The Heavenly Sword & the Dragon Sabre – Chapter 10: The Centennial Birthday Feast That Shatters the Heart

The hundredth birthday feast becomes a heart-rending tragedy as long-buried truths come to light.

Several days passed, and it was the eighth of the fourth month. Zhang Sanfeng reflected that tomorrow was his hundredth birthday, and his disciples would surely make a grand celebration of it. Though Yu Daiyan’s disability and Zhang Cuishan’s disappearance left something to be desired, still, to live to the age of a hundred in one’s lifetime was no small blessing. Moreover, the “Taiji Skill”¹ he had been cultivating in closed-door meditation had now yielded its deepest secrets, and from this day forward the Wudang Order could surely shine brilliantly in the wulin, not inferior to the Shaolin Order’s arts transmitted from Bodhidharma’s journey eastward from India. Early that morning, he emerged from seclusion.

With a clear whistle, his sleeves trembled slightly, and the two panel doors creaked open. The first person Zhang Sanfeng saw was none other than Zhang Cuishan, whom he had missed for ten long years.

He rubbed his eyes, thinking he must be seeing things. Zhang Cuishan had already thrown himself into his arms, sobbing and calling out “Shifu!” again and again. In the tumult of his emotions, he quite forgot to kneel and kowtow. Song Yuanqiao and the other five cried out in unison: “Shifu, great fortune! Fifth Brother has returned!”

Zhang Sanfeng had lived a hundred years and cultivated the Way for over eighty of them. His heart was clear and empty, long since untroubled by worldly attachments. Yet his bond with these seven disciples was as that between father and son, and seeing Zhang Cuishan suddenly before him, he could not help but clutch him tightly, tears of joy streaming down his face.

The brothers attended to their master, helping him comb his hair, wash, and change his robes. Zhang Cuishan did not dare yet report his troubles, speaking instead of the strange sights and wonders of Ice and Fire Island. When Zhang Sanfeng heard that he had taken a wife, he was all the more delighted, saying, “Where is your wife? Bring her to see me at once.” Zhang Cuishan dropped to his knees and said, “Shifu, your disciple has been presumptuous. When I took a wife, I was unable to inform you, my master.” Zhang Sanfeng stroked his beard and laughed, “You were ten years on Ice and Fire Island, unable to return. Should you have waited ten more years until you could inform me first, and only then taken a wife? Ridiculous, ridiculous! Get up now. There is no need for apologies. When has Zhang Sanfeng ever had a hidebound, inflexible disciple?” Zhang Cuishan remained kneeling, saying, “But my wife’s origins are not… proper. She… she is the daughter of the Yin, the Leader of the Tianying Order.”

Zhang Sanfeng continued to stroke his beard and smile. “What does that matter? So long as your wife is of good character, that is enough. And even if her character were wanting, once she comes to our mountain, could we not gradually transform her through quiet influence? And what of the Tianying Order? Cuishan, the first rule for a man is not to be narrow-minded. Never style yourself a member of some ‘orthodox and righteous school’ and look down on everyone else. These two characters, ‘righteous’ and ‘unrighteous,’ are originally hard to distinguish. A disciple of a righteous school who harbours crooked intentions is himself an unrighteous man. A man among the unorthodox who sets his heart sincerely on goodness is a true gentleman.”

Zhang Cuishan was overwhelmed with relief. He had never imagined that a burden he had carried for ten years could be dismissed by his master with two gentle sentences. His face brightened, and he rose at once, hurrying to fetch Yin Susu to meet their master. Zhang Sanfeng was pleased when he saw Yin Susu and spoke a few words of comfort and encouragement. She paid her respects, then withdrew to her quarters.

Zhang Sanfeng said to Zhang Cuishan, “Your father-in-law, I have long admired him in spirit. I greatly respect his prowess. He is a forthright and noble man. Though his temperament is somewhat extreme and his ways unconventional, he is no base villain. We would do well to befriend such a man.” Song Yuanqiao and the others thought to themselves: “Shifu’s affection for Fifth Brother is truly deep. He loves the house and even its crows.² He is even willing to befriend that great arch-demon, his father-in-law.” Just then, a Daoist acolyte entered to announce: “The Tianying Order’s Leader Yin has sent someone to present gifts to Fifth Uncle Zhang!”

Zhang Sanfeng laughed. “Your father-in-law is sending betrothal gifts! Cuishan, go welcome the guests!” Zhang Cuishan responded, “Yes!”

Yin Liting said, “I’ll go with Fifth Brother.” Zhang Songxi laughed, “It’s not as though Old Hero Ji, the Golden Whip, is sending gifts. What are you rushing for?” Yin Liting’s face flushed, but he followed Zhang Cuishan out regardless.

In the main hall stood two middle-aged men wearing clerical caps and straight-cut robes, dressed in the manner of household retainers. Seeing Zhang Cuishan emerge, they both stepped forward and knelt, saying, “We trust our son-in-law is well. Your humble servants Yin Wufu and Yin Wulu pay our respects. Our brother Yin Wushou has asked us to convey his regards to our son-in-law as well.” Zhang Cuishan returned their bow and said, “Please rise, Steward.” He thought to himself: “These retainers’ names are most peculiar. Servants are always given names like ‘Peace, Auspiciousness, Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity.’ Why are these two called ‘No Fortune’ and ‘No Emoluments’? And there is yet another called ‘No Longevity’?” He noticed that Yin Wufu bore a long knife scar across his face, running from his right temple, past the tip of his nose, to the left corner of his mouth. Yin Wulu’s face was pockmarked all over. Both were exceedingly ugly, both in their forties or fifties.

Zhang Cuishan said, “I trust my father-in-law and mother-in-law are both well? I had intended to wait until we had settled in somewhat before bringing your young lady to pay respects to her elders, yet your honoured parents have thought to inquire first. How dare we be so presumptuous? You have travelled far and must be weary. Please sit and have some tea.”

Yin Wufu and Yin Wulu did not dare sit. Respectfully, they presented the gift list, saying, “Our master and mistress say these are but trifling gifts, and beg that our son-in-law will graciously accept them.”

Zhang Cuishan said, “Many thanks!” He opened the gift list and could not help but start. On more than a dozen sheets of gilt paper, two hundred items were listed in all. The first was “A pair of jade lions,” the second “A pair of jade phoenixes.” After countless jewels came “One hundred fine purple wolf-hair brushes,” “Forty sticks of tribute Tang ink,” “One hundred bundles of Xuanhe mulberry paper,” “Eight supreme-quality Duan inkstones.” The Leader of the Tianying Order, learning that his son-in-law was skilled in calligraphy, had sent a large quantity of extremely precious writing materials. The remaining items, clothing, caps, belts, ornaments, and utensils, left nothing wanting. Yin Wufu turned and went out, leading ten porters inside, each carrying a pair of loaded baskets, which they set down along one side of the hall.

Zhang Cuishan hesitated. “I have been poor since childhood, and our mountain life is simple. What use have I for these treasures? Yet if I refuse such generous gifts from my father-in-law from so far away, that would be discourteous.” He could only give thanks and accept them, saying, “Your young lady is fatigued from the journey and slightly unwell. Please stay on the mountain a few more days, and see her then.” Yin Wufu said, “Our master and mistress are most concerned for their daughter and have instructed us to report back at once. If it would not overly trouble the young lady, your humble servants would like to pay our respects to her and then depart immediately.”

Zhang Cuishan said, “In that case, please wait a moment.” He went back to his wife and told her. Yin Susu was overjoyed and came to the side hall to meet the two retainers, asking after the health of her parents and brother, and pressing them to eat before they left. Yin Wufu and Yin Wulu immediately took their leave of their son-in-law and young lady.

Zhang Cuishan thought to himself: “My father-in-law and mother-in-law have sent such lavish gifts that I ought to give these two men a generous reward. But even if I gathered all the silver on the mountain, I might not have enough to give handsomely.” He was easygoing by nature and did not dwell on it, saying with a smile, “Your young lady has married a poor husband who cannot afford to give rewards. Please don’t laugh at us.” Yin Wufu said, “We would not dare. To have seen the face of Wudang’s Fifth Xia is worth more than a gift of a thousand gold.” Zhang Cuishan thought: “This steward speaks with refinement, as though he were a man of letters.” He escorted them to the inner gate. Yin Wufu said, “Please stay here, son-in-law. We hope you and the young lady will visit soon, so that our master and mistress need not grieve with longing. The entire cult looks up to the son-in-law’s example.” Zhang Cuishan smiled.

Yin Wulu said, “There is one small matter I must report to our son-in-law. On the way up the mountain with the gifts, your humble servant and my brother encountered three escort agents at an inn in Xiangyang. In the course of their conversation, they mentioned our son-in-law.” Zhang Cuishan said, “Oh? What did they say?” Yin Wulu said, “One of them said: ‘The Seven Xia of Wudang have done us a great kindness, but the seventy-odd lives of the Dragon Gate Armed Escort cannot simply be forgotten.’ The three of them said they could no longer involve themselves in the matter and intended to go to Kaifeng to invite the old hero Tan Ruilai, known as ‘Divine Spear Shaking the Eight Directions,’ to reason with our son-in-law about this affair.” Zhang Cuishan nodded without speaking. Yin Wulu reached into his robe and produced three small banners, presenting them to Zhang Cuishan with both hands, saying, “Your humble servant and my brother, hearing that those three escort agents dared to move against the son-in-law, have taken this matter upon ourselves, upon the Tianying Order.” Zhang Cuishan saw the three small banners and was startled. The first bore an embroidered fierce tiger, crouching and roaring at the sky, naturally the banner of the Tiger Crouch Armed Escort. The second showed a white crane soaring among the clouds, the banner of the Jinyang Armed Escort, whose chief was Cloud Crane Yun He. The third had nine swallows embroidered in gold thread, incorporating both the “Yan” of the Yan Cloud Armed Escort and the “Jiu” of their chief Gong Jiujia.

Zhang Cuishan asked in surprise, “How did you come by their escort banners?” Yin Wufu said, “Our son-in-law is the Tianying Order’s honoured son-in-law. What are Qi Tianbiao and Gong Jiujia? Knowing full well that the Seven Xia of Wudang have done them a kindness, they still wished to invite that old fool Tan Ruilai from Kaifeng to trouble our son-in-law. Was that not beyond all reason? When we heard those three escort agents’ impertinent words…” Zhang Cuishan said, “It was not truly impertinent.” Yin Wufu said, “That is our son-in-law’s magnanimity, beyond what ordinary men can match. We three are narrow-minded by comparison, so we dealt with those three escort agents and took their banners.”

Zhang Cuishan was taken aback. Qi Tianbiao and the others were all heroes who dominated their regions, long established in the jianghu. Though they could not be counted among the very top fighters in the wulin, each possessed unique skills. How could three of his father-in-law’s retainers speak of dealing with them so casually? But if Yin Wufu were boasting, they clearly held these three banners, and even stealing them in secret would not have been easy, let alone taking them openly. Could they have used incense or drugged them at the inn, overpowering the three chiefs? He asked, “How exactly did you obtain these banners?”

Yin Wufu said, “At the time, our third brother Wushou stepped forward and issued a challenge, saying that the Tianying Order found those three worthless escort chiefs offensive, and invited them to a contest at Xiangyang’s south gate, three of them against three of us. It was agreed that if they lost, they would leave their banners, sever one arm each, and never set foot near Wudang Mountain again for the rest of their lives.” Zhang Cuishan found it more astonishing with every word, and dared not underestimate these two retainers any longer. He asked, “And then?” Yin Wufu said, “Afterwards, there was nothing much. They left their banners, cut off their own left arms, and said they would never dare approach Wudang Mountain again.”

Zhang Cuishan was secretly alarmed: “These Tianying Order people act with terrifying ruthlessness.” He could not help but frown. Yin Wulu said, “If our son-in-law considers our punishment too lenient, we can pursue them and finish the three off.” Zhang Cuishan said hastily, “Not too lenient! Not too lenient at all! It was more than heavy enough.” Yin Wufu said, “We reasoned that since we were coming to present gifts to our son-in-law, it was a joyous occasion. Taking lives would be inauspicious.” Zhang Cuishan said, “Indeed, you thought of everything. Where is your third brother? Why didn’t he come with you?” Yin Wufu said, “After we drove off those three escort agents, we feared that old man Tan might eventually hear of it and, not knowing what is good for him, come troubling our son-in-law after all. So Yin Wushou has gone to Kaifeng.”

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Zhang Cuishan reflected that “Divine Spear Shaking the Eight Directions” Tan Ruilai was a celebrated hero whose fame had endured for nearly forty years. If Yin Wushou went to Kaifeng on his behalf, any injury to either side would be most unfortunate. He said, “I have long admired the great hero Tan Ruilai. He is a righteous gentleman. Hurry to Kaifeng and tell Brother Wushou not to engage the old hero in any further words. If both sides become entrenched and come to blows, I fear the consequences would be grave.”

Yin Wulu smiled faintly. “Our son-in-law need not worry. That old man Tan would not dare fight our third brother. Our third brother told him not to meddle in other people’s affairs, and he will obey meekly.” Zhang Cuishan said, “Is that so?” He thought to himself: how could “Divine Spear Shaking the Eight Directions” Tan Ruilai be so easily intimidated? The old man himself might be past his prime, but the Tan family of Kaifeng had at least a dozen or twenty highly skilled disciples. Surely they would not be cowed by a single Yin Wushou? Yin Wufu, seeing that Zhang Cuishan did not believe him, said, “That old man Tan was defeated by Wushou twenty years ago, and a grave piece of leverage fell into our hands as well. Our son-in-law may set his mind at rest.” With that, the two men bowed and took their leave.

Zhang Cuishan held the three small banners, hesitating for a long while. He had intended to send the two men to inquire about Wuji’s whereabouts, but reflecting that raising this matter with outsiders, while he himself did not mind, might damage his second brother’s reputation, he slowly made his way back to their bedchamber.

