The Return of the Condor Heroes Chapter 19 – Part 8

Yang Guo had at first thought only of delivering the antidote to save Xiaolongnü and had considered nothing else. Hearing Qiu Qianchi’s words, a sudden light dawned before his eyes. That villainous Valley Master’s original wife has arrived. How can he possibly marry Gugu? In his great joy, a thought suddenly struck him: There is only one Passion Severing Pill. Though it can save Gugu, I will inevitably die. At this reflection, he could not help but feel a shadow fall over him.

Lü’e saw his face shift between joy and sorrow and thought of how her parents’ meeting would surely turn Heaven and earth upside down. Her heart was tangled in a hundred knots, her mind a whirl of confusion. Qiu Qianchi, however, was brimming with excitement. “E’er, quickly, carry me on your back,” she said. Lü’e said, “Mama, you must first bathe and change your clothes.” In truth, she dreaded seeing the scene of her parents’ reunion and hoped to delay it moment by moment.

Qiu Qianchi flew into a rage. “My clothes are in tatters and my body is filthy, whose fault is that? Could it be…” Suddenly, she remembered how her eldest brother Qiu Qianzhang had often impersonated Second Brother Qiu Qianren, putting on airs in the jianghu and terrifying countless heroes and gallants. She thought that with the tendons in her hands and feet severed, how could she possibly be a match for Gongsun Zhi? Even if she met him face to face, she would never be able to avenge this wrong. She would have to impersonate Second Brother, first scare that villain out of his wits, then wait for an opportunity to strike. Fortunately, he had never met Second Brother, and he was certain she had long since died in the cavern, so he would never suspect a thing. But then she reconsidered: I was his wife for so many years. How could he fail to recognise me?

Yang Guo saw her hesitating, unable to decide, and had already guessed part of it. He said, “Elder, you are afraid Gongsun Zhi will recognise you, aren’t you? I happen to have a treasure here.” He took out the human-skin mask and put it on. Instantly, his face was transformed beyond recognition, dark and sinister, deeply frightening. Qiu Qianchi was delighted. She took the mask and said, “E’er, let us first hide in the woods behind the manor. Go fetch me a hempen gown, and don’t forget a large palm-leaf fan.” Lü’e acknowledged this, bent down, and lifted her mother onto her back.

Yang Guo looked around. They were standing on the peak of an isolated summit, surrounded by dense forest. In the distance, the stone manor was visible, already several li¹ away. Qiu Qianchi sighed. “This peak is called Demon Ghost Peak. For generations, the valley has passed down the belief that a fierce ghost haunts this peak, so no one has ever dared come up. To think that my rebirth into the world would take place right here on Demon Ghost Peak.”

Yang Guo barked at Fan Yiweng, “What are you doing here?” Fan Yiweng showed not the slightest fear. “Kill me quickly and spare me your chatter,” he snarled. Yang Guo said, “Did Gongsun Valley Master send you?” Fan Yiweng said angrily, “That’s right. Shifu ordered me to search the front and rear of the mountain for any villains who might be lurking here. And sure enough, just as he expected, someone was up here carrying out these sneaky schemes.” As he spoke, he sized up Qiu Qianchi, wondering who this old woman could be, and why Miss Gongsun was calling her “Mama.” Fan Yiweng was older than Gongsun Zhi and his wife. He had joined the school later in life, bringing his own martial skills with him, and when Gongsun Zhi took him as a disciple, Qiu Qianchi was already trapped in the cavern. So he did not recognise her. But hearing the three of them discussing their plans, he guessed they meant to do his shifu grave harm.

Qiu Qianchi, hearing the utter devotion to Gongsun Zhi in his words, could not contain her fury. She said to Yang Guo, “Kill this dwarf at once and remove a future threat.” Yang Guo turned and looked at Fan Yiweng. Seeing him stand there utterly unafraid, Yang Guo could not help but respect him as a true man. He wanted to spare his life, but he thought that right now he needed Qiu Qianchi’s help and could not afford to go against her wishes. He said, “Miss Gongsun, take your mother down the mountain first. I will deal with this dwarf and join you shortly.”

