A Snake Lies Waiting

by Jin Yong

  “Oh, he just swallows them whole. He only really lets me ride him because I feed him. On one occasion, we were chasing the most humongous cuttlefish…”

  Lotus and the Urchin were so absorbed in their conversation, they had forgotten all about the others. Viper was muttering to himself, trying to come up with a plan. Eventually, Zhou remembered him and called out, “So, Old Venom, do you admit defeat?”

  With the others as his witness, how could go back on his word? “And so what if I lost?”

  “Hmm, then I must think of your punishment. You said that I was talking farts, before. Very well. Give us a fart at once! Let everyone smell it.”

  Such a mundane request irritated Lotus. For the average person, it would be difficult, but for someone practiced in neigong inner strength? All they had to do was circulate their breathing around their body. A trifle. The thought that the cunning snake might get away with it all so easily was too much to bear. “No, no, first make him unlock my Master’s vital points!” she cried.

  “See?” Zhou Botong called out in delight. “Your farts frighten the young lady. Fine—this time, you get away with it. Tend to the Old Beggar instead. He is your equal in skill and it is only your cunning that enabled you to prevail against him. Once he is better, you can fight him again. This time, the Old Urchin will judge who the winner is.”

  Viper Ouyang knew that Count Seven’s injuries were permanent. He was not afraid of retaliation. But he was concerned that Zhou Botong might come up with a stranger, more difficult request. The others looked on as he hesitated. He could not go back on his word. He bent down and, with the force of his palm, released Count Seven from the lock on his pressure points. Lotus and Guo Jing rushed forward to help their Master to his feet.

  Zhou Botong looked again at the people gathered on the deck. “The thing that really gives me the shivers is the rank urine smell of the mutton eaten by these northern barbarians. Let down the small boat so that the four of us can go ashore.”

  The Hoary Urchin’s fighting techniques were decidedly strange—Viper had known this since witnessing his fight with Apothecary Huang. He was not entirely assured of his own victory, therefore. He would wait until he had absorbed the Nine Yin Manual. Then he would return and settle the score. In any case, he now had the excuse of having lost their bet. It would be better to be rid of him, for now.

  “Very well, you have been most fortunate. As you won the bet, we shall do as you say.” Turning to Wanyan Honglie, he said, “Prince, please set down a boat to take these four passengers ashore.”

  Wanyan Honglie hesitated. What if they reveal my secret mission? he thought.

  Lama Supreme Wisdom had been watching coldly. Viper Ouyang’s bedraggled appearance filled his heart with contempt. And so easily he accepts that lying scoundrel Zhou Botong’s word? The coward. The Venom of the West was surely undeserving of his reputation. Nothing the lama had seen suggested that he was any more accomplished than any of the other masters gathered on this boat. Noticing Wanyan Honglie’s moment of hesitation, he took two steps forward. “Had we met on the raft, then surely we would do as Mr. Ouyang says. But we are on a Jin ship now, and it is the Prince who gives the orders.”

  This caught the attention of the others and they looked at Viper to gauge his reaction.

  Viper looked the monk up and down with an icy gaze. Then he raised his eyes to the heavens and said, “Is the Venerable Monk trying to make life difficult for an old man?”

  “I wouldn’t dare. I arrived in the Central Plains ignorant and friendless. Today is the first time I have ever heard Sir Ouyang’s great name. What ill will could I have toward—?”

  Before he could finish, Viper had taken a step forward, feigned with his left hand and grabbed the monk with his right. Within moments, the monk’s large frame had been spun around and was now hanging upside down.

  It had all happened so fast that all the others saw was a flash of the monk’s red vestments.

  The monk was more than a head taller than everyone else on the boat, so, even if Viper had held him upright, with his arm extended at full length, Lama Supreme Wisdom’s feet would have trailed the boards. By flipping him upside down and grasping his neck like he was holding aloft a lump of meat, Viper kept his head four feet above the deck.

  The lama kicked and roared curses. The others had seen him take on Wang Chuyi at the Zhao residence, so they knew him to be a considerable fighter. The sight of his legs flailing, his arms hanging limp by his ears as if they had been broken, was shocking.

