Return of Condor Heroes (6 page)

Madam Wu was caught unawares when she heard her husband’s shout. Her mind was in a jumble, thinking about what sort of trouble the madman has gotten himself into now; but when he arrived, she only saw that his clothes were old and torn, and around his neck hung the bib that He Yuanjun used to wear when she was younger. He immediately asked, “Wife, are you okay?”

These past ten years he has never shown a touch of concern towards her, so she was delighted when she heard this, and replied, “I’m over here.”

Wu Santong leapt in front of her, the Lu couple carried in each hand. He said, “Quickly follow me,” and went on his way. Ke Zhen E and Madam Wu followed behind him.

Wu Santong swerved east and twisted west for a few miles, and led the two to an old, broken kiln. It was a large old kiln used for making wine bottles. Madam Wu entered, and saw her two sons, Xiuwen and Dunru were safe and sound. She let out a sigh of relief. The Wu brothers were sitting on the ground playing with stones with Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang. When Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang saw the Lu couple, they threw themselves onto them, shouting and crying.

Ke Zhen E heard Lu Wushuang cry out mother and father he immediately said, “Oh no, we’ve lured the ghost out, that witch is going to be here soon!”

Madam Wu’s heart was afraid. She asked, “How?”

Ke Zhen E replied, “That witch wants the Lu girls, but doesn’t know where they are.”

Madam Wu suddenly realized what he meant and swallowed. “Yes, she purposely let us go so she could secretly follow us.”

Wu Santong shouted out, “If the Scarlet Witch is following, then I’ll go and face her.” He turned around and stood at the opening of the kiln.

Lu Liding’s skull had been severely injured but he had one last wish so he strained out a breath and called out to Cheng Ying.

“Ah Ying, take out the handkerchief that I’ve got on my chest.”

Cheng Ying, her eyes full of tears, stretched out her hand and took out the handkerchief. It was a white satin handkerchief, in the four corners were sewn a red flower. The red flower looked withered and by it was a jade green leaf. The white satin was old and had become yellow, the embroidery of the flower and leaf were beautiful, almost like the real thing. Lu Liding said, “Ah Ying, tie the handkerchief around your neck, you mustn’t untie it, you understand?”

Cheng Ying didn’t know what her uncle meant, but did as she was told and nodded.

Mistress Lu was severely hurt but when she heard her husband’s words, she forced her eyes open and said, “Why aren’t you giving it to Shuang’er? Give it to Shuang’er” Mistress Lu quickly added, “You haven’t got a heart. Are you not worried about your own daughter’s safety?” As she said this her eyes went white, her voice faded. Lu Wushuang didn’t know what her parents were arguing about and she cried out, “Father…Mother!” Lu Liding softly said, “Dear wife, you love Shuang’er very much, so why don’t we let her follow us?”

Originally, the red flower and green leaf handkerchief was a lover’s gift from Li Mochou to Lu Zhenyuan. The red flower was the famous Man Tuo Luo flower from Dali. Li Mochou figured that Lu sounds like green, the green leaf representing her beloved, and thought “Red Flower Green Leaf, will always be together.” Before He Yuanjun died, she knew that on the ten-year deadline, Mo Chou and Wu Santong would come and cause trouble. She had a plan to deal with the two, but didn’t expect the sudden illness of Lu Zhenyuan. She knew Lu Liding’s kung fu was average, and wouldn’t be able to escape when the time came, so she gave him the handkerchief, and made him understand, if it was Wu Santong who came to seek revenge, to act normal and restrain from attacking as he does not intend to take any lives. But Li Mochou had become infamous in Jianghu in recent years with her cruel and vindictive methods, meeting her would be your bad luck. If it was her, then tie the handkerchief around your neck, this will stir up any old memories that witch would have of your brother and hopefully she will let you go. But Lu Liding was a proud man, and would not beg Li Mochou for his life.

Cheng Ying was the daughter of his brother. Before he died, he requested that Lu Liding bring up his daughter like his own. He was obligated by the request of a good friend, but in the danger that they are now in, he would not be able to fulfill this request and so gave the life saving handkerchief to Cheng Ying. Mistress Lu had realized what he was doing and saw that he was sacrificing his own daughter. Under the strain she suffered severe pain and left the world.

Cheng Ying saw that the handkerchief was the cause of her aunt’s troubles, took off the handkerchief, and gave it to her cousin saying, “Aunt said to give this to you, take it!”

