The Heavenly Sword & the Dragon Sabre – Chapter 18 – Part 8

Zhang Wuji saw her palm coming and heard the crack of her bones before the strike landed. He knew this palm was no trifling matter. His life or death would be decided in this instant. How could he dare neglect it by so much as a hair? In that single moment, he held only to the two lines of scripture: *He is fierce, he is cruel. I keep my zhenqi full and whole.* He gave no thought to how he might defend, but gathered his zhenqi into his chest and belly.

A great crash rang out. Miejue Shitai’s palm had struck his chest.

The onlookers cried out in unison, expecting that Zhang Wuji’s bones would be shattered to powder, or that the mountain-toppling, sea-overturning force of that blow would split his body in two. Yet when the palm landed, Zhang Wuji’s face showed surprise, and he stood there whole and unharmed. Miejue Shitai’s face had gone the colour of ash, and her palm trembled slightly.

The truth was this. The move Miejue Shitai had just used, Buddha’s Light Illuminates All,¹ drew its power wholly from the Emei Nine Yang neigong.² And the art Zhang Wuji had practised was precisely the Nine Yang Divine Skill.³ The Emei Nine Yang neigong had been derived long ago, when Guo Xiang had heard Jueyuan⁴ recite the Nine Yang Manual⁵ and remembered fragments of it. Compared with the original Nine Yang Divine Skill, its power was far inferior. Though the two arts differed in magnitude, their essence was the same. When the Emei Nine Yang neigong met the Nine Yang Divine Skill, it was as though a river had entered the sea, or as milk blends with water. In an instant it was gone, dispersed without trace. The first palm she had struck him with was the Drifting Snow Piercing Cloud Palm;⁶ the second, the Nine Styles of Intercepting Hand.⁷ Neither of these fell within the Nine Yang Divine Skill’s dominion, and so when they struck Zhang Wuji’s body, they could wound him and draw blood.

Of this principle, Zhang Wuji was wholly ignorant. And though Miejue Shitai’s knowledge was broad, the Nine Yang Divine Skill had never appeared in the world before, and she could not know it. She supposed only that the young man’s neili⁸ was deep and she could not harm him. And so the several hundred people within and without the circle, save for Miejue Shitai herself, all believed she had shown mercy. Some said it was the compassion of the Buddhist school. Others thought she admired Zhang Wuji’s courage and had spared his life. Others held that she considered the larger picture and would not have the five schools suffer heavy losses beneath the Tianying Order’s arrows. Still others believed she had been cowed by fear and had yielded to Yin Yewang’s threats.

Zhang Wuji bowed low and clasped his fists. “Many thanks, Senior, for sparing me.” Miejue Shitai gave a snort, greatly embarrassed. If she were to press forward and strike again, she had plainly said she would give him only three palms. If she were to let the matter rest, it would be a shameful surrender to the Tianying Order.

In that moment of her hesitation, Yin Yewang⁹ laughed aloud. “He who knows the times is a hero and a brave man. Miejue Shitai is worthy of her name as a senior of this age.” He barked an order: “Withdraw the bows!” The Order’s men rolled back in an orderly retreat, one row of shields, one row of bows, drawn up with great precision. It was plain that Yin Yewang drilled his men with military discipline. Their advance and withdrawal alike held the form of an army in formation.

Miejue Shitai had lost face. How could she explain to the crowd that her palm had not been mercy? Everyone present had seen her strike two light palms that had grievously wounded Zhang Wuji, yet after Yin Yewang’s threat, her third palm had been all show and no force. Even if she were to plead her case at length, no one would believe her. And she had always been proud. Would she deign to beg anyone’s belief? She cast a sidelong glance at Zhang Wuji and said in a clear voice, “Hall Master Yin, if you would test my palm, come forward yourself.”

Yin Yewang cupped his fists. “Today I am deeply grateful for Shitai’s nobility. I dare not offend further. We shall meet again.”

Miejue Shitai waved her left hand, made no reply, and led her disciples away to the west. Those of the Kunlun, Huashan, Kongtong and other schools, along with Yin Liting¹⁰ and Song Qingshu,¹¹ followed after.

Zhu’er¹² could not yet walk on her own. She cried, “Brother Aniu, take me away quickly.”

Zhang Wuji very much wished to speak more with his uncle. “Wait a moment,” he said. He walked towards Yin Yewang and said, “Senior, I shall never forget the great kindness of your intervention.” Yin Yewang took his hand, looked him over for a moment, and asked, “Your surname is Zeng?”

Zhang Wuji longed to throw himself into his uncle’s arms and cry out, Uncle! Uncle! But at last he forced himself to restrain his tongue, though his eyes could not help but redden. There is a saying: To see one’s uncle is to see one’s mother. His parents were dead. Yin Yewang was the first kinsman he had seen in more than ten years. How could his heart not be moved?

Yin Yewang saw that the boy’s eyes showed great affection for him and supposed he was grateful for having saved his life. He gave it no further thought. His gaze shifted to Zhu’er, who lay upon the ground, and he gave a faint smile. “A’li, how are you?”

