The Heaven Sword and Dragon Sword

CHAPTER 11 (Women with sagging tongues as sharp as spears)

A burly, unshaven man rowed the boat in an urgent manner. A boy and a little girl sat with him on the boat. The boat behind them was larger, with four old and seven or eight Mongolian officers on it. All the officers helped the sailors peddle the boat, so the boat could move faster. The strength of the burly man was also quite amazing, rowing a small boat at high speed. Nonetheless, due to the superior manpower, larger boats continued to grow with smaller boats. When they got close, the lamas and officers took the bow and started shooting towards the smaller ship.

Zhang SanFeng and Zhang WuJi walked down Mount Shao Bao. Realizing that Zhang WuJi's condition was severe, Zhang SanFeng stopped talking about a possible cure. He was just trying to help Zhang WuJi spend time by chatting with him. On this day, they reached the Han River. And the two took a boat across. The boat floated on the water, gently moving back and forth. Like a boat, Zhang SanFeng's heart also went back and forth.

Zhang WuJi suddenly said, “Grand Master, don't be sad. When I die, I'll see mom and dad again. " Zhang SanFeng said, “Don't say that. No matter what, your grand-master will save you. " Zhang WuJi said, "Actually, I really hope to learn Shaolin's 'Nine Yang Art', so I can teach it to Third Uncle Yu." Zhang SanFeng asked, "Why?" Zhang WuJi said, "I hope that once Third Uncle Yu studies Wu Dang and Shaolin 'The Art of Nine Yang', his injury can be healed."

Zhang SanFeng sighed, and said, “Your Third Uncle's injuries are external. No inner strength can cure it. " He then thought, “This child knows that he will die, yet he is not afraid of death. Instead, he thought about the welfare of others, really very well. " Just about to praise him, Zhang SanFeng suddenly heard a thunderous voice, “Stop the ship immediately. Hand over the boy, and I'll spare your life. If not, don't blame me for being cruel. " This voice came from far away in the river, yet one could hear his words clearly. Clearly, this person had a strong inner strength.

Zhang SanFeng chuckled, thinking, "Who dares to ask me to hand over the child?" Raised his head, only to see two boats approaching. Upon closer inspection, a burly, unshaven man rowed the boat in an urgent manner. A boy and a little girl sat with him on the boat. The boat behind them was larger, with four old and seven or eight Mongolian officers on it. All the officers helped the sailors peddle the boat, so the boat could move faster. The strength of the burly man was also quite amazing, rowing a small boat at high speed. Nonetheless, due to the superior manpower, larger boats continued to grow with smaller boats. When they got close, the lamas and officers took the bow and started shooting at the smaller ship.

Zhang SanFeng thought, "Oh, so they want the burly man to hand over the child." He hated the Mongolians who killed Hans so much, and immediately decided to help this burly man. Just to see this man's left hand continue pedaling, while his right hand raised the other hitter to knock down the speeding arrow. Zhang SanFeng thought, “Kungfu this man is quite tough. How could I not help such a hero in trouble? " So he said to the boatman, "Master, let's help him."

The boatman was frightened from seeing the scene. He tries his best to stay away from confrontation. So when the boatman heard Zhang SanFeng's words, he said in shock, “Captain. You're kidding, right?" Realizing that they had no time to waste, Zhang SanFeng snatched the oars from the boatman, and began paddling towards the other two boats. Suddenly, he heard a shrill scream, as an arrow struck the back of the boy in the small boat. The burly man immediately lost his composure, as he hurriedly turned his head to look at the boy's injuries. At this moment, two arrows hit his shoulder and back. With an arrow wound, the burly man could no longer hold on to the paddle, and they fell into the water. The boat stopped immediately. A larger ship soon followed, as the officers and lamas jumped onto the smaller boat. However, the burly man did not give up. Instead he fought them with all his energy.

Zhang SanFeng shouted, “Stop, dirty Mongols. I won't let you hurt anyone! " As his ship got closer, Zhang SanFeng jumped into the air towards the burly man's boat.

Two officers shot arrows at him. But by waving his sleeves, Zhang SanFeng easily put away the arrow. The moment he landed, Zhang SanFeng's left palm lifted. Two officers fell into the water. Seeing this, the other officers and lamas instantly froze in shock. The police chief said, "Old master, what do you want?"

Zhang SanFeng shouted, “Dirty Mongols! Trying to commit more crimes, hurting more civilians? Get out of here!" The clerk said, “Do you know who he is? He was the remaining member of the Yuan Province Demon Cult rebel, a wanted criminal! "

Zhang SanFeng gasped at the words 'The Yuan Province Demon Cult Rebel'. He thought, "So this man is Zhou ZiWang's subordinate?" He turned around and asked the burly man, "Did he tell you the truth?"

The entire body of the burly man was filled with blood, as his left hand gripped the little boy, and shouted, "They." This sentence confirmed his identity.

Zhang SanFeng said in shock, "Is this Zhou ZiWang's son?"

The burly man said, “That's right. I cannot carry out my order, so what is the need to continue living? ” He slowly lowered the body of the boy, then attacked an officer. But he's been hurt, plus his poisoned dart. So, even before he could wake up completely, he fell onto the deck.

At this time, the little girl rushed towards the body of a man in the cabin, while crying, “Papa! Daddy!" Looking at the clothes on the body, Zhang SanFeng thought this man must be a boatman.

He thought, “If I knew the Devil Cult was involved, I wouldn't be bullied. But I can't back down now. ” So he said to the clerk, “The boy is dead. The other person was already severely injured, and was about to die. Since you have completed your task, you can definitely leave! ” The clerk said, "No, I have to get their heads." Zhang SanFeng said, "Why is it so excessive?" The clerk said, “Who are you, old priest? What gives you the right to intervene in this matter? " Zhang SanFeng chuckled, and said, “Who cares who I am? Everyone has the right to intervene in everything. "

The attendant gestured to his subordinates, and said, "What is your Taoist title? Which temple do you live in? ” Before Zhang SanFeng could respond, the other two officers quickly raised their swords, and attacked him. These two officers were already quite close to Zhang SanFeng. Plus, due to the small space of the ship, Zhang SanFeng had nowhere to dodge.

But he quickly turned to the side, and with a quick twist of the body, dodged the sword. Both of his palms swiftly shot out, reaching the backs of the two officers, and shouted, "Go back there!" As the palms connected, the two officers flew out, landing in the middle of the large boat they came from. Zhang SanFeng had not fought with anyone for a long time. But feeling a little dissatisfied just by defeating these mediocre warriors.

The officer in charge was flinched, and stuttered, “You... you.. can you..?” Zhang SanFeng swept over his robe, and shouted, "This old priest only killed Mongols!" The lamas and officers immediately felt a strong wind blowing fiercely towards them, preventing them from breathing. After the wind blew, their faces turned white. Everything then quickly returned to that huge boat.

Zhang SanFeng took the pill and placed it in the burly man's mouth. Then he paddled the boat to his own. As he was about to help the burly man change the boat, he saw the burly man carrying the boy's body in one hand, the little girl in the other, and stepping into the adjacent boat. Zhang SanFeng thought, “Despite being heavily injured, this man is still taking care of his little master. Her loyalty is amazing. Although I did not intend to save him, this man was clearly worth saving. " He then helped take out the arrow from the burly man, and applied the medicine on his wound.

The little girl watched her father's body drift away with his boat, and cried incessantly. The burly man said, "That damn Mongol is really mean. The first thing they did was kill the boatman. If you don't get here in time, this girl will most likely die as well. "

Zhang SanFeng thought, “Currently, WuJi is having trouble moving, and this person is the one to look for. If we use the old river pier and find lodging there, I will have a hard time taking care of those two people. " He took three taels of silver and gave them to the boatman, saying, “Master, can you row east to the area**Ping? We'll find lodging there. " The boatman was already amazed at Zhang SanFeng after seeing him defeat the Mongols. So when Zhang SanFeng gave him so much money, he immediately obeyed him, and started rowing eastward.

The burly man knelt down and kowtowed to Zhang SanFeng, saying, “Thank you so much for saving my life. Chang YuChun [1] respects you. " Zhang SanFeng quickly helped him up, and said, "Hero Chang, you don't need to be too polite." After touching Chang YuChun's hand, Zhang SanFeng felt that it was ice-cold. He asked in shock, "Has Hero Chang been hurt internally?" Chang YuChun said, “As I drove the little lord south, I fought the Mongols four times. A long time ago managed to land two palm punches on me, once on the chest and once on the back.

