SWORDS FIGHTS ON MOUNT HUA (Book 3 of Legend Of The Condor Heroes)

Sword Meet Of Mount Hua Part 3

 

Actually Ouyang Feng, and everybody else for that matter, knew that Hong Qigong only had nine fingers; but in a ferocious battle situation like this, who would have time to remember little detail like that? The battle between experts, where both contenders' martial arts have been refined through fire, more often than not the end result would be decided by slight oversight like this. When Ouyang Feng bit an empty space, how could Hong Qigong let this opportunity pass? With the 'xiao kou ya ya' [the laughter of a mute] immediately his middle finger struck the 'di cang' [earthen storehouse] acupoint on the side of Ouyang Feng's mouth.

Seeing Hong Qigong's attack went well, the three spectators were ready to applaud, but their mouths were just saying the word 'good' when suddenly Hong Qigong somersaulted several times backward; while Ouyang Feng staggered backward like a drunk before finally came to a stop and let out a big laugh.

Turned out the energy passages in his body were reversed, so that when Hong Qigong hit his major acupoint of 'zu yang ming wei jing' [lit. positive foot, bright stomach passage] he only experienced a slight numbness, then immediately back to normal. Taking that opportunity his palm hit Hong Qigong's shoulder. Lucky for him, because his finger was stretched out, he did not get hit too severely. Hong Qigong further neutralized the hit by somersaulting backward while launching the 'jian long zai tian' [seeing dragon on the field], which made Ouyang Feng stagger back.

Hong Qigong avoided serious injury by moving fast, yet his body was sore, temporarily unable to move. Hong Qigong was the grand master of his respective martial art school; even if he did not want to admit defeat to a confused man, yet he had to admit that the opponent's martial art was admirable. He cupped his fists and said, "Ouyang Xiong, the Old Beggar admits defeat, you are the Number One Martial Artist in the World!"

Ouyang Feng looked up to the sky and let out a long laugh, his arms waving chaotically in the air. He turned toward Huang Yaoshi and asked, "Emperor Duan, do you or do you not admit defeat?"

Huang Yaoshi was not happy, he thought, "The Number One Martial Artist in The World title fell to a lunatic; won't the Old Beggar and I become the laughingstock of the heroes of the world?" But he realized that even if he'd fight again, it would be difficult for him to score victory anyway, so he did not have any choice but nod his agreement.

Ouyang Feng turned to Guo Jing and said, "Son, your father's martial art is matchless, unrivalled in the world, aren't you happy?"

Ouyang Ke was officially his nephew, but actually he was his son; they were known as uncle and nephew but actually they were father and son. In his confused mind he saw Guo Jing as Ouyang Ke, and thus revealing the secret he had kept for decades.

Guo Jing thought no one present was able to defeat him, so he was worthy of the title Number One Martial Artist in the World; "We can't defeat you!" he said.

Ouyang Feng giggled foolishly, he turned toward Huang Rong and said, "Good daughter-in-law, aren't you happy?"

Huang Rong saw her father, her master and Guo Jing were defeated one after another; she had been thinking of a way to cope with this lunatic early on, but could not think of anything good. Now Ouyang Feng was asking her, she saw he was dancing joyfully with a strange facial expression. Under the bright sunlight his shadow was also dancing back and forth in confusion; suddenly an idea came into her mind, "Who said you are number one in the world?" she asked, "There is one person you can't defeat for sure."

Ouyang Feng was very angry, he beat his chest and roared, "Who? Who? Let him come here and fight me!"

"This man's martial art is so high, you are not his match," Huang Rong said.

"Who? Who? Let him come here and fight me!" Ouyang Feng said.

"He is called Ouyang Feng," Huang Rong said.

Ouyang Feng scratched his head, musing, "Ouyang Feng?"

Huang Rong continued, "Right! Your martial art may be high, but you won't stand against Ouyang Feng."

Ouyang Feng's mind was totally confused; he knew the name 'Ouyang Feng' to have a very close relationship with himself, but who could that be? "Who am I?" he asked nobody in particular.

"You are you," Huang Rong sneered, "You don't know who you are, why do you ask me?"

Ouyang Feng's heart turned cold, he leaned his head sideways, trying to think hard; but his brain did not want to cooperate, he could not figure out who he was, he could not understand anything.

He was an intelligent man; oftentimes when he was alone he liked to ponder the old-age philosophical questions like, "Who am I? What am I during my lifetime? What will I become after I die?" Ouyang Feng was a smart person, his comprehension ability was outstanding; these questions sometimes came flashing in his mind. That particular day he had defeated three great martial artists but his energy passages were reversed; he would be happy but suddenly turn angry. Listening to Huang Rong he looked around in confusion and muttered, "I, who am I? Where am I? What happened to me?"