Yin Susu was reclining on the bed, reading through the gift list, deeply grateful for her parents’ affection. Thinking of Wuji and where he might be at this moment, her heart was filled with anguish again. Seeing her husband enter with an unsettled expression, she asked hastily, “What is it?”

Zhang Cuishan said, “Those three, Wufu, Wulu, and Wushou, what is their story?”

Though Yin Susu had been married to her husband for ten years, she knew he disapproved of the Tianying Order, and so she had never spoken to him of her family affairs or the cult’s matters, nor had he ever asked. Now that he inquired, she said, “Those three were once notorious bandits roaming the Yan and Zhao region over twenty years ago. Later, many experts besieged them, and they seemed certain to perish. As it happened, my father passed by and, seeing that they fought to the death without surrender and showed great fortitude, stepped in and saved them. The three do not share a surname, so of course they are not brothers. Grateful to my father for saving their lives, they swore a solemn oath to serve him as slaves for life. They abandoned their former names and took the names Yin Wufu, Yin Wulu, and Yin Wushou. When I was small, I treated them courteously and never truly regarded them as servants. My father said that in terms of skill and former reputation, many of the wulin’s celebrated figures could not match those three.”

Zhang Cuishan nodded. “I see.” He then told her how the three had severed men’s left arms and seized their escort banners. Yin Susu frowned. “The three meant well, but they did not consider that disciples of the orthodox schools act very differently from those of the unorthodox cults. Fifth Brother, this affair has only added more trouble for you. I… I truly do not know what to do.” She sighed and continued, “Once we find Wuji, let us return to Ice and Fire Island.”

Just then they heard Yin Liting calling from outside the door: “Fifth Brother, come quickly! Write some birthday scrolls with your brush!” He laughed, “Fifth Sister-in-law, don’t blame me for dragging Fifth Brother away. Whose fault is it that he is called ‘Silver Hook and Iron Strokes’?”

That afternoon, the six fellow disciples supervised the lay brothers and Daoist acolytes in cleaning and decorating the Purple Cloud Palace. Birthday couplets written in Zhang Cuishan’s hand were hung throughout the halls, front and back, filling the place with festive cheer.

The next morning, Song Yuanqiao and the others put on their newly tailored cloth robes and were about to help Yu Daiyan so that all seven could go together to wish their master a happy birthday, when a Daoist acolyte entered and presented a name card. Song Yuanqiao took it. Zhang Songxi, sharp-eyed, read the words: “He Taichong, junior student of the Kunlun School, together with his disciples, respectfully wishes Master Zhang a longevity equal to the Southern Mountains.” He was startled. “The Kunlun School’s leader is coming to wish our master a happy birthday in person! When did he arrive in the Central Plains?” Mo Shenggu asked, “Did Master He’s wife come?” He Taichong’s wife Ban Shuxian was his shijie³, and her skill was said to be no less than the Kunlun leader’s own. Zhang Songxi said, “The name card does not mention Lady He.”

Song Yuanqiao said, “This guest is most important. We should ask Master to welcome him in person.” He hurried to inform Zhang Sanfeng.

Zhang Sanfeng said, “I have heard that the Iron Zither Gentleman⁴ rarely visits the Central Plains. It is kind of him to remember this old Daoist’s birthday.” Leading his six disciples, he went out to greet the visitors. He saw that “Iron Zither Gentleman” He Taichong was not particularly old, wearing yellow robes, his manner elegant and serene, his bearing harmonious, truly the image of a generation’s master from an orthodox school. Behind him stood eight male and female disciples, including Xihua Zi and Wei Sinian.

He Taichong bowed to Zhang Sanfeng with birthday greetings. Zhang Sanfeng thanked him repeatedly, cupping his fists in return. The six of them, Song Yuanqiao and the rest, knelt and kowtowed, and He Taichong knelt in return, saying, “The Six Xia of Wudang are renowned throughout the world. How can I bear such great courtesy?”

Zhang Sanfeng had just escorted He Taichong and his disciples into the main hall, and host and guest had settled and been served tea, when a young acolyte entered with another name card and handed it to Song Yuanqiao. It was from the Five Elders of Kongtong, all five of them. In the wulin, the Shaolin and Wudang names rang loudest, followed by Kunlun and Emei, with Kongtong after that. In terms of seniority and status, the Five Elders of Kongtong were merely peers of Song Yuanqiao. But Zhang Sanfeng was ever humble. He rose and said, “The Five Elders of Kongtong have arrived. Brother He, please sit a moment while this old Daoist goes out to welcome the guests.” He Taichong thought to himself: “For the Five Elders of Kongtong, the sort of people they are, sending a disciple to welcome them would have been quite sufficient.”

Presently the Five Elders of Kongtong entered with their disciples. Next came the Shenquan School, the Haisha School, the Jujing Guild, the Wushan Guild, and many more leaders of various schools and gangs, arriving one after another on the mountain to wish him a happy birthday. Song Yuanqiao and the others had only expected a quiet celebration among master and disciples. They had not anticipated so many guests. The six disciples each attended to their respective guests, but how could they possibly manage? Zhang Sanfeng had always detested elaborate formalities. For his seventieth, eightieth, and ninetieth birthdays, he had always instructed his disciples not to trouble outsiders. Who would have imagined that on his hundredth birthday, the wulin’s most honoured guests would gather in such numbers? Eventually the Purple Cloud Palace did not even have enough chairs for all the visitors. Song Yuanqiao could only have round stones brought in and placed densely throughout the hall. The various school leaders and gang chiefs at least had seats. Their disciples and followers had to sit on the stones. When the tea bowls ran out, they had to serve tea in rice bowls and vegetable bowls.

Zhang Songxi pulled Zhang Cuishan aside into a side room. “Fifth Brother, have you noticed anything?” Zhang Cuishan said, “They have arranged this among themselves. When they greet one another, it is clear they came prepared. Though some feign surprise, they are only drawing more attention by trying to conceal it.” Zhang Songxi said, “Indeed. They have not come sincerely to wish our master a happy birthday.” Zhang Cuishan said, “They use the birthday as a pretext. Their true purpose is to demand answers.” Zhang Songxi said, “Not to demand answers about the Dragon Gate Armed Escort case, that could never have drawn Iron Zither Gentleman He Taichong out in person.” Zhang Cuishan said, “Then all these people are here for Xie Xun the Golden-Haired Lion King!”

Zhang Songxi said coldly, “They think far too little of the Wudang Order’s disciples. Even if they rely on superior numbers, would the Wudang disciples betray a friend? Fifth Brother, even if Xie Xun were truly a villain guilty of ten thousand crimes, since he is your sworn brother, his whereabouts shall never be revealed from your lips.” Zhang Cuishan said, “Fourth Brother is right. What shall we do?” Zhang Songxi pondered briefly. “We must simply be careful. When brothers are of one heart, their sharpness cuts through gold.⁵ The Seven Xia of Wudang have weathered great storms many times. Why should we fear them?”

Though Yu Daiyan was disabled, they still spoke of the Seven Xia of Wudang. And behind the seven brothers stood their master Zhang Sanfeng, whose martial cultivation was without parallel in ancient or modern times. Yet both men thought: their master was a hundred years old. Though a grave crisis now faced them, the brothers must handle it themselves. They could not let their master intervene, nor let him worry. Zhang Songxi comforted his shidi⁶ thus, but inwardly he knew today’s affair was most difficult. How could they preserve the honour of their school? It would not be easy.

In the main hall, Song Yuanqiao, Yu Lianzhou, and Yin Liting accompanied the guests in polite small talk. The three of them had also long noticed that the visitors’ intentions were suspect, and each was privately uneasy.

As they spoke, a young acolyte entered and announced, “The Emei disciple Jingxuan Shitai, leading five shidi and shimei⁷, has come to wish our grandmaster a happy birthday.” Song Yuanqiao and Yu Lianzhou both smiled and looked at Yin Liting. At that moment Mo Shenggu was escorting eight or nine guests into the hall from outside, and Zhang Songxi and Zhang Cuishan had just emerged from the inner chamber. Hearing of the Emei disciples’ arrival, they too turned to look at Yin Liting with smiles. Yin Liting’s face flushed crimson, his manner bashful. Zhang Cuishan took his hand and said, “Come, come! The two of us will go welcome the honoured guests.”

The two of them went out to greet the visitors. Jingxuan Shitai was already around forty, tall and commanding in bearing. Though a woman, she was half a head taller than most men. Behind her, five shidi and shimei included one thin man in his thirties, two nuns, among them Jingxu Shitai, whom Zhang Cuishan had already met on the boat at sea, and two young women in their early twenties. One had a slight smile on her lips. The other, a beautiful young woman with fair skin and a slender figure, was looking down and fidgeting with the hem of her robe. This was, of course, Yin Liting’s betrothed, Ji Xiaofu of the Golden Whip Ji family.

Zhang Cuishan stepped forward with proper greetings, escorting the six inside. Yin Liting was exceedingly shy and did not dare glance at Ji Xiaofu even once. But as they walked along the corridor, with everyone else ahead, he could not help stealing a look at her. At that moment, Ji Xiaofu, her head bowed, happened to glance at him sideways as well. Their eyes met. Ji Xiaofu’s Bei Jinyi shimei coughed loudly. Both flushed red and turned their heads away at once. Bei Jinyi gave a little snort of laughter and whispered, “Shijie, this Yin shixiong⁸ is even more bashful than you.” Suddenly Ji Xiaofu’s body trembled, her face turning deathly pale, tears glistening in her eyes.

Zhang Songxi had been calculating the balance of forces. Seeing the six Emei disciples arrive, he felt somewhat reassured, thinking: “Miss Ji is Sixth Brother’s betrothed. If things come to blows later, the Emei Order may lend us a hand.”

Visitors continued to arrive in a steady stream, and soon it was midday. The Purple Cloud Palace had made no preparations. How could they host a banquet? The lay brothers could only serve each person a large bowl of white rice with green vegetables and tofu on top. The six Wudang disciples apologised repeatedly. But they noticed that everyone, while eating, kept looking toward the gate as though waiting for someone.

Song Yuanqiao and the others observed the visitors carefully. Most of the school leaders and gang chiefs had the decency not to carry weapons openly, but many of their disciples and followers had bulging bundles, clearly concealing arms. Only the Emei, Kunlun, and Kongtong disciples were entirely empty-handed. Song Yuanqiao and the others were indignant: “You claim to have come to wish our master a happy birthday, yet you conceal weapons?”

They also examined the birthday gifts everyone had brought. Most were peaches and noodles bought hastily from the town at the foot of the mountain, perfunctory gifts unworthy of Zhang Sanfeng’s status as a great martial arts master, nor fitting the dignity of the various school leaders.

Only the Emei Order had brought a truly valuable gift. Beyond sixteen pieces of precious jade, there was a large red brocade Daoist robe embroidered with a hundred different characters for “longevity” in gold thread, no small labour. Jingxuan Shitai told Zhang Sanfeng, “This was embroidered together by the ten female disciples of the Emei Order.” Zhang Sanfeng was greatly pleased and said, laughing, “The Emei heroines’ fist and jian skills are renowned throughout the world. Yet today they have come and embroidered this birthday robe for this old Daoist. How precious indeed!”

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Zhang Songxi observed everyone’s demeanour and mused, “I wonder what reinforcements they are still waiting for? It is a pity that our master dislikes a fuss, and the Wudang Order’s close friends were not invited beforehand. Otherwise, we would not find ourselves so outnumbered and isolated.” He reflected that their master’s friendships spanned the world, and the seven brothers had roamed the jianghu doing righteous deeds, winning friends far and wide. Had they prepared in advance, they could have invited dozens of skilled fighters to join the celebrations.

Yu Lianzhou whispered to Zhang Songxi, “We had planned to issue hero invitations after our master’s birthday, hosting a great banquet at Yellow Crane Tower in Wuchang. Alas, one misstep and the entire board is controlled.” He had already calculated the plan: at the hero banquet, Zhang Cuishan would explain that he could not betray a friend’s confidence. Everyone who walked the jianghu valued the character “righteousness” above all. Zhang Cuishan need only speak frankly, and no one could force him to act against righteousness. Even if some refused to let the matter rest, there would be no shortage of skilled fighters friendly to the Wudang Order at the hero banquet. If it came to a martial contest, they would certainly not be at a disadvantage. Who could have imagined that the other side had anticipated this move? Using the birthday as a pretext, they had coordinated their forces in advance and surged up the mountain, catching the Wudang Order off guard.

Zhang Songxi said in a low voice, “Since it has come to this, we can only fight with everything we have.” Among the Seven Xia of Wudang, Zhang Songxi was the most resourceful. When faced with a difficult problem, he could often produce an unexpected stratagem and turn danger to safety. Yu Lianzhou was disheartened: “Even Fourth Brother is at a loss. It seems today the six Wudang disciples will shed blood on this mountain.” In one-on-one combat, he doubted any of the visitors could match the Six Xia of Wudang. But the situation on the mountain was not twenty against one. It was thirty or forty to one.

Zhang Songxi tugged at Yu Lianzhou’s sleeve, and the two walked behind the hall. Zhang Songxi said, “Once things come to a head, if we can use words to pin them down to single combats, six bouts to decide the winner, we would stand invincible. But they came prepared, and they will certainly have foreseen this. They will never agree to just six bouts. It will surely become a melee.” Yu Lianzhou nodded. “Our first priority is to rescue Third Brother. We must not let him fall into their hands again to be humiliated. That task falls to you. Fifth Sister-in-law’s health has probably not fully recovered. Tell Fifth Brother to focus entirely on looking after her. The four of us will bear the brunt of defending against the enemy.”

Zhang Songxi nodded. “Good. That is settled.” He paused briefly. “There may be one stratagem, a risky gamble.” Yu Lianzhou said eagerly, “A risky gamble is our only recourse. What is Fourth Brother’s plan?” Zhang Songxi said, “Each of us targets one opponent. The moment they make a move, we each seize one, capturing them in a single technique. That gives them something to worry about and prevents them from pressing hard.”