Zhang SanFeng checked his pulse, but it turned out that his pulse was quite weak. He then undressed Chang YuChun, looking at the heavy palm marks, which meant that his injuries were quite serious. Any other man would not be able to last for a long time. But this man managed to travel all the way here, struggling along the way. Only a true hero can do something like this. Zhang SanFeng immediately ordered Chang YuChun to stop talking, and rest in the cabin.

The little girl was about ten years old. His feet were naked, and his clothes were tattered. Although the daughter of a boatman, she was an outstanding young beauty, as she sat there crying. Zhang SanFeng asked him, "Little girl, what's your name?" The girl said, “My family name is Zhou. My name is Zhou ZhiRuo. ” Zhang SanFeng thought, "For the daughter of a boatman, she does have an elegant name." He asked, “Where is your house? Is there anyone else in your family? I'll have this boatman take you home. " Zhou ZhiRuo said in tears, “I live with my father on board. I have no other relatives. ” Zhang SanFeng sighed, and thought, “Looks like he's an orphan. What should I do about him? ”

Chang YuChun said, “The old priest's kungfu is amazing. May I request your title? ” Zhang SanFeng said, "I am called Zhang SanFeng." Chang YuChun panted, sat down, and shouted, “So, you are the esteemed Reverend Zhang of Wu Dang. No wonder your martial arts are so amazing. I was so lucky to meet such a divine priest today. "

Zhang SanFeng said with a smile, “You are too flattering. I happened to live a few extra years. Certainly not worth being 'divine'. Hero Chang, please lie down. " Looking at Chang YuChun's forthright and sincere demeanor, Zhang SanFeng found himself very fond of this man. But because of the origin of the Chang YuChun Demon Cult, Zhang SanFeng did not want to talk too much with him, and said, “Your injury is very serious. Don't talk if you don't need to. ”

Due to his experience, Zhang SanFeng tended to be impartial to both the true and the evil sects. He had even told Zhang CuiShan, “You should not underestimate others just because you are in a position called a straight sect. The two words 'good' and 'evil' were initially difficult to distinguish. A member of an orthodox sect when harboring thoughts of impurity and immorality would be considered an evil villain, and so too if a member of an evil sect had a heart that was entirely directed towards good, then that person is a real man. ” But after Zhang CuiShan committed suicide, Zhang SanFeng was deeply grieved at the loss of his disciple, and felt great hostility towards the Sky Eagle Sect. Given the crippling condition of his third disciple, the death of the fifth disciple,

That Zhou ZiWang was a disciple of Elder Mi Le's Demon Cult, or "Ming Cult" [2]. Years ago, he started a revolution in Jiang Xi province, proclaiming himself Emperor, calling his dynasty 'Zhou'. It was immediately destroyed by Yuan forces, and Zhou ZiWang was executed. Although Elder Mi Le and the Sky Eagle Sect were different groups of people, they were both from the Ming Cult. When Zhou ZiWang rebelled, Yin TianZheng also caused a lot of trouble in Zhe Jiang province. Zhang SanFeng saving Chang YuChun today was just a sudden decision, before inquiring about Chang YuChun's identity.

It was already dark when they arrived at the city. Zhang SanFeng bought four dishes from a restaurant, chicken, ***, fish, and vegetables, and they ate on board. Zhang SanFeng told Zhou ZhiRuo and Chang YuChun to eat only, while he was going to feed Zhang WuJi. Chang YuChun asked why. Zhang SanFeng replied by saying that he had sealed Zhang WuJi's pressure points around the vital organs, to prevent the poison from entering. In a depressed state, Zhang WuJi was unwilling to eat. And when Zhang SanFeng tried to feed him, he would just shake his head.

Zhou ZhiRuo took the bowl from Zhang SanFeng's hand, and said, "How about I take care of this little friend, while you go and eat?" Zhang WuJi said, “I don't need to eat. I'm already full. ” Zhou ZhiRuo said, “Little friend, if you do not eat, the old priest will be very unhappy to eat. If he doesn't want to eat, won't he be hungry? ”

Zhang WuJi realized that he was right, and ate the food Zhou ZhiRuo put into his mouth. Zhou ZhiRuo carefully removed all the bones from the fish and chicken, and sweetened the meat with his sauce. So it tastes really good. Zhang WuJi quickly finished off a bowl of food.

Zhang SanFeng thought, "Given his crippling illness, and both of his parents have died, WuJi really should have a caring girl to serve him."

Chang YuChun did not touch the meat dish. Instead, he quickly finished up the vegetable dish. Even with his injury, he ate four large bowls of rice. Zhang SanFeng urged him to eat meat. Chang YuChun replied, “Your Highness Zhang, I am a devout Buddhist. I don't eat meat. " Zhang SanFeng said, “Oh, that's right. I forgot." He immediately recalled, The Devil Cult has very strict rules, prohibiting its members from eating meat. This has been true since the Tang Dynasty. Towards the end of the North Sung Dynasty, the leader of the Ming Cult revolted in Zhe Dong province. At that time, people called them 'Secte of Vegetarian Demon Respect'.

Because the two great rules of the Ming Cult are to never eat meat, and to always honor the Devil. Under attack from the government and the martial world, the Ming Cult disciples began to hide their identities. So they always say that they are devout Buddhists to cover their vegetarian ways.

Chang YuChun said, “Your Highness Zhang, you have saved my life, and already know my background. So I don't have to hide it. I am a member of the Ming Cult. The government considers us rebels. The godly sects looked down on us, thinking we were just a bunch of bandits, or we were accomplices to the devil. But for you to save me, even knowing who I am, I really don't know how to repay your kindness. "

Zhang SanFeng knew about the origin of the Devil Cult. The god they worshipped was called 'Muo Ni'. But worshippers called him 'Honorable Brightness'. When the cult spread to the central plains of the Tang Dynasty, it was called the 'Muo Ni Cult', and also the 'Cult of Light Flaming'. Its devotees call it the 'Ming Cult', but others call it the Devil Cult. Zhang SanFeng sighed, and said, "Hero Chang ..."

Chang YuChun quickly interrupted, “Your Highness Reverend, you really don't need to call me 'hero'. Just call me YuChun. " Zhang SanFeng said, “Alright. YuChun, how old are you? ” Chang YuChun said, "Twenty."

Zhang SanFeng said, “You just became an adult. So even though you have entered the Devil Cult, you have not sunk too deeply. You can still get out before it's too late. I've got a few words you might not like. Do you want to hear it? ” Chang YuChun said, “Of course. I would like to hear any advice from His Highness Zhang. "

Zhang SanFeng said, “Good! I'd like you to leave the Devil Cult. If you like Wu Dang, I will have my oldest student Song YuanQiao accept you as his disciple. This way, you can later live the martial world with your head raised, because nothing will demean you anymore. "

As the head of the Seven Heroes of Wu Dang, everyone knew the famous Song YuanQiao. It is usually almost impossible for people to see it. Seven heroes Wu Dang had recently started accepting students. But they have very strict standards. Only the most determined young people with great potential are accepted. As a member of the Demon Cult, a sect that most people liked, this was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Chang YuChun.

But the response is, “I'm very grateful for your offer. But since I am already a member of the Ming Cult, I cannot leave. " Zhang SanFeng tried to persuade him again, but Chang YuChun did not falter.

Zhang SanFeng finally gave up, shook his head, and sighed. Then he said, “This girl..” Chang YuChun said, “Don't worry. This girl's father died because of me. I will definitely take care of him. " Zhang SanFeng said, “Alright. But you can't let him enter your cult. " Chang YuChun said, “I really don't know what we're doing that makes us so despicable in your mind. But if you insist, I'll obey your wishes. "

Zhang SanFeng hugged Zhang WuJi, and said, "Then let's split up now." He really no longer wanted to deal with the Devil Cult, and therefore left behind the words 'See you later'.

Zhou ZhiRuo said to Zhang WuJi, “Little friend. You need to eat every day, so the old priest won't worry about you. " Zhang WuJi's tears came out, and said, “Thank you for your words. It's just. I can only eat for a little while longer. ” Zhang SanFeng cleans Zhang WuJi's tears with his sleeves. Zhou ZhiRuo asked in shock, “What? You... You... ”Zhang SanFeng said,“ Little girl, you have a good heart. I hope you will later go to the path of truth, and not the evil one. "

Zhou ZhiRuo said, “OK. But this little friend, why did he say he could only eat for a little while longer? ” Zhang SanFeng could not respond.

