The Return of the Condor Heroes Chapter 4 – Part 8

His scheme settled, he said amiably, “Guoer, come here.” Yang Guo asked, “Are you going to hit me?” Zhao Zhijing said, “I’m going to teach you martial arts. Why would I hit you?” Seeing this unexpected attitude, Yang Guo was taken aback. He approached slowly, on full alert against any trick. Zhao Zhijing saw this but pretended not to notice. He said, “Our Quanzhen Order’s martial arts are cultivated from the inside out, unlike external schools that work from the outside in. Now I will teach you our school’s mental method. You must memorise it firmly.” He then recited the Quanzhen Order’s introductory neili formula once.

Yang Guo memorised it after hearing it just once. He thought, “This long-bearded old goat hates me and resents me. How could he sincerely teach me martial arts? He’s probably giving me some useless fake formula to toy with me.” After a while, he pretended to have forgotten and asked Zhao Zhijing again. Zhao Zhijing repeated it exactly as before. The next day, Yang Guo asked his shifu once more and found the words identical to the previous two times. Only then did he believe it was genuine, reasoning that if Zhao Zhijing were making it up, he could not recite it word for word the same three times in a row.

Ten days passed like this. Zhao Zhijing taught him only the oral formulas, never saying a word about the actual methods of cultivation. On the tenth day, Zhao Zhijing took him to see Ma Yu, saying he had already taught the school’s mental method, and ordered Yang Guo to recite it for the zhangmen. Yang Guo recited it from beginning to end without a single mistake. Ma Yu was delighted and praised the child’s intelligence repeatedly. He was a sincere, modest, and virtuous man of the Way. An honourable man can be deceived by what seems proper, and he never imagined Zhao Zhijing had another scheme.

Summer ended and autumn arrived. Autumn passed and winter came. In the blink of an eye, several months went by. Yang Guo had memorised a bellyful of formulas but had learned not a shred of real skill. In terms of martial arts and neili, he was no different from the day he had come up the mountain. Within days of beginning to memorise the formulas, Yang Guo had already realised his shifu was toying with him. But since Zhao Zhijing refused to teach, there was nothing he could do. He could see that the zhangmen was kind and gentle. If he complained, Ma Yu would at most scold Zhao Zhijing a few times, and then the long-bearded goat would likely devise even crueller schemes to torment him. He could only wait for Grandmaster Qiu to return. But month after month, Grandmaster Qiu did not come back. Fortunately, Yang Guo had never thought much of the Quanzhen Order’s martial arts to begin with. Whether he learned them or not made no difference to him. He only thought, “These worthless skills, even if I learned them, what use would they be? The less I learn, the stronger I’ll become!” But Zhao Zhijing’s mistreatment filled him with growing hatred. Unwilling to suffer immediate consequences, he made his outward manner all the more respectful.

Zhao Zhijing secretly gloated, thinking, “You rebel against your shifu. In the end, we’ll see who suffers.”

In the blink of an eye, it was the twelfth month. According to the rules handed down from Wang Chongyang, every year on the three days before New Year’s Eve, the disciples held a grand martial arts competition to assess each person’s progress over the year. As the competition date drew near, the disciples trained day and night without rest.

On the fifteenth day of the twelfth month, the disciples of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen held their separate competitions, called the Minor Competition. The disciples divided into seven groups: Ma Yu’s disciples and grand-disciples in one, Qiu Chuji’s and Wang Chuyi’s each in their own, and so on. Though Tan Chuduan¹ had died, his disciples and grand-disciples were still numerous. Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, and the others, mourning his early death, gave special guidance to his disciples, so that in every year’s Grand Competition, the disciples of the Long Peace Master Tan never fell behind those of the other six masters. This year, with Chongyang Palace having suffered disaster and the Quanzhen Order nearly facing destruction, everyone in the sect, from top to bottom, reflected that although the Quanzhen Order was reputed as the orthodox school of martial arts under heaven, in truth, masters were emerging from every school and sect in the wulin, and their own reputation was in jeopardy. Thus, everyone trained with even greater diligence than in previous years.

The Quanzhen Order was founded by Wang Chongyang, the founding patriarch. Ma Yu and the other six were his personal disciples, the second generation. Zhao Zhijing, Yin Zhiping, Cheng Yaojia,² and the others were disciples of the Seven Masters, the third generation. Yang Guo and his peers were the fourth generation. That afternoon, the disciples of the Jade Sun Master, Zhao Zhijing, Cui Zhifang,³ and the rest, gathered in the open ground at the southeast corner to compete in martial arts. Wang Chuyi was not on the mountain, so his senior disciple Zhao Zhijing presided over the Minor Competition. The fourth-generation disciples demonstrated fist and foot techniques, wielded blades and spears, threw concealed weapons, or displayed neili. Zhao Zhijing and the others critiqued each performance and assigned rankings.

Yang Guo, having entered the sect last, sat at the very end of the line. He watched as many young Taoists and lay disciples of his own age displayed refined martial skills, each with their own speciality. He felt no envy, only resentment. Zhao Zhijing, noticing the indignation on Yang Guo’s face, deliberately wanted to humiliate him. After two young Taoists finished competing with weapons, he called out loudly, “Yang Guo, come forward!”

Yang Guo froze, thinking, “You haven’t taught me a shred of martial arts. What do you want me to come out for?” Zhao Zhijing called again, “Yang Guo, did you hear me? Come out!” Yang Guo had no choice but to walk before the assembly. He bowed and said, “Disciple Yang Guo pays respects to Shifu.” Most Quanzhen disciples were Taoists, but there were a few lay disciples like Yang Guo, who performed lay etiquette.