Yu Lianzhou hesitated. “If we cannot capture them in a single move, others will rush to help. To succeed in one move, I fear…” Zhang Songxi said, “In a great crisis, we cannot afford to be gentle. Use the Tiger Claw Skill That Severs the Lineage!⁹

Yu Lianzhou started. “The Tiger Claw That Severs the Lineage? Today is our master’s joyous day. To use such a killing art, is that not too cruel?”

It happened that the Wudang Order possessed an extremely formidable grappling technique called the “Tiger Claw Hand.”¹⁰ After Yu Lianzhou learned it, he always felt that if the opponent was highly skilled, they could still summon their internal power to break free after a single grab, turning it into a contest of raw internal force. So he had modified it himself, creating twelve new moves derived from the Tiger Claw Hand.

Before taking disciples, Zhang Sanfeng had carefully examined each one’s character, conduct, talent, and aptitude. Thus all seven disciples, once they entered the school, became truly accomplished. Each not only transmitted the school’s arts but also, following their own natural bent, created new techniques. Yu Lianzhou’s modification of the Tiger Claw Hand was not in itself unusual. But when Zhang Sanfeng watched him demonstrate it, he merely nodded without comment. Seeing his master say nothing, Yu Lianzhou knew there must be a serious flaw in the moves. He devoted himself to deep thought, seeking further refinement. Several months later, when he demonstrated again for his master, Zhang Sanfeng sighed and said, “Lianzhou, these twelve Tiger Claw moves are far more deadly than what I taught you. But every move targets the opponent’s lower back. Whoever receives even one strike risks damage to their generative power and the extinction of their lineage. Are the upright and honourable arts I taught you not enough? Must you make it so that a single strike renders a man childless?” Yu Lianzhou, hearing his master’s rebuke, broke into a cold sweat despite the dead of winter. His heart trembling, he immediately admitted his fault and apologised.

A few days later, Zhang Sanfeng summoned all seven disciples and told them of the matter, concluding: “The twelve moves Lianzhou created, born of painstaking effort, can truly be called a supreme art. To discard them on my say-so alone would be a pity. Everyone should learn them from Lianzhou. But unless you face a life-or-death crisis, you must never use them lightly. I have added the two characters ‘Severs the Lineage’ below ‘Tiger Claw’ so that you will remember: this art destroys progeny and annihilates families. It is a killing technique.” The seven disciples bowed and received the instruction. Yu Lianzhou then transmitted the art to his six martial brothers. Since learning it, they had strictly obeyed their master’s teaching and never once used it. Now, at this critical moment, Zhang Songxi proposed it, and Yu Lianzhou still hesitated.

Zhang Songxi said, “After the Tiger Claw That Severs the Lineage seizes the opponent’s lower back, it will most likely render them permanently unable to bear children. But I have an idea: we target only monks and Daoists as opponents. Or else old men of seventy or eighty.” Yu Lianzhou smiled faintly. “Fourth Brother’s mind is truly nimble. Monks and Daoists cannot have sons, so it matters not. And old men of seventy or eighty are just right. Most school leaders must be in their seventies or eighties by now!”

The two made their plan and went separately to inform Song Yuanqiao and their three shidi. Each selected a target. They waited only for Zhang Songxi to cry “Aiya!” as the signal, and all six would unleash the Tiger Claw That Severs the Lineage to seize their opponents. Yu Lianzhou chose Guan Neng, the eldest of the Five Elders of Kongtong. He Taichong, the Kunlun leader, was not yet old, so Zhang Cuishan chose the Kunlun Daoist Xihua Zi. Song Yuanqiao, Zhang Songxi, and Yin Liting each selected leaders of the Shenquan School, the Jujing Guild, and other gangs.

The guests finished their simple meal, and the lay brothers cleared the bowls and chopsticks. Zhang Songxi spoke in a clear voice: “Honoured elders, dear friends, today is our master’s hundredth birthday. We are deeply honoured by your presence. Our hospitality has been most inadequate, and we beg your forgiveness. Our master had intended to invite everyone to Yellow Crane Tower in Wuchang for a proper celebration. Today’s shortcomings will be made up then. Our Zhang Cuishan shidi has been away for ten years and has only just returned. He has not yet had the chance to report his ten years of experiences to our master in detail. Moreover, today is our master’s joyous day. To speak of grudges and bloodshed in the wulin would be inauspicious, and your kindness in travelling far to offer birthday greetings would be turned into an intent to pick quarrels. Since you have all made this rare journey to Wudang, may I escort you to enjoy the scenery before and behind the mountain?” This speech stopped everyone’s mouths in advance. Today was the birthday celebration. If anyone raised the matter of Xie Xun or the Dragon Gate Armed Escort, they would be declaring themselves enemies of the Wudang Order.

These people had come up the mountain together fully prepared to fight, all except the Emei Order. They sought to force out the whereabouts of Xie Xun the Golden-Haired Lion King. But the Wudang Order’s name carried such weight that no one dared oppose them alone. If several hundred people surged forward together, there would be nothing to hold them back. But who would step forward first and strike the first blow? No one wanted to be that fool.

Everyone looked at each other in a prolonged standoff. Then Xihua Zi of the Kunlun School rose to his feet and said loudly, “Zhang the Fourth Xia, there is no need to speak before the fact. We honest men do no sneaky things. Let us throw open the windows and speak in broad daylight. This journey up the mountain has two purposes: first, to wish Master Zhang a happy birthday. And second, precisely to inquire about the whereabouts of that villain Xie Xun.”

Mo Shenggu had been suppressing his anger all day and could restrain himself no longer. He sneered, “So that is how it is! No wonder, no wonder!” Xihua Zi stared. “What do you mean, ‘no wonder’?” Mo Shenggu said, “I had heard that you all came to Wudang to wish our master a happy birthday. But seeing that you all conceal weapons on your persons, I found it most peculiar. Could it be that you brought precious jians and blades as birthday gifts for our master? Only now do I understand: this is the sort of birthday gift you bring.”

Xihua Zi slapped his body and untied his Daoist robe, shouting, “Mo the Seventh Xia, look carefully! You are young. Do not spray blood at the sky and slander people! Which of us is concealing weapons?” Mo Shenggu sneered, “Very well, indeed there are none.” He extended two fingers and lightly tugged at the waistbands of the two men beside him. His strike was lightning-fast. With that single tug, he had snapped their clothing belts. Two short blades hit the ground with a clang, gleaming blue-white, dazzling to the eye.

Everyone’s expressions changed at once. Xihua Zi said loudly, “Very well. If Zhang the Fifth Xia will not tell us Xie Xun’s whereabouts, then drawing jians and blades is beyond our control.”

Zhang Songxi was about to shout “Aiya!” as the signal to strike first, when suddenly a voice came from outside the door: “Amituofo.”¹¹ That single Buddhist invocation entered everyone’s ears clearly and distinctly, as though from far away yet seeming to come from right beside them.

Zhang Sanfeng laughed. “It is the Shaolin Order’s Chan Master Kongwen. Welcome him at once!” The voice outside took up the words: “Shaolin Monastery’s abbot Kongwen, together with my shidi Kongzhi and Kongxing, and our disciples, respectfully wishes Master Zhang eternal joy for a thousand autumns.”

Kongwen, Kongzhi, and Kongxing were among the Four Divine Monks of Shaolin. The Great Master Kongjian had passed into nirvana. That the remaining three divine monks had all come was a shock. Zhang Songxi was startled, and the cry of “Aiya!” died unspoken. He knew that with the Shaolin Order’s elite arriving at Wudang in such force, even if the six of them used the Tiger Claw That Severs the Lineage to seize the leaders of Kunlun, Kongtong, and the other schools, it would be useless.

The Kunlun leader He Taichong said, “I have long admired the divine monks of Shaolin. Today I am fortunate to meet them in person. This journey has truly not been in vain.” Another, somewhat deeper voice outside said, “This must be the Kunlun leader, Master He. A pleasure, a pleasure! Master Zhang, we old monks have come late to offer birthday greetings, truly remiss.” Zhang Sanfeng said, “Today Wudang Mountain is thronged with honoured guests. This old Daoist has merely lived a hundred years in vain. Why should three divine monks trouble their august feet?” The four men, separated by several layers of doors and windows, each channelled internal power to converse, as though sitting face to face. Among those present, Jingxuan Shitai of Emei, Jingxu Shitai, and Guan Neng, Zong Weixia, Tang Wenliang, and Chang Jingzhi of Kongtong lacked the internal power to interject. The leaders of the other gangs and sects felt themselves all the more inferior.

Zhang Sanfeng led his disciples out to greet them. He saw the three divine monks leading nine other monks, walking slowly toward the Purple Cloud Palace.

Though Zhang Sanfeng and Kongwen were all great masters in the wulin, they had never met. In age, Zhang Sanfeng was thirty or forty years their senior. He had originated from Shaolin. If one reckoned by his master Jueyuan’s generation, he would be two generations senior to Kongwen. But since he had neither taken monastic vows at Shaolin nor formally studied martial arts from Shaolin monks, they now met as equals. Song Yuanqiao and the others were actually one generation junior.

The Great Master Kongwen had white brows hanging down to his eyes, like the Long-Browed Arhat. The Great Master Kongxing was imposing in build and martial in aspect. The Great Master Kongzhi wore a perpetually bitter expression, the corners of his mouth turned downward. Song Yuanqiao found this strange. He was quite skilled in the art of physiognomy and thought to himself: “An ordinary person with the Great Master Kongzhi’s countenance would either die young or suffer an early calamity. How is it that he has not only lived to great age but become a master revered throughout the wulin? It seems my knowledge of face-reading is truly limited.”

Zhang Sanfeng escorted Kongwen and the others into the main hall. He Taichong, Jingxuan Shitai, Guan Neng, and the others came forward to greet them, expressing mutual admiration in the usual formalities. But Kongwen was exceedingly modest. He greeted every disciple of every school and gang, saying a few words to each. This went on for quite a while before all several hundred people had been properly introduced.

Once Kongwen, Kongzhi, and Kongxing were seated and had drunk a cup of tea, Kongwen said, “Master Zhang, in terms of age and generational seniority, we old monks are all your juniors. Today, apart from offering birthday greetings, we ought not to raise other matters. But I, Kongwen, am unworthy as the abbot of the Shaolin Order. There are words I must speak frankly to our senior, and I beg Master Zhang not to take offence.”

Zhang Sanfeng, ever forthright, said directly, “Are the three high monks here because of my fifth disciple Zhang Cuishan?” Zhang Cuishan, hearing his master mention his name, rose to his feet.

Kongwen said, “Indeed. We have two matters to ask of Zhang the Fifth Xia. First, Zhang the Fifth Xia killed seventy-one people of my Shaolin Order’s Dragon Gate Armed Escort, and also slew three Shaolin monks. These seventy-four lives, how should they be settled? Second, our shixiong, the Great Master Kongjian, was compassionate and virtuous all his life, quarrelling with no one. Yet he was tragically killed by Xie Xun the Golden-Haired Lion King. We hear that Zhang the Fifth Xia knows that man’s whereabouts. We beg Zhang the Fifth Xia to enlighten us.”

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Zhang Cuishan said in a clear voice, “Great Master Kongwen, the seventy-four lives of the Dragon Gate Armed Escort and the Shaolin monks were absolutely not taken by my hand. Zhang Cuishan has lived his whole life under my master’s instruction, and though I am foolish, I dare not lie. As for who truly took those seventy-four lives, I do know, but I am unwilling to say it aloud. That is the first matter. As for the second, the Great Master Kongjian’s passing into nirvana is mourned by all under heaven. Xie Xun the Golden-Haired Lion King and I are sworn brothers, bound by a pact of gold and orchids.¹² Where Xie Xun is, I will not conceal that I know. But we who walk the jianghu value one thing above all: righteousness. Zhang Cuishan’s head may be severed, my blood may be spilled, but my sworn brother’s whereabouts shall never pass my lips. This matter has nothing to do with my master, nothing to do with my martial brothers. Let Zhang Cuishan bear it alone. If you mean to press me to death, then kill me or slice me. I beg you to proceed. In my life, Zhang has never done a single thing that shames our school, never killed a single innocent person. If you insist on forcing me to act against righteousness today, then there is only death.” He spoke these words with steady conviction, his face full of righteous resolve.

Kongwen intoned, “Amitofo,” thinking: “From his words, he does not seem to be lying. How then should we proceed?”

Just then, a child’s voice suddenly called from beyond the tall windows of the main hall: “Daddy!”

Zhang Cuishan was violently shaken. That voice was Wuji’s. Overwhelmed with shock and joy, he cried, “Wuji, you’ve come back?” He lunged toward the hall’s exit. A man from the Kongtong School and another from the Shenquan School, standing at the doorway, thought he was trying to flee and shouted in unison, “Where do you think you’re going?” They reached for him. Zhang Cuishan, desperate with longing for his son, used a single stroke from the “Heaven” character formula, his arms spreading outward like the left-falling and right-falling strokes, and flung the two men sprawling in opposite directions, each landing over a zhang¹³ away. He rushed beyond the tall windows, but saw nothing, empty air, not a trace of anyone.

He called out loudly, “Wuji! Wuji!” No answer came. More than a dozen people from the hall had followed him out. Seeing he had not fled, they did not press forward, merely standing aside to watch.

Zhang Cuishan called again, “Wuji! Wuji!” Still no answer. He returned to the main hall and bowed to Kongwen. “I was overcome with longing for my son and lost all propriety. I beg the Great Master’s forgiveness.”

Kongzhi said, “Excellent, excellent! Zhang the Fifth Xia longs for his beloved son as though mad, as though distraught. But could it be that the many people killed by Xie Xun had no parents, no wives, no children?” His body was thin and small, yet his voice rang like a great bell, setting every ear in the hall buzzing. Zhang Cuishan’s mind was in turmoil. He had no answer.

Abbot Kongwen said to Zhang Sanfeng, “Master Zhang, how this matter should be resolved, we must ask you, Master Zhang, to give your decision.”

