by Jin Yong
Zhang Wuji’s mind was stirred up, he recalled the sentence which she had said before: "If his injury was too serious to be cured, I wouldn’t be able to live too.” He thought: "This time I kill not only 2 people but actually 3.” When Zhang Wuji was at a loss, suddenly Wu Jingcao walked to the outside of the door and reported to him: "Cult Leader, that Miss Zhao is seeking a meet at the outside of the gate.” Just on hearing that, Zhang Wuji felt so indignant that he could not restrain himself, he shouted out: "I’m just about to look for her.” He drew out the long sword from Yang Buhui’s waist, hold it in his hand then went out in big strides. Xiao Zhao took down the pearl hairpin on her hair, hand it to Zhang Wuji, said: " Mister, you give it back to Miss Zhao please.” Zhang Wuji cast his eyes upon her, thought: "You really know my intention. The feud between me and that girl surnamed Zhao is deep as the ocean, I cannot keep anything of her.” Holding the sword in one hand and the pearl hairpin in the other he walked out of the gate, only saw Zhao Min standing there alone, she was smiling. It was sundown by then, the Sun obliquely projected the blood-red rays of light on her cheeks, she looked incomparably beautiful. The Xuanming Two Elders stood behind her from more than ten zhang (33.33m), they were holding three excellent horses in their hands and staring into space.
Zhang Wuji moved his body, in a flash he was right in front of Zhao Min. He extended his left hand and grabbed both Zhao Min’s wrists, his right hand pointed the tip of the sword at her chest. He shouted at her: "Give up the antidote, quick!” Zhao Min smiled: "You’ve bullied me once before, this time you also want to bully me again, don’t you? I come here to inquire after you, yet you bear a glowering face, how can this be a proper way of welcoming guest?” Zhang Wuji said: "I need the antidote, if you don’t hand it over, I. I’ll not want to live anymore, you don’t think you’ll be able to live as well.” Zhao Min’s cheeks slightly reddened, she spit in a soft voice and said: "Bah! How nice? You dying is your own business, how come it has anything to do with me that you want me do die together with you?” Zhang Wuji raised his voice: "Who’s joking with you, huh? Hand over the antidote or else this day will be the day you and I die togerther.” At that time both the hands of Zhao Min were being seized tightly by him, she felt he was tremulously all of a shake showing an extremely excited mood, she also felt a hard object in his hand, so she asked: "What are you holding in your hand?” Zhang Wuji said: "Your pearl hairpin. I give it back to you.” He lifted his left hand to fix the hairpin onto her hair then immediately got hold of her two wrists again. His technique was fast as lightning performing the release and the grasp nearly at same time. Zhao Min said: "I gave it to you, why don’t you want it?” Zhang Wuji said fretfully: "You’ve always played me up and caused me good miseries, I don’t want to receive anything from you.” Zhao Min said: "You don’t wanna receive anything from me? Are you serious or just kidding? So why did you ask me to hand over the antidote as soon as you began to speak?” Previously, every time Zhang Wuji had argued with her, he had always gotten disadvantaged, this time he got stuck too. Thinking of Yu Daiyan and Yin Liting going to die before long, he felt deep grief in his heart and his eyes could not refrain from turning reddish, he almost let his tears roll down. No longer being able to bear up anymore, Zhang Wuji was about to implore her for the antidote but remembering that Zhao Min was such malignant, he did not want to show his feebleness in front of her.
At this time, Yang Xiao and others had known the news, they walked out of the gate together and saw that Zhao Min had been caught by Wuji and the Xuanming Two Elders were standing from a long distance as if they did not care for or did not fear anything. Everybody then stood aside and observed calmly.
Zhao Min smiled and said: "You’re the Leader of the Ming cult, your martial arts can shake the world, yet just encountering a bit of difficulty you wept ‘wah wah wah’ noisily like a child already.
