by Jin Yong
Yin Li was dazed; "Ah Niu Gege [big brother Ah Niu],” she called out, "Is it you?”
"It’s me!” Zhang Wuji smiled. Yin Li felt relieved and immediately passed out. Seeing her injury was serious, Zhang Wuji did not dare to pull away the golden flowers; he quickly sealed her ‘shen feng’ [divine grace], ‘ling xu’ [spirit grave], ‘bu lang’ [stepping porch], and other vital acupoints connected to the injury, to protect her main artery.
He heard Xie Xun say with a loud voice, "Sire has lent your hands twice to save me; Xie Xun is greatly indebted.”
With a choking voice Zhang Wuji said, "Yi ... Yi ... You don’t have to ...”
End of Chapter 28.
Chapter 29 - The Hopes of Four Women on the Boat
(Translated by Foxs, Edited by Eliza Bennet)
Towards the afternoon, suddenly a strong wind came followed by a heavy rain. The small boat was blown southward by the wind. Xie Xun, Zhang Wuji, Zhou Zhiruo and Xiao Zhao, four people removed their eight shoes and used them to scoop the rainwater accumulated on the boat to the sea.
At that moment, they heard two ‘ding-a-ling’ sounds coming from behind them, and very soon three people had arrived. Zhang Wuji took a glance and saw three people wearing wide robes; two of them were very tall, while the one on the left was a woman. They were approaching with their backs to the moon, so that he could not see their faces clearly; but their robes were embroidered with an image of flaming fire, so obviously they were Ming Cult disciples. Each person had their hands high in the air, with each hand holding a black, about two feet long, tablet. The one, which was the tallest, said in a clear and loud voice, "The Ming Cult’s Sheng Huo Ling [Decree of the Holy Fire] have arrived, Cult Protectors Dragon King and Lion King have not kneeled down, what are you waiting for?”
His accent was terrible; he sounded very stiff. Zhang Wuji was startled; he mused, "Yang Jiaozhu [Cult Leader Yang] did mention that our Cult’s Sheng Huo Ling has been lost since the time of our thirty-first generation Cult Leader, Shi Jiaozhu. How can it be in these three people’s hands? Is this the genuine Sheng Huo Ling? Are they really our Cult’s disciples?”
Jin Hua Popo said, "I have left the Cult a long time ago, so these four words ‘hu jiao long wang’
[cult protector dragon king] don’t mean anything to me. What is Sire’s honorable name? Is that Sheng Huo Ling the real one or a fake? Where did it come from?”
That man barked, "You have left the Cult; what are you prattling about?”
Jin Hua Popo coldly said, "In all her life Jin Hua Popo has never allowed others to slander her for even half a word; in the past, when Yang Jiaozhu was still alive, even he was 30% respectful toward me. What is your position in the Cult that you dare to shout and bicker in my face?”
In a sudden movement, the three people’s shadow swayed, and simultaneously three left hands moved to grab Jin Hua Popo. She brandished her walking stick, sweeping horizontally toward them. It was unclear how these people moved, but somehow their position changed and Jin Hua Popo’s stick had struck empty air and three right hands reached out to the back of her neck; her body shook and she was thrown far away.
Based on Jin Hua Popo’s martial art level, even if three highest-skilled martial art masters besieged her, they would not necessarily able to throw her out in one move like that. But, not only the footwork of these three people in white robes was very strange, their coordination was also near perfection; they were just like one person with three heads and six arms.
"Wow!” Zhang Wuji could not stop from exclaiming. As those three people moved, he was able to see their features clearly; the tallest among them had pointy whiskers, his eyes were bluish green. The other man had blonde moustache and eagle nose. The woman’s hair was black, just like the Chinese, but the pupils of her eyes were so pale that they were almost colorless. Her face was watermelon-seed shaped; she was around thirty years of age. Although her features were strange, she looked very beautiful.
Zhang Wuji thought, "Turn out these people are Middle-Easterners; no wonder their accents are so stiff, almost sounds like they are reciting a book.”
In a loud and clear voice the man with the pointy whiskers said, "Seeing the Sheng Huo Ling is like seeing the Jiaozhu; Xie Xun, why haven’t you knelt down?”
"Who are the three of you?” Xie Xun replied, "If you are Ming Cult disciples, then Xie Xun should know you. If you are not Ming Cult disciples, then Sheng Huo Ling has nothing to do with the three of you.”
"Where is the origin of the Ming Cult?” the pointy whisker asked.
"It came from Persia,” Xie Xun answered.