Zhang Sanfeng said, “My young disciple may have no other talents, but he would not dare deceive his master. I trust he would not dare deceive the three great Shaolin monks either. The lives at the Dragon Gate Armed Escort and your order’s disciples, he did not take them. As for Xie Xun’s whereabouts, he will not speak.”

Kongzhi said coldly, “Yet there are eyewitnesses who saw Zhang the Fifth Xia kill our disciples. Are you saying that Wudang disciples never lie, but Shaolin disciples do?” He waved his left hand, and from behind him emerged three middle-aged monks.

The three monks each had one blinded right eye. They were precisely the Shaolin monks Yuanxin, Yuanyin, and Yuanye, who had been blinded by Yin Susu’s silver needles beside West Lake in Lin’an.

These three monks had come up the mountain with Great Masters Kongwen and the others. Zhang Cuishan had already seen them and knew they would certainly confront him about the fighting at West Lake. Sure enough, after only a few words, Kongzhi had called them forward. Zhang Cuishan was in an agonising position. The killings at West Lake had indeed not been done by his hand, but the one who had truly done them was now his wife. Their bond as husband and wife was deep. How could he not protect her? Yet under these circumstances, how could he protect her?

Among the three “Yuan”-generation monks, Yuanye had the most violent temper. By nature, he would have attacked Zhang Cuishan the moment he saw him. Only the presence of his shibo¹⁴ and shishu¹⁵ held him back. Now that his master had called him forward, he immediately said loudly, “Zhang Cuishan, at West Lake in Lin’an, you killed the monk Huifeng by shooting a poisoned needle into his mouth. I saw it with my own eyes. Can you deny it? The three of us had our right eyes blinded by your poisoned needles. Do you still want to wriggle out of it?”

Zhang Cuishan knew that at this point every point he could argue back was a point gained. He said, “The Wudang Order’s hidden weapons, though numerous, are all large-scale projectiles: steel darts and sleeve arrows. The seven of us have walked the jianghu for many years. Has anyone ever seen a Wudang disciple use golden needles or silver needles? As for poisoning needles, that is even more absurd.” The Seven Xia of Wudang had always fought openly and honourably, as the wulin well knew. To say that Zhang Cuishan used poisoned needles to injure people was indeed hard to believe.

Yuanye said furiously, “Even now you still quibble? That day, when the needle killed Huifeng, Brother Yuanyin and I saw it perfectly clearly. If it was not you, then who?” Zhang Cuishan said, “When someone from your honoured order is injured or killed, must the Wudang Order tell you who did it? Is that the custom of the world? The Shaolin Order, since its founding in the early Tang, has had hundreds of years of history. Among all those injured or killed, if there were not a thousand, then eight hundred. Should they all be charged to the Wudang Order’s account?” His tongue was sharp and he was skilled in debate. Yuanye, in his blind fury, grew increasingly incoherent, turning what had been a perfectly reasonable case for the Shaolin Order into something that sounded like unreasonable bullying.

Zhang Songxi interjected, “Brother Yuanye, exactly which Shaolin monks were injured by whose hand, that cannot be settled in a moment of argument. But our Yu Daiyan shixiong was clearly injured by the Shaolin Order’s Vajra Finger power. You have come at just the right time. We would ask: who used the Vajra Finger power to injure our third shixiong?” Yuanye gaped, then said, “It was not me!”

Zhang Songxi said coldly, “I know it was not you. I doubt you have cultivated such skill.” He paused, then continued, “If my third shixiong had been in good health and had fought a Shaolin expert, being injured by the Vajra Finger power, then one could only blame his own insufficient skill. When people fight, there are always casualties. What complaint could there be? Could one demand a guarantee of no harm before fighting? But my third shixiong was gravely ill, unable to move. That Shaolin disciple used the Vajra Finger power to forcibly break his limbs, torturing him for the whereabouts of the Dragon-Slaying Dao.” His voice rose. “The Shaolin Order’s martial arts are supreme under heaven, already the leader of the wulin. Why must they have that Dragon-Slaying Dao? Moreover, my third shixiong had only seen the Dragon-Slaying Dao once. For your disciple to use such cruel methods to extort information, the means were truly ruthless. Yu Daiyan has a modest reputation in the jianghu. He has spent his life doing righteous deeds and performed many good works for the wulin. Now, because of a Shaolin disciple, he is crippled for life and has been bedridden for ten years. We would ask the three divine monks to provide an answer.”

In the matter of Yu Daiyan’s injury and the massacre of the Dragon Gate Armed Escort, the Shaolin and Wudang orders had already exchanged no small amount of words over the past ten years. But with Zhang Cuishan missing, no final resolution could be reached. Seeing Kongzhi and Yuanye advancing aggressively, Zhang Songxi now raised this old case again.

Great Master Kongwen said, “This matter I have long since addressed. I conducted a thorough investigation of our order’s disciples. Not a single one harmed Yu the Third Xia.”

Zhang Songxi reached into his robe and produced a gold ingot, upon which finger-marks were clearly visible. He said loudly, “Let all the heroes of the world bear witness: the person who harmed my third shixiong Yu is the Shaolin disciple who left these finger-marks on this gold ingot. Apart from the Shaolin Order’s Vajra Finger power, what school or order’s martial art can leave prints on gold?” Yuanyin and Yuanye had testified against Zhang Cuishan on the basis of words alone. Zhang Songxi, however, produced physical evidence. Compared to mere testimony, it was far more compelling.

Kongwen said, “Excellent, excellent! Among our order, those who have mastered the Vajra Finger power, apart from us three fellow disciples, number only three senior elders. But these three senior elders have not left the Shaolin Monastery for thirty or forty years. How could they have injured Yu the Third Xia?” Mo Shenggu suddenly interjected, “The Great Master does not believe my fifth shixiong’s words, saying they are one-sided. But are the Great Master’s own words not one-sided either?”

Great Master Kongwen was a man of considerable composure. Though Mo Shenggu’s words were blunt, he was not angered. He merely said, “If Mo the Seventh Xia does not believe my words, then there is nothing to be done.” Mo Shenggu said, “How would your junior dare disbelieve the Great Master’s words? But the world is full of twists and turns. Truth and falsehood often defy expectation. You say those Shaolin monks were injured by my fifth shixiong. We maintain that our third shixiong was injured by a Shaolin expert. Perhaps there is some hidden truth we have not yet uncovered. In your junior’s view, this matter should be discussed at leisure, so as not to damage the goodwill between the Shaolin and Wudang orders. If we act rashly and the truth later comes to light, there will surely be regret.” Kongwen nodded. “Mo the Seventh Xia’s words are not wrong.”

Kongzhi said sharply, “Are we to simply let the blood-debt of my Kongjian shixiong go unavenged? Zhang the Fifth Xia, the matter of the Dragon Gate Armed Escort, we shall set aside for now. But the whereabouts of that villain Xie Xun, today, whether you speak or not, you must speak.”

Yu Lianzhou, who had been silent until now, suddenly said in a clear voice, “If the Dragon-Slaying Dao is not in Xie Xun’s possession, would the Great Master still be so eager to find him?” He spoke rarely, but these few words were devastating, a direct accusation that Kongzhi coveted a treasure and was driven by greed.

Kongzhi was furious. With a slap, he struck the wooden table before him. With a crack, all four legs snapped at once, the tabletop shattered into splinters and flew apart. The palm-strike’s power was astonishing. He shouted, “I have long heard that Master Zhang’s martial arts originate from Shaolin. The wulin says that Master Zhang’s skill surpasses that of his teachers. We have long admired this, but we do not know whether such claims exceed the truth. Today, before all the heroes of the world, we boldly invite Master Zhang to deign to instruct us.”

When these words were spoken, the entire hall stirred. Zhang Sanfeng had been famous for nearly seventy years. Anyone who had fought him in those days was long dead. Not a single one remained alive. Just how extraordinary his martial arts were could only be known through the various legends that circulated in the wulin. Apart from his seven personally taught disciples, no one had ever seen his skill firsthand. But the reputation of the Seven Xia of Wudang shook the world. If the disciples were already so formidable, the master’s prowess needed no further explanation. Those from schools other than Shaolin and Wudang were greatly excited to hear Kongzhi openly challenge Zhang Sanfeng, thinking: today we can witness the greatest living master display his arts. This journey has truly not been wasted.

All eyes turned to Zhang Sanfeng’s face, watching to see whether he would accept. They saw him merely smile faintly, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Kongzhi said, “Master Zhang’s martial arts are supreme, unmatched under heaven. We three Shaolin monks are certainly no match for Master Zhang. But circumstances compel us. The entanglement between our two orders, if not settled by a test of skill, will remain unresolved. We three brothers, overestimating our abilities, wish to join forces and invite Master Zhang’s instruction. Master Zhang is two generations above us. For us to challenge you one-on-one would be most disrespectful.”

Everyone thought: “How prettily spoken, yet what you really mean is three against one. Master Zhang’s martial arts may be supreme, but he is a centenarian. His strength must have declined. He may not be able to withstand the combined force of Shaolin’s three divine monks.”

Yu Lianzhou said, “Today is our master’s hundredth birthday. How can we fight with honoured guests…” Everyone hearing this thought: “The Wudang Order dare not accept the challenge.” But Yu Lianzhou continued, “Moreover, as Great Master Kongzhi has said, our master and the three divine monks are not of matching generation. If we truly fought, we would incur the blame of bullying our juniors. But since Shaolin’s experts have issued a challenge, the seven disciples of Wudang are willing to test the exquisite martial arts of twelve Shaolin monks.”

Everyone was startled anew, and a buzz of discussion swept the hall. Kongwen, Kongzhi, and Kongxing had each brought three disciples up the mountain, totalling twelve Shaolin monks. Everyone knew that Yu Daiyan was completely disabled, leaving only six Wudang Heroes. Six against twelve was a one-against-two ratio. Yu Lianzhou’s challenge could be seen as elevating the Wudang Order’s status.

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Yu Lianzhou’s proposal seemed risky, but was in fact a last resort. He knew well that the three Shaolin divine monks possessed formidable skill, their years far greater and their cultivation far deeper than his and his fellow disciples’. In single combat, his eldest shixiong Song Yuanqiao might hold one of them to a draw. He himself, still recovering from injury, might not withstand even one divine monk. As for the remaining divine monk, whether it was Zhang Songxi, Yin Liting, or Mo Shenggu, they would certainly lose. By proposing six against twelve, he made it appear that the Wudang Order was fighting outnumbered, when in truth the nine Shaolin disciples were hardly a threat. The real contest would be the six Wudang disciples against the three Shaolin divine monks.

Kongzhi understood this perfectly and snorted. “Since Master Zhang will not deign to instruct us, then we three fellow disciples shall challenge three of the Six Xia of Wudang one by one. Three bouts to decide the winner, and whoever wins two of the three shall be victorious.”

Zhang Songxi said, “If Great Master Kongzhi insists on single combat, that is acceptable. But of our seven fellow disciples, the third, Yu Daiyan, has been crippled by a Shaolin disciple’s vicious attack and cannot rise from his bed. The remaining six of us dare not withdraw. Six bouts to decide the winner: the six Wudang disciples shall each face a Shaolin high monk. Whoever wins four of the six bouts shall be the victor.” Mo Shenggu cried loudly, “Agreed! If the Wudang Order loses, Fifth Brother Zhang shall inform the Shaolin abbot of the whereabouts of the Golden-Haired Lion King, and especially the Dragon-Slaying Dao. If the Shaolin Order graciously yields, then please take your many friends, who come to offer birthday greetings in name but seek trouble in truth, and leave the mountain!”

Zhang Songxi’s proposal of six individual bouts had already placed the Wudang Order in an invincible position. He calculated that his eldest and second shixiong’ skills were roughly equal to the three divine monks, while the remaining Shaolin monks would surely lose three bouts in succession.

Kongzhi shook his head. “Not suitable, not suitable.” But he could not easily explain why.

Zhang Songxi said, “The three of you challenged our master, saying you wished to fight three against one. Now that we propose six against your order’s twelve high monks, Great Master Kongzhi insists on single combat. We agree to single combat, yet the Great Master says it is not suitable. Very well then, let this junior alone face the three Shaolin divine monks. Surely that is proper? The three of you strike me down at once, and that counts as Shaolin’s victory. Is that not satisfying?”

Kongzhi’s face changed with anger. Kongwen intoned, “Amitofo.” Kongxing, who had not spoken a single word since ascending Wudang Mountain, suddenly said, “Two shixiong, this young xia Zhang wants to fight the three monks alone. Let’s go up!” Though his martial arts were high, he had become a monk from childhood and knew nothing of worldly affairs. He did not understand Zhang Songxi’s sarcasm.

Kongwen said, “Shidi, do not speak further.” He turned to Song Yuanqiao. “Very well then, we six Shaolin monks shall test the high skills of the Six Xia of Wudang. One bout to decide the winner.”

Song Yuanqiao said in a clear voice, “Good, six of us against six of you, one bout to decide the winner!” He turned and whispered to Yu Lianzhou, “Second Brother, the True Warrior Seven-Formation would of course be best. If we must, the True Warrior Six-Formation shall also be invincible under heaven!” Yu Lianzhou, Zhang Songxi, and the others immediately understood Song Yuanqiao’s intention.

It happened that Zhang Sanfeng had an extremely proud martial art called the “True Warrior Seven-Formation.”¹⁶ Wudang Mountain worshipped the True Warrior Emperor. One day he saw the turtle and snake generals before the True Warrior Emperor’s statue and thought of Snake Mountain and Turtle Mountain at the confluence of the Yangtze and Han rivers. The long snake moves with spiritual agility, the turtle rests with solemn weight. The True Warrior Emperor’s turtle and snake generals, one on each side, combined the most spiritual and the most weighty of natures. That very night he rushed to Hanyang, gazing at the turtle and snake mountains. From the winding momentum of Snake Mountain and the steady form of Turtle Mountain, he created a set of exquisite martial arts. The turtle and snake mountains were vast and imposing. The martial arts derived from their mountain shapes contained ten thousand elements and embraced an extremely wide range, far beyond what one person could simultaneously perform. Zhang Sanfeng stood quietly by the great river, neither eating nor drinking for three full days and nights, devoting himself to deep thought, but could not solve this problem. On the morning of the fourth day, the rising sun illuminated the river surface with ten thousand golden serpents, flickering endlessly. He suddenly awakened, laughed heartily, returned to Wudang Mountain, summoned his seven disciples, and transmitted a set of martial arts to each.

