Smiling Proud Wanderer Vol 04

by Jin Yong

  Linghu Chong saw her looking lovable and bashful, like she had just been caught red-handed doing something embarrassing. He couldn't help feeling moved and thinking, "If I were free, I'd have gone there and given her a hug and a kiss."

  He then saw her slowly lifted her head up and their gazes met. She immediately averted her eyes. The redness in her cheeks was just disappearing when her whole face and ears went crimson again. Linghu Chong thought, "My feelings toward Yingying are definitely firm and unwavering. That evil granny is forcing me to marry little martial sister Yilin so to save myself, I'm forced to go along with her for now. But wait until she release my acupoint and I have a sword in my hand, does she think I'll be afraid of her? Even though this evil granny's fist and kicking martial arts are good, she's still far below Zuo Lengchan and Chief Ren. Her swordplay is definitely not my match. She won only through her light hands and legs, going and leaving without any noise, and ambushing me. If it was a real fight, Yingying will surely beat her, and Great Master No Commandment will also be stronger her."

  When he finished with his thought, he looked around and saw Yingying was again looking at him. This time, she didn't become shy. It was obvious she was not thinking of that eunuch matter anymore. He saw her eyes were looking up and the corner of her mouth was turned up smiling. She was smiling at his bald head, so she wasn't thinking of the eunuch matter anymore but now she was laughing at him becoming a monk. Linghu Chong laughed but no sound was coming out. But Yingying was becoming even happier with her smile getting bigger.

  Suddenly, she rolled her eyes revealing a crafty expression on her face. Her left eye winked once, twice. Linghu Chong had not understand her meaning when she again winked twice. He thought, "She winked twice, what's her meaning? Ah, that's right, she's laughing at me for taking two wives." He immediately wiped out the smiling expression on his face. With a very solemn expression, he winked once with his left eye. His meaning was: 'I will only take you as wife, my heart is not divided in two.' Yingying slightly shook her head and her left eye winked twice again. Her meaning was: 'Marrying two then it'll be two wives!' Linghu Chong again shook his head and winked his left eye once. He had wanted to shake his head more vigorously to show his determination, but most of his body's acupoints were still sealed so he couldn't use any power. Now, his face was looking angry but he was actually very sincere. Yingying slightly nodded. But when her gaze caught the razor, she again shook her head.

  Linghu Chong gazed at her. Yingying's eyes slowly shifted and they were now locking eyes. The two of them were separated by more than ten feet but their four eyes were talking. All of a sudden, their hearts were intertwined and there was no need to speak, they both understood what was inside the other's heart. Whether he married Yilin or not was insignificant. Whether he became a monk or a eunuch was insignificant. Whether the two of them live or die did not matter. With their two hearts becoming one, they were both satisfied. This moment was theirs forever. Even if the sky collapsed or the ground split, this moment would never be taken away or forgotten.

  The two of them gazed at each other. Without knowing how much time had passed, they suddenly heard footsteps coming up the stairs. They woke up from their intertwined feelings and unbounded emotion. The crisp and clear voice of a young lady was heard saying, "Mute granny, what are you taking me here?" It was Yilin's voice. They heard her coming in to the other chamber and sat down. That granny was obviously accompanying her but her footsteps could not be heard at all. After some time, they heard that granny slowly said, "Don't call me mute granny, I'm not mute."

  Yilin shrieked in alarm. She was extremely confounded and tremblingly said, "You... you... you're not... not mute? You're alright?"

  "I was never mute before," that granny said.

  "Then... then you were never deaf before, you... you could hear... what I said?" Yilin inquired. She sounded really appalled.

  "Child, what are you afraid of?" the granny asked. "Isn't it better that I can hear what you said?"

  Linghu Chong heard her tone was gentle and intimate as she talked to her own daughter. At the end, her tender affection towards Yilin was evident.

  But Yilin was still frightened as she tremblingly said, "No, no! I'm going now!"

  "Sit for a while," that granny implored. "I have something important to talk to you."

  "No, I... I don't want to listen," Yilin protested. "You tricked me. I've always thought you couldn't hear. I... I talked to you about those things. You tricked me." Her voice was choking, and she was so worried that she finally cried.