You just cried a short moment ago, right? That’s just really shameful. Let me tell you. You were hit two stances of the Xuanming Divine Palm by the the Xuanming Two Elders so I come here to ask after your injury. But to my unexpected, just barely seeing my face, you already made a fuss about nothing but die and live stuff, why? Let go of me will you?” Zhang Wuji thought even if she wanted to take the opportunity to get away she would not be able to do so since as soon as her feet moved, he would immediately grab hold of her, so he set her hands free. Zhao Min raised one hand to adjust the pearl hairpin on her hair, she smiled and said: "You seem not to be injured at all, don’t you?” Zhang Wuji said coldly: "Just the Xuanming Divine Palm alone not necessarily can injure me.” Zhao Min said: "Then how about the Great Force Diamond Finger and the the Seven Insect Seven Flower Paste?” These two sentences were like two big iron hammers striking hard on Zhang Wuji’s chest. He said vexedly: "It’s expectedly the Seven Insect Seven Flower Paste.” Zhao Min said in a stern voice: "Cult Leader Zhang, you want to get the Black Jade Break Connecting Paste, I can give you, you want to get the antidote for the Seven Insect Seven Flower Paste, I also can give you provided that you’re willing to promise to meet my three matters, then I’ll offer them up to you with pleasure. But if you use force to intimidate me, well, it’s easy to kill me, but to obtain the antidote, that’ll be hard and even harder in addition. And if you dare to torture me again, I’ll only give you poison and fake medicine.”
Zhang Wuji felt very jubilant and immediately showed gladness in his expression, although his eyes were still being dewed with tears. He hastily said: "What three matters? Quick say, quick say.” Zhao Min said with a smile: "Both crying and smiling at the same time, you’re really shameless! I said to you earlier, I’ve not thought them out yet. When I think of them I’ll let you know, as long as you promise me faithfully and don’t break your words. I will not ask you to clutch the Moon in the sky, also not ask you to do the evil things which violate the chivalry ethics, not ask you to commit suicide as well, and of course not ask you to act as dogs or pigs either.” Zhang Wuji thought: "On condition that those matters don’t go against the chivalry ethics, no matter how hard they are I’ll work myself to exhaustion to complete.” He then said chivalrously: "Miss Zhao, if you kindly bestow the efficacious medicine so that I can cure my third uncle Yu and sixth younger uncle Yin, then no matter what you ask me to do, Zhang Wuji will never dare to refuse even if I’ll have to jump into boiling water or walk on burning fire. Please yourself.” Zhao Min streched out one palm, said: "Good, let’s applaud for the oath. I’ll give you the antidote so that you can treat your third uncle and sixth younger uncle. Later on, if I ask you to do three things which don’t offend the knightliness you will not be permited to refuse and will have to try your best to fulfill them.” Zhang Wuji said: "With respect, I obey your venerable words.” He gently clashed palms with her three times. Zhao Min took down the hairpin from her head, said: "So now, do you want to accept my present?” In fear of her not giving the antidote, he did not dare to disobey her will and hastily received the pearl hairpin. Zhao Min said: "But I don’t want you to pass it on to that pretty maidservant again.” Zhang Wuji said: "Yes.” Zhao Min took three steps backward, she smiled and said: "The antidote will be delivered to you immediately, Cult Leader Zhang, goodbye!” She brushed her sleeves, turned around and walked away. The Xuanming Two Elders then led the horses along. They helped her get on a horse to leave first before following her. The clop-clop of hoofbeats resounded when the three horses descended the mountain.
When the trio including Zhao Min had just passed a mountain side, a man poked out from the canopy of a big tree on the left, he was Qian Er’bai of the Divine Arrow Eight Heroes and was holding an iron bow. He fixed an arrow on the bow and shouted: "With all due respect, my owner submits a letter to Cult Leader Zhang, please accept and read.” Upon these words, a ‘sou’ sound was heard, the arrow had shot toward him. Zhang Wuji made a wave with his left hand to catch the arrow. He found that the arrow did not have the arrowhead and there was a letter tied to the end of it. Zhang Wuji untied the let
ter from the arrow to take a look, the envelope read ‘Personally addressed to Cult Leader Zhang’. He opened the envelope and saw a flower-filigreed paper on which there were several lines written in the little standard script style (xiao kaishu - ??? ): ‘The golden box has two compartments
one of which has contained the efficacious paste for long,
The pearl hairpin is hollow
which has the remedy for the poison inside
Those two things were offered to the gentleman long ago
why are you so exhausted and worried?
Though they are just tiny things
which are not worthy being taken into consideration
why did you give them to a maidservant?
why did you regard them just as dirt and dust?
They are not counted as my sincere wishes are they?’
