The Legend of the Condor Heroes Chapter 6 – Part 3

When the Six Eccentrics heard that Mei Chaofeng¹ had the audacity to come seeking revenge in broad daylight, they were utterly astonished. Weapons in hand, they rushed out of the yurt together, and in the sunlight saw only a Daoist with a grey topknot standing with his fists cupped in salute. Of Mei Chaofeng there was no sign at all.

Zhu Cong² still held fast to the pulse-gate of Guo Jing’s right wrist. “Where is that demon woman Mei Chaofeng?” he barked.

Guo Jing said, “I saw her last night. I’m afraid she’ll be here presently.”

The Six Eccentrics stared at Ma Yu,³ torn between alarm and doubt.

Ma Yu stepped forward and cupped his fists. “I have long admired the renown of the Six Xias of Jiangnan.⁴ To meet you at last today is a great good fortune.”

Zhu Cong still would not release Guo Jing’s wrist. He only nodded by way of courtesy and said, “You flatter us. May I ask Daoist Elder’s religious name?”

Guo Jing remembered that he had not yet announced the visitor and hastily put in, “He is Ma Yu of the Quanzhen Order.⁵”

The Six Eccentrics started. They knew that Ma Yu’s Daoist title was Danyangzi, the eldest disciple of Wang Chongyang,⁶ founder of the Quanzhen Order, and that since Wang Chongyang’s death he had been Head of the Order, with Changchunzi Qiu Chuji his shidi.⁷ He kept to his temple in quiet cultivation and rarely set foot in the jianghu,⁸ which was why his name was less well known than Qiu Chuji’s in the wulin.⁹ As for the depth of his martial cultivation, no one had ever seen it tested, and no one knew.

Ke Zhen’e¹⁰ said, “So the Head of the Quanzhen Order has come. We have been sadly wanting in courtesy. May we ask what brings Daoist Elder¹¹ north of the desert? Has it to do with the contest your shidi arranged in Jiaxing?”

Ma Yu said, “My shidi is a man who cultivates the Dao and his own nature, yet he loves to wager with others and strive for the upper hand, which runs flat against the principle of stillness and non-action and is no fit conduct for one who has left the world. This humble Daoist has taken him severely to task for it more than once. His wager with the Six Xias is a matter I would rather not meddle in, and it has nothing whatever to do with me. Still, since its purpose is to protect the orphan of a loyal and good man, it is a good deed too. Two years ago I chanced upon this boy Guo Jing. Seeing his heart to be pure and good, I took it upon myself to teach him a few methods for strengthening the body and nurturing the temperament, so as to preserve his natural span of years. I did so without the Six Xias’ leave, and I beg you not to hold it against me. I did not teach him a single half-technique of martial arts, nor is there any master-disciple bond between us. I have merely made a young friend, which I trust breaks no rule of the wulin.” He smiled warmly as he spoke.

The Six Xias were astonished, yet could not help believing him. Zhu Cong and Quan Jinfa¹² released Guo Jing’s wrists at once.

Han Xiaoying¹³ said joyfully, “Child, so it was Daoist Elder who taught you? Why didn’t you say so before? We blamed you wrongly.” She reached out and stroked his shoulder, her heart full of tenderness.

Guo Jing said, “He… he told me not to tell.”

Han Xiaoying scolded, “What’s all this ‘he’ this and ‘he’ that? Where are your manners, silly boy? You should call him ‘Daoist Elder’.” Though she rebuked him, her face was all smiles.

Guo Jing said, “Yes, yes, Daoist Elder.” For the past two years he and Ma Yu had addressed each other simply as “you” and “I”. In his heart he had always thought of him as “Uncle Daoist”, and had never known the proper form was “Daoist Elder”. Ma Yu had not minded.

Ma Yu said, “I wander where the clouds take me and do not care to be known, which is why I have not come to pay my respects to the Six Xias even though we have been close neighbours. I beg your forgiveness.” He bowed again.

The truth was that when Ma Yu learned how the Six Eccentrics of Jiangnan had acted, he had come to respect them deeply, and he had found out from Yin Zhiping¹⁴ that Guo Jing had no foundation in neigong at all. As Head of the Quanzhen Order he understood well the Daoist principle of setting aside the self and deferring to others, and he had no desire to see his shidi Qiu Chuji outshine the Six Eccentrics in this matter. But several attempts to persuade Qiu Chuji to concede had met with flat refusal, so he had travelled far to the northern steppe and taken great pains to help Guo Jing in secret, so that the Six Xias might prevail. Otherwise, how could it have been such a coincidence that he happened upon Guo Jing in the vast grasslands? Why would he have spent two years on the boy for no apparent reason? Had it not been for Mei Chaofeng’s sudden appearance, he would have drifted quietly back south the moment Guo Jing’s neigong¹⁵ had a foundation, and neither the Six Eccentrics nor Qiu Chuji would ever have known the truth.