  That granny lightly patted her shoulder and softly said, "Good child, don't worry. I wasn't tricking you. I was afraid you'll get sick from keeping all your feelings in, so I let you speak it out so your heart will lighten somewhat. When I arrived at Heng-Shan, I've always disguised myself as a deaf and a mute, and no one knows about it. I wasn't deliberately tricking you."

  Yilin sobbed sadly. That granny softly continued, "I have something very good to talk to you, you'll be really happy when you hear it."

  "Is it about my dad?" Yilin asked.

  "Your dad? Hng, I don't care about him," the granny answered. "It's about your big brother Linghu."

  "Don't you mention... mention him," Yilin pleaded. "I'll never mention him to you ever again. I'm going to read the scriptures!"

  "No, wait a second and hear me first," the granny said. "Your big brother Linghu told me he loves you very much. He loves you ten times more compared to that young lady Ren from Devil Sect."

  Linghu Chong and Yingying shared a look and they were scolding in their heart, "Stinky granny, telling such a huge lie!"

  Yilin let out a long sigh and softly replied, "You don't need to deceive me. When I first know him, big brother Linghu only loved his little martial sister. He loved her with all his heart, and she was the only one in his heart. Later, his little martial sister ignored him and married another person. Then he only loves young lady Ren, and he also loves her with all his heart and young lady Ren is the only one in his heart." Linghu Chong and Yingying looked at each other and their hearts were filled with unbounded sweetness.

  "Actually, he's always liked you in secret," that granny said. "But you're a Buddhist and he's the Heng-Shan School's headmaster, so he can't reveal his feeling to you. But now, he's determined and hopes to take you as his wife. That's why he's gone ahead and became a monk first."

  Yilin cried out in alarm again and said, "No... No... That can't be, he can't, he mustn't! You... you tell him not to become a monk."

  That granny sighed and said, "It's too late. He's already become a monk. He said, no matter what, he must take you as his wife. If he can't take you as his wife, then he'll castrate himself and become a eunuch."

  "Become a eunuch?" Yilin asked. "My master once said that's a vulgar word, and us Buddhists aren't allowed to say it."

  "Eunuch isn't a vulgar word," that granny said. "They're those lowly people who attend to the Emperor and Empress."

  "Big brother Linghu is a most proud person and he's not willing to be controlled by others. How can he be willing to serve the Emperor and Empress?" Yilin questioned. "He wouldn't even be willing to become an Emperor, so there's no need to say that he'd be willing to attend to an Emperor. So he definitely won't become a eunuch."

  "Becoming a eunuch isn't really becoming an attendant to the Emperor and the Empress, it's just an analogy," the granny said. "The person who becomes a eunuch is someone who can't get children."

  "I don't believe you," Yilin said. "Big brother Linghu and young lady Ren will get married, then of course they'll give birth to several little babies. The two of them are so good-looking, their babies will definitely be cute too."

  Linghu Chong took a look at Yingying. Both her cheeks were blushing, and she looked extremely happy while being bashful at the same time. That granny became angry and loudly said, "I said he can't get children then he can't get children. Don't say about getting children, he won't even be able to take a wife. He's al
ready sworn an oath, he must take you as his wife."

  "I know he only has young lady Ren in his heart," Yilin said.

  "His young lady Ren will get married and you'll get married too. Do you get it now?" the granny asked. "He will take two wives. In this world, there are men who have three wives and four concubines, so don't mention of only two wives."

  "That can't be," Yilin said. "When a person loves someone, he will only think of this person. Night or day, his mind will be on that person. When eating or sleeping, he'll still be thinking of that person. How can there still be a place for a second person? Just like my father. After my mother left, he went to the edge of the world to look for her. There are a lot of women in this world. If my dad can marry two women, then why didn't he marry another one?"

  That granny was silent for a long time before she sighed and said, "He... he did something wrong before, so he felt remorse. Some are like that."

  "I'm going," Yilin said. "Granny, if you mention to other people about big brother Linghu... wanting to marry me, I don't want to live anymore."