Chang YuChun said, "Your Highness Zhang, taking into account your martial arts abilities, surely you can cure this little friend's poison, right?" Zhang SanFeng said, "Of course I can." But he then shook his left hand behind Zhang WuJi, indicating that Zhang WuJi was out of reach, but did not want him to know about it.

Upon seeing Zhang SanFeng shake his hand, Chang YuChun gasped. He said, “Because of the severity of my injuries, I was just about to go to a very respectable doctor. What if I take this little friend with me? ” Zhang SanFeng shook his head, saying, “His cold poison has entered a vital organ. It was not something that could be cured by normal medicine. We only hope to dissolve the poison slowly. " Chang YuChun said, "But the doctor I spoke of has the ability to revive the dead."

Zhang SanFeng suddenly recalled someone, and asked, "Are you talking about the 'Tabib of the Butterfly Valley'?"

Chang YuChun said, “That's right. So, you know about Elder Hu as well? ”

Zhang SanFeng thought, “From my knowledge, this 'Tabib of the Butterfly Valley', Hu QingNuo, does possess unparalleled medical skills. But he is a member of the Devil Cult. Besides, he has a very strange nature. He would do his best to heal the followers of the Devil Cult, and not ask for a dime. But he would not treat others, no matter how much money was offered. Therefore, he had another nickname, 'Relief See Death Instead of Help'. If so, it was better for WuJi to die than to enter the Demon Cult. "

Seeing the grim expression on Zhang SanFeng's face, Chang YuChun understood what he was thinking, and said, “Your Majesty Zhang, I know Elder Hu has never treated outsiders. But since you saved my life, I will do whatever I can to make Elder Hu break the rules this time around. " Zhang SanFeng said, “I know how great this skill of Doctor Hu is. But unfortunately, this cold poison in WuJi's body is very unique.. ”Chang YuChun said,“ But you can't cure it. The worst thing that could happen was that Elder Hu was also unable to heal him. If he was going to die anyway, what was the problem? " Chang YuChun was a straightforward person, and therefore said what he was thinking.

Zhang SanFeng pondered a little, “He was right. It seemed like WuJi only had about a month left to live. What to fear? " Zhang SanFeng had always been a very sincere person, and had usually never thought of any possible ulterior motives. But Zhang WuJi was the only child of his disciple. How could he give WuJi to a member of the Devil Cult? Right now, he really did not know what to do.

Chang YuChun said, “I know His Highness Zhang doesn't want to go see Elder Hu. After all, how could a true sect head seek the help of us evil sects? Moreover, with Elder Hu's strange temperament, he might offend you. I guess the only way for me is to bring Brother Zhang to Elder Hu. Then I will come to Wu Dang Mountain to be your hostage. If something happens to Brother Zhang, you can go ahead and kill me. "

Zhang SanFeng chuckled, thinking, “Should something really happen to WuJi, how could killing you help? Besides, how can I be sure you will definitely come to Wu Dang? " But given WuJi's condition, there is actually no other possible cure. So Zhang SanFeng said, “If so, please take care of WuJi. But I have to explain two things. Master Hu cannot force WuJi into your sect. And Wu Dang will not accept your gratitude for this matter. " He knew that the Devil Cult was very cunning and strange in its ways. Connecting with them can only cause big problems. Isn't Zhang CuiShan's death a perfect example?

Chang YuChun said, “Your Highness Zhang really underestimated my sect. But if you say so, I will obey. " Zhang SanFeng said, “Jaga WuJi well. If he recovers, take him back to Wu Dang. But there was no need to come to Wu Dang as a hostage. " Chang YuChun said, "I will do all I can to follow your wishes."

Zhang SanFeng said, "As for this little girl, I will bring her back to Wu Dang Mountain."

Chang YuChun then went to a large tree by the beach, and dug a hole with his sword. Then he took off all of Little Master Zhou's clothes, before burying them in the ground, and saluted. Burying naked members is one of the rules of the Ming Cult. Everyone enters the world naked, and must therefore leave the world in the same way. Since Zhang SanFeng was unaware of this rule, he considered the burial procedure to be quite disgusting and mysterious.

The next morning, Zhang SanFeng held onto Zhou ZhiRuo's hand, and parted ways with Chang YuChun and Zhang WuJi. After his parents died, Zhang SanFeng was like a grandfather to Zhang WuJi. So Zhang WuJi could not help but cry as they parted ways. Zhang SanFeng said, “WuJi, when you are healthy again, your Chang brother will take you back to Wu Dang Mountain. Be a good boy. We'll only be apart for a few months. Don't be so sad. " Despite his words, Zhang WuJi's tears did not stop.

Zhou ZhiRuo returned to the boat, took a handkerchief from his sleeve, and started wiping his tears. He then smiled at her, stuffed a handkerchief into his pocket, before returning to the beach.

Translated by Huang Yushi from the 2nd edition of the original Chinese text:

Zhang Wuji followed his teacher with his eyes as the old man walked west with Zhou Zhiruo. At the same time, the little girl continued to turn around and wave until the two disappeared behind a row of poplar and willow trees. Suddenly, Zhang Wuji felt so lonely that he started crying again.

"Brother Zhang, how old are you this year?" chang Yuchun asked with a frown. When the boy replied that he was already twelve years old, the man said, “So. Twelve-year-olds are no longer children, so are you not ashamed to cry like a baby? When I was twelve, I had been beaten several hundred times, but never had I shed a single tear. A man just spills blood, you know, not tears. If you keep crying like a girl, I'll have to hit you. "

“I cried because I did not have the heart to part with the Great Master,” Zhang Wuji said. “If someone hits me, I won't cry at all! Go ahead and hit me if you dare. I'll avenge each of your blows with my own ten blows someday. "

Chang Yuchun was stunned. "Good for you!" he said with a big laugh. “Well, that's what I call a man with integrity. Since you are so tough, I won't hit you. "

"Why not?" ask Zhang Wuji. “After all, I can't even move a single finger.”

Chang Yuchun laughed again and replied, “If I hit you today, what will I do when you finally learn martial arts from your grandfather? How can I withstand ten blows from the exquisite fist technique of the Wudang School? "

A smile appeared on Zhang Wuji's face: This Chang sibling might look extremely ferocious, but he is not a bad person.

Hiring a riverboat, the two travel to Hankou before turning to a larger ship and sailing east down the Great River. The Butterfly Valley where Healing Sage Hu Qingniu lives is located on the shores of Lake Nushan in northern Anhui.

The Great River flows south-east from Hankou to Jiujiang, before turning north into Anhui province. Two years earlier, Zhang Wuji had sailed down this river on his way to Mount Wudang. He had his parents and Yu Lianzhou as friends back then, so the trip was filled with fun and laughter. Now, both of his parents had died, and he was on a joyless journey to seek treatment with Chang Yuchun. The difference between the two is as striking as the sky above and the land below. But he did not dare to let his tears fall, afraid that Chang Yuchun would get angry again. At that moment, all of the acupoints that Zhang Sanfeng had blocked earlier had returned to normal, so he could actually feel every single agonizing poison attack on his body. However, there was nothing he could do, except clench his teeth to hold back until his upper and lower lips were injured and bruised. To make matters worse, fights become more frequent and painful by the day.

When they reached the Cave Pier after Jiqing, Chang Yuchun and Zhang Wuji went ashore and traveled north on a chartered train. A few days later, they arrived at the city of Mingguang, east of Fengyang. Chang Yuchun knew that Uncle Hu did not like his secluded residence to be widely known, so he had the carriage go about twenty li (10 km) away from Nushan Lake. Then, while carrying Zhang Wuji on his back, he made the final step of the journey on foot.

He had thought that these last twenty li would be covered in the blink of an eye, but he had only walked for one li (500 meters) when his nerves and bones started to ache greatly. His breathing became congested and he found it very difficult even to walk. The deep wounds he had sustained after being hit twice by a foreign monk turned out to be worse than he had realized.

Feeling very sorry, Zhang Wuji said, “Brother Chang, let me walk by myself. You better not make yourself tired. "

"I can travel a hundred li (50 km) in one breath without feeling tired at all" Chang Yuchun snapped, "so how can those stupid monks stop me with two palm strikes?" Gathering all his strength, he forced himself to advance. Unfortunately, he was already too hurt to force himself in this way, and the frustration he felt only made things worse. After a few zhangs or so (1 zhang \= 3.33 meters), he began to feel as if his limbs and bones were falling apart. However, he was not ready to admit defeat. He was also unwilling to take down Zhang Wuji or sit down and rest. So, he continued to work, step by step.

