Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber Book 1

by Jin Yong

  Born as a Crown Prince, he later left his kingdom to retreat to the Tai He mountain (which later became known as the Wu Dang mountain) to seek for enlightment. After 42 years, he finally achieved immortality and transcended to the heavens. He was thus crowned by the Jade Emperor of the Heavens as the 'Tai Xuan' to rule over the Northern sphere. According to ancient Chinese astrological myths, the heavens were divided into 28 different houses of constellations ('Xiu'). These 28 different houses were further grouped into 4 groups (North, South, East West) and were assigned a specific animal 'form' (known as the 4 forms). The constellation group in the North was known as the 'Xuan Wu' ('Xuan' meaning black and referring to the snake, while 'Wu' refers to the shell of the tortoise). Thus Zhen Wu Da Di came to be known as the Xuan Wu Da Di. It was said that the Jade Heavenly Emperor later renamed the Tai He mountain to the Wu Dang mountain in honour of this deity ('Wu' from Xuan Wu, 'Dang' meaning 'managed'/'controlled' to indicate that this mountain was under the sole control of Xuan Wu).

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  'She' means 'Snake' while 'Shan' refers to mountain. Also called the 'HuangHe Shan' (the Yellow Crane mountain). It Faces Gui Shan.

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  'Gui' meaning turtle. Also known as the 'LuShan.'

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  Also known as the Yangzte River.

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  the greatest river branch of the Yangzte river.

  Yin SuSu said, "WuJi, you have to promise your mother one thing.” WuJi said, "Ma, just say it.” Yin SuSu said, "Don't rush to seek revenge, you have to be patient. But don't even let a single one of them go.” When everyone heard these few cold words from her, they couldn't help but feel a cold chill brush across their back. WuJi was heard to cry, "Ma! I don't want revenge, I only want my papa to come back to life!”

  Yin SuSu said tearfully, "When a person dies, there's no way of bring them back.” Her body quivered ever so slightly as she said, "Child, since your papa has died, we may as well reveal your godfather's whereabouts to others.” WuJi hurriedly said, "No, no we can't do that!”

  Yin SuSu said, "Abbot Kong Wen, you are the only person whom I will reveal the secret to, please bring your ear closer.” This move was out of everyone's expectations, and they were all surprised. Kong Wen said, "All is well, all is well! If only madam you were willing to reveal this earlier, fifth hero Zhang wouldn't have to die” and approached Yin SuSu, leaning his ear over.

  Yin SuSu's lips moved a few times but was not heard to emit any sounds. Kong Wen asked, "What?” Yin SuSu said, "The Golden Mane Lion King Xie Xun is hiding in ...” when she got to the words "hiding in” her voice became extremely muddled again, no audible sound was heard. Kong Wen asked again, "What?” Yin SuSu replied, "He is there, your Shaolin sect can go and find him yourselves.”

  Kong Wen frantically insisted, "I didn't hear anything” while he straightened his body and lifted his hands to scratch his head, a completely confused and lost expression on his face.

  Yin SuSu laughed coldly and said, "I can only tell you that much. As long as you go there, you will most definitely find the Golden Mane Lion King Xie Xun.”

  She embraced WuJi and said in a low voice, "Child, when you grow up, you must take caution of woman tricking you. The more beautiful that woman is, the better of a manipulator she will be.” She then pressed her lips against WuJi's ears and whispered in an extremely soft voice, "I didn't tell that monk anything, I was only lying to him ... look at ... what a great liar your mother is!” and after a bitter, anguished laugh, her arms fell to her side as her whole body slumped down to the floor.

  What was immediately seen was the dagger that was stuck in her chest. She had already stabbed herself with this dagger when she was embracing WuJi, but because WuJi's body was blocking her front, nobody was able to detect it.

  WuJi threw himself onto his mother's body and screamed, "Mama, mama!” But Yin SuSu had driven that dagger into herself a long time ago and had been able to hold up for quite a while already. By this time, she had eventually stopped breathing. WuJi was incredibly devastated, but not only did he not sob and cry, he actually glared at Abbot Kong Wen while asking, "It was you who killed my mama wasn't it? Why did you kill my mama?”

  Having witness a series of life's great tragedies all at once, even Kong Wen, the sect leader of the present era's most revered martial arts sect couldn't stop himself from feeling incredibly shaken. After being interrogated by WuJi like this, he couldn't help but back up a few steps while frantically saying, "No, it wasn't me. She ... she was the one who killed herself.”