The Six Eccentrics saw that his bearing was modest and sincere, truly a master who had found the Dao and nothing like his shidi with his bold, high-flown swagger, and they all returned his courtesy together. They were about to ask about Mei Chaofeng when the sound of hooves rang out. Several riders came galloping towards Temüjin’s great yurt.¹⁶

Guo Jing knew these were the messengers Senggum¹⁷ had sent to lure Temüjin to his death. Frantic with worry, he said to Ke Zhen’e, “Eldest Shifu,¹⁸ I’ll go over for a moment and come straight back.”

Ke Zhen’e had nearly taken his life not long ago and felt keenly guilty about it. His affection for this disciple had only deepened. Afraid that if Guo Jing wandered off he might encounter Mei Chaofeng and come to harm, he said hastily, “No. You stay beside us. Do not leave on any account.”

Guo Jing was about to explain, but Ke Zhen’e had already turned back to discussing with Ma Yu their night-battle against the Twin Evils of Dark Wind¹⁹ on the barren mountain years ago. Guo Jing was consumed with anxiety. His Eldest Shifu had always been stern and apt to flare up at the least thing, and he truly did not dare interrupt him. He was waiting for a pause in their talk to speak up when a horse came galloping towards them. On its back, wrapped in a short black fox-fur coat, sat Huazheng.²⁰ She stopped more than ten paces away and kept beckoning to him.

Guo Jing did not dare go to her for fear of his shifu’s displeasure. He waved back, signalling her to come closer.

Huazheng’s eyes were red and swollen, as though she had been weeping bitterly. She drew near and said between sobs, “Father wants me, wants me to go and marry that Tusakha…” No sooner had she said it than the tears flowed again.

Guo Jing said, “Go quickly and tell the Great Khan that Senggum and Jamukha²¹ have laid a plot. They mean to trick the Great Khan into coming and kill him.”

Huazheng was badly startled. “Truly?”

“It’s absolutely true. I heard it with my own ears last night. Go and tell the Great Khan, quickly.”

Huazheng said, “Good!” Her face brightened at once. She wheeled her horse and galloped away.

Guo Jing thought, Someone’s plotting to kill the Great Khan, so why are you happy about it? Then a second thought came to him, Ah, this way she won’t have to marry Tusakha. He and Huazheng were as close as brother and sister, and he had always cared for her and looked out for her. The thought that she might escape this ill fate made him glad for her, and he turned back with a broad smile.

Ma Yu was saying, “It is not that I wish to boost another’s spirit and diminish our own, but Mei Chaofeng has plainly received the true teaching of the Master of Peach Blossom Island²² in the Eastern Sea. Her Nine Yin White Bone Claw has reached an uncanny perfection, and the moves of that thirty-foot silver whip are subtler still. I cannot tell whether it is the White Python Whip that was so famous in the wulin more than a hundred years ago. If the eight of us join forces we need not lose to her, but to rid the world of her, I fear we would suffer harm ourselves.”

Han Xiaoying said, “That woman’s martial arts are truly formidable, but we Seven Eccentrics of Jiangnan have a feud with her as deep as the sea.”

Ma Yu said, “I have heard that Zhang the Fifth Xia and the Flying Divine Dragon, Ke daxia, both died at the hands of the Copper Corpse, Chen Xuanfeng.²³ But since you have already killed Chen Xuanfeng, the great wrong may be said to be avenged. As the old saying goes, a feud is better untied than knotted tighter. Mei Chaofeng is a woman alone, and crippled besides, and in truth her lot is a pitiable one.”

The Six Eccentrics were silent. After a while Han Baoju²⁴ said, “She practises this vile art, and who knows how many innocent people she kills every year. Daoist Elder has a chivalrous heart, and surely cannot let her go on doing such evil.”

Zhu Cong said, “It is she who has come looking for us, not we who sought her out.”

Quan Jinfa said, “Even if we keep out of her way this time, as long as she means revenge, we shall never be able to guard against her at every turn.”

Ma Yu said, “I have devised a plan, but I must ask the Six Xias to be magnanimous. Think how alone and wretched she is, and give her a chance to mend her ways.”

Zhu Cong and the others did not reply at once, waiting for Ke Zhen’e to decide.