This, of course, made their progress very slow. By nightfall, they had not even covered half of the targeted distance. The heavy terrain only made the journey more difficult, but they continued to trudge until they reached the forest. Then, Chang Yuchun finally took down Zhang Wuji and knocked down the eagle that was lying on the ground. After eating sweet fruit and biscuits, Chang Yuchun rested for half a shichen (an hour) before voicing his desire to continue the journey. Zhang Wuji tried his best to persuade the man otherwise, suggesting that they could spend a peaceful night in the forest and leave the next morning. Gradually, Chang Yuchun realized that it might have been midnight by the time they reached the Butterfly Valley. Hu Qingniu would definitely be very upset by their visit at such an hour, so she gave up on her friend's suggestion to stay in the forest. They immediately fell asleep while leaning against a large tree.

At midnight, Zhang Wuji was jolted awake by the attack of another poison on his body. He started to shiver and tremble violently, but he endured the pain in silence for fear of waking Chang Yuchun up. Just then, the sound of the impact of the weapon drifted into the forest, followed by several voices shouting, "Where are you going?" “Block the east route and force him into the forest!” “We can't let this twisted bald patch go this time!” Footsteps were heard as several people ran towards the trees.

Waking up in shock, Chang Yuchun grabbed his sword with his right hand and Zhang Wuji with his left. Then, he waited to see if he had to fight or flee.

"I don't think they came for us" whispered the boy.

Nodding in agreement, Chang Yuchun peered out from behind the trees and saw seven or eight people attacking an unarmed man from all sides. Although the man managed to fend off his enemies with a pair of swift palms, the group began to approach him after a while.

Gradually, a crescent moon emerged from behind the clouds and emitted a silvery light in that place. The man in the center of the circle was a tall and thin monk in his forties who was wearing a white robe. The assailant was made up of two gray-robed monks, two Taoists, two secular-clothed men and two slender-bodied women. The gray-robed monk had poles and swords between them, which they used with such force that leaves flew everywhere in the forest. One of the Taoists had a sword that glittered under the moonlight as he waved, saying, while one of the men in secular clothes - a short and small-sized man with a pair of swords - was rolling on the ground, attacking the feet of the white-robed monk with a swordplay Ditang, who was a warrior, techniques that focus on the lower body parts.

The two women each had swords, through which they performed a series of extremely fast but smooth blows. As the battle continued, one of the women turned around in such a way that part of her face was illuminated by the moonlight. The sight almost made Zhang Wuji say: "Aunt Ji!" Indeed, she was none other than Yin Liting's fiancee, Ji Xiaofu.

Initially, Zhang Wuji thought that it was unfair for so many people to attack the monk at once, and hoped that the unfortunate victim could free himself. However, after recognizing one of the assailants as Ji Xiaofu, he decided that the white-robed monk was a bad person. After all, she was Aunt Ji's enemy who had comforted her on the day her parents committed suicide. Although Zhang Wuji did not accept the necklace he gave him, he was very grateful for his kind thoughts.

As the blows of the white-robed monk alternated quickly and slowly, and were real and wrong, Zhang Wuji quickly realized that he was actually a highly skilled boxer. There were also too many variations on his technique to identify, especially when the movement accelerated. As a result, Ji Xiaofu and his group could not gain an edge despite the larger number and fighting for a long time.

Suddenly, one of the men shouted, "Use the projectile!"

The other person and one of the Taoists responded at once, jumping left and right respectively before sending bullets and daggers flying towards the white-robed monk. As the monk rushed to deal with the falling weapons like rain around him, another Taoist priest - a man with a long beard - shouted, "Biksu Peng, we don't want your life, so why are you fighting us with all your might. ? Just hand over Bai Guishou and we will part with a smile. Isn't that better for everyone? ”

Chang Yuchun was shocked. So this is Monk Peng? he wondered in a whisper.

Zhang Wuji was also surprised, as he had heard his parents tell Second Uncle Yu about the incident on Wangpan Island and the inter-clan revenge he had caused after returning to China two years earlier. Therefore, he knew that Bai Guishou, the Xuanwu Circle Leader of the Eagle Sect, was the only one who had left Wangpan Island with his mental abilities intact. In recent years, many clans and organizations had taken up the duties of the Eagle Sect because they wanted Bai Guishou to reveal where Xie Xun was. As a result, Zhang Wuji thought: Could this Peng Monk be a member of my mother's sect as well?

Back then, Monk Peng said in a loud voice, “Leader Circle Bai has been seriously injured by all of you and I have had a friendship with him for a long time. To be honest, even if I didn't know him at all, I still wouldn't ignore a dying person. "

"Are people dying?" raung that Taoist priest with a long beard. "We don't want his life, because we just want to find out where someone is."

“Since you want to know where Xie Xun is, why don't you go and ask the abbot of Shaolin Temple?” said Monk Peng.

One of the gray-robed monks stepped up and shouted, “It was just an evil ploy to blame my Shaolin Temple by the witch of the Eagle Sect, Yin Milk. Who believes him? " Apparently, this monk is from the Shaolin School.

Mentioning his mother's name made Zhang Wuji feel proud and sad: Even though my mother has been dead for two years, she can still make all of you dizzy from trouble!

Suddenly, one of the Taoists shouted, "Everyone, get off!" As his comrades fell face down, five daggers flew through the air towards Monk Peng's chest. These weapons could have been avoided if the monk had bent forward, fallen on his stomach, or leaned back at once, but his assailants had stopped his pace by placing their weapons around him on the ground. So how did he escape?

As Zhang Wuji watched with bated breath, Monk Peng leaped into the air and five daggers flew past under his feet. Two gray-robed Shaolin monks and a Taoist priest with a long beard responded to this turn quickly, slashing Peng Monk's feet with their wands, swords, and swords. Forced to retaliate, the white-robed monk sent a palm to the head of one of the Shaolin monks before seizing his sword and using it as a lever on another monk's pole to push himself two zhangs (6.66 meters) away from the terrain battle. .

The Shaolin monk who was hit in the head died instantly. His angry companions went after Monk Peng, only to see his legs drooping beneath him in a hurry to leave. As the group surrounded the white-robed monk once more, the remaining Shaolin monk shouted, "You killed my brother, so I'll make you pay for it!"

"Wait!" said the Taoist priest with a long beard. His leg has been hit with my Scorpion-Tail Hook (Xie1 Wei3 Gou1), and he will soon die of poisoning.

Sure enough, Monk Peng's legs staggered as he did not manage to stand up.

Chang Yuchun thought: He is an important member of my Ming Sect, so I must save him! Although he himself was severely injured, he was so determined to help Monk Peng that he took a deep breath and stepped forward. Unfortunately, the breath and the steps he took greatly affected the internal injuries to the point that he nearly fainted from the excruciating pain. At the time, Monk Peng collapsed to the ground after successfully removing another (3.33 meters) from his attacker. He looked like he died of poisoning. Opening his eyes despite the tremendous pain in his chest, Chang Yuchun saw that none of the seven people dared to approach the monk's body.

The Taoist priest with a long beard said, "Brother Xu, test him with your two flying daggers."

Other Taoist priests responded by throwing daggers at the right shoulder and left leg of Peng Monk respectively. The white-robed monk did not move, signifying that he was indeed dead.

"Daradly! Too bad!" said the Taoist priest with a long beard. "She has died, but we don't know where she hid Bai Guishou!"

The group stepped forward to take a closer look.

Suddenly, there were five heavy blows, followed by the sight of five people moving away from the circle. Monk Peng stood up in an instant, but the dagger was still embedded in his shoulders and legs. It turned out that he was pretending to be dead in an attempt to draw his enemies closer, so that he could catch them unknowingly with the 'Flying Cloud in the Great Wind' Palm Technique' lightning fast (Da4 Feng1 Yun2 Fei1 Zhang3). He had gathered all of his strength in silence as he lay on the ground, so the five attacks were so powerful that they left traces of palms each on the chests of the five male victims.

Ji Xiaofu and his older sister, Ding Minjun, were very surprised by this unexpected incident, but they managed to jump in time. When they saw their five injured comrades, they found they were vomiting blood. The two secular-clothed men even screamed in pain, as their bodies were not as strong as the other three.

The Taoist priest with a long beard said, “Ding-guniang, Ji-guniang, quickly stab him with your sword!”

