The Return of the Condor Heroes Chapter 2 – Part 8

Ke Zhen’e landed three consecutive staff strikes on Ouyang Feng’s body. Today, Ouyang Feng was fated to suffer this calamity. Fortunately, his neili was profound, though he had no strength to fight back, he could still retreat and neutralize, deflecting the force of each blow aside. His skin was torn and his flesh split open, but his sinews, bones, and internal organs remained unharmed. Ke Zhen’e marvelled secretly. This Old Poison’s abilities are truly extraordinary. Every strike clearly lands, yet it always slides off his body, nine-tenths of the force is dissipated. He thought, His skull can’t possibly use soft techniques to slide off my staff force. So he channelled his staff into a whirlwind, every move aimed at Ouyang Feng’s head.

Ouyang Feng dodged his head aside several times, but in an instant, his body was enveloped in the wind of the staff. He groaned inwardly. If one of those staff strikes landed on his head, how could he keep his life? In his helplessness, he took a desperate gamble, he suddenly threw himself into Ke Zhen’e’s chest and seized him by the lapels. Ke Zhen’e was horrified. His iron staff was outside, unable to strike the enemy. He could only reach out and grapple in return. The two of them tumbled to the ground together.

Ouyang Feng dared not let go. He held fast to his opponent’s chest and reached with his left hand to twist at Ke Zhen’e’s waist. Suddenly his hand touched something hard. He grabbed it urgently, it was a sharp knife. This was the Butchering Ox Knife,¹ the weapon Zhang Asheng² had always used. Despite its name, it was not actually used for butchering oxen. The blade could cut through metal and jade, it was incomparably sharp. Zhang Asheng had died at the hands of Chen Xuanfeng³ in the Mongolian desert. Ke Zhen’e, cherishing the memory of his sworn brother, kept this knife on his person at all times, never parting with it for a moment. Ouyang Feng, grappling at close quarters, pulled it out. His left hand curved around, and he raised the knife to stab it into his enemy’s flank. But at that very instant, Ke Zhen’e released his iron staff and swung his right fist, peng!, sending Ouyang Feng tumbling head over heels. Stars danced before Ouyang Feng’s eyes. In his daze, he flung the knife at his enemy. Ke Zhen’e heard the wind of its passage and dodged aside. Dang!, the sound of the bell rang out, humming endlessly. The knife had struck the iron bell in the hall. Ouyang Feng’s throw had little strength behind it. The blade glanced off the bell and slid away, embedding itself in the wooden pillar of the bell frame. The blade quivered, humming.

Yang Guo was standing beside the bell. The knife had flown past his face, nearly slashing his cheek. His heart pounded with fear. He scrambled up the bell frame as fast as he could. Ouyang Feng quietly stood up, circled behind the bell, and held his breath. The bell was still ringing, and Ke Zhen’e could not immediately discern where Ouyang Feng’s breathing was coming from. He cocked his head, listening intently. In the dim candlelight of the great hall, Yang Guo saw Ke Zhen’e’s wild white hair and his posture as he leaned on his staff, listening. Yang Guo perceived the critical point. He pulled out the Butchering Ox Knife and struck the bell with its handle, dang!, drowning out both men’s breathing.

Ke Zhen’e heard the bell and lunged forward, swinging his staff horizontally. Ouyang Feng dodged aside, and the staff struck the iron bell, dang!, with a deafening crash that made the ears ring. Yang Guo felt a dull ache in his eardrums. Ke Zhen’e’s temper flared. He swung his iron staff and struck the bell again and again, before one peal had faded, the next had begun, growing louder and louder. Ouyang Feng thought, If he keeps this up, even though Guo Jing is injured, Huang Rong will probably come to help. Taking advantage of the deafening bell, he lightened his steps and tried to slip out through the rear hall. But Ke Zhen’e’s hearing was extraordinarily acute, even amid the thunderous clanging of the bell, he could still distinguish the faintest sounds. He heard Ouyang Feng’s footsteps moving and pretended not to notice, continuing to hammer the bell wildly. He waited until Ouyang Feng had taken several steps and was farther from the bell, then suddenly lunged forward and brought his staff down towards Ouyang Feng’s head.

