by Jin Yong
“Eliminate Jing’er?” Han Xiaoying exclaimed, frightened. “And what of the challenge we made with Qiu Chuji?”
“Which is more important,” Ke Zhen’E replied coldly, “to keep our lives safe or to go to that challenge?” All remained silent.
“No,” Nan Xiren suddenly said. “We can’t do it.”
“What can’t we do?” asked Han Baoju.
“We can’t eliminate him.” Nan Xiren said, shaking his head.
“I agree with the opinion of Fourth brother,” Han Xiaoying said. “It’s necessary to interrogate him in depth in order not to make an irreparable mistake.”
“The problem is too serious,” Quan Jinfa said. “If we hesitate and show the slightest weakness and he benefits from that to secretly betray us, what will happen to us?”
“If we don’t make the right decision,” Zhu Cong said, “the consequences may be terrifying. Do not forget that our adversary is Mei Chaofeng!”
“What do you think, Third brother?” Ke Zhen’E asked.
Han Baoju wasn’t sure which way to decide, but he saw tears in the eyes of Han Xiaoying. She seemed so sad: “I’ll take Fourth brother’s side,” Then he said, “I won't ever be able to kill Jing’er.”
Thus, three ‘Freaks’ were of the opinion to use violence on Guo Jing; the other three wanted a more measured approach.
“If Fifth brother was still among us,” Zhu Cong sighed, “it would be possible for him to break this deadlock... ”
Hearing him mention Zhang Ahsheng, Han Xiaoying was heart broken again. Holding back her tears, she quietly said, “How could we not want to avenge our Fifth brother? Let's obey our elder Brother’s wish!”
“In that case,” Ke Zhen’E said. “Let’s go back to the camp.”
Back in their ger, they stayed silent, the air of death surrounding them.
That night, when Guo Jing arrived at the summit of the cliff, the Taoist was already there. Seeing the young man, he spoke to him in a low voice and showed him something next to the big rock where they usually trained.
“Look!”
Guo Jing approached and saw in the moonlight the pile of nine skulls. He jumped back. “The ‘Twin Killers of the Dark Winds’!” he said with a trembling voice. “They’ve come again!”
“You know of the ‘Twin Killers of the Dark Winds’?” the Taoist asked. The young man told him of the terrifying fights that night, in the course of which his Fifth Shifu lost his life. He also told of how he frantically struck out with his knife and killed Chen Xuanfeng. The visions of that night were so vivid in his mind that he could not stop himself from shivering. When he stabbed ‘Copper Corpse’, he was very young, but the terrifying images had been engraved deeply in his memory.
“‘Copper Corpse’ caused so much suffering,” sighed the Taoist, “yet he died by your hand!”
“My Shifus often speak of the ‘Twin Killers of the Dark Winds’. My Third Shifu and Seventh Shifu say that ‘Iron Corpse’ should be dead... But Eldest Shifu always says: ‘Not for sure! Not for sure’! For these nine skulls to be here, ‘Iron Corpse’ can’t be dead...” He shivered. “Did you see Mei Chaofeng?” he asked.
“I arrived here not long ago,” the Taoist answered, “And I immediately noticed this pile of skulls. Has ‘Iron Corpse’ come here to take revenge on your Shifus and you?”
“The Eldest Shifu made her blind,” Guo Jing said, “we are not afraid of her.”
The Taoist took a skull in his hand and carefully examined it. “This person has a kung fu of terrifying power,” he said while nodding his head. “I fear that your six Shifus are not strong enough to face her. Even if I lend them some assistance, we still may not defeat her!”
He was so sure of what he was saying, that Guo Jing was stunned. “Ten years ago,” he said, “she was not blind and yet she did not succeed in defeating my seven Shifus. Today, we are eight... You... will you help us in this danger or not?”
“I’ve thought about it for a little while,” the Taoist answered after an moment of silence, “but I don't understand how her fingers can be this powerful... As says the proverb: ‘Those that wish you well don't come to find you, those that come to find you don't wish you well’! Since she dares to come to take revenge, she is very sure of her chances.”
“What reason did she have for arranging the skulls here? Won't we be extra cautious after seeing them?”
