The Legend of the Condor Heroes

Hong Qi Gong said, " No. When a girl receives violation of this sort, it is even worse than death, as the saying goes, ' To lose one's honor is a grave issue as compared to just starving to death'."

Huang Rong still did not understand and asked, " Is it to use a knife to chop off their ears and nose?"

Hong Qi Gong laughed but scolded, " Peh! It's not that either. Silly lass, go home and ask your mother."

Huang Rong answered, " My mother's long dead."

Hong Qi Gong let out an "Ah" and said, " You'll understand when you go through your marriage night with this dumb boy."

Huang Rong reddened and pouted, " It's alright if you don't want to tell me." She then realized that it's a touchy subject and asked, " What happened after you found out what that Liang creature was doing?"

Hong Qi Gong saw that she wasn't probing into that matter anymore and thus asserted his stern torn again and sighed, " Then I naturally had to do something. I caught that fella and beat him up. I pulled off all his white hair and forced him to return those girls to their homes. After that, I forced him to swear that he would not do such stuff again and if I caught him doing it, he'll meet a fate worse than death. I heard that he didn't create trouble these couple of years and therefore spared his life today. Damn it, has his hair grown back?"

Huang Rong laughed and said, " It has grown back! But imagine how terribly painful it was for him to have all his hair torn out."

After the three finished eating, Huang Rong said, " Qi Gong, now even if you give me that stick, I wouldn't dare take it. But we cannot be together with you forever right? If we see that Liang creature again in the future and he says, " Alright you little rascal, you used Leader's Hong stick to hit me in the past, now it's time for my revenge. I'll pull out all your hair!" then what are we to do? Before, when Brother Jing fought with that old creature, he could only display the 'Proud dragon shows remorse' stance, which though is powerful, though is not spectacular enough right? That old creature must be thinking, ' Leader Hong's skills are so impressive but his disciple is however just an average performer.'"

Hong Qi Gong laughed, " You are just scaring and provoking me into teaching both of you more skills. Alright, you both don't have to worry as long as you cook more nice dishes for me."

Huang Rong was delighted and dragged Qi Gong into the forest. Hong Qi Gong passed the second stance of the '18 subduing dragon palms", called the 'Flying dragon in the sky' to Guo Jing. The stance falls in mid air and is a powerful one, which attacks one below from high above. Guo Jing only mastered it after three days. In the three days, Hong Qi Gong was able to taste more of Huang Rong's delicious cooking. She did not pester him to teach her any more skills, she was more than happy as long as he concentrated on teaching Guo Jing. In a month's time, Hong Qi Gong finally was able to pass fifteen stances of the '18 subduing dragon palms' to Guo Jing, from the very first 'Proud dragon shows remorse' to the ' Dragon battles in the wild'. The '18 subduing dragon palms' was Hong Qi Gong's specialty. Half of it was due to his teacher's guidance and the other half was his own experimental effort. Although the number of stunts were limited, each stunt carried with it immense force. During the last Hua Shan tournament with Wang Chong Yang and Huang Yao Shi etc, Hong Qi Gong had not fully mastered the skill and yet Wang Chong Yang and the rest were still in awe of it. Hong Qi Gong often lamented later on that if he had fully mastered the skill earlier, he would have gotten the number one title instead of Wang Chong Yang, leader of the Quan Zhen sect.

He was actually only willing to teach Guo Jing two or three stances, which would be sufficient for the latter to protect himself. But who would have guessed that Huang Rong possessed such wonderful culinary skills and was able to wipe up interesting and delicious dishes everyday such that he could not bear to leave. As the days went by, he had actually passed fifteen stances to Guo Jing. Although Guo Jing is not intelligent by nature, every time he learns a new stunt or advice, he would spend the whole time practicing and examining it, such that at the end of one month, he had mastered the fifteen stances perfectly, and would have improved even more if time had permitted it, his skills were totally different and tons more powerful compared to a month ago.

This morning, after Hong Qi Gong had his breakfast, he sighed, " You two babies, we three have accompanied each other for more than a month, thus it's time we parted now."

Huang Rong answered, " Ah, no way, I still have so much more dishes I haven't cooked for senior you,"

Hong Qi Gong answered, " There is no one banquet which doesn't end on earth, but yet, there are so much food which one cannot fully taste. Old beggar here has never taught anyone more skills for more than three days, and yet, this time I end up teaching someone for more than thirty days. It would really be terrible if I continue."

Huang Rong asked, "Why?"

Hong Qi Gong answered, " Very soon, all my skills will be learnt by you two."

Huang Rong answered, " Since you've started, why not pass the whole set of '18 subduing dragon palms' to him, it'll be a success then no?"

Hong Qi Gong sneered, " Yes, it'll be an accomplishment for you two but not for me."

Before Huang Rong could devise a scheme to make Hong Qicong pass on the remaining three moves of the "18 Dragon Subduing Palms" to Guo Jing, the beggar had already picked up his gourd and walked away without saying another word.

Guo Jing quickly pursued Hong Qicong, but the beggar was so fast that he was already out of sight. Guo Jing continued to chase after the beggar into the forest, all the while shouting, "Master Hong! Master Hong!"

Huang Rong ran into the forest and shouted after Hong Qicong too.

At the very edge of the forest, they perceived the shape of a man. It was Hong Qicong, approaching them once more. "What, you two stinky children want to entangle me - make me teach you more?" he scolded.

"Master, you've already taught this junior so much, how would I dare to ask you for more?" Guo Jing said. "I just wanted to thank you." He promptly knelt down and kow-towed.

"Stop!" Hong Qicong shouted as his face colored. "I taught you only in exchange for the magnificent dishes the girl made. There is no master-disciple relationship between us." He then knelt down to Guo Jing.

Shocked, Guo Jing attempted to kow-tow back as per social custom, but Hong Qicong hit his acupuncture point, which left him without movement. Hong Qicong knelt four more times to Guo Jing before releasing the younger man's acupuncture point.

"This way, your bowing to me won't make you my disciple," Hong Qicong said.

Guo Jing understood Hong Qicong's strange conduct and decided not to press the matter.

But Huang Rong sighed.

"Master Hong, you have treated us so well that I am sorry to see you leave us," she said. "I fear … I fear … I just wanted to make you so more small dishes for you to enjoy, so that in the future, we would have no one to fear."