Gongsun Lü’e had always known her eldest shixiong to be an upright man and could not bear to see him die an unjust death. She said, “Brother Yang, my eldest shixiong is not a bad person…” Qiu Qianchi roared, “Go, go! You disobey every word I say. What use is a daughter like you?” Lü’e dared not say more. Carrying her mother on her back, she searched for a path down the peak.

Yang Guo walked over to Fan Yiweng. He thought that if he released Fan Yiweng’s acupoints now, the dwarf would report everything to the Valley Master. Lowering his voice, he said, “Brother Fan, the acupoints on your hands and feet have been sealed. They will release on their own after six shichen. You and I have neither grievance nor enmity. I cannot harm you.” With that, he deployed his qinggong and raced after Lü’e. Fan Yiweng had already closed his eyes, awaiting death. He had never imagined Yang Guo would treat him this way. For a moment, he was stunned speechless, and could only watch helplessly as the three figures vanished behind the rock face, swallowed by the darkness.

Yang Guo was desperate to see Xiaolongnü again. He thought Lü’e was moving too slowly and said, “Elder Qiu, let me carry you for a stretch.” Lü’e had earlier sensed that her mother and Yang Guo were somewhat at odds in their speech and manner and had been a little worried. Hearing him offer to carry her mother, her heart was gladdened. “Then I must trouble you,” she said. Qiu Qianchi said, “I carried you in my womb for ten months and brought a daughter as lovely as a flower, as fair as jade into this world, and with a single word I have given her to you. Is carrying me for a stretch too much to ask?” Yang Guo was taken aback and thought it best not to reply. He lifted her onto his back, drew a breath, and shot down the mountainside like an arrow loosed from the bowstring.

Qiu Qianren was known as Iron Palm Floats on Water, and his qinggong was among the very finest in the jianghu. Back then, when he fought Zhou Botong, they had chased each other for ten thousand li, from the Central Plains to the Western Regions, and even Old Urchin, with his superlative martial skill, had been unable to catch him. Qiu Qianchi’s own skill had been taught personally by her brother, and before her tendons were crippled, her qinggong had naturally been of the first rank. Now, lying on Yang Guo’s back, she felt as though his feet never touched the ground, he ran both fast and steady. She was simultaneously impressed and puzzled. She thought, This boy’s qinggong is entirely different from our school’s, but it is certainly not inferior to the Iron Palm School’s techniques. I must not underestimate him. She had originally felt that her daughter’s marriage to this man was a great injustice, but since her daughter’s heart was set, there was nothing to be done. Earlier, watching him scale the rock wall, she had already sensed that his martial skill was not low. Now, she was gradually beginning to feel that this future son-in-law might not disgrace her daughter after all.

In less than the time it takes to eat a meal, Yang Guo had carried Qiu Qianchi to the foot of the peak. When he turned to look for Lü’e, she was still halfway down the mountainside. They waited a long time before she came running to the base, already breathing in delicate gasps, her forehead beaded with sweat.

The three of them quietly circled around to the back of the manor. Lü’e dared not enter the manor herself. She went to a neighbouring household and borrowed clothes for herself to change into. For her mother, she borrowed a hempen gown and a palm-leaf fan, and for Yang Guo, a man’s long gown to wear. The neighbours had always treated her with great respect, and borrowing these things presented no difficulty. Qiu Qianchi put on the human-skin mask, donned the hempen gown, and took up the palm-leaf fan. Supported on either side by Yang Guo and Lü’e, she walked toward the manor gate.

