The Heavenly Sword & the Dragon Sabre – Chapter 22 – Part 6

Zhang Wuji spat a mouthful of fresh blood. His consciousness faded, his heart churning with tumult. He whispered faintly, "Uncle Six Yin,[^yinsixiong] kill me if you will."

Yin Liting heard those three words, Uncle Six Yin, and found the tone of voice strangely familiar. A thought stirred in him, When Wuji was small, he often called me thus. Could this young man be… He gazed intently at the youth’s face, and the longer he looked, the more the resemblance grew. Though more than eight years had passed and Zhang Wuji had grown from a small child into a sturdy youth, his features altogether changed, yet Yin Liting’s mind had already seized upon the thought: Could he truly be Wuji? Looking closer now, the features he remembered emerged point by point from the face before him. His voice trembled as he said, “You… you are Wuji?”

Zhang Wuji had not a shred of strength left in his body. Knowing death could not be far off, he saw no further need for concealment. He cried, “Uncle Six Yin, I… I have thought of you… often!”

Tears streamed from Yin Liting’s eyes. He let his jian fall with a clang, bent down and gathered the youth into his arms, crying, “You are Wuji, you are Wuji, my child. You are the son of my Fifth Brother, Zhang Wuji!”

Song Yuanqiao, Yu Lianzhou, Zhang Songxi and Mo Shenggu all crowded round. Each was filled with astonishment and joy. In that instant their hearts overflowed with happiness, and all the quarrels and enmity between the Six Great Factions and the Ming Order were forgotten.

At Yin Liting’s cry, all save He Taichong and his wife, Zhou Zhiruo, Yang Xiao and a handful of others were struck dumb with surprise. Who could have imagined that the youth who had risked his life to defend the Ming Order was the son of Zhang Cuishan of the Wudang Order?

Yin Liting saw that Zhang Wuji had fainted. He hastily took a pill of Heavenly King Heart-Protecting Elixir¹ from his pocket and placed it in the youth’s mouth, then handed him to Yu Lianzhou to hold. He snatched up his jian, rushed before Yang Xiao, pointed a finger at him and cursed, “You surnamed Yang, you lustful villain worse than swine and dogs, I… I…” His throat constricted. He could curse no more. He thrust out his jian, aiming to pierce Yang Xiao’s heart.

Yang Xiao could not move a limb. He smiled faintly and closed his eyes, awaiting death. Suddenly a girl ran from the side and threw herself before Yang Xiao, crying, “Do not harm my father!”

Yin Liting stayed his jian and peered at her. A cold shock ran through him. He saw a girl of tall, slender build, with fine brows and large eyes. It was Ji Xiaofu. Since his betrothal to Ji Xiaofu, whenever his training left him leisure, his heart would grow sweet with thoughts of his betrothed’s pretty face. Then he had learned she had been carried off by Yang Xiao, had lost her virtue to him, and died in consequence. His grief and fury had been beyond all telling. Now to see her suddenly before him, his body swayed and he cried out, “Sister Xiaofu,² you… you have not…”

The girl was Yang Buhui. She said, “My surname is Yang. Ji Xiaofu was my mother. She died long ago.”

Yin Liting was stunned. Only then did he understand. He murmured, “Ah, of course. How foolish I am. Step aside. Today I shall avenge your mother.” Yang Buhui pointed at Miejue Shitai and said, “Good! Uncle Yin, go kill that villainous nun.³”

Yin Liting said, “Why… why?” Yang Buhui said, “My mother was killed by that villainous nun with a single palm-strike.” Yin Liting said, “Nonsense! What does a child like you know?” Yang Buhui said coldly, “That day in the Butterfly Valley,⁴ the villainous nun told my mother to go and kill my father. My mother refused, so the villainous nun struck her dead. I saw it with my own eyes. Brother Wuji saw it with his own eyes too. If you do not believe me, you may ask that villainous nun herself.” When Ji Xiaofu died, Yang Buhui was young and understood nothing. But as she grew older and thought back, she came in time to understand what had happened that year.