  Tears were rolling around in WuJi's eyes, but he exerted all his strength to force back these tears, muttering, "I won't cry, I will not let myself cry, won't cry in front of all you bad people.”

  The Abbot Kong Wen cleared his throat softly and said, "Grand Master Zhang, we never expected that ... ai ... ai ... that it would end up like this. Since fifth hero Zhang and his spouse has already committed suicide, then we will no longer continue to interrogate about the past. We will retreat now.” After saying these words, he pressed his palms together and bowed, while Zhang SanFeng returned a bow and said cooly, "Forgive us for not seeing you out.” All the Shaolin monks got up together, turned around and prepared to leave.

  Yin LiTing shouted with anger, "You all ... you all force my brother to kill himself ...” but then he immediately thought, "Brother killed himself because he felt that he had wronged third brother, it really wasn't their fault.” Therefore having just uttered half a sentence, he didn't continue to finish it and only threw himself onto Zhang CuiShan's corpse, wailing loudly.

  All the guests felt unease in their hearts as they all approached Zhang SanFeng to express their intentions of departing, while they were all thinking within their hearts, "This time, the bad blood has gotten really thick. The Wu Dang sect most definitely will not easily let us off the hook this time. There will be trouble in the future.” Song YuanQiao saw the guests out, accompanying them outside to the temple doors with reddened eyes. As soon as they stepped foot outside, he turned his head around, his tears already pouring down. Within the reception hall, all that could be heard was the sobbing from everyone in the Wu Dang sect.

  E-Mei sect was the last group to leave. When Ji XiaoFu saw how devastated YinLiTing was, her eyes also reddened as she approached him and said softly: "Sixth brother, I’m leaving now.

  Take. Take good care of yourself.” Yin Liting’s tears obscured his vision, as he lifted his head up and chokingly asked: "Did you ... did you from E-Mei Sect also come here to cause trouble for my Fifth Brother?” Ji Xiaofu hurriedly replied: "No. Our Master only wanted to ask Brother Zhang to reveal Xie Xun’s whereabouts.” She paused, bit her lip till blood flowed and tremblingly said: "Sixth brother, I ... I have wronged you. Take care of yourself. I will only be able to make it up to you in the next life.” Yin Liting felt that what she said was rather excessive. He replied: "This was not your fault. We won’t blame you.” Ji Xiaofu was very pale as she said: "It’s. it’s not about this.” She did not dare continue talking to Yin Liting, so she turned to Wuji and said: "Good boy, we. we will all take good care of you.” She removed her gold necklace/neck-band and tried to put it on Wuji, saying softly: "This is for you.” Wuji jerked his head away and said: "I don’t want it!” Embarrassed and left with the necklace/neck-band in her hand, Ji Xiaofu was stunned. The tear that had been welling up in her eyes finally rolled out. Jingxuan Shi-tai frowned and said: "Ji Shi-mei, why do you have so much to say to a child? Let’s go!” Ji Xiaofu hurried after her.

  Wuji had been holding back, waiting for Jingxuan, Ji Xiaofu and the others to leave, so that he could cry his heart out. But suddenly, he could not breathe and collapsed to the ground. Yu Lianzhou quickly picked him up and held him in his arms, thinking that he had fainted because of

  his distress and trying to hold back his tears. He massaged Wuji chest a few times and said: "Child, just cry it out.” But Wuji did not wake up. His body was as cold as ice and his breathing was weak. Yu Li
anzhou channeled his internal energy into him, but Wuji still did not wake up. Seeing that Wuji looked about to die as well, everyone paled.

  Zhang Sanfeng pressed Wuji’s Lingtai acupoint and transferred his internal energy to him. With Zhang Sanfeng’s current internal energy cultivation, unless a person was on the brink of death, no matter how severe his injury was he would definitely improve once he received Zhang Sanfeng’s internal energy. But when the internal energy entered Wuji’s body, his face turned from white to green and from green to purple, and Wuji shaking uncontrollably. Zhang Sanfeng felt Wuji’s forehead, which was as cold as a block of ice. Alarmed, Zhang Sanfeng felt the centre of Wuji’s back under his shirt and discovered that it was blazing hot like a fire was burning, while the rest of his body was a bone-penetratingly cold. If Zhang Sanfeng internal energy had not reached such an unfathomable level, he would have shivered upon coming into contact with the cold. He said: "Yuanqiao, where is the Tartar soldier who was carrying the child? Go and find him.” Yu Lianzhou, remembering how he had been injured by the Mongol soldier and knowing that his eldest martial brother was not his match, hurriedly said: "I’ll come as well.” The two of them left the hall together. When Zhang Sanfeng dragged the Mongol soldier into the hall, Zhang Cuishan had already committed suicide. This was followed by Yin Susu also committing suicide. In the midst of their grief, no one paid any attention to the Mongol soldier and he had fled.