These seven sets of martial arts, each practised separately, were individually exquisite. But if two people combined their forces, the fellow disciples supported and complemented each other, with both attack and defence, and the power greatly increased. If all seven performed it together, it was as if sixty-four first-rate masters were attacking simultaneously. In the entire world, those who could be counted as first-rate masters numbered only twenty or thirty. How could such an opportunity arise to gather so many experts together? And even if they were gathered, these experts were of both orthodox and unorthodox paths, some good and some evil. How could they work together in harmony?

Zhang Sanfeng named this martial art, created from the inspiration of the turtle and snake generals before the True Warrior Emperor, the “True Warrior Seven-Formation.” What he had struggled to understand was that no matter how he guarded the east, the west had gaps. The south and north both gave the enemy opportunities. Only when he thought of having seven disciples perform it together did he solve this problem. That the “True Warrior Seven-Formation” could not be performed by one person alone was inevitably regrettable. But then he thought: “If one person could perform this art, would not a single person be enough to match sixty-four first-rate masters under heaven? That thought is rather absurd and arrogant.” He could not help but smile at his own folly.

Since the Seven Xia of Wudang had become famous, they had never met with failure. No matter how formidable the enemy, at most two or three joining forces was enough to overcome them. The “True Warrior Seven-Formation” had never once been used. Now Song Yuanqiao saw a great enemy before them. Though Yu Daiyan’s injury meant they could not form the complete True Warrior Seven-Formation, the six brothers performing it together, even if the three Shaolin divine monks’ cultivation was profound, even if the disciples they brought up the mountain had hidden skills, six monks combined could certainly not defeat the “True Warrior Six-Formation.” This battle would surely be won.

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Yu Daiyan had been injured and crippled, unable to move his hands and feet. All matters of eating, drinking, and bathing were attended to by two young Daoist acolytes, Qingfeng and Mingyue. When Yin Susu was bedridden, her meals and tea were also delivered by Qingfeng and Mingyue. When the many guests arrived, the temple was short of hands, and the two young acolytes helped serve tea and food in the halls. Seeing that the Shaolin high monks and Song Yuanqiao had reached an impasse and were about to fight, they were both nervous and excited. They said together, “Let’s go tell Fifth Grand-Aunt to come and see!” This was a rare spectacle of masters competing in the wulin. Yin Susu usually treated the two acolytes kindly and courteously. The two acolytes did not want her to miss this sight and hurried inside to inform her.

Yin Susu had already heard that many guests from various schools had arrived and guessed it was likely related to her sworn brother Xie Xun and the Dragon Gate Armed Escort affair. She had already prepared herself, with a jian at her waist. Hearing the two acolytes come to inform her, she followed them to the back of the hall and whispered, “I’ll watch from here. I won’t go out there.” Her gaze first fell on her husband Zhang Cuishan. She saw his expression was bleak, his eyes filled with sorrow and distress.

She saw that the divine monk Kongxing had already leaped to the open ground outside the main hall and called out, “Six Shaolin monks against six Wudang Heroes, one bout to decide the winner! We compete only for victory or defeat, not for life or death!” His hands formed the shape of dragon claws, grasping at the empty air with a hissing sound.

Suddenly, from among the Shaolin monks, a man stepped forward. His right eye was blinded, his face full of anger. He pointed his finger and shouted in rage, “Zhang Cuishan, you call yourself Zhang the Fifth Xia, but don’t you make the whole world laugh? That night at the Dragon Gate Armed Escort in Lin’an Prefecture, you killed Du Dajin’s entire family of seventy-one people, old and young. Do you dare say it was not you? That night you wore the blue clothes and cap of a scholar, holding a folding fan, pretending to be a refined gentleman, but in truth you are a shameless villain. Can you swear to heaven that person was not you?” The one speaking was Yuanye. Earlier, he had been blocked by Zhang Cuishan and Zhang Songxi’s words, and the more he thought about it, the more indignant he became. Seeing that the abbot and his masters were about to fight, his anger could not be suppressed, and he could not help but shout out his curses.

Yin Susu saw her husband’s face show pain. With each curse the monk shouted, a muscle in Zhang Cuishan’s face would twitch. She heard Yuanye shout in a coarse voice, “Zhang Cuishan, you are Master Zhang’s disciple. Has Master Zhang taught his disciples to kill the innocent indiscriminately and then deny doing evil? Your Wudang Order claims to be chivalrous and righteous, deceiving people in the jianghu for decades, do you have even a shred of shame?”

Yin Susu saw her husband’s clenched fists trembling slightly. She saw him rise to his feet, seemingly dizzy. He swayed in a small circle, then fell back into his chair. Her heart was as if cut by a knife. She heard the old monk outside the hall call, “Six Shaolin monks against six Wudang Heroes, are you going to fight or not?”

Song Yuanqiao, Yu Lianzhou, Zhang Songxi, and the others looked at Zhang Cuishan. They all knew that after hearing Yuanye’s curses, because the killer was his wife Yin Susu, he could neither deny it nor let the Wudang Order’s reputation be tarnished. His heart was filled with shame. Yu Lianzhou and Zhang Cuishan’s couple had travelled together by water and land. Zhang Cuishan had not hidden anything from him and had confided his troubles most. Seeing his fifth fellow disciples in such a state, he was alarmed: “Fifth Brother’s emotions are agitated. I fear he will… he cannot even stand steadily. After I was injured by that fake Mongol soldier’s palm, my internal breath has never been fully balanced. My internal power is greatly diminished. Of the six fellow disciples, only four are in good condition. I fear we cannot fill all the gaps and deficiencies. What is worst is that those four must also divide their attention to care for me and Fifth Brother. How can we manage?” He was startled, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Yin Susu saw her husband’s mind in disarray, his body swaying. She saw her second uncle, whose martial arts were extraordinary, his face greatly changed, sweat on his forehead, clearly facing a great crisis. Hot blood surged in her chest. She darted out from behind the wooden partition, bowed to Zhang Sanfeng, and called out, “Master!” She turned to face Kongwen, Kongzhi, and Yuanye, who was still pointing his finger and cursing Zhang Cuishan. She said in a loud voice, “You several have come to Wudang Mountain to question my husband Zhang Cuishan…” Kongzhi did not let her finish and interrupted, “Is the lady Zhang the Fifth Xia’s wife? I have heard that the lady is the daughter of Yin the White-Browed, leader of the Tianying Order. Is that correct?”

Yin Susu said, “Correct! My father is Yin Tianzheng the White-Browed Eagle King, leader of the Tianying Order. I am the hall master of the Purple Microcosm Hall in the cult, sitting in the third seat. What you say to wrongfully accuse Zhang the Fifth Xia is all nonsense. You call yourselves a famous orthodox school, yet you talk nonsense in front of all the heroes, saying black is white. Laughable, laughable!” Kongzhi said coldly, “What is laughable?”

Yin Susu said, “The bloodbath at the Dragon Gate Armed Escort in Lin’an Prefecture was absolutely not done by Wudang Order’s Zhang the Fifth Xia. You insist on framing him. Is that not laughable?” Kongzhi shook his head. “Madam Zhang is wilful and unorthodox. She points at a deer and calls it a horse. This… this is truly difficult.”

Yin Susu said, “You randomly accuse Zhang the Fifth Xia, reversing right and wrong. Is there no justice in the wulin? What do you mean by ‘famous orthodox school’? Does confusing black and white make you a famous orthodox school?”

Kongxing, outside the main hall, was performing the Dragon-Claw Hand with the wind whistling. Seeing that the Six Xia of Wudang did not come out to fight, he felt it was tasteless. He returned to the hall and asked loudly, “Who exactly is reversing right and wrong, confusing black and white?”

Yin Susu said loudly, “The seventy-odd lives at the Dragon Gate Armed Escort were clearly not killed by Zhang the Fifth Xia. You wrongfully accuse him. That is reversing right and wrong, confusing black and white!” Kongxing shouted, “Then who killed them?”

Yin Susu straightened her body and said, “I killed them! At that time, I had not yet married Zhang the Fifth Xia. I did not know him at all. It was clearly the Tianying Order who did it, yet you pin it on the Wudang Order. Is that not unjust? If you want revenge, go find the Tianying Order. The Tianying Order’s main headquarters is on Eagle’s Nest Peak, at North-South Lake in Haiyan County, south of the river!”

The various schools and gangs who had come to Wudang Mountain to demand answers heard Yin Susu admit to killing the entire Dragon Gate Armed Escort. Immediately, their cause lost its justification. They all felt it was tasteless. The true purpose of this journey was Xie Xun, but now they had lost their pretext. Everyone felt empty and disappointed.

Kongwen said, “Good! The debt has its creditor, the obligation has its debtor. You are a woman. We shall go find Yin Tianzheng of the Tianying Order.” He turned to Zhang Sanfeng and pressed his palms together. “Master Zhang, now that Madam Zhang has entered your order, if she again kills the innocent indiscriminately in the future, I fear your order will also bear some responsibility. In the wulin, one must ultimately speak of ‘reason.’ One cannot rely on strength to prevail.”

Zhang Sanfeng said, “Naturally so. In the wulin, one cannot arbitrarily reverse right and wrong, confuse black and white.” He took up Yin Susu’s own words, “reverse right and wrong, confuse black and white”, and returned them to him. Kongwen said to Yin Susu, “May I ask, Madam Zhang, why did you kill the entire Dragon Gate Armed Escort, old and young?”

Yin Susu said resolutely, “The Dragon Gate Armed Escort failed to properly escort Yu the Third Xia! We of the Tianying Order harmed him. Though I am not a man, I know the principle of taking responsibility for one’s own deeds. I shall go to Yu the Third Xia and confess!” She turned to Zhang Cuishan. “Fifth Brother, your wife was wilful in her youth and has brought you trouble. I feel deeply ashamed. I shall go to Third Uncle and reveal the truth. Let him punish me.” With that, she turned and went inside. Zhang Cuishan rose to his feet and followed her, his steps slightly unsteady. Yin Liting reached out to support him. Yu Lianzhou, Zhang Songxi, Mo Shenggu, and the others followed inside. Song Yuanqiao said, “I shall stay here with Master!”

Yin Susu, led by the two young acolytes Qingfeng and Mingyue, came to Yu Daiyan’s bedchamber. She walked to his bedside. He lay on his back, a thin quilt covering him. She said in a trembling voice, “Third Uncle, I am your Fifth Brother’s wife. I have done a terrible wrong to you. I have no face to come before you, but this matter cannot be hidden for a lifetime… I have come to ask you to cut off one of my arms. Though it cannot be called atonement, at least it will let me call you ‘Third Uncle’ with a clear conscience from now on… let me be Zhang Cuishan’s wife without fear or guilt…” With that, she drew her jian, reversed it, and offered the hilt to Yu Daiyan.

Zhang Cuishan was full of confusion. He glanced at his wife and saw her face filled with guilt and anxiety.

Yu Daiyan did not reach for the jian. He merely stared blankly, a strange light in his eyes, pain and resentment, as though he were recalling a lifelong hatred. Yu Lianzhou, Yin Liting, and the others looked at Yu Daiyan, then at Yin Susu. Each person’s heart was filled with a sense of foreboding. The room fell silent, so quiet that one could almost hear everyone’s heartbeats.

They saw Yu Daiyan’s breathing grow rapid. A flush of red rose on his pale cheeks. He said softly, “Fifth Sister-in-law, please repeat these words for me: ‘First, I must ask you, Chief Du, to escort him personally. Second, from Lin’an Prefecture to Xiangyang Prefecture in Hubei, you must travel day and night without rest, arriving within ten days. If there is the slightest error, not only will Chief Du’s life be forfeit. The entire Dragon Gate Armed Escort will be killed to the last man, chickens and dogs included.’”

Everyone heard him speak slowly, and involuntarily broke out in a cold sweat.

Yin Susu said, “Third Uncle, you are truly remarkable. You recognised my voice. That night at the Dragon Gate Armed Escort in Lin’an Prefecture, the one who entrusted Du Dajin with escorting you to Wudang Mountain was your humble sister-in-law.” Yu Daiyan said, “Thank you for your kindness, sister-in-law.” Yin Susu said, “Later, the Dragon Gate Armed Escort failed on the road, and you suffered thus. So I killed everyone in his agency, old and young.” Yu Daiyan said coldly, “At first I was grateful to you and wanted to repay your great kindness. After you came up the mountain, I learned from Fifth Brother that you were of the Tianying Order. I wanted to meet you and inquire about certain matters, but you kept avoiding me.”

Yin Susu’s face was bleak. She sighed. “Third Uncle, today I have come to confess my guilt. What I did was a terrible, terrible mistake. But I must say plainly: Cuishan was kept in the dark about this. He knew nothing. I was afraid… afraid that if he found out, he would… would never speak to me again.”

Yu Daiyan said quietly, “What is done is done. The past cannot be undone. Why let it damage your marriage? After all these years, I have long since let everything go. Even if my limbs were whole, what then? Today I am still alive, and Fifth Brother has returned from overseas. That is a great joy indeed.”

Yu Daiyan’s spirit was exceedingly hard. Since his injury, he had never moaned or complained. He had originally lost even the ability to speak, but through Zhang Sanfeng’s devoted treatment, channelling decades of refined internal power into his body, he had gradually been able to speak again. But until today, he had never once mentioned what happened that day.

