Heaven-relying Sword And Dragon-slaying Sabre

Seeing Lu Zhangke was slow in taking out the antidote, Fan Yao thought that if he urged, then Lu Zhangke might deliberately make things difficult, so he sat down and said with a laugh, "Why don't Lu Xiong unseal Concubine Han's acupoint? Then we all can drink several cups together. Looking at beautiful face under the bright lamp light is a rare lucky occasion that you won't necessarily experience it once in a lifetime."

Lu Zhangke knew that there were a lot of people in the Wan An Temple complex; the longer Concubine Han stayed in his room, the more dangerous their situation would be. Therefore, immediately he took the deer antler staff and turned one of the antlers open. He took a cup and pour some powder into it while saying, "Ku Dashi, Xiongdi concede defeat to your divine strategy; please take this antidote."

Fan Yao shook his head, "Such a little antidote, what can I do with that?"

Lu Zhangke said, "Not to mention two people, this powder is enough to rescue six, seven people."

"Don't be stingy," Fan Yao said, "What harm is it in giving me some more? To be brutally honest, you are so crafty that Ku Toutuo is afraid of your scheming."

Seeing him wanted more of the antidote, Lu Zhangke suddenly stood up and said, "Ku Dashi, could it be that the people you want to rescue is not Miejue Shitai and your beloved daughter?"

Fan Yao was about to make some excuse when suddenly they heard footsteps on the courtyard; about seven, eight people rushed in. One of them was heard saying, "The footprints stop here. Could it be that Concubine Han is in the Wan An Temple area?"

Lu Zhangke's expression changed; he pulled the cup back into his bosom, out of Ku Toutuo's reach. He thought that Ku Toutuo had prepared an ambush; as soon as he took the antidote, he would make his move. Fan Yao waved his hand, telling him not to panic, then he took a blanket and covered up Concubine Han, including her head; he also pulled down the bed curtain.

"Mr. Lu, are you home?" one of the men on the courtyard called out. Fan Yao pointed to his own mouth, reminding Lu Zhangke that he was a mute, telling him to answer.

"What is it?" Lu Zhangke said in loud voice.

"One of the concubines from the palace is kidnapped," that man replied, "We trace the bandit's footprints and looks like he came to Wan An Temple."

Lu Zhangke shot an angry look toward Fan Yao; his meaning was clear: 'If you are not intentionally framing me, with your kind of skill, how could you leave a trail behind?'

Fan Yao grinned widely and smiled. He made some hand signals, telling him to send these men away; while in his heart he thought, "Wei Fuwang truly went all the way; he directed the track from the palace to this place."

Lu Zhangke coldly laughed and said, "You don't scatter and look around, but making disturbance here. What do you want?" Because of his high level of martial art skill, everybody was scared of him. That man answered indistinctly and did not dare to say anything else. He ordered his men to disperse and search the temple.

Lu Zhangke knew that with people all around the Wan An Temple searching for Concubine Han, to actually take Concubine Han out of the temple and bring her someplace else would not be easy even though they would not dare to search his room. He frowned and stared angrily at Ku Toutuo.

Suddenly Fan Yao got an idea, in a low voice he said, "Lu Xiong, there is a place within the Wan An Temple which can be used as a good hiding place for your beloved. We'll wait for half a day then we'll take her out; I don't think that will be too late."

Lu Zhangke angrily replied, "The safest place is in your own room."

Fan Yao smiled and said, "With this kind of beautiful woman hiding in my room, the Old Toutuo's heart might be moved. Are you sure Lu Xiong won't be jealous?"

"Then what kind of place were you talking about?" Lu Zhangke asked.

Fan Yao pointed his finger toward the peak of the pagoda outside the window while showing a faint smile.

Lu Zhangke was smart; he understood immediately. Raising his thumb he praised, "Good idea!"

The pagoda was used as a prison for the martial art masters of the six major sects; it was under Lu Zhangke's first disciple Wuwang Apu's custody. Other people or other places could be under suspicion, but nobody would suspect the Prince's concubine was hidden in the most heavily guarded place of all: the prison.

"Right now there is nobody on the courtyard," Fan Yao said, "We must not tarry. Let's move." Raising the four corner of the blanket he wrapped Concubine Han inside, making it looked like a big bundle. With his right hand he lifted it up and gave it to Lu Zhangke.

Lu Zhangke, however, thought that he was being swindled; he thought that as soon as he carried Concubine Han on his shoulder, Ku Toutuo would make a racket announcing it to everybody, then Lu Zhangke would be caught red-handed with the kidnapped person in his hand, at that time he would not be able to say anything. Having this thought his expression changed and he did not hold out his hand to receive the bundle.

Fan Yao understood his thought, he said, "Mustn't help someone half way. Sending off Buddha must send him off to Heaven. What harm is it in letting Ku Toutuo protecting you again? Who told me to ask a favor from you?" While saying that he carried the bundle on his back, pushed the door to go out and in a low voice said, "You walk ahead. If anybody stops us to inquire, just kill them."

Walking sideways Lu Zhangke went out the door; he still did not want to let Ku Toutuo walking behind him for fear of any sneak attack. Fan Yao reached back to close the door, then with Concubine Han on his back he walked toward the pagoda.

It was already late eleventh hour (between 7 – 9 pm); other than the pagoda guards, there was nobody else walking around the Temple. As the guards saw Lu Zhangke and Fan Yao they bowed to salute and respectfully moved aside to let them pass. As they arrived in front of the pagoda, someone had already informed Wuwang Apu, so that he was waiting on the door. "Shifu," he said, "I wish you, Senior, well. Are you going to take a walk in the pagoda?"

Lu Zhangke nodded his head; along with Fan Yao he was about to step into the pagoda when suddenly from the moon gate on the east side of the pagoda someone stepped out, it was none other than Zhao Min. Because he was guilty, Lu Zhangke was really shocked. He thought Zhao Min was personally leading her warriors to arrest him. He had no alternative but summon his courage and he stepped forward to pay his respect along with Ku Toutuo and Wuwang Apu.

The previous night Zhang Wuji made such a disturbance and Zhao Min did not know only three people from the Ming Cult came over. She feared they were dispatching a large scale raid; therefore, she personally came to the pagoda on an inspection tour. Seeing Fan Yao, she smiled slightly and said, "Ku Dashi, I was looking for you." Fan Yao nodded, maintaining his composure. Zhao Min continued, "I want you to accompany me going to a certain place."

Fan Yao was inwardly groaning, "With great difficulty I lured Lu Zhangke into the pagoda; all I have to do is snatching the antidote and then this great endeavor will be brought into its successful completion. Who would have thought that this little girl pick this exact same time to look for me?" Frantically he tried to find an excuse, but could not come up with any good explanation; besides, he was a mute, so he was not supposed to say anything. Suddenly he had an idea, "I'll let Lu Zhangke think of something." Immediately he pointed toward the bundle on his back and shoved it toward Lu Zhangke. Lu Zhangke was taken aback; he inwardly scolded Ku Toutuo as being very malicious.