The Return of the Condor Heroes Chapter 4 – Part 7
Translation by Jenxi Seow
Yang Guo had seen the Quanzhen Taoists beaten to a pulp by Guo Jing and had watched Qiu Chuji and the others driven to desperation by Huo Du’s band of evildoers, saved only by Guo Jing’s intervention. In his heart, he was convinced that these Taoists’ skills were all mediocre. He didn’t even respect Qiu Chuji, let alone Zhao Zhijing. Seeing his shifu’s unpleasant expression, he thought, “I only took you as my shifu because I had no choice. Even if I trained my martial arts to be exactly like yours, what use would it be? You’d still be one big worthless lump. Why are you acting so fierce?” He turned his head away and did not answer.
Zhao Zhijing flew into a rage and raised his voice even higher. “I asked you a question. How dare you not answer?” Yang Guo said, “What does Shifu want me to answer?” Hearing this insolent reply, Zhao Zhijing could no longer contain his fury. He swung his hand back and slapped Yang Guo across the face, making his cheek red and swollen. Yang Guo let out a wail and broke into a run. Zhao Zhijing chased after him, grabbed him, and demanded, “Where are you going?” Yang Guo said, “Let go of me! I’m not learning martial arts from you anymore.”
Zhao Zhijing grew even angrier and barked, “You little bastard, what did you say?” By now, Yang Guo had thrown caution to the wind and cursed, “Stinking Taoist! Dog Taoist! Go ahead and beat me to death!” In those days, the bond between shifu and disciple was regarded as the most solemn of ties. In the wulin, the shifu-disciple relationship was like that of father and son. Even if a shifu decided to execute a disciple, the disciple often dared not resist. For Yang Guo to dare curse his shifu was an act of unfilial rebellion rarely seen or heard of. Zhao Zhijing’s face turned sallow with rage. He raised his palm to strike Yang Guo’s face again. Yang Guo suddenly leapt up, wrapped his arms around Zhao Zhijing’s arm, opened his mouth, and bit down hard on his right index finger, sinking his teeth deep into the flesh.
Ever since Ouyang Feng1 had taught Yang Guo the secret formula of neili, Yang Guo had practised it regularly and had already built some foundation. Zhao Zhijing, in his towering rage, and thinking him just a small child, had taken no precautions whatsoever. Now, with Yang Guo clinging tightly and biting fiercely, he could not shake him off. The fingers connect to the heart. Pain in the fingers is the hardest to bear. Zhao Zhijing struck Yang Guo’s shoulder heavily with his left fist and shouted, “Are you courting death? Let go!” But Yang Guo, his heart filled with mad fury, was determined not to release his grip even if blades and spears were brought against him. Feeling the intense pain in his shoulder, he bit down even harder. With a crack, his teeth reached the bone. Zhao Zhijing screamed, “Ow!” He drove his left fist hard onto the crown of Yang Guo’s head, knocking him unconscious. Only then did he pinch Yang Guo’s jaw and extract his right index finger. His hand was covered in fresh blood, the finger bone broken. Though the bone could be set and healed, that finger would never have the same strength as before, and his martial arts would inevitably suffer. In his fury, he kicked Yang Guo several more times.
He tore a strip from Yang Guo’s sleeve, bandaged his finger wound, and looked around. Fortunately, no one was nearby. If this matter became known and spread through the jianghu, that Zhao Zhijing of the Quanzhen Order had his finger bone bitten through by a young disciple, his face would be utterly lost. He fetched a basin of cold water and splashed it over Yang Guo to revive him.
As soon as Yang Guo regained consciousness, he lunged at Zhao Zhijing again like a madman. Zhao Zhijing seized him by the chest and barked, “Animal! Do you truly not want to live?” Yang Guo cursed, “Dog thief! Stinking Taoist! Long-bearded goat! Useless wretch who got beaten crawling on the ground and eating dirt by my Uncle Guo! You’re the animal!”
