The Legend of the Condor Heroes

On the third day these two people were so hungry and thirsty that their heads started to spin. "If only my female disciple is here," Hong Qigong sighed, "She is so smart that I am sure she will come out with something to counter the Old Poison's tactic. All we, master and disciple, can do is just staring and swallow our own saliva." Guo Jing also sighed.

About noon that day the sun was shining very bright. Suddenly Guo Jing saw two white dots on the horizon. He thought they were a couple of white clouds, but the dots moved way too fast for a cloud. They flew closer and getting bigger and bigger, uttering a loud cry. Turned out they were two white eagles. Guo Jing was ecstatic; he formed a hook with his left fingers and put it in his mouth, whistling repeatedly.

The eagles circled above the boat several times before diving down and perched on Guo Jing's shoulders. They were indeed the pair of eagles Guo Jing had raised in the Mongolian desert. "Master, could it be Rong'er is sailing this way?" he happily asked.

"That would be wonderful!" Hong Qigong replied, "Too bad these eagles are too small, won't be able to carry us master and disciple out of here. We are stuck here, at loss of what to do. Quickly tell her to come over here and think of something."

Guo Jing took out his dagger and cut two pieces about five inches square from the sail and carved out two characters 'you nan' [lit. have trouble], and a picture of a gourd. [I don't know how Guo Jing carve a piece of cloth with his dagger, but that's what written] Then he strapped those pieces, one on each white eagle's leg, and said, "Quickly fly back and get Miss Huang to come here." The white eagles made some chirping sound, stretched their wings, and flew from Guo Jing's shoulders. They circled the boat once then flew toward the west.

About an hour after the white eagles left, Ouyang Feng again tried to entice Hong Qigong and Guo Jing to come down the mast by preparing another banquet table, loaded with food and wine. Hong Qigong was indignant, "The Old Beggar is a glutton and the Old Poison is using this dirty trick to torture me. I practice martial art my whole life, but I have to admit my spiritual strength is rather lacking. Jing'er, what do you say we go down and beat them up real good?"

"The white eagles have already delivered our letter; I believe the situation will change very soon. Please be patient and wait a little bit longer," Guo Jing replied.

Hong Qigong smiled. A while later he asked, "Among the world's bad aroma, what do you say is the worst?"

"I don't know. What is it?" Guo Jing replied.

"There was one time I had to wander way up north. I was caught in a heavy snowstorm for eight days without any food; not even a squirrel could be found. I wanted to eat tree bark, yet I couldn't find any either. Randomly I dug around the snow-covered ground and was lucky to find five living things, so I could extend my life another day. The next day I found a yellow wolf and was able to satisfy my hunger."

"What were those five living things?" Guo Jing asked.

"They were earthworms, fat and juicy earthworms. I just swallow them alive, did not even dare to chew," Hong Qigong replied.

Guo Jing recalled how the slimy earthworms wiggle, he almost threw-up. Hong Qigong laughed heartily. He intentionally talked about the world's dirtiest and smelliest things to battle the aroma from food and wine below them. He talked some more and cursed some more, before finally said, "Jing'er, the Old Beggar has eaten earthworms, but there is something even more disgusting than they that the Old Beggar would rather eat my own toes than eating that thing. Do you know what it is?"

Guo Jing smiled, "I know! It's dung!" he exclaimed.

Hong Qigong shook his head, "No, it is dirtier that that." He let Guo Jing made some more guesses before bursting out in laughter, "I'll tell you what it is; the world's dirtiest and most disgusting thing is the Western Poison Ouyang Feng!"

"Right! Right!" Guo Jing also burst in laughter.

After suffering the whole afternoon, that evening Ouyang Ke came out and stood amidst his flock of vipers. He smiled and said, "Uncle Hong, Brother Guo, my uncle wants to borrow the Nine Yin Manual just to take a look, nothing else."

Hong Qigong cursed under his breath, "Son of a bitch, what a good intention he has!" In his anger suddenly an idea came into his head; but he kept a straight face and shouted loud and clear, "Little Rascal, the old man admits defeat to your dog-like uncle's evil scheme. Quickly prepare some food and wine, we'll talk again tomorrow."

Ouyang Ke was delighted; he knew Hong Qigong's word was like a mountain, he certainly would live up to his promise, so he gave the command to withdraw the snakes immediately. Hong Qigong and Guo Jing slid down the mast and went into the cabin; where Ouyang Ke's servants delivered all kind of food and wine. As soon as the door was closed Hong Qigong immediately drank half a pot of wine; ripping half a chicken and started to chew.

"Are these food and wine free of poison?" Guo Jing asked with a low voice.

"Stupid kid," Hong Qigong said, "That bird brain wants you to write down the manual, he won't harm your life just yet. Quickly eat as much as you can, we have things to discuss afterward." Guo Jing silently agreed, in one breath he ate four big bowls of rice.

After eating and drinking to his heart's content Hong Qigong used the end of his sleeve to wipe his greasy mouth, then whispered in Guo Jing's ear, "The Old Poison wants the 'jiu yin zhen jing' [Nine Yin Manual] from you, you write a 'jiu yin jia jing' [Nine Yin Altered Manual] for him."

Guo Jing was puzzled, "Nine Yin Altered Manual?" he asked in a low voice.

Hong Qigong smiled, "That's right!" he said. "In this whole wide world, you are the only one who knows the Nine Yin Manual. Whatever you want to write, just write. Who is going to say that what you write is not the real manual? Intentionally you alter and mix up the sentences, let him use that to train himself in martial art. I am sure even if he practices for a hundred years he won't master even one fart!"

Guo Jing was delighted, he thought, "This is a really clever trick; the Old Poison will surely fall for it." But then he remembered something, "Ouyang Feng's martial art is profound; he is also crafty and vigilant, if disciple just scribbles some nonsense, he will find out eventually, then what?" he asked.

"You have to write something that appeared right but actually wrong," Hong Qigong explained, "Write three correct sentences then alter the fourth one. Add or subtract some numbers, for example, if the manual says you need to do it eight times, change it to six or perhaps ten. As smart as he is, he will never find it out. I am willing to spend seven days and seven nights without food or wine just to see him training from this fake manual." Speaking to this point he could not restrain his smile.