by Jin Yong
“There, there,” Lotus whispered. “Once you’re better, we can chase these traitors to the ends of the earth. He is no Viper Ouyang, after all. He isn’t going to be that hard to kill.”
Guo Jing nodded and they went back to their practice.
Before long, dawn arrived and the sound of roosters crowing filled the air. They had now circulated their qi seven times in total and were feeling more at ease.
“One day gone!” Lotus said with a smile, holding up her index finger.
“And a dangerous one at that,” Guo Jing said quietly. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have kept my focus and surely would have made things worse.”
“We have six more days and six more nights left. You did promise to obey my instructions.”
“I always obey you,” Guo Jing said with a silent laugh.
Lotus cocked her head. “Is that so?”
At that moment, a shaft of light came piercing through the skylight, casting her cheeks in a pinkish morning glow. Suddenly, her palms felt warm and tender. Something stirred in Guo Jing’s chest, but he chased the thought away, though his cheeks were already flushed a dark crimson.
Guo Jing had never had such thoughts in all the time they had spent together, and they shocked him. Silently, he rebuked himself.
Lotus noticed his blushing cheeks and she too felt something was different. “What’s the matter?”
“I’ve been very bad. I … I … had a thought.” His voice was quiet.
“What thought?”
“It’s gone now.”
“What was it?” Lotus pressed.
“I thought of taking you in my arms. Of kissing you.”
A warm feeling like syrup flowed inside her, and now her cheeks too were red. She looked so bashful, and even lovelier than usual.
Lotus lowered her gaze and did not reply.
“Lotus, are you angry? I know that having such a thought makes me just as bad as Gallant Ouyang.”
Lotus looked up and smiled. “I’m not angry,” she said gently. “I was thinking that, one day, you’ll do just that—take me in your arms and kiss me—because I will be your wife.”
Her reply filled his heart with joy, but he could not speak.
“Was it so awful to think of kissing me?” Lotus continued, softly.
At that moment, the sound of footsteps outside interrupted them and two men came bursting into the inn.
“Damn it! I told you … I told you there were ghosts, but you … wouldn’t believe me!” It was Browbeater Hou. He was so agitated, he could barely speak.
Hector Sha replied, “Ghosts? What are you talking about? That was a man of the wulin!”
Lotus peered out and saw Browbeater’s face covered in blood, while Hector’s robes were ripped. They must have been in a fight.
Rudely awakened, Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang looked up at the two men in surprise. They began to ask questions.
“It was a ghost, I’m certain,” Browbeater Hou began. “He cut my ears off!”
His cheeks were indeed covered in blood. Wanyan Honglie looked closer and was astonished to see that he had no ears.
“A ghost? Don’t you know how ridiculous you sound?” Hector Sha shook his head.
Browbeater Hou feared his martial brother, but he was insistent. “I saw him with my own eyes! His were blue, and he had a red beard, just like the divine Judge of the Underworld. He said, ‘Waaaaaaa!’ I turned, he grabbed my neck and, the next thing I knew, my ears were sliced right off! He looked just like the Judge in the temple—how could it not be him?”
Hector Sha had managed only three moves against the Judge before his clothes were ripped to shreds, and thus he knew this was a master of the wulin, not a ghost. But his strange appearance was still a puzzle.
The four men continued to speculate, and even went as far as to ask Gallant Ouyang, who was still recovering from his injuries in the corner. But nobody had a sensible explanation to offer.
As the others were talking, Lama Supreme Wisdom, Tiger Peng, and Graybeard Liang arrived back, one after the other. The lama’s hands had been chained behind his back and Tiger Peng’s cheeks were swollen black and blue. But, of all of them, Graybeard Liang’s appearance was the most amusing: every last white hair on his head had been plucked out, leaving his scalp clean and shiny, like a monk’s. Why, it was almost as shiny as Hector Sha’s.
After entering the Imperial Palace, they had spread out to search for General Yue’s book. But they had all encountered what seemed to be ghosts, though each was different. One fought with the Messenger of Death, one with the divine Judge of the Underworld, and one with the Earth God.