“I imagine that it must be a part of the ritual of practicing the ‘Nine Yin White Bone Claw’... Because it is so difficult to climb, she must think that no one comes to the summit of this cliff. By sheer luck, we stumbled on it!”
Fearing that Mei Chaofeng might already be going to fight his masters, Guo Jing said, “I am going to warn my Shifus.”
“Well thought,” the Taoist approved. “Tell them that you pass on a message from a good friend; they are to keep themselves aside for a while and take time to find the best solution... There’s no reason to face her needlessly.”
Guo Jing agreed; but at the very moment he was going to let himself slip down from the cliff, the Taoist grabbed him and jumped behind a large rock where they hid themselves. Guo Jing was going to ask him what was going on when the Taoist put his hand over his mouth. He shrank against the rock, not daring to make a sound, only risking a quick look.
A short time later, a shadow moved up the other side of the cliff. In the moonlight, long hair floated in the wind: it was Mei Chaofeng. The other side of the hill was even steeper than the cliff; because she was blind, she probably wouldn’t have noticed the difference. That was a stroke of luck, because the ‘Six Freaks’ were hidden on this side. If she had come up here, she would not have failed to meet them, and they would be fighting already!
Mei Chaofeng turned around suddenly; a frightened Guo Jing lowered his head quickly. Then he remembered that she was blind, and he stood up slowly. He saw that she was sitting with her legs crossed on the big rock where he trained every day. Then she began breathing exercises. He now understood that this way of breathing and mastering the breath constituted the practice of the neigong. He felt a sudden appreciation for the Taoist’s teaching.
A little later, he heard crackling coming from the body of Mei Chaofeng; at first occasional, then faster and faster, just like when one grills peanuts in a wok and they explode. The noise came from the inside of her body that remained immobile. Guo Jing didn't know that it was a strange and superior form of the neigong, but he was still very impressed. The crackling lasted for a long time. Then the rhythm slowed until it stopped completely. Guo Jing saw her rise slowly, her left hand took something from her waist that she swung like a long silver snake. Startled at first, he then saw that it was a very long whip. The Golden Dragon Whip of his Shifu Han Baoju didn't exceed six feet, but this one had to be more than twenty feet long!
She turned around slowly and the light of the moon illuminated a face that still was very pretty. With her long hair and her eyes closed, she seemed sinister and frightening. In the silence, one could hear her sigh and whisper, “My bastard husband, could it be that in the Hell, you also think of me every day?” Holding her whip by its middle section, she quietly laughed and began to train. This whip seemed to dance in a curious way; the movements were slow and didn't make any noise. She made a stroke to the east, followed by an astounding one to the west; every strike more unbelievable than the last. Suddenly her hand slipped and caught the end of the whip so that all of its length reached a big rock. It wrapped around and raised it, as if it was a hand. Guo Jing was stunned by this. The whip, after flinging the rock far away, moved back towards his head. In the moonlight, he could see distinctly that the end of the whip held about ten very sharp hooks.
Guo Jing was already holding his knife. Seeing the whip coming his way, he was going to avoid the stroke, without even thinking about it. Then he felt his arm go numb and a hand pushed him to the ground. Like silvery lightning, the end of the whip passed above his head. Covered with a cold sweat he thought, “If my
Taoist friend had not stopped me in time and my knife touched it, the whip would certainly have smashed my skull!” Fortunately, the Taoist did it efficiently and quietly and Mei Chaofeng didn't notice anything.
She trained for a while, and then replaced the whip at her waist. From her bag she took a piece of cloth or leather that she unfolded and spread on the ground. She touched its surface, thought, then stood up to sketch some movements. She knelt again to feel the thing and to think again. Finally, she put it back in the bag and went away to the other side of the hill. Guo Jing sighed and stood up.
“We’ll follow her,” the Taoist said in a low voice. “Let's see what mischievous plan she’s preparing for us!” He caught the young man by the belt and the two slowly slipped down from the hill. When they reached bottom, they saw Mei Chaofeng already far away to the north. The Taoist put his arm around Guo Jing who immediately felt a lot lighter and the two of them went at a great speed across the steppe, following ‘Iron Corpse’. As dawn began, they saw a camp of several score large gers far away. Mei Chaofeng’s shadow soon disappeared among them.
