by Jin Yong
Linghu Chong's heart was pained and tears rolled down his cheeks. He chokingly said, "Disciple... I... I..."
Madam Yue interrupted, "He doesn't regard you as his disciple anymore, but I still regard you as my disciple. If you like, I'm still your Master-Wife."
Linghu Chong's heart swelled with gratitude as he paid his respect to her, while calling out, "Master-Wife! Master-Wife!"
Madam Yue gently caressed his hair and tears were streaming down her eyes. She slowly said, "Was what young lady Ren said true? Did Lin Pingzhi kill Shan'er because he's learned the Evil Resisting Sword Art and has also gone to rely on Zuo Lengchan?"
"That's right."
"Turn around,” Madam Yue chokingly said. “Let me have a look at your injuries."
"Yes," Linghu Chong replied and turned around.
Madam Yue tore the gown at his back and sealed four acupoints around his injuries. "Do you still have Heng-Shan School's medicine?"
"I do," Linghu Chong answered. Yingying took the medicine out from his bosom and gave it to Madam Yue.
Madam Yue wiped the blood on his wound and applied the medicine. She then took out a white handkerchief from her bosom and pressed it on his wound. Then she tore a piece of cloth from her skirt and wrapped the injury up. Linghu Chong had always regarded Madam Yue as his own mother, so seeing her treating him like this, he was greatly comforted and forgot all the pain from his injury.
"In the future,” Madam Yue said. “You will of course kill Lin Pingzhi to avenge Shan'er."
With tears in his eyes, Linghu Chong said, "Little martial sister... Little martial sister... Just before she died, she asked Son to look after Lin Pingzhi. Son couldn't bear hurting her so I promised her. This matter... This is a really difficult matter."
Madam Yue let out a really long sigh and said, "Retribution! Retribution!" She then said, "Chong'er, you cannot be too good to other people when dealing with them in the future!"
"Yes!"
Suddenly, he felt something warm flowing down the back of his neck. He turned his head around and saw Madam Yue's face was pale. Startled, he called out, "Master-Wife, Master-Wife!"
When he stood up to support her, he saw a dagger sticking out of her chest. The dagger had pierced her heart. She had already passed away. Linghu Chong was dumbfounded and he wanted to call out but no sound was coming out of his mouth. Yingying was also alarmed. But because she had no relationship with Madam Yue, she was just startled and
feeling pitiful but not mournful. She went besides Linghu Chong to hold him, and after some time, Linghu Chong started crying. Bao Dachu saw the two young lovers had met with a mournful loss and that they would have a lot of things to say to each other, so he didn't dare to disturb them. He was also afraid that Yingying would ask the origin of the trap so the six of them needed to consult each other first on what to say to deceive her. So they carried Yue Buqun up and retreated far away.
"Where... Where are they taking my master?" Linghu Chong asked.
"You're still calling him master?" Yingying asked.
"Ai, I'm very accustomed to it. Why did Master-Wife have to commit suicide? Why did... why did she have to kill herself?"
Yingying answered with hatred in her voice, "Of course it's all because of that traitor Yue Buqun. Married to such a despicable and shameless husband, if she can't kill him, then it's better to commit suicide. Let's kill Yue Buqun quickly and avenge your Master-Wife."
Linghu Chong hesitantly said, "You're saying we should kill him? He was once my master and he brought me up."
"Even though he's your master and he's also brought you up, he's tried to kill you a few times already. The love and hate between you two have been wiped out a long time ago. But you haven't repaid the kindness shown by your Master-Wife. Didn't your Master-Wife die under his hand?"
Linghu Chong sighed and mournfully said, "My Master-Wife's kindness will be difficult to repay in my lifetime. Even though there's nothing between Yue Buqun and I anymore, I still can't kill him."
"It doesn't have to be you." Yingying then raised her voice and called out, "Elder Bao!"
"Yes, young lady," Elder Bao loudly answered and walked over along with Elder Mo and the other people.
"Did my father send you to handle things here?"
Bao Dachu bowed and replied, "Yes, Chief commanded Subordinate along with Elder Ge, Du, and Mo to lead ten brothers to think of a way to capture Yue Buqun and bring him back to the altar."
