Return of Condor Heroes (10 page)

The next day, Guo Jing, Huang Rong and Ke Zhen E with the two small ones headed west from Jiaxing, intending to return to Peach Blossom Island, and firstly cure Yang Guo’s poison before deciding to do anything else. That night they were in another inn, Ke Zhen E and Yang Guo were in one room, the Guo family in another. The Guo couple slept into the middle of the night when suddenly they heard a noise on the rooftop. They heard Ke Zhen E call out through the wall, and jumped out of the window. The couple quickly jumped out of the window only to see on the rooftop Ke Zhen E was fighting barehanded with someone, the enemy was tall and had long hands, it was Ouyang Feng. Guo Jing swallowed, frightened that Ouyang Feng would take his master’s life in one move and he jumped up onto the roof to help. Only to hear Ke Zhen E shout and fall off the roof. Guo Jing flew over to him, and before Ke Zhen E head had met the ground, he lightly caught him from behind and gently placed him gently down on the ground.

He asked, “Senior Master, are you okay?”

“I’m not dead yet. Go and fight Ouyang Feng.” Ke Zhen E replied.

“Yes,” replied Guo Jing and he jumped onto the roof.

At the time, Huang Rong was fighting with her palms, the palms like a flying dance. It has been ten years since she has seen her old enemy, and right now they were fighting ferociously. Her internal energy has improved tremendously over the last few years, her internal energy is now very forceful, the palms she were using were changing mysteriously and cleverly; after ten moves, Ouyang Feng didn’t gain any advantage.

Guo Jing called out, “Mr. Ouyang, how have you been.”

Ouyang Feng replied, “What did you say? What did you call me?” His face changed, in the fight with Huang Rong he did not attack, he had a feeling that the two words ‘Ouyang’ was significant to him. Guo Jing was about to say something when Huang Rong interrupted as she saw that he wasn’t clear about who he was and said, “You are called Zhao Qiansunli, Zhou Wuchenwang!”

Ouyang Feng listened, “I’m called Zhao Qiansunli, Zhou Wuchenwang?”

Huang Rong replied, “Correct, your nickname is Zuo Fengchengchuwei, Jiang Shenhanyang.” Huang Rong had randomly picked out some surnames. Ouyang Feng was originally confused but after hearing her call him many names, he scratched his head and asked, “Who are you? Who am I?”

Suddenly someone behind shouted out, “You are the old animal that killed my five brothers.” Before the sentence was finished, an iron walking staff came out, it was Ke Zhen E. When Ouyang Feng knocked him off the roof, he wasn’t hurt and went into his room to get his iron walking staff to battle him again. Guo Jing shouted out, “Careful master!” Ke Zhen E smashed down his iron walking staff on Ouyang Feng’s back but he didn’t move, he made a strange noise and the walking staff fiercely came back out at Ke Zhen E. Ke Zhen E couldn’t hold on, and let go of his walking staff and fell into the courtyard. Although Guo Jing knew that his master was falling, it wasn’t going to be serious but Ouyang Feng had used his back to launch a lethal attack so he shouted, “Watch out!” His left leg bent, his right palm circled, and then pushed out; it was the “Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms” ‘Overcoming the Dragon with Regret’ (Kang Long You Hui). He had practiced this particular stance night and day without a break, when he first learned the stance its power was obvious, but after ten years of practicing, it was now at a flawless level. When he first unleashed it, it looked light and fragile but when it meets an obstruction, it will be able to unleash its force in thirteen levels, each level stronger than the last one. It will move the unyielding, there is no force it can’t overcome. He had incorporated ideas in the “Nine Yin Manual” into the palms and modified them, like Hong Qigong had modified the palms years ago, although it was only the stances and not the mysterious energy behind it.

Ouyang Feng had just knocked Ke Zhen E off the roof when he suddenly felt a gust of wind throwing itself at him, although the wind wasn’t strong, it caused his breathing to be uneven, and knew it wasn’t something ordinary so quickly crouched down and pushed out his two palms, it was his most refined skill the “Toad Stance”. They exchanged three palms; both of them were hit once. Guo Jing’s palm strength increased; the next level higher than the last, like a torrent of waves throwing it self forwards. Ouyang Feng made two ‘Ka Ka’ noises, his body getting lower, as if he was going to fall down any minute. Guo Jing’s palms were getting stronger, his counteracting strength also increased.