Zhao Zhijing struck him again with his right palm. This time he was on guard, and no matter how Yang Guo tried to retaliate, he could not get close. In the blink of an eye, Zhao Zhijing sent him tumbling with several kicks. If Zhao Zhijing had wanted to injure him, it would have been easy. But he considered that the boy was, after all, his disciple. If he struck too heavily, how would he answer to his shifu and shibo? Yet Yang Guo fought blindly and ferociously, as if locked in a life-or-death struggle, as though he and Zhao Zhijing shared an irreconcilable hatred. Though his body took punch after punch and kick after kick, the pain unbearable, he showed not the slightest sign of retreat.
Zhao Zhijing rained punches and kicks on Yang Guo, but in his heart he deeply regretted it. He watched as Yang Guo, though wounded all over, grew fiercer the longer he fought. Finally, with no other choice, Zhao Zhijing extended his left hand and pressed a finger into Yang Guo’s side, sealing his acupoint. Yang Guo lay on the ground, unable to move, his eyes filled with fury. Zhao Zhijing said, “You rebellious disciple, do you submit or not?” Yang Guo glared at him, showing no sign of yielding. Zhao Zhijing sat on a large rock, panting heavily. Had he been fighting a skilled opponent, he would not have been out of breath after such a short exchange. His limbs were not tired. It was the rage in his heart, impossible to calm.
Shifu and disciple glared at each other. Zhao Zhijing could think of no good way to handle this stubborn child. As he fretted, the clang of bells suddenly rang out: the zhangmen was summoning all disciples. Zhao Zhijing was startled. He said to Yang Guo, “If you stop being rebellious, I’ll release you.” He reached out and unsealed Yang Guo’s acupoint.
But Yang Guo sprang up and threw himself at Zhao Zhijing again. Zhao Zhijing stepped back two paces and said angrily, “I’m not hitting you. What more do you want?” Yang Guo said, “Will you hit me again in the future or not?” Zhao Zhijing heard the urgent ringing of the bells and dared not delay. He could only say, “If you behave, why would I hit you?” Yang Guo said, “Fine then. Shifu, if you don’t hit me, I’ll call you Shifu. But if you hit me even once more, I’ll never acknowledge you again.” Zhao Zhijing was so angry he could only laugh bitterly. He nodded and said, “The zhangmen is summoning the disciples. Come with me quickly.” He saw that Yang Guo’s clothes were torn and his face was bruised and swollen. Fearing questions from others, he tidied him up a little, took his hand, and ran to the assembly before the palace.
When Zhao Zhijing and Yang Guo arrived, the Taoists had already formed their ranks. Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, and Wang Chuyi sat facing outward. Ma Yu clapped his hands three times and declared in a clear voice, “The Perfected One of Long Life and the Pure and Tranquil Loose Immortal have sent word from Shanxi that the matter there is extremely difficult. After consulting with my two shidi, we have decided that the Perfected One of Long Spring and the Perfected One of Jade Sun, leading ten disciples, will depart immediately to provide reinforcement.” The Taoists looked at one another, some shocked, some indignant. Qiu Chuji then called out the names of ten disciples and said, “Each of you, make your preparations. Tomorrow morning, follow the Perfected One of Jade Sun and me to Shanxi. The rest of you are dismissed.”
As the Taoists dispersed, they murmured among themselves. “Li Mochou is just a woman. How can she be so formidable that even Liu shishu the Long Life couldn’t subdue her?” Some said, “Isn’t Sun shishu the Pure and Tranquil Loose Immortal a woman too? This shows there are capable people among women. They can’t be underestimated.” Others said, “With Qiu shibo and Wang shishu going, Li Mochou will surely be captured.”
Qiu Chuji walked over to Zhao Zhijing and said, “I had meant to bring you along, but I feared it would delay Guoer’s training. You need not go on this trip.” Catching sight of Yang Guo’s face covered in injuries, he started. “What’s this? Who have you been fighting?” Zhao Zhijing panicked, knowing that if Grandmaster Qiu learned the truth, he would be severely reprimanded. He frantically signalled Yang Guo with his eyes. Yang Guo had already made up his mind. Seeing Zhao Zhijing’s anxious expression, he pretended not to notice and hemmed and hawed without answering. Qiu Chuji said angrily, “Who beat you into this state? Whose fault was it? Speak!” Zhao Zhijing grew even more frightened at Grandmaster Qiu’s stern tone.