(Foxs, edited by Eliza Bennet)
Zhang Wuji read this note three times; he was pleasantly surprised but also ashamed. Hastily he examined the pearl head ornament and tried to twist the pearls one by one. Finally he found one he could unscrew and remove completely. The golden stem was hollow and inside it was a little white scroll. Zhang Wuji took out a golden needle from his pocket, the one he usually used for acupuncture, and fished the scroll out. The paper was very thin; on it the list of seven poisonous insects and seven poisonous flowers, plus the recipe of the antidote, were indeed written, everything was explained clearly one by one. Actually, Zhang Wuji only needed to know the seven insects and seven flowers, since he did not need other people’s direction on how to detoxify it. He looked at the recipe and found it to be correct, so he knew Zhao Min was not trying to swindle him. Hastily he rushed to the inner courtyard and prepared the antidote. Sure enough, a little over two hours later Yu and Yin two people were in a much better condition, the itch inside their bodies stopped and the various colors they saw in their vision disappeared.
Zhang Wuji took out the golden case in which Zhao Min delivered the pearl head ornament. After examining it carefully he found the secret compartment on the box’s wall, with black paste pressed in between. The paste smelled fragrant and cool. This time he did not dare to act recklessly, thereupon he caught a dog and broke its hind leg, then spread the paste on it. Early morning the next day that dog was running around without any sign of poisoning, and its broken leg was healed.
By the third day the poison inside Yu and Yin two people was completely eradicated; thereupon Zhang Wuji applied the ‘hei yu duan xu gao’ [black jade break connecting (or fracture healing) paste] on their four limbs. This time nothing strange happened. The ‘hei yu duan xu gao’ was marvelously effective; after about two months Yin Liting’s hands could move freely. It looked like very soon not only he would be able to move his hands and feet, but also his martial art was not damaged too much. Too bad Yu Daiyan had been disabled for too long, it would be difficult for him to fully recover. But looking at his condition right now, there was a great chance that within half a year he would be able to walk with crutches. He would still be handicapped, but he would be able to move around and not be crippled anymore.
Because Zhang Wuji was delayed on the Mount Wudang, he dispatched the Five-Element Flags to go down the mountain ahead of him. Upon their return they brought some rather disturbing news. Not a single one of the people from Emei, Huashan, Kongtong and Kunlun Sects who went to the Brightness Peak returned to their respective sect. The Jianghu world was shaken. Everybody said that the Devil Cult had annihilated all experts from the six major sects who went on the expedition to the western region, and then extinguished each sect separately one by one. The sudden-disappearing Shaolin monks had created an unprecedented wave in the Wulin world. Luckily each flag leader and his second-in-command carried the letter written by Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang Sect; they also did not reveal their true identities, otherwise they would be torn to pieces by each sect they visited.
All flag leaders and his second-in-commands also reported that by that time in Jianghu world every sect, clan and society, as well as expedition companies, robbers, pirates, harbor gangs, and so on were on the highest level of alert since they were afraid the Ming Cult would launch a large scale attack.
A few days later Yin Tianzheng and Yin Yewang father and son had also returned to Wudang, reporting that the completion of the reorganizing effort of the Heavenly Eagle Flag; it is now part of the Ming Cult. They also reported that the warriors of the southeast raised their arms to fight the Yuan invaders; the world was in great tumult. In the meantime the Yuan army was still too strong, furthermore each rebellion was staged individually, without any contact with each other; therefore, they were easily crushed.
That same evening Zhang Sanfeng held a vegetarian banquet at the rear hall in honor of Yin Tianzheng father and son. During the banquet Yin Tianzheng narrated the cause of each defeat, and how in each insurrection the Ming Cult and the Heavenly Eagle Sect disciples always took part in it, and that many of them were captured or even killed by the Yuan soldiers; making an ultimate sacrifice in the process.
As the group of warriors listened to his narration, they all sighed in grief and anger. Yang Xiao said, "The people’s suffering is already very deep. Their hearts are changed; they want to drive the Tartar and capture back our river and mountain [‘he shan’ - country or land]. When Yang Jiaozhu was still alive, day and night it was his sole concern. It’s a pity that our Cult used to handle matters differently that for the last hundred of years we are always involved in feud against various Wulin sects of the Central Plains; making it difficult to join hands to fight the enemy. With the Heaven’s blessing we now have Zhang Jiaozhu to handle the Cult’s affairs, gradually solving our enmity with each sect. The time is ripe to work together and drive out the invaders.”
