Soaring Swallows Startle Dragons

The Return to the Origin Manual

Part 6 (25)

Eight Armed Divine Codger, manual in hand, slowly walked up to the two of them and placed the manual on the grass and pieced it together. The three banner altarmen of the Heavenly Dragon Gang, the Four Uglies of Sichuan, Yang Menghuan, and the others all gathered around to take a look at this rare book of the martial world. Master One Yang squatted down and flipped open the cover that had Return to the Origin written on it in red cinnabar ink. Inside, on a white page was drawn a big turtle. The abbot of Mystic Metropolis frowned and flipped to the next page. This page was white with black characters written on it that read: “Croton seeds are inedible, if you eat them you’ll get diarrhea. Tofu stew goes best with wine, and won’t kill you.”

On the next page was drawn and assortment of birds and beasts, drawn by someone who apparently had no talent for it, as they were just rough sketches. If you really looked closely, they barely even resembled what they were supposed to be, but the brush strokes were vigorous and deliberate and made with a heavy hand, almost breaking through the paper.

On the last page of the third volume was written: “In return for making this trip in vain, these animals pictures were drawn for you to look at. What do you think of my drawing and calligraphy?”

Master One Yang quickly took out the treasure map and spread it out to compare the handwriting on it with that in the manual. The difference was apparent at once. Not only was the calligraphy different, the color of the ink was different as well. Li Canglan and Master One Yang were both accomplished at painting and calligraphy, so they noticed the discrepancy at once. The ink in the manual was no more than thirty years or so old, but the treasure map was a relic from a few hundred years ago.

Master One Yang threw down the map and sighed. “The real Return to the Origin manual must have been taken by someone long ago. We’ve really been had.”

The rare book of the martial world rumored for hundreds of years had now become a mystery. Everyone was dumbfounded.

Li Canglan saw the looks on everyone’s face and knew that Master One Yang was right. He turned and saw Goose Among the Clouds Liao Kun carrying his critically injured junior sectbrother on his back and was already gone a good ways.

The sun was setting in the west, rosy sunset clouds glowing, the red clouds like fire. Sky and Sea Elder watched Liao Kun disappear into the distance and slowly turned back and saluted Master One Yang and Wen Gongtai with a cupped fist. “In three years the Heavenly Dragon Gang will invite the nine major orthodox schools to a swordmeet. We shall meet again.” He took up his dragonhead cane, and with the Four Uglies of Sichuan guarding him, slowly walked off.

Stele-Breaking Hands Cui Wenqi and the other banner altarmen saluted him with a bow and a single hand raised before their chest, and once Li Canglan was gone, Cui Wenqi looked at Qiu Yuan and asked coldly, “So that appointment in half a year with the Heavenly Dragon Gang, is that still on?”

Snakeman laughed derisively. “As long as Qiu still lives, of course I will arrive on time as promised.”

Qi Yuantong laughed. “We respectfully await Brother Qiu’s esteemed arrival. Don’t forget that you too are a brushweed of the jianghu with no sect and no school. Once the dispute kicks up in the martial world, the masterhands of the so-called nine major orthodox schools will not allow you have a foothold in the jianghu. It’s hard to clap with just one hand. You should take that into consideration.” With that, the three turned around together and withdrew.

Greatmaster Clear Karma saw Qi Yuantong and the others going and was about to go after them, zen staff in hand, but he was held back by the abbot of Mystic Metropolis. The old monk sighed and looked at Shen Xialin. A heartsore look appeared on his face.

Wen Gongtai waited till the Heavenly Dragon Gang people had all left, then he turned to Master One Yang with a smile and said, “The Heavenly Dragon Gang has great ambition. We too ought to prepare ourselves. This little brother will be on his way.”

He had just turned and was about to go when he heard Qiu Yuan laugh coldly. “Brother Wen, hold on just a minute. I have something else to ask you.”

Wen Gongtai turned back. “What is it?”

Qiu Yuan said, “Our accounts added together is no small matter. Shouldn’t we settle it?”

Eight Armed Divine Codger loosed a long laugh and held his staff out crosswise. “Why don’t we settle it now?”

Qiu Yuan shook his head. “That won’t do, I still have to help Master Wise Perfected treat this snake venom.”

