The Legend of the Condor Heroes

Hong Qigong said, "My life is almost gone anyway, it doesn't really matter whose hand will deliver it away."

Huang Rong suddenly remembered something. "Shifu," she said, "That day when we came back from Ming Xia Dao [bright red clouds island] …"

"It's not Ming Xia Dao, it's 'ya gui dao' [crushing ghost island]," Hong Qigong interrupted.

"Fine," Huang Rong smiled slightly, "It's Ya Gui Dao then. Now, that Ouyang Ke is not the least bit a fake ghost, he is a real ghost. That day when we rescued Ouyang Feng uncle and nephew, on the wooden raft the Old Poison said that there was one man in this whole wide world who can heal your injury. Only this person's martial art is matchless; so we can't use force against him, and you are not willing to harm others to benefit yourself by asking him to help you. At that time you were not willing to mention this person's name. Later on Jing Gege and I went to Xiangxi. Naturally now we know that other than Emperor Duan then, or Reverend Yideng now, there is no one else."

Hong Qigong sighed, "If he used Yiyang Zhi [Solitary Yang Finger] to attack my 'qi jing ba mai' [lit. marvelous/mysterious passage 8 pulses, Kwok & Huang Yushi from Wuxiapedia translated it as: Eight Extraordinary Channels], without a doubt he would heal my injury. But this kind of skill will injure his own internal strength for as long as five years or as few as three years, it's hard to say. Let's just say that he does not care about the second Sword Meet of Mount Hua, but he is already over sixty years of age; just how much longer is he going to live? How can the Old Beggar open his mouth and ask for his help?"

"Shifu," Guo Jing said happily, "This is great! We don't need anybody's help, I can go through your 'qi jing ba mai'."

Hong Qigong was surprised, "What?" he asked.

Huang Rong said, "Jing Gege recited that babbling and mumbling part from the Manual and Reverend Yideng has translated it for us. He told us to tell you, Senior, to use this technique to open your own 'qi jing ba mai'." Straightaway she recited Yideng's translation from memory.

After listening to this Hong Qigong pondered for a long time, and then he jumped in joy and exclaimed, "Wonderful! Wonderful! I believe I will need only about one and a half year to recover."

Huang Rong said, "In the Misty Rain Tavern martial art contest our opponent will surely invite Ouyang Feng to help their side. The Old Urchin's martial art might not be inferior to his, but he is a wild person. I am afraid he won't show up during the competition time. We must go to the Peach Blossom Island to get my father's help to ensure victory."

"What you said is not wrong," Hong Qigong said, "I will go to Jiaxing first, the two of you go to the Peach Blossom Island."

Guo Jing was reluctant to leave his shifu, he insisted on escorting Hong Qigong to Jiaxing. Hong Qigong said, "I will ride your little red horse. If there is any problem along the way, the Old Beggar will just run away. Who can chase after me?" Immediately he mounted the horse. With a couple of 'glug, glug' he drank his wine, and then pressed the horse's belly with his legs. The little red horse let out a long neigh toward Guo Jing and Huang Rong, as if it did not want to leave them, and then galloped like the wind to the north.

Guo Jing watched until he could not see Hong Qigong's shadow anymore, he also recalled how Ke Zhen'e wanted to kill Huang Rong, his heart was heavy. Huang Rong did not try to comfort him. She went alone to find a boat for hire then they set sail toward the Peach Blossom Island.

When they arrived on the Island, they immediately sent the boat away. Huang Rong said, "Jing Gege, I am going to ask a favor from you. Will you promise to grant it?"

"What is it?" Guo Jing asked, "I don't want to do something I won't be able to do."

Huang Rong laughed and said, "I am not going to ask you to cut off your six masters' heads."

Guo Jing was upset. "Rong'er," he said, "Can't you not mention this matter anymore?"

"Why can't I mention it?" Huang Rong countered, "You may have already forgotten about it; but I can't. Even though I am good to you, I don't want you to cut down my head."

Guo Jing sighed and said, "I really don't understand why Da Shifu was so angry. He knew you are the love of my life. I'd rather die a thousand times, ten thousand times, than hurting you the least bit."

Huang Rong could hear the sincerity in his voice, her heart was moved. She pulled his hand and leaned against his body. Pointing to a row of willow trees by the creek she said with a tender voice, "Jing Gege, do you think this Peach Blossom Island is beautiful?"

"It truly looks like a fairyland," Guo Jing replied.

Huang Rong sighed, "I want to live here forever, I don't want to be killed by you," she said.

Guo Jing gently stroked her hair and said, "Good Rong'er, how can I kill you?"

Huang Rong said, "What if your six masters, your Mama, your good friend, they all ask you to kill me? Will you do it or not?"

Guo Jing confidently said, "Even though everybody in the world wants to make things difficult for you, I will always protect you."

Huang Rong held his hand tightly and asked, "Will you be willing to leave all these people for me?"

Guo Jing hesitated and did not answer. Huang Rong looked up and gazed at his eyes, with anxious expression on her face, waiting for his answer.

Guo Jing finally said, "Rong'er, I said that I would accompany you on the Peach Blossom Island for the rest of my life. I have made that decision before I opened my mouth."

"Good!" Huang Rong said, "Then from this day on, you are not going to leave this island."

Guo Jing was taken aback, "From this day on?"

"Um, yes," Huang Rong said, "From this day on! I am going to ask Father to go to Misty Rain Tavern and fight for us. Father and I will go to kill Wanyan Honglie to avenge your father. Father and I will go to Mongolia to fetch your Mama. I will even ask Father not to blame your six masters. I am going to take care of every single one of your concerns for you."

Guo Jing saw the expression on her face was a little bit unusual; he said, "Rong'er, what I said to you, you can definitely count on it. Don't you worry; you don't have to do all these things."

Huang Rong sighed, "The matters in this world are difficult to say," she said, "When you agreed to marry that Mongolian Princess, did you ever think that someday you'll regret your own decision? Previously I only knew that whatever I wanted, I got it. But now I know … Ay! Whatever you wish you have, just pray that the Heaven will not make things difficult for you." Speaking to this point she could not restrain her eyes from turning red. She hung her head low.

Guo Jing was silent; his heart was filled with tumultuous thoughts. He realized how much Huang Rong loved him, and it made him wanting to stay on the Island to be with her forever. But he felt it was inappropriate for him to ignore all his concerns; only why it was inappropriate, he did not know.