Ouyang Feng may have lost his strength, but he had weathered countless storms in his life, how could he not understand the feints and stratagems of combat? The moment he saw Ke Zhen’e’s right shoulder twitch, he knew his intent. Before the iron staff could swing out, he had already fled back behind the bell. Though his severe injuries had made every step a struggle, now, with his life hanging by a thread, he drew from the depths of decades of profound neili a surge of power he himself did not know he possessed. Ke Zhen’e was furious. “Even if I can’t beat you to death, I’ll exhaust you to death!” he shouted, and circled the bell in pursuit.

Yang Guo watched the two of them chase each other around the iron bell. If this went on much longer, his sworn father would surely run out of strength. Seeing how desperate the situation was, a plan suddenly came to him. He climbed onto the bell frame and waved his arms wildly, making exaggerated gestures. Ouyang Feng was fully focused on dodging his enemy’s pursuit and did not notice. After two more circles, he finally saw Yang Guo’s shadow cast on the ground, the boy was signalling him to leave. He did not immediately understand, but thought, Since he’s telling me to leave, there must be a reason. He took the risk and dashed towards the outside.

Ke Zhen’e stopped and stood still, trying to determine which direction his enemy had fled. Yang Guo pulled off both his shoes and threw them towards the rear hall, pa, pa, they landed on the floor. Ke Zhen’e was baffled. He had clearly heard Ouyang Feng heading for the main door, how could there be sounds from the rear hall? In that moment of hesitation, Yang Guo raised the Butchering Ox Knife and hacked at the crossbeam from which the iron bell hung. The beam was extremely thick, and Yang Guo’s strength was slight, though the blade was sharp, how could a few frantic chops cut through it? But the iron bell was tremendously heavy. After several gashes had been cut into the beam, it could no longer bear the weight of the great bell. Kalala, with a series of cracks, the crossbeam snapped. The great iron bell, carrying a fierce gust of wind, came crashing straight down towards the crown of Ke Zhen’e’s head.

Ke Zhen’e had already heard a strange sound from above and was wondering what it could be when the great bell came plummeting down. There was no time to flee. In his desperation, he thrust his iron staff straight up, dang!, with a thunderous crash, the rim of the bell caught on the staff. That single instant of resistance gave him just enough time to roll out from under the bell. But then, ka, peng, peng, hong!, a series of crashes followed as the great bell, having struck the iron staff, toppled and rolled, slamming violently into Ke Zhen’e’s leg and hurling him out through the temple gate. He tumbled head over heels several times, his nose bleeding and a large gash opened on his forehead. Ke Zhen’e, unable to see, had no idea what had caused this calamity. Fearing there might be other strange enemies in the hall, he scrambled to his feet and limped away.

Ouyang Feng had watched from the side, and even he was somewhat alarmed. “A pity, a pity!” he kept saying. Then: “Good child, how clever!” Yang Guo climbed down from the bell frame. “That blind man won’t dare come back now,” he said happily. Ouyang Feng shook his head. “That man’s hatred for me is deeper than the sea. As long as he draws breath, he will certainly return.” Yang Guo said, “Then let’s leave quickly.” Ouyang Feng shook his head again. “I’m too badly injured, I can’t get far.” Now that the immediate danger had passed, he felt as if every bone and joint in his body were about to come apart. He truly could not take a single step. Yang Guo said anxiously, “Then what do we do?” Ouyang Feng was silent for a long moment. “There is a way,” he said at last. “Cut through the crossbeam of the other bell and lower it over me.” Yang Guo said, “But how will you get out?” Ouyang Feng said, “I’ll train under the bell for seven days. Once my primal energy is restored, I can lift the bell and come out on my own. During those seven days, even if Ke the Blind comes back for revenge, with his paltry abilities, he won’t be able to lift this great bell. As long as that girl Huang Rong doesn’t come, no one is likely to see through the trick. If Huang Rong comes, then all is lost.”