  "Why?" the granny asked. "He said he must take you as his wife. Why aren't you happy about it?"

  "No, no! I think about him all the time, and prayed to Buddha all the time wanting Buddha to bless and protect him, and make him happy. I wish for him to not meet with any bad luck or difficulty. I wish for him to get what he wants and for him to marry young lady Ren. Granny, I wish for him to be happy. I've never once wished for him to marry me," Yilin explained.

  "But if he can't marry you, he won't be happy. This will make everyone not to be happy too," the granny argued.

  "It's all my fault. If only you didn't hear what I said. I said so many things to you about big brother Linghu," Yilin said. "He's the world's big hero, while I'm only someone who doesn't know anything, a little nun who can't do anything. He said before, 'once I saw a nun, I lose all my bet'. Once he sees me, his luck will be bad, so how can I marry him? I'm a Buddhist, so I must take care to be clear like the water and I mustn't think of these things anymore. Granny, don't mention about this again, I... I also won't see you again."

  That granny was worried. "Silly girl, you're odd. Linghu Chong already became a monk for you and he said he must marry you. If Buddha blames anyone, then it'll be him."

  Yilin sighed lightly and said, "He has the same thought as my dad? Surely not. My mother was intelligent and beautiful, her temper was reasonable, and she treated people very well. She was the world's nicest woman. So it's a given that my dad became a monk for her. Me... I'm not even half as good as my mother."

  Linghu Chong was secretly laughing in his heart and he thought, "Your mother isn't necessarily intelligent or beautiful. But as for her temper being reasonable, there's nothing to say about that. Compared to you, it's your mother who's not half as good as you."

  "What do you know?" the granny asked.

  "Everytime dad sees me, he always talks about how good mother was," Yilin said. "He said she was soft and gentle, never scolded anyone, and never threw a tantrum. In her whole life, she had never even stepped on an ant before. Even if all the good women in this world are added together, they still wouldn't be better than my mother."

  "He... He really said that? I'm afraid... afraid they're false," the granny stammered. When she said these two sentences, her voice was really small. It was obvious her heart was quite agitated.

  "Of course they're true," Yingying argued. "I'm his daughter, why would dad trick me?"

  All of a sudden, everything was quiet in the Spirit Turtle Pavilion. That granny seemed to have gotten caught up in her thought. Yilin said, "Mute granny, I'm going. I won't see big brother Linghu from today. I'll pray to Guanyin every day to bless and protect him." They could only hear her light footsteps as she went down the pavilion.

  After a very long time, that granny seemed to wake up from her dream and she quietly talked to herself, "He said I'm the world's best woman? He went to the edge of the world to look for me? Then, he's not a heartless, perverted and lascivious man?"

  Suddenly, at the top of her voice, she screamed out, "Yilin, Yilin, where are you?" But Yilin had gone far. That granny again called out a couple more times. When she did not hear her reply, she quickly went down the pavilion. She hurriedly chased after Yilin, but her footsteps were still very light like that of a cat.

  Chapter 38 Annihilation

  Even though Zuo Lengchan was blind, he still had a quick reaction and jumped back rapidly while swearing streams of abuses. Yingying bent down and picked up a long sword.

  Linghu Chong and Yingying were looking at each other and in that moment, all sorts of feelings welled up in their hearts. The razor glinted under the sun shining through the window. Linghu Chong thought, "Never thought this problem could be solved like that."

  Suddenly, there were some voices from below the Hanging Temple but they couldn't hear them clearly as the voices moved farther away. After some time, they again heard people coming closer to the temple. Linghu Chong called out, "People!" When he heard his own cry, he realised his mute acupoint was already unsealed. From the acupoints on the body, the mute acupoint was sealed the lightest. As his internal energy was more abundant than Yingying, his mute acupoint was unsealed first. Yingying nodded. Linghu Chong wanted to extend his arms and legs, but he found out he still could not. He heard seven to eight people talking as they came inside the Hanging Temple and came up the Spirit Turtle Pavilion.

  Someone with a coarse voice said, "There's not even a ghost in this Hanging Temple, so what are we looking for? We have to be really careful." This person was the mendicant monk Qiu Songnian.