"Ouyang Feng wanted to fight you, he wanted to snatch the Nine Yin Manual away from you!" Huang Rong said.

"Where is he?" Ouyang Feng asked

Huang Rong pointed toward his own shadow and said, "Look! He is behind you!"

Ouyang Feng quickly turned around and saw his own shadow. He was shocked. "This ... this ... he ... he ..."

"He is going to beat you!" Huang Rong said.

Ouyang Feng squatted and hacked the shadow. The shadow also squatted and hacked him.

Ouyang Feng was scared, he hacked and he chopped left and right, but the shadow also moving incessantly. Ouyang Feng felt his opponent was so fierce, he turned around to evade. Facing the sunlight he did not see his shadow anymore "Where did you run?" he shouted, and ran toward the left.

Their left side was actually a barren rock wall. The sun was behind him, casting a shadow on the wall. It looked like the enemy was standing straight in front of him. Ouyang Feng sent out his right palm, striking the wall with all his might. He felt a shot of pain straight to his bone. "Very fierce!" he shouted. Immediately he sent a left kick toward the wall, and the shadow also sent him a kick. His foot hit the wall, hard. The pain was unbearable. Ouyang Feng did not dare to fight again; he turned around and ran away.

This time he was running toward the sun, the enemy disappeared. Several 'zhang's later he turned around to look, and to his surprise the enemy was right behind him. He was frightened and shouted loudly, "You can be the world's number one, I admit defeat." But the shadow was motionless.

Ouyang Feng turned around and ran again, but as soon as he turned his head he saw the shadow was closely following him. He could not run, he could not fight, his heart was stricken with terror; screaming and cursing he ran toward the valley below. A moment later his voice could still be heard from the other side of the hill, "Don't chase me, don't chase me!"

Seeing a great grand master of martial art of their generation ended up this way Huang Yaoshi and Hong Qigong looked at each other and heaved a deep sigh. By that time Ouyang Feng's cry was intermittent, it sounded like he was already several 'li's away. The mountains and valleys echoed his cry, which sounded like a wolf's howl or a ghost's cry. The four of them were standing under the bright sunlight, yet they felt coldness creep into their hearts.

Hong Qigong sighed, "This man won't live much longer."

All of a sudden Guo Jing mumbled, "I? Who am I?"

Huang Rong knew him to be honest and upright, she was afraid he might think over this matter too much and as a result being possessed by an evil spirit; quickly she said, "You are Guo Jing, Jing Gege. Quickly think about yourself, don't think too much about other matters."

Guo Jing shivered in cold, startled, and came to his senses, "Right! Shifu, Huang Daozhu, let us go down the mountain."

"Dumb kid!" Hong Qigong scolded him, "You are still calling him Huang Daozhu? I'm going to give you several slaps on your face."

Guo Jing was startled; he saw Huang Rong was blushing, looked like she was smiling, yet she was not. He knew what to do; bashfully he called, "Father-in-law!" his face was red.

Huang Yaoshi laughed a big laugh; he pulled his daughter's hand with one hand, then pulled Guo Jing's hand with the other, said to Hong Qigong, "Qi Xiong, martial art study is inexhaustible. Today we've seen the Old Poison's martial art, which made others frightened and ashamed at the same time. Ever since Chongyang Zhenren died, there is no more the Number One Martial Artist in the World."

"Rong'er's culinary skill is number one in the world, this I can guarantee," Hong Qigong said.

Huang Rong pursed up her lips and laughed, "No need to praise me, let us go down the mountain; I am going to prepare some good food for you to enjoy."

Hong Qigong, Huang Yaoshi, Guo Jing and Huang Rong four people went down Mount Hua. Huang Rong demonstrated her superb culinary skill by handpicked the ingredients and cooked some out-of-this-world quality dishes. Hong Qigong ate to his heart's content.

That very evening four people slept in an inn; Huang Yaoshi father and daughter shared a room, while Guo Jing and Hong Qigong shared another. Early the next morning Guo Jing awoke only to find the other bed empty; Hong Qigong was nowhere to be seen. On the table top he saw three letters written with grease: 'I am gone'; it was unclear whether the letters were written with a chicken leg's bone or a pork hoof.

Guo Jing quickly went to the other room to alert Huang Yaoshi father and daughter. Huang Yaoshi simply sighed and said, "Qi Xiong leads a busy life, he is like a divine dragon; we can see its head but not its tail." He turned his gaze to Jing and Rong couple and said, "Jing'er, your parents have passed away, the closest relative to you would be your Da Shifu Ke Zhen'e. Why don't you come along with us to the Peach Blossom Island and ask your Da Shifu to act in your parents' behalf to preside at your wedding with Rong'er?"

Guo Jing was both grieved and joyful, he could not say anything but nodded his head repeatedly. Huang Rong pursed her lips and smiled; she wanted to scold him 'Dumb' but looking at her father she refrained from saying so.