Yang Guo said, “It wasn’t a fight. This disciple fell and tumbled into a mountain pit.” Qiu Chuji did not believe him and said angrily, “You’re lying. How could you fall for no reason? Those injuries on your face aren’t from a fall.” Yang Guo said, “Just now, Grandmaster was teaching this disciple to study martial arts obediently…” Qiu Chuji said, “Yes, and then what?” Yang Guo continued, “After Grandmaster left, this disciple thought that Grandmaster’s teachings were right and that from now on I must strive to improve, so as not to disappoint Grandmaster’s expectations.” At these smooth words, Qiu Chuji’s expression gradually softened, and he grunted in acknowledgment. Yang Guo went on, “But then, out of nowhere, a mad dog appeared. Without any reason, it pounced and started biting. This disciple kicked it and tried to drive it away, but the mad dog only grew fiercer. This disciple had no choice but to turn and run. Carelessly, I fell into a mountain pit. Fortunately, my shifu came and rescued me.”
Qiu Chuji was half-doubtful and looked at Zhao Zhijing, silently asking whether this was true. Zhao Zhijing was furious, thinking, “Fine, you little brat, daring to call me a mad dog?” But trapped by circumstances, he had no choice but to cover for the boy. He could only nod and say, “It was this disciple who rescued him.”
Only then did Qiu Chuji believe it. He said, “After I leave, teach him our school’s profound arts well. Every ten days, the zhangmen will check his progress and give guidance on the essentials.” Zhao Zhijing was deeply unwilling, but how could he defy his shibo’s command? He could only bow and agree. Yang Guo, at that moment, was still savouring the pleasure of having forced his shifu to admit to being a mad dog and had not heard a word of Grandmaster Qiu’s instructions. When Qiu Chuji had walked a dozen paces away, Zhao Zhijing’s anger surged, and he could not resist reaching out to strike the top of Yang Guo’s head again. Yang Guo shouted, “Grandmaster Qiu!” Qiu Chuji turned back in surprise and asked, “What is it?” Zhao Zhijing’s hand hung in mid-air, unable to fall. The situation was extremely awkward. He forced his arm into a motion of scratching the hair at his temple. Yang Guo ran to Qiu Chuji and cried, “Grandmaster, after you leave, there will be no one to look after me. So many shibo and shishu here all want to beat me.” Qiu Chuji’s face hardened. “Nonsense! How could such a thing happen?” Outwardly stern, he was inwardly kind and, thinking of the orphan’s pitiful state, declared loudly, “Zhi Jing, take good care of this child. If anything goes wrong, I will hold you accountable upon my return.” Zhao Zhijing could only agree once more.
After dinner that evening, Yang Guo shuffled slowly into the meditation chamber where his shifu stayed. He lowered his hands and called, “Shifu!” This was the time for teaching martial arts. Zhao Zhijing sat cross-legged on the couch, having pondered the matter at length. He thought, “This child is so unruly. Already he is defiant and stubborn. Once his martial arts improve, who will be able to control him? But Grandmaster Qiu and my shifu have ordered me to teach him. I can’t refuse.” He turned the problem over and over, unable to decide. Watching Yang Guo enter slowly, his eyes darting, wearing an expression that was half smile and half smirk, Zhao Zhijing grew even angrier. Suddenly, an idea struck him. “I have it. He knows nothing of our school’s martial arts. I’ll only teach him the oral formulas of the profound arts and not a single word about how to practise them. What use is memorising a few hundred lines of verse? When my shifu and shibo ask, I can always say he refused to work hard.”
Footnotes
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欧阳锋 – Ōuyáng Fēng. His name meaning “blade” or “cutting edge”. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