by Jin Yong
Jade Han drew her sword, inch by inch, and prepared to attack, but Zhu Cong stopped her. Iron Corpse is alone, he thought to himself, we might be able to overcome her, seven against one. But we have to fight them separately, Iron Corpse first. Her husband might be hiding somewhere close. Big Brother should take the lead.
A quick inspection of her progress; a smile: Cyclone Mei was satisfied. She sat down with her back to Jade Han and Zhu Cong, her face raised to the moon, and started breathing in long and steady breaths. They watched her body rise and fall.
If I were to use Lightning Ignites the Sky now, I could probably spike my sword right through her, Jade Han said to herself. But if I missed, I would ruin our whole plan. She trembled with indecision.
Zhu Cong was barely breathing. He became aware of a chill as sweat ran down his back. He looked up and noticed the black clouds in the west had spread out above them. The sky was a sheet of imperial green paper splashed with black ink. Lightning flashed a spotlight on them and fear caught in their hearts. Thunder echoed and the air was hot and sticky, as if the clouds had formed a heavy blanket over them.
After some time, Cyclone Mei rose to her feet and pulled the corpse to the grave where Ke Zhen’e was hiding. She reached for the stone cover.
The Freaks held tighter to their weapons, ready for what was to come.
Mei turned. A rustle of leaves. But the air was still. She looked up into the branches of a nearby tree and saw the shape of a human silhouetted against the moonlight.
A piercing howl, and she was up in the branches.
It was Ryder Han. His short stature allowed him to shelter among the foliage. Just the slightest shift of his feet had given away his hiding place. He pulled out his Golden Dragon whip and performed a move known as Black Dragon Fetches Water, directing all his force at Mei’s wrist. But, to his surprise, she did not move to avoid it and instead grabbed hold of the other end. Ryder Han yanked with all his strength but this only pulled her closer. She struck out with a bolt of lightning energy. But a gust of wind buffeted her, and Ryder Han had released his weapon and flipped from the branch.
Mei followed close behind, her hand held like a claw aimed at his back.
A cold gust of air rushed at the back of his neck and he pushed forward. Woodcutter Nan was waiting beneath with Gilden Quan. Nan threw a bone-piercing awl and Gilden Quan shot a concealed arrow from his sleeve.
Mei deflected both projectiles with a flick of her middle finger and, with a loud tearing noise, ripped a piece from of Ryder Han’s shirt. He tapped his foot, intent on shooting up into the air. But Mei had already landed in front of him.
“Who are you?” she cried. “Why are you here?” Her clawed fingers dug into his shoulders and he felt a searing pain as if ten iron spikes had been implanted into his flesh. He aimed a flying kick at Mei’s abdomen. She blocked him with a chop, snapping a bone in his foot. He threw himself to the ground and rolled to safety.
Mei went to stamp on his lower back but a shoulder pole came gliding towards her and smashed against her ankle.
Mei lurched back, but within moments was surrounded. From the right came a scholar holding a metal fan and a young girl clutching a sword. From the left, two men, one sturdy with a butcher’s knife and another gaunt and carrying some strange military weapon. Before her, a muscular peasant wielding the shoulder pole. And yet more footsteps. The man with the whip. She had no idea who they were, but there was no doubt they were of the wulin.
There are too many of them, Mei thought, I’d better kill them quickly. As long as that bastard of a husband of mine is safe. I’ll start with the girl.
She leapt at Jade Han, her claws aimed straight at the young girl’s face. Zhu Cong launched his iron fan at the Arching Pool vital point on the inside of Mei’s elbow, but she was unaffected. She went again for Jade Han, who met the attack with a Mist Hangs Over the River, slicing her sword at Mei’s arm. Mei flipped her wrist and reached for Jade Han’s blade. Jade shrunk back, just as Zhu Cong struck once again at Mei’s elbow. The move should have paralysed Mei’s arm instantaneously, but instead Zhu Cong watched it extend towards him as she grabbed at his head.
Zhu Cong avoided her talons only at the last moment.
Doesn’t she have any vital points? he asked himself, shaking.