Three people traveled together crossing mountains and rivers, heading southeast. In less than a day, they arrived in between the two parts of Zhejiang; the Peach Blossom Island was not too far ahead. Suddenly they heard an eagle's cry high up in the air; two white eagles were seen flying from the north. Guo Jing was delighted, he whistled and the pair of eagle dived down and perched on his shoulders.

When he left Mongolia Guo Jing was such in a hurry that he did not take his eagles along; but now that they met his joy was unspeakable. He held out his hands to stroke the eagles' back and then he saw a piece of leather rolled into a small cylinder tied on the male eagle's foot. Quickly he used his dagger to take the leather and found a letter carved on it. It was written in Mongolian characters and read, 'We are going south to attack Xiangyang, Knowing my lord's loyalty to his country I braved death to inform you. I have caused my lord's mother tragic death, am so ashamed I don't have the face to see you. I want to say goodbye, am going to the west to live with my eldest brother; won't come back to my homeland forever. I wish my lord's good fortune, long life and happiness.'

The letter did not bear any signature, but as soon as he saw it Guo Jing recognized Princess Huazheng's handwriting. He translated the letter for Huang Yaoshi father and daughter, and asked, "Father-in-law, what do you think?"

Huang Yaoshi answered, "This place is close to Lin'an, but if we inform the royal government they won't necessarily believe us; even if they did, it will take a long time for them to react. This is an urgent matter; your little red horse is swift. Leave for Xiangyang today. If the garrison commander is willing to cooperate, help him defend the city. If not, kill him and lead the troops and the people to fight the Mongolians. Rong'er and I will wait for you on the Peach Blossom Island."

Guo Jing asserted his agreement, but Huang Rong's countenance changed. There was nobody who knows her heart better than her father, so Huang Yaoshi smiled and said, "Very well, Rong'er, you can go too. Come home as soon as you are done; if the government wants to reward you, don't take it."

Huang Rong was ecstatic, "That's for sure," she said.

The young couple took their leave from their father, riding the little red horse heading west. Guo Jing was afraid they would be late; if the Mongolians had already attacked the city, he knew the massacre would be unimaginable; therefore, they continued their journey almost nonstop.

One night they stopped by an inn to spend the night. They were already nearing the two southern roads which linked towards Jiangxi. Guo Jing's mind was occupied with Huazheng's letter; he recalled their childhood together, how he, Huazheng and Toulei played together in the desert. And then his mind wandered to things that happened since until today. His heart was depressed. Huang Rong saw he was staring blankly, lost in thought; she sat by the lamp sewing her clothes.

"Rong'er," suddenly Guo Jing broke the silence, "She said she had caused my mother's tragic death that she is ashamed to see me ever again; what did she mean by that?"

"Her father had forced your mother to her death; naturally she felt sorry for that," Huang Rong reasoned.

"Mmm," Guo Jing mumbled. Lowering his head he tried to recall the scene surrounding his mother's death. Suddenly he leaped up and slap the table, "I know! So that's how it is!" Huang Rong was startled that the needle punctured the tip of her finger and a drop of blood came out. She smiled and asked, "What is it? You made a fuss about nothing; what did you know?"

Guo Jing said, "When my mother and I opened the Khan's secret order and decided to go back south there was nobody around, yet Khan immediately found out and captured us, mother and son. In the end my mother committed suicide and died. Who reported on us? I have been thinking hard about it. Turned out ... turned out it was she."

Huang Rong shook her head, "Princess Huazheng loved you very much; it is impossible for her to betray you."

"She did not mean to," Guo Jing explained, "She was outside, accidentally heard everything my mother and I said. She told her father so that Khan would prohibit us from going back home; who would have thought that it ended up in a great tragedy?" Saying thus he sighed and sighed again.

"Because she did that unwittingly, you must go to the west to find her," Huang Rong said.

Guo Jing disagreed, "I love her as my sister. She is now with her brother in the west; she has all the honor and riches she deserves; why would I go and seek her?"

Huang Rong smiled, secretly she was very happy.

Another day they arrived at the southern Jiangxi town of Shangrao; the horse trotted along the mountain road where the grass was tall. It was a desolate place. Ahead of them was a dark forest thick with trees. High above them the pair of eagles let out a loud angry cry, and then they dived down and in a blink of an eye disappeared into the forest. Jing and Rong knew something was not right, quickly they urged their horse to run ahead.

Winding through the forest path they saw their eagles were spiraling down above a man who was trying to fight them frantically. They came closer and found out that the man was Peng Zhanglao [Elder Peng] from the Beggar Clan.

Peng Zhanglao was brandishing a steel saber trying to protect himself. The saber moved swiftly; although the eagles were brave it would be difficult for them to score victory. The female eagle made a sudden attack from behind and managed to snatch Elder Peng's head covering, showing a patch of baldness on his head. Peng Zhanglao's saber swept up, cutting down some of its feathers.