"Where's Elder Ge and Du?"
"More than four hours ago they went to lead Yue Buqun here. We haven't seen them since, I'm afraid... I'm afraid..."
"Search Yue Buqun's body."
"Yes!" Bao Dachu acknowledged and searched Yue Buqun's body. From Yue Buqun's bosom, he took out an embroidered flag, which was the five mountains sword schools alliance's flag, around ten gold and silver taels, and two copper plates. Bao Dachu was indignant as he reported, "Reporting to young lady: Elder Ge and Du have definitely met with this bastard's violent hand. These are the two elders' sect plate." As he said this, he lifted his leg and gave a hard kick to Yue Buqun's waist.
"Don't harm him," Linghu Chong shouted.
"Yes," Bao Dachu respectfully answered.
"Bring some cold water and wake him up," Yingying ordered.
Elder Mo took out the water canteen on his waist, opened the lid, and poured the cold water on Yue Buqun's head. After some time, Yue Buqun groaned and opened his eyes. He felt terrible pain on his head and waist, and groaned again.
Yingying inquired, "Person surnamed Yue, did you kill Elder Ge and Du from my sect?"
Bao Dachu picked up the two copper plates and tossed them up repeatedly making a 'zheng, zheng' noise.
Maybe Yue Buqun didn't feel he would be lucky enough to escape with his life so he scolded, "I killed them. All the demonic disciples from the Devil Sect must be executed."
Bao Dachu wanted to kick him again, but he considered the depth of Linghu Chong's friendship with Chief and also of the fact that Linghu Chong was going to be Young Lady's future husband. Therefore, since Linghu Chong had already said 'don't harm him', he didn't dare to disobey his order.
Yingying coldly laughed. "You're the headmaster of an orthodox sect but when you handle things, you're a hundred times more wicked than the Divine Sun Moon Sect's people. But you still have the face to scold us as the demonic disciples. Even your wife hated you so bitterly that she'd rather commit suicide than to continue being your wife. Do you still have the face to live in this world?"
Yue Buqun scolded, "Little witch, you're speaking nonsense! My wife was clearly killed by you but you're trying to slander me by saying she killed herself."
"Brother Chong, listen to him,” Yingying said. “He's so shameless,"
Linghu Chong spoke indistinctly, "Yingying, I'd like to ask you a favour."
"You want me to release him? I'm afraid it's easy to capture a tiger but it'll be hard release it. This person's heart is very calculating and filled with hatred. His martial art is also very strong. Later on, when he find you again and we might not be as lucky as today."
"We'll let him go today. Our relationship as master and disciple finishes today. I already know all of his sword art in my mind. If he dares to find me again, then things won't go well for him."
Yingying knew it wasn't easy at all for him to kill Yue Buqun. But if from now on Linghu Chong didn't care about their old relationship anymore, then he wouldn't be afraid of facing Yue Buqun again. "Alright, we'll spare his life today. Elder Bao, Elder Mo, spread the word in Jianghu of how we have spared Yue Buqun's life. Also say how Yue Buqun has cut off his own limb to learn the demonical sword art, and that he's now not male not female. Let all the heroes in the realm hear about this."
Bao Dachu and Elder Mo acknowledged the order together. Yue Buqun's face turned ashen and both of his eyes turned malicious. But thinking he still had his life, there was a still a trace of happiness in his eyes.
Yingying said, "You hate me. Do
you think I'm afraid?" She slashed her long sword and cut the ropes binding him. She walked near him and unsealed the acupoints on his back. Her right palm pressed against his mouth, while her left palm hit the back of his head. Yue Buqun's mouth opened, and he felt a small pill in his mouth. At the same time, Yingying's right hand pinched his nose blocking his air. When Yingying cut his ropes and unsealed the acupoints at the back of his body, her back was facing toward Linghu Chong and was blocking his vision, so Linghu Chong couldn't see her putting the pill into Yue Buqun's mouth. Linghu Chong only saw her releasing his master and he felt comforted. With his nose blocked, Yue Buqun had to use his mouth to draw breath. At the same time, Yingying used force on her right hand to force Yue Buqun to take the pill along with his breath.