  With his eyes still raised to the sky, Viper Ouyang began to speak. “Today was the first time you heard my name? You look upon me, an old man, with scorn, is that right?”

  Lama Supreme Wisdom was both scared and angry. He tried to redistribute his qi a few times and struggle free, without success. Tiger Peng and the others watched in amazement.

  “You may scorn me,” Viper continued, “but I refuse to lower myself to your level in front of the Honorable Prince. You wish to keep the Old Urchin, Master Zhou, and the Divine Vagrant Nine Fingers, Master Hong, on the ship with you. Ha! Are you going to rely on your mediocre skills to overcome them? You are indeed ignorant and friendless, but you are also unaware of your own limitations. Let me show you. Old Urchin, take this!”

  Before anyone could see what was happening, the lama was sailing through the air like a cloud, toward the starboard side of the ship. As soon as he left Viper’s grip, Lama Supreme Wisdom felt free. He tried to straighten his body and perform a Flipping Carp in order to right himself. But a sudden pain shot through his neck. He tried to strike back with a Secret Blade Mudra, but his arms were numb. He felt his body continue on its course, and, before he could do anything, Zhou Botong had received him.

  Wanyan Honglie understood the danger the lama was in. No one could accuse Viper Ouyang of not having warned him. “Master Zhou,” he called. “No more games. I will lower a boat for you and your three friends.”

  “Wonderful,” Zhou Botong replied. “You have a go. To you!”

  He mimicked Viper’s push of his palm and sent the monk’s weighty mass flying toward the Prince.

  Wanyan Honglie had some grounding in the martial arts, of course, but his skills were for the most part limited to using a spear or a bow and arrow on horseback. How was he going to stop the momentum of the monk flying toward him? If it did not kill him, he would certainly be injured.

  Hector Sha saw the danger the Sixth Prince was in and placed himself in front of Wanyan Honglie, in a display of Shape Changing kung fu. If he struck the lama with his palm, he might cause him serious injury. He preferred to grab the back of his neck, just as Viper Ouyang and Zhou Botong had, and place him on his feet.

  He had forgotten one crucial detail, however. His martial skills were meager next to theirs. Viper Ouyang and Zhou Botong had made it all look so effortless. He leaped up, intending to grab the lama, only to feel a burning sensation flow through his hand as soon as his fingers made contact with the back of the monk’s neck. If he did not take steps to protect his wrist, it would snap. He pulled back, straight into a Bone-Piercing Awl.

  As he was being thrown between the Venom and the Urchin, Lama Supreme Wisdom’s blood had been forced backward through his veins. He felt dizzy, and fury swelled inside him. As he sailed through the air, he gathered his qi, made a mudra by touching his index finger and thumb together, and released it as soon as he felt Hector Sha’s touch.

  They were fairly well matched as fighters, but the lama had caught Hector Sha off guard, forcing him to stumble back. The lama, meanwhile, crashed belly first onto the deck. He spun and jumped quickly to his feet, however, only to realize who it was that had just hit him. Hector Sha! So, even you, you filthy traitor, are out to get me! He roared and pounced.

  Tiger Peng could see the misunderstanding playing out. “Reverend, please!” he cried, as he cast himself between them. “Brother Sha’s intentions were good.”

  While all this had been going on, the smal
l boat had been lowered. Zhou Botong had removed the stick from the shark’s mouth and hurled the beast back into the water, breaking the stick in two with his other hand. Realizing it was free, the shark dived deep in order to look for food.

  “Guo Jing, next time, we can ride with Brother Zhou. Maybe even have a race!” Lotus said with a broad smile.

  “I’ll be the umpire!” Zhou Botong cried out, clapping his hands.

  Wanyan Honglie watched as they climbed aboard, but his thoughts were focused on Viper Ouyang. He could be useful in stealing the last writings of Yue Fei. He took the lama’s hand and pulled him toward the Venom. “Come, now, gentlemen, we are all friends. Reverend was merely jesting. It was all just a game!”

