Heaven-relying Sword And Dragon-slaying Sabre

Zhang Wuji, Zhao Min and Zhou Zhiruo looked at each other in bewilderment, not knowing what was happening. Zhao Min whispered in Zhang Wuji's ears, "Look, their faces look alike!"

Zhang Wuji's heart was stirred, he noticed Taj-kis and Xiao Zhao both had delicate and elegant melon-seed-shaped faces, high nose and snow-white complexion, graceful like rippling waves of autumn. Their facial features were about 60, 70% similar, only on Xiao Zhao, the Persian heritage was but a shadow, while Taj-kis looked more foreign than a Central Earth woman. Zhang Wuji recalled at the little wineshop in Dadou, when Ku Toutuo Fan Yao saw Xiao Zhao, he said, 'Looks alike, looks alike!' Turned out what he meant by 'look alike' was that Xiao Zhao looked very much like Zi Shan Long Wang. Was Xiao Zhao Taj-kis' younger sister, then? Or was she her daughter?

Zhang Wuji also remembered how Yang Xiao and Yang Buhui, father and daughter, had always been suspicious toward Xiao Zhao. Whenever he asked Yang Xiao why he seemed wary toward a young girl like Xiao Zhao, Yang Xiao only said that Xiao Zhao reminded him of his old enemy, yet he did not elaborate further. Only now did Zhang Wuji understand that Yang Xiao felt Xiao Zhao's appearance looked very much like Zi Shan Long Wang; only he did not have any other evidence. Besides, Zhang Wuji was protective toward her, thus it was inconvenient for Yang Xiao to accuse her blatantly. Now it also became clear to him why Xiao Zhao deliberately twisted her mouth and made her nose crooked, painstakingly pretended to be an ugly girl.

Suddenly he recalled another matter, "Why did Xiao Zhao roam around the BrightnessPeak? How did she know the entrance to the secret passage? I am sure it was Zi Shan Long Wang who ordered her to go there; obviously with the intention to steal the Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi manual. She became my servant and has already been by my side for two years, and I have never suspected her. She had seen the manual; hereafter, if she want to write a copy, it would be as easy as taking something out of her own pocket. Aiyo! I only knew she was an innocent young girl; who would have expected that she is a shrewd schemer. These past two years were like a dream to me, I was constantly under her mercy without even realizing it. Zhang Wuji, oh, Zhang Wuji, in all your life you always believe others too easily, that was very stupid! Indeed, even a little girl like her was able to play with me on her palm."

Thinking to this point, he could not help but feel angry. Right at that moment, Xiao Zhao's eyes met with his. Zhang Wuji saw that her gaze was tender with unbounded passion, without any hint of pretense in it. His heart was shaken; he remembered how on the Brightness Peak, when he was battling the Six Major Sects, Xiao Zhao had protected him without any regard of her own safety, how during these two years she had ironed his clothes and taken good care of his daily needs. Could those actions be faked? Or could it be that he had accused her unjustly? While he was busy with his thoughts, the ship shook again and sank down quite a bit more.

"Zhang Jiaozhu," Taj-kis said, "All of you do not need to panic. When the Persian ships arrive, Xiao Zhao and I will deal with them. Zi Shan Long Wang is only a woman, but she knows how to be responsible of her own actions; in no way she would implicate others. Zhang Jiaozhu and Xie San Ge have shown kindness as heavy as a mountain to me; Taj-kis herewith expresses her gratitude to you." While saying that, she gracefully bowed to the ground.

Zhang Wuji and Xie Xun hastily returned her respects; each of them thinking, "These Persians are evil and cruel; they are going to capture you and burn you to death, and will certainly not let us go."

The ship gradually sank down; the water had reached the cabin. Zhang Wuji carried Yin Li, and Zhou Zhiruo carried Zhao Min, they all climbed up the mast. Suddenly Xiao Zhao pointed her finger to the east and broke into crying again. Everybody turned their eyes to follow her finger, and saw in the distant some sails on the surface of the ocean. Before long, the sails grew bigger and bigger; they were indeed a dozen or so big Persian ships coming to pursue them.

Zhang Wuji thought, "If I were Taj-kis, I'd rather jump into the ocean and die rather than suffering the pain of being burned alive." But when he looked at her, her expression was calm, she hardly showed any anxiety or fear; he had to admit his admiration, "She was the chief of the Si Da Fa Wang [Four Great Judge – see my notes earlier on 'hu jiao fa wang']; she is truly an extraordinary lady. To think that in the past, Yi Wang, Shi Wang and Fu Wang [eagle, lion and bat kings] have already achieved fame as senior heroes, while she was just a teenage girl; for her to be ranked above the three kings, it could not be just because of one time merit she rendered. She must have had some other quality, which surpassed other people."

Seeing the Persian ships gradually come near, he thought, "My offense toward the Bao Shu Wang [Precious Tree Kings] is not small, if I fall into their hands, I might as well forget about escaping alive. Only I have to find a way to save Yifu, Miss Zhao, Miss Zhou, and cousin. Xiao Zhao, oh, Xiao Zhao, you can betray me, but I cannot treat you unkindly."

By now, a dozen or so Persian ships were within sight; he could see that the cannons on those ships were aimed at the sunken ship's mast. The ships stopped within twenty some 'zhang's from the sunken ship, and they rolled the sail and dropped the anchor right away. He heard Zhihui Wang laugh heartily. He looked very smug when he called out, "Are thou surrender now?"

In a loud and clear voice Zhang Wuji replied, "The warriors of the Central Earth would rather die unyielding; how can we surrender? True warriors would contend with martial arts to decide who's strong and who's weak."

Zhihui Wang laughed; "True warriors battle with wits and not with brute force. Hurry up, extend your hands to be bound!"

Taj-kis suddenly spoke several sentences in Persian; her demeanor was stern. Zhi Hui Wang was stunned; he also replied in Persian. Two people asking and answering for a while; Dasheng Wang also joined the conversation. After several more exchanges, the big ship released a small boat with eight sailors rowing it, coming near the sunken ship.

"Zhang Jiaozhu," Taj-kis said, "Xiao Zhao and I will go over there first, please wait for us here for a moment."

"Mrs. Han," in a stern voice Xie Xun said, "The Central Earth Ming Cult's treatment to you was not bad. Our Cult's safety and danger, its prosperity or fall, is on Wuji's shoulder alone. If you betray us, the Old Xie won't show any compassion. If you harm a single strand of Wuji's hair, even becoming a ghost the Old Xie will not spare you."

With a cold laugh Taj-kis said, "If your foster child is so precious, do you think my daughter is merely dirt?" While saying that she took Xiao Zhao's hand and lightly jumped into the small boat. The eight sailors immediately rowed; the small boat sailed as if it was flying toward the big ship.

Listening to her words, everybody was startled. "Xiao Zhao is indeed her daughter," Zhao Min said.

From a distance they saw Taj-kis and Xiao Zhao board the ship and talk with the Precious Tree Kings; while their own ship was sinking. The mast went into the water inch by inch. Xie Xun sighed and said, "Different people, different hearts. Wuji Child, I am mistaken about Mrs. Han, and you are mistaken about Xiao Zhao. Wuji, a real man can be bent and can be stretched; we will endure disgrace for a while, waiting for a good opportunity to escape. You bear a very heavy responsibility on your shoulders, millions of common people of the Central Plains place their hopes in our Ming Cult to lift the banner of righteousness high and to repel the Tartars. When the opportunity comes, you'll have to escape, you cannot think others. You are the leader of a great Cult, you must be able to distinguish the important from the trivial."