"Correct, correct!” the pointy whisker said, "I am the ‘Liuyun Shi’ [flowing/spreading (take your pick) cloud emissary] from the Persian Central Ming Cult. These other two are ‘Miaofeng Shi’ [wonderful wind emissary] and ‘Huiyue Shi’ [glorious moon emissary]. We come to the Central Earth [‘zhong tu’] from Persia on assignment from the Central Cult Leader.”
Xie Xun and Zhang Wuji were stunned. Zhang Wuji had read Yang Xiao’s book, the ‘Ming Jiao Liu Chuan Zhong Tu Ji’ [A record on the spread of Ming Cult to the Central Earth]; so he knew the Ming Cult came from Persia. He saw these three people were Persian Middle-Easterners, their martial arts were also this good; so they must be telling the truth.
He heard that blonde-moustache Miaofeng Shi say, "Our Jiaozhu received the news that the Central Earth’s Jiaozhu was missing and the disciples were killing each other, the Cult was declining quickly. He ordered Cloud, Wind and Moon, three Emissaries, to reorganize the Cult’s affairs. All Cult disciples, from the top to the bottom, must receive our commands without fail.”
Zhang Wuji was delighted, "The Central Cult Leader has sent his orders; nothing can be better than that,” he thought, "Now I don’t have to bear this heavy responsibility with my superficial experience and cause harm on the important matter.”
He heard Xie Xun say, "Even though the Central Earth’s Ming Cult stemmed from Persia, we have become an independent faction for several hundred years; therefore, we are outside the Persian Central Cult’s jurisdiction. The three of you have come from afar to the Central Earth, Xie Xun is very pleased; as for kneeling down and so on, don’t you think it is rather unreasonable?”
The pointy whiskered Liuyun Shi struck the two pieces of black tablets in his hands to each other. ‘Clang!’ The noise was neither those of metals nor jade; it sounded very strange. He said, "This is the Central Earth’s Ming Cult’s Sheng Huo Ling; the former Jiaozhu surnamed Shi was unworthy; he lost it to the outsiders, and now we took it back. Seeing the Sheng Huo Ling is like seeing the Jiaozhu; Xie Xun still does not obey orders?”
When Xie Xun joined the Cult, Sheng Huo Ling had been lost quite a long time, so he had never seen it; but he had heard about its divine features, it was also frequently mentioned in the Ming Cult’s Holy Scripture. Therefore, listening to this unique sound, he knew that the Sheng Huo Ling in that person’s hand was the genuine one. Besides, those three were able to catch and throw Jin Hua Popo away with only one move, which ordinary people would not be able to do; his doubts were gone.
"Subordinate believes what Sire has said,” he said, "I wonder what instructions do you have for me?”
Liuyun Shi waved his left hand; together with Miaofeng Shi and Huiyue Shi they leaped together. In two jumps they landed by Jin Hua Popo’s side. Jin Hua Popo attacked them with some golden flowers; the three Emissaries dodged to the east and swayed to the west; the golden flowers fell to the ground. Huiyue Shi dashed forward with extended finger toward Jin Hua Popo’s throat. Jin Hua Popo raised her walking stick to block, followed by a counterattack. Suddenly her body flew up, because her back was grabbed and lifted up by Liuyun Shi and Miaofeng Shi. Huiyue Shi immediately advanced three steps and her palms struck Jin Hua Popo’s chest and abdomen three times. The palm strikes were not too heavy, but Jin Hua Popo was immobilized.
Zhang Wuji said in his heart, "These three’s movements were not extraordi
nary, but the ingenuity of their coordination was matchless. Huiyue Shi attacked from the front to entice the enemy and the other two mysteriously come in and out to capture Jin Hua Popo. Strictly speaking, in term of martial art, each one of them is inferior to Jin Hua Popo. That woman’s three palm strikes are not really sealing acupoint technique, but it was cunningly comparable to our Central Earth’s sealing acupoint technique.”
Liuyun Shi grabbed Jin Hua Popo with his left hand and tossed it toward Xie Xun. "Shi Wang [Lion King],” he said, "According to our Cult’s law, once somebody enters our Cult, he cannot rebel and leave the Cult. This woman has left the Cult on her own accord; hence she is a traitor. Behead her.”
Xie Xun was shocked; "The Central Earth Ming Cult does not have this law,” he said.
Liuyun Shi coldly said, "From now on the Central Earth Ming Cult will receive the Persian Central Cult’s orders. A traitor who leaves the Cult will bring disaster later on, if left alive. Quickly execute her.”
