The Legend of the Condor Heroes

Zhou Botong burst out in laughter, but stopped abruptly because his chest hurt. Finally he chuckled and said, "The Old Heretic Huang has fallen into my trap. I spoke nonsense to deceive him and he took it seriously. Amusing, amusing!"

Hong Qigong was taken aback. "Then Jing'er really didn't know beforehand?" he asked.

Zhou Botong laughed, "Of course he didn't know! He thought the Nine Yin martial arts are evil; if he knew, he wouldn't want to learn with me. Brother, you have memorized the manual really well didn't you? Even if you want to forget it, you can't, can you?" He held his stomach and burst out into laughter again; didn't care if it hurt his chest; so his expression was really awkward.

Hong Qigong stomped his foot. "Ay! Old Urchin! Don't you think this joke is too much? I am going to talk to Yao Xiong." Moving his feet he dashed into the forest, but the pathways was confusing; he did not know which way Huang Yaoshi went. As for the deaf and mute servants, as soon as their master gone, they scampered away following him. Hong Qigong had no one to lead him the way, so he was compelled to come back. But suddenly he remembered that Ouyang Ke had the map of the Peach Blossom Island in details. "Ouyang Xianzhi, can I borrow the Peach Blossom Island map, please?" he asked urgently.

Ouyang Ke shook his head, "Without Uncle Huang's permission little nephew does not dare to let other people see it; Uncle Hong please don't blame me."

"Humph!" Hong Qigong snorted. He said in his heart, "I am really stupid, how can I borrow the map from this kid? He earnestly wishes for the Old Heretic Huang to hate my dumb disciple." While he was still staring at the forest suddenly he saw some white shadows coming out. Turned out they were Ouyang Feng's 32 white clothed dancing girls.

As they came close to Ouyang Feng, they bent their knees and one of them said, "Master Huang told us to go back with Master."

Ouyang Feng did not even look their way; he simply waved his hand telling them to board the boat. Toward Hong Qigong and Zhou Botong he said, "I am afraid Yao Xiong did put some booby-traps on board. Don't you two gentlemen worry, Little Brother will follow closely on my boat. In case of emergency we can lend you a hand."

Zhou Botong angrily said, "Who wants your charity? I want to see what kind of gadgets the Old Heretic Huang put on his boat. If you follow along the danger won't come; where is the fun part then? If you mess with me, the Old Urchin will drench you with urine one more time!"

Ouyang Feng laughed, "Very well! In that case, till we meet again." He cupped his fists and took his nephew boarding his own boat.

Guo Jing was still staring blankly at where Huang Rong disappeared, lost in his thought. Zhou Botong laughed, "Brother, let us board the boat. I wonder if this ill-fated boat will swallow us three people alive" His left hand took Hong Qigong's arm and his right hand pulled Guo Jing along, together they board the new boat.

The boat came with about seven, eight sailors waiting to serve them; they were all mute. Zhou Botong laughed, "One day the Old Heretic Huang will be very angry that he cut his precious daughter's tongue. Only then will I admire him to have guts." Listening to this Guo Jing could not help but shivered. Zhou Botong saw him and laughed heartily, "Are you scared?" he asked; then made a hand signal to the sailor to start sailing. The sailors hoisted the anchor and raised the sail; under the southern wind they headed north.

"Come," Hong Qigong said, "Let us take a look of this boat and see what is so strange about it." Three men walked the boat from stern to bow; from the deck to the bottom of the hold. The boat was painted in bright and clear paint; the hold contained supply of foods and drinks: water, white rice, wine, meat and vegetables in abundance. Nothing was out of ordinary.

"The Old Heretic Huang deceived us!" Zhou Botong hatefully said, "Where is the strange thing on this boat he was talking about? He is such a liar!"

Hong Qigong, however, was still in doubt. He leaped to the mast and with his strength tried to rock the mast and the sail, but again, he found nothing out of ordinary. He lifted up his eyes looking at a distance; he saw seagulls flying, the billows rolled and the horizon where the sea met the sky. The boat's three sails were fully raised; they were heading north. He spread his collar and enjoyed the invigorating wind. Turning his head he saw Ouyang Feng's boat following them approximately two li's [about 1 km] behind.

Hong Qigong leaped down the mast, made a hand signal to the sailor, told him to change course to the northwest. A moment later he looked again and saw that Ouyang Feng's boat had also changed its direction to the northwest.

"What does he follow us for?" Hong Qigong muttered under his breath, "Can he really have good intentions? The Old Venom shows kindness of heart, the sun may have to come out from the west." He was afraid if Zhou Botong knew he would throw a fit of temper. He didn't say anything, but signaling the sailor to change course to the east.

The boat made an abrupt turn that the sail were almost touching the water and they slowed down. Approximately the time needed to drink a cup of tea later Ouyang Feng's boat was also changing its direction to the east. "If you want to settle our score on the sea, that's allright with me," Hong Qigong thought.

He left the deck to enter the cabin only to see Guo Jing looked depressed; he was quiet, lost in thought. Hong Qigong said, "Tu'er [disciple], let me teach you how a beggar begs for rice: if the master of the house did not give you anything, you hang around his door for three days and three nights, see if he still didn't want to give you anything."

Zhou Botong laughed, "What if the master of the house owns a vicious dog? What if he told to dog to bite you because you don't want to go? What would you do?" he asked.

Hong Qigong laughed, "That case he is a heartless rich man. If you come again at night and steal his belonging, you are not violating the heaven's law."

Zhou Botong turned to Guo Jing. "Brother, do you understand your Master's speech? He taught you to be persistent in front of your father-in-law. If he still won't give his daughter to you and beat you for no reason, then you can steal her at night," he said, "Only if you really have to steal that treasure, you don't have to do it yourself; all you need to do is just call out, 'bao bei er [Treasure, precious], come!' And she herself will come out and follow you."

Listening to him Guo Jing was unable to restrain a smile. He saw Zhou Botong pacing up and down the cabin, could not stay still even for a moment. Suddenly a thought came into his mind, "Big Brother, do you have any destination to go?" he asked.

"I don't have any," replied Zhou Botong, "I will go where my heart tells me to. I have stayed on the Peach Blossom Island for too long, I felt cooped up."

"I have a favor I'd like to ask Big Brother," Guo Jing said.

Zhou Botong shook his head. "No, I am not going to the Peach Blossom Island to help you steal a wife, I don't want to."