The Legend of the Condor Heroes

Ke Zhen'e raised his head to the sky without saying anything, two lines of tears flowed down on his cheeks. Guo Jing was shocked, but did not dare to ask. Then he saw Zhou Botong was helping someone else going out of the cave. That person's left hand was holding a wine gourd, his right hand holding half a chicken, his mouth busily nibble on the chicken leg, a broad smile on his face, and he kept nodding his head. He was none other than the Nine-fingered Divine Beggar Hong Qigong.

Jing and Rong two people were overjoyed, "Shifu!" they called out together.

Ke Zhen'e's face suddenly appeared very angry; he lifted up the iron staff and fiercely hit the back of Huang Rong's head. The staff movement was swift and fierce, it was a lethal strike from the 'fu mo zhang fa' [demon subduing staff technique], which he had painstakingly trained to perfection in the Mongolian desert, with the intention to use it against the blinded Mei Chaofeng. It was created so that even though Mei Chaofeng could hear the staff's wind, she would not be able to evade it.

Huang Rong had just seen Hong Qigong after a long time and was squealing with delight; she had never guarded against any sneak attack from her back. By the time she was feeling the wind, the blast of the iron staff had already enveloped her completely. Guo Jing saw the staff was about to shatter her skull, in his desperation his left hand swept horizontally shoving the staff aside; while his right hand stretched out and grabbed the head of the staff. In panic he had used too much power, without realizing that by this time his strength had increased tremendously. The move of his left palm was from the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.

Ke Zhen'e felt a sudden surge of strong energy. He was unable to block and the iron staff fell down from his hand, he himself also tumbling down to the ground. Guo Jing was startled; hastily he stooped down to pick him up. "Da Shifu! [First Master]" he called out. Guo Jing saw Ke Zhen'e's nose was swollen and two of his teeth were broken.

Ke Zhen'e spat the teeth, along with some blood, into his palm. "For you!" he said in a cold voice.

Guo Jing was dumbstruck. He knelt down and said, "Disciple deserves to die. Shifu, please punish me severely."

Ke Zhen'e was still holding out his hand, saying, "For you!"

Guo Jing wept. "Da Shifu …" He chocked, not knowing what to say or do.

Zhou Botong laughed and said, "I've seen master beating his disciple, but I've never seen disciple beating his master until today. Amusing! Truly amusing!"

Hearing this Ke Zhen'e was more furious. "Fine," he said, "There is a saying: swallow the knocked down tooth and the blood. Shall I do it for you?" Holding out his hand he tossed the teeth into his mouth, throwing his head backward he swallowed the teeth into his belly. Zhou Botong clapped his hands, burst out in laughter and cheered loudly.

Huang Rong noticed the situation was unusual. The grievous expression on Ke Zhen'e's face had not disappeared. It was unclear why he wanted to kill her; her heart was full of questions. Slowly she went to Hong Qigong and pulled his hand.

Guo Jing knocked his head to the ground and said, "Even if I have to die ten thousands times, disciple will never dare to offend Da Shifu. I was out of my mind to let my hand slip and struck Da Shifu."

Ke Zhen'e said, "Shifu this and Shifu that, who is your Shifu? You have the Master of the Peach Blossom Island as your father-in-law, why would you need a Shifu? The Seven Freaks of Jiangnan do not have the ability, how can we be worthy to be Guo Daye's [big master Guo] Shifu?"

Guo Jing heard his words were getting sharper and sharper; he kept knocking his head to the ground.

Finally Hong Qigong could not bear it much longer; he interrupted by saying, "Ke Daxia [Great Hero Ke], Master and disciple spar with each other, somebody losing control is a common occurrence. The stance Jing'er used just now was taught by me. Just blame it on the Old Beggar. Please accept my apology." And he did indeed cup his fists in respect.

Listening to Hong Qigong, Zhou Botong thought, "Why don't I say something too?" Thereupon he said, "Ke Daxia, Master and disciple spar with each other, somebody losing control is a common occurrence. The technique Brother Guo Jing used to grab your iron staff just now was taught by me. Just blame it on the Old Urchin. Please accept my apology." And he also cupped his fists in respect.

He was just talking nonsense and meant it as a joke, but Ke Zhen'e was livid. He believed Zhou Botong intentionally insulted him, and as a result he also regarded Hong Qigong's good intention as a bad one. With a loud voice he said, "You, Eastern Heretic, Western Poison, Southern Emperor and Northern Beggar, always think that your martial art skills are matchless and you can turn this world upside-down? Humph! I say many of your deeds are not righteous, certainly nothing good comes out of you."

With a surprised voice Zhou Botong asked, "Hey, what did the Southern Emperor do to you that you include him in your curse?"

Huang Rong was listening quietly on the side; she knew the more they talked, the worse the situation had become. The Old Urchin being there would only make it more difficult to make Ke Zhen'e's fury subsided. She opened her mouth and said, "Old Urchin, 'the weaving of mandarin ducks desiring to fly together right away' is looking for you; aren't you going to see her?"

Zhou Botong was startled; he jumped three feet into the air and shouted, "What?!?"

Huang Rong said, "She wants to 'stand face to face taking a bath wearing red clothes when the green spring grass ripples in the deepest of dawn's cold' with you."

Zhou Botong was even more shocked. "Where? Where?" he shouted.

Huang Rong pointed to the south and said, "Over there! Go see her, quick!"

Zhou Botong said, "I won't see her. Good Miss, I will do whatever you tell me to do; just don't ever tell her that you have seen me …" Before he even finished talking, his feet moved and he ran to the north.

"I'll hold on to your promise!" Huang Rong called out.

From a distant came Zhou Botong's reply, "Once the Old Urchin make a promise, I won't regret it." As the words 'regret it' came out of his mouth, like a flash of lightning his shadow had already disappeared.

Huang Rong's original intention was for him to see Ying Gu. Who would have thought that Zhou Botong avoided Ying Gu like a serpent or a scorpion and ran away from her in fear. It totally blew her mind away; nevertheless she succeeded in getting rid of him.

Up to this time Guo Jing was still kneeling in front of Ke Zhen'e. With tears in his eyes, he said, "For disciple's sake Seven Shifus had traveled to a faraway desert. Even if disciple's body is ground to dust and my bones are shattered, it will still be difficult for me to repay Seven Shifus' kindness. This palm of mine had offended Da Shifu, disciple does not want it anymore!" Drawing the dagger from his waist Guo Jing chopped it down on his left wrist.

Ke Zhen'e swung his iron staff horizontally, striking the dagger to the side. Although the dagger was light and the iron staff heavy, when the two weapons collided sparks flew up; Ke Zhen'e felt a tingling sensation on his palms. He knew Guo Jing was using his entire strength, thus showing his sincerity.