Graybeard Liang stroked his smooth scalp and cursed every goddess in heaven. The shackles dug into the monk’s flesh. Tiger Peng silently worked on releasing the lama from his chains, scraping his hands and wrists bloody from the effort.
They all exchanged glances, but no one spoke. They had encountered a master fighter, that was clear, but the humiliation was too much to bear. Browbeater Hou continued to insist it was a ghost, and the others had no heart to argue with him.
There was a long pause until Wanyan Honglie spoke. “Why hasn’t Master Ouyang returned? Maybe he too encountered one of these creatures.”
“Master Ouyang’s abilities are unparalleled throughout the wulin,” Yang Kang said. “He wouldn’t be defeated by a phantom.”
This only made the others feel even more aggrieved.
Lotus, meanwhile, was regarding the scene with amusement. Those masks I bought for Brother Zhou turned out to be more useful than I ever imagined. I wonder if he came across the Venom.
At that moment, she felt Guo Jing’s internal energy pulse through her palms, so she turned her attention back to him.
Tiger Peng and the others were hungry after a night of fighting, so they began to chop firewood, and some went to buy rice. When breakfast was ready, Browbeater Hou went to the cupboard to find some bowls. He reached for the metal one, but of course it was stuck down. “A ghost!” he cried, tugging at it with all his internal strength.
Lotus understood at once what was happening. They could not allow anyone to find them. Guo Jing’s life depended on it. But what could they do?
As she was trying to think of a plan, she heard Hector Sha scolding his martial brother again. But Browbeater Hou refused to admit he was wrong. “Fine—you try to move it.”
Hector Sha grasped the bowl and found that it was firmly stuck. Tiger Peng then approached to take a look.
“Looks like there’s a secret mechanism,” he said. “Try turning it left or right.”
They did not have much time. Lotus handed the dagger to Guo Jing and took Count Seven’s bamboo cane for herself. Then she whispered to Guo Jing that he was not to circulate his qi—that way, they could disconnect their palms. But he was weak, weaker even than someone with no martial-arts training. He could not fight these men. The realization that death was near for both of them turned Lotus’s heart cold.
Looking around in vain for another way out, she glanced into the corner of the room and spotted the skeletons. That was it! She ran over and picked out the two skulls. Then she collected a watermelon and pressed the skulls into it.
Seconds later, a creaking sound. The metal door opened.
Lotus placed her creation on top of her head and covered her face with her hair.
Hector Sha appeared in the doorway and was greeted by the most frightful two-headed monster imaginable.
The others peered inside from behind him. Browbeater Hou screamed, turned and ran outside. The others followed. Only Gallant Ouyang remained on his straw bed, unable to move.
Lotus sighed and closed the door. A smile crept over her face, but she did not dare hope they would be left alone for long. These were the best fighters of the jianghu; they would be back. The Hoary Urchin had done the heavy work; without his antics at the palace, she could not have fooled them so easily.
Lotus was still racking her brains for a solu
tion to their predicament when she heard the door to the inn open. She grabbed the dagger and placed the bamboo cane by her side. If anyone tried to enter again, she would throw the blade in their face.
She waited.
“Hello! Innkeeper?” The voice was delicate and sweet.
Surprised, Lotus ran to the hole and peered through. There, she saw a lady dressed in finely embroidered brocade, her hair decorated with jewels. She was clearly the daughter of a very wealthy family, but she had her back to the mirror, so Lotus could not see her face.
“Innkeeper! Innkeeper!” she tried again.
Where do I know that voice from? Lotus thought. Before she had time to search her memory, the woman turned. Miss Cheng from Baoying! What is she doing here?
3
The Qu girl had barely stirred during the commotion earlier, keeping her eyes firmly closed throughout, but now she opened them and crawled out of her straw bed in the corner.
“Ah, there you are,” Miss Cheng said. “I would like something to eat. My warmest thanks.”