Yang Guo thought it over and realised there truly was no other way. He confirmed that Ouyang Feng could indeed open the bell by himself without anyone’s help, then asked, “You won’t have anything to eat for seven days, will you be all right?” Ouyang Feng said, “Go find a basin or bowl, fill it with clean water, and put it beside me. There are still several steamed buns here, eating them slowly, I can hold out for seven days.”

Yang Guo went to the kitchen and found an earthenware bowl. He washed it clean, filled it with water, and placed it beneath the other bell, which still hung high. Then he helped Ouyang Feng sit properly beneath the bell. Ouyang Feng said, “Child, go ahead and follow that fellow Guo. Someday I will surely come find you.” Yang Guo agreed. He climbed onto the bell frame, cut through the crossbeam, and the great iron bell descended, covering Ouyang Feng within.

Yang Guo called “Papa” several times but heard no answer from Ouyang Feng. He knew his father could not hear sounds from outside the bell. He was about to leave when a thought struck him. He went to the rear hall and fetched another earthenware bowl, filling it with clean water. He placed the bowl on the ground, then turned himself upside down, dipped his left hand into the water, and, following the reverse-meridian method Ouyang Feng had taught him, forced out some of the poisoned blood from his hand. But this technique was extremely taxing, and he had only learned the barest rudiments. Though he managed to squeeze out only a dozen or so drops of black blood, he was already drenched in sweat. After resting for a while, he tore down several cloth banners from in front of the deity statues, wrapped them around a divination-stick holder, dipped it in the bloody water in the bowl, and smeared it all over the outside of the bell. If Ke the Blind comes again and tries to pry open the bell, he thought, the moment his palm touches the bell’s surface, he’ll be poisoned for sure.

Then it occurred to him, his sworn father was sealed inside the bell. He mustn’t suffocate during those seven days. He used the sharp knife to dig at the green bricks beneath the rim of the bell, gouging out a hole the size of a fist for ventilation. As he dug, the knife struck a hard stone beneath the bricks, pa!, and snapped in two. The Butchering Ox Knife was incomparably sharp, but its blade was thin. Yang Guo had been using it like a chisel, digging and gouging recklessly, and a treasured blade had been ruined. He had no idea how precious the knife was. Since it wasn’t his anyway, he felt no regret. He tossed it aside casually, lay flat on the ground, and called into the hole beneath the bell: “Papa, I’m going now. Come get me soon. I’ve dug a hole by the bell’s edge for air. The outside of the bell is poisonous, be careful when you come out.” Then he turned his head and pressed his ear to the hole. He heard Ouyang Feng’s faint voice: “Good child, I’m not afraid of poison, poison is afraid of me. Take care of yourself. I will certainly come for you.”

Yang Guo stood silently for a long while, reluctant to leave. At last, he ran swiftly back to the estate where they were staying. He was anxious and fearful as he climbed the wall, afraid Ke Zhen’e would discover him. But when he entered the room, he found that Ke Zhen’e had not yet returned, which was beyond his expectations.

Early the next morning, he suddenly heard someone pounding on the door with a stick, peng, peng, peng! Yang Guo jumped out of bed and opened the door. There stood Ke Zhen’e, holding a wooden staff, his face ashen. The moment he stepped through the door, he pitched forward and collapsed on the floor. Yang Guo saw that both his hands were black, he had indeed gone looking for Ouyang Feng again and had finally fallen victim to the poison Yang Guo had laid. Secretly delighted, Yang Guo feigned alarm and shouted, “Grandpa Ke! What’s wrong?”

Guo Jing and Huang Rong heard the cries and rushed over. Seeing Ke Zhen’e on the floor, they were shocked. By now, Guo Jing could walk, but he had no strength. Huang Rong helped Ke Zhen’e onto the bed. “Eldest shifu, what happened?” she asked. Ke Zhen’e shook his head and did not answer. Huang Rong saw the blackness on his palms. “That vile woman Li again!” she said bitterly. “Jing gege, let me go deal with her.” She tightened her belt and strode towards the door.