Among the nine of them, one Shaolin monk was dead, and Monk Peng and five others were seriously injured. Thus, only Ji Xiaofu and Ding Minjun were unharmed. Ding Minjun thought: Hmmph! Am I so poor in the sword that you have to tell me how to use it? Then, he raised his weapon and slashed at Monk Peng's shin with a movement called 'Splitting Metals with Nominal Punch' (Xu1 Shi4 Fen1 Jin1).

Monk Peng let out a long sigh, closed his eyes and waited for death. Suddenly, a loud clang rang out, as if two weapons had come into contact with each other. Opening his eyes, Monk Peng saw that Ji Xiaofu had used his sword to fend off his sister's sword.

"Why?" ding Minjun asked in surprise. “Female Sister,” replied Ji Xiaofu, “Biksu Peng held her hand back with compassion, so we should not push her to the edge.”

"What kind of merciful hand?" Ding Minjun reply. His hands are out of energy! Then, she turned to the monk and said, "Biku Peng, my sister is very kind enough to save your life, so you have to tell us where Bai Guishou is."

Monk Peng looked up and laughed out loud. “Ding-guniang, you really underestimated Peng Yingyu,” he said. “Zhang Cuishan, the Fifth Soldier of the Wudang School, would rather die by suicide than reveal the whereabouts of his foster brother. Although I am not talented, I admire Fifth Zhang's loyalty and courage enough to follow his example. " Then, he spewed out a mouthful of blood and sank to the ground.

Ding Minjun walked up and kicked him three times at the waist, so that he could not launch any more stealth attacks towards them.

Peng Yingyu's words carried a wave of warmth and gratitude into Zhang Wuji's heart, and the boy suddenly felt as if he had found a close relative. After his father, Zhang Cuishan, committed suicide, members of a well-known and honest organization often spoke of the man in this way: he was: “He was an amazing young warrior who took one wrong step and got involved with a perverted witch. As a result, he died in personal destruction and shame, and brought humiliation to the Wudang School. " Zhang Wuji had never heard words exactly like this, of course, but he was able to gather as much from the conversations and attitudes of his grandparents as possible. In addition to being deeply grieved, they blamed her mother for the bad things that had happened. They felt that everything about his father was good, except for the mistake he made in marrying his mother.

Ding Minjun sneered and said, “Zhang Cuishan blindly married that perverted witch. This is what I call 'humiliating yourself', so what's the point of learning from it? His Wudang School.. ”At this time, Ji Xiaofu tried to interrupt his sister, only to hear Ding Minjun say,“ Don't worry. I will not include the Sixth Yin in this. " Later, pointing his sword at Peng Yingyu's right eye, he added, “If you don't speak, I'll gouge out your right eye before doing the same to the left. Then, I'll pierce through your right ear and your left ear. After that, I'll cut off your nose, because I'm not going to let you die just like that. ” The tip of his sword gleamed nearly half a cun (1.67 centimeters) from Peng Yingyu's eyes.

The stubborn monk opened his eyes wide in defiance and said in a calm voice, “I have heard that Abbot Mie Jue of the E-Mei School is cruel and cruel in his ways, he said, so his students should be no different. Since I have fallen into your hands, go ahead and show you the best E-mei technique! ”

Ding Minjun raised his eyebrows and screeched, "Bent bald, how dare you mock my school!" He pushed his sword forward and gouged out Peng Yingyu's right eye. Then, he placed the tip of the blade on the cover of his left eye.

Peng Yingyu laughed as blood flowed from her blind right eye. Then, he opened his good left eye as wide as he could and gazed towards Ding Minjun until goosebumps appeared all over his body. "You're not from the Eagle Sect," the woman said, "so why did you give up your life for Bai Guishou?"

"This is one of the principles of being a man," Peng Yingyu replied. "You won't understand it even if I tell you."

Ding Minjun was able to see that Peng Yingyu had no strength left to fight, but somehow, she still looked at him with great disdain. As a result, he pushed his sword into his left eye in anger, only to have Ji Xiaofu drop the sword with a nimble punch.

“Sister,” says the younger woman, “Bhikkhu is so stubborn that she will never say anything, regardless of what we do to her. Killing him would not serve our purpose either. "

“He said that our teacher was cruel and cruel in his way,” replied Ding Minjun, “so I just showed him what 'cruel and cruel' really means'. A heretic like him could only hurt others, so getting him killed was a good thing. "

“She is also a tough person,” added Ji Xiaofu. “Sister, I think we should let him go.”

Ding Minjun exploded. “One of the two brothers from Shaolin is dead, while the other is injured,” he said in a loud voice. “Two Taoist priests from Kunlun were seriously injured, while two brothers from the Haisha Clan were in a worse condition. Was he not brutal enough? I will gouge out his left eye before continuing the interrogation. " As soon as the word 'interrogation' came out of his mouth, his sword moved towards Peng Yingyu's left eye.

Ji Xiaofu raised his sword and pushed his sister's sword away with a light and nimble movement. “Kakak Perempuan,” he said, “this man has no power to fight. If word of the way we treated him got to the nature of the rivers and lakes, the reputation of our E-may School would be affected. ”

“Side, and don't intervene!” ding Minjun said in a stern voice. When Ji Xiaofu insisted, the older woman said, “Since you acknowledge me as your Big Sister, you should listen to what I have to say. Stop nagging! ”

"Yes!" Ji Xiaofu responded, prompting Ding Minjun to send his sword into Peng Yingyu's left eye again. This time, he increased the strength of his movements by three tenths.

Somehow, Ji Xiaofu found himself unable to accept his sister's actions, so he raised his sword and fended off the other sword once more. The power in Ding Minjun's movements caused the younger woman to use heavier hands as well, so both swords were hit by sparks. As their arms went numb, the two women took two steps back.

“What exactly are you doing, protecting this evil monk many times?” shouted Ding Minjun furiously.

“Kakak Perempuan,” replied Ji Xiaofu, “I'd like to suggest that you stop torturing him this way. We should take our time and ask slowly where Bai Guishou is. "

What is my personal relationship with this matter? xi Jiaofu asked. “How can you connect them together?”

“We know the truth in our hearts,” replied Ding Minjun, “so I don't need to pull a wound from your wound in front of all these outsiders. You may be in the E-Mei physically, but your heart is in the Evil Sect. "

Ji Xiaofu immediately turned white. “I respect you as my Elder Sister-at-Arms,” he said in a trembling voice. "I've never offended you, so why are you humiliating me like this?"

"Alright," said Ding Minjun, "if your heart is not in the Evil Sect, go ahead and stick out the monk's left eye."

Ji Xiaofu did not do as he was told. Instead, she said, “Since the E-Mei School was founded by Little Eastern Heretic, Great-Grandteacher Guo, many of our schoolmates have chosen to be nuns or remain unmarried throughout their lives. My reluctance to get married is nothing out of the ordinary, so why should you corner me? ”

"Well, I am not fascinated by your innocent defense," replied Ding Minjun coldly. "If you don't stab him in the eye, I'll leak your business."

“Kakak Perempuan,” said Xi Jiaofu in a soft voice, “I hope you will consider the brotherhood bond we share, and stop pushing me.”

Ding Minjun laughed. "I'm not asking you to do anything embarrassing" he said. “Our teacher instructed us to find out where the Golden-Maned Lion King was, and this monk is the only clue we have. But he didn't want to reveal the truth and even hurt our friend. So it's fair if I stick out her right eye, while you take her left eye. Why haven't you done it yet? ”

Ji Xiaofu lowered his head and replied calmly: “He showed mercy to us earlier, so we should not turn around and bring him to his death. I was too soft-hearted to do this. " He turned around and put his sword back into the sheath.

"You? A soft heart?" asked Ding Minjun while laughing sarcastically. “Our teachers often praise your ruthless swordplay techniques and formidable characters. In fact, he says that you like him so much that he wants to pass on his legacy to you, so how can you be gentle-hearted? ”

It was then that the people around them finally understood the reason behind the quarrel of the two women. Apparently, the leader of the E-mei School, Mie Jue, loved Ji Xiaofu so much that he thought of making the young woman his heir. Jealous, Ding Minjun finally managed to obtain something he could use to blackmail Ji Xiaofu.

Zhang Wuji was very grateful for the kindness Ji Xiaofu had shown him, so he hoped there and then he could run out and slap his vengeful sister.

Then, Ding Minjun said, "Sister Ji, let me ask you: When our teacher called all of us to the Golden Peak of Mount E-may and taught us the 'Slaying Sword' (Mie4 Jian4) and the 'Non-Compromise Sword' (Jue2 Jian4) he developed, why didn't you show up? Why did you cause our teacher to erupt with such great fury? "

“I suddenly got seriously ill in Ganzhou and couldn't move,” replied Ji Xiaofu. “I've reported this to our teacher, so why are you talking about it now?”