The two haven’t exchanged moves for over ten years, now they meet again in Jiangnan, they must test each other to see how they have advanced over the years. Long ago at the Mount Hua tournament, Guo Jing couldn’t match Ouyang Feng, but since then he has refined his internal energy, his skills have vastly improved. Ouyang Feng has been practicing the “Contrary Nine Yin Manual” and got what he deserved. However, one phrase real and one phrase fake, eventually he produced a learnable copy from the fake and up until now, Guo Jing was fighting him to a draw, unable to distinguish who has the upper hand. Huang Rong wanted her husband to win by himself so stood to one side and didn’t interfere.

The roofs in south were very different to the roofs in the north. The roofs in the north had to support the amassed snow in winter, the roofs were solid. In the south it was wet weather that had to be addressed, the roofs were covered in tiles, with removing rain in mind. Guo Jing and Ouyang Feng were matching internal energy through their palms, and braced their legs, and after a moment, the sound of something creaking was heard below their feet, with one sound followed by another, the beams of the roof snapped, a hole was made in the roof as the two of them fell in. Huang Rong gulped and jumped down the hole and followed them, only to see the two still competing, their feet supported by some more beams, but they were above one of the inn’s guests. The guest was sleeping, how would he know the roof was falling in, at that moment his legs broke and he was screaming out in pain. Guo Jing didn’t want to hurt any innocent bystanders and so didn’t use his legs for support, but Ouyang Feng didn’t care if anyone dies because of them. The two of them were equally matched but because Guo Jing didn’t use the beams as support, his palms had no foundation to rely on. He was on his way to losing. He used one hand to push against Ouyang Feng’s two palms, he channeled all his strength in his right hand, his left hand was empty, there was no strength for it to use. Huang Rong saw her husband was being pushed backwards, although it was only half an inch or so, he was losing.

She shouted, “Hey, Zhang Sanlisi, Hu Tuwangba, watch out,” and aimed a light palm on Ouyang Feng’s shoulder. Though this palm was light, it was from the “Descending Brave Divine Sword Palm” (Luo Ying Shen Jian Zhang) skill, when it lands, the internal energy will spread through the internal organs. Though Ouyang Feng is one of the most powerful martial artists of his time, he would still suffer from this blow. Ouyang Feng heard her call out weird surnames at him and was distracted for a second. As he saw the palm come in, he pushed his two palms, forcing Guo Jing back another inch, and in a flash he held onto Huang Rong’s shoulder, his five fingers like a hook, trying to tear a piece of her flesh off. When this move came out, the three of them swallowed simultaneously. Ouyang Feng felt severe pain in his fingers; she was wearing soft armour with needles, he couldn’t loosen his hand. At this time, Guo Jing’s palm’s power increased again, and Ouyang Feng pushed out a palm to counteract this, in the midst of this danger he used all his strength. After a clashing sound, both of them moved back, the room was full of dust and dirt as the walls collapsed.

When the two clashed palms, it was under the shroud of night and the both of them could not see each other clearly, the large force of the “Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms” and the “Toad Stance” hit each other on the shoulder. The two of them were sent through opposite walls; half of the roof fell in. Huang Rong had suffered a blow but she wasn’t hurt although she had a fright and made her flush. In the midst of all this she flew out of the room before the roof collapsed. She saw Guo Jing and Ouyang Feng five feet apart motionless; the both of them had suffered internal injuries. Huang Rong didn’t attack the enemy and instead just walked over by her husband’s side to guard him. The both of them shut their eyes to try to control their chi, but after two stuttering noises both of them spat out a mouthful of blood.

Ouyang Feng said, “The “Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms”, good stuff, good stuff!” A mad laugh followed as he ran away, in a blink of an eye he was nowhere to be seen.

Presently, the inn was in the midst of chaos. Huang Rong knew that they couldn’t stay here any longer, and from the hand of Ke Zhen E grabbed her daughter and said, “Master, you carry brother Jing and follow us.” Ke Zhen E put Guo Jing on his shoulder and step by step slowly headed north. After a while, Huang Rong suddenly remembered Yang Guo, she didn’t know where he had gone to, but she was more concerned about her husband’s injuries so left this matter until later on. Guo Jing understood, but because of the injury caused by Ouyang Feng, he couldn’t speak. He breathed evenly while on Ke Zhen E’s back, circulating his energy to unravel his veins, after they had travel about seven, eight miles, his veins had all been cleared and said, “Master, I’m okay.” He put Guo Jing down and said, “You’ve recovered?”

Guo Jing shook his head and said, “The “Toad Stance” is a great skill!” He saw his daughter supporting herself on her mother’s shoulder sleeping peacefully, and said, “Where’s Guo’er?” Ke Zhen E had forgotten about Yang Guo, and struggled for words.

Huang Rong said, “Don’t worry, first we’ll find a place to rest. Then I’ll go back and look for him.”

The sky was beginning to brighten, and under the moon they recognized a house by the forest. Guo Jing said, “My injury is not serious, we’ll go find him together.”