“It wasn’t that woman,” Ke Zhen’e said in a low voice. Huang Rong stopped and turned back, surprised. “Oh? Then who was it?” Ke Zhen’e felt that he could not even handle a person with no strength to truss a chicken, and had instead come back injured, he was utterly useless. His nature was rigid and proud, and he would not speak a single word about the cause of his injury. Guo Jing and Huang Rong knew his temperament, if he wanted to tell them, he would, otherwise, the more they asked, the angrier he would get. Fortunately, the poison had only affected his skin and was not severe. He had merely fainted temporarily. After taking a Nine-Flower Jade Dew Pill, he was fine.

Huang Rong considered the situation. With Guo Jing and Ke Zhen’e both injured, and Li Mochou’s viciousness and cunning unfathomable, the safest course was to first escort the two wounded men and two children to Peach Blossom Island, then come back later to settle accounts with Li Mochou. They rested at that family’s home for the morning, and in the afternoon hired a boat to travel east. Yang Guo, seeing that Huang Rong was not going after Ouyang Feng, secretly rejoiced. He also thought, Papa is very afraid of Auntie Guo coming after him. Could it be that Auntie Guo, a delicate, beautiful woman like her, is even more formidable than Ke the Blind?

The boat travelled for half a day. As evening approached, they moored at the bank, and the boatman washed rice to prepare the evening meal. Guo Fu, seeing that Yang Guo was ignoring her, felt both angry and bored. She leaned against the boat window and gazed outside. Suddenly, beneath the shade of the willows, she saw two small children weeping bitterly. From their appearance, they were none other than the brothers Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen. Guo Fu shouted, “Hey! What are you doing?” Wu Xiuwen turned and saw it was Guo Fu. “We’re crying, can’t you see?” he sobbed. Guo Fu said, “What for? Did your mother beat you?” Wu Xiuwen wept, “Our mother is dead!”

Huang Rong asked, “Who is their mother?” Guo Fu said, “They’re Uncle Wu’s and Auntie Wu’s sons.” Huang Rong had already learned that Wu Santong and his wife had helped resist Li Mochou, and that Wu Santong was a disciple of their benefactor, Master Yideng. Alarmed, she leapt ashore.

She saw the two children weeping piteously beside their mother’s body. Madam Wu’s face was entirely black, she had been dead for some time. Huang Rong asked about Wu Santong’s whereabouts. Wu Dunru wept, “Papa has gone off somewhere, we don’t know where.” Wu Xiuwen said, “Mama sucked the poison from Papa’s wound, she sucked out so much black blood. Papa got better, but Mama died. When Papa saw that Mama was dead, his mind went muddled again. We called to him, but he ignored us and just walked away.” He began crying again. Huang Rong thought, Madam Wu gave her life to save her husband, she was truly a woman of righteousness and courage. “You must be hungry,” she said. The two brothers nodded without stopping.

Huang Rong sighed. She ordered the boatman to bring them aboard for a meal, then went into town and bought a coffin to lay Madam Wu to rest. It was too late to bury her that night, so they waited until the next morning to find a grave site and inter the coffin. The Wu brothers threw themselves on the ground before the grave and wept bitterly.

Guo Jing said, “Ronger, these two children have lost both parents. Let’s take them to Peach Blossom Island. It’ll mean more trouble for you to look after them.” Huang Rong nodded her agreement. She comforted the Wu brothers, and they boarded the boat, sailing to the coast. There they hired a larger vessel and set out eastward for Peach Blossom Island. Huang Yaoshi had been away from the island for a long time. Guo Jing and Huang Rong had settled there and no longer harmed people recklessly, so the nearby boatmen no longer feared Peach Blossom Island as a dragon’s pool or a tiger’s den.

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Footnotes

1. 屠牛刀 – Tú Niú Dāo. Butchering Ox Knife, Zhang Asheng’s signature weapon. Despite its humble name, it is a blade of exceptional quality, capable of cutting through metal and jade. ↩

2. 张阿生 – Zhāng Āshēng. Laughing Buddha, the fifth of the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan. He died in the Mongolian desert at the hands of Chen Xuanfeng while protecting Guo Jing. ↩

3. 陈玄风 – Chén Xuánfēng. Copper Corpse, a renegade disciple of Huang Yaoshi who, with his wife Mei Chaofeng, stole the Nine Yin Manual and became infamous for their brutal martial arts. ↩