The Legend of the Condor Heroes

"Now you are fighting," Huang Yaoshi said. Hong Qigong had taught Guo Jing to train this stance against a pine tree. The tree needs to be held still, then Guo Jing was supposed to hit it with a sudden movement. Only then did he manage to break the tree. He had practiced this stance thousand of times. But as soon as his palm touched Huang Yaoshi's clothes he felt Huang Yaoshi's abdomen shrunk and his palm was sucked in real hard that he felt pain because his own joint was dislocated. He immediately leaped back several feet. His hand was limp.

The Six Freaks of Jiangnan saw Huang Yaoshi's body did not move, nor did he lifted a hand to parry; yet he was capable of dislocating Guo Jing's wrist. They were amazed, but also worried.

"You have to also receive my palm!" suddenly Huang Yaoshi shouted, "Let you know which one is superior, the Old Beggar's '18-dragon subduing palms' or my Peach Blossom Island's martial arts." Before he finished speaking a gust of wind had already blown toward Guo Jing. He endured his pain and jumped to avoid the attack. Unexpectedly Huang Yaoshi did not continue his palm but swept his legs instead. Guo Jing came tumbling down.

Huang Rong was alarmed. "Father, no!" she cried, and quickly jumped forward and bent down to protect him.

Huang Yaoshi did not stop; he simply changed his fist to an open palm. He grabbed his daughter's vest and lifter her up, while his left fist went straight toward Guo Jing.

The Six Freaks of Jiang Nan realized that if Guo Jing got hit, he would certainly die or at least suffer a very heavy injury. They moved at once. Quan Jinfa was the first. He struck Huang Yaoshi's left arm with his steel balance arm. Huang Yaoshi calmly put his daughter aside; waved both hands casually and that steel balance arm changed direction; striking the long sword in the hand of Han Xiaoying. Both the balance arm and the sword broke into four pieces.

"Master … !" Lu Chengfeng called out. He wanted to ask his master to stop, but knowing his master's temperament well, he did not dare to continue.

Huang Rong cried. "Father, kill him!" she shouted. "You will never see me again." Without further ado she ran out toward the Tai Lake and leaped into the water.

Huang Yaoshi was surprised, then angry. He knew his daughter was very good in water. She used to swim and dive in the 'tang hay' [East China Sea]; playing with fish and turtles. Sometime she went swimming for a whole day. But this time he was not sure when he would be able to see her again. So he ran toward the lake to try to grab her, but he was too late. Huang Rong had already vanished in the dark water. Huang Yaoshi stared blankly on the lakeshore.

After a long while he turned his head and saw Zhu Cong was mending Guo Jing's wrist. His anger flared and he wanted to vent his frustration toward this people. "You seven people! Quickly kill yourselves and save me the trouble," he coldly said.

Ke Zhen'E wielded his iron staff in front of his chest and proudly said, "Real men do not fear death. Do you think we are afraid of suffering?" Zhu Cong also said, "The Six Freaks of Jiangnan have returned to our hometown. If our bones can be buried here in the Lake Tai, what more could we want?" The six unsheathed their weapons or readied their bare hands and assume the battle formation.

Guo Jing thought hard. "My six masters do not have enmity with this man. They will only give up their lives in vain. How could I let them be in the harm's way?" he said in his heart. He quickly jumped forward. "Chen Xuanfeng died in my hand! It has nothing to do with my masters! I will pay his life with mine!" But then he had another thought, "The First Master, Third Master and Seventh Master are hot-tempered. If they see me losing my life, they will surely fight to their deaths. I have to stall. I must deal with him later, alone." He boldly positioned himself between Huang Yaoshi and the Six.

"My only regret is that my father's death has not been avenged. I beseech Senior to give me a month grace period. After 30 days I will personally come to the Peach Blossom Island to give up my life there," he fearlessly said.

Huang Yaoshi's anger has subsided by now; plus, he was worried about his daughter. He lost his appetite to fight. So he waved his hand casually and walked away.

Everybody was surprised; how did Guo Jing's simple speech could send him off just like that? They were suspicious that he was playing a trick; so they kept their eyes open wide in full alert. But after waiting a while Huang Yaoshi still did not come back.

After a while Lu Chengfeng regained his composure and invited everybody to go back to the hall for some rest.

Mei Chaofeng suddenly laughed; waving her sleeves and then turned around and leaped outside. Before long she had vanished in the dark.

"Mei Shijie!" Lu Chengfeng called out, "Take your disciple with you!"

But the darkness swallowed his voice. Mei Chaofeng had already gone far.