Yin Liting turned and looked at Miejue Shitai. His face showed his bewilderment. He stammered, “Shitai… she says… that Miss Ji was…”

Miejue Shitai said in a hoarse voice, “It is true. What use is there in keeping alive a shameless disciple like that? She and Yang Xiao were willing partners. She chose to betray our shimen rather than obey her shifu’s command to kill that lustful villain. Sixth Xia Yin, for the sake of your reputation I kept silent all this while. Hmph. Why should you trouble yourself with thoughts of such a shameless woman?”

Yin Liting’s face turned ashen. He cried loudly, “I do not believe it! I do not believe it!”

Miejue Shitai said, “Ask this girl her name.”

Yin Liting’s gaze turned to Yang Buhui’s face. Through his blurred, tear-filled eyes, he saw in her features the very image of Ji Xiaofu. Yet he heard her say clearly, “My name is Yang Buhui. My mother said: she will never regret what she did.”

With a clang, Yin Liting cast down his jian. He turned, covered his face with both hands, and ran swiftly down the mountain. Song Yuanqiao and Yu Lianzhou cried, “Sixth Brother, Sixth Brother!” But Yin Liting neither answered nor looked back. He gathered his breath and ran at full speed. Suddenly he stumbled and fell, then leapt up at once, and in moments had run from sight.

What had passed between him and Ji Xiaofu was known to many. Seeing that after more than ten years he still grieved so deeply, all felt sorrow for him. With Yin the Sixth Xia’s kung fu, how could he stumble and fall while running? That could only be because his mind was in such turmoil, his spirit so scattered, that he had no thought for where he set his feet.

Song Yuanqiao, Yu Lianzhou, Zhang Songxi and Mo Shenggu now sat at four corners, each extending a palm to press against one of the four great acupoints on Zhang Wuji’s chest, belly, back and waist. Together they channelled their neili to heal his wounds. No sooner had they begun than they felt within his body an immense suction, drawing their neili away in an unending stream. The four were greatly alarmed, thinking: If this goes on, in just a shichen⁵ or two our neili will be utterly exhausted. Yet the youth’s life hung in the balance. What could they do? Before they could decide, Zhang Wuji slowly opened his eyes and said, “Ah.” Song Yuanqiao and the rest started. Suddenly they felt a warm force flowing back from their palms into their limbs and bones, supremely comfortable. It was his Nine Yang Divine Skill⁶ responding to theirs, returning their neili into their bodies.

Song Yuanqiao cried, “You must not! Rest is what you need most!” The four hastily withdrew their palms and rose. They felt as though warm water had flowed through every vein and fibre of their bodies, supremely comfortable. Evidently he had not merely returned the neili he had drawn from them. His Nine Yang zhenqi⁷, full and surging, had instead aided them in enhancing their own neigong⁸. Song Yuanqiao and the other three looked at one another in silent astonishment. They had believed him gravely wounded and near death. Who could have imagined his neili so strong, so deep, so beyond all measure? His sword-wounds, they judged, would surely be no hindrance.

Though Zhang Wuji’s external wounds remained grave, his inner breath had already begun to flow freely once more. He slowly knelt and said, “Eldest Uncle Song, Second Uncle Yu, Fourth Uncle Zhang, Seventh Uncle Mo, forgive your nephew his discourtesy. Is our Grand Shifu⁹ in good health?”

Song Yuanqiao and Yu Lianzhou hastened to help him rise. Yu Lianzhou said, “Shifu is in good health! Wuji, you… you have grown so tall…” Having said this, though his heart was filled with a thousand words and a thousand thoughts, he could speak no more. His face showed a smile, his eyes brimmed with tears.

The White-Browed Eagle King Yin Tianzheng, learning that the saviour who had rescued him was in truth his own grandson, laughed aloud with joy, though in the end he could not rise to his feet.

Miejue Shitai, her face ashen, waved her hand. The disciples of the Emei Order followed her as they walked down the mountain.

Zhou Zhiruo walked with her head bowed for a few steps. At last she could not resist a glance at Zhang Wuji. He too was watching her go. Their eyes met. A flush of colour rose to Zhou Zhiruo’s pale cheeks. Her gaze seemed to say: I have wounded you so grievously. I am truly, deeply sorry. Do take care of yourself. Zhang Wuji seemed to understand her meaning. He nodded very slightly. Zhou Zhiruo’s face at once brightened with joy, her spirit soaring. She turned her head and quickened her pace, soon vanishing into the distance.