  Viper Ouyang smiled and extended a hand. But Lama Supreme Wisdom was still aggrieved. You are only good at catching your opponent off guard, he said to himself. I have trained for decades in Five Finger Blade; am I not your equal? He reached out to take the Venom’s hand, but secretly gathered his energy to it. Just as he was about to squeeze down hard, he suddenly jumped up. His hand stung, as if he had clenched an ingot of red-hot steel. Viper Ouyang merely gave a faint smile. The lama looked down at his hand, but saw no sign of injury. Damn this old scoundrel and his demonic sorcery.

  Viper Ouyang glanced across at the Ginseng Codger, Graybeard Liang, who was still lying prostrate on the deck. He went over to examine him, unlocking his pressure points. From now on, Viper Ouyang would be the leader of this ragtag bunch of fighters. Wanyan Honglie, meanwhile, gave orders for a feast to be prepared in honor of the Venom and his nephew.

  6

  The men ate and drank, and the sixth prince explained his plan to travel to Lin’an to seize the last writings of General Yue Fei. Would Master Ouyang do him the honor of assisting him in this mission?

  Viper Ouyang had, in fact, already been acquainted with the plan by his nephew, but the request insulted him. Who do you think I am? Do you imagine that I, the Venom of the West, would submit to you? And yet, General Yue Fei’s kung fu skills were almost as legendary as his military prowess. Perhaps these writings contain the key to his learning? If I agree to help him, then maybe I can get something out of it, too.

  And so it was: every man scheming for himself. Wanyan Honglie was the mantis hunting the cicada, unaware of the finch lying in wait behind him. One side bathed the other in flattery and received soft words of compliance in return.

  Graybeard Liang was doing his best to liven the feast, keeping the wine flowing. Only Gallant Ouyang, still recovering from his injuries, abstained from drinking. After a few mouthfuls of food, he asked to be carried to bed.

  As the festivities continued, Viper Ouyang’s countenance suddenly grew dark. His cup hovered by his mouth, but he did not drink. Had someone offended him? The others were startled and anxious. Just as the Sixth Prince was about to ask him what the matter was, Viper interrupted him: “Listen!”

  They all froze. But all they could hear was the sound of the waves.

  “Can’t you hear it? A flute.”

  Viper was right. A halting tune from a flute was just about audible over the ocean’s song. But they would never have noticed it had he not pointed it out.

  Viper Ouyang walked to the bow and let out a long, loud whistle. The others followed him.

  The sky was already black, and the moon had just risen beyond the horizon. In the distance, a dark green blob was slowly coming into focus: three sails. A ship was slicing through the waves toward them. Was the music coming from the ship? But it was still so far away.

  Viper Ouyang cried out to the sailors to turn the ship to face the oncoming vessel. Now, they were approaching each other. In time, a man became visible at the prow. He was wearing a long, emerald green robe, and, indeed, he carried a flute in one hand.

  “Brother Ouyang!” he cried. “Have you seen my daughter?”

  “With a temper like hers, I wouldn’t dare go near her!” Viper replied.

  The boats were now only meters apart, but still nobody saw how or when the other man leaped. There was a quick green blur, and then, there he was, standing on their deck.

  Yet another warrior to recruit to his cause, Wanyan Honglie thought.

  “Your name, sir?” he said, stepping forward. “We are most honored to have you join us.”

  It was a particularly modest tone for a prince of the Jin to take, but the man glanced at his Jurchen robes, gave him a contemptuous look and proceeded to ignore him.

  “Brother Huang, let me introduce you to the Sixth Prince of the Great Jin.” Viper Ouyang then turned to Wanyan Honglie. “This is the Lord of Peach Blossom Island, the most accomplished martial fighter across the wulin. He is unparalleled.”

  Tiger Peng and the others shuffled back in astonishment. They had found out only after the event that the girl they had encountered in the Zhao Palace was Lotus Huang. And Lotus’s father had a reputation for being formidable—fierce, even. Twice Foul Dark Wind were originally his disciples, after all, and they had terrorized the wulin. The thought that they had offended his daughter made them shake with fear. No one said a word.

  Apothecary Huang knew that his daughter must have run away to look for Guo Jing. He had been angry, at first. But, after a few days passed, he began to worry. She might find him on the special boat he had built, and then they would both end up at the bottom of the sea. Unable to contain himself any longer, he had set sail in search of her.

