A Snake Lies Waiting

by Jin Yong

  The lama could stand to watch no more. The situation outside was in the balance, and here was the Venom of the West, indulging in a fight with the boy!

  “Let me help, Master Ouyang!”

  “Don’t come any closer!” came Viper’s reply.

  Even now, you want to play the hero? The grand martial Master?

  He crouched and then launched himself at Guo Jing’s left side, aiming for his Great Sun point.

  Viper Ouyang was furious. He grabbed the back of the lama’s neck and tossed him aside.

  This only provoked the lama further. He began shouting and cursing, but the water poured down over his face, into his mouth, and drowned out the words before they were fully formed.

  Wanyan Honglie watched the lama fall back, as if riding clouds, until his body sailed into a large flower pot in front of the pavilion, smashing it into little pieces. Thus alerted, the guards came running. The Sixth Prince gathered his robes and slipped behind the waterfall.

  The ground was slippery, and, moments later, he lost his footing and crashed to the ground. Yang Kang rushed to help him up. Wanyan Honglie glanced quickly around the cave, assessing the situation.

  “Master Ouyang,” he cried, “can you get rid of the boy?”

  It was a considered tactic. If he begged or ordered, Viper Ouyang might ignore him. A gentle prod, framed as a question, would be more effective, he judged. And he was right.

  “Of course I can.” Viper squatted, then jumped up with a grunt, both hands extended, in a perfect display of Exploding Toad.

  Toads spend long periods hibernating in the mud, building up the nutrients in their body and storing their strength. Once out of the mud, they do not need to eat much. Viper Ouyang’s Exploding Toad kung fu followed a similar principle: the greatest part of the work came in gathering the strength before the move. Once launched, it was nigh on impossible to stop, even for those with far greater inner strength. The move was the result of a lifelong cultivation of qi, and not even Count Seven or Apothecary Huang would be able to block it, so what hope did Guo Jing have?

  Viper Ouyang had observed the subtleties and exquisite variations in Guo Jing’s Luminous Hollow Fist and assumed that this must result from the teachings contained within the Nine Yin Manual. He desired nothing more than to see the moves up close so that he might imbibe as much as he could. Unfortunately, not only had they been interrupted by Wanyan Honglie, but the Sixth Prince had also questioned his skills, thus provoking him into using his most vicious move. Yet Guo Jing was useful to him, he did not want to harm the boy, so he decided at the last moment to pull it back.

  Guo Jing, however, was determined to safeguard Yue Fei’s writing, even if it cost him his life. He realized that calling on guards to help him would be of little use—how could they hope to overwhelm a master of the wulin and his associates? He watched as Viper Ouyang came flying toward him. It was a ferocious move, he could tell, and he would not be able to block it. With a tap of both feet, he flew up into the air, making sure to land so that he was still blocking the mouth of the cave.

  He heard a crash and felt a shudder as rocks and sand fell around him. Viper Ouyang had smashed into the cave wall.

  “Excellent!” Viper called out, and, riding on the force of the last move, launched straight into a second.

  Guo Jing felt a rush of air swallow him. He knew he was in serious danger now. He launched into Thunder Rocks a Hundred Miles, one of the most powerful moves in the Dragon-Subduing Palm repertoire. This time, he was choosing to meet firm with firm. For a moment, they were both perfectly still. But a moment was long enough for Guo Jing to sense that his inner strength was no match for Viper’s. He would be defeated; there was no other way.

  Wanyan Honglie watched the two men fight, leap, and dodge. One leaped up, another crouched down, until suddenly they were both stiff, like corpses. Not even their hands trembled. It was as if they had stopped breathing. A strange sight indeed.

  Guo Jing was drenched in sweat, and Viper Ouyang could see the fight would result in injury for the young man if it continued. He considered yielding, and indeed softened his stance, but, as soon as he did so, Guo Jing leaned in with as yet untapped strength and pressed against his chest. The move surprised him, even if he was strong enough to avoid injury. The boy had great strength in his palms for such a raw fighter. Viper took a deep breath and launched a counterattack. If he added just a little force, he would be able to knock the boy off his feet or even kill him. But this youth was the key to accessing the profound erudition contained within the pages of the Nine Yin Manual. He would instead wait for the young man to exhaust his powers, and then he would capture him, unharmed.

  Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang watched, wondering how long the two men would continue their fight. For all they knew, only moments had passed, but, as the lamplight brightened on the other side of the waterfall and the cries of the guards grew louder, it felt as though they had been waiting for a very long time indeed.

  Suddenly, they heard a loud noise, and two guards burst through the sheet of water. Yang Kang leaped up and punched his fingers through their skulls. Nine Yin Skeleton Claw. The stench of blood assailed their nostrils. Yang Kang drew a dagger from his boot and launched himself at Guo Jing’s abdomen.

  Already occupied with holding back the Venom, Guo Jing had no way to defend himself. Either he be undone by Viper’s Exploding Toad kung fu, or by the dagger. A sharp pain surged from his flank, his breath caught and all he could do was punch down at Yang Kang’s hand.

  Guo Jing’s fist struck Yang Kang’s wrist, almost cracking the bone. Yang Kang quickly pulled back, but his dagger had already half-penetrated Guo Jing’s flesh. At precisely this moment, the force of the Exploding Toad made itself felt against Guo Jing’s chest, and, with barely a grunt, he fell to the ground.

  “What a pity,” Viper Ouyang muttered, realizing that he had hurt the boy. He would most probably never recover. The Venom turned away. It would be better to go looking for Yue Fei’s writings. He glared at Yang Kang. You have done me great harm, he thought. Then he strode into the cave. Wanyan Honglie and Yang Kang followed.

  The palace guards came rushing forward. Without turning, Viper reached behind him, grabbed them one by one as they came at him, and threw them aside.

  Yang Kang, meanwhile, waved his torch around the cave and examined it. It was covered in a thick layer of dust. It seemed as if no one had entered in a very long time. A small stone table occupied the center of the space, on top of which had been placed a square marble box. A piece of paper had been pasted over the seal. Other than these two items, the cave was empty.

  Yang Kang edged closer, to take a better look. The characters written on the paper were too faded for him to make out.

  “It must be in there,” Wanyan Honglie announced.

  Yang Kang grinned and reached for the box. At that moment, Viper gently shunted the boy aside with his shoulder, causing him to stumble and then fall. To Yang Kang’s surprise, Viper then took the box.

  “Well done, we have it! Everyone out!” Wanyan Honglie cried.

  Viper led the three men out of the cave.

  Yang Kang saw Guo Jing’s lifeless, bloodied body lying just outside the entrance. A brief moment of remorse came over him. “It’s your fault for meddling where you’re not wanted,” he muttered under his breath. “We may be sworn brothers, but you have brought this on yourself.”

  Remembering his dagger was still lodged in Guo Jing’s flesh, he stooped down to retrieve it, just as a figure appeared on the other side of the veil of water.

  “Guo Jing! Where are you?”

  Yang Kang recognized the voice: Lotus. Startled, he jumped over Guo Jing’s body and ran out the opposite side of the waterfall to catch up with Viper Ouyang.

  8

  Lotus had been running across the rooftops, pursued by Tiger Peng and Graybeard Liang, but, as soon as the guards started to arrive, the two men retreated to the waterfall to wait with the others for Wanyan
Honglie to emerge. Together, they had killed a few more guards that had tried to enter while Viper Ouyang was inside the cave.

  Worried, Lotus returned to look for Guo Jing. She ventured into the darkness and called his name, but received no answer. She lit a torch in order to see better. Glancing down at her feet, she saw him. Covered in blood. The sight was a jolt to her system. Her hands shook so badly she dropped the torch. It clattered to the floor and went out.

  Yet more guards were approaching now, calling to each other to catch the intruder. They were scared by the sight of so many fallen comrades, but they had to make a display of their loyalty to the imperial family.

  Lotus knelt down and took Guo Jing in her arms. His hands were still warm, she was relieved to discover. She called his name, but he did not answer. She would have to carry him. Quietly, she picked him up and slipped out through the waterfall, then up and down the other side of the miniature mountain.