Xie Xun fearlessly said, "The Four Kings of the Ming Cult are no different than sworn brothers and sister. Although she treated the Old Xie ruthlessly today, the Old Xie cannot retaliate cruelly. I cannot harm her.”
Miaofeng Shi laughed loudly. "Chinese people are wishy-washy, with so many customs to be observed” he said, "How can you not kill a traitor? Where is the logic in that? What a load of crap!”
"The Old Xie can kill people without batting an eyelid,” Xie Xun said, "But I have never killed my fellow Cult disciple.”
Huiyue Shi said, "You don’t want to kill her that means you are defying order. We will kill you first.”
Xie Xun replied, "The three of you came to the Central Earth, and your first order of business is forcing Jin Mao Shi Wang to kill Zi Shan Long Wang, is it because you want to establish authority by intimidation?”
Huiyue Shi showed a faint smile. "Your eyes are blind, but your heart is not,” she said, "Hurry up, do it!”
Xie Xun tilted his head up and let out a long laugh; his voice shook the mountain and valley. He loudly said, "Jin Mao Shi Wang has always been frank. Not to mention I won’t kill friends and comrades, even if the Old Xie has a deep enmity toward someone, you have already captured and immobilized her; how can the Old Xie kill someone who is unable to fight back?”
Listening to his Yifu’s heroic and frank speech, Zhang Wuji cheered inwardly; but he started to loath these Three Emissaries from the Persian Ming Cult.
He heard Miaofeng Shi said, "For the disciples of Ming Cult, seeing Sheng Huo Ling is the same as seeing the Jiaozhu. Do you dare to defy the Cult?”
Xie Xun boldly said, "The Old Xie has been blind for more than twenty years. Even if you place it in front of my eyes, I still cannot see it. What do you mean by ‘seeing Sheng Huo Ling is the same as seeing the Jiaozhu’?”
Miaofeng Shi was angry. "Fine! Then have you made up your mind to rebel?”
"The Old Xie has never dared to rebel against the Cult,” Xie Xun said, "But the Cult’s teaching is to do good and shun evil; ‘yi qi’ is heavily emphasized. Xie Xun would rather lose his head than do this despicable thing.”
Jin Hua Popo was paralyzed, but she heard everything Xie Xun said. Zhang Wuji realized his Yifu was about to face a life and death situation; he immediately laid Yin Li gently on the ground. He heard Liuyun Shi say, "Ming Cult disciples who refuse to follow the Sheng Huo Ling’s order will be killed without mercy!”
"I am a Protector King of the Cult,” Xie Xun shouted, "Even if Jiaozhu himself want to execute me, he would have to bow to the Heaven and the Earth, and to the Ming Zun [the Ming Cult prophet(?)] in front of the altar and state my crime clearly.”
Miaofeng Shi chuckled and said, "The Ming Cult of Persia was fine, but once it arrived at the Central Earth, it has so many of these stinky customs!” All three Emissaries let out a whistle and together they charged forward.
Xie Xun brandished his Tulong Saber, forming a wall in front of his body. The Three Emissaries successively attacked three times but failed to get close to him. Huiyue Shi managed to sneak in, the tablet in her left hand struck toward the top of Xie Xun’s head. Xie Xun raised the Saber to block, ‘Clang!’ the noise was very strange. No other weapon could match the sharpness of the Tulong Saber; yet it failed to cut the Sheng Huo Ling.
In between strikes, Liuyun Shi rolled down toward the left and hit Xie Xun’s leg with his fist. Xie Xun staggered. Right that moment Miaofeng Shi swept his tablet horizontally toward Xie Xun’s back, suddenly he felt that his wrist was grabbed and the Sheng Huo Ling in his hand was snatched by someone else. In great surprise he turned around and saw a young man with the Sheng Huo Ling in his right hand.
With an unmatched speed and unbelievable agility Zhang Wuji had managed to jump in and snatch the tablet away. Liuyun Shi and Huiyue Shi were startled and angered; they attacked together from two sides. Zhang Wuji turned around and dodged to the left; unexpectedly, ‘Slap!’ his back was squarely hit by the tablet in Huiyue Shi’s hand.
The Sheng Huo Ling was made of special material; it was extremely hard. As Zhang Wuji was hit, his vision turned black, he almost passed out. Luckily, the divine energy [‘shen gong’] protecting his body was so profound that he managed to control his mind and he dashed three steps forward. The Persian Three Emissaries immediately rushed after him and surround him.