Ding Minjun laughed coldly and replied, “You can keep this matter a secret from our teacher, but you cannot hide it from me. I have other questions to ask you, but if you see this monk coming out, I will keep my peace. "

Ji Xiaofu lowered his head in silence as he thought about his dilemma. Finally, he said, “Sister, are you really not going to consider the bond we have together, growing up and learning martial arts in the same school?”

“Are you going to look outside or not?” ding Minjun asked in return.

“Don't worry, Brother,” said Ji Xiaofu. "Even if our teacher wanted to pass down his legacy to me, I would never dare to accept it."

"Good!" Ding Minjun replied angrily. “So you said that I was jealous of you. How am I inferior to you, so you must make way for me? So... are you going to look outside or not? ”

“Please and law me if I make a mistake,” said Ji Xiaofu, “because I will never dare to fight. There are friends from other clans and organizations here, yet you pushed me like this.. ”Tears started to flow on his face.

Ding Minjun sneered and said, "Please and act pathetic if you want, because I know you curse me in your heart. When you were in Ganzhou three or four years ago.I can't remember it too clearly, but you have to be fully aware of the time it happened. Are you really sick? Yeah, I think you do 'have' something, but it's not a disease. You have a baby! "

Ji Xiaofu turned around and ran away instantly, but Ding Minjun had already expected him to do so.

The older lady flew forward, blocked her way with a sword and said, "I think you should just poke Monk Peng's left eye, or I'll ask you who the baby's father is. I'll also ask why a disciple from a famous and upright clan like you would go and protect the crooked monk from the Evil Sect. "

“Let go... let me go!” begging Ji Xiaofu with defeat.

But Ding Minjun did not budge. Placing the tip of his sword into the chest of the younger woman, he asked loudly, “Where are you guarding the child? You are the fiancee of Yin Liting Wudang, the Sixth Yin, so why do you have children with others? "

This earth-shaking question shocked everyone. Zhang Wuji was puzzled: Aunt Ji is a good person, so how could he make a mistake on Uncle Yin? He did not fully understand the affairs between men and women, of course, but even Chang Yuchun, Peng Yingyu, the long-bearded Taoist from Kunlun and the others were astonished by the revelation.

Ji Xiaofu turned white and tried hard to take cover, but Ding Minjun stopped him with a deep and ruthless slash on his right arm. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Ji Xiaofu pulled out his sword with his left hand and said, "Sister, if you keep pushing me, I should let you down."

Back then, Ding Minjun knew that the situation had reached a point of no hope. She had exposed the embarrassing secret of her brother, so the younger woman definitely wanted to silence him. However, he was not as skilled in martial arts as Ji Xiaofu, so he used the first opportunity to injure him. Now that the woman herself had mentioned the use of force, Ding Minjun pointed his sword in a move called 'The Moon Down On the Western Mountain' (Yue4 Luo4 Xi1 Shan1) and send it to his sister's stomach. Ji Xiaofu had no alternative but to respond to the sword in his left hand.

The two sisters were very well versed in swordplay techniques with each other, so their battle duels were characterized by intense attacks and defenses. Their wounded comrades are unable to stop them or risk helping one at the expense of the other, so they find themselves staring in awe at a woman's skill: they are: The E-mei school is indeed worthy of its position as one of the four greatest learning centers in martial arts today, as its swordplay techniques are truly as beautiful as the famous ones.

Ji Xiaofu's right arm was bleeding more profusely as the duel progressed, so he became increasingly ruthless in his punch, hoping to repel Ding Minjun and open a way out for himself. However, he did not seem to be very successful in his efforts, as he was rather uncomfortable using the sword with his left hand. Moreover, losing a lot of blood had reduced his abilities by more than seven tenths. On his part, Ding Minjun did not dare to go too close to Ji Xiaofu, preferring to make him keep going and let the lack of blood finally affect. Sure enough, the younger woman immediately became so weak that her steps and strokes started to waver. Ding Minjun quickly took the opportunity and stabbed Xi Jiaofu twice in the right shoulder, his clothes covered in blood.

Suddenly, Peng Yingyu spoke in a loud voice: “Ji-guniang, come here and gouge out my left eye. I've been very grateful for everything you've done. " He knew that it was very difficult for Ji Xiaofu to risk death in protecting the enemy. Furthermore, Ding Minjun had threatened her with the thing that a woman valued more highly than her own life - the sanctity of her name.

But it's too late. Even if Ji Xiaofu really caught Peng Yingyu's attention at that moment, Ding Minjun still would not allow her to leave. If he did not take advantage of this opportunity to eliminate his little sister, he would have to face endless troublesome consequences in the future. As his punch became more ferocious, Peng Yingyu shouted, “Ding Minjun, you are really shameless! It is no wonder that you are known as the Evil Wuyan Ding Minjun in the realm of rivers and lakes, because your heart is indeed like a scorpion and a snake, and your appearance is worse than that of Wuyan. ”

Before the woman could assign him to compare her to the legendary Zhong Wuyan, who was known for his terrible facial deformity, Peng Yingyu continued: "If every woman in this world is as bad and as you are causing vomit.is, all men under the sun want to become monks. With you, Evil Wuyan, standing right in front of me all night, being a monk is not enough. I must be blind too! "

Although Ding Minjun was not beautiful, he was attractive in his own way. After all, she had a rather charming face that was very well taken care of. However, as a man who was well versed in worldly ways, Peng Yingyu knew that every woman under the sun hated being told how ugly she was, regardless of whether it was true or not. As a result, he came up with the nickname 'Evil Wuyan' in an attempt to draw Ding Minjun's attention to himself and allow Ji Xiaofu the opportunity to escape - or at the very least, to, found a way to bandage his wound.

Unfortunately, Ding Minjun had another thought: Once I kill Ji Xiaofu, that rotten monk will also not be able to leave. So, he ignored all his ridicule.

"Lady Warrior Ji is holy like ice and pure like jade," Peng Yingyu added loudly. “Who does not know this fact? But that Evil Wuyan Ding Minjun insisted on giving unrequited love, dreaming of a relationship with Yin Liting of the Wudang School. When Yin Liting did not respond to your progress, you naturally thought of harming Madam Ji. Ha ha, your cheekbones are so high, your mouth is as big as a basin, your complexion is so yellow, and your body is thin as bamboo. How could the handsome and relaxed Sixth Yin be attracted to you? You don't even judge yourself in the mirror, yet you go ahead and try to draw his attention with all sorts of provocative views.

Angrily, Ding Minjun dashed towards Peng Yingyu and sent his sword into her mouth.

To be honest, Ding Minjun's cheekbones were slightly higher than usual and his mouth was not up to the standard cherry size of the era. Her skin was not as beautiful as she wanted and her body was naturally slim. He was often unhappy with this small stain, but it could only be seen by others under close supervision. However, Peng Yingyu was very observant of noticing this flaw. So how could he remain calm after he announced his imperfections with additional flavors and seasonings? Furthermore, he had never seen Yin Liting before, so when had he ever tried to 'draw her attention with all sorts of provocative gazes'?

Just as his sword was about to reach the monk, a man suddenly dashed out of the forest and arrived in front of Peng Yingyu. He was so fast that Ding Minjun could not draw his sword back in time. As the sword stuck into the man's forehead, he swung his palm out and struck the woman's chest. The force of the punch pushed Ding Minjun back a few steps and made him vomit a mouthful of blood. Back then, his sword had been firmly stuck in the man's forehead so he couldn't possibly live.

“Bai Guishou! Bai Guishou! ” shouted the long-bearded Daoist from Kunlun School. He hurried to his feet and took a few shaky steps before sinking back to the ground.

The man who was killed was indeed the Leader of the Xuanwu Sect Eagle, Bai Guishou. After she is seriously injured, she discovers that Peng Yingyu is under a combined attack of Shaolin, Kunlun, E-mei and Haisha in an attempt to protect her. As a result, he rushes to the scene and commits a stab in the name of his loyal and courageous friend. Known for his powerful palms, he managed to attack Ding Minjun and break some of his ribs before he died.

As Ji Xiaofu regained his composure, he tore off a piece of his clothes and bandaged the wound on his arm. Then, he removed the acupoints that had been blocked at Peng Yingyu's waist, before leaving in silence.

