injury. If you know something about this, please tell me.”
Before Xie Xun could respond, Yuan ChangBuo screamed in pain, held his stomach tightly while rolling back and forth on the ground. After a while, he stopped struggling, and died. Zhang CuiShan quickly said, "Elder Xie. Hurry up and take an antidote.”
Xie Xun said, "What’s the need? Give me some wine!” The Heavenly Eagle Sect member responsible for taking care of guests quickly brought a bottle of wine over. Xie Xun said, "Is the Heavenly Eagle Sect this stingy? Give me a big bowl!” That person then brought a big bowl and courteously put it in front of Xie Xun, but thought, "Drinking wine right after being poisoned, are you afraid that you won’t die quickly enough?”
Only to see Xie Xun chug the whole bowl down his throat. This bowl held at least twenty-some pounds of wine, yet he managed to drink it all up in one gulp. He patted his stomach, opened his mouth, and a streak of liquid came out, hitting Bai GuiShou’s chest. Bai GuiShou felt like being hit by continuous streaks of iron pellets. Despite his high inner power, Bai GuiShou eventually began to falter, and then fell to the ground, unconscious.
Xie Xun then turned upward, as the wine shot up and came down like rain over the Huge Whale Clan’s people. They all felt an unbearable odor coming from the water. Those without good inner power fainted. When the wine had entered Xie Xun’s stomach, it cleansed the stomach of the poisonous salt, turning the wine into poisonous wine. Then Xie Xun released it back out using his inner power, leaving very little in his stomach. Considering his inner power, this amount of poison could not hurt him at all.
The leader of the Huge Whale Clan, upon seeing Xie Xun mock his clan this way, stood up in anger. But then thought better of it, and sat back down.
Xie Xun said, "Clan Leader Mai, you plundered a seagoing ship this May, didn’t you?” Mai Jing’s face turned pale, said, "That’s correct.” Xie Xun said, "I know you are pirates. If you don’t plunder ships, then there’s no way for you to make a living. I don’t blame you for that. But to throw tens of innocent passengers overboard, raping and killing seven women aboard the ship. don’t you think that is way too cruel?” Mai Jing said, "Well. well. these are done by my subordinates. I. I didn’t participate.” Xie Xun said, "Your subordinates are a vicious lot, yet you do not discipline them. Isn’t
that just as bad as you yourself doing these deeds?”
Mai Jing thought of his situation, wished only for his own survival, took out his saber, said, "Cai Si, Hua QingShan, HaiMa HuLiu, I remembered that you three participated in that day’s events!” In three flashes, he cut down three people. These blows came so quick those three people had no chance to retaliate, all died immediately.
Xie Xun said, "Good! Except it came too late, and against your own will. Had you killed these people at the time, I wouldn’t be here to duel with you today. Leader Mai, what is your most accomplished martial art?”
Mai Jing thought, "I probably can’t last even three exchanges if I fight him on land.
But on water, he’s no match against me. Even if I can’t beat him, at least I can swim away. Or could he swim faster than me too?” He said, "I want to see the elder’s underwater kung fu.”
Xie Xun said, "Fine, let’s duel underwater.” He walked a few steps, suddenly stopped, said, "Hold on. If I leave, these people here might escape!”
Everyone quivered, thought, "He’s afraid that we’ll escape? Does that mean he wants to kill us all?”
Mai Jing said in a hurry, "Actually, I’m no match for Elder Xie underwater either. I’ll admit defeat.” Xie Xun said, "Really? Well, that saves me some time. Go ahead and kill yourself and be done with all this.” Mai Jing was taken aback, said, "But. but it’s just a duel. There’s no reason for the loser to commit suicide upon defeat.”
Xie Xun yelled, "Don’t give me that crap! You think you’re worthy of dueling me? I’m here to take your life. For people like us who practice martial arts, it’s not a big deal for us to shed some blood. But I only kill people who knows kung fu, and despise those who oppress the weak, kill innocent civilians. I will not let anyone who have done these things get away.”
When Zhang CuiShan heard this, he couldn’t help but glance at Yin SuSu, thought that she did indeed kill many innocents at the Dragon Gate Escort Agency. If Xie Xun knew about that, he would have to kill her too. Only to see Yin SuSu’s face pure white, her lips shivering. Zhang CuiShan thought again, "If Xie Xun really tried to take her life, would I protect her? If I did, then I would surely die. Besides, she would deserve it, but. but. can I really stand and watch him kill everyone like this?”
Only to hear Xie Xun said, "Except I want you to die without regret, which is why I challenge you to your best martial arts skills. If you know of any skill you can best me at, I’ll let you go.”