Return of Condor Heroes (205 page)

That disciple knew that Yang Guo had saved his master’s life, that she’d announced in front of everybody that Yang Guo was her intended son-in-law, and that he and Lu’E were on the best terms. This person would one day become the Valley Chief, and so he didn’t dare to offend Yang Guo.

He said, “But... what about the chief’s command sign?”

Yang Guo ignored him and said, “Let me come in and take a look.”

That disciple complied and turned back into the kiln.

Inside the brick walls, the heat was even more intense. Two lowly laborers were raking charcoal. Although it was bitterly cold at this time of year, the two people were actually bare-chested, each wearing short pants to cover his lower body. Still they were sweating profusely. The disciple in green pushed aside a big stone, revealing an opening. Yang Guo went inside and saw that it was actually a stone chamber of ten feet square. Zhu Ziliu sat there with his face to the wall, using his index finger to draw pictures. His arm rose and fell as if he was very pleased with himself. The Indian monk was actually lying on the floor, and it was hard to tell if he was still alive.

Yang Guo called out, “Uncle Zhu, how are you?”

Zhu Ziliu turned his head back. He laughed and said, “A friend has come to visit from afar; how could I not be fine?” Yang Guo had to admire him. He was stranded here for a long time but still kept calm as if everything was normal. Even in crisis, he could still be mirthful. He himself was far, far inferior to him in this regards.

“Is the Divine Monk sleeping?” He asked.

Having said this, his heart was beating wildly because Xiao Longnu’s life depended on this Divine Indian Monk.

Zhu Ziliu didn’t reply. Only after a while he let out a gentle sigh and said, “My Martial Uncle can usually withstand heat and cold much better than I can, but this time...”

It sounded like the Indian monk’s condition was critical. Frightened, Yang Guo didn’t bother to say any more words. He turned his head to the disciple in green. He ordered, “Unlock the door. Let them out.”

The disciple in green said in surprise, “What about the lock? The chief’s got the key. If she ordered you to free people, how come she didn’t give you the key?”

Impatient, Yang Guo shouted, “Make way!”

He lifted his black iron sword and struck down, making a big hole in the stone wall with a ‘ka’ sound. That disciple let out an ‘ah’ cry and froze with fright. Yang Guo swung his sword a few more times and that five-inch window became wide enough for a person to pass through.

Zhu Ziliu cried out, “Brother Yang, I congratulate you on your great skills!”

He bent over to pick up the Indian monk, passing him through that hole. As Yang Guo took him, he could feel that the Indian monk’s arm was warm. His heart jumped. But then he saw that the Indian monk’s eyes were shut tight. He thought to himself, “Aiyo, even a dead body is warm in this fire room.”

He quickly stretched his hand to feel the Indian monk’s breath and realized he was still breathing faintly.

Zhu Ziliu jumped out from that hole in the wall. He said, “Martial uncle has passed out. Hope it’s not a great obstacle.”

Yang Guo blushed. He thought to himself, “Shame on you!”

He thought about how he himself didn’t really care about the Indian monk’s well being but more about how to save his own wife.

He asked, “Did he pass out from heat exhaustion? Let’s quickly go outside to get some air.”

Then he carried him out.

Seeing the three people, Xiao Longnu was delighted.

Yang Guo said, “Let’s find some cold water to sprinkle on Reverend’s face.”

“No, Martial uncle was poisoned by the Passion Flowers.” Zhu Ziliu said.

Yang Guo was startled. He asked, “Is the poison severe?”

Zhu Ziliu replied, “I think not. It was he who poisoned himself.”

Yang Guo and Xiao Longnu were puzzled. In one voice, they exclaimed, “What?”

With a sign Zhu Ziliu said, “Uncle said that these Passion Flowers were already extinct in India. He didn’t know how it had been spread. He said that if it got out of hand, it would be a great disaster. Years ago, people and livestock in India had been poisoned and died because of these flowers. Martial uncle had thoroughly researched poison techniques but this Passion Flower poison was really strange. He came to the valley this time, knowing that the Divine Pill (Passionless Pill) could only help one person. He wanted to find out what could detoxify the poison to help people on a large scale. He used his body to test the poison so he would understand its nature and be able to find the antidote.”

Yang Guo was half amazed and half in awe. He said, “Buddha said – if I don’t go to hell who will? Reverend is trying to save people, not hesitating to face a disaster. People really have to respect him.”