Ryder Han found his whip and, brandishing their weapons, the Freaks closed in from all sides. But Mei’s hands were as if made of steel and she countered each move with a scratch of her nails. The Freaks recalled the holes in the tops of the skulls and shrank back with fear. And it wasn’t just her hands; the rest of her body seemed to be equally resistant to their attacks. Gilden Quan struck her twice in the back with his weights, but to no effect. She seemed only to fear Zhang Asheng’s knife and Jade Han’s sword. Gilden Quan was too slow and she tore a bloody piece of flesh from his arm.
As Zhu Cong was well aware, all practitioners of kung fu have at least one weak point, a spot so tender that all you have to do is touch it to kill them. But what about this witch? Where is hers?
His fan danced around her pressure points, first the Hundred Convergences on the crown of her head and the Ridge Spring on her throat, then the Spirit Gate on her abdomen and the Central Pivot in the middle of her back. Within seconds, he had tapped at least twelve, trying to ascertain which part of her body she was most protective of. That would be his answer.
Mei realised what he was doing. “You lowdown beggar,” she shouted. “This old hag has been training for years. I have no weak point!”
She snatched Zhu’s wrist, but he was quick, and before she could dig her nails into his arm he flipped his wrist over and placed his fan into her palm. “There’s poison on that fan.”
Mei froze and then dropped it. Zhu Cong pulled away. He examined the back of his hand. It was scored with five bloody stripes. A cold sweat crept across his body. This was going to be a long fight, he realised. Three Freaks were already injured. They would never overcome Copper and Iron Corpse together. He looked across at his martial brothers. Zhang Asheng, Ryder Han and Gilden Quan were sweaty and exhausted. Woodcutter Nan was more practised in neigong inner strength, however, and Jade Han looked as if she still had some energy.
But Cyclone Mei was just getting started.
Then, in the cold light of the moon, Zhu Cong spotted three piles of skulls to his left. A shiver travelled through him as an idea took hold. “Run! Save yourselves!” he shouted, as he rushed over to the grave where Ke Zhen’e was hiding. The Freaks began retreating towards him as they fought.
“You little bastards,” Mei snarled. “I don’t know which stinking hole you’ve crawled from. Kill me, just you try! But it’s too late to get away now.” She charged forward. Nan, Gilden Quan and Jade Han tried to engage her in combat, while the others tugged and heaved, at last managing to pull the stone aside.
Meanwhile, Mei had wrapped her arm around Nan’s shoulder pole and was trying to scratch out his eyes.
Zhu Cong pointed at the sky and beckoned with his hand: “Come, we need you!” He seemed to be calling for help from the spirit world.
Mei’s eyes followed the direction of Zhu Cong’s fingers. But all she could see was a thick blanket of cloud covering half the moon. Was there anyone up there?
Nan ducked away.
“Seven paces ahead!” Zhu Cong shouted. Ke Zhen’e threw six poisoned devilnuts, two at head height, two towards her middle and two below the waist. Then, with a loud cry, he jumped out of the hole and the other Freaks charged. Mei screamed as two of the projectiles hit her in the eyes. She threw her head back so that they would not penetrate her skull and enter the brain. But within moments she was descended into a darkness from which she would never return.
She thrust her palms down, but Ke Zhen’e had dodged to one side and her hands thudded into the stone slab. Now even more enraged, she kicked at it, sending it flying. The Freaks watched on, keeping their distance.
Mei scrabbled around in her blindness, grabbing and scratching.
Zhu Cong gestured to the others to keep back. She was a crazed tiger, a she-devil, pulling at trees, breaking branches, kicking up sand. The Freaks held their breath. She began to feel a tingling in her eyes. The poison. “Who are you?” she cried. “Tell me, so I know before I die.”
Zhu Cong gestured at Ke Zhen’e to stay silent, but realised his brother would not be able to see.
“Cyclone Mei.” Ke Zhen’e’s voice was sharp like a shard of ice. “Do you remember a fellow kung fu master by the name of Flying Divine Dragon, Ke Bixie the Talisman? I am his brother, Ke Zhen’e, Suppressor of Evil.”
A long cackle burst from Mei’s throat. “I’ve never seen you before, old fellow! You come to avenge Flying Divine Dragon’s death? With poisoned devilnuts?”
“That is correct.”
