Zhou Botong burst out in laughter, “So you think it was a fake?”
Guo Jing was dumbstruck, he looked like a fool. Zhou Botong was so happy. It was exactly for this moment that he was willing to spend innumerable effort to get Guo Jing memorizing the Nine Yin Manual; he wanted to see Guo Jing’s expression when he found out that he did learn the Nine Yin Manual in spite of his refusal. Now that his goal was achieved, how could Zhou Botong be not happy as he was crazy?
“The first volume is always in your hands, but where did you get the second volume from?” Huang Yaoshi asked.
“Didn’t your good son-in-law deliver it personally to me?” Zhou Botong smiled mischievously.
“I … I did not!” Guo Jing was taken aback.
Huang Yaoshi was really indignant, he thought, “This kid Guo Jing dares to deceive me; that poor blind Mei Chaofeng is still desperately looking for that book.” He shot an angry glare toward Guo Jing, but then turned his head toward Zhou Botong, “I want the original manual.”
“Brother,” Zhou Botong called Guo Jing, “Help me take the book from my pocket.” Guo Jing stepped forward and groping inside Zhou Botong’s pocket he took a book about half an inch thick. Zhou Botong held out his hand to receive the book, and said to Huang Yaoshi, “This is the first volume manual, the second volume is folded inside it. If you have a skill, come and get it.”
“What kind of skill are you talking about?” Huang Yaoshi asked.
Zhou Botong held the book tight in his hands, he leaned his head and said “Wait, let me think …” Half a day later he smiled and said, “Pasting skill!”
“What?” Huang Yaoshi was puzzled.
Zhou Botong lifted up his hands high in the air, and soon the book turned into a million pieces. A flurry of paper pieces flew from his hands like a flock of butterflies flying in all direction, carried by the sea breeze, floating to the east and scattered to the west. It was impossible to track them down.
Huang Yaoshi was startled and angry at the same time; surprised that Zhou’s internal energy was so profound. In that short period of time the book has completely gone. Remembering his late wife Huang Yaoshi felt a stab of pain in his heart. “Old Urchin, you played trick on me! Don’t ever think of leaving this island alive!” he shouted angrily. Flying forward his palm got very close to Zhou Botong’s face.
Zhou Botong moved his body a little bit, like a pendulum he swung to the left and to the right. With a swish, swish sound Huang Yaoshi’s palms danced in the air, very close to Zhou Botong’s body, but were not able to touch him at all. It was Huang Yaoshi’s specialty, the ‘luo ying shen jian zhang’ [fallen (flower) divine sword palm]; who would have thought that after about twenty stances the palm technique was useless against Zhou Botong.
Huang Yaoshi was puzzled because Zhou Botong did not launch any counterattack at all; while he had used all his strength to compel Zhou Botong to withstand his attack. Suddenly he was alarmed, “I, Huang Yaoshi, how could I fight someone who has both his hands tied up like that?”
Leaping back three steps he called out, “Old Urchin, your legs are healed; I have done something inappropriate to you. Quickly break the rope on your hands, let me fight your Nine Yin Manual martial art.”
Zhou Botong looked dismayed, repeatedly he shook his head, “I don’t want to lie to you, but I have my own difficulty. This rope in my hand, whatever happens I can’t take it out.”
“Then let me take it out for you,” Huang Yaoshi said, immediately move forward to touch his hands.
“Aiyo! Help! Somebody help me!” Zhou Botong cried out and rolled around on the ground.
Guo Jing was shocked. “Father-in-law!” he called out. He was about to dash forward to block Huang Yaoshi when Hong Qigong held him back. “Don’t act foolishly!” he hissed. Guo Jing halted and looked. Zhou Botong was rolling around on the ground; he was very agile. Huang Yaoshi grabbed and kicked but was unable to even touch his body.
“Look closely to how his body moves,” Hong Qigong whispered.
Only then did Guo Jing realize that Zhou Botong was moving according to the ‘she xing li fan’ [snake slithers, wild cat flips] from the Nine Yin Manual. He watched with a rapt attention. Every time he saw an exquisite move he would cheer, “Good!”
Huang Yaoshi was getting angrier; his hands flew everywhere, resembling a hatchet or a knife hacking all over the place. Zhou Botong’s long sleeve and part of his robe have been cut by the strength of Huang Yaoshi’s hand. A moment later his long beard and long hair were also cut. Although he was not injured, Zhou Botong knew that if the fight was prolonged he might not be as lucky. Perhaps half a move later he would be dead or at least heavily injured.
At that moment Huang Yaoshi’s left hand was sweeping horizontally, while his right hand slashing down diagonally; each palm contained three deathly variations within. Zhou Botong knew that no matter how quick he could move, it would be difficult to avoid this attack. He had no other choice but exerting his strength to both hands breaking the rope. As soon as his hands were free, his left hand parried the attack, while his right hand went to his own back and scratched, “Aiyo! The itch is unbearable,” he said.
Huang Yaoshi was secretly alarmed when he saw Zhou Botong could act so casually, even to the point of playful, while they were fighting ferociously. Huang Yaoshi sent out three more fierce stances, all three were his best ones.
“With one hand I can’t fight you,” Zhou Botong said, “Ay! But I can’t help it. No matter what, I can’t let my martial brother down.” He put all his strength in his right hand and parried the attack; while his left hand hung loosely on his side. His strength was still inferior to Huang Yaoshi’s pure internal energy; so as soon as two hands collided Zhou Botong was shaken; he staggered and pushed a few steps back.
Huang Yaoshi flew forward with both palms surrounding Zhou Botong’s body. “Use both your hands! With one hand you are not my match,” he called out.
“I can’t,” said Zhou Botong, “I have to use only one hand.”
Huang Yaoshi was indignant, “All right then, try this!” Both of his palms struck forward with full strength. A loud bang was heard and Zhou Botong fell down to the ground. He sat still with both his eyes closed. Huang Yaoshi held his hands, only to see Zhou Botong coughed and spurted blood from his mouth; his face was paper-white.
Everybody felt strange; if he really fought with Huang Yaoshi, even if he couldn’t win, certainly he wouldn’t suffer so badly. Why did he insist on using only one hand?
Zhou Botong stood up slowly and said, “The Old Urchin has suffered the consequences of his own action. I had no intention, but had unexpectedly learned the martial arts from the Nine Yin Manual; hence violated my martial brother’s death wish. If I used both of my hands, Old Heretic Huang, you are not my match.”