  By this time, the sheer number of lanterns surrounding the pavilion made it as bright as if the sun had been high in the sky. By the look of it, every guard in the palace complex had arrived on the scene. Lotus was quick, but not even she could get past so many of them undetected. Someone caught sight of her, and the cry went up.

  You useless pustules, you should be chasing the real villains, not me, she thought to herself.

  Gritting her teeth with the weight, she started running as fast as she could. A few of the guards trained in martial arts gave chase, so she threw a handful of needles behind her. Aiya! The other guards heard the cries and did not dare follow. Instead, they watched helplessly as, still carrying Guo Jing, she jumped over the palace walls and out into the city.

  The palace was in a tumult. Was it a coup? Someone trying to usurp the imperial throne? Officials inciting a rebellion? The imperial army was as frightened as the guards, but no one knew what was happening. For the rest of the night, there was no rest inside the palace walls. At daybreak, they sent out cavalry to search the city. They managed to round up a considerable number of “rebels” and “assassins,” only to discover that they were merely petty thieves and had not been involved in the previous night’s disturbances. They could not return with nothing to show for their efforts, however. They had no choice but to fabricate some confessions and execute a few of the delinquents before returning to the palace to report their findings, thus saving their own necks.

  Once clear of the palace walls, Lotus ran without knowing where she was going. She picked her way through the city at random, hoping to throw off any potential pursuers. At last, certain she was not being followed, she turned into a small, dark alley, where she reached to feel for Guo Jing’s breath. He was breathing, luckily, but she had lost her torch in the palace and it was too dark to examine the extent of his wounds. The city gates were closed at this hour, but she was worried that he would not make it through the night if she did not carry him to safety, so she began to trace the length of the city walls, looking for an opening. Eventually, she found a narrow gap, allowing her to squeeze through and rush to the run-down inn in the desolate village outside Lin’an. No one would think of searching for the intruders to the palace in that forgotten place.

  She shunted the door open and, gasping for breath, placed Guo Jing down. She then took a seat. Before she could get her breath back, however, she was up again, lighting a fire. She took a torch from the blaze and approached Guo Jing.

  What she saw shocked her even more than discovering him injured, back in the palace.

  Guo Jing’s eyes were screwed tight shut, his cheeks were blanched and his breathing labored. Lotus had seen him injured before, but never as badly as this. It felt as if her heart was beating in her throat. She stood over him, clutching the torch, overwhelmed by the extent of his wounds.

  At that moment, a hand reached out and took the torch from her. Lotus turned slowly. It was the Qu girl.

  Lotus took a few deep breaths. Having another person by her side gave her courage, but, just as she was about to examine Guo Jing’s wounds more closely, the light from the torch caught on something dark protruding from his abdomen. It was the ebony hilt of a dagger.

  A sudden calm descended over her. Gently, she pulled away the clothes around the dagger to reveal his skin. The blood around the weapon had coagulated. The blade was sunk a few inches into his flesh. Would pulling it out kill him instantly? But the longer she waited, the harder it would be to save him. She clenched her jaw, reached out, then pulled her hand back. She repeated this sequence several times. What should she do?

  The Qu girl was becoming impatient. After Lotus pulled back a fourth time, she reached out, grabbed the hilt and yanked the blade free. Guo Jing and Lotus yelped. But the girl merely laughed.

  Blood began pouring forth from the wound, like a freshwater spring. The girl was still laughing, and Lotus’s shock turned to anger. She struck out with her palm and the girl tumbled into a somersault. Then Lotus grabbed some cloth and pressed it against Guo Jing’s abdomen to stanch the flow.

  Dropped in their scuffle, the torch went out and all was black. Furious, the girl aimed a kick at Lotus, who did not move, allowing it to connect with her leg. Scared that Lotus might retaliate, the Qu girl ran out.

  Outside, she waited and listened. All she could hear were Lotus’s quiet sobs. She fetched another torch, lit it and approached. “Did I hurt you?”

  The pain as the dagger had been pulled out was enough to wake Guo Jing. He looked up and, in the dim torchlight, saw Lotus kneeling beside him. “The General’s writings … Did … they get them?”