Zhu’er raised her head. Her eyes were full of resentment and venom. Then she lowered her head again, and after a moment, called out, “Father!”

The moment the word Father left her lips, Zhang Wuji was startled. But his thoughts turned swiftly, and in an instant he understood many things. So Zhu’er is my uncle’s daughter. That makes her my cousin. She killed her stepmother and brought about her own mother’s death. And her father wants to kill her when he sees her. Oh, she used the Thousand Spider Ten Thousand Poison Hand¹³ to wound Yin Wulu.¹⁴ Presumably that servant followed his master and treated her and her mother ill. Yin Wufu¹⁵ and Yin Wushou¹⁶ hated her in their hearts but could not strike her, so they said, ‘So it is the young mistress,’ and carried Yin Wulu away. As he looked back at Zhu’er, another thought came to him: No wonder I have always found her bearing like my mother’s. She is my flesh and blood. My mother is her own aunt.

He heard Yin Yewang say with a cold laugh, “So you still know to call me Father. Humph. I thought that once you had followed Granny Gold Flower,¹⁷ you would not deign to look at the Tianying Order. A useless thing. You are exactly like your mother. Practising the Thousand Spider Ten Thousand Poison Hand. Humph. Find a mirror and look at yourself. What sort of sight are you? Could there be a greater eyesore in the house of Yin?”

Zhu’er had been trembling with fear, but now she suddenly turned her head and stared at her father’s face. She said clearly, “Father, if you do not speak of what passed, neither shall I. But if you must speak, then let me ask you. Mother married you in good faith. Why did you take a second wife?” Yin Yewang was angry. “You… you… insolent girl. What man of spirit does not have three wives and four concubines? You are disobedient and unfilial. No cunning defence will serve you today. What Granny Gold Flower, what Master Silver Leaf, the Tianying Order does not hold them in esteem.” He turned his hand and said to Yin Wufu and Yin Wushou, “Take this girl away.”

Zhang Wuji raised his hands to block them. “Hold! Yin… Senior Yin, what will you do with her?” Yin Yewang said, “This girl is my own unnatural daughter. She killed my concubine and brought about her own mother’s death. A creature worse than beast or bird. How can she be suffered to live?”

Zhang Wuji said, “At the time, Miss Yin was young. She saw her mother bullied and shamed, and in her anger she did wrong. I beg you, Senior, to consider the bond of father and daughter and punish her lightly.” Yin Yewang threw back his head and laughed. “Good fellow. Who exactly are you, that you meddle in every matter? You even presume to interfere in my family’s affairs. Are you the ‘Supreme of the Wulin’?”

Zhang Wuji’s heart was stirred. He longed to say, I am your nephew. I am no outsider. But at last he restrained himself.

Yin Yewang laughed. “Boy, today your life was picked up from the dirt. If you go on meddling in the jianghu’s¹⁸ affairs, ten more lives would not suffice to pay for it.” He waved his left hand. Yin Wufu and Yin Wushou stepped forward, seized Zhu’er, and dragged her behind Yin Yewang.

Zhang Wuji knew that once Zhu’er fell into her father’s hands, her life would likely be forfe. In his desperation, he rushed forward to snatch her back. Yin Yewang frowned. His left hand shot out and seized the front of his robe, flinging him gently outward. Zhang Wuji had no mastery over his body. It was as though he were riding the clouds, flying straight out until he landed with a thud, heavy in the yellow sand. His Nine Yang Divine Skill protected him from harm, but he sank into the sand, his eyes, ears, mouth and nostrils filled with grit, most wretchedly uncomfortable. He would not give up. He scrambled to his feet and charged again.

Yin Yewang said coldly, “Boy, the first time I showed mercy. The next time I shall not be so kind.” Zhang Wuji pleaded, “She… she is your own daughter. When she was small, you held her in your arms. You kissed her. I beg you… spare her.”

Yin Yewang’s thoughts stirred. He turned and glanced at Zhu’er, but when he saw her swollen and bloated face, his disgust surged afresh. “Go away!” he barked. Zhang Wuji took another step forward, meaning to snatch her away. Zhu’er cried, “Brother Aniu, do not mind me. I shall always remember how kindly you treated me. Go quickly. You cannot beat my father.”

Just then, a figure in dark robes burst suddenly from the yellow sand. His hands shot out and seized Yin Wufu and Yin Wushou by the back of their necks. Then he drew his arms together and the two men’s foreheads crashed against one another. Both fainted at once. The man gathered Zhu’er into his arms and fled at top speed. Yin Yewang cried in anger, “Wei the Bat King, you too meddle in other men’s affairs?”

Wei Yixiao the Blue-Winged Bat King¹⁹ gave a long, ringing laugh. He held Zhu’er and sped forward. His name was Yixiao, “One Laugh,” yet this laughter ran on without end, far more than a hundred laughs, a thousand laughs. Yin Yewang and Zhang Wuji set off in pursuit together.