"Yang Zuoshi,” Zhou Dian said, "What you said was not wrong, but it was a pile of rubbish, it was like a fart.”
Yang Xiao was not angry, "Then I am waiting for Zhou Xiong’s advice,” he said.
Zhou Dian replied, "The Jianghu people all say that our Cult has killed the experts of six major sects. Once they heard the word ‘Ming Cult’ their hatred is going deep into their bones and marrows. What do you mean by ‘working together and drive out the invaders’? It was pleasant to the ears, but how do we do it?”
"It’s true that we have a bad name,” Yang Xiao said, "But the truth will always be revealed in the end; moreover, we now have Zhang Zhenren [lit. true/real person - a respectable term to address a Taoist Priest] as our witness.”
Zhou Dian laughed, "Supposing that it was really us who killed Song Yuanqiao, Old Nun Mie Jue, He Taichong and the others, how would Zhang Zhenren know that he was not being deceived?”
Tieguan Daoren [Iron Hat Taoist Priest] reprimanded him harshly, "Zhou Dian, don’t talk nonsense in front of Zhang Zhenren and Jiaozhu!”
Zhou Dian stuck out his tongue but did not reply. Peng Yingyu said, "What Zhou Xiong said was not without reason. According to pinseng’s [lit. impoverished monk - he was referring to himself] opinion, we should hold a general assembly of the Ming Cult’s leaders, where we will make known Zhang Jiaozhu’s intention to repair our relation with the Wulin world’s various sects. At the same time, more people means broader horizon; we can discuss these matters and investigate Song Daxia [great hero Song], Mie Jue Shitai and the others’ whereabouts during the assembly.” "If you want to find Song Daxia and the others’ whereabouts; that is very easy. I might say as easy as blowing off the dust on top of this table,” Zhou Dian said.
They were all surprised, "How?” they asked, "Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
With a smug expression on his face, Zhou Dian drank a cup of wine and said, "All we need is Jiaozhu to go and ask that Miss Zhao. I am 90% sure that we will understand everything. I say if those people are not killed by Miss Zhao, then they must be captured by her.”
For the last two months, Wei Yixiao, Yang Xiao, Peng Yingyi, Shuo Bude and the others had separately gone down the mountain trying to find out Zha
o Min’s origin and to track her trail; but since her appearance in front of Wudang and she shook hands with Zhang Wuji to seal their agreement, this person had disappeared without any trace. Even her many subordinates all had vanished without leaving the least bit of trace. They all speculated that she was related to the imperial government, but other than that they did not have any clue as where to seek her. This time hearing Zhou Dian speak they said, "Now you are talking rubbish! If we found that girl surnamed Zhao, wouldn’t we ask her ourselves?”
Zhou Dian said with a smile, "You certainly can’t find her; but Jiaozhu does not have to seek her to find her. Jiaozhu still owes her three things; do you think that fierce Miss will let him go so easily? Hey, hey! This girl is beautiful, but each time I think about her, all the hair on my body stands on its end; she causes me to shiver.”
Everybody could not help but smile, yet they understood the truth in what he said. Zhang Wuji sighed and said, "I only hope she would give me her three difficult problems quickly then I will do my best to do them and bring this matter to completion. Otherwise my thoughts will be in suspense all day long; not knowing what kind of strange trick she is performing. Anyway, about Peng Dashi’s [reverend, lit. grand master] suggestion earlier; our Cult will hold a general assembly of the leaders. This is quite feasible. What do all of you think?”
"It is,” they replied, "But it is better not on Mount Wudang.”
"Jiaozhu,” Yang Xiao said, "Where do you think is the best place?”
Zhang Wuji hesitated a moment before saying, "Being a humble Cult Leader today I always remember our own Cult’s two people’s benevolence. One is the Yi-xian [lit. medicine/medical immortal - Divine Doctor] of Butterfly Valley, Mr. Hu Qingniu; that Senior died under the Golden Flower Granny’s hand. The other is Chang Yuchun Dage [big brother]; I don’t know his whereabouts nowadays. I think, let’s hold our Cult’s general assembly on the Butterfly Valley in Huaibei.”