They accelerated their pace, avoiding the sentries and patrols, until they arrived at a big yellow ger. Guo Jing dropped to the ground and raised the flap of the ger slightly to take a look inside. He saw a man draw his large knife and strike a huge man, who collapsed to the floor. As he fell, his face was in the field of vision of the Taoist and Guo Jing. Guo Jing recognized him; he was Temujin’s personal bodyguard! He was stunned. "How could it be that he came to be killed here?" He wondered raising the flap of the ger a little more. At this moment, the murderer turned around and Guo Jing recognized Senggum, the son of Ong Khan.
Senggum wiped the blade on his shoe’s sole and said, “Now you don’t have any more doubts, do you?”
“My brother Temujin is intelligent and courageous,” answered a man, “this plan will not be easy to achieve.” Guo Jing recognized him; it was Jamuka, Temujin’s sworn brother.
“Since you like your sworn brother so much,” Senggum sneered, “you could go and warn him!”
“You,” Jamuka said, “are also my sworn brother. Your father has treated me with kindness, I won’t betray you. Besides, Temujin has ambitions of absorbing my soldiers into his army, this I know very well. It is only because of our oath of brotherhood that I haven’t broken our relationship yet.”
"Could they be plotting against Temujin?” Guo Jing wondered. “How is it possible?”
“The one that takes the initiative always has the advantage,” another man said. “If you wait for him to attack you, you are lost! After the victory, all of Temujin’s goods, his herds, his wives, and his treasures, will come to Senggum. His men, on the other hand, will be incorporated into Jamuka’s army. Accomplish that, and you will receive the title of ‘Conqueror General of the North’ from the Jin Empire.”
Guo Jing could only see his back, so he crawled in a little further in order to see him better. He was clothed in a sumptuous yellow brocade tunic covered with sable. He knew the man, but he took a little time to remember his identity. "Ah yes, he’s the Sixth Prince of the Jin Empire.”
Jamuka seemed convinced by his words. “If my adoptive father, Ong Khan, gives me the order,” he said, “I will obey.”
“Since you put it like that,” a very happy Senggum said, “if my father doesn't give the order, he will offend the Jin Empire. In a little while, I will ask him, he won't be able to refuse the Sixth Prince.”
“Soon,” Wanyan Honglie continued, “the soldiers of the empire are going to descend on the south to conquer the Song. At that time, each of you, at the head of twenty thousand men, will be able to participate in the invasion. After the victory, others rewards will await you!”
“I’ve always heard,” Senggum exclaimed joyfully, “that the south was a marvelous world, paved with gold, and where all women look like flowers. If the Sixth Prince takes us along, it would be perfect!” “Nothing could be easier,” Wanyan Honglie said, smiling, “I only fear that there might be too many beautiful women in the south and you won’t see all of them!” They exploded in laughter.
“Now,” pursued the prince, “tell me how you intend to take care of Temujin... In fact, I already asked him to help us to destroy the Song, but he refused. He’s a clever man; we can’t give him any reasons to doubt us. That is why we need to double our precautions.”
At that moment, Guo Jing felt the Taoist pull him by the sleeve. He turned around, and saw Mei Chaofeng a little way off. She had caught someone and seemed to question him. "Whatever this witch's intentions,” he thought, “my Shifus aren’t threatened for now. First I am going to find out more about the plot against the Khan and then decide what to do.” Then he turned again to the ger.
“He promised his daughter to my son,” Senggum said, while looking at the body on the floor, “and I sent an emissary to agree to the date of the marriage. I’ll ask him to come here to confer with my father. He will surely come without much of an escort. I will place some men in ambush along the way; even if he had three heads and six arms, he won't escape alive!” He exploded in laughter.
Jamuka said, “As soon as Temujin is eliminated, our armies will invade his camp.”
Guo Jing was filled with anger and concern: “How could the man's heart be so cruel, even to the point of plotting against his sworn brother!” He was about to listen again, but the Taoist pulled him out by his waist. He moved back and was lightly touched by Mei Chaofeng, who was leaving very quickly, holding someone by the neck. The Taoist took Guo Jing by the hand and the two moved away from the gers.
“She’s trying to find out where your Shifus are.” the Taoist said in a low voice. “We must go there immediately; otherwise it will be too late!” The two used their lightless technique and ran briskly. When they arrived at the ger of the ‘Six Freaks’, it was already close to noon.
