The Legend of the Condor Heroes

Yang Kang understood the implication of his speech; Wanyan Honglie aimed to be the emperor. Thinking about 'unlimited riches and honor', his heart was thumping loudly, secretly thought, "With the power of the Great Jin, it is not difficult to crush the Song. Mongolia will pose another problem, but it will be temporary. They are just a bunch of barbarians with excellent riding and archery skills; nothing refine. Father King's management skill is superb. Which Great Jin's other prince can be compared to him? When all's said and done, I will definitely become the crown prince of this world." Thinking thus far his blood boiled. He stretched his hand to grab Wanyan Honglie's. "Father, your child will certainly help you in this great undertaking."

Yang Kang was about to reply when suddenly they heard a noise behind them. Two men froze. Quickly they turned their heads. It was already morning; a bright sunlight came through the window. They saw seven, eight coffins scattered throughout the room. Turned out this west wing was the temporary placement of the dead before burial. They listened carefully; the noise sounded like it came from one of the coffin.

"What was that?" Wanyan Honglie asked.

"Probably a mouse," Yang Kang replied. At that moment they heard Guo Jing and Huang Rong were talking outside about the golden helmet; then joking around looking for them.

"Confound it!" Yang Kang thought, "Father's golden helmet is left outside! This could be bad." With a low voice he said, "I am going to lead them away." Quietly he opened the door and jumped outside, toward the roof.

Huang Rong was on the roof; suddenly she saw a shadow flashing on the roof peak. "Good! He is here!" She dashed toward that shadow, but the shadow quickly jumped down and disappeared over a corner.

Guo Jing heard her voice and came. "He can't run away, he must be hiding in the woods," Huang Rong said.

Two people were about to run into the woods when suddenly there was a noise from the bush and out came Yang Kang. Guo Jing was pleasantly surprised. "Brother, where did you come from?" he asked. "Did you see Wanyan Honglie?"

"Wanyan Honglie is here?" Yang Kang feigned surprise.

"He was the commander of that troop. Look, his golden helmet is here," Guo Jing said.

"So that's how it is," Yang Kang said.

Huang Rong saw his expression was unusual; she also remembered he was speaking with Ouyang Ke earlier; she was suspicious. "We were looking for you everywhere just a moment ago. Where were you?" she asked.

"I ate too much strange food yesterday, I think I suffered a food poisoning, so I relieved myself over there," Yang Kang said, pointing to a small wooded area.

Huang Rong did not believe him, but she was uncomfortable to chase him. "Brother," Guo Jing said, "Let's look together."

Yang Kang was worried; he was not sure if Wanyan Honglie had run away or was still there; but his face did not show anything. "He came here to die! We could not have asked anything better," he said, "Why don't you two search to the east, I'll go to the west."

"Very well!" Guo Jing said, and immediately walked to the east; pushing open the door to the 'jie xiao tang' [clemency and filial hall].

"Brother Yang," Huang Rong said, "I think that man is hiding in the west; let me come with you."

Yang Kang groaned inwardly, but his face feigned happiness. "Let us go, quick!" he said, "Don't let him run away." Immediately two people searched from room to room.

The Liu family of Bao Ying was originally a big family during the Song Dynasty; naturally their ancestral temple was huge. But because of the war with the Jins, this temple was partially burned and some of the Liu family was killed. Hence the parts of temple were left in ruins without any effort to rebuild it.

With a cold look Huang Rong watched Yang Kang opened dust-laden and full-of-spider-web doors one by one. He searched each and every room. Finally they arrived at the west wing. Huang Rong saw thick dust on the floor, and on that dust there were several footprints, which – from the look of them, were recently made. There were a couple of handprints on the closed door too. "In here!" she shouted excitedly.

Guo Jing and Yang Kang both heard her cry; Guo Jiang was delighted, while Yang Kang was anxious; both rushed toward her.

Huang Rong kicked the door open, but to her surprise, all she saw was several coffins with no signs of Wanyan Honglie.

Yang Kang was greatly relieved, he knew Wanyan Honglie must have escaped; but he entered the room and loudly shouted, "Wanyan Honglie, traitor! Where do you hide? Come out!"

"Brother Yang, he must have heard us a long while ago. You don't have to kindly let him know we are here," Huang Rong snickered.

Yang Kang was embarrassed, his face was flushed, "Miss Huang, why do you joke with me?" His embarrassment turned to anger.

"Never mind her, Brother; Rong'er likes to joke," Guo Jing smiled. He lowered his head and said, "Look here, someone must have left all these footprints. Indeed he was here."

"Quick, we must pursue him!" Huang Rong urged. Just as she turned her head, there came a noise from behind her. All three people were scared. They saw a coffin moved slightly.

Huang Rong was always scared of coffins; ever since she entered this room, she had been feeling queasy; now that she suddenly a coffin moved by itself, she uttered a cry and tightly held Guo Jing's arm. But even though her heart was scared, her brain was still working. "That traitor … that traitor hides in the coffin," she said with a trembling voice.

Yang Kang suddenly pointed his finger outside, "Hey! He is over there!" Without waiting anything he ran outside. But Huang Rong was quick, she reached backward and grabbed Yang Kang's main artery. "You have seen a ghost?" she sneered.

Half of Yang Kang's body was numb; he could not move. "You … what are you doing?" he anxiously asked.

Guo Jing was delighted. "Right! That traitor must be hiding in the coffin." With big strides he walked toward the coffin and lifted his hands, ready if Wanyan Honglie came out.

"Elder Brother, be careful!" Yang Kang called out. "There could be a zombie inside."

Huang Rong twisted Yang Kang's hand that he fell to the ground. "You still want to scare me?" she angrily asked.

She was certain that it was Wanyan Honglie hiding inside the coffin, but still, she was scared. What if it were really a zombie inside? You never know, don't you?

"Brother Jing, not so fast!" she tremblingly said.

Guo Jing halted and turned his head, "What is it?"

"Just hold the lid down," Huang Rong said. "Don't let … don't let that thing come out."

Guo Jing smiled, "How can it be a zombie?" But he saw that Huang Rong was really scared, so he jumped toward the coffin and comforted her, "He won't be able to crawl out!"

Huang Rong was still anxious, she hesitated a little bit, and then said, "Brother Jing, let me hit the coffin using the 'pi kong zhang' [splitting empty palm] while you keep your eyes open. Whether it is a zombie or Wanyan Honglie, I will split the coffin up. We will see whether it is a person crying or a zombie wailing!"

As soon as finished speaking she exerted her energy toward her palms, treaded two stepped and sent the palms hacking the coffin. Her splitting empty palm was not as strong as Lu Chengfeng's; therefore, she needed to hack the coffin directly; while actually it could be launched from a distance with an empty air between her and the target.