  He knew that Guo Jing and his companions were heading in the direction of the mainland, so he set out west. But it was no easy task to find one boat on such a vast and boundless sea. Apothecary Huang may have been able to call on extraordinary talent and knowledge, but still he could not find her. He decided to gather his inner strength and play his flute in the hope that his daughter might hear his song carried far over the waves. Little did he know he would come across Viper Ouyang instead.

  Apothecary Huang had never met the others, nor did he know who they were, but an introduction to a prince of the Jin was enough to make him want to turn and leave at once.

  “Please excuse me; I must continue the search for my daughter. My apologies for not staying.” Then he turned.

  Yet another rude, arrogant man, Lama Supreme Wisdom thought. He had heard Viper Ouyang’s introduction, but could there really be so many exceptional men of the wulin? It was more likely that they were versed in witchcraft and demonic sorcery. Maybe he could trick this newcomer?

  “Is your daughter of about sixteen years of age?” he said in a loud voice.

  Apothecary Huang paused, then turned, a smile spread across his face. “Yes. Have you seen her?”

  “I did see a young lady,” the lama replied coldly. “She was dead.”

  “What?” His heart froze and his voice trembled.

  “About three days ago. Her body was floating in the sea. She was dressed all in white and wore a golden ring in her hair. Oh, she must have been pretty when she was still alive. What a shame. Her body was swollen by the water.”

  Exactly the outfit Lotus had been wearing when he last saw her. Apothecary Huang’s mind was a muddle, his limbs shook and his cheeks drained of all color. “Is this really true?”

  Everybody had watched Lotus board the small boat, only moments before. The lama was clearly taking pleasure in this deception, but even the sight of Apothecary Huang’s agonized features was not enough to make them speak up.

  “There were three other corpses,” the lama continued. “One of a young man with thick eyebrows and big, round eyes. Another was an old beggar, who carried a dark red calabash on his back, and the third was an old man with long hair and a wispy beard.” He was, of course, describing Guo Jing, Count Seven Hong, and Zhou Botong.

  Apothecary Huang was completely taken in. He looked at Viper Ouyang and thought, If you knew about my daughter, why didn’t you say?

  Viper Ouyang noticed his expression and the mounting grief in his eyes. Here was a man intent on revenge. “I only just came aboard,” he
began quickly. “This is the first time I’ve met these people. This young woman’s body—it needn’t be your daughter’s.” He sighed, then continued. “She is such a good girl. If she really has passed on at such a young age, it would be a tragedy indeed. If my nephew were to find out, he would die of a broken heart.” It was a clever speech, pushing the blame from his shoulders without causing it to land elsewhere.

  Apothecary Huang’s heart sank. He liked nothing more than to take indiscriminate revenge—otherwise, why did he break the legs of his other disciples and cast them from the island, when it was Twice Foul Dark Wind who stole the Nine Yin Manual from him?

  His chest felt like ice, but his blood was boiling over. His reaction had been just the same when his beloved wife passed away, all those years ago. His hands shook and his cheeks alternated between pasty white and crimson red.

  The others watched in silence, fear coursing through their hearts. Viper Ouyang, too, was nervous. He prepared himself by gathering his qi to his abdomen.

  The deck was still—until a burst of laughter broke the silence, loud and carefree, like the roar of a dragon.

  Apothecary Huang’s reaction surprised them. They watched as he raised his face toward the sky and laughed madly, louder and louder. His laughter sent a chill through the air, which only intensified as the seeming mirth gave way to heaving sobs. His grief was fierce. The sight of him moved the others almost to tears.

  Only Viper Ouyang was familiar with the Heretic’s wild mood swings, where he could shift between singing and sobbing in seconds. He did not find the display so remarkable. And yet, he could not help but hope that such crying might cause the old man an injury. In ancient times, the poet Ruan Ji cried for his dead mother until he vomited blood. The Heretic followed the customs of old more than he knew. What a shame that I lost my iron zither when our ship sank, Viper Ouyang said to himself, or I could play now, stoking his grief until it causes him real harm. Then, when the time comes for the second Contest of Mount Hua, I will have already defeated one of my opponents. Ah, what a pity to lose such an opportunity!