  Zhang Sanfeng tore upon Wuji’s shirt to reveal a clear dark green colour palm-print on his back. Zhang Sanfeng gently touched his back. The area of the palm-print was burning hot, while everywhere else was icy cold. Zhang Sanfeng’s hand felt uncomfortable. This injury of Wuji’s was very severe.

  Before long, Song Yuanqiao and Yu Lianzhou returned to the hall. They reported: "There are no outsiders on the mountain.” When they saw the strange palm-print on Wuji’s back, they were both shocked. Zhang Sanfeng frowned and said: "I had always thought that since Taoist Priest Bai Sun (100 Damages/Injuries) died thirty years ago, the Xuan Ming Divine Palms have been lost from this world. How could it be that there is still someone who knows this martial art?” Song Yuanqiao said with shock: "This child has suffered under the Xuan Ming Divine Palm?” He was the oldest, thus he had heard of the Xuan Ming Divine Palms. Yu Lianzhou and the other had never even heard of the name.

  Zhang Sanfeng sighed, he did not reply. Tears running down his face, he held Wuji in his arms. He looked at Zhang Cuishan’s corpse and said: "Cuishan, Cuishan, you studied under my tutelage and entrusted me with your last wishes. But I can’t even save your only beloved son. What’s the point of me living to a hundred? What’s the point of Wudang Sect’s fame resonating throughout the world? It would be better if I were dead!” His disciples were shocked. Since they had become his disciples, Zhang Sanfeng was always easygoing and carefree. They had never heard him say such words of all-consuming despair.

  Yin Liting asked: "Master, is there ... is there no hope of saving this child?” Zhang Sanfeng picked up Wuji in both arms, paced back and forth in the hall, and said: "Unless ... unless my Master Jueyuan comes back to life and passes the complete 9 Yang manual to me.” The hearts of his disciples sank. Zhang Sanfeng’s words meant that there was no way of treating Wuji’s injury. Everyone was silent. Yu Lianzhou said: "Master, when I fought with that man previously, the force of his palm was very uncommonly vicious. I was injured then, but have made a full recovery.”

  Zhang Sanfeng replied: "That was all due to the fame of the ‘Seven Heroes of Wudang’. If the Xuan Ming Diving Palms are used on an opponent with more powerful internal energy, the force of the palms will reflect back onto the user and injure him. If you meet this man in the future, you must be very very careful.”

  Yu Lianzhou said: "Yes.”. He shivered as he thought: "So that man held back during the fight, fearing that I was more powerful than him. He did not release the full force of the Xuan Ming Divine Palms, otherwise chances are that I would be dead now. If I meet him in the future, he will no longer hold back.” He then thought: "I suffered and was injured by his palm. Wuji is so young, I’m afraid . I’m afraid .”

  Song Yuanqiao remarked: "From the brief glimpse I had of that man, he was around 50 years old with a high nose and deep-set eyes. He looks like he is from the Western Regions.” Mo Shenggu asked: "Why did that man kidnap Wuji only to bring him to our mountain?”

  Zhang Songxi said: "The man tried unsuccessfully to force Wuji to answer his questions. So he used the Xuan Ming Divine Palms to injure Wuji. He wanted Fifth Brother and his wife to see Wuji suffer with their own eyes, and so, cannot help but reveal the Golden Hair Lion King’s location to him.”

  Mo Shenggu said angrily: "This man is really daring. How dare he come to cause trouble on Wudang Mountain.” Zhang Songxi replied dejectedly: "Weren’t there many people who came to cause trouble on Wudang Mountain today? Plus that man had Wuji under his control. He anticipated that we would spare the rat to save the dishes (ie hesitate to take action for fear of hurting an innocent party) and wouldn’t dare to hurt him.” The six of them sat in silence in the hall for a long while.

  Wuji suddenly opened his eyes and cried: "Dad, dad, it hurts. It’s very painful.” He clutched Zhang Sanfeng tightly, with his head resting on Zhang Sanfeng’s chest. Yu Lianzhou said sternly: "Wuji, your father has died. You have to live and learn some great martial arts, so you can avenge your father’s death.” Wuji cried: "I don’t want revenge! I don’t want revenge! I want daddy and mummy to come back to life again. Second Uncle, let’s just let all the bad people go, and concentrate on saving daddy and mummy.”