This time Wei Yixiao did not take a wide circle. He drifted straight towards the south-west. The speed of his footwork was beyond all reckoning. Yin Yewang’s neili was deep and his qinggong²⁰ was superb. Zhang Wuji’s zhenqi flowed within him, and the faster he ran, the swifter he grew. Yet Wei Yixiao was still faster by a wide margin. At first the gap between them was a few dozen feet. Then it became a hundred-odd feet, two hundred-odd feet, three hundred-odd feet. At last his figure was gone from sight.

Yin Yewang laughed in his fury. He saw that Zhang Wuji had kept pace with him all along, never falling half a step behind, and was privately alarmed. Now that he knew he could not catch Wei Yixiao, he wished to test the young man’s leg strength. He drove more power into his feet. His body shot forth like an arrow from a bow. Yet Zhang Wuji stayed at his side, neither close nor far. Suddenly he heard the youth say, “Senior Yin, the Blue-Winged Bat King runs swiftly, but he may not have the endurance for it. Let us chase him to the end.”

Yin Yewang was startled. He stopped at once, thinking, I have spent every ounce of my qinggong on this sprint. Do not say speak a word. I could not spare so much as a single breath out of place. This boy speaks casually, yet his feet have not slowed in the least. What art is this? When he stopped abruptly, Zhang Wuji had already leapt several dozen feet ahead. He turned at once, ran back to Yin Yewang’s side, and waited for his orders.

Yin Yewang said, “Brother Zeng, who is your shifu?” Zhang Wuji said hastily, “No, no! You must not call me Brother. I am your junior. Call me ‘Aniu,’ as you please. I have no shifu.” Yin Yewang’s thoughts stirred. This boy is respectful enough towards me, but his martial arts are so uncanny. If he is left alive, he will be a great curse. Better to kill him with a palm while he is off his guard.

Footnotes

1. 佛光普照 – Fóguāng Pǔzhào. Literally Buddha’s Light Illuminates All. The supreme palm technique of the Emei Order, a single move with no further variation, its power drawn wholly from Emei Nine Yang neigong. ↩

2. 峨嵋九阳功 – Éméi Jiǔyáng Gōng. The Emei Order’s Nine Yang neigong, derived from fragments of the Nine Yang Manual remembered by Guo Xiang after hearing Jueyuan recite it. ↩

3. 九阳神功 – Jiǔyáng Shéngōng. Literally Nine Yang Divine Skill. A legendary internal cultivation method emphasising pure yang energy, capable of granting extraordinary martial prowess. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

4. 觉远 – Juéyuǎn. A Shaolin monk who memorised the Nine Yang Manual and recited it before his death. ↩

5. 九阳真经 – Jiǔyáng Zhēnjīng. Literally Nine Yang True Scripture. A legendary internal cultivation manual hidden within the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, emphasising yang energy and balanced development. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

6. 飘雪穿云掌 – Piāoxuě Chuānyún Zhǎng. Literally Drifting Snow Piercing Cloud Palm. An Emei Order palm technique. ↩

7. 截手九式 – Jiéshǒu Jiǔ Shì. Literally Nine Styles of Intercepting Hand. An Emei Order palm technique. ↩

8. 内力 – nèilì. Internal force, the kinetic manifestation of qi cultivated through neigong. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

9. 殷野王 – Yīn Yěwáng. Son of Yin Tianzheng, hall master of the Tianwei Hall of the Tianying Order. Uncle of Zhang Wuji. ↩

10. 殷梨亭 – Yīn Lítíng. The sixth of the Seven Xias of Wudang. ↩

11. 宋青书 – Sòng Qīngshū. Son of Song Yuanqiao of the Wudang Order, known as the Jade-Faced Mengchang. ↩

12. 蛛儿 – Zhū’ér. Also known as Yin Li. Daughter of Yin Yewang and cousin of Zhang Wuji. ↩

13. 千蛛万毒手 – Qiān Zhū Wàn Dú Shǒu. Literally Thousand Spider Ten Thousand Poison Hand. A venomous martial art that uses spider venom to corrupt the user’s appearance. ↩

14. 殷无禄 – Yīn Wúlù. A servant of the Yin family. ↩

15. 殷无福 – Yīn Wúfú. A servant of the Yin family. ↩

16. 殷无寿 – Yīn Wúshòu. A servant of the Yin family. ↩

17. 金花婆婆 – Jīnhuā Pópó. Granny Gold Flower, a mysterious figure associated with the Persian Ming Order. ↩

18. 江湖 – jiānghú. Literally rivers and lakes. Itinerant world beyond settled society and official reach, holding not only martial artists but the trades that travel with them, including pedlars, physicians, fortune-tellers, entertainers, boatmen, beggars, outlaws and the like. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

19. 青翼蝠王 – Qīngyì Fúwáng. The Blue-Winged Bat King. One of the four Dharma Kings of the Ming Order. ↩

20. 轻功 – qīnggōng. The martial art of movement and agility. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