The girl shook her head, as if to say that she had nothing to offer her. But then the smell of freshly made rice wafted into her nostrils. She scuttled over to the pot and lifted the lid. Delighted, she grabbed two bowls and filled one for Miss Cheng and the other for herself. Miss Cheng peered into the bowl: no accompaniments, and, worst of all, the rice was the cheapest unpolished kind. She tried a few mouthfuls before placing it on the table. The girl, meanwhile, finished her third bowl before patting herself contentedly on the stomach.
“Excuse me, miss,” Miss Cheng began. “May I ask where we are? How far is it to Ox Village?”
“Ox Village?” the girl repeated. “You’re in Ox Village. But I couldn’t say how far away it is.”
Miss Cheng’s cheeks flushed red. She lowered her gaze and fiddled with her waist belt. There was a pause before she spoke again: “This is Ox Village. Then, may I ask … do you know … someone called…?”
But the girl did not wait for the young woman to finish. Instead, she merely shook her head and ran outside.
Lotus, who had been listening to the whole exchange, wondered who Miss Cheng was looking for. Then it hit her. Miss Cheng was a disciple of one of the Seven Quanzhen Immortals, Sun Bu’er, who was the only woman among them and wife of Scarlet Sun Ma Yu. Miss Cheng must have received an order from the Sect to find Qiu Chuji’s protégé, Yang Kang.
Lotus watched her. She was sitting upright, straightening her clothes and fiddling with the pearls in her hair. Her cheeks were rosy and she was smiling just a little, but Lotus could not imagine what she was thinking. She was captivating.
Just then, footsteps, followed by the door opening once more.
It was a tall man with a forceful stride. “Innkeeper!”
Another familiar face! Ox Village seemed to attract everyone she knew, Lotus reflected. Guo Jing’s hometown had wonderful feng shui.
The young man who had just walked in was none other than Laurel Lu, master of Roaming Cloud Manor.
He glanced around and was startled to see a beautiful young woman sitting at one of the tables. “Innkeeper!” he called again.
Emerald Cheng looked up at the handsome young man, blushed and turned away.
What is such a dazzling young lady doing here, all by herself? he thought to himself. He walked over to the kitchen, but saw no one. His stomach was aching, so he served himself a bowl of rice and turned to the young woman. “Do excuse me; I am very hungry. I hope miss won’t mind.”
Emerald smiled without looking up. “It’s not mine,” she replied quietly. “Please eat, sir.”
Laurel Lu ate two bowls, then bowed by way of thanks. “Do excuse me,” he began again, “but does miss know how far we are from Ox Village?”
Emerald and Lotus were both equally surprised, not to mention delighted, by his question. Another person looking for Ox Village!
“Why, this is Ox Village,” Emerald replied, blushing even harder and fiddling with her gown.
“Excellent! And may I trouble the young miss again? I am looking for a certain man, in particular.”
Emerald was about to reply that she did not know anyone in the village, but changed her mind at the last moment. “Who is sir looking for?”
“He goes by the name of Guo. Master Guo Jing, to be precise. Do you know which house is his? Or if he might be at home?”
Once again, Emerald and Lotus had the same reaction. Why was he looking for Guo Jing? Emerald did not reply, averting her gaze instead, her cheeks now an almost impossible shade of red.
Judging by Emerald’s reaction, Lotus was almost positive that she was in love with Guo Jing—he had saved her in Baoying, after all. But this did not make Lotus feel jealous, for three reasons. She was young, she had an open mind, and—most importantly—she knew Guo Jing was of constant heart. On the contrary, it rather pleased her another woman had such strong feelings for her betrothed.
Lotus was correct, of course. Vigor Li of the Beggar Clan had tried to come to Emerald Cheng’s aid while Gallant Ouyang held her captive, but he had been no match for the scoundrel. Had Guo Jing and Lotus not intervened, she would have been disgraced. Guo Jing was not only a skilled fighter, but also upright and honest by nature. Emerald was the daughter of an extremely wealthy family and thus had never been allowed out of the women’s quarters of the family complex. She had barely seen a young man before and was just starting to take an interest in the opposite sex.