  When Zhang Sanfeng heard these words, he could not help his tears rolling down again. He said: "We can all only try our very best. How long he lives will depend on heaven’s mercy.” He turned to Zhang Cuishan’s body and cried: "Cuishan, Cuishan! What an unfortunate child.”

  He carried Wuji to his own room, where he sealed 18 major acupoints on his body. Wuji stopped shivering after his acupoints were sealed. The green shade of his face grew darker and darker. Zhang Sanfeng knew that when the green shade became black, Wuji would stop breathing and die. He took off Wuji’s shirt, undid his own Taoist robe, and pressed his chest onto Wuji’s back. At this time, Song Yuanqiao and Yin Liting were outside arranging Zhang Cuishan and Yin Susu’s funeral. Yu Lianzhuo, Zhang Songzi and Mo Shenggu came to their Master’s room. They knew that he was using the ‘Pure Yang Boundless Energy’ skill to transfer the cold poison from Wuji’s body to his own. Zhang Sanfeng had never married. Even though he was a hundred years of age, he was a virgin. He had cultivated this skill for eighty years. Because of all this, he had reached the pinnacle of this skill. Yu Lianzhou and the others waited by his side. About an hour later (half a shichen), Zhang Sanfeng’s face turned green and his fingers began to tremble. He opened his eyes and said: "Lianzhou, you take over. When you can’t bear it anymore, let Songxi take over.

  You must not continue.”

  Yu Lianzhou replied: "Yes.” He removed his robe and held Wuji in his arms. When his flesh made contact with Wuji’s body, he began to shiver. It felt like he was holding a piece of ice to his chest.

  He said: "Seventh brother, go ask someone to bring in a charcoal brazier. The hotter it is, the better.” Not long later, the fire was lit. But Yu Lianzhou still found the cold difficult to bear.

  Zhang Sanfeng sat by the side and slowly circulated his internal energy through three channels.

  He channeled his ‘Yin Yun Zi Qi (Dense/enshrouding Purple Qi)’ from in dantian to force the cold poison out of his body little by little. When he stood up after all the cold energy had been expelled, he saw that Mo Shenggu was holding Wuji. Yu Lianzhou and Zhang Songxi were sitting by the side in complete meditative focus, expelling the cold poison from their bodies. Not long later, Mo Shenggu could endure it no longer. He ordered a novice priest to ask Song Yuanqiao and Yin Liting to take over. From this technique of using internal energy to treat injuries, it became clear whose interna
l energy was strong and whose was weak. Mo Shenggu could not even tolerate it for the time it took to have a cup of hot tea. Song Yuanqiao was able to endure for the time it took to burn two incense sticks. When Yin Liting carried Wuji in his arms, he yelled loudly and his whole body shivered uncontrollably. Zhang Sanfeng ordered with alarm: "Give the child to me. Sit down, regulate your breathing and clear your mind of all thoughts.” Yin Liting had been hit so hard by Zhang Cuishan’s death that his mind and thoughts were in disarray. He had to calm his thoughts down before he could continue.

  In this way, the six of them took turns over three days and three nights of relentless effort to reduce the cold poison in Wuji’s body. Each person’s turn gradually became longer and longer. After the fourth day, they could finally steal a few moments of sleep. After the eight day, each person would spend four hours a day treating Wuji injury. They could then gradually recover their own strength.

  At first, there was great progress in Wuji’s condition. His body grew less cold, his spirits improved and he began to eat and drink. Everyone thought that he could be saved. But on the 36th day, Yu Lianzhou found that no matter how he tried to generate energy, he could not draw out a single bit of the cold poison in Wuji’s body. But his body was still as cold as ice and the green tinge in his face remained. Yu Lianzhou assumed that his own strength was not sufficient, so he went to tell his Master about it. Zhang Sanfeng tried, but he too was unsuccessful. During the next five days, all six of them tried every method they could think of, with no success.

  Wuji said: "Tai shifu (Grandmaster), my arms and legs are warm, but the top of my head, my chest and abdomen are growing colder and colder.” Zhang Sanfeng was inwardly frightened, but he soothed him saying: "Your injury is now better. We won’t need to hold you every day anymore. Just sleep on my bed for now.” He then carried Wuji to his own bed to sleep.