With the Wudang Order’s recognition of Zhang Wuji, and the Emei Order’s departure besides, the Six Great Factions’ campaign to destroy the Ming Order at once scattered like clouds before the wind. The Kongtong and Huashan Schools, tending their wounded and bearing away their dead, followed soon after.

He Taichong stepped forward and said, “Little brother, allow me to congratulate you on your reunion with kin…” Before he could finish, Zhang Wuji took from his sleeve two ordinary pills that dispelled miasma and purified corruption, and handed them to him, saying, “Please, let husband and wife each take one, and the Golden Silkworm Gu-Poison may be dissolved.”

He Taichong took the pills. They were black and unremarkable. He did not believe they could dissolve the Golden Silkworm Gu-Poison, the most lethal poison under heaven. Zhang Wuji said, “Since I say they can dissolve it, they can.” His voice remained faint, but the battle on Bright Peak had overawed the Six Great Factions, and in his bearing there now dwelt a natural authority that compelled belief. He Taichong could not but trust him. Yet he thought, Even if he deceives us and these pills cannot dissolve the Gu-Poison, in the presence of the Four Xias of Wudang we cannot force him to give us the true antidote. Besides, that thieving bald-pate Kongxing of the Shaolin Order also seemed inclined to protect this young villain. Today we must simply accept our fate. He forced a smile and said, “Many thanks!” He and Ban Shuxian each took a pill. Then he directed his disciples to gather the remains of their dead, and took his leave to descend the mountain.

Yu Lianzhou said, “Wuji, your wounds are grave. You cannot descend the mountain now. You must tend them here. We cannot stay to keep you company. We hope that once you are recovered, you will come to Wudang, so that Shifu may see you and be glad.” Zhang Wuji nodded through his tears. There was much each of them wished to ask, much they wished to say. But seeing how exhausted he looked, they knew that every word would add to his wounds. They restrained themselves and spoke no more.

Suddenly a loud cry came from the Shaolin Order: “Where is shixiong Yuanzhen’s body?” Another voice said, “Eh, where has shishu Yuanzhen’s body gone?” Mo Shenggu, his curiosity aroused, hurried over to look. He saw seven or eight Shaolin monks gathering the bodies of their fallen. But Yuanzhen’s corpse was missing.

Yuanyin pointed at the men of the Ming Order and cried loudly, “Hand over shixiong Yuanyin’s body at once, lest the monks’ nameless fury rise and we burn you all to ashes and bones!”

Zhou Dian laughed, “Haha, haha! What a monstrous absurdity! We do not want your living bald-pate. What use is his dead corpse to us? Shall we slaughter him like a pig or a sheep and eat his lean bones?”

The men of Shaolin thought this reasonable enough. At once a dozen or more monks spread out in search. But where was Yuanzhen’s body? Though all found this strange, they supposed that perhaps the Kongtong or Huashan Schools, gathering their own dead, had mistaken his body for one of their own. They pursued the matter no further.

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End of Part 6.

Footnotes

1. 天王护心丹 – Tiānwáng Hùxīn Dān. Heavenly King Heart-Protecting Elixir, a medicine for stabilising the heart and restoring consciousness. ↩

2. 晓芙妹子 – Xiǎofú Mèizi. Sister Xiaofu, the affectionate form of address Yin Liting used for his betrothed Ji Xiaofu. 妹 (mèi) means younger sister. ↩

3. 贼尼 – zéi ní. Thief-nun, a vulgar term of abuse for a Buddhist nun. ↩

4. 蝴蝶谷 – Húdié Gǔ. Butterfly Valley, the valley where the Ming Order’s physician Hu Qingniu lived. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

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

6. 九阳神功 – Jiǔyáng Shéngōng. The Nine Yang Divine Skill, a legendary internal art emphasising pure yang energy. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

7. 真气 – zhēnqì. True qi, the refined qi produced by internal cultivation. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

8. 内功 – nèigōng. Internal cultivation, the disciplined training of one’s inner energy. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩

9. 太师父 – tàishīfù. Grand Shifu, two rungs up the lineage: the shifu of one’s shifu. ↩