Wen Gongtai said, “I’ll be waiting for you on the summit of Mount Hua. I await enlightenment any time.” He took several bounds and was gone.

Qiu Yuan waited till Eight Armed Divine Codger was gone, then went over to Master Wise Perfected. “Lady Xia feel free to rest at ease. With your advanced internal skill, the venom will not reach your heart for three to five double-hours. Plus with the power of my vial of Jade Dew Detoxifying pills, you’ll be able to hold out two or three days. Once we get out of the Kuocang Mountains, I can get a prescription and treat the venom.”

Master Wise Perfected smiled faintly. “Death is nothing to be afraid of. You think if you cure me I won’t seek revenge?”

Qiu Yuan laughed loudly. “There’s likely not a miracle drug or elixir in the whole world that will be able to restore your power. When it comes to revenge, only your senior sectbrothers can will be able to do that for you!”

Master Wise Perfected felt a wave of heartsickness and closed her eyes and said no more. Master One Yang to the side cut in, “Let’s not discuss that now. We ought to get started on our way.”

He ordered Xialin and Tong Shuzhen to help support Master Wise Perfected on either side, and they followed the secluded valley out of the mountains. Such a pity, a lady xia of a generation, famed throughout the martial world, was now like a weak sequestered girl of the inner quarters, finding it difficult even to walk.

As Miss Shen helped support Shifu as they walked, she saw the tears on Shifu’s face and there was a thousand things she wanted to say, but she didn’t know where to begin, so she held her tongue, and with a sad, moving expression she suddenly looked over and asked Menghuan, “Big Brother Huan, do you know of any medicine that could cure Shifu’s injury?”

Menghuan was stumped by her question. He shook his head with a wry smile. “I don’t know any.”

Xialin sighed and turned to Qiu Yuan. “That little golden snake is awful. If it were to run into that big white crane, it would eat up that little golden snake for sure.”

Master One Yang’s thoughts were stirred by Xialin’s words and he suddenly recalled a certain remarkable, aloof person. He asked Qiu Yuan, “Brother Qiu, is there really no one who can cure that gold thread snake venom?”

Qiu Yuan said coldly, “If you don’t believe me, why not invite some famous doctors to give it a try?”

Master One Yang said, “On Poyang Lake in Jiangxi there’s a Miracle Hands Fisher Recluse, Xiao Tianyi, who is good at curing difficult poisonings. He has the ability to save desperate situations. Could he cure the gold thread snake venom?”

Qiu Yuan thought about this. “The venoms of the gold thread snake and the inkscaled ironplated snake are the most toxic of the 129 different kinds of snake venom. If an ordinary person is bitten they will die for sure within a hundred steps. I don’t claim by Jade Dew Detoxifying pills to be unequaled, the best in the whole world, but it really is miraculously effective at rescuing someone from venomous snakebites. For anything except gold thread snake and inkscaled ironplated snake bites, just one pill is enough, no problem. I’m not being sensational and exaggerating to make me seem amazing, but no matter how skilled and miraculous Miracle Hands Fisher Recluse Xiao Tianyi is, when it comes to curing snake venom, he’s not likely to be any more brilliant than I am. Besides, Miracle Hands Fisher Recluse hasn’t been involved in jianghu affairs for a long time. In the martial world it’s rumored that he’s already left Poyang Lake, so even if he could treat it, it would be difficult to find him.”

Master One Yang said, “Even if Xiao Tianyi hasn’t gone into seclusion yet, I still ask Brother Qiu to treat the snake venom for her. Then I will go and look for Miracle Hands Fisher Recluse and see whether or not he can restore her martial arts power.”

Qiu Yuan scoffed twice but said nothing. They all continued ahead, all of them harboring a heavy heart.

After walking for a while it was dusk, and the continuous chain of mountains gradually vanished within the boundless curtain of night, the evening wind blowing hard, rustling the pines like a heaving sea. The mountains at night took on a dreary, desolate air. Master One Yang looked askance at Junior Sister. Her willowy brows were pinched, and sweat was faintly visible. It was like she was trying hard to endure the pain. He sighed inwardly and ordered Xialin to halt and he personally helped Master Wise Perfected take five more Jade Dew Detoxifying pills.