After her rescue, Emerald Cheng’s days were filled with thoughts of Guo Jing, until, one day, she gathered her courage and left. She knew a little kung fu, but she was almost completely ignorant of the different schools and styles of the wulin. All she knew was that Guo Jing came from Ox Village, on the outskirts of Lin’an.
Though she had traveled alone, her journey had passed without incident. She wore her standing clearly in her clothes and bearing, and so those with ignoble intentions let her be. She asked the way as she went, and, in the last village, she found out that she was close. But, when the inn girl confirmed that she was at last in Ox Village, all thoughts of what to do tumbled out of her mind. She had come hundreds of li, and yet now she found herself hoping that Guo Jing was not home. I will go to his house under the cover of darkness tonight, look from the outside, and then I will go home, she said to herself. I cannot let him know I have come looking for him. It would be too great a humiliation. At precisely that moment, Laurel Lu had stepped through the door. When he mentioned Guo Jing’s name, she wondered if he had read her heart. She paused, then stood up, as if to leave.
Just then, a face—a hideous face—popped through the door, before instantly disappearing. Emerald stumbled backward. The face reappeared.
“Two-headed demon, the Three-Horned Dragon challenges you to a fight! Come outside into the daylight!”
Laurel and Emerald had no idea what was happening.
“They are back,” Lotus whispered to Guo Jing. Master Lu and Miss Cheng were not skilled enough fighters to take on Tiger Peng and the others alone. And, should Lotus and Guo Jing come out of hiding to help them, they would still be in danger. She went over the possibilities in her mind, but could not think of a good plan. If it did come to a fight, of course, it would buy her and Guo Jing some time.
Tiger Peng and the others had assumed that the melon demon Lotus had played was part of the band of ghosts and spirits that had chased them the night before. And yet, despite being the only one who really believed they had been spirits rather than masters of the wulin, Browbeater Hou was now the only one who dared come back. He was a simpleminded fellow.
These evil demons are stripped of all their powers during daylight, he reasoned. And yet they dare roam the jianghu, making trouble? I’m not scared. Once I drive them away, the others will finally give me the respect I deserve.
So he had returned, albeit with some lingering trepidation in his heart. He stuck his head round the door and was surprised to see a young man and a young woman sittin
g in the middle of the room. Has the demon transformed into two human forms? This is not good. Old Hou, you had better tread carefully.
Laurel and Emerald were baffled, meanwhile. He must be mad. So they decided to ignore him.
Browbeater Hou continued to curse and rave outside, but the demon did not appear. It was clearly afraid of the blazing sun, which was beating down on his scalp. Yet, he was too scared to charge inside the inn and drag the creature outside. So he waited.
Then he remembered spirits were afraid of dirt and contamination. He turned on his heel and left.
There were several stores of manure dotted around the village, including a sizable one right next to the inn. He removed his outer robe and proceeded to scoop a large pile of animal feces into it. Then he went back to the inn.
He peered through the window and saw that Miss Cheng and Master Lu were still seated inside. Now armed, he felt emboldened. “Brave demon! Reveal yourself!” he cried, running for the door with a pitchfork in his left hand and a large piece of dung in his right.
Emerald and Laurel were startled by the madman’s reappearance, and by the pungent smell of feces that accompanied him.
Browbeater Hou’s eyes darted between the two young people. In human form, men are the most aggressive, he said to himself, but, when it comes to spirits, it’s the women one has to watch out for! So, he threw the dung straight at Miss Cheng.
Emerald yelped and ducked. Laurel had already reached for a bench and swung it at the oncoming excrement. With a dull splat, the manure sprayed in all directions, covering the young man. He gasped, trying not to vomit.
“Two-headed demon, unmask yourself!” Raising his pitchfork, Hou charged at Miss Cheng. The attack was quick and fierce.
By now, both Emerald and Laurel could see that this was a man of the wulin, not some local lunatic.