Zhu Ziliu said, “In an ancient tale, Shen Nong tried a hundred kinds of herbs to save people. If it was the wrong herb, his face would turn blue. This Martial Uncle of mine must have had this story in mind.”

Yang Guo nodded and said, “Right. Do you know when he will regain consciousness?”

“After he poisoned himself, he said if his calculation was not wrong, he would wake up after three days and three nights,” said Zhu Ziliu.

Yang Guo and Xiao Longnu looked at each other. They both thought, “He’ll be in a coma for three days and three nights. It means the poison is very severe. Fortunately this Passion Flower poison affects people differently. If one has a passionate heart, the poison will act up very fiercely. This monk has a steady heart. He’s much better than an average person.”

Xiao Longnu said, “You two were in the kiln, how did you find Passion Flowers?”

Zhu Ziliu replied, “After we were put in the fire room, there was a girl who often came to visit...”

Xiao Longnu said, “Was she a tall girl with fair complexion and a small mole on one corner of her mouth?”

“Yes,” said Zhu Ziliu.

Xiao Longnu smiled at Yang Guo. Then she said to Zhu Ziliu, “That was the Valley Chief’s daughter Miss Lu’E. She heard that you two had come to help Yang Guo so she was fond of you. Although she didn’t dare to release you, she’d get you whatever you wanted.”

Zhu Ziliu said, “Correct. Martial uncle asked her for a branch of the Passion Flowers and I asked her to send my message asking for help. She complied. In the kiln, everyday there would be a time the fires blasted. She would pour water on them to reduce the intensity, making it bearable for us. I often asked her who she was but she never answered. I didn’t know she was the Valley Chief’s daughter.”

“She gave us the directions to come here,” said Xiao Longnu.

Yang Guo said, “Great Reverend Yideng is here too.”

Zhu Ziliu was delighted. He said, “Oh, let’s go.”

Yang Guo frowned and said, “Monk Ci’en is also here. I’m afraid there might be a little trouble.”

Zhu Ziliu was puzzled. He said, “Brother Ci’en is also here. How can it not be good? When brother and sister meet, Chief Qiu will have no choice but consider this kinship.”

Even though he became Reverend Yideng’s disciple before Ci’en, in Jianghu Ci’en’s kungfu was actually at the same level as that of Reverend Yideng. And so, Diancang, Yuyin and Zhu Ziliu highly respected him, treating him as ‘Martial Elder Brother.’ Zhu Ziliu had asked Lu’E to send his help message, hoping that Ci’en would come, and the two sides would be reconciled. Now that Yang Guo mentioned trouble, he couldn’t quite understand.

Yang Guo briefly told him about Ci’en’s mental instability and how Qiu Qianchi was trying to stir up his emotions.

Zhu Ziliu said, “Madame Guo is also here in the valley. That’s really the best. Her wisdom is second to none. My master is here to control the situation. Also, Brother Yang’s kungfu has reached this improved stage. There shouldn’t be any problem. I’m only worried about my Martial Uncle.”

Yang Guo also felt that the Indian monk’s safety was the first priority. He said, “We could find a place to stay, and wait for Reverend to regain consciousness. The three of us can protect him.”

Zhu Ziliu hesitated. He asked, “Where should we go?” He pondered for a long time, feeling that this Passionless Valley was dangerous everywhere. Then he figured out and said, “We wait right here.”

Yang Guo was startled but then he understood. With a smile he said, “Uncle Zhu’s idea is wonderful. This place seems bad but it actually is the best place in the valley. We just have to stop those valley disciples from leaking our secret.”

Zhu Ziliu stretched out his finger. With a laugh he said, “That’s easy.”

He picked up the Indian monk and said, “We’ll rest here in the kiln. May I ask Brother Yang and Mrs. to go help my master?”

Yang Guo remembered that Reverend Yideng’s injury had not recovered and that Ci’en had been swaying back and forth between good and evil. If he stayed here to guard the Indian monk, it would be rather selfish and he wouldn’t feel comfortable. Seeing Zhu Ziliu carry the Indian monk back into the kiln, he and Xiao Longnu returned to the path they’d just come from.

The two people passed by the Passion Flower thicket. It was bitter cold at this time. Undoubtedly soon there would be no flowers, and the leaves would fall, leaving only ugly bare branches, full of sharp thorns.

Suddenly Yang Guo thought of Li Mochou. He said, “No doubt this thing called passion is sometimes extremely beautiful but other times extremely ugly. Like your martial sister, spring flowers wither quickly but their thorns can still kill people.”