After Yue Buqun had swallowed the pill, he was scared out of his wits thinking the pill he just swallowed was the Devil Sect's most evil pill called the 'Divine Three Corpse Brain Pill'. He had heard people said, that after talking this pill, every year during the dragon boat festival you must take a medicine to prevent the corpse bug inside the pill from coming out. Otherwise, the corpse bug would come out, enter your brain, and chew your brain out. There was no need to say how painful it would be. Furthermore, you would be crazed and you would become worse than a crazy dog. Even though he was intelligent, full of ideas, and calm under pressure, he was still sweating profusely and
his face had turned pale thinking of this situation.
Yingying stood straight as she said, "Brother Chong, they sealed his acupoints too heavily. These last two acupoints will loosen a bit only after some time, so he just has to endure it for now."
"Many thanks," Linghu Chong replied.
Yingying smiled captivatingly and thought, "I secretly did something and deceived you, but this is all for your own good." After some time, she knew that the pill in Yue Buqun's stomach would have transformed and there would be no way for him to vomit it out anymore. She bent down to release the two acupoints, and as she did so, she whispered, "Every year during the dragon boat festival, come up the Dark Wood Cliff and I'll give you the medicine."
When Yue Buqun heard this, he knew the pill he took just then was really the 'Three Corpse Brain Pill'. He couldn't help shaking as he tremblingly asked, "That... That was the Three Corpse... Three Corpse..."
Yingying giggled and in a loud voice said, "Correct, respected sir. This kind of wonderful drug is not easily made. In our sect, only people of high positions with outstanding martial arts are entitled to take it. Elder Bao, isn't this right?"
Bao Dachu bowed and said, "Thanks to Chief's kindness that he gave this divine pellet to Subordinate. Subordinate will always be loyal and will always follow his order. After I've taken this pill, Chief's confidence in me has increased and it has actually given me untold benefits. Long live the Chief, unify the Jianghu."
Linghu Chong was startled. "You gave my mast... gave him the three corpse brain pill?"
Yingying laughingly answered, "He swallowed it in a hurry himself. He was probably so hungry that he was just about to eat anything. Yue Buqun, you must protect Brother Chong and my life from now on to benefit yourself."
Yue Buqun's heart was filled with hatred but he thought, "If this witch met some kind of accident and was killed by someone, then... then I'll die miserably. Even if she's still alive but has received some kind of heavy injury and couldn't make it back to Dark Wood Cliff before the Dragon Boat Festival, then where would I look for her? Also, maybe she doesn't intend to give me the medicine in the first place..." He thought till here and he couldn't help shivering. Even though he had divine martial art, he didn't know what to do. Linghu Chong sighed thinking that Yingying was originally from the Devil Sect so her action had a demonical air to it, but she had done this because of him so he couldn't blame her for this.
Yingying said to Bao Dachu, "Elder Bao, go back and report to Chief. Say that the Five Mountains School's Headmaster, Mr. Yue, has sincerely surrendered to our sect and that he has also taken our sect's divine pill, so it's not possible for him to rebel."
Bao Dachu was initially worried when he saw Linghu Chong wanting to release Yue Buqun. He was really afraid that he would be blamed by Chief when he returned to the gathering altar. So when he saw Yue Buqun took the 'Divine Three Corpse Brain Pill', he was greatly exulted. With joy, he hastily replied, "Young lady presided over the whole battle and everything was completed successfully. Chief will surely be happy. Chief flourishes the divine sect and benefits the common people."
Yingying said, "Mr. Yue has already turned over to our sect so we can't mention the things that would damage his reputation to outsiders. And you also mustn't mention him taking the divine pill. This person's position in Wulin is very high, his wisdom and knowledge are high, his martial art is good, Chief will definitely have use of his position."
"Yes, I will follow Young Lady's order," Bao Dachu answered.
When Linghu Chong saw how distressed Yue Buqun was, he couldn't help feeling sad. Even though Yue Buqun wanted to kill him and had been very violent toward him, he could not forget the past twenty years when he and Master-Wife had brought him up. Linghu Chong had always regarded him as his own father. Suddenly, everything had changed into hatred and he was feeling very bad. He wanted to say a few things to comfort him but it was as if there were something stuck in his throat that he couldn't make a sound.