Lu Liding said, “Shuang’er, it’s your cousin’s, don’t take it.”

Madam Wu was standing to the side when she heard all this and said, “I am going to tear the handkerchief in half, half to each, is that a good idea?”

Lu Liding had not the strength to reply anymore, and just nodded. Madam Wu tore the handkerchief in half, and gave each half to the cousins.

Wu Santong was standing by the entrance when he heard all the commotion, and went inside to see what all the fuss was about. He saw his wife’s face and on the left cheek was a black patch. Startled, he pointed to his wife’s face and asked, “Why is your face like that?”

Madam Wu reached out and touched her face and said, “Like what?” only to feel no sensation in her left cheek, her heart jumped and realized it was where Li Mochou had touched her. Can it be that when she touched her face gently she used the chance to emit poison?

Wu Santong was inside asking questions when a voice from the entrance said, “The two little girls are inside, aren’t they? They can’t live so just give them to me. If you don’t, I’ll burn you all in this kiln. The voice was clear and gentle.

Wu Santong jumped out of the kiln, and saw Li Mochou standing at the entrance, and thought in wonder, “It has been ten years, yet she still looks like she did then.”

He had recognized that she had now become a priestess, but he couldn’t change his way of greeting her, and greeted her as he had before as Miss Li. Within these past ten years, no had called her “Miss Li”; now when she heard those words, her heart moved, her memories and feelings as a young girl rushed to her chest. But then she remembered she could have spent her life with the person she loved, but there existed a He Yuanjun who caused her to lose her loved one. She was resigned to being alone forever. As she thought about this her emotions came over her again and she was unable to resist the pain.

Wu Santong is another one who had his love rejected; even though their love was a different sort, it is still love. When he was searching for Lu Zhanyuan, he saw with his own eyes Li Mochou kill He Lao Quanshi’s family, a total of twenty men, women, old and young without remorse or feeling. To think about it made him shiver. He Lao Quanshi and she had never met; they had no feuds and no relations to He Yuanjun. But because they shared the same surname, it provoked her hate and fury and she killed every last member of the He family. Even before he died, he didn’t know the reason for his death. At the time Wu Santong didn’t intervene, as he didn’t know the background to the matter. Only after he heard that it was for this simple reason, he swore to himself that he would treat her with the utmost hate and disgust. He saw that she had a gentle, kindly smile but she could change that to a cold and evil smile immediately. He was extremely worried about the safety of the two girls.

Li Mochou said, “I only printed nine palms on the Lu’s wall, I must kill those two girls. Wu Santong, please step aside.”

Wu Santong replied, “Lu Zhenyuan and his wife are dead now, his brother and wife died under your hands, its only two girls, you can just leave them.”

Li Mochou grinned and shook her head, gently saying “Wu Santong, please step aside.”

Wu Santong gripped tighter to his chestnut tree and said, “Miss Li, the reason for your hatred is Ah Yuan.”

When the two words ‘Ah Yuan’ was said, Li Mochou’s face changed and she said, “I once swore that whoever mentioned that slut’s name in front of me will be killed by me or I would perish trying. I once destroyed sixty-three families in their boats on the river Yuan simply because they shared the name of that slut. Surely you’ve heard of this? Master Wu, it is your fault, so don’t blame me.” While she said this she swung her weapon at Wu Santong’s neck.

Though she seemed to have swung her fly whisk lightly, the stroke was fierce and quick, causing Wu Santong to fly right and left above her to avoid the strokes. She knew that Wu Santong is a high disciple of Reverend Yideng, although he is in a state of confusion, his kung fu was still solid; when the need arose he could still kill. Wu Santong’s left hand straightened, the tree trunk came out with great force, and swept across. Li Mochou saw the power in this, and immediately floated away, avoiding getting struck by the trunk. She didn’t wait for him to use the trunk again and flew in front attacking, trying to break inside. Wu Santong saw that she was heading into the kiln, and raised his right hand, and pointed a finger at one of her pressure points, and unleashed “Solitary Yang Finger” at her.

Though his “Solitary Yang Finger” wasn’t fast enough to hit a pressure point, the move had many changes, and had to be avoided. Li Mochou used “Strike the Golden Clock” and immediately jumped back ten feet. Wu Santong saw her moving forwards and backwards, in a flash she had advanced and retreated so many times, his heart secretly quivered. When she was retreating he used his strength and used the tree trunk again to force her back. But as soon as he did this, she advanced right in front of him, if it wasn’t for the “Solitary Yang Finger”, he would have been out matched long ago. The tree trunk was heavy, and every time he moved it, he would exert a lot of strength, Li Mochou had noticed this, and tried to wear him out using this method.