Xiao Longnu said, “I hope the Divine Monk can find the antidote to this flower poison. Not only will it cure you, my martial sister can also be saved.”

But Yang Guo actually hoped that the Indian monk would regain consciousness and that the Indian monk would first treat the poisons in Xiao Longnu’s body. If he didn’t wake up and just passed away, what then? Looking at his wife, his heart was filled with infinite tender feelings. Suddenly, he was hit by a flash of pain in his chest. He knew that because he’d saved the Cheng-Lu cousins, the poison in his body was even more severe. Afraid that he would worry Xiao Longnu, he turned his head to look at the bare branches, appearing to be happy and not paying attention to life and death matters.

By now there was another scene in the main hall of the Passionless Valley. Qiu Qianchi was urging her brother to act. The more she talked, the more ferocious her words became. Reverend Yideng didn’t say a word, leaving Ci’en to make a decision for himself. Ci’en looked at his sister. He looked at his master. Then he looked at Huang Rong. One was his blood sister. Another was the master who had changed him. And the third caused his brother’s death. His mind fluctuated between kindness and hatred. Good and evil were battling. How would he decide? His entire life from childhood to old age flashed in his brain. Sometimes tears glistened in his eyes, other times a smile came to the corners of his mouth. His heart was aflame for this was fiercer than any battle he’d ever fought in.

Lu Wushuang noticed that Yang Guo had left the hall for a long time and still not returned. Ci’en’s state of mind had nothing to do with her whatsoever. She gently tugged at Cheng Ying’s gown sleeve and quietly slipped out of the hall. Cheng Ying followed her out.

“Where did Sha Dan (Dumb Egg) go?” Lu Wushuang asked.

Cheng Ying didn’t reply. She only said, “He’s been poisoned and we don’t know how bad his condition is.”

Lu Wushuang said, “Hmm.”

She was also worried. In a low-spirited voice, she said, “I really didn’t expect this. He and his master finally...”

Cheng Ying said in the same tone, “Miss Long is really beautiful, and she’s really good. Only such a person can be a match for Big Brother Yang.”

Lu Wushuang said, “How do you know she’s a good person? You haven’t really talked to her.”

Suddenly she heard a cold voice from behind, “Her foot is not lame. Naturally she’s good.”

Lu Wushuang drew out her Willow Leaf saber, turning her body around. That voice, of course, came from Guo Fu.

Seeing her unsheathed saber, Guo Fu quickly pulled out a long sword from Yelu Qi’s waist. She returned the angry glare and shouted, “You want to fight me?”

With a merry laugh Lu Wushuang said, “How come you don’t use your own sword?”

Her foot had been crippled since childhood, and it was her sore spot. Other people never mentioned this in front of her. Since Guo Fu ridiculed her ‘lame foot,’ she was enraged, and so she sarcastically brought up the broken sword issue.

Guo Fu barked, “I’m going to use someone else’s sword to give you a kungfu lesson.”

Having said that, the long sword struck, and the ‘weng-weng’ sounds echoed.

Lu Wushuang said, “How rude. The Guo family’s child doesn’t respect her senior. Good, today I’ll teach you the difference between good and bad.”

“Bah, how can you be my senior?” Guo Fu said.

With a laugh Lu Wushuang said, “My cousin is your Martial Uncle. If you won’t call me Gu Gu (paternal aunt) you should call me Ah-yi (maternal aunt). You can ask my cousin!”

Then she pointed at Cheng Ying.

By her mother’s order, Guo Fu had to call Cheng Ying ‘Martial Uncle.’ But deep down, she was still not convinced that her strange grandfather had accepted such a person as a disciple. She thought that she and Cheng Ying were about the same age so Cheng Ying’s kungfu shouldn’t be very good.

She looked at Lu Wushuang and said, “Who knows if she’s a real or fake disciple? My grandpa is world famous. There are many shameless people pretending to be his disciples.”

Although Cheng Ying’s natural disposition was gentle, hearing this she couldn’t help getting angry. But her whole heart right now was fixed on Yang Guo, and so she had no intention of bickering with people.

She said, “Cousin, let’s go… go find Big Brother Yang.”

Lu Wushuang nodded. She turned to Guo Fu and said, “Did you hear that? Did she or did she not call me her cousin? Hero Guo and Chief Huang Rong are world famous. I don’t know how many shameless people pretend to be their daughter!”

Then with a ‘hei-hei’ cold laugh, she turned to leave.

Guo Fu was slow. She thought, “Who pretends to be my parents’ daughter?”