Ke Zhen’e said, “We Seven Eccentrics of Jiangnan are rough and ready men who have always fought with brute force. If Daoist Elder will show us a clear way, we will be more grateful than we can say. Please tell us.” From the tone of Ma Yu’s words he understood that Mei Chaofeng’s martial arts had grown greatly in these ten years. Ma Yu spoke of begging them to spare her life only to save the Six Eccentrics’ face, and his real purpose was to show them how to escape her deadly hands. Han Baoju and the others, though, thought Big Brother had suddenly taken a merciful turn, and were puzzled.

Ma Yu said, “Ke daxia’s compassion will surely be rewarded by Heaven. Though the Twin Evils of Dark Wind were traitors to Peach Blossom Island, Island Master Huang is eccentric beyond measure. If we kill the Iron Corpse today and Island Master Huang takes offence, the trouble that follows would be grave indeed…”

Ke Zhen’e and Zhu Cong had both heard tales of Island Master Huang’s martial prowess, always inflated to the point of absurdity and not to be believed. But the Quanzhen Order was the orthodox fount of martial arts under heaven, and if Ma Yu, for all the dignity of Head of the Order, was so wary of the man, the matter was plainly no small one.

Zhu Cong said, “Daoist Elder has thought of everything, and we brothers admire it greatly. Pray show us the clear way.”

Ma Yu said, “My plan may sound rather boastful. I only hope the Six Xias will not laugh at it.”

Zhu Cong said, “Daoist Elder need not be so modest. The Seven Zis of Quanzhen,²⁵ the disciples of Chongyang, awe the whole world. Who does not revere them?” Said to Ma Yu, the words were wholly sincere. Qiu Chuji was also one of the Seven Zis, but Zhu Cong would never have said such a thing to him.

Ma Yu said, “Thanks to the virtue our late master left us, we seven fellow disciples still have some small, empty name in the wulin. I imagine Mei Chaofeng would not dare to move against all seven of the Quanzhen Order at once. So I mean to play a trick on her and use that empty name to frighten her away. The method is far from open and honourable, but since our purpose is to do good, a crooked path serves a straight end, and the Six Xias’ good name shall not suffer.” He then set out his plan.

When the Six heard it, they all felt it smacked of weakness. Besides, even if Mei Chaofeng’s skill had truly grown, and even if Huang Yaoshi came in person, what of it? At worst they would all lose their lives on a barren hill as Zhang Asheng had. Ma Yu urged them again and again, and at last said that to beat her would bring them no glory. Out of regard for him, and moved by his great kindness to Guo Jing, which they all understood was in truth a kindness to the Six Eccentrics, Ke Zhen’e and the others finally agreed. Han Xiaoying thanked him over and over, and at length, for the pains he had taken to teach Guo Jing neigong. As they talked, Ma Yu explained that he had disapproved of Qiu Chuji’s rashness but had not wanted to damage the close bond between brothers of one school, and that because he esteemed the Seven Xias of Jiangnan and thought highly of Guo Jing’s character, he had taught the boy in secret.

When they had all eaten their fill, the eight set out together towards the cliff. Ma Yu and Guo Jing went first. Zhu Cong and the others saw that Ma Yu made no show of his skill at all but climbed slowly up behind Guo Jing, yet his footing was so sure and his body so steady that his neili²⁶ was plainly profound. They thought to themselves, His martial arts are surely no less than his shidi Qiu Chuji’s. It is only that Qiu Chuji is renowned throughout north and south while he is unknown. It must come from their different natures.

After Ma Yu and Guo Jing reached the cliff top, they lowered a long rope and hauled the Six Eccentrics up one by one.

The Six Eccentrics examined the whip marks Mei Chaofeng had left on the rocks, as though hewn by axe and chisel and a good half inch deep, and could not help being aghast. Only now did they fully believe that Ma Yu had not been exaggerating.

The eight sat cross-legged on the cliff top in silence. They watched dusk close in and the wilds around them slowly sink into darkness, and they waited a long while more, until it was the end of the hour of Hai and the start of the hour of Zi,²⁷ close on midnight.

Han Baoju grew restless. “Why hasn’t she come?”

Ke Zhen’e said, “Hush. She’s here.”

Their hearts clenched. They strained their ears. Not a sound.

Mei Chaofeng was still several li²⁸ away, but Ke Zhen’e’s ears were preternaturally sharp, and he had heard her.

Mei Chaofeng moved amazingly fast. Gazing down as far as they could see, they made out in the moonlight something like a trail of black smoke rolling across the desert towards them. In a twinkling it had reached the foot of the cliff and began to climb with astonishing speed.

Zhu Cong glanced at Quan Jinfa and Han Xiaoying. Both their faces were ashen, their expressions taut with tension. He imagined his own face was no different.

Before long, Mei Chaofeng leapt onto the cliff top. She was carrying someone on her back, limp and utterly still, whether dead or alive there was no telling.