Suddenly a flash of yellow went over to Wu Santong, Li Mochou had landed on the tree branch that Wu Santong was holding, and swept her fly whisk at him forcing him to drop it. Wu Santong jumped, and hurriedly picked up the branch from the ground. Li Mochou laughed, as she hurriedly went over to the tree trunk and stepped on it. Wu Santong turned around and extended a finger. She moved again, heading back towards the tree branch. After ten moves or so, when Wu Santong tried to sweep her with the branch, she flew onto the top of a willow tree. She let him attack with the tree trunk. This way, Wu Santong would use even more strength. Although she was fairly light she added to the weight of the tree that she was standing on, the trunk would not be able to knock her off. This position also allowed her to attack the kiln. She was in a position where she could not lose. Wu Santong glanced at her, and knew he must be patient; he wasn’t too concerned about his own life, but if the kiln full of old and young fell into her hands it would be terrible. At that time the tree trunk was flying wilder and quicker, fiercely colliding with the tree trying to shake Li Mochou out of it.

After a moment he heard Ke Zhen E shout, “Fu’er, you have arrived, quickly, get the eagles to get rid of that evil woman.” Following this a girl’s whistle could be heard, in the sky were two white images in formation descending. It was the two large eagles, attacking Li Mochou from the left and right. Guo Fu had arrived with the eagles. Li Mochou saw the two eagles coming at her so she held on to the tree tightly with her left foot. The eagles’ attack wasn’t successful and they headed back to the sky. The girl whistled again a few times. The two eagles came in for a second attack, and aimed at the underside of the tree.

Li Mochou had heard Peach Blossom Island’s Guo Jing and Huang Rong had a pair of giant eagles, who were almost telepathic with each other. At the time the eagles were coming together for an attack. She wasn’t worried about the eagles, but the fact they belonged to the Guo couple meant that the Guo couple must be nearby. This would complicate matters. Li Mochou dodged a few times, and then launched her own attack on the eagles, injuring one of the eagles’ left wing; the eagle screeched and fell to the ground. When Guo Fu saw that her eagle was hurt, she shouted out, “Eagle don’t be scared, keep attacking that evil woman.” Li Mochou looked at the girl who said this, and saw a little girl that seemed to have come from a beautiful painting and thought, “I’ve heard that heroine Huang was one of the most beautiful women in the world. I wonder how she compares with me? Is this girl her daughter?”

While she was being distracted, her moves slowed. Wu Santong saw that although the eagles were helping, they could still not force Li Mochou from the tree. Amid the chirping and screeching he fiercely hit the ground with his two hands, and caused Li Mochou to fly off the tree. Li Mochou could not predict that he would unleash such an unusual move, and was forced tens of feet into the air. When the eagles saw that she was in the air, they went in for another attack from above. When she had a secure grip, the eagles could not really harm her but now that she is in the air, how could she compete with them? In this desperate situation, she waved her fly whisk in front of her face to protect her head, and withdrew three “Soul Freezing Silver Needles”, and shot them out hurriedly.

Two were aimed at the eagles, the other one at Wu Santong’s chest. The eagles saw the needles coming and quickly flew higher to evade them, but the needles were traveling at such a high speed, and after a second, the male eagle was hit in a claw. Wu Santong was looking up when he saw the incoming needle, and leapt out of the way in a rush, but was still hit in his left leg. Wu Santong got up after a roll. He knew he had been hit in his left leg but didn’t call out. Left kneeling, he circulated his inner strength to allow him to support himself. His leg was now swollen and numb. He stooped down, and used his hands to try to support himself; but he could not and eventually fell down on to the ground motionless.

Guo Fu shouted, “Eagles, eagles come here quickly.” But the two eagles had flown far away, and didn’t turn back.

Li Mochou said, “Little girl, is your name Guo?”

Guo Fu saw that the woman standing in front of her was beautiful, she had a friendly disposition and did not look like an ‘evil woman’ and replied, “Yes, my name is Guo. What is yours?” Li Mochou laughed and said, “Come, I’ll take you to play,” while slowly walking towards her, with the intention to grab her.