"Wait!" said the white-robed monk. "Ji-guniang, take the bow from Monk Peng." He bowed in gratitude, but Ji Xiaofu stepped aside, unwilling to accept his thanks.

Taking the sword dropped by the long-bearded Taoist priest to the ground, Peng Yingyu said, "This Ming Minjun uttered nonsense that slanders your name, so he should not be allowed to live." As he sent the sword down the woman's throat, Ji Xiaofu parried the sword with his sword.

“She is my older sister,” she said. “Although he does not love me, I cannot be unfaithful to him.”

“The situation has reached the point of no return,” said Peng Yingyu. “If he is not killed, he will make you a lot of trouble in the coming days.”

With tears streaming down her face, Ji Xiaofu replied, “I am the unluckiest and most unlucky woman under the sun, so I must accept my destiny! Great Master Peng, don't hurt my Elder Sister-at-Arms. "

“Do I dare to disrespect the instructions of Lady Warrior Ji?” the monk responded politely.

Then, Ji Xiaofu turned to Ding Minjun and said quietly, "Sister, be careful." Returning his sword to its sheath, he walked out of the forest.

Peng Yingyu turned to the five injured men and said, “Since the beginning I have had no complaints against any of you, so I really should not kill you. Unfortunately, you have heard the slander that this Ding woman spoke out against Lady Warrior Ji. If news of this reached the realm of rivers and lakes, how could Lady Warrior Ji face the public? Therefore, don't blame me for not allowing you to live, because the situation left me with no other choice. ” With that, he sent the sword forward five times, killing the two Taoists of the Kunlun School, the remaining monk of Shaolin and the two men of Haisha.

After which, he slashed Ding Minjun's shoulder, scaring the woman. Unable to fight due to his injuries, he shouted, “Bent bald, don't torture me. Just stab me once and finish! "

Peng Yingyu laughed and said, “I dare not kill an ugly, yellow-skinned and wide-mouthed woman like you. If I do, you will go to Hell and make the evil ghosts there fear so terrible that they will all flee to the human world. You will also frighten the King and Judge Hades so that he will vomit and have diarrhea. Isn't that awful? " He laughed three times and threw the sword on the ground. Then, he hugged Bai Guishou's body and wailed loudly before leaving.

Ding Minjun sat down and took a deep breath for a long time. Then, he put his sword back into its sheath and limped out of the forest.

+

Chang Yuchun and Zhang Wuji huddled in silence, looking and hearing every single thing that happened during the battle that happened so unexpectedly at night. When Ding Minjun left, they finally heaved a sigh of relief.

Zhang Wuji spoke first: “Brother Chang, Aunt Ji is my Sixth Uncle's fiancee. The Ding woman said that she .. she had a baby with someone else. What do you think? Is that right or wrong? ”

"He said something unreasonable" Chang Yuchun replied. “Do not trust him.”

"Right," said the boy in agreement. “When I saw Sixth Uncle Yin, I would tell him about it and ask him to teach Ding Minjun this good lesson. This would also help Aunt Ji vent her anger. "

"No no!" said his partner at once. “Never mention this matter to your Sixth Yin Uncle. Do you understand? Once you mention it, things will get worse. "

"Why?" the boy asked, completely confused by this unexpected word of warning.

“This statement is very unpleasant,” replied the man, “so you do not need to repeat it to others.”

Zhang Wuji muttered "Mm!" in recognition. After a while, he said, "Brother Chang, are you worried that this matter is true?"

Chang Yuchun sighed and replied, "I really don't know."

At first light the next day, Chang Yuchun stood up, put Zhang Wuji on his back and left once more. His strength had returned after the night's rest, so his movements were more nimble than the day before. After several li (1 li \= 500 meters), they circled a corner and reached the main road.

Chang Yuchun was surprised: Uncle Hu lives in isolation in the Butterfly Valley. The place is very remote, so why is there a main road here? Did I turn wrong?

Just as he was about to search for the villagers and ask for directions, the footprints sounded. Four Mongolian soldiers appeared on horseback, swung their swords and shouted: "Quick the road, fast the road!" They climbed upwards towards Chang Yuchun, swung their swords threateningly and left again.

I ended up falling into the tiger's mouth again, thought the man, only to drag Brother Zhang over as well.

His injuries left him with no ability to fight. He could not even defeat an ordinary Yuan warrior, so he had no alternative but to trudge forward. Immediately, he noticed that many others had appeared along the way, driven by the army as if they were ferocious beasts. A glimmer of hope appeared in Chang Yuchun's heart: These barbarians seem to be oppressing the commoners, so they are not necessarily looking for me.

He walked with the crowd until they arrived at a crossroads, where an officer of the Mongolian army waited on horseback. There were sixty to seventy soldiers with him, each brandishing a large sword in his hand. People used to bow to officers as they passed by, while a Han-Chinese man asked for their last name. A number of people were released each with kicks or slaps after they reported their last names. When a man said that his surname was Zhang, a Yuan soldier immediately caught him. Another man carried a freshly bought vegetable knife in his basket, so he was stopped as well.

Realizing that something suspicious was going on, Zhang Wuji whispered into his friend's ear: "Brother Chang, you better pretend to fall, roll over to the long grass and leave your sword there."

Chang Yuchun immediately understood his goal, so he bent his knees, stumbled onto the grass and threw out his sword. Then, groaning in pain, he limped towards the army officer.

"********! Don't you know the rules? ” that Han-Chinese guy scolded. Hurry up in front of the officer!

In light of the horrific deaths his former master, Zhou Ziwang, and his entire family had suffered under the Mongolian barbarian sword, Chang Yuchun refused to do as he was told. His stubbornness caught the attention of the soldiers and one of them kicked his knee. The rebels lost their balance and fell to the ground.

"What's your name?" asked the Han-Chinese man loudly.

Before Chang Yuchun could reply, Zhang Wuji said, “Our last name is Xie. He is my older brother. "

The Yuan soldier kicked the man's butt and said, "Go!"

As Chang Yuchun rose to his feet in anger, he swore inwardly: If I do not chase these barbarians back to the northern wasteland of my life, I, Chang Yuchun, am not a man! Placing Zhang Wuji on his back once more, he headed north. But he had only stepped a few steps when a blood-curdling cry filled the air. Turning around, the two of them saw that the people the Yuan army had captured earlier were dead, their heads separated from their bodies.

It turned out that the ruling government was so brutal in the administration of the country that many rebels emerged among the commoners. As a result, the Mongolian ministers got the idea to kill all the Han-Chinese. It was an impossible dream, of course, so the Chief Advisor, Ba Yan, finally issued a cruel order for all Han-Chinese surnamed Zhang, Wang, Liu, Li and Zhao to be killed. The Zhangs, Wangs, Lius and Lis were the most numerous among the Han-Chinese, while Zhao was seen as a descendant of the Song Dynasty imperial family. If people with these five surnames were annihilated, Han-Chinese power would be greatly reduced. As time went on, the number of people with these five surnames who declared their allegiance to the Yuan Dynasty and became its officers increased. Finally, someone among the Mongolian ministers advised the emperor to revoke the order of slaughter. By then, the victims of this terrible edict were no longer counted.

+

Chang Yuchun increased his walking speed and headed into the wild. He knew that Hu Qingniu's house was nearby, so he started looking for her. Gradually, the man and boy arrived at the expanse of red and purple flowers that filled the hill with a beautiful fragrance. Unfortunately, the previous incident with the Mongolian army was still so fresh in their minds that the beautiful scenery was completely gone from them. After a few turns and turns, they find themselves at the foot of a precipitous cliff. They've reached a dead end.

Confused, they soon saw some butterflies flying through a crack in the flowering shrub. An idea popped into Zhang Wuji's head. “Because the place is named Butterfly Valley,” said, “maybe we should follow those butterflies and see where they take us.”

Chang Yuchun agreed.

Urging through the bushes, they found a small path. As they walked down the path, more butterflies appeared. These butterflies come in a variety of patterns and colors, including white, black, and purple, but no one seems afraid of humans. Dancing in the air, they even landed on the heads, shoulders, and hands of Chang Yuchun and Zhang Wuji. The two companions were amused as they finally entered the Butterfly Valley.

“Please let me walk alone!” zhang Wuji said.

Chang Yuchun agreed and lowered him to the ground.

By noon, they reached seven or eight huts on the clear banks of the river. Flowers and plants thrived around this hut. "We have arrived" Chang Yuchun said. This was the garden where Uncle Hu grew his medicinal herbs and shrubs.

Walking into the hut, he said in a loud but respectful voice: "Murid Chang Yuchun greets Uncle Hu."