The Taoist said, “I didn't want to be seen, that is why I ordered you not say anything about me to your Shifus. But now there is an emergency, and I cannot worry about such details any longer. Go to them and say that Ma Yu, of the Quanzhen [Absolute Perfection] Sect, asks to see the ‘Six Valiant Heroes of Jiangnan’.
For two years, Guo Jing had seen him every evening, but it was only at this moment that he learned his name. Without knowing who precisely this character ‘Ma Yu, of the Quanzhen Sect was, he obeyed and ran in the ger shouting, “Eldest Shifu!”
As soon as he entered, his wrists were clutched brutally, and he felt a sharp pain in his knees that made him fall to the floor. He saw that it was his Eldest Shifu, Ke Zhen’E, who had knocked him down with his heavy iron staff. Completely terrified, he didn't even try to struggle or defend himself. He closed his eyes and waited for death. He heard the clank of two weapons clashing, and then felt someone throw themself over him. He opened his eyes and saw his Seventh Shifu, Han Xiaoying, protecting him with her body, while shouting, “Older Brother, one moment please!” Her sword, with which she had blocked the stroke, had flown away.
Ke Zhen’E sighed, and thrust his staff down heavily on the floor, “Seventh Sister has always had too tender a heart!” Guo Jing then realized that Zhu Cong and Quan Jinfa had seized his wrists! He didn't understand anything anymore.
“Where is the person who teaches you neigong?” Ke Zhen’E asked with severity.
“Him ... He...” Guo Jing stammered. “He is... there... outside... He asks to see you...” Surprised at Mei Chaofeng’s coming to find them in daylight, the ‘Six Freaks’ hurried outside, weapons in hand. But all they saw was a white-haired Taoist, hands joined in salute. There was no Mei Chaofeng!
“Where is the witch Mei Chaofeng?” Zhu Cong shouted, without releasing Guo Jing’s wrist.
“I first saw her last night,” the Taoist answered, “I fear that she may come soon!”
The Six looked at Ma Yu with puzzlement. He advanced briskly and greeted them. “For a long time I’ve admired the ‘Six Valiant Heroes of Jiangnan’. Today, I finally meet them; it i
s a huge honor for me.”
Zhu Cong, still holding Guo Jing, nodded his head in answer to the salute and said, “We don't dare to ask for the respected name of the Taoist master.”
Guo Jing remembered that he had not announced the visitor and hastened to say, “He’s Ma Yu, of the Quanzhen Sect.”
The Six Freaks were hugely surprised. They knew that Ma Yu, who had the nickname ‘Scarlet Sun’, was the first disciple of the founder of the Quanzhen Sect, Wang Chongyang. After the death of the founder, Ma Yu became the Elder Master of the Sect. Qiu Chuji, ‘Eternal Spring’, was his younger martial brother. Since he usually lived a reclusive life in the temple, dedicating himself to meditation, he hardly ever set foot in the ‘Rivers and the Lakes’ region [Jianghu]. For this reason, his reputation in the world of the martial arts didn't equal Qiu Chuji’s. As for the power of his kung fu, no one had ever seen him in action and could not judge how strong he was.
“We meet the Elder Master of the Quanzhen Sect,” Ke Zhen’E said. “We are much honored. What brings the Taoist Master up into the steppe of the north? Does it relate to the competition in Jiaxing and our challenge with your martial brother?”
“My impetuous younger brother, when he should be dedicating himself to the practice of the Way, likes to duel with others. He often tries to win and impose his viewpoint; that is quite contrary to our principles. I’ve reprimanded him time and time again about this. I don't have any intentions of interfering in his bet with you, the ‘Six Valiant Heroes’, since it doesn't have anything to do with me. Two years ago, I met this child by chance. Finding him to have a pure and good heart, I took the liberty of teaching him some ritual formulae to fortify his body and to feed his character. This also has the virtue of encouraging longevity. It is true that I took this initiative without having asked for approval from the ‘Six Valiant Heroes’ beforehand; I hope they won’t be angry because of it. I didn't teach him any martial techniques and we don't have a master - disciple relationship. We could say that I merely made myself a young friend and that we never broke any rules of the martial world.” After saying this, he smiled warmly.