Mei sighed and did not reply.
The moon had almost disappeared behind the clouds and the light that remained was dim and almost cold to the touch. They all felt it. Mei was still, as if turned to stone, whip in one hand, the other limp by her side. A grey light glinted from her long, sharp nails. A long, silver Python whip was coiled up like a snake on the ground before her. It was a powerful weapon, but she was yet to master it. It was her Nine Yin Skeleton Claw they feared. The wind beat at her hair so that it stood like spikes from her forehead.
Jade Han was positioned in front of her and watched as two streams of blood flowed from her eyes and down her neck.
“Brother!”
Zhu Cong and Gilden Quan shouted together. But Ke Zhen’e had already sensed the rush of air at his chest. He drove his staff into the dirt and flew up, landing in the top branches of a nearby tree. Mei’s whip had not met its target and she was propelled forward. She wrapped herself around Ke Zhen’e’s tree, lodging her nails into the bark.
The move had taken them all by surprise. Had their eldest martial brother reacted a moment later, he would have been skewered on her talons.
Mei responded with a strange and piercing howl that carried far on the wind.
She was calling her husband Copper Corpse for help, Zhu Cong realised. “Kill her!”
Summoning all his energy, he aimed at Mei’s back. Zhang Ahsheng took a nearby stone and launched himself at her head.
Unlike Brother Ke, she was not used to relying on her hearing alone for defence. She heard a low-pitched rush of air as the stone came towards her, but she could not tell where it was coming from.
Zhu Cong’s punch landed with a heavy thud and she screamed in pain. Zhu Cong continued, but Mei slashed her claws at him, forcing him back.
Just as the other Freaks closed in, a long howl, much like the one Mei had used only minutes before, arrived on the wind, and it cleaved through them. Another followed in quick succession, this time much closer.
“Copper Corpse!”
Jade ran to look down towards the plain below. A shadow was speeding towards them, screeching as it drew nearer.
Mei was now on the defensive, concentrating her internal energy on halting the spread of the poison through her body, while she waited for her husband.
Zhu Cong indicated to Gilden Quan that they should hide themselves in the bushes. Judging by his speed, Copper Corpse’s skills were even more impressive than his wife’s.
Just then Jade Han cried out. There, climbing the hill, was a smaller figure, moving much more slowly. It was a child.
Guo Jing.
She ran to fetch him.
Guo Jing was not very far away now, but Copper Corpse was gaining ground. Jade Han hesitated. She could not possibly take Copper Corpse on by herself. But nor could she leave the child. She ran faster and called down to Guo Jing, “Quickly, boy!”
Guo Jing looked up and yelped in delight, unaware of the danger coming from behind.
Zhang Asheng watched Jade Han as she ran further into danger. His heart convulsed and he could barely catch his breath. He had to protect her.
The other Freaks paused and watched the events unfolding further down the hill, weapons at the ready.
Jade Han reached Guo Jing and grabbed hold of his little hand. She turned back up the hill, but after only a few metres she felt his hand slip from hers. Guo Jing cried out. She swung round. Copper Corpse Hurricane Chen had seized him.
Jade Han tapped her foot and spun into a Nodding Phoenix, feigning a right at his armpit. She then moved sidewards, raised the tip of her sword and aimed at his eyes: the very height of Yue Maiden Sword technique.
Chen tucked the boy under his left arm and deflected the blade with his right elbow. He then thrust his palm in a Drive the Boat Downstream. Jade spun her weapon round, moved back and sliced it at him. But his arm seemed to grow by half a foot and, although she should have been far enough out of reach, his palm somehow struck her on the shoulder and she fell.
It was all over in seconds.
Copper Corpse moved closer, intent on clawing at Jade’s head with his nails, strong enough to penetrate bone. Zhang Asheng was by now only a few metres away and he threw himself on top of her. Down came Copper Corpse’s claw and ripped through Zhang Asheng’s back.
Zhang Asheng howled and thrust his broadsword up at Chen, but Copper Corpse blocked it with his hand, knocking the weapon out of Zhang’s grip. He then beat Zhang back down with his palm.
More Freaks charged forward. Only Ke Zhen’e held back.
“My dear harpy, are you alright?” Hurricane Chen called over.