Huang Rong frowned and said, “That boy is extremely clever, you don’t have to be too concerned.” As they said this they arrived at the house, suddenly they saw someone come out from behind the white wall and then was about to return again. Huang Rong went over there and grabbed the person, it was Yang Guo.

He laughed and said, “Auntie,” and carried on saying, “You guys arrived? I’ve been waiting for a long time now.”

Huang Rong couldn’t explain but she suspected something and replied, “Fine, follow us.”

Yang Guo laughed, and followed. Guo Fu opened her eyes, and asked, “Where have you been?”

Yang Guo replied, “I went to catch some crickets to see them fight. It was great fun.”

“What’s so much fun about that?” Guo Fu said.

“Huh, what’s not fun about that? A large cricket was fighting with an old cricket. When the old one lost, two little crickets came to help out, three versus one. The large cricket jumped around, kicked out a foot there, and bit one over there, it was extremely powerful.” When he reached this point, he didn’t add anything else. Guo Fu had listened carefully and asked, “Then what happened?”

Yang Guo said, “You said it’s not fun, so why are you interested?”

Guo Fu touched her nail, and angrily turned her head away, ignoring him. Huang Rong could tell that his words were praising Ouyang Feng and ridiculing the couple and Ke Zhen E. She said, “Tell Auntie, who won in the end?”

Yang Guo laughed and said, “Just when things were getting interesting, you came along, the cricket jumped away.”

Huang Rong thought: “Like father like son,” but kept her suspicions of him to herself.

After a while, they arrived at a village. Huang Rong went to a large residence to look for the owner. The owner was very hospitable, when they heard someone was hurt, they quickly prepared two rooms for the guests. Guo Jing ate three bowls of rice, and then sat on the couch, closed his eyes and meditated. Huang Rong saw that her husband was resting, and managed to relax, sitting next to her husband guarding him. She thought about Yang Guo in all the situations they have been in, and felt although he was young, there are a lot of strange things that couldn’t be explained, and when he was asked for detailed explanations, half of it was a lie. She made a mental note to herself to pay extra attention to Yang Guo and be wary of him. She’d had a tiresome day, and after a meal, she went to bed.

Yang Guo and Ke Zhen E were sharing the same room, and in the middle of the night he quietly got up. When he heard Ke Zhen E snoring in his deep sleep, he quietly opened the door, he slipped out of the room and went over to the wall, and to a Cinnamonum Cassia tree, climbed it, and leapt over the wall slipping away. The dogs outside the wall picked up a human scent, and started to bark. Yang Guo was prepared; he took out a piece of bone out of his bag, and threw it to them. The dogs bit onto the bone, and stopped their barking.

Yang Guo checked his bearings, and headed southwest, and in seven, eight li, he had reached the Iron Spear Monastery. He pushed open the doors and called out, “Father, I’m here!” He heard a noise coming in from within. It was Ouyang Feng. Yang Guo was happy, he went inside and felt out a table, and found candle. He lit it and saw Ouyang Feng reclining on top of some statues, his body unwell, and his breathing weak. He and Guo Jing have suffered similar injuries, but because Guo Jing has amassed an abundant amount of rich internal energy over the years, he is able to recover very rapidly; Ouyang Feng is closer to old age, his energy isn’t as good.

What had happened on the previous night was that Ouyang Feng had come again for Yang Guo, but Ke Zhen E was awake in the room, so they started to fight. Afterwards when Huang Rong and Guo Jing came and joined in the battle, Yang Guo was watching. Eventually both Ouyang Feng and Guo Jing had suffered injuries, and so Ouyang Feng escaped. In the chaos, everyone forgot about Yang Guo, and he sneaked away after Ouyang Feng. At first Ouyang Feng was moving at a fast pace, Yang Guo could not catch up, but Ouyang Feng’s injury was agitated, moving was hard. Yang Guo eventually caught up and took him aside to rest. Yang Guo knew that if he didn’t return Huang Rong and Ke Zhen E would come and look for him, and feared his stepfather’s life would be in danger. So he arranged with Ouyang Feng to meet in the Iron Spear Monastery. Both were familiar with the monastery so knew where it was. When Yang Guo was guarding the road, Guo Jing and the others had come up behind them. Only now, in the middle of the night, was he able to come and check. Yang Guo took seven or eight buns out of his bag and handed them over to Ouyang Feng, “Father, eat something.” Ouyang Feng had nothing to eat for the whole day, he was frightened he would meet one of his enemies, and was stuck in the monastery all day. He ate a few of the buns and was conscious for a while and asked, “Where are you and the others at?” Yang Guo told him everything.