  "We have order from the top so we must do this well," Monk Xibao said.

  Linghu Chong hastily moved his internal energy to break through the sealed acupoints. However, his internal energies were mainly from other people so even though they were abundant, he couldn't use them like they were his own. The more he forced it, the more difficult it became to unseal his acupoints. He heard Yan Sanxing said, "Mr. Yue said that after we succeeded, he'll give us the Evil Resisting Sword Art. I don’t think we can rely on his words. Right now at Mount Heng-Shan, we've done a great merit already but there are so many people working on this matter, and we have not done something big enough. So why would he give the sword art to us?" While he was talking, a few people came up the stairs. When the door to the chamber was pushed open, they suddenly saw Linghu Chong and Yingying hanging from the beam with their hands and legs tied up. They all gasped in surprise.

  "How come young lady Ren is here?" ‘Slippery and Hard to Grip’ You Xun questioned. "Hey, there's also a monk."

  "Who dares to be so rude to young lady Ren?" Madam Zhang asked as she walked next to Yingying and released the ropes Yingying had been tied up with.

  "Madam Zhang, wait, wait!" You Xun hastily interrupted.

  "Why wait?" Madam Zhang queried.

  "There's something strange here," You Xun argued.

  "Yi, he's not a monk," Priest Yuling suddenly exclaimed. "He's... he's Headmaster Linghu, Linghu Chong."

  They all turned their heads around and looked at Linghu Chong. It took them a while but they finally recognised him. These eight people were usually in awe of Yingying, and they were also afraid of Linghu Chong. They immediately looked at each other in blank dismay, not knowing what to do. Yan Sanxing and Qiu Songnian suddenly exclaimed at the same time, "What a great accomplishment!"

  "That's right!" Priest Yuling agreed. "What's so rare about capturing a few nuns? But capturing the headmaster of Heng-Shan -- now that's a big accomplishment. Mr. Yue will definitely give us the Evil Resisting Sword Art now."

  "So what should we do?" Madam Zhang asked.

  All eight of them thought of the same thing, "If we release young lady Ren, we won't be able to capture Linghu Chong. We'll even lose our lives here. So what should we do?" But regarding Yingying’s authority and power, they did not dare to not release her.

  You Xun giggled and said, "As the
saying goes, if your heart is small you're not a nobleman, to be a gentleman you must be ruthless. It doesn't matter if we're not noblemen, but it's a pity if we're not gentlemen! Very pitiful!"

  "You're saying we should take this opportunity to kill her and shut her mouth?" Priest Yuling asked.

  "I didn't say it. You said it," You Xun replied.

  "Sacred lady has treated us with kindness. Whoever dares to treat her with disrespect, I'll be the first one to go against it," Madam Zhang said severely.

  "Even if you release her now, do you think she can understand our situation?" Qiu Songnian argued. "How can she agree to let us capture Linghu Chong?"

  "No matter what, we're already in Heng-Shan School,” Madam Zhang said. “Betraying our headmaster is also treachery." After she finished speaking, she extended her hand to release the ropes binding Yingying.

  "Stop!" Qiu Songnian shouted fiercely.

  "Speaking so loudly, are you trying to intimidate me?" Madam Zhang angrily replied.

  With a hiss, Qiu Songnian drew his jiedao* out. Madam Zhang moved quickly and drew out a short sabre from her bosom cutting the ropes binding Yingying's hands and legs. She was thinking Yingying's martial art was very high so once the ropes binding her were cut, there was nothing to be worried of even with those seven people attacking. With a flash, Qiu Songnian slashed his jiedao down. Madam Zhang's short sabre made 'chi, chi' sounds as she thrust three times and forced Qiu Songnian back a couple of steps.

  The rest of the people saw Yingying became unbound and they were afraid. They quickly retreated outside the door wanting to be the first to go down from the pavilion. But when Yingying fell to the ground and did not jump up, they knew her acupoints were sealed. One by one, they slowly came back inside. You Xun giggled and said, "You know, we're all good friends here. Why are we fighting with sabres? Isn't that too dangerous?"