Guo Jing saw that the person wore a short black fox-fur coat. It looked like one of Huazheng’s garments. He looked harder, and who should it be but Huazheng? He could not help crying out, but his lips had barely moved when the Swift-Handed Scholar Zhu Cong, quick of eye and hand, clamped a hand over his mouth and said in a loud, clear voice, “That fiend Mei Chaofeng, if ever she runs into me, Qiu Chuji, I’ll never let her off!”

Mei Chaofeng, hearing voices on the cliff top, was already startled. To hear Zhu Cong call himself Qiu Chuji and speak her name as well astonished her even more, and she shrank down behind a rock to listen. Ma Yu and the other five Eccentrics of Jiangnan saw it all clearly, and alert as they were, they could not help laughing inwardly. Only Guo Jing burned with anxiety for Huazheng’s safety.

Han Baoju said, “Mei Chaofeng has set up her White Bone Skull Array here. She is sure to come back presently. We need only wait quietly here.”

Mei Chaofeng had no idea how many experts lurked on the cliff above. Crouched behind her rock, she dared not stir.

Han Xiaoying said, “Though she has done great evil, the Quanzhen Order has always taught compassion. Let us give her a chance to mend her ways after all.”

Zhu Cong said with a smile, “Unbound Adept Qingjing²⁹ always had a soft heart. No wonder Shifu said time and again that you would find the Dao easily.”

Wang Chongyang, founding patriarch of the Quanzhen Order, had seven disciples whose names were known to anyone in the wulin with the least experience of the world. The eldest was Danyangzi Ma Yu and the second Changzhenzi Tan Chuduan. After them came Changshengzi Liu Chuxuan, Changchunzi Qiu Chuji, Yuyangzi Wang Chuyi and Guangningzi Hao Datong, and the seventh and last was the Unbound Adept Qingjing, Sun Buer, whom Ma Yu had married before he left the world.

Footnotes

1. 梅超风 — Méi Chāofēng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

2. 朱聪 — Zhū Cōng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

3. 马钰 — Mǎ Yù. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

4. 江南六侠 — Jiāngnán Liù Xiá. Literally six xia of Jiangnan, a courteous form of the Eccentrics’ name with 侠 (xia) in place of 怪 (eccentric). See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

5. 全真教 — Quánzhēn Jiào. Literally complete truth order. Daoist martial-monastic order founded by Wang Chongyang, one of the most influential orthodox factions. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

6. 王重阳 — Wáng Chóngyáng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

7. 师弟 — shīdì. Male junior. Both apprenticed to the same shifu. Shī means teacher. Dì means younger brother. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

8. 江湖 — jiānghú. Literally rivers and lakes. The world of martial artists, outside mainstream society. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

9. 武林 — wǔlín. Literally martial forest. Those who actually practise, teach or study martial arts. The wulin sits inside the jianghu and is narrower than it: every member of the wulin belongs to the jianghu, but a pedlar or physician of the jianghu who never trained is no part of the wulin. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

10. 柯镇恶 — Kē Zhèn’è. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

11. 道长 — dàozhǎng. Literally Daoist elder. A respectful form of address for a Daoist priest. ↩

12. 全金发 — Quán Jīnfā. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

13. 韩小莹 — Hán Xiǎoyíng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

14. 尹志平 — Yǐn Zhìpíng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

15. 内功 — nèigōng. Literally internal cultivation. The practice of developing neili through breathing and meditation. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

16. 铁木真 — Tiěmùzhēn. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

17. 桑昆 — Sāngkūn. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

18. 师父 — shīfù. Teacher responsible for technical instruction and moral guidance. Shī means teacher. Fù means father. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

19. 黑风双煞 — Hēifēng Shuāngshà. Literally twin evils of the dark wind. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

20. 华筝 — Huázhēng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

21. 札木合 — Zhāmùhé. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

22. 桃花岛 — Táohuā Dǎo. Huang Yaoshi’s island in the East China Sea. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

23. 陈玄风 — Chén Xuánfēng. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

24. 韩宝驹 — Hán Bǎojū. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

25. 全真七子 — Quánzhēn Qīzǐ. Literally the seven zi of Quanzhen, zi being an honorific for a master. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

26. 内力 — nèilì. Literally internal force. The kinetic manifestation of cultivated qi. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

27. 时辰 — shíchén. Traditional Chinese unit of time equal to two hours; the day was divided into twelve shichen. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

28. 里 — lǐ. A traditional unit of distance, about 500 metres or one-third of a mile. ↩

29. 孙不二 — Sūn Bù’èr. Her name meaning “not two”. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