“They blinded me!” Cyclone Mei growled back from where she was slumped against a tree. “Bastard husband of mine, if you let even one of these scoundrels go, I will kill you myself.”
“Don’t worry, old crone,” Chen called back, “they won’t get away from me alive. Are you in pain? Don’t move.” He made for Jade Han’s head again; she escaped in a Lazy Donkey Roll. “You won’t get away from me!” he shouted.
Zhang Asheng was flat on the ground, badly hurt and confused, but he sensed that his beloved Jade was yet again in danger. Gathering the last of his energy, he kicked out at Chen’s hand. Chen plunged his fingers into Zhang’s leg. The pain shot through him, but he straightened and flung his arms around Chen’s waist. Copper Corpse grabbed hold of Zhang’s neck and tried to throw him off. Fearing he would attack Jade again, Zhang refused to let go. Chen punched him in the head. Zhang fainted and his arms flopped.
Meanwhile Jade had clambered to her feet and now launched herself at Hurricane Chen in a twirling display of qinggong lightness kung fu.
“Fifth Brother, are you hurt?” she shouted as she spun.
The other Freaks were now close. Zhu Cong and Gilden Quan were first to lunge at Copper Corpse with their weapons.
Chen was surprised to see so many accomplished practitioners of the martial arts so far out here on the steppe. “Old hag!” he shouted. “Who are they?”
“They follow Flying Bat Ke Zhen’e, brother of Flying Divine Dragon.”
“We’ve never met these dogs before, but they will die today.” But Copper Corpse could not conceal his concern for his wife’s injuries. “Dearest crone, is it serious? Will you make it?”
“Kill them quick,” Mei snarled back. “I’m not dead yet.”
But Chen could tell it was bad; the fact that she was not coming to his aid was sign enough.
Still, Ke Zhen’e held back.
Hurricane Chen threw Guo Jing aside and launched himself at Gilden Quan. But Gilden Quan ducked, grabbed Guo Jing and somersaulted out of Chen’s way in a move known across the wulin as the Mischievous Cat Catches the Mouse. He executed the move perfectly, impressing even Chen.
Copper Corpse was cruel by his very nature, and the stronger his opponent, the more he wanted to make them suffer a painful death. Moreover, an attack on his wife was an attack on him. Twice Foul Dark Wind had trained in two of the wulin’s most dangerous techniques, the Nine Yin Skeleton Claw and Heartbreaker Palm, and Chen had mastered almost the full repertoire of both.
He howled and propelled himself into attack.
But Ryder
Han too charged forward and at the very last moment rolled onto the ground, where he began striking at Chen’s legs in a move known as Rolling Whip. Thus distracted, Chen felt a blow to his back from Nan’s shoulder pole. He yelped, spun around and scratched back.
Nan did not have time to pull back his weapon, so he bent backwards into an Iron Bridge. He heard a cracking sound and watched in amazement as Hurricane Chen’s arm extended at the elbow, his bony hands grazing the top of his brow. Near misses were common in fights among masters of the wulin. But just as he thought it had extended to its limit, Chen’s arm reached for his forehead. How was he going to get out of this? Chen’s palm was now just above Nan’s face, his finger poised to puncture his skull.
Nan grabbed hold of Chen’s wrist, just as Zhu Cong jumped up onto Copper Corpse’s back, hooking his arm around Chen’s neck and pulling tight.
Just then thunder reverberated around them and darkness unfolded across the desolate mountaintop as the last of the moon was blocked out by the clouds. Raindrops as big as soybeans started falling from the sky.
A terrible crunching sound and a rush of air followed the thunder; Nan’s arm was broken in two and Zhu Cong had received a blow to the chest, sending him tumbling backwards. Copper Corpse panted, catching his breath.
“Everyone get back!” Ryder Han called through the darkness. “Seventh Sister, are you alright?”
“Shh,” Jade silenced her brother as she moved closer.
“Second Brother, are you alright?” Ke Zhen’e was concerned by what he was hearing.
“We can’t see anything,” Gilden Quan replied. “It’s pitch black.”
The heavens are smiling on us! Ke Zhen’e said to himself, knowing this only played into his hands.
