The Legend of the Condor Heroes

This fog was unusually thick, everybody was very close to each other, yet one could not see the face of someone else standing next to them; they only saw a vague image of a human form. Their voices were also somewhat muffled by the fog, as if there was some layers separating each other. Each one of them was an experienced fighter, yet in this battle they felt like they were blindfolded; not a single one of them was not anxious. Huang Rong was leaning close to her father, Ma Yu was giving out orders in low voice to shrink their circle. Everyone was straining their ears to listen to any enemy's activity; for a moment nobody made any noise. A little while later suddenly Qiu Chuji called out, "Listen! What's that?"

They heard hissing noise all around them, strange noise from a distant coming near. Huang Rong called out in alarm, "The Old Poison dispatches his snakes! Really shameless!"

At the end of the tavern Hong Qigong had also heard the snakes, he loudly called out, "It's the Old Poison's snake formation; everybody quickly come up the stairs!"

Zhou Botong's martial art could be considered number one among those present, but for all his life he was afraid of snakes, so with a loud cry he dashed wildly toward the Misty Rain Tavern. He was afraid the snakes would bite his heel, so he skipped the upstairs room and utilizing his 'qing gong' [lightness kungfu] to the fullest he leaped onto the roof, and sat on the highest ridge, still trembling with fear.

Not too long afterwards the sound of the snakes was getting louder. Huang Rong pulled her father's hand to go up the Misty Rain Tavern. Holding each other's hand the Quanzhen Masters were groping their way upstairs. Yin Zhiping stepped on a crack and fell down real hard that his head grew a swollen lump; quickly he crawled back upstairs.

Huang Rong had not heard Guo Jing's voice, she was concerned; "Jing Gege, where are you?" she called. After calling out several times she still had not heard any reply; she became anxious and said, "Father, I am going back to look for him."

Suddenly she heard Guo Jing's cold voice, "Why should you look for me? Don't call me; I am not going to answer you." It turned out he was right next to her.

Huang Yaoshi was angry, "Muddle-headed kid, stinky boy," he scolded; his arm swung across sending out a palm. Guo Jing ducked his head to evade; he was just about to launch a counterattack when suddenly 'whiz, whiz' noise of arrows was heard, several long arrows soared in the air and nailed the window lattice.

Everybody was startled; they heard shouts and feathered arrows came one after another. In the darkness nobody knew how many soldiers had arrived; they heard clamoring noise of people outside the building, they were shouting, "Don't let these thieves escape!"

Wang Chuyi was angry, "Looks like the Jin dog colludes with Jiaxing's corrupt government official; they are sending out troops to deal with us!"

Qiu Chuji called out, "Let's go down and completely route them."

"Not good, snake, snake!" Hao Datong shouted. They heard the noise of the arrows getting thicker, while the hissing noise of the snakes getting closer; they realized that Wanyan Honglie and Ouyang Feng had arranged this treacherous plan in advance; only this thick fog was beyond anybody's anticipation, so whether a curse or a luck, it was difficult to say.

Hong Qigong called out, "We can fight the arrows, but cannot fight the snakes; if we evade the snakes, it will be difficult to keep off the arrows! Everybody quickly withdraw!" They heard Zhou Botong, still shouting abusive words from the top of the roof; he had caught two arrows and used them to fend off the incoming arrows.

Three sides of the Misty Rain Tavern faced the water. The soldiers rode on small boats surrounding the building and showered it with arrows. It was because of the thick fog that they did not dare to press closer to the banks. Hong Qigong called out, "We go to the west, we take the land route." He was the chief of the world's largest clan; each word he said carried a lot of authority and influence. In this chaotic situation everybody accepted his leadership without question; they groped their way back downstairs. They tried hard to open their eyes, but could not see farther than half a foot ahead; how did they know which direction was east, west, south or north? They struck down several arrows while walking in line, holding each other's hand to avoid getting lost. Qiu Chuji and Wang Chuyi led the way with swords in their hands; their swords combined and complemented each other, forming a sword umbrella to keep off the arrow rain.

Guo Jing's right hand was pulling Hong Qigong, while his left hand grabbed someone's hand behind him. He felt this hand was soft, warm and slightly sweaty; turned out it was Huang Rong's small hand. His heart skipped a beat; hastily he let her hand go, only to listen to Huang Rong's cold voice said, "Who needs your concern?" Suddenly he heard Qiu Chuji called out, "Turn around, quick! There are snakes ahead; we can't go through!"

Huang Yaoshi and Ma Yu were at the end of the line blocking the pursuing soldiers; hearing Qiu Chuji's cry they turned their head anxiously. Huang Yaoshi picked a couple of bamboo sticks and swept them outward to strike the snakes. In the fog they heard the hissing sound of the snakes, and a foul stench attacked their nostrils. Huang Rong could not endure it any longer, with a 'wah!' sound she threw up. Huang Yaoshi sighed and said, "There is no way out, everyone fight for your own life!" Tossing his bamboo sticks aside he carried his daughter in his hands.

Based on everyone's martial art skill, actually the soldiers' arrows would not be able to stop them; but the Western Poison's snake formation was tens of thousands more lethal, as soon as one was bitten, one's life immediately would be gone. Listening to these frightening snakes everybody could not help but feel terrified. Huang Yaoshi's jade flute was broken, Hong Qigong's steel needles were not easy to be launched; the most difficult part was the fog was too thick that nobody could see anything. Even if there were an escape route, nobody knew where to go.

In this critical situation suddenly they heard someone with a cold voice say, "Little witch, give your bamboo stick to this blind man." It was Ke Zhen'E's voice.

Hearing him saying the 'blind man', two characters, Huang Rong immediately understood his intention; she was very happy and without hesitation handed over the Dog Beating Stick to him. Ke Zhen'E maintained his composure; tapping the stick on the ground he said, "Everyone, follow this blind man to safety. There is always fog and mist around the Misty Rain Tavern; what's so strange about it? Otherwise how can it be called the Misty Rain Tavern?" He was a native of Jiaxing; ever since he was little all streets and alleys around the Misty Rain Tavern had been ingrained in his heart. Both of his eyes were blind, normally he would be inferior to ordinary man, but now the fog was really thick, black clouds covered the sky; to him it was not the least bit of obstacle.

Listening to the snakes and the arrows he knew that there was an alley to the west with no enemies in that direction. Limping away he immediately led the way. Who would have thought that over the past several years this small alley had been covered with green bamboos, which render it impassable. Ke Zhen'E was very familiar with this road; yet he had not visited this place for decades, so he did not know that this alley had turned into a bamboo grove. He walked only for seven, eight steps and had to stop because the bamboo was on his way. Qiu Chuji and Wang Chuyi again brandished their swords and the bamboo flew out, opening up a passageway where everybody could pass through.