Zhang Wuji attacked Liuyun Shi with the tablet in his right hand, while his left hand swiftly reached out and grabbed the Sheng Huo Ling in Huiyue Shi’s hand. Who would have thought that suddenly Huiyue Shi let her hand loose; the Sheng Huo Ling flew upward with the tail first. ‘Slap!’ it hit Zhang Wuji’s wrist. Zhang Wuji felt all five fingers of his left hand went numb; he had no choice but let the Sheng Huo Ling he just seized to fall down. Huiyue Shi deftly reached out and snatched it back.
Ever since Zhang Wuji learned the ‘qian kun da nuo yi’ plus receiving Zhang Sanfeng’s instructions on the most refined secret of the Taiji Fist, he had been roaming around without any match. Unexpectedly now that he fought Huiyue Shi, a woman, he was hit repeatedly. On the second time, if not of his ‘shen gong’ reacted naturally to provide protection, his wrist would have been broken. He was wary and did not dare to attack; he stopped and focused his attention to see his opponents’ moves more clearly.
The Persian Three Emissaries were also amazed that he was hit twice without sustaining any injury. Miaofeng Shi suddenly bent down and charged toward Zhang Wuji with his head as a battering ram. Using one-self’s most important part to strike the enemy was actually a big violation of the martial art theory. Zhang Wuji did not budge from his position; he knew that a clumsy move like this bound to be followed by an exceptionally fierce stance. He waited until the head was only about one foot in front of his body before he finally moved one step backward.
Liuyun Shi suddenly leaped up; trying to land on top of Zhang Wuji’s head. It was another weird move; attacking the enemy using one’s buttock. Although there were countless strange moves within the martial art world, such a clumsy and seemingly useless stance had never been heard of. Without batting an eyelid, Zhang Wuji stepped sideways to evade. Suddenly he felt pain on his chest, as Miaofeng Shi struck him with his elbow. The ‘jiu yang shen gong’ [nine-yang divine energy] in Zhang Wuji’s body reacted naturally, sending Miaofeng Shi stumbling three steps backward. He was just about to steady his feet when the residue of the force compelled him to fall back three more steps.
The Persian Three Emissaries’ countenances changed in consternation. Huiyue Shi swept the Sheng Huo Ling in her hands horizontally, while Liuyun Shi made three somersaults in the air. Zhang Wuji wondered what his intention was, but he knew he had better evade. He had just moved one step to the left when a white ray of light flashed, and his right shoulder was heavily hit by the Sheng Huo Ling in Liuyun Shi’s hand.
It was indeed an unthinkable stance that Zhang Wuji did not the least bit anticipate. Liuyun Shi was obviously somersaulting in the air; how could he suddenly reach out w
ith his Sheng Huo Ling and struck out his shoulder? Zhang Wuji was startled and did not dare to prolong contact. Besides, although his body was protected by the ‘jiu yang shen gong’, the strike on his shoulder was so heavy that he felt the pain to his bone and marrow. However, he fully realized that if he drew back, his Yifu’s life would be difficult to protect. Therefore, he took a deep breath and clenching his teeth he leaped forward; his palm struck toward Liuyun Shi’s chest.
At the same time, Liuyun Shi leaped forward and struck the Sheng Huo Ling in his hands to each other. ‘Clang!’ Zhang Wuji was still in the air; hearing the noise his mind was suddenly disturbed and he fell back down to the ground. He felt a shot of pain on his waist as Miaofeng Shi kicked him. ‘Bang!’ Miaofeng Shi stumbled backward from the ‘jiu yang shen gong’ reaction; while Huiyue Shi hit Zhang Wuji’s right arm with her Sheng Huo Ling.
All this time Xie Xun was standing on the side, listening to the fight. He knew this young man from the Gigantic Whale Clan had already hit several times and was presently exhausted. Xie Xun regretted his blindness that he was helpless to step forward and lend his hand. He was very anxious; if he was fighting alone, he would be able to distinguish the enemy’s weapon, fist or kick by listening to the wind. But if he was fighting alongside a friend, how could he tell whether it was the friend’s fist or kick, or it was the enemy’s weapon? He could brandish his Tulong Saber; but wouldn’t he be greatly distressed if he inadvertently hacked down his own friend?
"Shao Xia! [young hero]” he called out, "Please back off. This is the Ming Cult’s business; it has nothing to do with you, Sire. Shao Xia has repeatedly helped me today; Xie Xun is deeply grateful.”