Zhao Zhijing pointed to the young Taoist who had just won his match and said, “He’s not much older than you. Go and compete with him.” Yang Guo said, “This disciple doesn’t know the slightest bit of martial arts. How can I compete with my shixiong?” Zhao Zhijing raged, “I’ve been teaching you for over half a year. How can you say you don’t know any martial arts? What have you been doing all this time?” Yang Guo had no answer and lowered his head in silence. Zhao Zhijing said, “You’re lazy and fond of play, unwilling to work hard. Naturally, your fists and feet are rusty. Let me ask you: ‘What proof is there for the work of cultivating truth? When the heart dies, all passions cease.’ What are the next two lines?” Yang Guo answered, “When essence and qi are full, the work of cultivation is complete. The light of the spirit shines throughout the divine capital.” Zhao Zhijing said, “Correct. Let me ask you another: ‘The secret teachings passed from shifu to disciple reveal the original root. In coming there is no debt, in going no surplus.’ What are the next two lines?” Yang Guo answered, “The dust and grime of passing years are wiped clean. The luminous spirit shines through the great void.” Zhao Zhijing smiled faintly. “Very good, not a single mistake. Now use these formulas and go down to compete with your shixiong.” Yang Guo froze again and said, “This disciple cannot.” Zhao Zhijing, gloating inwardly but showing great anger on his face, barked, “You’ve learned the formulas but refuse to practise them. You just make excuses. Get down there at once!”

These verses were indeed the essential principles for cultivating neili, teaching one to rein in the heart and still the thoughts, to refine essence and nourish qi. But each line was paired with several fist and foot techniques, together forming a simple introductory Quanzhen boxing set. The Taoists had heard Yang Guo recite the formulas with their own ears, without a single error, and assumed he was merely suffering from stage fright. The kind-hearted offered words of encouragement. Those who took pleasure in others’ misfortune mocked and jeered. Most Quanzhen disciples were good-natured people. But because of the great battle when Guo Jing had come up Mount Zhongnan and beaten the Taoists to utter defeat, many had been offended. Quite a few who had suffered at Guo Jing’s hands now vented their resentment on Yang Guo, hoping to see him humiliated. Though not necessarily malicious, it was only human nature to want to vent their pent-up frustration.

Seeing everyone urging him on, some even sneering with cold words, Yang Guo’s anger swelled. He steeled his heart and thought, “Today I’ll stake my life on it.” He leapt into the arena, flailed his arms, and charged straight at the young Taoist, striking wildly up and down. The young Taoist was already surprised that Yang Guo had entered the arena without saluting or following the school’s rules of humble challenge. When he saw Yang Guo attacking like a madman, he was even more shocked and could only retreat repeatedly. Yang Guo had long since cast life and death aside and pressed his attack fiercely. The young Taoist retreated a few more steps, saw that Yang Guo’s lower body was unsteady, sidestepped, and swept his leg out in the move “Wind Sweeps Fallen Leaves,” aiming at Yang Guo’s legs. Yang Guo did not know how to dodge. He lost his footing and fell, blood streaming from his nose.

The Taoists laughed at his pitiful fall. Yang Guo scrambled up, not even wiping the blood from his nose, and charged headfirst at the young Taoist. The young Taoist saw the ferocity of his approach and sidestepped. Yang Guo’s moves followed no rules whatsoever. He wrapped both arms around his opponent’s left leg. The young Taoist’s right palm sliced diagonally at Yang Guo’s shoulder. This move, “Wiping Away Dust and Grime,” was precisely the correct counter when one’s lower body was seized. But Yang Guo had learned no martial arts on Peach Blossom Island and had received no practical instruction at Chongyang Palace. He had no idea what move was coming. With a thump, a searing pain shot through his shoulder. He had taken a heavy punch. The more he lost, the fiercer he became. He drove his head into his opponent’s right leg, and the young Taoist, unable to keep his footing, was pinned beneath him. Yang Guo raised his fist and rained blows on the young Taoist’s head.

The young Taoist sought victory in defeat. He drove his fist hard into Yang Guo’s chest and, taking advantage of Yang Guo’s pain, pushed off and leapt up. With a reverse push and throw, he sent Yang Guo tumbling heavily. The move was precisely “No Debt, No Surplus.” He made a respectful bow and said, “Yang shidi, you were gracious!” In contests between fellow disciples, one was supposed to stop once victory and defeat were decided. But Yang Guo, like a mad tiger, charged again. In two or three exchanges, he was thrown again, yet he grew fiercer with each bout, his fists and feet flying faster and faster.

Zhao Zhijing shouted, “Yang Guo, you lost long ago. Why are you still fighting?” Yang Guo paid no attention, kicking sideways and punching straight without the slightest retreat. At first, the Taoists had found it amusing, all thinking, “Since when does our Quanzhen Order have such crude, reckless fighting techniques?” But later, seeing him fight with desperate, life-risking fury, they feared an accident and called out one after another, “Enough, enough. Fellow disciples exchange skills. No need to be so serious.”

Footnotes

1. 谭处端 – Tán Chǔduān. One of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen, known as the Perfected One of Long Peace. He was killed by Ouyang Feng in The Legend of the Condor Heroes. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

2. 程瑶迦 – Chéng Yáojiā. Her name meaning “jade” combined with a transliterated Buddhist name element. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

3. 崔志方 – Cuī Zhìfāng. Third-generation Quanzhen disciple in Wang Chuyi’s lineage, junior to Zhao Zhijing. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