Yin Susu said, “Third Uncle, in truth you already guessed long ago. But out of regard for your brotherly bond with Cuishan, you endured in silence. Yes, that day in the Qiantang River, the one hiding in the cabin who wounded you with a mosquito-whisker needle was your humble sister-in-law…”

Zhang Cuishan cried out, “Susu, it was really you? You… you… why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Yin Susu said, “The one who harmed your third shixiong was your wife. How dare I tell you?” She turned to Yu Daiyan. “Third Uncle, the one who later wounded you with the palm-centre Seven-Star Nail and tricked you out of the Dragon-Slaying Dao was my own brother, Yin Yewang. Our Tianying Order had no quarrel with the Wudang Order. Once we obtained the Dragon-Slaying Dao, and out of respect for you as a true hero, we had the Dragon Gate Armed Escort return you to Wudang Mountain. The antidote for the Seven-Star Nail was in my brother’s hands. I had no way to give you the antidote first. As for the further complications on the road, those were entirely beyond my expectation.”

Zhang Cuishan’s whole body trembled. His eyes seemed to spit fire. He pointed at Yin Susu. “You… you have deceived me bitterly!”

Yin Susu handed her jian to Zhang Cuishan. “Fifth Brother, we have been husband and wife for ten years. You have loved and cared for me deeply. Today I have no regrets in death. Third Uncle will not cut off my arm to punish my great wrong. I only ask you to kill me with a single jian-stroke, so that you may preserve the righteousness of the Seven Xia of Wudang.”

Zhang Cuishan took the jian. He was about to thrust it toward his wife’s chest. But in that instant, ten years of his wife’s gentleness, her tender devotion, her countless kindnesses, all came rushing to his heart. How could he bring himself to strike?

He stood frozen. Then suddenly he gave a great cry and ran from the room. The six of them, Yin Susu, Yu Lianzhou and the rest, did not know what he intended, and all followed him out. They saw him rush to the main hall and kneel before Zhang Sanfeng. “Master, your disciple has committed a great wrong that cannot be undone. I beg one thing of you.”

Zhang Sanfeng did not know what had happened inside. He said gently, “What is it? Speak. I shall refuse you nothing.”

Zhang Cuishan kowtowed three times. “Thank you, Master. I have an only son who has fallen into the hands of villains. I beg you, Master, to save him from their grasp and raise him to manhood.” He rose, took several steps, and faced Great Master Kongwen, Iron Zither Gentleman He Taichong, Guan Neng of the Kongtong School, Jingxuan Shitai of the Emei Order, and the others. He said in a loud voice, “My wife killed many Shaolin disciples. At that time she did not yet know me. But my wife and I are one body. All the sin falls on Zhang Cuishan alone. I am sworn brother to the Golden-Haired Lion King. You covet the Dragon-Slaying Dao and wish to force me to betray my sworn brother. But the Wudang Order’s disciples are not such base, unrighteous men!” With that, he drew his jian across his own throat. Blood spurted. He died on the spot.

Zhang Cuishan’s resolve to die was absolute. He knew that as he cut his own throat, his master and martial brothers would surely try to stop him. So he positioned himself among the gathered guests. The moment he finished speaking, he struck.

Zhang Sanfeng, Song Yuanqiao, Yu Lianzhou, and Yin Liting all cried out and lunged forward. They heard a series of crashes as six or seven people were sent flying, all guests near Zhang Cuishan, blasted away by Zhang Sanfeng and his disciples’ palm-force. But they were a moment too late. Zhang Cuishan’s blade had severed his throat. There was no saving him. Zhang Songxi, Mo Shenggu, and Yin Susu had come out later and were further away.

Just then, a child’s voice cried from beyond the tall windows at the hall’s entrance: “Daddy! Daddy!” The second cry was muffled. Someone had clapped a hand over the child’s mouth. Zhang Sanfeng’s figure flickered, and he was already outside the window. He saw a man in Mongol military clothing holding a boy of eight or nine. The boy’s mouth was covered, but he struggled with all his might.

Zhang Sanfeng’s beloved disciple had died tragically, and his heart was cut with grief. But his nearly hundred years of cultivation kept his mind clear. He said in a low, sharp voice, “Come in!” The man pressed his left foot to leap onto the roof, but suddenly felt his shoulder grow heavy. His body became impossibly sluggish. His feet could not leave the ground. Zhang Sanfeng had silently approached and placed his left hand lightly on the man’s shoulder. The man was greatly alarmed. He knew that if Zhang Sanfeng released his internal power, he would be killed or gravely injured even if he survived. He had no choice but to walk inside as instructed.

The child was precisely Zhang Cuishan’s son, Wuji. He had been held and silenced by the man, but from outside the tall window he had seen his father cut his own throat. How could he not be frantic? He struggled desperately and finally managed to cry out.

Yin Susu saw her husband die by his own hand for her sake. Then suddenly she saw her son return unharmed. After great grief came great joy. She asked, “Child, did they hurt you? Did you suffer?” Wuji said defiantly, “Even if they beat me to death, I would not tell them about my adopted father!” Yin Susu said, “Good child, let me hold you.”

Zhang Sanfeng said, “Give the child to her.” The man, completely subdued, had no choice but to hand Wuji to Yin Susu.

Wuji threw himself into his mother’s arms and cried, “Mother, why did they force Daddy to his death? Who forced Daddy to die?” Yin Susu said, “All these people came up the mountain together. Because your father would not reveal your adopted father’s whereabouts, they forced him to his death.” Wuji’s eyes swept slowly from left to right. Though he was young, everyone whose gaze met his felt a chill in their hearts.

Yin Susu said, “Wuji, promise Mother one thing.” Wuji said, “Mother, tell me.” Yin Susu said, “Do not rush to take revenge. Wait patiently. Do not let a single one escape.” Everyone who heard these cold words felt an involuntary chill run down their backs. Wuji cried, “Mother! I don’t want revenge! I want Daddy to come back to life!”

Yin Susu said sadly, “The dead cannot return to life.” Her body trembled slightly. “Child, since your father is dead, we have no choice but to tell them where your adopted father is.” Wuji said urgently, “No! They’ll go kill my adopted father! Let them beat me to death! Daddy wouldn’t tell them, and I won’t tell them either!”

Yin Susu shook her head. “Great Master Kongwen, I will tell only you. Please lean your ear close.” This unexpected move startled everyone. Kongwen said, “Excellent, excellent! If you had spoken a moment sooner, Zhang the Fifth Xia need not have died.” He walked to Yin Susu’s side and bent his ear toward her.

Yin Susu’s mouth moved for a while, but not a sound came out. Kongwen asked, “What?” Yin Susu said, “Xie Xun the Golden-Haired Lion King is hiding in… in…” The words after “hiding in” were so muffled that nothing could be distinguished. Kongwen asked again, “What?” Yin Susu said, “Right there. The Dragon-Slaying Dao is there too. You Shaolin Order can go find it yourselves.”

Kongwen was greatly distressed. “I didn’t hear it.” He straightened up and scratched his head, his face full of bewilderment.

Yin Susu said coldly, “I can only say this much. When you go there, you will naturally see Xie Xun the Golden-Haired Lion King.”

She held Wuji and whispered, “Child, when you grow up, beware of women deceiving you. The more beautiful a woman is, the better she is at lying.” She brought her mouth to Wuji’s ear and said, very, very softly, “I didn’t tell that monk anything. We won’t tell anyone. I was lying to him… see how good your mother is at lying…” With that, she gave a sad smile. Suddenly her hands went slack. Her body fell sideways. A dagger was protruding from her chest. She had stabbed herself while holding Wuji, but because he was shielding her from view, no one had noticed.

Wuji threw himself on his mother and cried, “Mother! Mother!” But Yin Susu had stabbed herself long before, and had held on for some while. Now she was dead. Wuji, in his grief, did not weep. He stared at Great Master Kongwen and asked, “You killed my mother, didn’t you? Why did you force my father to his death? Why did you kill my mother?”

Kongwen, suddenly confronted with this human tragedy, though he was the abbot of the foremost martial order in the world, could not help but be deeply shaken. At Wuji’s question, he involuntarily stepped back. “No, not me. She… she took her own life.”

Wuji’s eyes brimmed with tears, but he fought desperately to hold them back. “I won’t cry. I definitely won’t cry. I won’t cry in front of you evil people.”

Great Master Kongwen coughed softly. “Master Zhang, this turn of events… was truly unexpected. Since Zhang the Fifth Xia and his wife have both taken their own lives, we shall let all prior matters rest. We take our leave.” He pressed his palms together in farewell. Zhang Sanfeng returned the gesture and said coolly, “I shall not see you out.” The Shaolin monks all rose to leave.

Yin Liting shouted angrily, “You… you forced my fifth brother to his death…” But then he thought: “Fifth Brother killed himself because he could not face Third Brother. It had nothing to do with them.” He could not finish the sentence. He collapsed over Zhang Cuishan’s body and wept aloud.

Everyone felt uneasy. They all took their leave of Zhang Sanfeng, thinking: “This grudge is truly deep. The Wudang Order will certainly not let this rest. From now on, there will be endless trouble.” Only Song Yuanqiao, red-eyed, saw the guests to the gate of the temple. When he turned back, tears were streaming down his face. In the main hall, everyone of the Wudang Order wept uncontrollably.

The Emei Order was the last to rise and take their leave. Ji Xiaofu saw that Yin Liting wept bitterly, and her own eyes reddened. She drew near and whispered, “Sixth Brother, I’m going. You… take care of yourself.” Yin Liting, his vision blurred with tears, raised his head and choked out, “You… your Emei Order… also came to make things difficult for my fifth brother?” Ji Xiaofu said quickly, “No. My master only wished to ask Zhang shixiong about Xie Xun’s whereabouts.” She paused, her teeth biting into her lower lip, then released it. A row of deep teeth marks appeared, almost drawing blood. She said in a trembling voice, “Sixth Brother, I… I am truly sorry to you. Whatever happens, look at things with an open heart. I… I can only repay you in the next life.”

Yin Liting felt she was being excessive. “It has nothing to do with you. We won’t blame your Emei Order.” Ji Xiaofu’s face was deathly pale. “No… it’s not that…” She dared not speak to Yin Liting any further. She turned to look at Wuji and said, “Good child, we… we will all take good care of you.” She removed a gold necklace from her neck and tried to place it around Wuji’s neck, saying gently, “This is for you…”

Wuji tilted his head back. “I don’t want it!” Ji Xiaofu was deeply embarrassed, holding the necklace, not knowing what to do. Her tears, which had been brimming, finally fell. Jingxuan Shitai’s face hardened. “Ji shimei, why waste words on a child? Let us go.” Ji Xiaofu covered her face and ran out.

Wuji had held back for a long time. Now that Jingxuan, Ji Xiaofu, and the others had left the hall, he was about to cry. But he could not catch his breath. With a thud, he collapsed to the ground. Yu Lianzhou hurriedly picked him up, knowing that in his grief he had suppressed his crying so hard that he had fainted. “Child, cry. Let it out.” He massaged the boy’s chest. But Wuji’s breath would not return. His whole body turned cold. His breathing grew faint. Despite Yu Lianzhou’s efforts to channel his power, Wuji did not regain consciousness. Everyone saw that he was about to die as well, and their faces changed with alarm.

Zhang Sanfeng pressed his palm against the Lingtai acupoint on Wuji’s back, sending a surge of profound internal power through his clothing. With Zhang Sanfeng’s level of internal cultivation at this time, anyone who had not died on the spot, no matter how severe their injury, would surely recover once his power reached them. But as his power entered Wuji’s body, the boy’s face turned from white to green, from green to purple. His body trembled without ceasing. Zhang Sanfeng touched his forehead. It was ice-cold, as though touching a block of ice. Greatly alarmed, he reached under the boy’s clothes at his back and felt one spot on his back burning hot as if seared by charcoal, while all around it was cold to the bone. Had Zhang Sanfeng’s internal power not reached perfection, the touch alone might have made him shiver with cold. He asked, “Yuanqiao, find the Mongol soldier who brought the child in. Go look for him.”

Song Yuanqiao went out at his word. Yu Lianzhou had been injured exchanging palms with that Mongol soldier, and, knowing that his eldest shixiong was no match for that man’s palm technique, hurriedly said, “I’ll come too.” The two went out together. When Zhang Sanfeng had escorted the Mongol soldier into the hall, Zhang Cuishan had already killed himself, and then Yin Susu had died by her own hand. In the midst of their grief, no one had paid attention to the Mongol soldier. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished without a trace.

Zhang Sanfeng tore open the back of Wuji’s clothes. On the fine white skin, a vivid green five-fingered palm-print was clearly visible. He touched it again. The print was burning hot, while all around was ice-cold. The touch itself was almost unbearable. What Wuji suffered could only be imagined.

Before long, Song Yuanqiao and Yu Lianzhou returned quickly to the hall. “There are no outsiders on the mountain.” They saw the strange palm-print on Wuji’s back and were greatly alarmed.

Zhang Sanfeng frowned. “I thought that thirty years ago, when the Hundred Damage Daoist died, this exceedingly vicious art, the Xuanming Divine Palm, had been lost forever. Who would have imagined that someone in the world still practises this skill.” Song Yuanqiao was startled. “The child has been struck by the Xuanming Divine Palm?” He was the eldest and had heard of the “Xuanming Divine Palm,” but Yu Lianzhou and the others had never even heard the name.

Zhang Sanfeng sighed and did not answer. Tears streamed down his face. He held Wuji in his arms and gazed at Zhang Cuishan’s body. “Cuishan, Cuishan! When you were my disciple, you entrusted your last wish to me as you left. But I cannot even save your only beloved son. What use is it that I have lived to a hundred? What use is it that the Wudang Order’s name is known throughout the world? I might as well be dead!”

All his disciples were greatly alarmed. Since they had entered his service, they had always seen him carefree and at ease. They had never heard him speak such despondent, grief-stricken words.

Yin Liting said, “Master, this child… is this child truly beyond saving?” Zhang Sanfeng held Wuji in his arms, pacing back and forth across the hall. “Unless… unless my master Jueyuan were to come back to life and teach me the entire Nine Yang Manual.” Everyone’s hearts sank. Their master’s words meant that Wuji’s injury could not be cured.