  Lotus was overcome with relief at hearing him speak. But, given his condition, she did not dare tell him the truth. “Don’t worry, they didn’t get their hands on them…” But, seeing her hands covered in blood, she felt a lump in her throat choke off the words.

  “Why are you crying?” he asked her.

  “I’m not crying,” Lotus said with forced brightness.

  “She is crying,” the Qu girl interrupted. “Look. Her face is covered in tears.”

  “Don’t worry, Lotus. The Nine Yin Manual has a whole section on how to treat injuries like mine. I won’t die.”

  These words were like a shaft of light penetrating the darkness. Lotus’s eyes twinkled. She turned to the girl and took her hand. “Sister, did I hurt you, just now?”

  But the Qu girl was still absorbed by the question of Lotus’s tears. “You were crying. Admit it.”

  Lotus smiled. “Yes, I was crying. You didn’t cry. That makes you better than me.”

  The praise delighted the girl.

  Guo Jing, meanwhile, was trying to move the qi around his body, but the pain was unbearable. Lotus had made up her mind. She took out one of her steel needles and began to insert it at various pressure points above and below the wound, both to stave the flow of blood and to reduce the pain. Then she cleaned the wound, sprinkled some blood-clotting powder on it and wrapped it in a bandage. She also gave him a Dew of Nine Flowers pill to relieve what remained of the pain.

  “I’ve been lucky,” Guo Jing began. “The dagger may have gone deep, but … but … it didn’t hit any organs. I won’t die. I think Viper’s Exploding Toad could have done more damage. But he didn’t use all his strength. I think I will get better. Only, I might have to trouble you for seven days and seven nights.”

  “Seven years would be no burden if it saves you. You know I’ll do it happily.”

  A sugary rush filled his heart, making his head feel light. He paused for a few moments to calm himself before speaking again: “It’s just a pity that the Venom and his nephew were there on the island when Shifu was injured. I could have helped him, instead of worrying about them all the time. He wouldn’t be … permanently affected, like he is now.”

  “We’ll use the same method for you as the one you described on the island?”

  “Yes. First, we must find somewhere quiet. Then, we must circulate our qi together, just as the Manual describes. We place our palms together and y
our internal energy will help to heal me.” At this point, Guo Jing paused to catch his breath before continuing. “The only hard part is that during each circulation we must keep our palms touching for seven whole days and seven whole nights. Our inner energy, our breathing must become as one. We can talk, but we cannot have anyone else interrupt us. And we most definitely cannot get up to leave. If someone does come…”

  It was much like the meditative process that was used for cultivating inner strength, Lotus realized. It had to be done uninterrupted, otherwise the heart and mind would become unsettled and all martial powers would be drained, resulting in serious injury, if not death. That was why martial artists would look for secluded spots at the top of mountains or in the wilderness, or else would lock their doors and not come out. Some even enlisted the help of a strong friend, in case things went wrong.

  But where can we find such a quiet place? Lotus thought. I am the only one who can help. We cannot rely on this foolish girl to guard us from any external interference. Indeed, there is more risk that she will interrupt us herself. If only Brother Zhou were back. But then he would hardly be capable of sustaining seven days and seven nights of concentration. If I cannot guarantee success, I might bring more damage upon dear Guo Jing. What should I do?

  Lotus was quiet for a moment, lost in thought. Then an idea hit her. Of course! We can hide in the secret room. Cyclone Mei managed to practice her dark arts by herself. And she too hid in a secret, underground chamber.

  Dawn was breaking. The Qu girl went to the kitchen to make some congee.

  “Guo Jing,” Lotus whispered. “Wait here. I’m going to buy supplies and, when I come back, we can start at once.”

  In the hot weather, rice and cooked dishes would spoil, even if left in the dark room, so she went to buy one hundred jin of watermelon. The farmer helped deliver the load to the inn, where they were placed in a heap on the floor. “We are proud of our watermelon, here, in Ox Village,” he said, taking the money. “They are crisp and sweet. One taste and you will surely agree, young miss.”