Qiu Yuan’s Jade Dew Detoxifying pills really were miraculously effective. After she took them, Master Wise Perfected’s willowy brows gradually relaxed. She shook her head slightly and gave Senior Brother a wry smile. Master One Yang always knew that Junior Sister was a proud person. If the pain hadn’t been so intense she never would have let it show. He felt boundless sympathy and tenderness toward her, and not caring that Greatmaster Clear Karma and Menghuan were beside him, he consoled her in a low voice, “Bear it a little longer, no matter what. We’ll be out of the mountains tonight. Early next morning I’ll have you treated.”

Master Wise Perfected smiled. “It’s alright, don’t be so worried about me. I can endure it.”

Qiu Yuan laughed coldly and said to Master One Yang, “Even though your junior sectsister’s skill and power are advanced, forget about using internal power to force out the snake venom. That’s just asking for trouble. The best thing to advise her is not to pointlessly torture herself.”

Master Wise Perfected looked at Qiu Yuan and said angrily, “If I had known you had such a venomous thing on you I would have cut off both your arms first, then see what skills you could put to use?”

Snakeman said coldly, “If it hadn’t been for that bit of mercy on your part, I wouldn’t have given up that vial of Jade Dew Detoxifying pills to save you.”

Master Wise Perfected said, “It was just so you could swindle our Return to the Origin manual from us.”

Qiu Yuan’s complexion changed. He said angrily, “Even if I was just looking to get the Return to the Origin manual, they were just three fake volumes. Maybe I won’t treat your snake venom, how about that?” He turned, about to walk off.

Master One Yang leapt over to block his path and said anxiously, “I didn’t know that the Return to the Origin manual was a fake. I wasn’t trying to cheat you.”

Greatmaster Clear Karma was also visibly moved and he held his zen staff out, pointed at Qiu Yuan’;s back. “A real man is as good as his word. If you go back on your word then what kind of man are you? Almsgiver Qiu, if you break your promise like this and turn away from righteousness, then forget about us showing mercy. This old monk may be a mendicant disciple, but I will still put aside the precept against killing.”

Qiu Yuan laughed hahaha, and said, “Are you two going to attack together? Or are you getting ready to fight one on one?”

Master One Yang took Master Wise Perfected’s safety into consideration and did not want to fall out with Qiu Yuan. He forcefully suppressed his anger and said, “Brother Qiu has been a renowned figure for many years. Are the words you speak in the end not worth anything? If you treat my junior sectsister’s snake wound, the Kunlun School will not seek vengeance on you for the next ten years.”

Qiu Yuan laughed coldly. “I’m not afraid of anyone seeking vengeance! The problem is your junior sectsister is too haughty and doesn’t want to hear my sincere, good-intentioned advice. Even if I want to treat her condition well, if she won’t listen to my instructions than it’s pointless and just a waste of my time, and with her life in my hands, it would be better to just let the snake venom attack her heart and let her die.”

Master One Yang mulled this over in silence for a while. “Brother Qiu, what is it you want her to do?”

Qiu Yuan said, “Nothing too difficult, I just want her to listen to me, that’s all.”

Master One Yang nodded and smiled. “That’s easy, we will definitely comply with Brother Qiu’s instructions.”

Though he was smiling, inwardly his heart was very heavy. Master Wise Perfected was proud. Even if it was a life or death matter she would still never let anyone order her around. He felt like he was bearing a heavy load of lead on his shoulders as he walked slowly over to Junior Sister and squatted down and said to her in a low voice, “Brother Qiu will treat your snake venom, but you must listen to what he says. Just put up with it for a bit!”

Master Wise Perfected opened her starry eyes and saw the worried, grieved look on Senior Brother’s face in the night. She sighed. “Even if he treats me I’ll just be a cripple. Why bother making me yield to others?”

Master One Yang smiled. “Maybe within those ten years I can find a miracle drug to restore your internal power?”

Master Wise Perfected smiled and held her tongue and nodded, closing her eyes.

They rested for a bit and ate a little something, then continued on. The night journey was hard on Tong Shuzhen and Xialin, both of them supporting Master Wise Perfected as they tramped over hill and dale, making them so tired their clothes were soaked through with sweat.