Everyone was silent for a long while. Yu Lianzhou said, “Master, that day when I exchanged palm-strikes with that man, his palm-force was indeed vicious and cruel beyond anything I had ever seen. I was injured on the spot. But now my injury has healed, and when I channel my power, there is no blockage.” Zhang Sanfeng said, “That is thanks to the reputation of the Seven Xia of Wudang. When one uses the Xuanming Divine Palm against an opponent, if the opponent’s internal power exceeds one’s own, the palm-force rebounds. The one who strikes will suffer greatly himself. If you encounter that man again, be extremely careful.”

Yu Lianzhou responded, “Yes,” and thought with a chill: “So that man was overly cautious, afraid my palm-force might surpass his. That is why he did not use the full power of the Xuanming Divine Palm from the start. Otherwise, I would most likely be dead by now. If we meet again, he will not show mercy.” He thought further: “I suffered that palm and it was already so severe. Wuji is just a child. I fear… I fear…”

Song Yuanqiao said, “Just now I caught a glimpse. The man appeared to be around fifty, with a high nose and deep eyes. He looked like a Western Region man.” Mo Shenggu said, “That man kidnapped Wuji. Why bring him back up the mountain?” Zhang Songxi said, “That man forced Wuji to speak but could not get anything out of him, so he used the Xuanming Divine Palm to wound him. He wanted Fifth Brother and his wife to see their son suffering, so they would be forced to reveal the Golden-Haired Lion King’s whereabouts.” Mo Shenggu said angrily, “That man has nerve, daring to come to Wudang Mountain and cause trouble!” Zhang Songxi said bleakly, “The people who came to Wudang Mountain to cause trouble today, are they few?” Yu Lianzhou said, “Moreover, that man holds Wuji as leverage. He knows we dare not harm him for fear of hurting the child.”

The six of them stood in the main hall for a long while. Suddenly Wuji opened his eyes and cried, “Daddy! Daddy! It hurts so much! It hurts terribly!” He clung tightly to Zhang Sanfeng, pressing his head against the old man’s chest.

Yu Lianzhou said sternly, “Wuji, your daddy is dead. You must live on. When you have trained hard in martial arts one day, you will avenge your father.” Wuji cried, “I don’t want revenge! I don’t want revenge! I want Daddy and Mother to come back to life! Second Uncle, let’s forgive all those bad people. Let’s all think of a way to bring Daddy and Mother back.”

When Zhang Sanfeng and the others heard these words, they could not help but weep again. Zhang Sanfeng said, “We will do our best. How much longer he can live, that depends on Heaven’s mercy.” He gazed at Zhang Cuishan’s body, tears streaming, and called out, “Cuishan, Cuishan! What a poor, ill-fated child.” Holding Wuji, he walked into his own meditation chamber. His fingers moved rapidly, sealing eighteen major acupoints on the boy’s body.

Once Wuji’s acupoints were sealed, he stopped trembling at once, but the greenish hue on his face grew ever more intense. Zhang Sanfeng knew that once the green turned to black, the cold poison would be beyond all cure. He stripped off Wuji’s clothes and loosened his own Daoist robe, pressing his bare chest against the boy’s back.

By now Song Yuanqiao and Yin Liting were outside attending to Zhang Cuishan and his wife’s funeral arrangements. Yu Lianzhou, Zhang Songxi, and Mo Shenggu came to their master’s chamber and knew he was using the “Pure Yang Limitless Skill”¹⁷ to draw out the yin-cold poison from Wuji’s body. Zhang Sanfeng had never married. Even at a hundred years old, he was still a body of pure yang. Over eighty years of cultivation had brought his Pure Yang Limitless Skill to the highest peak of perfection. Yu Lianzhou and the others attended at his side. After about half a shichen,¹⁸ they saw Zhang Sanfeng’s face faintly show a greenish tinge, his fingers trembling slightly. He opened his eyes. “Lianzhou, you take over. The moment you cannot hold on, pass him to Songxi. Do not push yourself beyond your limit, no matter what.”

Yu Lianzhou responded, “Yes.” He loosened his robe and held Wuji in his arms. The moment their skin touched, he could not help but shiver violently. It was like holding a block of ice. He said, “Seventh Brother, have someone light several charcoal fires. The hotter the better.” Soon the charcoal fires were lit, but Yu Lianzhou still could not stop shivering with cold.

Zhang Sanfeng sat to one side, slowly guiding his zhenqi through the three passes, stirring the “Mysterious Vapour”¹⁹ in his dantian, dissolving the cold poison he had absorbed into his own body strand by strand. When he had eliminated the last of the cold, he stood up. By now Mo Shenggu was holding Wuji. Yu Lianzhou and Zhang Songxi sat to one side, their eyelids lowered in meditation, dissolving the cold poison within themselves. Before long Mo Shenggu too could not endure, and he ordered an acolyte to fetch Song Yuanqiao and Yin Liting to take over.

This method of healing with internal power immediately revealed the depth of each person’s cultivation. There was not the slightest room for pretence. Mo Shenggu could only last the time it took to drink a cup of hot tea. Song Yuanqiao could endure for the burning of two incense sticks. When Yin Liting took Wuji into his arms, he immediately cried out, his whole body shaking. Zhang Sanfeng was alarmed. “Give me the child. Sit to one side and calm your mind. Do not let stray thoughts enter your head.” It turned out that Yin Liting, grieving his fifth brother’s tragic death, had been in a daze, his spirit scattered. Only when his mind had settled did he take Wuji into his arms.

Thus the six of them took turns. For three days and three nights they toiled without rest. Fortunately the cold poison in Wuji’s body gradually diminished, and each person could endure longer with each rotation. By the fourth day, the six of them finally found a moment’s respite and closed their eyes for a brief sleep. From the eighth day onward, each person assisted with the healing for two shichen each, then slowly recovered their own depleted power.

At first Wuji showed great improvement. The cold in his body lessened, his consciousness returned, and he could gradually take some food and drink. Everyone thought his small life had been saved. But on the thirty-sixth day, Yu Lianzhou suddenly discovered that no matter how he channelled his internal power, not a trace of cold poison could be drawn out from Wuji’s body. Yet the boy’s body was clearly ice-cold, the greenish hue on his face still not faded. Yu Lianzhou feared his own skill was insufficient and immediately told his master. Zhang Sanfeng tried himself. He too was helpless. For five days and five nights, the six of them tried every method of circulating qi they knew. Not the slightest effect.

Wuji said, “Great-Grandmaster, my hands and feet are warm now, but the top of my head, my chest, and my lower abdomen are growing colder and colder.” Zhang Sanfeng was secretly alarmed but comforted him. “Your injury is healing. We don’t need to hold you all the time anymore. Sleep on Great-Grandmaster’s bed for a while.” He carried the boy to his own bed.

Zhang Sanfeng and his disciples walked to the hall. He sighed, “The cold poison has invaded his crown, his heart, and his dantian. No external force can resolve it. It seems these thirty-odd days of effort were all in vain.” He pondered for a long time. “To resolve the cold poison within him, no one else can help. Only he himself can cultivate the supreme internal art recorded in the Nine Yang Manual, so that yin and yang may nourish each other and dissolve the extreme yin. But when my late master transmitted the scripture, what I learned was incomplete. Though I have since meditated in seclusion many times, studying bitterly, I have only managed to understand three or four tenths of it. Now I can only teach him to practise on his own. If we can preserve his life for one more day, that is one more day.”

So he transmitted the method and oral formulas of the Nine Yang Divine Skill to Wuji. This art’s transformations were complex and could not be fully described in words. In brief, the preliminary exercise was to practise the “Great Heavenly Circuit,”²⁰ guiding a stream of warm zhenqi from the dantian to the Yin Bridge Repository, which locks and controls the Ren, Du, and Chong meridians. The qi then turned toward the Tail Vertebra Gate, then split into two branches rising upward, passing through the Pulley Gate on either side of the fourteenth vertebra of the lower back, continuing upward through the back, shoulders, and neck to the Jade Pillow Gate. This was what was called “reversing the zhenqi through the three passes.” Then the qi surged upward past the Hundred Meetings acupoint at the crown, splitting into five paths descending, rejoining with the body’s entire qi network at the Centre of the Chest acupoint. From there it divided into principal and subsidiary branches, merging again at the dantian, entering the aperture and returning to the origin. One complete circuit, and the body was as though bathed in sweet dew, neither extreme yang nor extreme yin, but yin and yang in mutual nourishment, harmonised in primal chaos. The zhenqi in the dantian curled like incense smoke, drifting at ease. That was what was called the “Mysterious Vapour.” Once this Mysterious Vapour was cultivated to a sufficient level, it could dissolve the cold poison in the dantian. The principles of internal cultivation among the various schools were not fundamentally different, but the methods varied enormously. The heart-method Zhang Sanfeng transmitted, in terms of power, could be counted as the foremost of his era.

Wuji practised according to the method. After over two years, the Mysterious Vapour in his dantian had achieved a small success. But the cold poison in his body remained entrenched in his meridians and vessels, not only impossible to dissolve, but the greenish hue on his face grew worse day by day. Whenever the cold poison flared, the suffering he endured grew more terrible with each passing day. During these two years, Zhang Sanfeng devoted all his effort to caring for Wuji’s internal cultivation. Song Yuanqiao and the others searched everywhere for miraculous elixirs and rare medicines: wild mountain ginseng over a hundred years old, he shou wu that had taken human form, snow-mountain poria, five-coloured lingzhi, all manner of precious medicinal treasures. They gave him countless doses, but it was like casting a stone into the sea. Everyone watched him grow thinner and more haggard day by day. Though he always forced a smile when they saw him, each of them was deeply saddened. They thought: this is the only flesh and blood Zhang Cuishan left behind, and they feared they could not save him.

The Wudang Order’s people were so busy trying to save Wuji that they had no leisure to pursue the enemies who had harmed Yu Daiyan and Wuji. During these two years, the Tianying Order’s leader Yin Tianzheng several times sent people to inquire about his grandson, presenting many valuable gifts. The Wudang Heroes resented that Yu Daiyan and Zhang Cuishan had both been indirectly harmed by the Tianying Order. Each time they drove the Tianying Order’s envoys down the mountain and returned the gifts, not accepting a single item. Once Mo Shenggu even beat the envoy severely. After that, Yin Tianzheng sent no more.

One day, the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Wudang Heroes were celebrating the holiday with their master. They had not yet begun the feast when Wuji suddenly suffered an attack. The greenish hue on his face blazed, and he shivered uncontrollably. He bit his teeth and endured, not wanting to spoil everyone’s mood, but who could fail to notice? Yin Liting led Wuji into a room to lie down, covered him with a quilt, and lit a roaring charcoal fire. Zhang Sanfeng suddenly said, “Tomorrow I will take Wuji to Songshan Shaolin Monastery.” Everyone understood their master’s intention. This was his last resort, humbling himself to go to the Shaolin Order, personally to beg Great Master Kongwen for help, hoping that the Shaolin high monks could complete the deficiencies in the Nine Yang Divine Skill and save Wuji’s life.

Two years ago at the gathering on Wudang Mountain, the rift between Shaolin and Wudang had deepened. Zhang Sanfeng, a generation’s grandmaster, at over a hundred years of age, was about to lower himself to seek instruction, a tremendous loss of face. But thinking of Zhang Cuishan’s bond, they knew that once Zhang Sanfeng went to Songshan to seek teaching, from then on the Wudang Order could never hold its head high before the Shaolin Order. But these were vain names, and they could not worry about that now. The Emei Order had also received a portion of the Nine Yang Manual, but its leader, Miejue Shitai,²¹ was extraordinarily eccentric and ill-tempered. Zhang Sanfeng had written to her several times, sending Yin Liting to deliver the letters. Miejue had not even opened the envelopes, returning them unopened. Now there was no other way but to bow before the Shaolin Order.

If Song Yuanqiao had led his shidi to Shaolin to seek teaching, it would have been better for the Wudang Order’s face. But inevitably, Great Master Kongwen would never have agreed to transmit the true essence of the Nine Yang Manual. Thinking of how the Wudang Order, famous for twenty or thirty years, would from now on have to bow to the Shaolin Order, everyone was dispirited. The celebration feast for the Mid-Autumn Festival was dispatched with a few cups of sullen wine.

The next morning, Zhang Sanfeng set out with Wuji. The five disciples wanted to accompany them, but Zhang Sanfeng said, “If we go in a large group, the Shaolin Order will suspect us of hostile intent. It is better for just the two of us, one old, one young.”

Each of them rode a green donkey, heading north. The two great martial orders of Shaolin and Wudang were in fact quite close, from Wudang Mountain in northern Hubei to Songshan in western Henan, a few days’ journey. Zhang Sanfeng and Wuji crossed the Han River at Laohekou, reached Nanyang, rode north to Ruzhou, then turned west to Songshan.

They ascended Shaoshi Mountain, tied their donkeys under a tree, and continued on foot. Zhang Sanfeng, revisiting an old place, remembered how over eighty years ago his master Jueyuan had carried a pair of iron water buckets, leading Guo Xiang and himself in flight from Shaolin. Looking back on the dust of those years now, how much more than a single lifetime had passed! His heart heavy with feeling, he held Wuji’s hand and walked slowly up the mountain. The five peaks were unchanged, the forest of steles as before. But Jueyuan, Guo Xiang, and all the rest had long since left this world. They reached the One-Reed Pavilion, and the Shaolin Monastery was already in view. Two young monks came walking toward them, talking and laughing. Zhang Sanfeng cupped his hands in a Daoist greeting. “Please announce us. Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang Mountain requests an audience with the Abbot.”

The two monks, hearing the name Zhang Sanfeng, were startled. They gazed at him carefully, a tall figure, hair and beard like silver, his face ruddy and smooth, smiling and most approachable. But his blue cloth Daoist robe was filthy and shabby. Zhang Sanfeng had always been easygoing and careless of his appearance. In his prime, people in the jianghu had called him behind his back the “Slovenly Daoist” or “Zhang the Slovenly.” Only later, when his martial arts grew higher and his fame greater, did no one dare address him so.