Yingying said, "Elder Bao, Elder Mo, go back to Dark Wood Cliff. Ask daddy on my behalf if he is well, ask uncle Xiang if he is well. I'll wait.. wait for him... wait for master Linghu to get better, then we'll come to the gathering altar to see daddy."
If it were another girl, Bao Dachu would've said, "I wish for Master to recover soon and return to Dark Wood Cliff with young lady. Then we'll all drink a congratulatory wine to you as soon as possible." Toward a pair of young lovers, this speech would've been extremely good. But toward Yingying, how would he dare to say such thing? He didn't even dare to take a look at the two of them as he lowered his head and bowed continuously. Bao Dachu's face was tense and he just answered yes to everything and was looking very respectful. He was actually really afraid Yingying might find out he was actually laughing inside.
This lady was afraid people would mock her and Linghu Chong for loving each other so she had caused many troubles for the warriors in Jianghu. This was very well known throughout Wulin. Bao Dachu didn't dare to linger too much longer, so he immediately took his leave from Yingying and Linghu Chong, and took the other people with him as he went. When they were leaving, he was even more respectful toward Linghu Chong than Yingying. He was an old person in Jianghu who had gone through a lot of experience, so he knew being respectful toward Linghu Chong would make Yingying very happy.
Yingying saw Yue Buqun was standing woodenly. "Mr. Yue, you can go too. Are you going to take your wife's remain to bury in Huashan?"
Yue Buqun shook his head. "I'd like to bother the two of you to bury her in this small mountainside!" After he said this he didn't give another glance toward the two of them before he quickly left. In just a short time, he had disappeared behind the trees. Such quick movement was rarely seen in Jianghu. By the fall of the evening, Linghu Chong
and Yingying had buried Madam Yue's remain besides Yue Lingshan's tomb. Linghu Chong cried out again.
The next morning, Yingying asked, "Brother Chong, how's your injury?"
"This injury isn't serious, there's no need to worry."
"That's very good. Our place here has been discovered by other people. I'd like to wait for you to rest for a few days here, then we'll go to another place."
"That's also good. Little martial sister has her mother to accompany her, she won't be afraid anymore." His heart was pained and he also said, "My master has always been upright all his life, but his temperament has changed greatly because of that demonical sword art."
Yingying shook her head and said, "That's not necessarily true. When he sent your little martial sister and Lao Denuo to Fuzhou to open up th
e wine shop, he was already trying to get the Evil Resisting Sword Manual. That's not necessarily what a gentleman does."
Linghu Chong was silent. He had already thought of this matter before but he had never dared to think about it deeply. Yingying went on, "Actually, it shouldn't be called the Evil Resisting Sword Art. It should be called 'Demonical Sword Art'. If this sword manual were to be circulated in Jianghu, there'll be endless harm. Yue Buqun still
lives in this world; Lin Pingzhi also has the sword manual memorized. But I don't think he would give everything to Zuo Lengchan and Lao Denuo. Lin Pingzhi is such a calculating person. Why would he be willing to give this sword manual to other people?"
Linghu Chong said, "Both Zuo Lengchan and Lin Pingzhi are blind, but Lao Denuo isn't. So Lin Pingzhi would probably be taken advantage of. These three very smart people are living with each other and yet are suspicious toward each other, I wonder what would happen. Two against one, Lin Pingzhi would be afraid that he'll be disadvantaged."
"Are you really going to think of a way to protect Lin Pingzhi?"
Linghu Chong looked at Yue Lingshan's tomb and said, "I shouldn't have promised little martial sister that I'd protect Lin Pingzhi. This person is worse than a dog. I hate him with all my heart, how can I go and help him? But I've already promised little martial sister. If I eat my words, then it'll be hard for her to be peaceful under the nine fountains."
"When she was still alive, she might not have known who really treated her well, but after she died, she would definitely understand. She wouldn't want you to protect Lin Pingzhi!"
Linghu Chong shook his head and said, "That's hard to say. Little martial sister and Lin Pingzhi were very loving in the past. She knew Lin Pingzhi's intention toward her was evil but she still couldn't bear to see him harmed."