Heaven-relying Sword And Dragon-slaying Sabre

"That's right," Xie Xun replied, "This Miss Yin loves you this much; how can we not save her? Miss Zhou, Miss Zhao, what do you think?"

"Miss Yin's injury is serious," Zhao Min said, "Mine is not a problem. Other than returning to the LingSheIsland, what else can we do?"

Zhao Zhiruo unenthusiastically said, "Laoye Zi says we should return then we must return."

Zhang Wuji said, "We have to wait for the fog to clear up and then we can look at the stars to find our bearing. Yifu, that Liuyun Shi was somersaulting in the air, but he was able to hurt me with his Sheng Huo Ling. How did he do that?"

Immediately the two of them discussed the Persian Three Emissaries' martial arts. Zhao Min also possessed a vast knowledge of martial arts, so occasionally she was able to offer some opinion. But after deliberating for half a day, they still could not figure out the essence of the coordinated movements of the three people.

The fog on the ocean lasted until dawn. Zhang Wuji said, "We came from the north toward the southeast; hence we need to row toward the northwest."

Zhang Wuji, Xie Xun, Zhou Zhiruo and Xiao Zhao took turn rowing the boat. It was not easy to handle that small boat braving the big waves against the strong northerly wind. Fortunately, Zhang Wuji and Xie Xun possessed profound internal energy; Zhou Zhiruo and Xiao Zhao were not weak either. They considered rowing the boat as martial art training.

For several days, the lone boat headed northwest slowly but surely. Xie Xun had been frowning all this time, as he was thinking deeply about the Persian Three Emissaries' strange martial art. Other than asking Zhang Wuji a few questions, he did not say anything else.

Toward the evening of the sixth day, suddenly Xie Xun carefully interviewed Zhou Zhiruo about the martial art of Emei Pai, which Zhou Zhiruo answered matter-of-factly. Two people exchanged questions and answers until very late at night.

Xie Xun's expression showed some disappointment as he said, "Shaolin, Wudang, Emei, three Sects' martial art was somewhat related to the 'Jiu Yang Zhen Jing' [Nine Yang Manual]; similar to what Wuji has learned, all based on the 'yang gang' [positive and hard/firm]. If only Zhang Sanfeng Zhenren [lit. real/true person, a respectable term to address a Taoist Priest] was here, then his extensive martial art skill encompassing 'yang gang' and 'yin rou' [negative and soft/flexible] could join hands with Wuji; so yin and yang complement each other, then we can defeat the Persian Three Emissaries. But distant water cannot extinguish a nearby fire; if Mrs. Han has already fallen into the hands of the Persian Three Emissaries, what use is my good idea?"

"Laoye Zi," Zhou Zhiruo suddenly asked, "I heard a hundred years ago in the Wulin world there exist some experts who were proficient in the Jiu Yin Zhen Jing [Nine Yin Manual]; is that true?"

On MountWudang, Zhang Wuji had heard his Da Shifu [great master] mentioned the name Nine Yin Manual; so he knew that the founder of the Emei Pai, Guo Xiang Nuxia's [heroine] father, Guo Jing, and the 'Shen Diao Daxia' [Divine Eagle Great Hero] Yang Guo, both had mastered the martial arts from the Nine Yin Manual. But the skill contained in the Manual was very difficult; so that although Guo Xiang was Guo Jing's own daughter, she still had not learned it. Listening to Zhou Zhiruo's question he thought, "Could it be that the Emei Pai's founder has handed down parts of the skill contained in the Nine Yin Manual?"

Xie Xun replied, "People of old did say such thing, but nobody knows the fact. Based on what I heard from the seniors, if we had someone who masters this martial art join hands with Wuji, then they would be able to defeat the Persian Three Emissaries."

"Hmm," Zhou Zhiruo mumbled and no longer asked any questions.

"Miss Zhou," Zhao Min asked, "Do any of your Emei Pai people know this martial art?"

Zhou Zhiruo replied, "If Emei Pai knew this divine skill, Xian Shi [late/departed master] would not lose her life at the Wan An Temple."

Miejue Shitai passed away because of Zhao Min, so Zhao Zhiruo hated her to the bone. Although they were on the same boat through the wind and the rain, she had not talked to her even one sentence. This time Zhao Min asked her directly, she contradicted her immediately. Zhou Zhiruo was gentle by nature; her remark to Zhao Min was already the most rude she had talked to anybody in her entire life. Zhao Min was not angry; she simply smiled.

During this entire conversation, Zhang Wuji did not stop rowing the boat. Suddenly he looked at the distant and called out, "Look! Look! There is fire over there!"

Everybody followed his gaze and indeed they saw flashing light of fire on the horizon toward their northwest. Although Xie Xun was not able to see, he was as excited as everybody else; he took the wooden oar and helped to row the boat with all his strength.

That blazing fire looked near, but actually it was dozens of 'li's away on the surface of the ocean; both men had to row for most of the day before they got close to it. Zhang Wuji saw the fire was actually on a mountainous island, which was precisely the LingSheIsland. "We have arrived!" he said.

"Aiyo!" suddenly Xie Xun exclaimed, "Why is the LingSheIsland on fire? Did they burn Mrs. Han?"

'Thud' suddenly Xiao Zhao fell down on the boat.

Zhang Wuji was shocked; he leaped to help her up, but her eyes were tightly closed, looked like she passed out. He busily massaged her acupoint to wake her up. "Xiao Zhao," he called out, "What happened to you?"

With tears on her eyes Xiao Zhao said, "I heard somebody is being burned alive, I … I … I'm very scared."

"That was just Xie Laoye's guess," Zhang Wuji consoled her, "It might not be true. Besides, even if Mrs. Han has fallen into their hands, if we rush, we might still be able to catch up and save her."

Xiao Zhao grabbed his hand and earnestly said, "Gongzi, please, you have to save Mrs. Han's life."

"All of us will do our best," Zhang Wuji replied. He went back to the stern, picked up the oar, and exerting his strength, he rowed even faster.

Xiao Zhao also picked up an oar, and although her hands were trembling, she also furiously paddled the boat.

"Zhang Gongzi," suddenly Zhao Min said, "There are two things that I don't understand; I've been giving it a thought for a long time, but still cannot figure it out. I wonder if you could enlighten me."

Hearing her suddenly being polite to him, Zhang Wuji felt strange. "What is it?" he asked.

Zhao Min said, "That day outside the Green Willow Manor, I dispatched people to attack your grandfather, Yang Xiao, and the others; but this Miss Xiao Zhao had actually defended against the troops. I know that under a capable general there are no weak soldiers, but still, under the Ming Cult's Jiaozhu there is actually a little servant girl with this kind of ability, I found it really strange … "

"What Ming Cult's Jiaozhu?" Xie Xun interrupted.

"Laoye Zi," Zhao Min laughed, "Let me tell you now: the young master, your foster child, is the Cult Leader of the Ming Cult. You are actually his subordinate."

Xie Xun was half believing and half doubting; he was at a loss of words. Thereupon Zhao Min told him briefly how Zhang Wuji had taken over the Cult Leader position; but she did not know too much about the details. Xie Xun then asked Zhang Wuji directly, and he did not have any choice but telling him the truth, about his involvement when the Six Major Sects besieged the BrightnessPeak, and how he found the 'Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi' manual inside the secret passage.