The two monks thought: “Zhang Sanfeng is the grandmaster of the Wudang Order. The Wudang Order has always been on bad terms with our Shaolin Order. Could he have come to pick a fight?” They saw that he held the hand of a green-faced, thin boy of eleven or twelve. Neither looked imposing in the least. One monk asked, “Are you truly the Zhang… Zhang Zhenren of Wudang Mountain?” Zhang Sanfeng laughed. “Genuine and authentic, I would not dare counterfeit him!” The other monk, hearing him speak without the slightest dignity befitting a grandmaster, was all the more disbelieving. “You’re really not joking?” Zhang Sanfeng laughed. “What is so great about Zhang Sanfeng? What advantage is there in impersonating him?”

The two monks, half-believing and half-doubting, ran back to the monastery to report. After a long while, they saw the monastery gate open. Abbot Kongwen emerged, followed by his shidi Kongzhi and Kongxing. Behind them came over a dozen old monks in yellow robes. Zhang Sanfeng knew these were the Elders of the Bodhidharma Hall, whose seniority might even exceed the abbot’s. They devoted themselves to martial research within the monastery and took no part in external affairs. Hearing that the Wudang Order’s leader had come, no small matter, they had followed the abbot out to greet him.

Zhang Sanfeng hurried from the pavilion and bowed deeply. “I am honoured that the Abbot and all the masters have come out to welcome me. How can I bear it?” Kongwen and the others all pressed their palms together. Kongwen said, “Master Zhang has come from afar, greatly beyond our expectations. To what do we owe this visit?” Zhang Sanfeng said, “I have a matter to request.” Kongwen said, “Please sit, please sit.”

Zhang Sanfeng was seated in the pavilion, and a monk immediately brought tea. Zhang Sanfeng was somewhat annoyed: “However humble I may be, I am still a generation’s grandmaster, and your senior besides. Yet you do not invite me into the monastery. You make me sit halfway up the mountain? Even an ordinary guest should not be treated with such discourtesy.” But he was easygoing by nature, and with a turn of thought, he let it pass.

Kongwen said, “Master Zhang’s arrival at our humble mountain should indeed be greeted with proper ceremony. But when Master Zhang was young, he left Shaolin without permission. Our order’s centuries-old rule, I am sure Master Zhang knows: any disciple who abandons or betrays the order is forbidden for life from setting foot within the monastery gate again, on pain of having his feet cut off.” Zhang Sanfeng laughed heartily. “So that is it. In my childhood, I served Great Master Jueyuan, but I was a menial servant who swept floors and boiled tea. I was neither ordained nor did I formally take a master. I cannot be called a Shaolin disciple.”

Kongzhi said coldly, “Yet Master Zhang stole martial arts from Shaolin.”

Zhang Sanfeng felt a surge of anger, but then thought: “Our Wudang Order’s martial arts, though I later created them through my own devotion, trace back to Jueyuan’s transmission of the Nine Yang Manual and the gift of that pair of Shaolin iron arhats from Guo nüxia. Without those, everything that followed would have had no foundation. To say my martial arts came from Shaolin is not wrong.” So he calmed himself and said, “Today I have come precisely for that reason.”

Kongwen and Kongzhi exchanged a glance, thinking: “What is he here for? He surely cannot mean well. Most likely he has come to make trouble over Zhang Cuishan’s death.” Kongwen said, “Please elaborate.”

Zhang Sanfeng said, “Just now Great Master Kongzhi said that my martial arts came from Shaolin. This is indeed true. In those years I served Great Master Jueyuan, and he deigned to transmit to me the Nine Yang Manual. That scripture is vast and profound, but at the time I was young and what I learned was incomplete. To this day I consider it a deep regret. Later, Great Master Jueyuan chanted the scripture in a desolate mountain. Three people were fortunate enough to hear it. One was the founder of the Emei Order, Guo Xiang nüxia. One was your order’s Chan Master Wuse. And the third was myself. I was the youngest, the most dull-witted, and had no martial foundation. Of the three schools, what I gained was the least.”

Kongzhi said coldly, “That is not so. Master Zhang served Jueyuan from childhood. Would he not have secretly taught you? Today the Wudang Order’s fame fills the world. That is Jueyuan’s doing.” Jueyuan’s generation was three levels above Kongzhi. By rights he should have been called “Great-Grandmaster.” But since Jueyuan had fled Shaolin and been declared an abandoned disciple, his generation name had been removed. So Kongzhi’s tone showed no courtesy.

Zhang Sanfeng rose and bowed respectfully. “My late master’s kindness, I have never forgotten it for a moment.”

Among the four Shaolin divine monks, Kongjian had been the most compassionate, but had passed away earliest. Kongwen was extremely deep and calculating, never showing joy or anger on his face. Kongxing was muddled and innocent, knowing nothing of worldly affairs. Kongzhi, however, was narrow-minded. He had always resented that Zhang Sanfeng had stolen martial arts from Shaolin, yet made the Wudang Order’s reputation soar until it threatened to surpass Shaolin’s. He had been aggrieved for years. He was convinced that Zhang Sanfeng’s visit to Shaolin was to avenge Zhang Cuishan’s death. Moreover, the day Yin Susu died, she had pretended to whisper Xie Xun’s whereabouts to Kongwen. That “shifting the disaster to Jiangdong” stratagem had been most vicious.

For over two years, wulin figures had been coming to Shaolin Monastery every few days, causing trouble: breaking in openly, sneaking in secretly, pleading softly, or demanding harshly, all asking about Xie Xun’s whereabouts. Kongwen had sworn oaths that he truly did not know. But at Wudang Mountain’s Purple Cloud Palace, hundreds of eyes from every school and gang had seen Yin Susu plainly whisper in Kongwen’s ear. How could it be false? No matter how Kongwen explained, no one believed him. Several fights broke out every month because of it. The outsiders who were killed or injured were many, but Shaolin’s own experts had also suffered losses. Tracing the cause, was it not all rooted in the Wudang Order?

The entire monastery had been seething for over two years. Now that Zhang Sanfeng had come of his own accord, it was a perfect chance to humiliate him thoroughly. Kongzhi said, “Master Zhang acknowledges stealing martial arts from Shaolin. Unfortunately no one else heard this. If word got out, the whole wulin would know.”

Zhang Sanfeng said, “Red flowers come from the lotus root. All martial arts under heaven were originally one family. Over the centuries, schools have taken from each other to fill their own gaps. The true origins are long past tracing. But the Shaolin Order has led the wulin for centuries, acknowledged by all. Today I have come up the mountain precisely because I admire your order’s martial arts, knowing myself inferior, and wish to learn from the masters.”

Kongwen, Kongzhi, and the others thought his words about “learning from the masters” were a challenge. Their faces changed. They thought: this old Daoist, with a hundred years of cultivation, possessed martial arts beyond fathoming. Who in the world was his equal? He had come alone, surely confident. He must have spent the past two years cultivating some extraordinarily powerful martial art.

For a time, none of the three monks spoke. Finally Kongxing said, “You old Daoist, you want to test us. I, Kongxing, am not afraid of you. Even if the thousand monks of Shaolin all attacked at once, you might not be able to defeat our monastery.” Though he said “not afraid,” in truth he was terrified, and had already planned for a thousand monks to swarm him.

Zhang Sanfeng said hastily, “Masters, please do not misunderstand. When I said ‘learn from the masters,’ I truly meant to request instruction. It is because I have been practising the Nine Yang Manual transmitted by my late master, and there are many passages I cannot resolve, parts that are incomplete. Shaolin’s many high monks have profound cultivation. If you would not begrudge your teaching and let Zhang Sanfeng hear the great Way, I would be deeply grateful.” He rose and bowed deeply.

Zhang Sanfeng’s words were entirely unexpected by the Shaolin monks. His divine skill was unmatched, he had founded a school, and had cultivated for nearly ninety years. Among the wulin of his era, his prestige and status were beyond all comparison. No one would have imagined he would come to Shaolin to seek instruction. Kongwen hurriedly returned the bow. “Master Zhang jokes. We juniors are shallow in learning. We cannot even claim ‘the stone from another hill may polish jade.’ How can we bear the word ‘instruct’?”

Zhang Sanfeng knew this matter was too extraordinary for the other side to believe easily. So he told them the whole story from the beginning, how Wuji had been struck by the Xuanming Divine Palm, how the yin-cold poison could not be driven out, how he was Zhang Cuishan’s only surviving son, and how he must be saved at all costs. At present, apart from learning the complete Nine Yang Divine Skill, there was no other path. He was willing to tell the Shaolin Order everything he knew of the Nine Yang Manual, and hoped the Shaolin Order would in turn share what they had learned, so both sides could study and complete what was missing.

Kongwen listened, then pondered for a long time. “Our Shaolin Order’s seventy-two supreme skills, in eight hundred years, not a single monk or lay disciple has ever mastered more than twelve. Master Zhang’s learning is certainly unmatched in ancient or modern times. But our order feels that the martial arts transmitted by our ancestors of past generations are already too many. Even to learn one in ten is already extremely difficult. For Master Zhang to add yet another divine skill in exchange, though your generous intention is appreciated, for our order it would be superfluous.” He paused. “Moreover, the Wudang Order’s martial arts originate from Shaolin. If our two orders were to exchange martial learning today, in future people who do not know the truth would say that while the Wudang Order traces its lineage to Shaolin, the Shaolin Order also benefited from Master Zhang’s hands. I, Kongwen, am unworthy as Shaolin’s abbot. Such gossip I could not bear.”

Zhang Sanfeng sighed inwardly, thinking: “You are the abbot of the foremost martial order in the world, one of the four divine monks. Yet you are so confined by sectarian prejudice. Your breadth of mind is truly narrow.” But since he had a request, he could not directly criticise. He could only say, “The three of you are divine monks of this era, compassionate at heart. This child’s life hangs by a thread. I hope you will embody the Buddha’s spirit of saving lives, and grant this request. I would be deeply grateful.”

But no matter how he pleaded, the three Shaolin monks gently but firmly refused. Finally Kongwen said, “Please forgive us, Master Zhang.” He turned to a monk beside him. “Have the fragrant kitchen send a fine vegetarian feast here to entertain Master Zhang.” The monk went to carry out the order.

Zhang Sanfeng’s face was bleak. He raised his hand. “In that case, this old Daoist has come presumptuously. I dare not accept your generous feast. I have caused much trouble. Please forgive me. I take my leave.” He bowed deeply, took Wuji’s hand, and drifted away.

Footnotes

1. 太极功 (Tàijí Gōng) – The Taiji Skill, an internal cultivation art based on the principles of yin and yang. Zhang Sanfeng’s deep understanding of this art would later form the foundation for his creation of Taiji Fist and Taiji Swordplay. ↩

2. 爱屋及乌 (ài wū jí wū) – A Chinese idiom meaning “love the house and even its crows,” i.e. loving someone so much that one extends affection even to things associated with them. ↩

3. 师姊 – shījiě. Female senior. Both apprenticed to the same shifu. Shī means teacher. Jiě means older sister. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

4. 铁琴先生 (Tiěqín Xiānshēng) – “Iron Zither Gentleman,” the courtesy title of He Taichong, leader of the Kunlun Order. ↩

5. 兄弟同心，其利断金 (xiōngdì tóngxīn, qí lì duàn jīn) – “When brothers are of one heart, their sharpness cuts through gold.” A proverb celebrating the power of unity. ↩

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

7. 师妹 – shīmèi. Female junior. Both apprenticed to the same shifu. Shī means teacher. Mèi means younger sister. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

8. 师兄 – shīxiōng. Male senior. Both apprenticed to the same shifu. Shī means teacher. Xiōng means older brother. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

9. 虎爪绝户手 (Hǔzhuǎ Juéhù Shǒu) – Tiger Claw That Severs the Lineage. Deadly grappling technique of the Wudang Order derived from the Tiger Claw Hand, targeting the lower back to permanently damage the opponent’s reproductive capacity. Created by Yu Lianzhou. ↩

10. 虎爪手 (Hǔzhuǎ Shǒu) – Tiger Claw Hand. Powerful grappling technique of the Wudang Order. ↩

11. 阿弥陀佛 – Āmítuófó. Buddhist invocation meaning “Homage to Amitabha Buddha,” commonly used as a greeting or expression of piety. See Wikipedia. ↩

12. 义结金兰 (yì jié jīn lán) – Literally “to bind in righteousness as orchids.” A sworn brotherhood, a solemn pact of friendship. ↩

13. 丈 – zhàng. Traditional Chinese unit of length, approximately 3.33 metres or 10.9 feet. ↩

14. 师伯 – shībó. Senior lineage uncle. Shixiong or shijie of one’s shifu. Shī means teacher. Bó means father’s elder brother. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

15. 师叔 – shīshū. Junior lineage uncle. Shidi or shimei of one’s shifu. Shī means teacher. Shū means father’s younger brother. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

16. 真武七截阵 (Zhēnwǔ Qī Jié Zhèn) – True Warrior Seven-Formation. Martial formation created by Zhang Sanfeng, inspired by the turtle and snake generals at the True Warrior Emperor’s shrine. When seven practitioners perform it together, it equals the combined force of sixty-four first-rate masters. ↩

17. 纯阳无极功 – Chúnyáng Wújí Gōng. Pure Yang Limitless Skill, a supreme yang-based internal art; Zhang Sanfeng’s own creation, refined over some eighty years of cultivation. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

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

19. 氤氲紫气 – yīnyūn zǐqì. Literally dense purple qi. State reached when yin and yang are held in balance and the zhenqi coils in the dantian like drifting incense smoke. ↩

20. 大周天 – dà zhōutiān. Literally great heavenly circuit. Full circulation of zhenqi around the body’s meridians, as opposed to the lesser circuit confined to the governing and conception vessels. ↩

21. 灭绝师太 – Mièjué Shītài. Her dharma-name, meaning “Extinction” or “Annihilation”. Zhangmen of the Emei Order. 师太 (shītài) is an honorific for a senior Buddhist nun. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