A page emerged from one of the huts and said, "Please come in."

Chang Yuchun grabbed Zhang Wuji's hand and followed the courtyard inside the room. A dignified-looking middle-aged man stood on one side of the hall, watching the other courtyard that was fanning the flames under the boiling pot. The whole place smells of medicine.

Chang Yuchun knelt before the man, bowed and said, "How are you, Uncle Hu."

He must be the Butterfly Valley Healer, Hu Qingniu, Zhang Wuji thought, so he clenched his fists to salute and said, "Master Hu."

Nodding to Chang Yuchun, Hu Qingniu replied, “I have heard about Zhou Ziwang. That is destiny, because the time of the barbarians is not over yet, and the day of the resurrection of our Sect has not yet arrived. " He grabbed Chang Yuchun's wrist and felt his pulse. Then, he opened the man's shirt, looked at it once and said, “You have been attacked by the Hand Splitting Heart Technique of foreign monks. This is not really a big deal, but you used too much force after being hit, so your heart is now severely affected by the cold and deadly poison. It'll take a while to cure you of this. ” Afterwards, he pointed to Zhang Wuji and asked, "Who is this kid?"

“Uncle, his name is Zhang Wuji,” Chang Yuchun replied. "He is the 5th son of Zhang from Wudang."

Hu Qingniu was stunned. "He's from Wudang?" he asked angrily. “Why did you bring him here?”

Chang Yuchun quickly explained how he was assigned to escort Zhou Ziwang's son to safety, and how Zhang Sanfeng saved him after he was captured by Mongolian soldiers. "My life was saved by his grandfather" the man continued, "so please make an exception and help this boy."

“Well, you are very generous to make such an offer,” Hu Qingniu said sarcastically. “Hmmph! Zhang Sanfeng saved you, not me. When have you ever seen me make an exception? ”

Chang Yuchun knelt down and bowed a few times. "Uncle, this brother's father would rather commit suicide than betray his friend" he said. "He's a good man."

"The good guy?" hu Qingniu said while laughing coldly. “How many good men under the sun? Can I cure everything? It was fine if he was not a member of the Wudang School. Why would someone from a well-known and honest organization seek help from a perverted outsider like me? ”

Nevertheless, Chang Yuchun insisted: "The mother of Brother Zhang is the daughter of the White Eyebrow Eagle King, Sect Leader Yin, so half of her can be considered a member of our Sect."

Feeling somewhat moved, Hu Qingniu nodded and said, “Alright, get up. Being the granddaughter of Yin White Eyebrow's mother party of the Eagle Sect made things different. " Walking to Zhang Wuji, the doctor explained in a warm and pleasant voice: “Nak, I always have the rule not to give care to famous and straight clan members. Your mother is a member of our Sect, so I will not break this rule if I treat you. Your maternal grandfather, the White Eyebrow Eagle King, was originally one of the Four Guardian Kings of the Ming Sect. Due to some disputes with the other brothers, he established the Eagle Sect. However, he was not a traitor, as the Eagle Sect was considered a branch of the Ming Sect. You must promise me that you will join your maternal Grandpa Organization when you have recovered from your wounds,

Before Zhang Wuji could say anything, Chang Yuchun commented, “No, Uncle. Master Zhang Sanfeng said that you cannot force the child into our Sect. Furthermore, if he is completely healed, his Wudang School will also not appreciate our kindness. "

“Hmmph! What's so great about Zhang Sanfeng? ” Hu Qingniu roared furiously. “He hates us, so why should I work for him? Son, what decision have you made? ”

Zhang Wuji knew that the poison in his body had entered all of his internal organs and there was nothing his grandfather could do to overcome it even though his internal strength was rich. His life now depended entirely on this eccentric doctor's will to take care of him, but his grandfather had warned him against joining the Evil Sect and putting himself in an inseparable net for the rest of his life. Although he did not understand how bad the Evil Sect was and why his grandparents hated him so much, he believed wholeheartedly that the grandfather he respected so much could not be wrong.

Therefore, he thought: I would rather die because of his unwillingness to treat me, than to violate Grandteacher's instructions. So, he raised his voice and said, “Master Hu, my mother is Hall-Guru in the Eagle Sect, so I think there must be something good about this organization. But I have promised my grandfather not to enter the Evil Sect, so how can I retract my words? I can't help it if you refuse to take care of me. If I survive for fear of death and agree with your condition, the world will get nothing but another man who is untrustworthy and unfaithful. What good is that? ”

So the little monster wanted to talk and act like a great hero! Hu Qingniu sneered in her heart. I would just reject him, and watch him begging while kneeling. Turning to Chang Yuchun, he said, “Because he is unwilling to enter our Sect, Yuchun, ask him to leave. How could anyone have died of illness inside the door of Hu Qingniu's residence? "

Chang Yuchun knew that this older uncle and uncle were very stubborn, so there was no point in asking him for something he had clearly rejected. So, he turned to Zhang Wuji and said, "His brother, even though the members of the Ming Sect and the righteous clan do not see directly many things, either, Our sect has produced many incredible heroes and men since the Tang Dynasty. . Furthermore, your maternal grandfather and mother are respectively the Leader and Head Hall of the Eagle Sect. Agree to Uncle Hu's condition, and I will take full responsibility before Mr. Zhang. "

Zhang Wuji stood up and replied, "Brother Chang, you've done your best, so my grandfather won't blame you for anything." Then, he headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" chang Yuchun asked in surprise.

“If I die in Butterfly Valley, will 'Healing Sage' reputation not be damaged?” the boy said in return.

Hu Qingniu laughed coldly and said, “The One Who Ignores the Dying One is famous all over the world. Those who died outside the 'cage of cows' in Butterfly Valley were not limited to this child alone. "

Closing his ears to his uncle's words, Chang Yuchun dashed out, grabbed Zhang Wuji and led him into the room again.

“Uncle Hu, do you really not want to save him?” asked Chang Yuchun while panting.

“You know that I am also called 'People Who Ignore The Dying',” said Hu Qingniu, “so why do you ask?”

“But you are willing to take care of my wound?” ask the man again. “True,” replied his uncle.

"All right then!" chang Yuchun said. “I have promised Master Zhang to take care of this brother, so I cannot let the honest clan say that the members of the Ming Sect are unbelievable. I don't want you to heal my wounds anymore. Please treat this brother instead. If we do this one-for-one exchange, you will not lose anything. "

Hu Qingniu looked into his eyes and said in a serious voice: “You have been greatly injured by the Heartbreaking Palms Technique. If I start your treatment right now, you'll make a full recovery. A seven-day delay will save your life, but not your Martial Arts ability, while a fourteen-day delay will make your wounds completely incurable. "

"This is the job of my uncle, the one who ignores death," Chang Yuchun said. I will leave without a grudge.

Suddenly, Zhang Wuji shouted, “I don't want you to save me! I don't want you to save me! " Then, he turned to Chang Yuchun and added, “Brother Chang, do you think Zhang Wuji is *******an immoral? You offered your life in exchange for mine, but the life obtained in this way is very meaningless to me. "

Chang Yuchun did not argue any further with him. Taking off his belt, he grabbed Zhang Wuji and tied him tightly to the chair. “If you don't let go of me, I'll start cursing people!” the boy shouted. When Chang Yuchun ignored him, he hardened his heart and shouted: “The One Who Ignores the Dying One, Hu Qingniu, is really as dumb as a cow! He could not compare even with a savage beast! "

Surprisingly, the healer, whose name Qingniu means Black Cow, was not angry. He just stared coldly at the annoyed boy.

"Uncle Hu, Brother Zhang, I'm leaving," Chang Yuchun said. I'll find another doctor!

“There are no capable doctors in this Anhui province,” Hu Qingniu said coldly. "But you can't cross the Anhui border in seven days."

Laughing loudly, Chang Yuchun replied, "I have an uncle who ignores death, so it's fair if you have a nephew who must suffer death!" Then, he stepped out of the door.

“When do I approve your one-for-one exchange?” hu Qingniu asked with a loud voice. “I won't treat you both!” He took out a piece of broken pilose horn (lu4 rong2) from the table and threw it at the acupoints on Chang Yuchun's knee, causing him to fall into a pile on the ground.

Then, Hu Qingniu untied Zhang Wuji, gripped both of his wrists tightly and began to throw him out the door, so that the two unfortunate patients could live and perish together in time.

"What are you doing?" Zhang Wuji shouted in fear. Just then, the poison in his body flowed into his brain and made him faint.