As soon as Huang Rong saw the baldness on Elder Peng's head she remembered something, "That day the eagle's breast was injured by a short arrow; turned out it was this evil beggar who did it. Afterwards the pair of eagle fought the criminal again by the 'qing long tan' [Green Dragon Shore] where they managed to snatch a piece of scalp; so it was this evil beggar."

"Surnamed Peng!" Huang Rong loudly called out, "Look who is here."

Peng Zhanglao lifted up his eye to see two people, he was scared out of his wits; he turned around and ran away. The male eagle dived down and struck the top of his head. Peng Zhanglao swung his saber to protect his head. The female eagle swooped from the side and pecked his left eye. Peng Zhanglao screamed, throwing his saber away he ran without looking where he was going and entered thick thorn bushes nearby. Peng Zhanglao valued his life more than a few stabbing pain from the thorns, so he went even deeper into the bush. The pair of eagles still did not want to let him go, they circled above the thorn bushes.

"He has lost one eye, just let him go," Guo Jing called his pair of eagles. Suddenly he heard a baby's noise among the thick patch of grass nearby. "Ah!" Guo Jing cried. Quickly he dismounted his horse and parted the grass only to see a baby sat on the ground. Next to that baby he saw a pair of a woman's feet. He parted the grass further and saw a woman wearing dark green clothing was fainted on the ground. It was none other than Mu Nianci.

Huang Rong was pleasantly surprised, "Mu Jiejie [Elder sister]!" she cried; then she stoop down to help her up. Guo Jing carried the baby in his arms. The baby's bright eyes were staring at him intently, they did not show any sign of fear at all.

Huang Rong massaged several acupoints on Mu Nianci's upper body; then she also pinched the acupoint next to her nose. Mu Nianci slowly regained her consciousness; she opened her eyes and saw these couple. She thought she was dreaming, "You ... you are Guo Dage [eldest brother Guo] ... Huang Jia Meizi [younger sister from the Huang family] ..."

"Sister Mu, why are you here? Are you injured?" Guo Jing asked.

Mu Nianci struggled to stand up, but she fell down again; turned out her hands and feet were bound by pieces of ropes. Huang Rong quickly took her dagger out and cut the ropes. Mu Nianci quickly took the baby from Guo Jing's arms. After calming down herself for half a day bashfully she started to recount what had happened to her.

Turned out Mu Nianci lost her chastity to Yang Kang at the Iron Palm Peak, and she was pregnant. She had hoped to return to her hometown at Lin'an, but when she reached Zhangrao she was too weak to continue; so she found an empty hut in the forest and took a rest. Not too long afterwards she gave birth to a baby boy. Since she had no desire to see other people, she stayed in the forest, hunting and picking up wild fruits to survive. Luckily the baby boy was so smart, so she was comforted amidst her suffering and loneliness. That particular day she took the baby out to gather some fire woods, unfortunately they met with Peng Zhanglao. Seeing her beauty Peng Zhanglao wanted to rape her. Mu Nianci's martial art was not weak, but Peng Zhanglao was one of the four Elders of the Beggar Clan; he was the peer of Lu Youjiao Zhanglao; second only to the Bangzhu [Clan Leader], Hong Qigong. Naturally Mu Nianci was not his match. She was subdued easily and her hands and feet bound. In her anger and desperation she passed out. If Jing and Rong, two people did not arrive at this exact moment, and with their sharp eyes their pair of eagles spotted their common enemy, Mu Nianci would suffer a terrible fate, molested and disgraced by this evil man.

That evening Jing and Rong spent the night at Mu Nianci's hut. When Huang Rong told her that Yang Kang had died at the Temple of the Iron Spear in Jiaxing, Mu Nianci's tears came down like rain. Huang Rong understood the depth of her love to him, so Huang Rong did not dare to tell her the details surrounding his death; she only said that Yang Kang was poisoned by Ouyang Feng. "I did not lie, didn't he die because of Ouyang Feng's snake venom?" she said in her heart.

Guo Jing saw the boy was handsome, he recalled how he became sworn brothers with Yang Kang, could not refrain from heaving a deep sigh.

Amidst her tears Mu Nianci said, "Guo Dage, would you give this child a name, please?"

Guo Jing thought for a moment, then said, "His father and I were sworn brothers; it's a pity he did not finish well. I regretted the fact that I was not able to fulfill my responsibility to steer him from his wrong way of life. I hope when he grows up this child will cross over/change ('guo') the mistakes and correct ('gai') them; he will uphold justice and righteousness with all his might. I am giving him the name Yang Guo, alias Gaizhi; is it all right with you?"

Mu Nianci thanked him and said, "I hope it would be like just what Guo Dage said."