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As they passed through the gate, all three were churning with emotion. Qiu Qianchi had been away for over a decade. Now, returning to this place, her feelings were more tumultuous than ever. They saw that great red lanterns had been hung at the manor gate. Looking inside, everything was festooned with coloured silk and wedding banners, and the sounds of drums and music drifted from the great hall. The household servants, seeing Qiu Qianchi and Yang Guo, were all taken aback. But with Lü’e accompanying them, no one dared say much.

The three of them marched straight into the hall. It was packed with wedding guests, most of them neighbours from the Narcissus Manor in Passionless Valley. Gongsun Zhi, dressed in full wedding attire, stood on the left. On the right, the bride wore a phoenix crown and a ceremonial cape.² Though her face could not be seen, her figure was slender and graceful, it was Xiaolongnü beyond any doubt.

In the courtyard, flames flashed, and three thunderous bang-bang-bang reports rang out as firecrackers were set off. The master of ceremonies sang out, “The auspicious hour has arrived! Let the bride and groom bow together to Heaven and Earth!”

Qiu Qianchi burst into great peals of laughter. The sound shook the candle flames and set the roof tiles trembling. In a ringing voice, she declared, “The bride and groom bow together to Heaven and Earth, and what of the former wife?”

Though the tendons in her hands and feet were severed, her neili had not diminished in the slightest. In the cavern, with no distractions, she had cultivated day and night with diligent intensity. Fourteen years of training were worth more than twenty-eight for an ordinary person. When these two sentences thundered forth, every ear in the hall buzzed and rang. The scene before their eyes dimmed, and more than ten of the red candles in the hall flickered out of their own accord.

Everyone was startled and turned as one. Gongsun Zhi, hearing that shout, was already greatly alarmed. When he saw Yang Guo and his daughter standing safe and sound beside this masked stranger, his consternation deepened. He barked, “Who are you?”

Qiu Qianchi forced her voice tight and laughed coldly. “You and I are bound by the closest of ties. Do you pretend not to recognise me?” She spoke these two sentences with her qi sunk to her dantian. Though the sound was not loud, it carried far into the distance. Passionless Valley was surrounded on all sides by mountains, and before long, echoes came rolling back from every direction. “not to recognise me? not to recognise me?”, arriving in wave after wave.

The Imperial Preceptor Jinlun, Xiaoxiangzi³, Yin Kexi⁴, and the others were all present among the guests observing the ceremony. Hearing Qiu Qianchi’s voice, they knew she was a figure of great significance, and all turned their eyes upon her.

Gongsun Zhi saw that this person wore a hempen gown and carried a palm-leaf fan, an appearance similar to the one his former wife had described for her brother Qiu Qianren. Her neili was so formidable, yet her face was grotesque and strange, somewhat like the disguise Xiaoxiangzi had worn earlier when Zhou Botong impersonated him. There was certainly something deeply suspicious going on. Guarded and wary, he said coldly, “I have never met you before in my life. What ‘bound by the closest of ties’? Is that not laughable?”

Yin Kexi was thoroughly versed in the lore of the jianghu. Seeing Qiu Qianchi’s hempen gown and palm-leaf fan, a thought stirred in his mind. He asked, “Might Your Excellency be the elder Qiu, Iron Palm Floats on Water?” Qiu Qianchi laughed loudly and waved her palm-leaf fan a few times. “I thought everyone in this world who knew this old man was dead. It seems one remains.”

Footnotes

1. 里 – lǐ. Traditional Chinese unit of distance, approximately 500 metres or a third of a mile. ↩

2. 凤冠霞帔 – Phoenix Crown and Ceremonial Cape. Traditional Chinese bridal attire. Phoenix crown is an elaborate headdress adorned with phoenix imagery, while the ceremonial cape (xiapei) is a richly embroidered outer garment. Together they represent the highest form of formal bridal dress. ↩

3. 潇湘子 – Xiāoxiāng Zǐ. Literally Master of the Xiao and Xiang rivers. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

4. 尹克西 – Yǐn Kèxī. His name meaning “overcome the west”. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